Wrexham Road, Chester Development Principles Paycause Ltd 1 November 2013 40812/09/MW/CSi Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners 3rd Floor One St James's Square Manchester M2 6DN nlpplanning.com This document is formatted for double sided printing. © Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Ltd 2013. Trading as Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners. All Rights Reserved. Registered Office: 14 Regent's Wharf All Saints Street London N1 9RL All plans within this document produced by NLP are based upon Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright reserved. Licence number AL50684A Wrexham Road, Chester : Development Principles Contents 1.0 Introduction 1 Purpose of the Document ........................................................................... 1 2.0 Site Context 3 Introduction ............................................................................................... 3 The Site & Surroundings ............................................................................. 3 Planning History ......................................................................................... 4 Summary ................................................................................................... 6 3.0 Planning Policy 7 Introduction ............................................................................................... 7 Sustainable Development ........................................................................... 7 Development Principles .............................................................................. 7 Design and Layout ..................................................................................... 8 Highways & Transportation .......................................................................... 8 Heritage Assets ......................................................................................... 9 Environmental Assets ................................................................................. 9 Infrastructure & Utilities ............................................................................ 10 Provision of Green Space .......................................................................... 11 Affordable Housing ................................................................................... 11 Summary ................................................................................................. 11 4.0 Opportunities & Constraints 13 Introduction ............................................................................................. 13 Land Use and Context .............................................................................. 13 Highways & Transportation ........................................................................ 14 Heritage Assets ....................................................................................... 18 Environmental Assets ............................................................................... 20 Infrastructure & Utilities ............................................................................ 21 Summary ................................................................................................. 21 5.0 Development Guidelines 25 Introduction ............................................................................................. 25 Sustainable Development ......................................................................... 25 Development Principles ............................................................................ 26 Highways & Transportation ........................................................................ 28 Heritage Assets ....................................................................................... 30 Environmental Assets ............................................................................... 30 6.0 Design & Layout Guidelines 33 Introduction ............................................................................................. 33 Design Concept and Masterplan ................................................................ 33 5484799v5 : Open Space Hierarchy .............................................................................. 37 Movement Hierarchy ................................................................................ 37 Character Areas ...................................................................................... 43 Density of Development ........................................................................... 43 Quality of the Public Realm and Landscape ................................................ 47 Phasing .................................................................................................. 47 Sustainability .......................................................................................... 47 Figures Figure 2.1 Site Location Plan ...................................................................................... 3 Figure 4.1 Bus Routes ............................................................................................. 16 Figure 4.2 Local Facilities ........................................................................................ 17 Figure 4.3 Cycle Accessibility ................................................................................... 18 Figure 4.4 Heritage Assets ....................................................................................... 19 Figure 4.5 Opportunities and Constraints................................................................... 23 Figure 6.1 Illustrative Layout .................................................................................... 35 Figure 6.2 Open Space Network ............................................................................... 39 Figure 6.3 Movement Network .................................................................................. 41 Figure 6.4 Character Areas ...................................................................................... 45 Tables Table 5.1 Development Vision and Objectives ........................................................... 25 5484799v5 Wrexham Road, Chester : Development Principles 1.0 Introduction Purpose of the Document 1.1 The Wrexham Road Site is situated on the southern edge of Chester City on the western side of Wrexham Road (A483). It is wholly located within the administrative boundary of Cheshire West and Chester Council [CWaC]. 1.2 The purpose of this document is to provide the environmental, social, design, economic and consultation principles that will establish the framework for assisting the Council in preparing a Development Brief for the site. 1.3 The site falls within the Green Belt as defined in the Adopted Chester Local Plan (2006). However, the Council propose the removal of the site from the Green Belt in the Publication Draft CWaC Local Plan (2013) to facilitate the provision of around 1,300 new homes, together with a primary school and associated infrastructure. Draft Policy STRAT 3 indicates that the development should be brought forward in line with an agreed Development Brief to ensure the delivery of a high quality urban extension and neighbourhood to Chester. 1.4 This document establishes the landowners Vision for the site, namely to: “Deliver a high quality urban extension and new neighbourhood for Chester. The development proposals will create a high quality place that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable drawing on the site’s gateway location and heritage, whilst considering the landscape setting of the City and Green Belt.” 1.5 The development proposals will adopt the traditional ‘Garden Village’ principles. The proposed development will be of high quality. New buildings will be well designed and set within in a landscaped setting where everyone can benefit from gardens, greenspace and generous useable open spaces linked to Chester ensuring permeability of the countryside. 5484799v5 P1 Wrexham Road, Chester : Development Principles P2 5484799v5 Wrexham Road, Chester : Development Principles 2.0 Site Context Introduction 2.1 This section provides a brief description of the site and outlines the current land ownerships. The Site & Surroundings The Site 2.2 The Wrexham Road Site is situated on the southern edge of Chester City on the western side of Wrexham Road (A483). The A55 lies beyond the site providing a longer term defensible boundary to Chester. Figure 2.1 Site Location Plan 2.3 The site is approximately 2.7km to the south of Chester City centre and compromises approximately 63.8 hectares (159.5 acres) of land. It is broadly ‘J shaped’ as illustrated on Figure 2.1. 2.4 The site is generally flat and comprises predominantly agricultural land mostly 5484799v5 P3 Wrexham Road, Chester : Development Principles in arable production. Field boundaries are marked by hedgerows with relatively few trees. A medieval moated site, which is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, is located towards the centre of the site. 2.1 One farmstead and a residential bungalow abut the site; Marlston Heyes Farm within the site to the north, opposite to the Kings School, and a bungalow within the site near to Moat Farm. In addition there are a number of derelict buildings around Marlston Heyes Farm, and opposite to Chester Business Park. The Surroundings 2.2 The site is bounded to: 1 The immediate north and west by the Westminster Park residential neighbourhood comprising the properties fronting Fir Tree Avenue, Sherbourne Avenue, Five Ashes Road, Rowcliffe Avenue, Merton Drive, Whaddon Drive, Greenacre Road