A new neighbourhood at Brookmans Park site BrP4 On behalf of the royal veterinary college March 2015 A new neighbourhood at Brookmans Park A new neighbourhood at The aim of the Royal Veterinary College is to create an inclusive, vibrant and sustainable new community at Brookmans Park using land that is surplus to its own requirements. Central to its aspirations for the site is the desire to develop a vibrant new neighbourhood Brook m ans Park comprising high quality housing and public open space, managed in such a way so as to leave a lasting positive legacy. site BrP4 Contents 01 Introduction 2 02 Planning context 3 03 Concept for a new neighbourhood at Brookmans park 7 04 Strategic overview 13 05 Site and context 17 06 Development proposals 29 07 Conclusion 35 © Terence O’Rourke Ltd 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or stored in a retrieval system without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. All figures (unless otherwise stated) © Terence O’Rourke Ltd 2015. Based upon the 2015 Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Ordnance Survey on behalf of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown Copyright Terence O’Rourke Ltd Licence number 100019980. View of site from the north 3 A new neighbourhood at Brookmans 01 Introduction Park This report is submitted in relation to the Welwyn and • Section 6 provides an initial indication of how the site RVC’s programmes are of international appeal and attract Hatfield Local Plan consultation on behalf of the Royal could be developed, taking account of the opportunities students who go on to become practicing veterinarians, THE SITE Veterinary College (RVC). and constraints identified, including an indication of the research scientists, veterinary nurses and leaders in industry anticipated capacity of the site. and government. BROOKMANS PARK The report considers the proposed policy approach to • Section 7 provides a conclusion, demonstrating that meeting the future housing needs of Welwyn Hatfield and The RVC has two campuses - one in central London and village centre the site could be developed in a way that would make a development potential of the land known as Site BrP4 near one in Hertfordshire. RVC owns areas of land close to significant contribution to meeting local housing needs to Bookmans Park which is owned by the RVC. Site BRP4 the Hertfordshire campus which is surplus to the college’s without having unacceptable impacts. is an undeveloped area of land measuring approximately foreseeable requirements and given the critical need to 22 hectares located immediately to the west of the railway deliver housing may therefore be more usefully be allocated line, adjacent to Brookmans Park railway station. The site is About RVC for development and contribute to the future sustainability of bounded by Brick Kiln Woods to the west, Bradmore Lane Brookmans Park. TRAIN STATION The Royal Veterinary College is the largest and longest- to the north, Station Road and the railway line to the east established vet school in the English speaking world and and the RVC’s Hawkshead Campus to the south. The land The connection between RVC’s work and the natural is a college of the University of London. The college offers identified is grade 3 agricultural land and is not currently environment and its long term interest in this part of undergraduate, postgraduate and CPD programmes in intensively used by the RVC. the Borough means that there is a commitment for any veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing and is ranked in development of the RVC’s land holdings in the vicinity of the The site is shown in figure 1.1.opposite. the top 10 universities nationally for biosciences. campus to be undertaken in a way that is responsible and avoids causing detrimental impacts to the local environment. The report is structured as follows: As one of the world’s leading specialist veterinary and biological science research institutions, the RVC brings • Section 2 considers the planning policy approach to together talented individuals; all of whom share a passion for ROYAL VETERINARY meeting housing needs and allocating sites for future human and animal health and welfare. COLLEGE CAMPUS development as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Practice Guidance (NPPG) as well As a research-led institution, RVC is ranked as the top vet as the Local Planning Authority’s (LPA’s) evidence base. school in the Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science unit of the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with • Sections 3 to 5 provide an analysis of the characteristics 55% of academics producing world-class and internationally of the site and surroundings in terms of access to utilities, excellent research. hydrology, ground conditions, accessibility and visual and landscape issues. Figure 1.1: Site location 1 2 HATFIELD A new neighbourhood at Brookmans 02 Planning context Park A1000 WELHAM GREEN Policy approach Paragraph 17 of the NPPF sets out twelve core land use Paragraph 84 requires LPAs to take into account the need to planning principles that relate to plan-making and decision plan for sustainable patterns of development. Paragraph 85 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) provides taking. The third principle states: states that in defining green belt boundaries LPAs should: guidance to LPAs on planning for housing needs at the local level and the approach to reviewing green belt boundaries as ‘every effort should be made objectively to identify • ensure consistency with the Local Plan strategy BROOKMANS PARK part of the local plan preparation process. Both these topics and then meet the housing, business and other development for meeting identified requirements for sustainable BrP4 are highly relevant for the emerging Welwyn and Hatfield needs of an area, and respond positively to wider development; Local Plan and are therefore discussed below. opportunities for growth.’ • not include land which it is unnecessary to keep permanently open; Approach to planning for housing needs Paragraph 47 of the NPPF is also a critical consideration for CUFFLEY planning for housing needs and it advises that LPAs should: • where necessary, identify in their plans areas of A1 The NPPF introduced a ‘presumption in favour of sustainable ‘safeguarded land’ between the urban area and the Green development’. Its purpose is to send a strong signal to all ‘use their evidence base to ensure that their Local Belt, in order to meet longer-term development needs those involved in the planning process about the need to Plan meets the full, objectively assessed needs for market stretching well beyond the plan period; plan positively for appropriate new development; so that both and affordable housing in the housing market area, as far • make clear that the safeguarded land is not allocated for plan-making and development management are proactive as is consistent with the policies set out in this Framework, development at the present time. Planning permission for and driven by a search for opportunities to deliver sustainable including identifying key sites which are critical to the delivery the permanent development of safeguarded land should development, rather than barriers. of the housing strategy over the plan period.’ only be granted following a Local Plan review which TO HEATHROW / WEST LONDON proposes the development; Paragraph 14 of the NPPF explains the meaning of the The NPPF is therefore clear in advising that the starting point presumption in the context of plan-making. LPAs are required for planning for housing growth should be based on the full • satisfy themselves that Green Belt boundaries will not need to plan positively to meet the full development needs of their level of objectively assessed need. to be altered at the end of the development plan period; area and in doing this they should also plan flexibly to allow and POTTERS BAR for change. The only circumstances where the full extent of Green belt • define boundaries clearly, using physical features that are objectively assessed need should not be planned for is where: In paragraph 83, the NPPF states: readily recognisable and likely to be permanent. • any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and Local planning authorities with Green Belts in their area should The NPPF therefore provides a clear policy basis for reviewing demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed establish Green Belt boundaries in their Local Plans which the green belt boundary as part of the local plan process against the policies in this Framework taken as a whole; or set the framework for Green Belt and settlement policy. Once where exceptional circumstances exist such as a high level of established, Green Belt boundaries should only be altered in housing need which cannot be met within existing settlement M25 TO EAST LONDON • specific policies in this Framework indicate development exceptional circumstances through the preparation or review boundaries, which applies to Welwyn and Hatfield. should be restricted. of the Local Plan. TO WEST / CENTRAL LONDON 3 Figure 1.2: Location plan 4 A new neighbourhood at Brookmans Park Objectively assessed need in Welwyn and Hat- Table 1 of the Local Plan Consultation Document indicates In summary, given the level of housing need identified, it is Summary field the spatial distribution of the OAN and the potential capacity critical that the council gives full and proper consideration of existing urban areas. The table identifies a need for 380 in the local plan process to all of potential housing sites • The council’s current approach to planning for housing As set out in the Local Plan Consultation Document (January homes at Bookman’s Park of which only 35 can be delivered identified in the SHLAA and not discount sites at an early needs does not comply with the recommended policy 2015), the Objectively Assessed Need (OAN) for housing in in the existing urban area.