Design & Access Statement - (Outline Application) Re sidential Development & Additional Park & Ride Car Park Proposal Ref: 1403 At Garth Works, Taffs Wells. Revision A: September 2013 – Layout amended. Revision B: September 2013 – Updated Layout, Extra information added. 1 Design & Access Statement GARTH WORKS, TAFFS WELLS Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Policy Context 3.0 Site Analysis 4.0 Economic, Social & Character Analysis 5.0 Response to Context 6.0 Community Safety 7.0 Accessibility and Movement 8.0 Indicative Design Layout 9.0 Sustainability 10.0 Conclusion 2 1.0 Introduction Existing Site. The land parcel in question is approximately 3.406 Hectares. Located opposite Taffs Well railway station, approximately 2.4km (1.5 miles) from Junction 32 of the M4 via the A470 and 10km (6 miles) from Cardiff city centre. It is approximately 400 metres from the existing site entrance to the centre of Taffs Well (using the railway bridge). The site is bound by the A470 to the East and Moy Road to the West. Beyond Moy Road is the main railway line from Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff. The existing site consists of self contained industrial and office units Development Proposals. In essence, the development will seek to deliver a residential scheme comprising of: – Mixed size residential units with off street parking & secure garage parking. – Percentage of Housing Association units including flats. – Open Space areas. – Extension to the existing ‘Park & Ride’ car park facility All of the above components are equally important in enabling the Scheme to be delivered as a comprehensive development. 3 2.0 Policy Context Rhondda Cynon Taf Local Development Plan up to 2021 - Adopted March 2011 • The Local Development Plan (LDP) is a land use document which sets out how the County Borough will be developed over 15 years. Some areas will be identified for new development whilst other areas will be protected. The LDP will also contain detailed policies which will control the form of new development and setting out what new development should look like. • The proposals map (shown below) illustrates the local policies for the Taffs Wells area. These policies are guided by more general region and national planning objectives through various guidance and technical advice notes. • The proposals will deliver a Residential area. The whole site subject to this Outline planning application is within the settlement boundary as depicted by policy SSA13. 4 2.0 Policy Context National Planning Guidance Planning Policy Wales (PPW, Edition 5, November 2012) PPW outlines the importance of design as a means to protect the environment, promote social inclusion and enhance quality of life. In addition to this, PPW recognises that careful planning can help to reduce the need to travel, especially by private car and enhance access to new development by public transport, bicycle and on foot. Chapter 4 of PPW deals with promoting sustainability through good design and recognises good design to mean relationship between all elements of the natural and built environment. It should go beyond aesthetics and consider social, environmental and economic aspects of the development. Meeting the objectives of good design is required to be an aim of all those involved in the development process and applied to all development proposals. The objectives of good design are summarised as follows. In relation to Design and Access Statements, paragraph 4.11.14 states that “A design and access statement is a communication tool explaining how the objectives of good design have been considered from the outset of the development process. In preparing design and access statements, applicants should take an integrated and inclusive approach to sustainable design, proportionate to the scale and type of development proposal. They should be ‘ living’ documents dealing with all aspects of design throughout the process and the life of the development, clearly stating the comprehensive design principles and concepts adopted and include illustrative material in plan elevation and section where relevant”. Technical Advice Note (TAN) 12: Design (June 2009) This Technical Advice Note should be read in conjunction with PPW. This document provides further detail on how the promotion of good design through sustainability can be facilitated and also provides advice on the preparation of design and access statements. Mirroring PPW, TAN12 re-emphasises the identified 9 objectives of good design in guiding our approach to achieving good design but also provides further information on how to assess and respond to these objectives. 