Broomedge Nurseries, Burford Lane, Broomedge

Beck Developments Ltd BROOMEDGE NURSERIES, BURFORD LANE, BROOMEDGE Proposed regeneration of the former Broomedge Nurseries including clearance of all existing buildings and structures, erection of 8 detached dwellings and the creation of wildflower meadow DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT December 2014 PREFACE Project Management Little & Co Development Services Ltd, This Design and Access Statement has been prepared by Woolerton Dodwell Associates on behalf of Croft Cottage, Back Lane, Rimington, Lancashire, BB7 4EL Beck Developments Ltd. It supports a full planning application for planning permission to regenerate Project Development Team: the site of the former Broomedge Nurseries for 8 detached dwellings and for the return of the residu- Planning al, non-residential part of the site to wildflower meadow following demolition and clearance of all JWPC, Planning Consultants buildings, structures and hardstandings currently on the site. 1B Waterview, White Cross, Lancaster LA1 4XS The site is located on Burford Lane, in Broomedge village near Lymm, within Cheshire’s Green Belt. Masterplanning and Architectural Design Green Square Architecture The Tap, 2Kingsway, Altrincham, Cheshire WA14 1PJ Landscape Design, Village Character Assessment, Landscape & Visual Amenity Assessment Woolerton Dodwell Associates (Landscape Architects & Environmental Planning Consultants) Mawson House, 4 Fenton Street, Lancaster, LA1 1TE Highways and Transportation Assessment DTPC (Northwest) LLP The Studio, 3 Philips Road, Weir, Bacup, Lancashire, OL13 8RH Geotechnical Assessment Geotechnical & Environmental Associates Limited (GEA) Unit 1, Church Farm, Gotham Road, Kingston on Soar, Nottinghamshire NG11 0DE Drainage and Flood Risk Assessment Weetwood Services Ltd Suite 1 Park House, Broncoed Business Park, Wrexham Road, Mold, CH7 1HP Ecological Assessment Cameron S Crook & Associates, Ecological Consultancy 8 Woodstock Close, Lostock Hall, Preston, Lancashire PR5 5YY Arboricutural Assessment Iain Tavendale, High Bank Farm, Stoney Bank Road, Earby, Barnoldswick BB18 6LD Affordable Housing Delivery Proposals Bridgehouse Property Consultants Limited Unit 3, Elgar Business Centre, Moseley Road, Hallow, WR2 6NJ 2 INTRODUCTION A design and access (DAS) statement is defined on the Government’s Planning Portal as The proposal has three main elements: The demolition and clearance of all buildings, structures and hardstandings currently on site; ‘a short report accompanying and supporting a planning application. They provide a framework for applicants to explain how a proposed development is a suitable response to the site and its setting, The provision of a small development of 8 detached dwellings for sustainable family living. The and demonstrate that it can be adequately accessed by prospective users.’ housing development will be well integrated with and complement the pattern, form and scale of existing residential development in Broomedge; and The document is prepared in accordance with the requirements of Article 4 of SI 2013/1238 (The The restoration of previously developed land in the residual, non-residential part of the site to Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) (Amendment) Order open wildflower meadow bounded by field hedgerows. These features will add to existing 2013) that came into force on 25th June 2013. It incorporates an Illustrative Development Layout for landscape resources of grazing land, hedgerows and trees that characterises the setting to the the Application Site (Drawing 765.301). village The Application proposal aims to sensitively regenerate the former Broomedge Nurseries site where semi-derelict and redundant glasshouses, brick buildings and hardstandings together with caravan storage uses detract from the character of Broomedge village and its wider Green Belt setting. 3 The Application Proposal for the former Broomedge Nurseries site has evolved through an iterative The number and arrangement of buildings and structures on the Nurseries site - including glass- process of assessment, involvement, evaluation and design, having regard to best practice and houses, packing sheds, boiler houses and chimney, storage and display areas and hardstandings - has guidance. This Design and Access Statement (DAS) is intended to set out the main steps in the process varied over the years, expanding and contracting in response to commercial requirements and trading between the initial assessments of existing or ‘baseline’ conditions, the technical appraisal of conditions. The OS map extract included below shows the extent of buildings and structures on the constraints (and opportunities) to development and the ‘best scenario’ design response to them. Nurseries site in 1968. Ordnance Survey