LAND AT LONGSIGHT ROAD, LANGHO Design and Access Statement July 2014 2 CONTENTS 1.0 Scope and Purpose 2.0 Site Location 3.0 Movement 4.0 Topography and Landscape Character 5.0 Local Designations 6.0 Flood Risk and Drainage 7.0 Historic Development 8.0 Land Use and Facilities 9.0 Townscape Analysis 10.0 Site Visibility 11.0 Site Constraints 12.0 Site Features 13.0 Vision 14.0 Consultation 15.0 Masterplan 16.0 Urban Design Framework 17.0 Character Areas 18.0 Landscape Framework 19.0 Movement Framework 20.0 Conclusion 3 1.0 SCOPE AND PURPOSE Introduction Process 1.1 This Design and Access Statement (DAS) has been produced by Planit-IE, 1.9 Preparing the Design and Access Statement follows best practice set out for Hallam Land Management in support of an outline planning application in various guidance and policy documents. for residential development at Longsight Road. The site boundary is defined within Figure 1. 1.10 This statement details the contextual relationship of the site with its surroundings, the national, regional and local policy context and the design 1.2 The DAS has been structured to provide a description of the key character process undertaken to establish the Urban Design Principles and Illustrative areas proposed within the development. Masterplan. The Masterplan doubles as the indicative layout to demonstrate the site’s capacity, functionality and detail. Scope In Conclusion 1.3 The purpose of the analysis is to ensure that any future development responds to local character, planning guidance and the aspirations of the 1.11 The masterplan indicates: community. 1. A layout which is driven by the site’s topography, surrounding landscape, townscape and existing resident’s amenity; 1.4 We have analysed the immediate site context as well as the surrounding 2. The development will become part of the natural environment into environment in order to fully inform the design proposals. which it’s placed, through substantial landscaped site boundaries and the creation of bio-diverse habitats and native planting; 1.5 The wider study area encompasses the settlement and surrounding 3. Space for the community to breathe, through the provision of easily neighbourhoods, their wider characteristics, influences and constraints, accessible open spaces, which offer space to play, discover nature and which will inform future development. interact with the existing community; 4. The ability for residents and visitors to navigate their way around the 1.6 The report draws the salient points from the analysis; highlighting development intuitively via the hierarchy of streets, lanes, semi-private the physical constraints that may impact on future development, and driveways and spaces; opportunities for transformational change. 5. Shared surface space for the streets, lanes and semi-private driveways, to provide a safe pedestrian environment; 1.7 This application is submitted in outline with all matters reserved except 6. Low carbon development to benefit from passive solar gain, good access. Any layouts and representations of the final scheme are, therefore, design and renewable energy technology to significantly reduce energy illustrative. demands; 7. The use of high quality, locally sourced and sympathetic materials and 1.8 The content of this report complies with the ‘Town and Country careful placing of built form to blend into its setting and be visually Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2010 (Article 8), unobtrusive. which requires Design and Access Statements to accompany most planning applications, Circular 01/2006 Guidance on changes to the development control system and CABE: Design and Access Statements - How to write, read and use them (2006). 4 2.0 SITE LOCATION Site Location 2.1 The site is located in the settlement of Langho, in the Ribble Valley. Nearby cities include Preston (12 miles), Blackburn (5 miles), and the towns of Burnley (14 miles) and Clitheroe (6 miles). 2.2 The site is situated to the north of Langho and measures approx 5.4Ha. 2.3 The site is bounded by Longsight Road (A59) and arable land to the north. To the west the site is bounded by arable land; to the south is the railway station and railway line and Langho’s suburban neighbourhoods beyond. To the east is Northcote Road, which serves private residences. 2.4 The site topography falls towards the north by approx. 14m. A59 A666 Figure 1: Site Location CLITHEROE Railway Ribble Valley LANGHO WHALLEY RIBCHESTER A59 0 100 200 meters LANGHO A666 WHILPSHIRE GREAT BURNLEY HARWOOD A677 PRESTON M65 ACCRINGTON BLACKBURN 5 3.0 MOVEMENT Movement 3.1 The proposed primary access is off Longsight Road, (A59). The site approximately 5 miles to the south east of Whalley, 6.5 miles to the south of Clitheroe, 5 miles north of Blackburn, and connected to other local neighbourhoods and the M56 motorway. Public Rights of Way 3.2 The surrounding area is designated as accessible countryside at the urban fringe and is accessible by foot and by cycle on a network of public rights of way and country lanes. 