Linden Homes Proposals for land off Ringwood Road, Verwood

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1 Welcome Welcome to Linden Homes first public exhibition displaying proposals for new homes on land off Ringwood Road in Verwood. Award-winning house builder Linden Homes, part of the Galliford Try Group, is keen to provide the local community with the opportunity to fully engage in the planning process. Please take the time to submit a feedback form and provide your comments on our initial plans. You can either leave this in our ballot box or take it home and return it via a freepost envelope. We would appreciate it if you could return comments by Monday 25th March Thank you for visiting. at the EXHIBITION today: INTRODUCTION Site Background Layout/Proposals Highways Ecology and Trees SANG Key Community Benefits Next steps and timescales Previous completed Linden Homes developments

2 Introduction Today s exhibition will provide you with an overview of the constraints and opportunities of the site, and details of some of the technical survey work that has been undertaken to date. We would also welcome any future relevant information you think we need to be aware of at this early stage. Working with what we have identified to date, we have also drafted an illustrative parameter plan to indicate where the houses will likely be on the site, the likely number of homes and how they relate to the setting of the area. We invite you to comment on these draft proposals. The Council has considered the allocation of the site for residential development through the Joint Core Strategy although this is not yet adopted policy. The Pre-Submission version of that document proposed the allocation of the site for residential development. Although the proposed allocation was omitted from the next consultation, this was only due to uncertainties at that time regarding the ecological mitigation necessary to support the development. These concerns have now been addressed to the satisfaction of East Dorset District Council and Natural England. The Council is now working with Linden to reintroduce the allocation through the forthcoming Examination in Public. As such, we believe it more appropriate to establish the principle of the development, together with the access arrangements for the site at this stage. The layout of the scheme is at this stage illustrative and seeks to establish general principles to guide future work on the proposals for the site. Should consent be granted for the principle, further applications which will deal with the reserved matters, including the layout of the development, will be submitted. Following the approval of an outline application, Linden Homes will work with the Council, local community and key stakeholders to produce detailed plans for the site. It is likely a second public consultation will take place later in the year to assist with this process. Comments will also be able to be submitted once the application(s) have been submitted to the Council for consideration. Previous completed Linden Homes developments

3 Site background Linden Homes has acquired an interest in land off Ringwood Road, Verwood, which will contribute to meeting local housing needs in Verwood. The site is considered as having the potential for development by East Dorset District Council in its development plan. We are therefore in the early stages of developing a high quality scheme of both open market and affordable homes. In the first instance, we are proposing to submit an outline planning application for the development of the site. This application, in effect, will seek to confirm the principle that this site can be used for housing and confirm some aspects for the future, such as the number of residential units and access for the site. All matters other than access would be subject to a separate detailed application known as Reserved Matters. However, we will ensure that designs for the site complement and draw upon the local vernacular and setting of the area including one and two storey high quality residential homes. We will consult with local residents again at the detailed stage. In line with national and local planning requirements, a proportion of the homes built will be dedicated as affordable homes. The precise breakdown and location of the affordable element of the development is still to be determined; however the mix is likely to include key-worker and shared ownership homes. Work is continuing on a likely scheme and further details will be submitted with the application to assist East Dorset District Council in determining the application. Aerial View of Site Existing Site

4 Linden Homes Layout and proposals The principles of the development plan right seek to achieve an appropriate relationship with the site s surroundings and respond to the site s unique characteristics. It also responds to comments received through initial discussions with local residents. The relationship of the proposed buildings to existing properties has been carefully considered, and whilst the layout is a matter for future consideration, this outline application will provide the parameters for development to take place on the site in the future. The land will deliver around 65 new homes. The point of access off Parkland Close is determined by an existing gap in the building frontage serving as a drive to 3 existing properties and leading to an existing field gate. It is logical to extend this access to serve the proposed development. The access point would provide an open view through the site toward the informal open space towards the rear. New buildings would frame this view to each side and this area would also include a landscaped open space encompassing a play area/amenity space. The internal road structure would through the site from the arrival space using a hierarchy of street types including shared surfaces, access courts and private drives. The homes proposed on the south and west edges would respect the general scale of the adjacent existing properties, including a variation in height (1 to 1.5 storey) with clear gaps between properties and private gardens placed against the boundary. Further from these sensitive boundaries, the buildings would increase to a maximum 2 storey form, arranged in a perimeter block style with active frontages. As it extend toward the north and east the development would become more irregular, with more informal roads; in combination with appropriate landscaping, this would allow for a sympathetic relationship with the heath and forest as well as the informal open space. The irregular form of development would comprise of properties with active frontages onto the open land offering natural surveillance over that area, including the proposed pedestrian link across the site. Principles of Development Plan