maps confirm that the Broomedge Nurseries had been established by 1936/37 for Broomedge Nurseries ceased trading in 2002, and since then the remaining redundant buildings and the purpose of growing plants, principally flowers, in glasshouses erected on the site. The Nurseries structures have deteriorated to their present semi-derelict condition and now represent ‘eyesores’ in extend to approximately 2.167 hectares overall and were developed on former farmland bounded by the appearance of Broomedge village. The current use of part of the site for caravan & boat storage is field hedgerows with a single access created into the nursery on the east side of Burford Lane. The not appropriate to a residential village location within Cheshire’s Green Belt. northern part of the Nurseries site includes a field of grazing land that has not been the subject of development The regeneration proposal has been developed by the project team through an iterative design process that has responded to the existing character of the site and surrounding area, to the character of the Broomedge settlement, to the location and amenity of nearby residents and to a variety of environmental, highways and land use considerations, including its location within Cheshire’s Green Belt. 4 ASSESSMENT The starting point for this proposal to regenerate the redundant Broomedge Nurseries site was to Six local character areas have been identified in Broomedge village. Three of these are located along establish the existing character of the Nurseries site and of its setting within Broomedge village. Burford Lane, including Burford Lane: South, the most densely developed part of Broomedge village and wholly residential, Burford Lane: North where a ribbon of residential properties line the east side This was approached via of Burford Lane only, and Burford Lane: Central which has a leafy, mixed character that combines residential properties and extensive semi-derelict or redundant commercial plant nurseries/garden i) Various technical studies and appraisals that provide baseline information concerning the centres including the Broomedge Nurseries site. Nurseries site and its features; and ii) Assessment the existing form and character of Broomedge village in which the Nurseries The three Burford Lane local character areas exhibit a number of common ‘townscape’ characteristics site is located including: Mainly detached or semi-detached two storey houses that face onto Burford Lane i) Technical studies and appraisals Relatively consistent setback (c.12m) of properties from Burford Lane; A range of technical studies and appraisals were undertaken in the spring and summer of 2014. They Front gardens enclosed by hedges or low walls, with frequent garden trees and shrubs; include a topographic survey, land quality/ geotechnical assessment, drainage and flood risk Roadside footpath along Burford Lane, with grass verges in places; assessment, highways and transportation assessment, an extended Phase I Habitat survey, an Eclectic range of building styles; houses are built mainly in red brick under slate roofs. Most arboricultural assessment and an assessment of local landscape and visual character. These technical have main roof ridgelines running parallel with Burford Lane, north to south; gables are studies and appraisals form part of the documents submitted in support of the planning application . common features. ii) The existing form and character of Broomedge village Broomedge village has evolved over a period of at least two hundred years, as described in the submitted Broomedge Village Character and Heritage Assessment. Broomedge is typical of the local pattern of small settlements, having formed initially around a crossroads of the A56 and Burford Lane /High Legh Road and then expanded via ribbon development, in particular along Burford Lane which runs northward from the A56 crossroads. Like many settlements the buildings of Broomedge exhibit considerable variety in age and style; this represents part of its appeal. The Broomedge Village Character and Heritage Assessment provides further details. 5 6 EVALUATION The technical studies and appraisals undertaken established that a number of features within the site All of the plants and habitats on site are relatively common and widespread in Cheshire and GB. contribute positively to local character and ecological value including: The trees on site are mostly non-native species and do not represent semi-natural woodland. The hedges on site were all found to be species-poor and semi-defunct and are neither A small number of mature trees, mainly established on the western site boundary that are not Important Hedgerows nor do they qualify as BAP habitats. The mown grass within the site is the subject of TPO;

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