3.3 There is a public footpath located to the west of the site runing from the railway station towards the A59. Cycle 3.4 National Cycle Route ‘Lancashire Southern Loop’ is located to the south of the site which serves Pendle, Blackburn, Burnley, Chorley and West Lancashire areas and can be accessed via the lightly trafficked Whinney Lane and York Lane. In addition, the A666 Whalley Road benefits from an on road marked cycle lane. Public Transport 3.4 Langho railway station is accessible from within the site which has hourly services to Clitheroe and Manchester providing connections into the Figure 2: Movement wider national rail network, and therefore the site is highly sustainable. There is a bus stop on Whalley Road (A666) by the railway station entrance, Site services stopping here include: 22, 155, 522, 620, 844, 856, 860, 862, 865, Public Rights of Way 280. Service 22 provides buses every 20 minutes Mon-Sat to Clitheroe, Blackburn and other settlements on the route. Service 280 also provides Strategic Vehicle Routes/A Roads hourly services to Skipton, Whalley, Clitheroe and Preston. B Roads Bus Route Railway National Cycle Network 0 1km 2km 6 4.0 TOPOGRAPHY AND LANDSCAPE CHARACTER Topography and Landscape Character Forrest of Bowland Southern Fringe 4.1 Lancashire County Council’s Landscape Character Assessment defines the landscape type as ‘Undulating Low- land Farmland’ and lies within the character area known as ‘Lower Ribblesdale’. 4.2 Lower Ribblesdale is described as follows: Pendle “This area forms the southern valley side of the Ribble, Hill between Copster Green and Gisburn, on the lowland fringes of Pendle Hill. It is a particularly well settled area and provides a corridor for communication routes along the Ribble Valley”. Lower Ribble Valley Lower Ribblesdale Figure 3: Topography and Landscape Character KEY Site - 50m Mellor Ridge 50 - 100m 100m - 150m 150m - 200m 200m + 0 1km 2km Landscape Character Area 7 5.0 LOCAL DESIGNATIONS Local Plan Designations 5.1 The proposals map from the adopted Ribble Valley Districtwide Local Plan (1998) sets out the various policy allocations and designations within the area and the relevant landscape designations are shown in Figure 3. 5.2. This shows that the site falls outside the Green Belt which extends to the south and east of the site and is bounded by the railway line. In addition, the site is not located in a protected landscape area such as a National Park, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or any other locally protected area. 1 5.3. Furthermore, there are no Listed Buildings or Conservation Areas close to the site. The nearest Listed Buildings are: 1. Chapel of St. Leonard, Grade I 2. Mytton Fold Farmhouse, Grade II 3. Rileys Farmhouse, Grade II 3 2 4. Lower Woodcock Farmhouse, II 4 Figure 4: Local Designations Site National Cycle Route Borough Boundary Ancient Woodland County Biological Heritage Site Public Parks and Gardens Conservation Area Green Belt Scheduled Ancient Monument 0 1km 2km Langho Settlement Boundary 8 6.0 FLOOD RISK AND DRAINAGE Flood Risk and Drainage 6.1 A Preliminary Drainage Strategy has been carried out by Resource and Environmental Consultants Ltd (April 2014). 6.2 The report concludes: • The site is not within the flood risk area. • Surface water will be discharged into watercourses bordering the site at a minimum discharge rate of 36.87 l/s. • Attenuation storage will be provided for the 1 in 100 year plus climate change storm event. • Attenuation storage will be provided in the form of ponds, swales and oversized pipes. An approximate storm water attenuation volume of 900m3 will be required. • Surface water storage will be dispersed (not within a single drainage feature); run-off volumes for the 1 in 100 year event will be managed on site; run-off rates will not exceed Greenfield rates; drainage infrastructure will be accessible for monitoring and maintenance and exeedence events of the proposed drainage system in excess of the 1 in 100 year event will be managed on site. • Foul discharge to public sewer will need to be agreed with United Utilities plc. • A Sewage Pumping Station will be required. Figure 5: Flood Risk Site Flood zone 2 is land that would flood between 1:100 and 1:1000 year event - River where built development is allowed subject to minimum floor levels. Flood Zone 2 Flood zone 3 is land that would flood up to a 1:100 year event - where there is no built Flood Zone 3 development allowed. Flood zone 1 is land not affected by the risk 0 1km 2km Flood Zone 1 of flooding. 9 7.0 HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT 7.1 A Historic Environment Assessment has been prepared by The Environment Partnership (T.E.P.) Data Gathering 7.2 Data was gathered for all designated heritage assests within a 1km buffer from the boundary of the proposed development.