Technical Evidence
The application will be accompanied by a comprehensive suite of environmental and technical studies.
Design
The masterplan builds on the Concept Plan contained within the Hospital Lane Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) which provides guidance on supported land uses, development principles and appropriate infrastructure at the site. The provision of additional school land within the site has been removed in agreement with the Local Education Authority.
The proposed bus route is indicated as a primary tree lined spine road within the overall street hierarchy with secondary and tertiary roads permeating from this to the edges of the development.
The development will primarily be of two storeys, although some areas of increased height within key locations is considered feasible to assist placemaking and reinforce legibility. All of the dwellings will meet or exceed the National Space Standards with over a third of the homes having increased accessibility and more readily allowing adaptation of the dwelling to meet the changing needs of occupants over time.
The layout will utilise passive solar design principles and promote more sustainable modes of transport through the provision of new pedestrian and cycle routes to link into the wider network together with the potential introduction of a bus route running through the layout.
Through the retention and enhancement of the site’s landscape attributes and development of a clear street hierarchy and high quality public realm, the proposal supports the creation of a sustainable, safe and attractive residential development which achieves a density appropriate to its setting, makes efficient use of land and provides a mix of dwelling types and other uses which will compliment and connect with the existing local community.
Highways
A Transport Assessment will assess the potential impacts of the development on the local highway network. The report will consider impacts on highway safety and network capacity, and will set out the access strategy for the development alongside any necessary highway improvements.
In addition, a Travel Plan will be produced to reduce the overall impact of the scheme in terms of vehicular traffic and encourage the use of more sustainable modes of travel.
Vehicular access to the site will be provided via Hospital Lane in the form of two new priority T-junctions. Hospital Lane provides access to the wider highway network via Smorrall Lane to the north and Goodyers End Lane to the south. The development is also being designed to accommodate a local bus service with access being provided via a new bus gate from Hospital Lane. Additionally, the existing footway which runs along the eastern side of Hospital Lane will be widened along the site frontage.
In order to ensure the site is well connected for pedestrians and cyclists, new links will be provided to Anderton Road and Mavor Drive providing convenient access to local facilities in the area including Newdigate Primary School. In this regard, there are a large number of local facilities within walking distance of the site including local convenience stores, public house, GP Surgery and a takeaway restaurant.
A new District Centre on site will provide a range of facilities including a potential local shop and other community facilities. This will further encourage sustainable trips within the development.
Flood Risk and Drainage
The site is located within Flood Zone 1 and proposals for surface water drainage would be set out in a Flood Risk and Drainage Assessment which will be submitted in support of development.
A Drainage Strategy will be provided to demonstrate that the site can be successfully drained, outline appropriate remediation methods and demonstrate that development could proceed safely. The rate at which the runoff is discharged will be restricted to the equivalent greenfield runoff rate, preventing an increase in flows leaving the site and thus ensuring that the proposed development does not have a detrimental impact upon flood risk elsewhere.
Attenuation basins will be utilised to store surface water within the site and subjected to multiple stages of treatment to guarantee that the water quality in the wider drainage network is protected and also provide an important ecological resource.
Landscape
A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment has been undertaken which has identified that the site does not lie within or close to a nationally or locally designated landscape. The site has been designed to retain and enhance landscape features, create green and blue infrastructure, tree planting and habitat creation will be optimised. The scale of the site is sufficiently large enough to accommodate a range of public open spaces and provide flexibility in the layout to retain and enhance existing landscape components, and where appropriate substantially filter views of the development.
Visual amenity of adjoining properties will be protected and the scheme will provide benefits to both the new and existing community through a range of new parkland habitats and amenity spaces. In addition, the site will define a strong new landscaped edge to the site’s southern and western edge with the open countryside.
Children and Teen play facilities will be created with fixed equipment, natural play and an informal ‘kick about’ football pitch. These facilities will be located so as to both service the needs of the new neighbourhood and the existing community enhancing local play provision. A network of gently meandering, but direct pedestrian/cycle routes are shown within the green infrastructure network which combine to provide opportunities to access local services and also to play and exercise.
Ecology
A preliminary ecological assessment has been undertaken to assess the baseline conditions within the site, and further surveys have been recommended to inform the design of the site and demonstrate the sites ability to achieve biodiversity net gain.
The site comprises mixed arable and grass pasture farmland of limited botanical interest and poor species diversity with the scattered trees and hedgerows offered some value as ecological corridors for the dispersal of fauna and flora into the wider countryside. No protected or Priority plant species were observed and areas of hedgerow and mature trees will be retained where possible.
Further surveys have been recommended to fully assess the sites provision for local wildlife and protected species. The created and retained habitats aim to maintain and increase habitat provision for protected species.
Air Quality
A detailed Air Quality Assessment will be undertaken to determine the suitability of the site for the proposed sensitive uses. The site is not located in, or in the vicinity of, an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and local air quality monitoring in Bedworth recorded pollutant concentrations well below relevant air quality objectives since monitoring commenced.
As the proposed development will generate new vehicle trips on the local road network, a detailed road traffic emissions impact assessment will also be undertaken to identify any impacts associated with development-generated traffic on local air quality.
Noise
A Noise Impact Assessment will accompany the planning application. This will ensure that the proposals meet local and national guidelines. The key noise source with potential to impact the site are associated with the school and road traffic on the surrounding road network. While noise associated with the commercial premises to the south-west will also be considered.
At this stage there are no fundamental noise constraints restricting development at the site.
Heritage
A Heritage Assessment will accompany the application which will consider the potential impacts of the proposed development upon the archaeological and built heritage environment.
An initial assessment has identified a number of listed buildings are located within 1km of the site, including the Grade II* Church of St Giles 950m to the southeast. In addition, the sites of a medieval and a post-medieval house are recorded in the southern part of the site on the Warwickshire Historic Environment Record and subsurface remains may still exist.
At this stage it is considered that there are no fundamental heritage constraints to the site’s development.
