COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT AT ADANAC PARK ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY October 2007
INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT BACKGROUND A planning application to develop a site at Adanac Park is being submitted jointly by The Trustees of the Barker Mill Estate (TBME) and the Ordnance Survey to Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC). The application site comprises some 31.7 hectares of land at Nursling which are located to the north of Brownhill Way at the southern part of the Test Valley Borough Council administrative area in South Hampshire. Figure NTS1 shows the general location of the site. The overall layout of the proposed development will be in accordance with the parameters which are shown on the General Layout Parameter Plan, a copy of which is supplied at Figure NTS4. References to Plot numbers in this NTS are intended to reflect the plots as numbered on the General Layout Parameter Plan. The development proposed is a business park for large space users, comprising a number of large prestige buildings for use within Use Class B1 on five spacious and well-landscaped plots. The planning application is hybrid in form. Whilst it is generally an outline application, it submits specific details for approval as part of the permission sought for an initial phase of development comprising the site access arrangements and a large Head Office building on Plot 4 (Figure NTS5 refers). The detailed component of the planning application relates to some 10.8 hectares and the outline component relates to the balance of 20.9 hectares of the application site. The Applicants intend that the detailed planning permission should permit (1) the main access into the site (by means of a new roundabout at the proposed entrance into the site from Brownhill Way) and a main spine road through the site from that new roundabout up to the point where it crosses the northern boundary of Plot 4 and (2) the proposed Ordnance Survey Head Office building and ancillary nursery cycle store and waste storage areas to be located on Plot 4 and (3) The wildlife corridor north of Plot 4 and the landscaped areas between the Ordnance Survey building and the M271 and adjacent to the boundary with Yewtree Farm house. The Ordnance Survey Head Office on Plot 4 will enable the relocation of some 1,000 of the existing 1,140 employees currently employed at the existing Ordnance Survey premises at Maybush. The Applicants seek outline planning permission for the remainder of the application site and (as part of the application) they will provide information in the form of parameters and principles which indicate how that part of the site is likely to be developed. These parameters and principles will be tied into the outline planning permission by a planning condition. The condition will require the approval of reserved matters (and other matters for which subsequent approval is required in relation to this development) to be in accordance with these parameters and principles, unless the Council approves any deviation or variation and which will not permit any deviation or variation unless it is unlikely to have any significant adverse environmental effect. The specified parameters and principles in relation to the development covered by the proposed outline planning permission also comprise the information that is required under Article 3(3) - (5) of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995, as amended with effect from 10th May 2006. EIA is a process for drawing together, in a systematic way, information about a proposed development and expert analysis and assessment of its likely environmental effects. It also involves subjecting the project (and the supporting Environmental Statement) to appropriate consultation with statutory consultees and the wider public. The detailed information about the project and its likely significant environmental effects must be presented in an Environmental Statement (ES) and this Non-Technical Summary forms part of the ES. This enables the predicted effects, and the possibilities for mitigating them, to be properly considered by the decision-making body, which in this case is TVBC, taking account of other environmental information contained in representations submitted to it by the public, and by other interested organisations, before the planning application is determined. The information to be provided in the ES is specified by regulation 2(1) and Schedule 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 1999 as amended (the EIA Regulations). This Non-Technical Summary provides a synopsis of the information contained in and findings and conclusions of the ES.
