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. Hop 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. e La 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: ree dL Co ck North of town centre broad location ne an e Figure 5.7 of Shepwam Core Strategy Local plan c. d. e. 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: et tre S igh H Potential for public realm investment and improved shopper circulation h urc ad Ro Ch 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. 1:4000 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 2 • 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: • • • 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. 3 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. 4 Publication of the Masterplan is likely to result in the following planning applications: • ne d ck Co e re La 3 • • 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. ne lfe La Ro 2 1 As hf or d Ro ad 1:4000 1. 2. 3. 4. 4 Peter Goddard landscaping Gladman and Kent County Council EA Strategic Land Pentland Homes (Site with Outline Approval) 5 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 1:4000 1 2 4 3 12 11 10 13 14 15 5 6 7 9 8 9 10 17 8 21 7 18 11 13 12 20 22 5 6 17 4 15 14 19 19 18 23 24 3 20 21 22 23 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. 25 2 24 1 25 1:4000 6 7 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 8 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. 9 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: ne La e kr c Co ed • ne lfe • • La Ro As hf or d minimum distances to existing residential properties; maximum height of dwellings; maximum housing density; Ro ad 1:4000 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 10 11 6 PRINCIPAL MOVEMENT NETWORK ck Co La re ne lfe La Ro As hf 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. ne ed The access points, speed limit, indicative alignment and nature of an internal connecting road has been established through the Masterplan. or 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. d Ro ad 1:4000 Pedestrian Route Vehicle Route Cycle Route 12 13 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. ne d ee kr c Co La ne lfe La Ro As hf or d Ro ad 1:4000 14 15 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. 1 2 3 4 5 1. 2. Image showing attenuation crates used to manage rainwater storage below ground 3. 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 5. 6. Ponds will form an attractive aspect of the landscape, encouraging and supporting ecological habitats, as well as providing sustainable rainwater storage 6 16 17 3 Ella Mews London, NW3 2NH www.rmaarchitects.co.uk 18
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