Appleton Cross, South Warrington | Development Statement
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Appleton Cross, South Warrington | Development Statement Appleton Cross, South Warrington Development Statement AUGUST 2016 1 Appleton Cross, South Warrington| Development Statement Contents 1. Introduction .................................................. 1 5. Suitability of the Site for New Homes ......... 21 List of Figures 1.1 Purpose ............................................................1 5.1 Overview .........................................................22 Figure 1: Site Location Plan ........................................7 1.2 Background to the Site: 5.2 Location and Accessibility ..............................22 Figure 2: Site Boundary ...............................................7 The New Towns Act 1981 .................................2 5.3 Site Technical Analysis ..................................24 Figure 3: Visual Appraisal ...........................................8 1.3 Studies which have informed Figure 4: Local Facilities Plan ...................................23 the Development Statement ............................3 6. Deliverability of the Site For New Homes ... 29 Figure 5: Constraints & Opportunities Plan ..............35 6.1 Definition of Deliverable Development ..........30 Figure 6: Site Concept Masterplan ............................37 2. Site Context .................................................. 5 6.2 Availability ......................................................30 2.1 Site Location .....................................................6 6.3 Suitability ........................................................30 2.2 The Site .............................................................6 6.4 Achievability....................................................30 2.3 The Surrounding Area ......................................6 2.4 Visual Appraisal ................................................8 7. Desgin & Form of Development .................. 33 7.1 General ...........................................................34 3. Site Vision ................................................... 11 7.2 Key Design Considerations ............................34 7.3 Opportunities arising from Development ......34 4. Planning Policy Context .............................. 15 7.4 Developing a Concept Masterplan 4.1 Introduction ....................................................16 for the Site ......................................................36 4.2 National Planning Policy ................................16 4.3 Planning Practice Guidance ...........................18 8. Conclusions ................................................ 39 4.4 Local Planning Policy .....................................18 Appleton Cross, South Warrington | Development Statement Appleton Cross, South Warrington Development Statement 1.1.3 Against this background, which has been informed • The development would be sensitive to the character of 1. INTRODUCTION by the findings of a number of preliminary technical and the local landscape and existing surrounding residential environmental appraisals undertaken in connection with the development in terms of scale, design and layout; and 1.1 Purpose Site, this Statement seeks to demonstrate that: • There are no technical, physical or environmental constraints to the development of the Site for housing. 1.1.1 This Development Statement (the ‘Statement’) has been • The Site benefits from approval in principle for residential prepared by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to development from the Secretary of State under S(7)1 support and explain the promotion of land at Appleton Cross, and S(7)2 of the New Towns Act 1981, and constitutes South Warrington for new residential development (the residual land that has been identified for future residential ‘Site’). These proposals by the HCA are to be the subject of development since the early 1980s; a forthcoming outline planning application for up to 370 new • The Site is a Greenfield site, located outside of the homes on the Site in autumn 2016. It is anticipated that the designated Green Belt and within the suburban area of proposed development of the Site for residential uses would South Warrington as defined in the Core Strategy, in close also include for a small local centre containing retail and physical proximity to the area of Dudlow’s Green; health uses. • The Site is in a sustainable location for new housing, being 1.1.2 The site, which totals an area of approximately 20.19ha located in proximity to key employment areas, a broad of Greenfield land forms part of a wider area of land in range of shops and services and major transport routes; South Warrington which has remained in the ownership of • The Site could provide in the region of 370 new homes with the HCA and its predecessors since the early 1980s, with a options for phased delivery and thus deliver an important view to accommodating future new homes. As part of the component of the Borough’s much needed current and remaining residual legacy land, the Site continues to benefit future housing land supply; from approval in principle for residential development under the provisions of the New Towns Act 1981. Accordingly, the • The Site could provide a mix of high quality housing types, Site has been identified in successive Warrington Strategic tenures and sizes; Housing Land Availability Assessments (SHLAA), including • The Site would make a significant contribution towards the the current 2016 SHLAA as being suitable, available, and provision of Starter Homes with 20% of all homes being achievable for housing development. provided on Site meeting this need; 1 Appleton Cross, South Warrington| Development Statement 1.2 Background to the Site 1.2.4 However, Planning Policy Statement 3 ‘Housing’ 1.3 Studies which have informed the – The New Towns Act. (PPG3) subsequently came into force in March 2000, which Development Statement prioritised development of ‘previously developed land’ 1.2.1 The designation of Warrington as a New Town in April (brownfield land) rather than Greenfield land. Accordingly, 1.3.1 The Suitability of the Site for residential development is 1968 set the precedent for growth across Warrington. The the development of these residual sites was voluntarily halted supported by the following suite of assessments which have Warrington Development Corporation (WDC) was established (by the then EP) to enable housing growth to be focused on also informed the development of the concept masterplan/ following the approval of the Warrington New Town previously developed land, to support regeneration. illustrative layout for the Site: (Designation) Order (1968) with the aim of providing housing 1.2.5 Most of the remaining land in the ownership of the and employment for people within the South-East Lancashire • Landscape and Visual Assessment; HCA in South Warrington lies within designated Green Belt. and North-East Cheshire Conurbation. By March 1981, the However, three sites lie outside the Green Belt, which include • Tree Survey; WDC had completed approximately 3,500 rented housing units, land at Pewterspear Green, Grappenhall Heys and Appleton • Ecological Constraints Assessment; over 330,000m2 of industrial units, approximately 37,300m2 of Cross (the latter which forms the Site). It was envisaged that office space and around 29,000m2 of commercial units1. • Preliminary Assessment of Access and Highways; the residual phases of these locations would be developed • Flood Risk and Drainage Feasibility Study; 1.2.2 During the late 1980’s, the emphasis shifted from the at some point in the future, and accordingly, signs on the provision of rented housing to the sale of dwellings already land erected by the HCA have clearly indicated for a number • Assessment of Potential Land Contamination Issues; of years that the sites are reserved for future development. built and the stimulation of private developers. Subsequently, • Preliminary Statement of Existing Services; WDC was dissolved on 30th September 1989 and replaced These three remaining sites are to form the basis of separate by the Commission for New Towns (CNT) under the New forthcoming outline planning applications for new homes. • Preliminary Assessment of Noise; Towns Act 1981. All assets and liabilities of the Development 1.2.6 As part of the legacy of the CNT, under S 7(1) and S (7)2 • Preliminary Assessment of Air Quality; and Corporation transferred to the Commission for New Towns of the New Towns Act (1981) the Site continues to benefit • Heritage and Archaeological Constraints Assessment. (CNT). Against this background, the Site was acquired under from the Secretary of State’s approval for the principle of a residential Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) in the 1980s residential development. It is not the intention of the HCA 1.3.2 The summary findings of each of these assessments by the CNT which became English Partnerships (EP) in 1999 to invoke their powers as ‘Development Corporation’ under are presented later within this Statement. and subsequently the HCA in 2008. the New Towns Act for this Site, preferring to seek planning 1.2.3 A development strategy and masterplan was prepared by the consent under the provisions of the Town and Country Sources: Planning (England and Wales) Act 1990. However, this CNT in 1995 for the development of the Bridgewater East area 1The National Archives for new housing and community facilities, which extended extant approval in relation to the Site remains as a material across land to the south-east of Warrington and included consideration in considering