NEW ROMNEY BROAD LOCATION
FOR DEVELOPMENT MASTERPLAN
A MASTERPLAN DOCUMENT
PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH
BROAD LOCATION LANDOWNERS,
SHEPWAY DISTRICT COUNCIL, LOCAL
AND STATUTORY STAKEHOLDERS
AND LOCAL RESIDENTS.
JANUARY 2015
1 SHEPWAY CORE
STRATEGY
LOCAL PLAN
The Shepway Core Strategy Local Plan (adopted 2013)
outlines the development strategy for the District up
to and beyond 2026. The Plan identifies the need
for a comprehensive and high quality residential
development of around 300 new homes to the north
west of New Romney, in the area identified as the
Broad Location for Development.
Development of the broad location should meet the
following criteria:
a. The development as a whole should provide
b.
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Policy SS1 of the Shepway Core Strategy outlines the
spatial strategy for the District. The policy highlights
that the future spatial priority for development
in the Romney Marsh area is on accommodating
development at New Romney (and Lydd). The policy
goes on to state that “the strategic growth of New
Romney is also supported to allow the market town to
fulfil its potential to sustainably provide for the bulk of
the housing, community infrastructure and commercial
needs of the Romney Marsh Area.” In accordance with
this policy, New Romney is designated as a “Strategic
Town for Shepway” in the settlement hierarchy.
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Figure 5.7 of the Core Strategy provides a key diagram
to spatially convey the development strategy for the
town, which is replicated in the diagram overleaf:
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North of town centre
broad location
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Figure 5.7 of
Shepwam
Core Strategy
Local plan
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The corresponding supporting text to this key diagram
is provided in Paras 5.129 and 5.130, which state:
f.
5.129 Land north/northwest of the town centre,
highlighted in Figure 5.7, is identified as a broad
location for residential-led development to respond
to identified issues of regeneration needs and limited
development opportunities within Romney Marsh.
It offers a location close to the town centre and
relatively free from tidal flood risks. The priority is
that the development is comprehensive to maximise
associated benefits, and that it delivers high-quality
and sustainable design for local residents. The
development must be planned and designed as a
whole to ensure the sense of place of New Romney is
maintained and enhanced in line with policy SS3.
Primary School
Sainsbury’s
Academy
Policy CSD8 concerns New Romney and the Broad
Location for Development. The policy states:
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Potential for public
realm investment and
improved shopper
circulation
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Reproduction and
enlargement of Fig 5.7
overlaid with OS Plan
5.130 The council recognises the existence of different
land interests within the broad location at present
and encourages co-operation in order to deliver an
attractive and holistic scheme that will enhance
housing design and choice in the local economy,
providing a sustainable community and green
infrastructure in line with CSD4.
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Coastal Route
Other Selected Roads
Primary Junction for Improvement
Built-up Areas
Conservation Areas
Employment
New Spine Road/Cycle Way
Footpath Corridor (needing to
be integrated in any strategic
development)
POLICY CSD8 NEW ROMNEY STRATEGY
New Romney should develop as the residential,
business, service, retail and tourist centre for the
Romney Marsh in line with the vision in paragraph
3.21. New development should respect the historic
character of the town and the established grain of the
settlement in line with the place-shaping principles
set out in policy SS3.
The future development of the town should seek to
support the retention of existing businesses and the
attraction of new employment opportunities through
the provision of an adequate supply of employment
land to meet future need and through the provision
of a sufficient level of new residential development to
maintain an adequate labour supply.
The strategy for New Romney therefore supports the
following:
•
Movement Corridors with
Potential for Upgrade of
Linkages
•
Main Potential New Residential/
Open Space Development
Retail
Primary Shopping Area
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•
The enhancement of New Romney as a key
market town and service centre for Romney
Marsh, providing a range of services and
attractions for local residents and tourists.
The provision of further employment at an
expanded Mountfield Road Industrial Estate, with
better vehicular and pedestrian linkages to the town
centre.
A broad location for residential development to
the north of the town centre.
g.
around 300 dwellings (Class C3) and a range and
size of residential accommodation, including 30%
affordable housing, subject to viability.
Pedestrian/cyclist linkages southwards to the
town centre should be improved and prioritised
from the central area of the development, in
preference to linkages around the periphery of the
site.
Land proposed for residential development must
have a sufficient level of internal connection
through providing a new movement link through
the site, appropriately designed to 20mph, and/or
through a cycleway/footpath to provide a secure
and attractive green corridor.
Proposals should incorporate as necessary a
minimum of 0.7ha of land for the upgrade of St
Nicholas’ Primary School playing facilities on a
consolidated area.