THE SITE AND SURROUNDING AREA Current Land Use The application site is fairly low lying, ranging in height from 5 metres Above Ordnance Datum (AOD) at its southern margin, to 15 metres (AOD) to the north. The southern and central areas of the application site were worked for sand and gravel extraction until 1989, after which the area of extraction was backfilled with inert waste and restored to agricultural land. The application site, which includes Adanac Farmhouse and its associated outbuildings, is currently grazed by horses and cattle. The current occupants have an assured shorthold tenancy and will vacate prior to commencement of construction; there is no agricultural tenancy or holding. Figure NTS1 Location Map Site Location Adanac Park lies some 6.5km to the north west of Southampton city centre and 4km south of Romsey. Although very close to the administrative boundary and urban edge of Southampton, the application site is wholly within Test Valley Borough. The application site is bounded to the south by Brownhill Way, a major arterial route linking Junction 1 of the M271 with suburban Southampton (from which the main access into the proposed development will be taken). To the west the application site is flanked by the M271 motorway, beyond which lie the large storage and 1
distribution facilities of the Nursling Estate, and to the north by Nursling Street, a no-through road serving a primary school, housing estates, business and industrial uses, and by the Bridgers House and Bridgers Farm House industrial units. A small planted area and utilities easement (for a 30 inch steel pumped water main) along the north eastern boundary separates the application site from 1980s residential development at Wilks Close. Mature woodland at Home Covert forms nearly two thirds of the eastern site boundary, with the Hillyfield housing estate directly abutting the remaining eastern margin. Bargain Farm lies on the south east site boundary. Designated sites There are a number of statutory sites designated for their nature conservation importance within 2km of the application site. These are the River Test and the Lower Test Valley Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the Solent Maritime Candidate Special Area of Conservation (csac) and the Solent and Southampton water Ramsar Site and Special Protection Area (SPA). The New Forest National Park lies approximately 71/2 kilometres to the west of the application site. The location of these areas are all shown in relation to the application site on Figure NTS3. Figure NTS2 Major Designations Two Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) abut the application site; Home Covert SINC lies immediately adjacent to the eastern edge of the site and part of the Nursling Street SINC directly abuts the northernmost boundary of the site. The location of these areas is shown in relation to the application site on Figure NTS4. 2
Figure NTS3 Local Designations There are no Listed Buildings within the application site boundary. Yewtree Farm, a Grade II Listed farmhouse of 17th century origin, is surrounded by but excluded from the application site boundary. Bargain Farm, located approximately 500m to the south east of the application site, is also Grade II Listed. The application site forms part of the setting of both Listed Buildings and the need to safeguard the setting has influenced the preparation of the hybrid application proposals. PLANNING POLICY The application site is allocated under Policy STV 03 of the Adopted Test Valley Borough Local Plan (2006) (TVBLP) for high quality office, research and manufacturing development set in its own extensively landscaped grounds. Policies STV 03.2, STV 03.3 and STV 03.4 (Adopted Test Valley Borough Local Plan, 2006) also require that 40% of the total site area should comprise soft landscaping, and prescribe several on and off site transport measures that must be undertaken. A number of other Plan policies are also relevant to the way in which the proposed development fits into the local landscape. For example, the site lies immediately adjacent to the western boundary of the Nursling and Southampton Local Gap, designated by TVBC to maintain separation of the urban areas of Nursling and Southampton. Development will only be permitted here that will not diminish the gap physically or visually. Similarly, although Home Covert woodland is not located within the application site, Plan policy requires any development to be designed to have minimum impact on the setting of the woodland, unless the reasons for development clearly outweigh the substantive nature conservation value of the site. 3
PROJECT DESCRIPTION The proposed development comprises a business park for large space users in accordance with Policy STV 03 of the TVBLP, including a number of large prestige buildings for uses within Use Class B1, on some 31.7 hectares of land at Nursling. This planning application seeks detailed planning permission for a new site access from Brownhill Way by means of a new roundabout on Brownhill Way and a spine road leading from the new roundabout to the northern boundary of Plot 4 along a route which is shown on the General Layout Parameter Plan (see Figure NTS4). This spine road will provide access to the other plots within the proposed development except Plot 5. Plot 5 will be accessed directly from an arm off the new roundabout and this will also serve the existing Holiday Inn Express Hotel. Figure NTS4 General Layout Parameter Plan 4
