PLANNING BRIEF HOLDCROFT FIELDS, ABBEY HULTON 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 The City Council has prepared this brief to guide potential bidders in drawing up proposals for the site at Holdcroft Fields, Holdcroft Road, Abbey Hulton. This document sets out the Council’s intentions for the future use of the site, and also the requirements and expectations for development. The advice is given without prejudice to any decision made in the formal determination of a planning application. 1.2 The site has been identified for development under the Extra Care PFI. The 2.7 hectare site can provide approximately 175 extra care units, comprising a mix of 1 and 2 bedroom self-contained apartments for older people. 1.3 As well as housing, the development will offer a range of communal facilities which are considered vital to the development of social support networks within extra care housing schemes. Facilities will be open to older residents within the wider community to enable them to take part in activities and access services. Proposals should therefore provide a high level of communal spaces to complement the residential accommodation, conforming to guidance on housing for older people issued by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). 2. THE SITE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS 2.1 The site is located on the eastern periphery of the City within the Abbey Hulton and Townsend ward. The site is centrally located within the Abbey Hulton estate which comprises of mainly social rented dwellings. There are various services and amenity provisions near to the site. 2.2 The site comprises of an area of green open space which is 2.7ha in size. The site currently has three football pitches (senior, junior and mini) recorded within the Playing Pitch Strategy for the City Council. 2.3 To the immediate north of the site is an area of land consisting of hardstanding and a building forming a working men’s club. 2.4 To the southwest of the site is Blackfriars F.E. College. 3. PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT Adopted Development Plan Policies 3.1 Relevant planning policies will need to be taken into account during the preparation of development proposals and in the determination of any planning applications. Other 1 ‘material consideration’ may also influence proposals. A list of relevant planning policies and material considerations is provided at Appendix 2. 4. DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERATIONS Access, Parking and Highway Considerations 4.1 Holdcroft Fields is currently a nil-generator of traffic movements; therefore the proposed 175 unit Extra Care development will constitute a significant increase in vehicle numbers to the area. This may also have an additional impact as the proposed access, off Castle Grove, is currently a quiet cul-de-sac. Considering this, certain information would be required when submitting a planning application such as - a Traffic Impact Assessment, forecast of car ownership, staffing level, servicing requirements and Travel Plan proposals. These details need to be thorough as they will heavily influence the Highway Departments overall recommendations. It is advised that consultation with local residents takes place in the initial stages. 4.2 Within the development site, parking levels of approximately 1 space per 2 bedrooms is recommended, based on experience of similar Extra Care developments elsewhere in the city. Parking areas should be suitably surfaced in a permeable material, and should be clearly marked out and well-lit. The extra care parking requirements are to be met entirely within the site. 4.3 Servicing arrangements will need to be justified within the Transport Assessment and the design of development will need to include ambulance parking and drop-off point. 4.4 A Travel Plan should also be prepared to support the planning application, and this should relate to the whole site including both residents and staff. Consideration should be given to establishing a car share scheme/club for the new development. 4.5 Development on this site should meet current standards relating to sustainable drainage, as set out in PPS25. Playing Pitches 4.6 The site contains a number of playing pitches which have been used within the last 5 years; therefore the site can legally be defined as a ‘playing pitch/field’ under the definition in the GDPO (General Permitted Development Order as amended 1996). 4.7 Sport England (the brand name for the English Sports Council, the non-departmental public body under the Department for Culture, Media and Sport)) is the ‘guardian’ of playing pitches, and under the remit of GDPO they are a Statutory Consultee on planning applications. It is Sport England’s policy to object to any planning application, which will result in the loss of a playing field, unless it meets one of five exceptions as defined in Planning Policy Statement – A Sporting Future for the Playing Fields of England (see www.sportengland.org/planning_for_sport_playingfields). 4.8 PPG17 and Exception 4 within ‘A Sporting Future for the Playing Fields of England’ states that Sport England will not object to a planning application affecting a playing field provided that the playing field which would be lost as a result of the proposed development would be replaced by a playing field of an equivalent or better quality and of equivalent or greater quantity, in a suitable location and subject to equivalent or better management arrangements, prior to the commencement of development. 4.9 Detailed negotiations have been undertaken with Sport England in relation to the development of the site. The development option for replacement provision has been developed based on the findings of the emerging ‘City of Stoke-on-Trent Sport and Physical Activity Strategy’ which will see the three pitches being located in the locality, subject to 2 Sport England’s approval. The replacement pitches will be developed by the Council, and be ready for use before the existing playing fields are taken out of use. Archaeology 4.10 The proposed site is within a kilometre of the site of Hulton Abbey, a medieval Cistercian monastery and now a Scheduled Monument (ref. 1021284). The abbey was involved in the exploitation of the Trent Valley through farming, the creation of fish ponds, milling and other small-scale industrial activities. Although there is no direct evidence for medieval activity in the proposed development site, it is recommended that an archaeological watching brief should accompany any future groundworks (landscaping, level reduction, foundation/service trenching, etc.) within the area, to identify and record any below-ground archaeological remains. Footpaths 4.11 There is one footpath which runs along the northern edge of the site from Newhouse Road to Holdcroft Road. It is envisaged that this will remain along its current line however any diversions would need to go through the statutory process. 4.12 The process to divert a footpath can be undertaken in two ways: Under section 257 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. This is a diversion to permit development and will require a valid planning consent. Under s119 of the Highways Act 1980 - this is a diversion in the interest of the landowner. The procedure is the same but it is more likely to attract objections unless a much better alternative route is provided. 4.14 Both diversion methods require the provision of an alternative route on the land in the same ownership as the applicant or a written consent from any third party land owner. If the path requires closing permanently the procedure is the same as above but does not provide an alternative route. Public Open Space 4.15 The development should contain an element of amenity space for use by residents of the proposed PFI development. Ecology 4.16 The Council has taken steps to ensure that Japanese Knotweed has been controlled and removed in accordance with Environment Agency Guidelines. 4.17 Parts of the site along the drains are more diverse botanically and any development should seek to retain as much of these areas intact into the development as possible. This could be through the provision of SUDS for the site, where the existing drains could prove useful. 4.18 Breeding birds are highly likely to use the perimeter vegetation in which to breed, especially where there is abundant bramble. Accordingly, any site clearance should only be conducted outside of the bird breeding season. The existing hedge along the school boundary should be retained within any development. 4.19 Opportunities for biodiversity should be incorporated into the site including use of native species in planting schemes, species-rich grassland areas, bird boxes on buildings, ponds and even the provision of some green roofs. The latter two would assist in meeting reduced run-off rates that will be required as part of the development as the site is greenfield. Design Guidance 4.20 Development should take account of advice contained in the Urban Design Guidance Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) 2010. This document will be a ‘material consideration’ in the determination of any planning applications. 3 4.21 Development will be expected to meet BREEAM ‘Excellent’ Standard as a minimum. Details of other technical standards which are required to be met are set out in PFI Output Specification. 4.22 The Design and Access Statement which will support the planning application should demonstrate how the development will reduce the opportunity for crime, with specific reference to perimeter treatment, access control to buildings, and vehicle security. Ground conditions 4.23 An initial Ground Conditions Desk Top study has been prepared and is available from the local authority. The Authority will work with the PFI Bidders collectively to facilitate warranted joint bidders surveys. These are expected to include such geotechnical surveys on the site as may be necessary to enable a detailed remediation strategy and substructure solution to be developed.