Introduction Countryside is pleased to present proposals for the development of a new neighbourhood at Bishop s Stortford South. We are seeking your views on the proposals and the draft masterplan presented in the following boards. Countryside is proposing to develop a sustainable new community, known as Bishop s Stortford South, on land lying to the west of London Road/Thorley Street and north of St. James Way bypass (A1184), in accordance with East Herts District Plan draft Policy BISH5. Our proposals for Bishop s Stortford South will allow for a mix of uses on the site, with new homes including a care home and affordable housing, provision of nursery, primary and secondary education, job opportunities through a new local employment area, as well as community and retail services to serve the day to day needs of the neighbourhood. We hope to create a welcoming village community that caters to all ages and develop not just new homes, but a place where people will want to work, live and play and grow a sense of ownership for the long-term. Countryside is a long established housebuilder specialising in place-making and urban regeneration. We take pride in the quality of our developments, and have an award winning reputation for our carefully considered landscape-led approach to masterplanning and design. We invite you to find out more about our proposals and provide your feedback on our draft illustrative masterplan. This public consultation phase closes on Friday 2nd February 2018.
The District Plan Bishop s Stortford South has been identified for development by East Herts District Council to help meet the existing and future needs of the town. The development of this land can make a significant contribution to meeting the needs of local people for new housing, particularly affordable housing, as well as providing a significant boost to the local economy through creating jobs and increased spend in local shops. East Herts District Council has prepared a new District Plan which sets out the planning framework for the District for the period 2011 to 2033. In preparing the Plan, East Herts District Council has considered a number of population and household growth forecasts, in line with current Government guidance. public examination hearings in October and November this year. If the Inspector deems the Plan to be sound, it is likely to be adopted by East Herts District Council in 2018. As the name suggests, Bishop s Stortford South lies to the south of the town and wholly within the existing St. James Way bypass. Once the scheme is built it will provide the gateway to the town from the south. The treatment of the site s boundaries and the quality of the gateway entrance will be an important opportunity to reflect the market town s historic character, welcoming visitors with an attractive point of arrival. The Plan is committed to achieving sustainable development and as part of the District Plan making process has identified Bishop s Stortford South in draft Policy BISH5 for mixed-use development. A Planning Inspector considered the Plan at We anticipate that any planning application made later in 2018 will be determined by East Herts District Council only if the District Plan is formally adopted and the site released from the Green Belt. Site District/County Boundary Public footpath Bridleway National Trail Bus stop near to site Woodland Recreation/playing fields Open space Allotments School Town centre Superstore Hospital Public house Leisure Distance from edge of site Place of worship Employment Bus interchange Railway station Listed building near to site The adopted Neighbourhood Plan for All Saints, Central, South and part of Thorley policy informs the emerging proposals.
The Proposal East Herts District Council draft Policy sets out the framework for a new sustainable community and attractive gateway to the market town. Around 750 new homes, up to 40% of which will be affordable homes (i.e. properties which are for affordable rent or shared ownership) A care home A local centre with community facilities and retail opportunities (around 1,000 sqm) Nursery and primary school provision Indoor and outdoor sports facilities (provided as part of the secondary school) for community use A business park (of around 4 to 5 hectares) The use of sustainable urban drainage systems Areas of landscaping, public open space and children s play areas Enhancement of the natural watercourse as a feature through the site Land for a secondary school, to allow the relocation and expansion of the Bishop s Stortford High School (The Boys School) currently located on London Road All necessary utilities and integrated telecommunications infrastructure to maximise opportunities for high speed broadband. Aerial view of the site Friedberg Ave 1 Whittington Way Bishop s Ave Thorley Ln to Cambridge The Hertfordshire Way Thorley Ln E Obrey Way London Rd 2 3 ditch Railway Line 4 St James Way Thorley Wood Thorley St 5 to Liverpool St Station
The Proposal continued 1. View across Whittington Way looking south 2. View from Hawthorn Rise 3. View looking north east from Obrey Way St James Way roundabout 4. View from public right of way looking north west 5. View north west from A1184
The Vision Creating Places People Love Countryside has earned a reputation for high quality, innovative community-led design and won Large Housebuilder of the Year 2017 at the Housebuilder Awards for our Abode scheme at Great Kneighton, Cambridge. A video of the scheme at Great Kneighton is available to watch on the touchscreen nearby. Countryside believes that where people live matters. Each of our schemes is different and responds to the specific local context and features of the site; we are passionate about all the environments we create, the new community facilities and spaces we deliver, and how these support family life and are integral in fostering new communities around the homes we build. At St Michael s Mead the sensitive design approach echoing the Hertfordshire village vernacular was recognised as a winning scheme by RIBA at the Housing Design Awards in 1998 and 2000. Some examples of previous and emerging developments you may be familiar with include: Great Notley, Braintree Southern Country Park, St Michael s Mead Thorley Lane shows how a place of distinct quality can be created on the urban edge CABE 2001 Discovery Centre at Great Notley. Braintree Public art at Beaulieu, Chelmsford Public art at Beaulieu, Chelmsford
Illustrative Masterplan Friedberg Ave Bishop s Ave Thorley Ln London Rd Hertfordshire Way Whittington Way to Cambridge Thorley Ln E Obrey Way Church Ln Secondary school Primary school Thorley St Railway Line St James Way Key Site boundary Local centre including community facilities A1184 to Liverpool St Station Secondary school* Primary school Sports pitches associated with the schools 0m 100m 200m Care home Employment area Play facilities Green corridor along enhanced watercourse Drainage basins (predominantly dry) Existing substation * Separate, more detailed, proposals for the secondary school will be developed and led by Hertfordshire County Council and the Bishops Stortford High School following the submission of the outline planning application.