The new roundabout onto Brownhill Way and the new spine road extending to the northern boundary of Plot 4 is shown on Drawing No. APP/002/GA/07E. This drawing confirms that a shared dedicated cyclist and pedestrian route will run adjacent to the spine road from Brownhill Way with a pedestrian/cycle link to Yewtree Lane. A secondary emergency access will be constructed onto Nursling Street on the northern boundary of the application site, and into Yewtree Lane at the eastern boundary. The landscape drawings submitted for detailed approval include the landscape schemes for the Main Roundabout (Drawing APP/002/1829/101), the land adjacent to Yewtree Farm (Drawing APP/002/1829/102) and wildlife corridor north of Plot 4 (APP/003/1829/103). A full list of the application drawings is set out at Appendix NTS1. The site plan at Figure NTS5 shows coloured purple that part of the site for which the application seeks detailed permission and hatched green that part of the site for which outline planning permission is sought. 5
Figure NTS5 Application Site Plots 1, 2, 3 & 5 - Scheme parameters and principles This part of the application site is intended to provide the following development in general accordance with the principles and parameters shown on the following Parameter Plans: General Layout Parameter Plan - drawing number PAR/01 Outline Landscape and Ecology Parameter Plan - drawing number PAR/02 Access Arrangements Parameter Plan - drawing number PAR/03 Surface Water Strategy Parameter Plan - drawing number PAR/04 Utilities and Services Parameter Plan - drawing number PAR/05 Site Protection Parameter Plan drawing number PAR/05 The table at Appendix NTS2 sets out the maximum and minimum floorspace for each plot and the approximate dimensions of the buildings within each plot (by reference to their length, width and maximum and minimum height). The approximate footprint of the buildings is shown on the General Layout Parameter Plan (see Figure NTS4) along with a line showing the zone of building flexibility that has been assumed in carrying out this environmental assessment. The conclusions and analysis in this ES would be unlikely to change provided the buildings on these plots were designed to be within the relevant parameters and principles specified and also within the relevant limits of flexibility or deviation. Marketing of the business park will target a small number of large users seeking to establish a major operation with secure boundaries and a clear corporate identity. The accommodation will comprise a number of large prestige buildings, for use within Use Class B1, set in spacious and well-landscaped grounds: 40% of the total site area will comprise soft landscaping (excluding car parks, buildings and other hard and semi-hard areas). A sustainable urban drainage strategy (SuDS) will ensure that surface water run-off from the proposed development is maintained at the same rate as the un-developed site. A Sustainable Energy Strategy will ensure that at least 10% of the application site s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are offset by generation of renewable energy on site. 6 These parameters and principles will be tied into the planning permission by way of a planning condition which will require the reserved matters (and other matters requiring subsequent approval under the planning
permission sought) to be in general conformity with the parameters and principles, unless TVBC otherwise approves and on the basis that no approval will be given under such conditions if and to the extent that any variations or modifications are likely to have significant environmental effects. Plot 4: The Proposed Ordnance Survey Head Office The Ordnance Survey requirement for a prestigious new Head Office building provides the opportunity to create a first phase for the strategic Adanac Park development on Plot 4. That is why the application is seeking detailed approval for development on that plot. Detailed planning permission is sought for the following development on Plot 4: Construction of a new three-storey Ordnance Survey Head Office B1 office building to accommodate approximately 1000 employees, with a gross external ground floor area of 6,833 m2 Construction of a small single storey children s nursery building with secure external play areas Construction of a cycle store for a minimum of 143 cycles, combined with an enclosed store for recyclable refuse Construction of a sub-station which will be linked by a wall to the cycle store to form an enclosure for refuse skips, Provision of 556 car parking spaces for staff and visitors to the Head Office Building and Children s Nursery Provision of all utilities and services for Plot 4 Construction of a ground coupling heat exchange system to provide 10% on-site renewable energy generation, the details of which will be fixed during the final detailed design phase Installation of a sustainable urban drainage system, (drawing