PLANNING APPLICATION NUMBER:P15/1394 Type of approval sought Outline Planning Permission Ward Wordsley Applicant NHS Property Services Location: RIDGE HILL, BRIERLEY HILL ROAD, WORDSLEY, STOURBRIDGE, DY8 5ST Proposal OUTLINE PLANNING PERMISSION WITH ALL MATTERS RESERVED APART FROM ACCESS, TO ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF UP TO 129 RESIDENTIAL DWELLINGS FOLLOWING THE DEMOLITION OF THE KEELING CENTRE AND SHOUSTERS HOUSE. Recommendation APPROVE SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS AND 106 Summary: SITE AND SURROUNDINGS 1. The site measures a total of 4.16 hectares and comprises the former Ridge Hill hospital site accessed off Brierley Hill Road. The majority of the buildings have been demolished with the exception of the former nursing home located within the south- west of the site and two single storey buildings within the northern part of the site (Shousters House and the Keeling Centre). The retained buildings are vacant and unused. 2. The site is accessed from Brierley Hill Road. The main access road into the site off Brierley Hill Road adjoins an access that serves The Wordsley School. The estate road into the hospital complex does not comprise any pedestrian or cycle footways. The estate road into the site crosses over a culverted watercourse. The access into the site from Brierley Hill Road adjoins a signalised crossing of which part of the controlled area of the crossing falls within the existing access road into the site. 3. The site adjoins a number of existing uses that would be retained as a result of the development including The Ridge Hill Centre LIFT building and associated residential care units (Meadows Rise and Brooks Mead), Pens Meadow School, a 1 special school for children and young adults and a small development of bungalows providing assisted living within the north-western part of the site. 4. The topography of the site is undulating being set on a hillside with steep gradients towards the south-east. In the development of the site as a hospital the ground was remodelled to create a series of development platforms for the erection of predominantly single storey buildings. The main part of the application site would be on one of these platforms. The land rises steeply upwards from this plateau to the north-east and falls in levels from this plateau to the south-west. Land levels also rise upwards from Brierley Hill Road towards the northern boundary of the site. 5. The hospital was developed within a parkland setting with the landscape character still retained today. The site is characterised by a ridge, which adjoins the western boundary of the site and which protrudes into the centre of the site to the south-west of Pens Meadow School. This is designated as a Landscape Heritage Area and Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC). The ridge comprises a watercourse and a number of ponds. The wider site also comprises a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation (SLINC) adjoining its eastern boundary immediately adjacent to Auckland Road and areas of land falling within the Green Belt. A former nursing home building lies within Green Belt. 6. Immediately outside of the application site are a number of definitive public rights of way running from Auckland Road along the western boundary of the SLINC and then connecting with a public right of way leading to Watery Lane to the south-west and Tiverton Close to the north-east. The site is covered by a number of Tree Preservation Orders. 7. The northern boundary of the site adjoins the former Wordsley Hospital site, which has recently been redeveloped for residential use. The dwellings that back onto the northern boundary of the application site are two storey semi-detached and detached properties with one small row of three terrace properties. The immediate western, southern and eastern boundaries of the site are characterised by large areas of informal open space with nature conservation and landscape value. 2 8. Located to the north-east of the site is a residential estate that was built in the 1980s located off Auckland Road and located beyond the south-western boundary of the site is Rectory Fields, a post-war estate characterised largely by semi-detached properties. PROPOSAL 9. Outline planning permission with all matters reserved apart from access, to allow the development of up to 129 residential dwellings following the demolition of the Keeling Centre and Shousters House. 10. The scheme would deliver improvements to the existing T-junction from Brierley Hill Road with improved visibility (2.4m x 59m) and provision of a 3m wide footway both sides of the carriageway. The footway on the western side of the access road would also accommodate cyclists. The proposed access would also improve the existing access into Wordsley School that is located off the hospital estate road with improved visibility (2.4m x 59m) and provision of a 3 and 2.5m wide footway. 