Archaeological constraints need to be examined
and associated mitigation will be required to be
provided at an early stage, in order to inform the
masterplan, development strategy and quantum of
development.
Flooding and surface water attenuation for
the overall site should be concentrated in the
lowest areas of the site, recommendations
of the Shepway SFRA must be followed, and
measures should also provide visual and nature
conservation enhancement for the benefit of the
site and local community.
Appropriate off-site mitigation measures must
be identified, including to ameliorate highway
impacts and manage drainage demands.
Any planning application for the broad location
should be preceded by, and consistent with a single
masterplan, addressing these objectives and produced
in consultation with the local community, the district
councils and key stakeholders.
Development of the broad location must aim to
integrate with the physical environment, including
addressing the natural boundary which is currently
defined by Cockreed Lane, as well as neighbouring
previously developed land to the north east of
Cockreed Lane. In addition, if the objectives of this
policy cannot be met within the scope of this area,
consideration may be given to land to the southwest
of Ashford Road, subject to further discussions
and any environmental or other constraints being
addressed.
Development at the town should consolidate and
improve the market town/ service centre function of
New Romney through contributing as relevant to the
public realm and other priorities for investment in the
High Street in line with SS5 including:
•
•
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Providing additional crossing points in the High
Street to increase the ability of shoppers and
visitors to circulate along the retail frontage.
Improving the setting of historic buildings and
minimising the environmental impact of through
traffic within the High Street.
Contributing towards community facilities
required to serve the needs of the town.
Development will need where appropriate to
detail the delivery of measures, or contribute to
improvements, in skills/ training in Romney Marsh area.
This Masterplan has been produced in cooperation
with the principal landowners, stakeholders and
members of the community. It has taken Policy CSD8
as its Terms of Reference for the study and it has
been produced to enable corresponding outline and
full planning applications relating to land within the
Broad Location to be submitted in accordance with
Policy CSD8.
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2 COMPREHENSIVE
DEVELOPMENT
In determining the broad location for development in
its Local Plan, Shepway District Council recognised
that the land is in multiple ownerships.
Accordingly, the Core Strategy required the
production of a Masterplan to ensure that
development parcels collectively deliver a
comprehensive, cohesive and high quality
development. The Masterplan is a result of the
collaboration of these ownerships.
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Publication of the Masterplan is likely to result in the
following planning applications:
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Pentland’s Potato Factory site (Land Parcel
4) already has outline planning permission
for 48 homes plus 8 live/work homes. It is
Pentland’s intention to bring forward a reserved
matters application following publication of the
Masterplan.
Both Gladman/Kent County Council (Land Parcel
2) and EA Strategic Land (Land Parcel 3) have
aspirations to bring forward outline planning
applications following Masterplan publication.
Peter Goddard Landscaping (Land Parcel 1) also
intends to bring forward a detailed planning
application in accordance with the Masterplan
post publication.
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Peter Goddard landscaping
Gladman and Kent County
Council
EA Strategic Land
Pentland Homes (Site with
Outline Approval)
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3 CONTEXTUAL AND
ENVIRONMENTAL
ANALYSIS
CONSTRAINTS & OPPORTUNITIES
Zone of Potential Archaeology
Site boundaries
Existing Trees
Private realm boundary response,
secure and screen
Public realm boundary response,
frontage definition
The broad location has a number of environmental
constraints to address. A principal issue is flood risk,
but ecology, archaeology and transport issues are
also prevalent environmental challenges.
Public right of way
Potential pedestrian links
FLOODING
It is imperative that each land parcel is self-sufficient
in dealing with its own flood impact. A “consume
your own smoke” approach lies at the heart of the
Masterplan concept. For example, Land Parcel 3
(EA Strategic Land) has made a serious attempt
in the indicative Masterplan to reflect the flood
storage requirements that are likely to be needed to
accommodate a residential development of its site
based the particular parameters. Each land parcel
will be required to demonstrate a robust approach to
flood risk in any future planning application through
a Flood Risk Assessment prepared in consultation
with Shepway District Council, the Environment
Agency and the New Romney Internal Drainage
Board.
Potential highway access
determined by sight-lines
Playing field
Opportunity for frontage
Surveillance of public realm
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In order to ensure the Broad Location is developed in
a sensitive way, it is important to look at the context
of the site and its relationship with New Romney.
This land is located on the edge of New Romney.
The character of the broad location is typified by the
ordered arrangement of the historic settlement, and
there is an aspiration to maintain the urban form and
character of the town in this new development.