number PAR/04 refers) Landscape works, comprising not less than 40% soft landscape, that set the Ordnance Survey Head Office within a setting appropriate to the adjacent woodland and neighbouring residential areas Construction of an access road up to the northern boundary of Plot 4. This will include a new roundabout on Brownhill Way and site access road to another roundabout adjacent to Plot 4, and a spine road running through the application site in a north-south direction along the western site boundary Construction of a shared dedicated cycle and pedestrian route adjacent to the spine road. The drawings submitted for detailed approval in respect of the development of Plot 4 are listed at Appendix NTS1. IMPACT ASSESSMENT A scoping opinion was received from TVBC on 11 May 2006 in response to a report by The Landmark Practice, scoping the main likely significant impacts. It was agreed that the following assessments would be undertaken to inform the Environmental Statement: Landscape and Visual Ecology Water Quality and Resources Transportation and Access Ground Conditions, Minerals and Contamination Archaeology and Built Heritage Noise and Vibration Air Quality Lighting Socio-Economic Impacts 7
LANDSCAPE & VISUAL The application site lies within a transitional zone between the predominately rural landscape of the southern Test Valley and the urban edge of Southampton. The proposed development incorporates 40% soft landscaping and the buildings, although of a large scale, are well spaced throughout the site and in keeping with the local landscape character. Although the landform of the application site will be modified by development, the final topography will remain in character with the surrounding area. The proposed development respects the settings of Home Covert woodland, and the Grade II listed buildings of Yewtree and Bargain Farm. Key landscape features will be retained, protected and enhanced, including an oak tree protected by a Tree Protection Order. New landscape features will be created by substantial woodland and parkland planting and by using drainage features to create wildlife corridors through the developed site. The boundary with the M271 will be reinforced with woodland planting to protect and enhance the setting of the application site and Yewtree Farm. The quality of both planting and built form will be high and in keeping with the prestigious nature of the proposed development. The application site is visually well contained. Views of the site are very local, and mainly from a few properties along Nursling Road, at Hillyfields and Brownhill Way. Because of their height and proximity to residential areas and the motorway, the buildings at the south of the site will be the most prominent within the developed site. These are, however, intended to be prestigious gateway buildings. The proposed development will not cause any major negative landscape and visual effects. Following establishment of the proposed planting, any residual landscape and visual impacts will be of moderate negative significance only, and will be compensated for by landscape enhancement incorporated within the development scheme. ECOLOGY Ecological assessment of the application site and its surroundings to inform this EIA identified a range of habitats used by a variety of wildlife species including bats, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Proximity of the site to nearby designated sites, particularly Home Covert woodland SINC and a section of hedgerow along Nursling Street SINC, adds to the intrinsic ecological value of the site. Careful integration of ecological safeguards within the application scheme means that most of the potential negative effects of construction of the proposed development are addressed, for example by retaining and enhancing key habitat areas and creating extensive areas of new habitat and wildlife corridors. Where development impacts are unavoidable, mitigation is provided by creating alternative roosting and nesting opportunities for bats and birds and new habitat for reptiles. A comprehensive Construction Environmental Management Plan, which will be prepared and approved in accordance with parameters and principles outlined in the Ecology Chapter of the ES, will include methods to safeguard ecology during development of the detailed application scheme, and subsequently of each development plot within the outline consent as detailed schemes are sought. The Plan will secure protection from potential construction impacts of accidental damage, pollution of habitats, and disturbance to wildlife. Once the site is fully developed, disturbance to wildlife will be minimised, for example by use of controlled lighting and restriction of access to wildlife areas. An Ecological and Landscape Management Plan will be prepared for the application site to maintain and enhance the existing and new habitats within the developed site for nature conservation. 8 Although a small number of hedgerows and trees will be lost to development, subject to full implementation of the proposed mitigation strategy, the overall effect of the proposed development will be long term enhancement of the ecological diversity of the site and local area.