11. The outline planning application is supported by the following documents: • Design and Access Statement (DAS). • Illustrative Masterplan • Planning Statement • Viability Report • Transport Assessment and Travel Plan • Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy • Archaeology Report • Desk Study (Ground Conditions) • Bat Activity Survey Report • Bat Scoping and Dusk Surveys Report • Water Vole Report 3 • Invertebrate Appraisal Report • Reptile Report • Site Ecological Assessment • Tree Survey 12. The following plans have been submitted as part of the application: • Existing Site Plan • Brierley Hill Access T-junction upgrade (Drawing no. 03/012 Rev F) • Tree Constraints Plan 13. The illustrative masterplan has been submitted in support of the proposed development but does not form part of the application. The illustrative masterplan illustrates a potential option for the redevelopment of the site for up to 129 dwellings consisting of 89 houses and 40 apartments. 14. The illustrative masterplan proposes to use the existing estate road as the primary access with the provision of a secondary access road to the west to access the remainder of the site. The proposed development would form three perimeter blocks. An existing access to previously developed land in the Green Belt would provide additional development to the south west. The northern parcel of land would be serviced via a U shaped access drive accessed via the principle route running through the southern part of the development. 15. The illustrative layout would provide a new pedestrian and cycle link from the site to Auckland Road and would improve the existing pedestrian link to Watery Lane. 16. The indicative numbers of houses illustrated within the masterplan are referred to in both the viability report and Transport Assessment as a means of assessing the potential impacts of the development. 17. During the course of the application, due to highway safety concerns, the proposed T-junction off Brierley Hill Road has been revised. 4 HISTORY APPLICATION PROPOSAL DECISION DATE No. P08/0158 Outline application for Approve 15/11/11 residential development subject to the signing of a S106 Agreement. Application withdrawn 15/11/11 18. The previous outline application was supported with an illustrative layout showing how the site could be developed. This scheme illustrated an option to deliver 144 new dwellings including 59 apartments and 85 houses. The development did not come forward. PUBLIC CONSULTATION 19. Direct notification was carried out to the occupiers of 57 properties adjoining the site, the display of a site notice and the placing of an advertisement within the local press. As a result of the above, 4 representations were received raising the following material considerations: • No objection in principle but concerned regarding the proposed access to the site being located close to the existing pedestrian crossing. The pedestrian crossing should be relocated. • The visibility splay would result in a loss of greenery. • Highway safety concerns relating to the new access and school children crossing Brierley Hill Road. 5 • Too many dwellings are proposed, which would be out of context in terms of the setting of the site. • Concerns regarding the highway capacity to accommodate the additional traffic in conjunction with traffic already in the area. • Would object to a cycle route connecting the site with Kirkpatrick Drive. • Concerns regarding the potential impact apartments from Kirkpatrick Drive due to overlooking. 20. One of the above letters also raised concerns regarding the potential impact of the construction of the development upon students attending the Pens Meadow School and a separate letter has been received raising similar concerns. Conditions can be attached to restrict the hours of construction and adoption of considerate working practices. OTHER CONSULTATION 21. Highway Engineer: No objections following receipt of an amended access design that would upgrade the existing access to modern day standards with improved visibility, improved junction radii and improvements to the existing access to The Wordsley School for pedestrians through the provision of footways to both sides of the carriageway. 22. Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards: No adverse comments. 23. Head of Planning (Land Contamination Team): No objections subject to conditions to deal with any potential contaminated land on the site. 24. Environment Agency: No objections subject to conditions to protect the water environment from contamination. 6 25. West Midlands Police: No objection following receipt of amended plans showing revisions to the means of access. Should the application be approved it is recommended that full Secured by Design (SBD) accreditation be sought for the whole site. 26. West Midlands Fire Service: No objection subject to the development including the provision of water supplies for fire fighting. 27. Canal and Rivers Trust: No objection. 28. Black Country Environment Forum: No objection in principle subject to the scheme protecting geological features that adjoin the development site and that enhancement opportunities are considered as part of the development.