TRANSPORT
In accordance with Policy CSD8, a 20mph internal
road should be a fundamental development principle
of the Broad Location Development. Discussions
with the Highways Authority have identified an
opportunity to downgrade a section of Cockreed Lane
(a stretch of highway from the Cockreed Lane/Hope
Lane in a westerly direction without compromising
existing owners access rights) to a bridleway/
cycleway/footpath so that all through traffic is
channelled through the Broad Location. This change
could be secured through a TRO by the Highways
Authority at the completion of the Broad Location.
Improvements to cycle and pedestrian accessibility
need to be made as part of the Broad Location
Development. Opportunities to improve access
through to Rolfe Lane should be made through open
use of the playing fields access, as well as diverting
and upgrading the public footpath through Land
Parcel 3 to Rolfe Lane should also be made.
Junction capacity assessments have formed part
of the evidence base to the publication of this
Masterplan and the Junctions identified in the
Local Plan Infrastructure Delivery Schedule have all
been assessed as part of the Masterplan process.
The modelling results demonstrate that the Broad
Location development will have a negligible impact
on the surrounding highway network with all
junctions operating within capacity limits.
Accident data for the surrounding highway network
has been obtained and analysed. The only location
where a pattern of accidents occurred is the junction
with Ashford Road and the High Street. Highway
improvements at this junction to improve highway
safety are therefore recommended and accordingly,
applicants for planning permission within the Broad
Location should engage with the Highway Authority
to discuss potential improvements to this junction.
ARCHAEOLOGY
Desk-based assessments were undertaken as
part of the Local Plan evidence base for the Broad
Location and these revealed potentially significant
archaeological remains on land parcels 2 and 3,
but predominantly Land Parcel 3. Accordingly,
supervised trial trenching was undertaken to help
establish the significance of the archaeological
remains and whether a moated manor house existed.
Following analysis of the trial trenching, discussions
between the developer’s archaeological specialist,
Shepway District Council., Kent County Council and
Natural England have established that the delineated
moat area within Land Parcel 3, clearly visible on
aerial photography, constitutes a non-designated
heritage asset that should be taken into account
in determining any future planning application. In
weighing applications that affect, either directly
or indirectly, non-designated heritage assets, a
balanced judgement will be required having regard
to the scale of any harm or loss and the significance
of the heritage asset. Accordingly, any future
application will be required to justify any loss and if
necessary, demonstrate mitigation measures.
ECOLOGY
Baseline ecology studies of the Broad Location
have revealed Great Crested Newts on the southern
boundary of Land Parcel 3 and within the boundary
of Land Parcel 4. Future planning applications
on these land parcels will be required to provide
appropriate mitigation. Future planning applications
within the Broad Location will be expected to
demonstrate measures that support biodiversity
and one such measure would be to create open
space and garden planting that incorporates tree,
shrub and flower species that attract bees and other
pollinators.
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4 SOCIO
DEMOGRAPHIC
ANALYSIS AND
PLANNING
OBLIGATIONS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Policy CSD8 requires 30% affordable housing across
the broad location, subject to viability. Accordingly,
future planning applications should aspire to meet
the affordable housing policy and a Section 106
clause requiring 30% affordable housing subject
to viability has been volunteered by the promoters
of Land Parcels 2 and 3 through the Masterplan
process.
GP CAPACITY
Stakeholder and Public Consultation events held
in connection with the Broad Location Masterplan
revealed GP capacity to be a key concern for local
residents. Discussions with surgeries indicated that
there was sufficient capacity to accommodate further
patients however. Accordingly, Shepway District
Council contacted NHS Property Services who have
carried out an assessment which reveals that both
the Church Lane and Oak Hall Surgeries are at full
capacity and that new investment in GP capacity is
required as soon as possible. Whilst an increase in
the New Romney population will place the surgeries
under even greater strain, planning obligations
from the Broad Location provide an opportunity to
ringfence funds to invest in GP infrastructure in
the town. This issue needs to be worked through
between the land promoters, Shepway District
Council and NHS Property Services as part of any
future planning application/s.
OPEN SPACE
Whilst New Romney does have deficiencies in
particular areas, the town is fortunate to have
a significant amount and variety of Public Open
Space, including a significant area of high quality
space within 100metres of the Broad Location in
the form of the St Martins Field Recreation Ground,
which lies between Rolfe Lane and Fairfield Road.
This high quality area of open space contains a
children’s playground and is easily accessible to the
Broad Location, especially once the development is
delivered and the linkages through to Rolfe Lane are
strengthened.