WATER QUALITY AND RESOURCES The assessment considered potential development impacts, including contamination of water resources, alteration of the drainage regime and flood risk, and increase in demand for water and foul sewerage. The application site is not at risk from tidal, fluvial, groundwater or sewer flooding, neither will the proposed development displace any tidal or fluvial flood plain storage. Surface and sub-surface drainage from the application site currently drains through a network of small streams and ditches and feeds into the River Test. The groundwater below the application site is believed to be connected to the River Test, which supports ecologically important habitats that are sensitive to changes in the quality and quantity of the water discharged. Implementation of the proposed sustainable drainage system (SuDS) and associated mitigation measures will prevent increases in the amount of surface water run-off from the developed site. The proposed SuDS will also ensure that there will be no deterioration in water quality or alteration to the drainage regime that could affect important and sensitive water resources and ecological receptors, during either the construction or operational phase. Water efficiency measures will be implemented to reduce the volume of water required by the operational development and therefore minimise the amount of wastewater that is produced. Following appropriate mitigation, including increasing the capacity of the local foul sewerage network, the proposed development will not result in any significant residual or cumulative impacts on water demand and foul sewerage infrastructure. TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESS The existing highway network is highly vehicle dominated and the majority of the local junctions are under pressure and will become over capacity within the time frame of this development. There are very limited pedestrian, cycle and public transport services and facilities, and consequently use of these modes in the area is very low. There is an existing accident history related to speed and congestion, principally focussed on the M271, although there are issues at other points on the network. The proposed development will significantly increase the demand for pedestrian, cycle and public transport movements in the area. Pedestrian and cycle movement will be focussed on Nursling Street, Redbridge Lane and from Lower Brownhill Road and Mansel Park Road across Brownhill Way. The proposed development will also introduce a significant level of vehicular activity in peak periods, with the main impacts being on the M271 from the M27 and Redbridge roundabout, but also on the Brownhill Way roundabout and Lordshill roundabout. The scheme proposals and mitigation measures provide a package of works and services that will mitigate the impact of the development (the mitigation measures are detailed in Appendix NTS3). Generally the impacts are either positive or neutral, notwithstanding the additional trips generated by the development. The pedestrian and cycle facilities will increase permeability of the area and encourage movement not only to Adanac Park, but also to the existing Nursling Estate. The bus services will provide a high standard of accessibility to the site, across the whole of Southampton, and will assist in supporting the commercial viability of services by providing demand in the minor directions in peak periods. The highway capacity improvements will ensure that traffic conditions are generally no worse than would be experienced in the future without the development, with the exception of Redbridge roundabout where due to topographical constraints a negative impact is predicted in terms of highway capacity. The improvements will not only benefit traffic movement, which is predicted to become congested at all junctions other than Test Lane, but also provide significant improvement to highway safety for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists which will in turn encourage the use of Public Transport. A further benefit will be the improvement in environmental conditions in the Hillyfields residential area as a result of the closure of the Redbridge Lane through route. 9
GROUND CONDITIONS, MINERALS AND CONTAMINATION The southern part of the application site was worked for sand and gravel extraction until 1989. The resulting void was backfilled under controlled conditions with inert material. Site investigations to inform this Environmental Impact Assessment have concluded that, as a consequence of the inert nature of the backfill material, no leachate is being generated from fill material and no significant ground contamination exists. Slightly elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane have been recorded in the made ground within Plot 4. The site investigations have recommended that, to overcome any ground instability, development in plots previously subject to landfill activity should be on piled foundations. This assessment concludes that the proposed development poses low risk of causing contamination from the worked and filled area of the site. With respect to winning of minerals, a site investigation in 2001 proved that remaining sand and gravel reserves are insignificant in terms of quantity, quality and economic viability. Safeguarding of the site for future extraction is not justified and the proposed development will not, therefore, impact on the supply of minerals. ARCHAEOLOGY AND BUILT HERITAGE There are no Scheduled Monuments or Listed Buildings within the application site. Yewtree Farm Grade II Listed farmhouse is enclosed by the site, but lies outside the application area, while Bargain Farm, another Grade II Listed farmhouse, is located nearby. These Grade II Listed farmhouses are of medium importance. Known archaeological features within the application site comprise features and finds, historic hedgerows and lanes, undated earthworks and Adanac Farmhouse, all of low archaeological importance. Although all archaeological remains have been lost from areas of the site that were subject to mineral extraction, other un-worked areas have high potential to contain unidentified buried archaeological remains of at least low importance. NOISE AND VIBRATION The proposed development will cause negligible negative impact on the earthworks, the historic lanes, the settings of the Listed Farmhouses and historic hedgerows. Mitigation is provided through the site Landscape Strategy, which will retain the majority of the historic hedgerows and reduce the visual impact of the proposed development on the setting of the Farmhouses. The demolition of Adanac Farmhouse will have a minor negative impact, mitigated by an external photographic record of the Farmhouse prior to its demolition. Archaeological field evaluation in the nonextracted areas of the application site will be undertaken prior to construction to discern any unidentified archaeological remains. Following the evaluation, an appropriate programme of archaeological work will be implemented with the prior approval of TVBC. Despite preservation of individual elements, the loss of the setting of the historic farming landscape of one of the few surviving parcels of land south of the M27 motorway and east of the River Test will create a negative impact. This loss will be of negligible significance as long as any buried archaeological remains are preserved by record. Current noise levels around the application site are significant, due to existing road traffic on the M27 to the north and M271 to the west of the site. The distances between these sources and potentially sensitive receptors are relatively large, so wind direction can markedly affect noise levels on any particular day, or time of day. 10 There is no significant existing source of vibration at potentially sensitive locations around the perimeter of the application site. Vibration during construction will not be significant.