5 2.0 Policy Context Technical Advice Note (TAN) 18: Transport (2007) TAN18 seeks to promote resource and travel efficient settlement patterns. This can be achieved by locating development where there is or will be good access by public transport, walking and cycling. This will minimise the need for travel by car and fostering social inclusion by ensuring accessibility for everyone. Technical Advice Note (TAN) 22: Sustainable Buildings (2010) TAN22 provides guidance on delivering sustainable and low carbon buildings. It also provides some further guidance on the content of design and access statements in explaining how the design of the development will meet or exceed sustainable building standards. Development Plan Policy The statutory Development Plan covering the site is the Rhondda Cynon Taff Local Development Plan (LDP) 2006-2021, which was adopted in March 2011. The following policies from the LDP are of relevance to this application. • Policy CS 2: Development in the South • Policy CS4 – Housing Requirements • Policy CS5 – Affordable housing • Policy AW 2: Sustainable Locations • Policy AW 5: New Development • Policy AW 6: Design and Place Making • Policy SSA 11: Housing Density • Policy SSA 12: Affordable Housing; and, • Policy SSA 13: Housing Development with Settlement Boundaries • Policy SSA20 – Park and ride/park and share provision • Policy NSA 16 – Re-development of Vacant / Redundant Industrial Sites Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPGs) Relevant SPGs include: 1) Supplementary Planning Guidance: Design and Place Making – Creating new places to live and the regeneration of existing communities (Adopted March 2011); 2) Supplementary Planning Guidance: Delivering Design and Place Making – Access, Circulation and Parking Requirements (Adopted March 2011); 3) Supplementary Planning Guidance: Nature Conservation (Adopted March 2011). 6 3.0 Site Analysis Context. The site is bound by the A470 to the east and Moy Road to the west. Beyond Moy Road is the main railway line from Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff and Taffs Well railway station is located immediately opposite the main vehicular entrance to the site. Landscaping & Boundaries. Existing landscaping to the West boundary is very mature bit on the site large areas of concrete hard standing and parking areas provide very little areas for landscaping. The existing boundaries consist of a mix between timber post & rails. Sheet metal & concrete post & chain link secure fence. Existing Buildings/Site . The site is currently utilised for employment purposes and has a number of small-scale occupiers. These are predominantly involved in light industrial and storage activities. The existing buildings are of mixed design including cladded warehouses, brick and render 2 storey units, all with different window and door styles. Existing industrial units are to the North of the site with existing residential developments with local amenities, to the West and North East. The site level is generally flat will very little gradients due to the nature of the existing site being of commercial / industrial use, with large footprint buildings and concrete hard standings. This will benefit the proposed development from a storey height perspective. Access. The main road at the single site entrance running North to South serves an established bus route with an existing park and ride service. A proposed park and ride parcel of land will be provided to increase the number of parking spaces (+50) and provide access to inner cities (Cardiff) via public transport. Opposite to site is Taffs Well railway station. The site is in a prime location for public transport links. The existing access point will not be changed. Flood Risk. In accordance with TAN 15, the Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) prepared by Quad Consult Limited to accompany this application also assesses the risk of flooding from other sources such as streams and rivers, groundwater, sewers and highway drains, surface water and infrastructure failure. The FRA deems the greatest risk of flooding at the site to be from failure or surcharge of the site’s drainage infrastructure. However, this risk can be managed by designing the infrastructure appropriately to ensure the development remains flood free for a 1:100+ Climate Change year event. The risk of flooding from other sources is considered negligible but precautionary mitigation measures could be taken to design property thresholds so as to direct water towards soft landscaping areas in order to provide safe routes of access and egress. 7 3.0 Site Analysis Ecology. An extended Phase 1 survey (July 2013) has been carried out by David Clements Ecology Ltd at the site in order to classify the types of habitat at the site and the presence/ potential presence of flora and fauna, including any rare or protected species. This included a bat survey in order to identify any evidence of actual use or potential use of the buildings and larger trees at the site by bats. Details of the findings from these surveys are detailed in the Ecological Assessment accompanying this planning application (July 2013). Much of the site was found to be of negligible value with the semi-natural habitats provided to the periphery of the site being of merely local value for wildlife. The survey found no evidence the site was currently being used by roosting bats but considered they might potentially use the exterior buildings on occasion. The report concludes that nothing of wildlife significance would be lost as a result of the redevelopment.