Dartford Borough Council March 1999 Contents Page A. INTRODUCTION 2 E TIB. S E HT 5 n o i t a c o L e t i S 5 t x e t n o C c ig e t a r t S 5 Access 6 s e s U g ni t s i x E 6 Topography 7 s e i t i l i t U d na s ec i v r e S 7 r oj a M Ecology 7 Trees 8 e g a t i r e H l ar u t l u C 8 Planning History and Permissions 10 s e i c i l o P g ni n n a l P 10 C. DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS 11 t p e c n o C l ar e n e G 11 x i M e sU d na L 12 y t i s n e D t ne m p o l e v e D14 Layout and Building Form 14 Transport 15 e r u t c u r t s a r f n I d ao R16 t r o p s n a r T c i l b u P 16 g n i l c y C d na g ni k l a W18 g n i k r a P r aC 18 g n i k r a P l ai c r e m m o C18 g n i k r a P l ai t n e d i s e R18 d i r G n ee r G 19 Other Site Constraints 20 s e i t i l i c a F y t i n u m m o21 C Planning Application, Masterplan and Section 106 Agreement 22 Map of the Site Fastrack Network Constraints & Opportunities Map 1 Land at North Dartford Planning Brief A. INTRODUCTION 1. The purposes of this planning brief are three fold: • To provide planning guidance regarding the scale, mix, layout and phasing of uses of the site, prior to the Dartford Borough Local Plan Review deposit draft; • To provide a clear statement of the design principles to be adopted in any development; • To set out the principal constraints and opportunities particularly in respect of transport, nature conservation and a Green Grid of high quality landscape, and to set out the requirements for utility infrastructure, and social and community infrastructure. 2. The land at North Dartford comprises a 104 hectare site adjacent to Junction 1a of the M25 Motorway and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. The adopted Dartford Borough Local Plan identifies the site for the development of a high-tech business park and associated uses, including a modest amount of warehousing and distribution. An illustrative Masterplan, approved by the Council in conjunction with a planning permission granted in 1995 for the Joyce Green Hospital part of the site, envisaged a Science Park integrating development with a proposed university campus to the west, as well as a business park and up to 100 dwellings. 3. Since 1995, the Government has revised a number of planning policy guidance notes, including PPG1 (General Policy and Principles). PPG1 states that mixed- use development can help create vitality and diversity and reduce the need to travel. Large, single use developments are now actively discouraged. Local planning authorities are advised to include policies in their development plans to promote mixed uses including areas of major new development. More recently, in October 1998, the Government published "Planning for Sustainable Development: Towards Better Practice", a practical guide which seeks to demonstrate ways to plan new housing and other essential new development which better meets the Government’s objectives for sustainable development. 4. The Kent Structure Plan, adopted in 1996, sets a housing requirement of 10,500 new dwellings for the Borough between 1991 and 2011. In order to achieve this very challenging target, many of the major development sites in the Borough, such as North Dartford, will have to accommodate an element of housing. 5. For these reasons, the Council considers that, while the key planning aim remains the attraction of technology-based employment growth, a significant element of new housing could be accommodated at North Dartford, without compromising this aim. This will help to achieve a better mix and balance of uses, so creating a 2 more sustainable pattern of development and help to meet the Borough's housing requirement. 6. In essence, this size provides a unique opportunity for technology-based sunrise industries to locate in Dartford, maximising the economic and community benefit to be gained if a new University campus is established on adjoining land at North Dartford and establishing a model for sustainable communities, based on principles of low car dependency-access to local facilities and high quality public transport. 7. A review of the Local Plan is currently underway and a deposit draft is expected in the summer of 1999. However, in view of the possibility of planning applications being submitted before this date, the Council wishes to ensure that up-to-date planning guidance is available for the land at North Dartford. This brief sets out the principles which will underpin the master planning of this site and the assessment of planning applications, in the absence of an up-to-date local plan policy framework. The key objectives that the Council is seeking to meet on this site are: • To create a flagship development, both of buildings and of public realm of a substance and quality which will reinforce the rising expectations for Thames gateway; • To create opportunities for high quality growth industries with an advanced technology base in accordance with strategic planning policies, with the potential for 1inkage with a possible university campus in a high quality technology park; • To establish a mutually reinforcing mix of employment, residential and community uses which sustain and add value to each other; • To achieve a development layout that promotes strong linkages, particularly within the site and with adjoining locations, by means other than the car; • To create a development layout that maximises the strategic opportunities of this site whilst mitigating against the constraints of potentially poor neighbours re including existing utility infrastructure; • To achieve a mix and form of development which encourages maximum patronage of public transport and which reduces the need to travel by car; • To encourage innovative approaches to sustainable development through building technology and design, energy efficiency and environmental quality; • To retain, enhance and manage the recognised nature conservation and landscape qualities of the site, retaining and enhancing the existing tree cover where possible; • To create an inter-linking network, both within the site and with adjoining locations, of high quality landscape as part of a Green Grid for Kent Thames-side; • To increase public access to the area and realise the potential of the lakes for leisure and recreation without prejudicing nature conservation interests; • To ensure that a range of social and community facilities are provided directly 3 related to the development in line with phases of development. 4 B. THE SITE Site Location 8. The site comprises Joyce Green Hospital (42.4 hectares) and Littlebrook Lakes (58.7 hectares), together with a small area of 3.2 hectares between Littlebrook Manor Way and University Way. It lies on the northern edge of the town of Dartford, approximately 2 km north of Dartford town centre. It has direct access to University Way (A206) which provides a link eastwards to junction 1 a of the A282 (M25) and westwards to Crayford, Erith and Bexley. 9. University Way (A206) defines the southern boundary of the site with the Temple Hill residential estate beyond to the south. The western and north western boundary is defined by the Metropolitan Green Belt. The site immediately to the west of the existing hospital currently has outline planning permission for a higher education campus. The northern boundary is defined by Thames Water's Long Reach Water Treatment Works and Littlebrook Power Station, operated by National Power, beyond which lies the River Thames. The approach road to the Dartford River Crossing marks the eastern boundary of the site. Strategic Context 10. The site is of prime importance to Thames Gateway, standing at the entrance to the Kent Thames-side (KTS) growth area. Its development will reflect what has already been achieved, reinforcing the rising expectations for Kent Thames-side, brought about by Crossways and Bluewater. It is critical that this flagship development acts as a pathfinder for other projects in KTS. Its strategic location - adjacent to Junction 1a of the A282 (M25) London Orbital Motorway, on the urban fringes of London, and within an area defined by Government as a growth area of regional significance - and its size - more than 100 hectares in total - demand a development of the highest quality which helps to establish a positive investment image for Kent Thames-side, and one which genuinely embodies sustainable principles. The site has the potential to create a mixed-use development of over 2,000 jobs and a new community of around 1,750 people in line with the Government’s sustainability objectives. 11. The site has a number of existing constraints which will need to be addressed in development proposals - primarily, utility infrastructure, including overhead power lines, nature conservation, potentially high levels of air and noise pollution, and limits to road capacity at Junction 1a. But the opportunities provided by an excellent position close to major transport routes, large areas of open water with established semi-mature woodland on a highly visible site with a backcloth of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and the River Thames, mean that the right form of development can both influence and bring economic, social and environmental benefits to a wider area.