The new buildings will benefit most of the noise sensitive locations surrounding the application site by screening residential areas from existing noise from the M271 motorway. At other points, where the development may cause a net increase in noise, this will be of minor significance and the change so gradual as not to be noticeable. One minor exception might occur from the infrequent sound of a car alarm in car parks at the northern end of the application site, where the closest houses at Bridgers Cottages (see Figure NTS1) may experience noise for short periods. If those car parks are to be used at night the closest spaces will be provided with a screen fence to provide effective mitigation for such events. Mitigation is proposed for control of construction noise, initially at the Plot 4 and associated works, and later for the balance of the site. The recommended noise limits are achievable even for the worst case situations and at all locations. Indeed, noise levels during the majority of the construction works will be significantly below those limits. Overall, the effect of the proposed development of the local noise environment will be benign. AIR QUALITY Air quality close to the application site is generally good, and baseline pollution concentrations around the application site are expected to meet national and local air quality objectives. In contrast, and further from the application site, Southampton City Council has declared Air Quality Management Areas at Redbridge and at the junction of Romsey Road and Tebourba Way (see map Figure NTS1). These areas have been declared on the basis of predicted future exceedences of the annual mean objective for nitrogen dioxide. Increased emissions of dust and particulate matter may occur during construction of Adanac Park, with the greatest potential for dust nuisance to occur within 200 metres of construction activities. A Construction Environmental Management Plan is proposed (in the Environmental Action Plan Chapter of the Adanac Park ES), which will include delivery of mitigation measures to secure reduction of these emissions to an acceptable level. Once operational the scheme will give rise to small increases in emissions of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, but no exceedence of the air quality objectives laid down by the Government are predicted. The impact of the proposed development once operational will be of negligible negative significance. LIGHTING The application site lies within a typically dark area of low district brightness. The application site itself is currently unlit and the main local light sources are associated with the M27/M271 junction, street lighting in neighbouring residential areas, the urban fringes of Southampton and, most prominently, the Nursling Estate. Site development will require temporary construction lighting, principally to light the contractor s compound and site access roads. The construction lighting will managed as part of a Construction Environmental Management Plan to mitigate any impacts on surrounding sensitive receptors, for example by use of directionally controlled, well located, modern light fittings, in accordance with current best practice standards and TVBC requirements. Once operational, the proposed development will introduce new artificial light sources to a currently unlit area, resulting in changes to the current local baseline lighting conditions that may affect surrounding residential and ecological receptors. In order to mitigate such impacts, lighting will be designed to current best practice standards and will provide the minimum level of illumination to ensure a safe and secure night time environment, whilst ensuring that the necessary design measures are incorporated into the lighting specification to minimise any impacts to surrounding sensitive receptors. New landscape planting will provide further screening of installed light sources from adjacent receptors. The buffer zone adjacent to Home Covert, filter planting and wildlife corridors will remain unlit to provide natural areas across the application site, that are unaffected by artificial light sources and safeguard night time biodiversity. SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT The socio-economic assessment has addressed the impacts of the proposed development during both the construction and operational phases. The assessment has shown that there will be significant benefits in terms of job creation and support for the local economy. It is estimated that upon final completion, between 2,757 and 4,545 jobs will be created, with an estimated further 827 to 1,363 indirect job opportunities created through demand for ancillary services such as food and drink outlets, hotels, property maintenance and business support functions. 11