5 Highways Access to the site has been carefully considered by an independent highways consultant appointed by Linden as part of the project team. Detailed discussions have also taken place with Officers at Dorset County Council Highways Department to ensure our proposals are considered suitable and achievable. We are proposing that vehicular access is to be gained via a new link to the site from Ringwood Road, with the existing access via Parkland Close closed. Traffic and speed surveys have been undertaken in the vicinity of the proposed site access to establish the technical viability of the proposal. Residents have raised the issue of speeding vehicles and instances of dangerous driving by users of Ringwood Road. Linden Homes continues to investigate possible traffic calming measures and would be keen to hear residents comments on this issue. The scheme, as illustrated on the attached plan, accords with current design standards and has been agreed with the Highway Authority. Highways plan

6 Ecology and trees A survey of all trees on and adjacent to the site has been undertaken to obtain details about their type, quality and health and the associated extent of root zones (known as root protection areas). Whilst tree loss will be required to enable vehicular access to the site and to provide a comprehensive development across the site, a strategy of replacement planting will be offered as mitigation. This will include the creation of a new landscape transition zone between the development edge and the woodland to the north east. The woodland will also be managed to improve its structure and species diversity, as well as maintaining a soft backdrop to the development. Detailed ecological surveys have confirmed that the majority of the site is predominantly arable land of negligible value. The development layout retains the most valuable wetland habitats within the woodland. The remaining woodland is not of substantive ecological value, and through a combination of habitat creation and management within the site and additional extensive off-site habitat improvements, that have been agreed with Natural England and East Dorset District Council, the proposals will result in an overall biodiversity gain for the local area. Habitat Features Plan

7 Suitable Accessible Natural Greenspace (SANG) Strategy In accordance with emerging planning guidance in respect of residential development and the Special Protection Area (SPA), a Suitable Accessible Natural Greenspace (SANG) strategy has been agreed with Natural England and East Dorset District Council. The SANG involves creation of a variety of attractive, waymarked circular walks on land within the adjacent Ringwood Forest owned by the Forestry Commission. The woodland along the path routes will be made more diverse and appealing, by creation of glades supporting heathland and wetland habitat. The paths will link to the development site, with leaflets informing new residents of their presence to attract dog walkers away from the Dorset Heathlands SPA. The SANG will be maintained in perpetuity. An extensive package of heathland and wetland habitat creation and management has also been agreed to more than address possible disturbance issues to existing wildlife in Ringwood Forest as a result of the SANG. Overall, the development should deliver benefits both in terms of local amenity and recreation, but also to local biodiversity. SANG and habitat mitigation plan

8 Key community benefits Our proposals for this site will deliver significant investment into the local community: A well-designed, high quality scheme sympathetic to the existing properties in the surrounding area Up to 65 new homes, much-needed in the local area A proportion of these homes will be affordable and available through a local housing association A large portion of the site retained as public open space for recreational use by the local community Jobs created on-site for local contractors (as many as 1.5 jobs are created for each new home built according to research by the Home Builders Federation) apprenticeships for local young people on Linden Homes apprenticeship programme a New Homes Bonus of almost 500,000 (based on 65 homes) payable over 6 years to East Dorset District Council

9 Next steps and timescales Thank you for taking the time to attend our first public exhibition. We hope you found it useful, and would be grateful if you would take the time to submit a feedback form and tell us what you think by placing it in the box provided or using the freepost envelope and return to us by the 25 th March Alternatively, you can us your comments using the address below. Following today s exhibition, we will review all feedback received before finalising our proposals and submitting an outline planning application. Should you have any further questions or comments or if you would like to discuss the plans with the team following this exhibition, you are welcome to contact us using the details below. Thank you. Let us know what you think Freephone information line Previous completed Linden Homes developments