Developers should try to ensure that a network of
high quality green infrastructure is provided across
the Broad Location to create a hierarchy of different
types of open space in the locality.
PLANNING OBLIGATIONS
The planning obligations associated with the outline
planning permission for the Potato Factory site (PP
REF: Y10/0698/SH) covered the following areas:
open space maintenance, play facilities, education
(and library) facilities, transport improvements and
High St improvements.
It is expected that Shepway District Council will wish
to enter into discussions with landowners regarding
the nature and amount of planning obligations
associated with future planning permissions and that
the Section 106 contributions for the Potato Factory
should not be considered as a benchmark for future
planning applications. As a guide for residents as to
the potential investment in the local area however,
it is worth noting that the planning obligation for
the Potato Factory amounted to £3,268 per dwelling
and were this to be extrapolated across the Broad
Location, a planning obligations figure of between
£817,000 and £980,000 would be generated,
depending on the amount of housing delivered.
It will be important to ensure that obligations are
ring-fenced wherever possible so that Policy (CSD8)
objectives and New Romney specific improvements
are delivered such that contributions are made to the
St Nicholas Playing Fields and St Nicholas School,
GP facilities in New Romney, New Romney High
Street improvements including the problem junction
of Ashford Road/High Street, local public transport
initiatives and local open space maintenance.
Land Parcel 2 of the Broad Location contains an
existing school playing field (a minimum of 0.7Ha of
playing field which will be retained in accordance
with Policy CSD8) that is very rarely used due to its
physical separation from St Nicholas Primary School.
The Broad Location for Development provides a
unique opportunity to use planning obligations to
deliver new associated infrastructure for the playing
field to enable the land to be used on a regular
and frequent basis by the school. In this regard,
the provision of changing rooms/toilets would
enable classes to use the field, whilst a store for
sporting equipment would negate the need to carry
equipment across to the playing field when needed.
Furthermore, the provision of associated facilities
could enable the playing field to be rented out by
the School for community groups and organisations.
This will be a future option for St Nicholas Primary
School to take depending upon circumstances and
local demand.
Existing open space
adjacent to Fairfield Road
and Ashford Road
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The environmental constraints of the Broad Location
necessitate a considerable amount of land to
be provided for flood storage and/or ecological
mitigation and preservation of non-designated
heritage asset. In order to secure reasonable levels
of housing density and to enable the Broad Location
to deliver in the region of 300 homes, it may be
necessary to use areas of public open space for
multiple functions e.g. it should be appropriate to
design an area of open space so that it also provides
emergency flood storage capacity and/or areas of
habitat that can enhance biodiversity. In a unique
scenario of local flood, the surplus in open space
provision in the town should be able to compensate
for a temporary period where an area of open
space is unsuitable for recreational activity due to
emergency water capture.
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5 DEVELOPMENT
FRAMEWORK
MASTERPLAN
The detailed layout of the broad location for
development will be established through future
planning applications. In order to assist in
developing the detail at a later stage, a Development
Framework Plan has to be established.
WHAT IS THE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK PLAN?
The Development Framework plan concentrates on
the core infrastructure required to deliver the broad
location for development, as well as the spatial
relationship and linkages across the landholdings.
DESIGN PARAMETERS
It is envisaged that the two largest areas (Land
Parcel 2 and Land Parcel 3) will imminently be
the subject of outline planning applications once
the Masterplan is published and that subsequent
reserved matters applications will be required to
fix the scale, layout and detailed design of the
development. Accordingly, it would be appropriate
for any outline planning applications for the Broad
Location to be supported by design parameters for
the ultimate development that can be conditioned
to any subsequent outline planning permissions.
Future outline planning applications should therefore
consider design parameters to address the following
core principles:
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minimum distances to existing residential
properties;
maximum height of dwellings;
maximum housing density;
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Application Boundary
Locally Equipped Area of Play
Development Areas
Land for retained School
Playing Fields - 0.7 ha
Existing Vegetation /
Hedgerows
Potential Pedestrian Route
Proposed Vegetation /
Hedgerows
Potential Pedestrian / Cycle
Routes
Proposed Main Road
Potential Vehicular Route for
links into adjacent plots
Proposed Attenuation Basin
Proposed Site Access
Emergency / Maintenance
vehicular access routes
Proposed Swale
Public Open Space
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6 PRINCIPAL
MOVEMENT
NETWORK
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Connectivity to the wider area
The emerging masterplan also highlights how
connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists will be
enhanced. The plan includes indicative pedestrian
and cycling routes across the site, which will
link to the rest of the town through a connection
southwards to Rolfe Lane.
