Land at Tunbridge Wells Golf Course A Vision November 2019 All plans produced by LSH are based upon Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright reserved. License number 100022432. All aerial mapping images are courtesy of Google Maps All images © LSH unless otherwise stated. Land at Tunbridge Wells Golf Course A Vision Executive summary Introduction 1 Experience 2 The site 3 Local facilities and connectivity 4 Context 5 Inspiration 6 Concept 7 Illustrative masterplan 8. Transport 9. Delivery 10. Policy assessment summary 3 Executive summary The draft plan identifies an overall housing A full planning assessment of the site is outlined in need of 13,560 (including 5,865 affordable) section 9 of this report. The assessment concludes that dwellings across the plan period. 5,967 units at present there is a risk that the draft Local Plan will are identified and there is a consequent need not be found sound due to an over reliance on large for the draft plan to allocate sites to provide a strategic allocations to meet the required housing need minimum of 7,593 dwellings. and the under provision of units to meet the assessed TWBC recognises that the release of Green Belt land older persons housing need. The Tunbridge Wells Golf is required to meet housing demand and therefore the Course site is located in a sustainable location and draft plan proposes the release of approximately 5% of would contribute to meeting the required housing need Green Belt land in the Borough for development. across the Borough. Tunbridge Wells Golf Course, which is capable The proposed new public open space and community of supporting additional housing need, is located facilities would also significantly improve access to local within the Green Belt and at this stage in the plan amenity space, which would also have Village Green process has not been allocated for development. This status. As such, we request that the Golf Course site is representation, therefore, promotes the land for a allocated within the draft Local Plan and the wording for residential led allocation, together with public open a proposed site policy is set out below: space, a new cricket pavilion and pitch, for use by the local community. It is also proposed that a significant ‘Policy RU 2 proportion of the residential allocation within the draft Tunbridge Wells Golf Course, Langton Road Local Plan will be required to provide retirement living accommodation (C3 use class). The new public open The site, as defined in the Land Use Plan on page 6, space within the site will also be registered as a Village is allocated for residential (C3 development) providing Green, which will preserve its open nature and prevent approximately 62 retirement housing dwellings and encroachment of development in future. 36 dwellings, public open space alongside community facilities including a cricket pitch and pavilion. In determining that the site is suitable for limited release from the green belt, we have undertaken a Development on the site shall accord with the following detailed assessment of the key characteristics of requirements: the site and prepared an indicative masterplan that 1. Vehicular access shall be taken from the existing demonstrates how the development could provide accesses onto Langton Road (see Criterion 5 of Policy limited infill sites that would not harm the overall EN 1: Design and other development management function of the green belt in this location. A summary criteria); of the assessment of the site and the proposed 2. Pedestrian linkages shall be provided into wider development’s contribution to the Green Belt principles network (see Policy TP 1: Transport Design and against the Borough’s Green belt Assessment is Accessibility); outlined in the table on the following page. Further 3. Proposals to conserve and enhance the Conservation details are outlined in section 9 of this representation. Area (see Policy EN 7: Heritage Assets); On balance we consider that an overall harm rating 4. Improvements to existing allotments, amenity/natural of moderate would be a more appropriate conclusion. green space, parks and recreation grounds, children’s Additionally, the Green Belt boundary strength of play space and youth play space in accordance with the the site has been reviewed against the Borough’s requirements of Policy OSSR 2: Provision of publicly assessment, which concludes that ‘The existing Green accessible open space and recreation. Belt boundary follows the settlement edge along roads or back gardens. There are no alternative boundaries It is expected that contributions will be required towards within the parcel which could form an alternative strong the following if necessary, to mitigate the impact of the Green Belt boundary’. Contrary to the assessment, development: there is arguably scope to amend the Green Belt a. Improvements to public realm; boundary to exclude the proposed development parcels b. Any other highway related works; as outlined in the proposed land use plan on page 6. c. Improvements to pedestrian links or bus services’. 4 Green Belt Purpose Comments Rating LSH Comments LSH Rating 1- Check the The parcel is adjacent to the Moderate The parcel is adjacent to the large built-up area and relates more strongly to this than to the Relatively weak unrestricted sprawl large built-up area and has wider countryside. contribution of large built-up a degree of separation from The proposed layout of the site has been designed to ensure that the two development areas the settlement and wider parcels represent an extension of the existing built form of Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall countryside. (i.e. low density housing). It is proposed that a large portion of the site (the proposed Village Green and existing ancient forest) will remain as open land and therefore continue to act as a natural barrier separating to the two built up areas. The northern edge of the site will continue to connect to the wider countryside. Further protection of the gap could be achieved through the designation of the undeveloped parcels of land as Village Green Land. Due to the positioning of the site as existing and the proposed layout of the site, it relates more strongly to the built up areas than to the countryside. We therefore consider the rating of relatively weak contribution to be more appropriate. 2- Prevent The parcel plays an Weak or no Development of this parcel would result in little or no perception of the narrowing of the gap Weak or no neighbouring towns important role in providing contribution between towns. contribution merging into one a gap between Rusthall As outlined in the assessment TWBC do not consider Rusthall a town for the purpose of the another and Royal Tunbridge Wells. study and therefore the rating of weak or no contribution is appropriate. However, Rusthall is not considered a town for the purposes of this study and therefore is not considered as part of the assessment. 3 -Assist in The parcel has a degree of Moderate The parcel relates more strongly to the settlement than to the wider countryside. Relatively weak safeguarding the separation from both the contribution Whilst it is acknowledged that the site is located adjacent to a large area of open countryside from settlement and the wider countryside to the north, the site boundaries naturally restrict encroachment of encroachment countryside. development on the countryside. The northern boundary provides a narrow opening to the open countryside whilst the site is bound by residential development on the southern, eastern and western borders. The site is therefore considered to relate more strongly to the existing settlements rather than to the wider countryside. Furthermore, the proposed layout of the site has been designed to ensure that the two development parcels represent an extension of the existing built form of Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall (i.e. low density housing). It is proposed that a large portion of the site (the proposed village green and existing ancient forest) will remain as open land and therefore continue to act as a natural barrier separating the two built up areas, whilst maintaining the openness of the countryside. Further protection of the gap could be achieved through the designation of the undeveloped parcels of land as Village Green Land. This would prevent future development of the land and therefore prevent encroachment on the open countryside. Due to the positioning of the site as existing and the proposed layout of the site, it is considered that the site makes a relatively weak contribution in assisting in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment. 4 - To preserve the The parcel is an important Strong It is recognised that the existing site’s openness contributes to the setting and character Moderate special character part of the landscape setting of Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Conservation Areas. However, it is considered that the of historic towns of the historic town of Royal proposed layout on site would preserve and enhance the setting of the Conservation Areas. Tunbridge Wells. The parcel The setting of the Conservation Areas will be preserved as the proposed housing will be lies adjacent to Tunbridge in the form of low density housing that will be located to the east and west of the site, Wells Conservation Area, and adjoining the existing settlement boundaries. The centre of the site will continue to remain parts of the Conservation as open land, ensuring that the Conservation Areas continue to be set against an open Area extend into the parcel. landscape. The adjacent Common is a fundamental part of The proposed masterplan will enhance the setting of the Conservation Areas, as it proposes the special character of the replacement of the outdated and unattractive clubhouse with a sensitively designed Tunbridge Wells and the community facility.