SUMMARY OF THE IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT Appendix NTS4 provides a simplified summary of the impacts that were assessed by the EIA. The table gives a description of the potential significant impacts (divided into impact assessment areas, e.g. landscape and visual, ecology etc). For each impact a prediction is made of the predicted significance of the impact prior to application of mitigating measures and then a prediction is made for the residual significance of the impact once the mitigation that is proposed in the ES is applied. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS There is the potential for the proposed development at Adanac Park to have cumulative impacts as a result of the combination of activities associated with the proposed development with those of other development projects. The local developments that have been considered to have potential cumulative implications with the proposed development are as follows: The redevelopment of the current Ordnance Survey offices at Romsey Road for light industrial use (Class B1c), research and development (Class B1b), and ancillary offices The proposed Park and Ride scheme adjacent to the M271; and The proposed light industrial uses within class B1 at Test Lane South The Combined Heat and Power Generation plant at Redbridge Lane Development of the sites in proximity to the application site (Park and Ride, CHP and Test Lane) will increase urbanisation of the locality to such an extent that the landscape around Junction 1 is more likely to be perceived as urban rather than rural. The proposed development would contribute to this change but, given the current level of urbanisation in the area, this impact is considered to be following a recognised and planned trend rather than causing a new effect. The cumulative transport impacts of the proposed development are not anticipated to require mitigation measures additional to those proposed within the Adanac Park Environmental Statement (described at Appendix NTS3), with the exception of the proposed Park and Ride facility to the South of Brownhill Way. This will require additional highway capacity measures to be introduced at both the M271 Junction 1 and the application site access roundabout on Brownhill Way The cumulative impact of the proposed development will also contribute to the loss of the archaeological resource within this particular part of the Lower Test Valley. On completion of the proposed development, only limited areas within and adjacent to the application site will remain undeveloped and therefore contain in-situ deposits representative of the archaeology of this area. The arrangement of farmhouse and field system within the application site represents one of the last surviving elements of that landscape south of and originally part of the historic settlement of Nursling. The proposed development will therefore contribute to a cumulative impact on the surviving historic farming landscape. No further cumulative impacts are anticipated. CONCLUSIONS Allocation of the application site by the Test Valley Borough Local Plan, for development of high quality office, research and/or manufacturing development, provides a presumption in favour of development, subject to delivery of high quality environmental and infrastructure investment in accordance with Plan policy. In the long-term, the key positive environmental effects of the proposed development include the provision of off-site highway infrastructure works and traffic management measures to improve vehicle, cycle and pedestrian safety, particularly at Brownhill Way, Romsey Road and Nursling Street, and significant ecological enhancement. The development will safeguard existing habitats and species, create substantial new habitats and establish long term habitat management. The proposed development will generate a significant change in the landscape, from open field to developed site. Although this ES has found that this change may be negative for some recipients in the short term, the effect will be ameliorated as the proposed site landscape works mature. 12 Subject to full implementation of mitigation measures summarised in this NTS, negative impacts of the proposed development are capable of being overcome or satisfactorily addressed by mitigation (Appendix NTS4) gives a summary of the residual impacts of the proposed development). The overall judgement of this Environmental Impact Assessment is that adverse impacts of the application scheme are outweighed by environmental and economic benefits that will be generated by delivery of the proposed development.
APPENDIX NTS1: LIST OF APPLICATION DRAWINGS AND PLANS 13
APPENDIX NTS2: GENERAL LAYOUT PARAMETER PLAN DIMENSIONS TABLE 14 (A) (B/C) (D) Based on an average taken across the site from the site survey analysis. Minimum/Maximum building heights for Plots 1a and 1b is based on a reduced scale floor to ceiling height of (3.2m) that better relates in design terms to the northern end of the site, service constraints and the scale of existing offices on Nursling Street. Figures relate to building eaves/shoulders only. Min/Max building heights for Plots 2, 3, 5 relies on a greater scale floor to ceiling height (of 4.0m) typical of larger headquarters buildings. Figures relate to building eaves/shoulders only. Width Minimum relates to buildings shown on General Layout Parameter Plan.
