New Development Comprising New Development Comprising Offices, Convenience Food Store, Care Home, assisted Flats Housing, Club House/ Assembly Room And Assisted Single Storey Housing Old Station Yard, REEPHAM Design and Access Statement May 2018 Design and Access Statement - Old Station Yard - REEPHAM Introduction The Eastern Boundary is the Main Road from Reepham to the adjoining village of Cawston and the market town This design and access statement has been prepared of Aylsham. It is bounded on this side by Housing. to accompany a Full Planning Application for a new Food Retail Store, Offices and Care Village together with The Southern Boundary is bounded by a village access associated infrastructure, landscaping and play space. road and housing. The South Western edge adjoins a large Public open space known as Stimpsons Piece. The purpose of this document is to explain the rationale behind design proposals forming part of the planning The Western Boundary has a private house albeit some application and follows guidelines set in ‘Design and distance away. The immediate boundary is a public access statements: How to write, read and use them’ footway between Marriots Way and Stoney Lane to the published by CABE. These guidelines set up an Public open space. assessment-involvement-evaluation-design process which explain how the final design has been informed by The Proposed development will integrate with the the wider context of the site in terms of its physical, existing established area both functionally and physically. social, economic and planning policy context; how the The bigger site presently has a large warehouse sited to final design has considered and responded to different its centre which is now a retail unit known as Kerries opportunities and constraints surrounding the project. Pine. Immediately to the north of the building is a large concrete apron which has the existing Station buildings CAM Architects Limited has prepared this Design and sited on the edge between the footpath. This building is Access Statement in consultation with Commercial currently being used as cafe and food/craft retail and Development Projects, Carton Hall Village, Canham both uses create a visitor’s attraction to this part of Consulting Engineers, Chris Yardley arboricultural, Mick Reepham. The application proposals are designed to Finnemore ecologist, Reepham Town Council, Broadland work in conjunction with the existing cafe and retail uses District Council, Norfolk County Highways, Local Lead to offer a mix of employment and assisted residential Flooding Authority, Norfolk County Council parks. accommodation. Site Location and General Context The proposal represents a high quality development, which has taken into consideration the opportunities The site is located in Reepham Norfolk a Market Town and constraints of the site and wider locality to ensure since 1277 approx 15 miles to the NNW of Norwich. It that the local economy is assisted in terms of is on the North Edge of the town The northern boundary commercial uses that are required within the area. has open views across the countryside to the North and These consist of provision of small offices for business’s across the Marriots Way which has public access at all wishing to trade from Reepham, a Care Home offering times of the year. This path was once the site of the employment to approximately 80 persons from around Railway being part of the Great Eastern Railway system the town in a mix of health and administrative roles, a since 1881 and latterly British Railways until its closure food store and assisted residential areas. in 1964. Design and Access Statement - Old Station Yard - REEPHAM Site Analysis therefore consulted the Local Lead Flooding Authority The development of the site was generally welcomed and agreement in principle has been sought. with interests on the uses and layout. The site currently has no development to the south or west of Kerries Pine and is a mix of open space and Opportunities Questions about the size of the food store were raised poor quality trees and shrubs spread sparsely over the as there is some concern about its impact on the entire site. A section of hedgerow lines the southern These proposals have been formulated to interpret the existing town centre businesses. It is understood the boundary and the western edge has thicket. Due to its policies in the Local Plan and The Site Allocations (DPD) importance of this and a sequential test report has previous uses linked with railway and light industrial a document, which provides for a mixed use development been commissioned and included with this planning detailed environmental study is enclosed with this and to propose a scheme that is economically viable. application. application. This land has been unused for many years and will Reepham Life, community newspaper has published an Site Constraints continue to be unused unless a viable use or uses can article on the development on its website and also on be found that will also increase the employment their Twitter feed. The site is constrained by the footpaths and roads possibilities within the town. The existing businesses on surrounding the site. Topography also plays an the site will be benefited by further growth around. important role given the historical use of the site and surrounding context. The biggest opportunity is that of developing the site to assist the delivery of the Council’s Site Allocation. Existing properties in the area have faced a brownfield site with overgrown vegetation. Although there is no The site itself due to its location and context provides right to view we have considered the distances from the opportunities for high quality development that works site to existing properties to allow for privacy. with the existing uses, surrounding buildings and general setting. The existing trees on-site subject to a blank TPO, have been assessed and advise has been sought from the Public Planning Consultation Council’s tree officer who has agreed in principle to tree works to be carried out to allow for development. Planning and design work has been happening on this site for several years. On-going public consultations have The existing road network needs improvements and taken the form of presentation to Reepham Town discussions have taken place with Norfolk County Council over the years and exhibition on the Town Hall. Council Highways to agree their requirements. The last presentation was done on the 9th May 2018 Marriot’s way is in need of improvements to alleviate at the Reepham Town Council annual general meeting. flooding problems. Negotiations have taken place with CAM architects presented the purpose and concept of Norfolk County Council. the scheme and the applicants, Comercial Development Projects and Carton Hall Village Ltd were present to The site is considered for surface drainage purposes as explain what they are providing and to answer questions a green field site. Canham Consulting Engineers have from the public. Design and Access Statement - Old Station Yard - REEPHAM DESIGN PROPOSALS The orientation, configuration and siting of the buildings have been considered to provide places of interest, focal USE points and landmarks to allow for orientation and belonging among users and residents. This planning application is for offices, convenience food store, care home, assisted flats housing, club house/ The layout treats highways as streets rather than roads assembly room and assisted single storey housing in for the use of all types of movement and for social line with Broadland District Council site allocation REP2 activity too. A connected network of streets and other routes proposed link the site with the surrounding AMOUNT street network in a way that is not only easier but also interesting for people to travel to and from their homes. The development will comprise: There is a clear hierarchy of streets on the development 320m2 of B1(a) Offices to accommodate vehicular movement and car parking, 418m2 of A1 Food Store whilst ensuring that this does not dominate the layout of 70no. beds C2 Care Home buildings and spaces. There is choice of access points 24no. 2 bedroom C2 assisted flats into the development with clear views, easy orientation 82m2 of D2 Assembly room/Club house and direct routes. 15no. 2 bedroom C2 assisted bungalows The street network provides a framework for LAYOUT development blocks within the layout. These are spaces well-defined by buildings to create a frontage to the Following a lengthy masterplanning process to establish street or space to allow for enclosure and supervision of the principles of development public and private spaces communal areas, making them feel comfortable and has been designed to provide a safe and pleasant safe for people to walk around. environment for the residents and users, this distinction of space is emphasised by the configuration of the All of the development blocks feature strong building roads, pavements, drives and communal gardens. lines overlooking streets and communal spaces. There is diversity on their configuration which is appropriate to Great consideration has been given to the configuration, the character of specific areas within the development. siting and orientation of different buildings within the scheme, especially their relation to the surrounding Building lines within the development are influenced by buildings and environment, with the aim of maximising the character of the areas, in some cases buildings views for all residents and creating a sense of feature front garden whilst others sit in front of community and belonging. communal or parking areas. The careful planning of space, layout and relationships of Public and private space are well defined and reinforced the buildings has resulting in a design, which is not only by means of high quality and robust landscaping and specific to the scheme, but high quality design. The boundary treatment that contribute to the character of layout exploits existing trees and topography of the site.