Pedestrian Movement Strategy
The pedestrian movement strategy is focused around
enhancing links in the centre of the Broad Location
through to Rolfe Lane by channelling pedestrian
routes through to the main access point between
47 and 49 Rolfe Lane and the secondary pedestrian
access point between 67 and 69 Rolfe Lane, in
accordance with Policy CSD8. Given the potential
for phasing problems with the proposed pedestrian
movement strategy (there is a reliance upon Land
Parcels 2 and 3), the local planning authority may
need to seek financial contributions towards new
footpaths along Ashford Road and Rolfe Lane
to provide safe access to the town centre in the
absence of new and enhanced routes created in the
centre of the Broad Location. However, the Council’s
preference is for enhanced footpath infrastructure in
the centre of the Broad Location to optimise safe and
accessible routes to the town centre.
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The access points, speed limit, indicative alignment
and nature of an internal connecting road has been
established through the Masterplan.
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Transport Assessment
The Broad Location Masterplan has been developed
with the overall access, connectivity and transport
impacts in mind. A full transport assessment
however, will be undertaken for each development
parcel as the individual planning applications are
brought forward. These assessments will consider
the potential impact on the existing transport
network and possible mitigation measures.
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Pedestrian Route
Vehicle Route
Cycle Route
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7 GREEN
INFRASTRUCTURE
In accordance with the Core Strategy policy, the
Masterplan provides 0.7Ha of playing fields on a
consolidated area of land. The playing fields are just
one component of a green infrastructure network
spanning across the Broad Location.
The green infrastructure network includes an area of
land that aligns with part of a historical moated area.
This land will include a realigned public footpath
that will enhance the pedestrian linkages from the
Potato Factory land through to the town centre.
In developing the masterplan full ecology surveys
have been undertaken. Whilst details will be
developed at later stages for each development
parcel, the Broad Location will incorporate measures
to offset any loss and enhance the value of the land
for wildlife.
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As part of the Shepway District Council Strategic Flooding
Risk Assessment (2009) a series of numerical flood
models were run to establish the impact of a failure in the
coastal defences surrounding the marsh. The results were
delineated by a series of Hazard Maps (as seen on the
left), providing a graphical representation of the hazards
associated with flooding: expressed as a function of depth
and velocity (described in the report ‘Flood Risks to People’
R&D output FD2320/TR2).
The key below identifies the hazard classifications which
relate to the map on the left.
Hazard Rating (HR)
Degree of flood hazard Description
No Flooding
None
< 0.75
Low
0.75 to 1.25
Moderate
1.25 to 2.5
Significant
> 2.5
Extreme
No Floodwater as a result of
coastal flooding
Caution – shallow flowing
water or deep standing
water
Dangerous for some, i.e. children – deep or fast flowing
water
Dangerous for most people
– deep fast flowing water
Dangerous for all – extreme
danger with deep and fast
flowing water
8 ADDRESSING
FLOODING AND
DRAINAGE
Given its location within the Romney Marsh area, in
developing a masterplan for the Broad Location Area
consideration must be given to flooding and drainage.
A flood risk management strategy has been
developed for the Broad Location in consultation
with the Environment Agency. Underpinning this
strategy is ensuring that any development does not
have an impact on the surrounding area. In other
words, the development will be self contained,
dealing with its own water.
In order to future proof the Broad Location Area, the
following proposed measures have been designed in
order to mitigate the impact of any existing flooding
on site, and to account for a one in one hundred year
extreme flood event.
ATTENUATION PONDS – these will ensure any additional
surface water runoff from the proposed development
is contained on site, before being discharged into
the Wallingham Sewer
SUSTAINABLE DRAINAGE SYSTEM (SUDS) - incorporating
a series of swales (shallow drainage channels)
and ponds, the system will provide storage for
runoff from the site as well as providing a natural
infiltration system to remove any potential pollutants
from source
BALANCING PONDS - these are designed to retain water
and to store runoff during a storm event. The water
is subsequently released at a controlled rate after the
storm has passed.
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Image showing attenuation crates used to manage
rainwater storage below ground
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Permeable paving uses open joints and specific
sub-base materials to encourage rainwater to
percolate through hard surfaces
4.
Swales are proposed to provide drainage channels
to capture rainwater and direct it to storage areas
or ponds
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Ponds will form an attractive aspect of the
landscape, encouraging and supporting ecological
habitats, as well as providing sustainable rainwater
storage
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3 Ella Mews
London, NW3 2NH
www.rmaarchitects.co.uk
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