Pilgrim's Retreat, Hogbarn Lane, Harrietsham, Kent
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PILGRIM’S RETREAT, HOGBARN LANE, HARRIETSHAM, KENT, ME17 1NZ LANDSCAPE & VISUAL ASSESSMENT PREPARED BY PEGASUS GROUP | SINES PARKS LUXURY LIVING LTD | FEBRUARY 2021 | P18-2071_102A PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK CONTENTS PAGE 5 1 PAGE 10 2 PAGE 11 3 PAGE 13 4 INTRODUCTION SITE CONTEXT AND DESIGNATIONS AND LANDSCAPE EFFECTS DESCRIPTION POLICY CONTEXT PAGE 19 5 PAGE 25 6 PAGE 29 7 PAGE 31 VISUAL EFFECTS EFFECTS UPON THE CONCLUSIONS APPENDICES SPECIAL QUALITIES OF THE AONB NOTE: THIS DOCUMENT IS DESIGNED TO BE VIEWED AS A4 DOUBLE SIDED COPYRIGHT The contents of this document must not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of Pegasus Planning Group Ltd. © Crown copyright and database rights [2020] www.pegasusgroup.co.uk PAGE 4 - PILGRIM’S RETREAT, HARRIETSHAM, KENT - LANDSCAPE & VISUAL ASSESSMENT 01 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION KEY and planning rationale for the two planning Site Boundary (dashed line denotes 1.1 This Landscape and Visual Assessment has been division between applications) applications. Blueline Boundary - Other land undertaken on behalf of Sines Parks Luxury within the Clients ownership Living Limited and relates to the Site at Pilgrim’s 1.6 The Site boundary of both applications extends Retreat, Hogbarn Lane, Harrietsham, Kent, ME17 to approximately 4.58 hectares, (4.02 and 0.56 1NZ, as illustrated at Figure 1. hectares for each parcel of land respectively). 1.2 The Site Location Plan at Figure 1 shows land 1.7 This Landscape and Visual Assessment (LVA) has which is the subject of this assessment and two been prepared in consideration of the potential for planning applications. landscape or visual effects of the development, 1.3 Both of the planning applications for the site in particular those which could affect the special relate to the area shown in red on Figure 1, this qualities of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding LVA considers the proposal for the whole site Natural Beauty (AONB). area i.e. that which includes land subject to both 1.8 This LVA considers the site and its surrounding applications, as clearly, they are inter-related context in both landscape and visual terms, to and the intended proposal and end use should assess the potential effects of the proposed be treated as one for the purposes of assessing development upon: Rev Date By Note potential landscape and visual effects. Detail in relation to the specifics of each application • Landscape features; Pilgrim's Retreat, Maidstone Client: Sines Parks Luxury Living Ltd. REV: - is contained within the respective application DRWG No: P18-2071.104 Approved by: FH • Landscape character; and Drawn by : VR Planning Statements and accompanying Date: 16/11/2020 PLANNING | DESIGN | ENVIRONMENT | ECONOMICS | HERITAGE Scale: 1:10,000@ A3 Copyright Pegasus PlanningFigure Group Ltd. Crown copyright, All rights 1: reserved. EmapsiteSite Licence number 0100031673Location. Ordnance Survey Copyright Licence number Plan 100042093. Promap Licence (notnumber 100020449. reproduced to scale) • Visual amenity. Pegasus accepts no liability for any use of this document other than for its original purpose, or by the original client, or following Pegasus' express agreement to such use. T 01132878200 www.pegasusgroup.co.uk information. 1.4 The applications are as follows: 1.9 A Landscape and Visual Assessment (LVA) was homes, car parking and access roadways and is initially undertaken in relation to a wider site area • Application 1: “Section 73A Application located to the southern part of the Existing Site for which an application was made in May 2019 to vary conditions 1, 2 and 4 pursuant to which includes, a park office and clubhouse. (Ref 19/502469/FULL). This assessment has been G77/E/989 (T/APP/C/96/U2235/643714) The clubhouse incorporates a range of leisure prepared through a desk study analysis of the site for the use of the land for use as a caravan facilities, including swimming pool, gym, bar and and its current landscape policy context as well site” restaurant. The park homes are exclusively for the as a site visit undertaken in November 2018 to • Application 2: “Retrospective application for over 50s population. a material change of use of land for use as a gain an appreciation of the landscape and visual caravan site” context of the Site. 1.11 The Applicant has identified the need to retain 217 caravans at Pilgrims Retreat to safeguard the 1.5 The planning applications follow extensive 1.10 The Site forms part of an existing property existing households. planning history and most recently, dialogue with under the clients ownership which is in use as Maidstone Borough Council. A detailed summary a residential park home site and which will be of the relevant planning history of the wider site 1.12 The application sites and the wider site have a referred to as the ‘Existing Site’. The Site subject long history of use as a caravan site, albeit based is provided within the accompanying Planning of this