(E) Width Maximum relates to the extent of development frontage to Nursling Street and an alternative layout based on a single building for plot 1a rather than the group of smaller buildings shown on the General Layout Parameter Plan. (F) Length Minimum relates to buildings shown on General Layout Parameter Plan. (G) Length Maximum relates to a reasonable standard for office developments of this scale and location within the site (refer to B/C above). (H) Width Maximum of 115metres is based on an alternative layout to the General Layout Parameter Plan that sees a larger single building sited on the western side of the Park Spine rather than the collection of smaller buildings currently shown. (I) Length Minimum relates to buildings shown on General Layout Parameter Plan. (J) Length Maximum relates to point (H) above and an alternative layout that develops a single larger building in keeping with the design on plots 2, 3 and 5 in terms of building typology. (K) The range of storey heights indicated is based on the approach developed for Plot 4 and the use of a series of office fingers that step down in height at the back of the building. (L) Width Minimum for Plots 2,3 and 5 is based on a 5 metre reduction in the main building frontage shown on the General Layout Parameter Plan that provides flexibility but maintains the original design intent and principles. (M) Width Maximum for Plots 2,3 and 5 is based on a 5 metre increase in the length of the main building frontage shown on the General Layout Parameter Plan that provides flexibility but maintains the original design intent and principles. (N) Length Minimum for Plots 2 and 3 and is based on a 5 metre reduction to each of the fingers shown on the General Layout Parameter Plan. Plot 5 is based on a 5 metre reduction on the length of the buildings shown on the General Layout Parameter Plan. (O) Length Minimum for Plots 2 and 3 and is based on a 5 metre reduction to each of the fingers shown on the General Layout Parameter Plan. Plot 5 is based on a 5 metre reduction on the length of the buildings shown on the General Layout Parameter Plan. Plot 4 is included for reference purposes. (A) PEDESTRIAN NETWORK Footway link on Frogmore Lane APPENDIX NTS3: HIGHWAY MITIGATION MEASURES Pedestrian controlled crossing facilities of Brownhill Way at Frogmore Lane Pedestrian crossing off Brownhill Way west of the new site access roundabout Signal controlled crossing of Brownhill Way, east of new site access roundabout Footway link from Brownhill Way to Lower Brownhill Road Signal controlled crossings of M271 Junction 1 Pedestrian crossing island on Romsey Road at Bakers Drove Pedestrian link between Brownhill Way and Nursling Street (B) CYCLE NETWORK Signal controlled cycle crossing facilities of Brownhill Way at Frogmore Lane Cycle crossing of Brownhill Way west of the new site access roundabout Signal controlled crossing of Brownhill Way east of the new site access roundabout Cycleway link from Brownhill Way to Lower Brownhill Road Signal controlled crossing of M271 Junction 1 Cycleway link between Brownhill Way and Nursling Street (C) PUBLIC TRANSPORT Extension of existing service 8 into the development during peak periods (D) HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS New site access roundabout on to Brownhill Way Dualling of Brownhill Way to M271 M27 Junction 3 capacity enhancements consisting of improvements to 3 arms and provision of signals on the M271(N) entry M271 Junction 1 to become a signal controlled roundabout including widening of the circulatory carriageway and the M271(N) slip road entry to the junction Signal controlled layouts at the Brownhill Way junctions with Frogmore Lane and Lower Brownhill Way Widen Romsey Road north and Brownhill Way entries to the Lordshill roundabout and widen the circulatory carriageway on the north side of the roundabout Ghost island right turn facilities to be provided at Bakers Drove and Redbridge Lane staggered T junction with Romsey Road (E) CLOSURE OF REDBRIDGE LANE Redbridge Lane will be stopped up between Brownhill Way and the spine road and converted to pedestrian & cycle use only, east of the spine road northwards to Hillyfields A traffic calming scheme following the closure of Redbridge Lane would include the closure of Jerretts Lane to reduce existing problems associated with rat running traffic 15
APPENDIX NTS4: SUMMARY OF THE IMPACTS THAT WERE ASSESSED BY THE EIA The following table gives a simplified summary of the impacts that were assessed by the EIA. The table gives a description of the potential significant impacts (divided into impact assessment areas, e.g. landscape and visual, ecology etc). For each impact a prediction is made of the predicted significance of the impact prior to application of mitigating measures and then a prediction is made for the residual significance of the impact once the mitigation that is proposed in the ES is applied. Table 1: Summary of Impacts 16
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