assessment, presently comprises park Statement, which provides the background on temporary seasonal permissions granted PILGRIM’S RETREAT, HARRIETSHAM, KENT - LANDSCAPE & VISUAL ASSESSMENT PAGE 5 on appeal in 1952 and 1959. The accompanying 1.15 Several applications to vary planning conditions 1.17 We are aware that some works have been Planning Statement concludes that the site on the 1997 Appeal Permission proceeded to undertaken on Site which relate to the permission benefits from two distinct planning areas for allow: 10 static caravans on the 1997 Enforcement now sought, and which alter the landscape and caravan use across much of the Pilgrims Retreat Permission land; Extensions to the Parks season visual baseline against which an application would caravan site. to all year round and; to allow expansion of the otherwise have been considered. Through the area for the (holiday) caravans and operational use of historic planning information and aerial 1.13 A Planning Permission granted in 1985, on land development to alter levels (app ref. 13/1435). photography, this appraisal considers to the best adjacent to the current applications, provides of our professional judgement, the landscape unrestricted caravan use within the northern part 1.16 Various other permissions have been and visual effects which would occur against of the wider Pilgrims Retreat site, together with subsequently granted including an extension to the former baseline of the implementation of all up to 30 tents for camping purposes. the clubhouse and stationing of a mobile home for works consented to date, and not the condition of residential occupation by a caretaker. 1.14 Enforcement Permissions secured at appeal in 1997 relate to a deemed application for existing development on land within Application 1 for a material change of use of land to use as a caravan site and associated operational development. Figure 2: Plan referred to within Enforcement Notice of Figure 3: Landscape Proposals relating to MA/96/1132 (not reproduced to scale). G77/E/989 (T/APP/C/96/U2235/643714 (not to scale). PAGE 6 - PILGRIM’S RETREAT, HARRIETSHAM, KENT - LANDSCAPE & VISUAL ASSESSMENT the Site as observed during site work. 1.18 For clarity therefore, the effects will be assessed against a baseline Site condition indicated by the permission granted by permission granted under an Enforcement Appeal G77/E/989 (T/APP/C/96/ EXISTING DEVELOPMENT U2235/643714 (Figure 2), which relates to the area covered by one of the two current applications. 1.19 The 1997 Enforcement Permission relates to a . apply deemed application for existing development conditions rights licence on land within the southern part of the wider OS Standard Pilgrims Retreat site for a material change of use .co.uk 0100031673 number of land to use as a caravan site and associated .pegasuspg www Licence 641717 EmapSite . operational development (Figure 2). Figure 3 01285 T . use 100020449 such to shows, for information, the landscape proposals number agreement Licence express Promap plan which was prepared in relation to application . Pegasus’ 100042093 MA/96/1132 (allowed under a S78 appeal). Figure following or , number client Licence 4 shows the existing condition and land use within original the Copyright by or , Survey the areas covered by both planning applications. purpose Ordnance . original its for reserved Figure 5 shows the proposed development for than rights All . other copyright which permission is sought. Even though there document this Crown of . Ltd any use Group will be an improvement against the current Site for liability Planning no Pegasus condition (as indicated at Figure 4), all effects are accepts considered to be adverse when set against the Copyright Pegasus baseline consent. 1.20 Following an initial site visit, it was determined PLANNING | DESIGN | ENVIRONMENT | ECONOMICS | HERITAGE that due to the limited visual envelope of the site, Sines Parks Luxury Living Ltd. an assessment study area of 1.5 km from the site centre was appropriate and proportionate to the development proposals. Visibility of the proposals is however only available within limited sections of Figure 4: Existing Site Plan for the areas covered by both applications. this study area, as discussed in this assessment. 1.21 The assessment has been guided by the Assessment Approach set out at Appendix A. PILGRIM’S RETREAT, HARRIETSHAM, KENT - LANDSCAPE & VISUAL ASSESSMENT PAGE 7 Figure 5: Figure PAGE 8 - PILGRIM’S RETREAT, HARRIETSHAM, KENT - LANDSCAPE & VISUAL ASSESSMENT & VISUAL ASSESSMENT HARRIETSHAM, KENT-LANDSCAPE RETREAT, 8-PILGRIM’S PAGE Proposed Site Plan for areas covered bybothapplications. covered areas Planfor Site Proposed Copyright Pegasus Planning Group Ltd. Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Copyright Licence number 100042093. Promap Licence number 100020449. EmapSite Licence number 0100031673 Standard OS licence rights conditions apply. PLANNING Pegasus accepts no liability for any use of this document other than for its original purpose, or by the original client, or following Pegasus’ express agreement to such use.