Masterplanning Process We look to use our creative place-making skills to create an environment where residents feel a true sense of belonging and are proud to call home. We achieve this by carefully masterplanning our developments to integrate new facilities so they can benefit residents, delivering necessary supporting infrastructure and placing an emphasis on landscape-led design. Emerging proposals have sought to maintain open views from the high ground and from the Hertfordshire Way, determining the position of the schools with playing fields on the higher parts of the site and the buildings at the lower levels, providing unobstructed long-distance views along the Stort valley to the southeast. View from Hertfordshire Way Site Boundary Listed Buildings Existing Primary Sub Station Right of Way Watercourse Existing Tree/Hedgerow Southern Country Park 5 Metre Contours Narrow Road Section Design Opportunities Countryside have commissioned a team of consultants to undertake a range of detailed assessments of the site. The majority of existing copses, hedgerow trees and hedges on site would be retained except in those areas where a new access needs to be formed There are currently very limited areas of existing semi-natural habitat and there is significant opportunity to improve the overall biodiversity of the site Part of Obrey Way is relatively narrow and unsuitable for heavy goods vehicles There are no built heritage assets within the site, however, a number of listed buildings border the site to the east The existing agricultural ditch that runs through the site provides a feature by which to structure the layout of the development to maximise drainage, recreation and biodiversity benefits within an enhanced corridor The route of the existing Public Rights of Way will provide a network of multifunctional open spaces.
Character A character study has been carried out to gain an in depth understanding of the local context and ensure that proposals reflect the rich heritage of Bishop s Stortford and its hinterland. The local built character has been analysed at a number of levels including settlement structure, streets, open spaces, existing architecture and materials. We are seeking to provide a rich Friedberg Ave Whittington Way Bishop s Ave Thorley Ln to Cambridge variety of traditional streets and spaces throughout the new neighbourhood. Five key areas have been illustrated in more detail on these banners Thorley Ln E Obrey Way 5 London Rd to demonstrate how the local character is reflected in the emerging illustrative masterplan proposals. It is envisaged that the Church Ln 1 & 2 3 Railway Line development will comprise a mix of housetypes, for smaller households (1 and St James Way 4 2 bed apartments) and family housing (2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom, a mixture of detached, semi-detached and terraced homes with private gardens). A1184 Thorley St to Liverpool St Station Village Green The village greens are smaller, more intimate public spaces scattered around the development, often containing play spaces and overlooked by houses. These areas create a linked frontage to ensure a good sense of enclosure. The diversion of the main street allows views of key buildings from both approaches and therefore aids way-finding within the development. 1 The spaces will be naturalistic in appearance with native trees and meadow grass. There will also be spaces for informal play, relaxing and to provide a setting to the buildings. Play provision within these spaces will continue the theme of natural play adopted throughout the site.
Health & Wellbeing Green Corridor The green corridor is an important spine that runs through the centre of the proposal, providing a multifunctional role. A sitewide sustainable drainage scheme linked to the watercourse will improve water levels and water quality in the watercourse as well as provide new riparian habitat such as reed beds and increased plant diversity. 2 The corridor will be overlooked from at least one side along its length providing pleasant views, and will include extensive areas of informal open space and opportunity for gentle recreation and quiet enjoyment of wildlife. Long Term Stewardship Kingsmere, Bicester It will be important to secure the long term management and maintenance of any public open space for the benefit of the community in perpetuity. Countryside have worked with the Land Trust, a national non-profit organisation, with great success at their Beaulieu development in Chelmsford. This joint working has enabled the Land Trust to take on ownership and manage the public open spaces. Outdoor natural play The Land Trust is an ideal partner for Countryside as its charitable aims and objectives are entirely in line with Countryside s aspirations for Bishop s Stortford South. The Land Trust s charitable aims include community cohesion, education and life-long learning, health and economic vitality through local job creation and supporting safe environments and healthy lifestyles. Community picnic Edible landscape The Land Trust organise an active calendar of events for the community on the spaces they manage. In practice, community representation on the management committee ensures an ability to be flexible in the levels of maintenance and management charges. Tree Lined Streets To the east of the site, key green streets will feature a single double width grass verge to allow for the planting of larger scale trees. These trees will contribute to the streetscene and help break up the roofscape from external viewpoints. These streets will provide an attractive connected network, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists. 3
Community Life 4 Southern Gateway entrance Local Centre Hub and Southern Gateway The Southern Gateway will be formed around an open space overlooked and enclosed on two sides with buildings. The space will be semi-formal in nature to reflect its position in the higher density part of the site. Planting will be limited to large trees and grass, with areas of bulb planting. A mix of facilities is proposed fronting onto the north-south route from the local centre and care home, past the schools up to a village green in the north. The Southern Gateway will act as a community hub with opportunity for a local café, retail and convenience shopping. The local centre will seek to take design cues from the high street character of Bishop s Stortford, in particular North Street, located within the historic centre, in its roof form and height. Proposed commercial uses within the site could make reference to 19th Century buildings through their layout, materials and detailing.
Community Life continued Community Benefits Countryside s proposals will deliver a number of economic, social and community benefits. Around 500 permanent jobs at a new employment area on-site Up to 40% of all new homes to be affordable housing Increased expenditure in the Town Centre, thereby contributing to its future vitality and viability A new primary school with provision for nursery aged children Land for a new secondary school to allow for increased capacity in Bishop s Stortford Large tree provides gravitas in setting Shared community use of the secondary school s indoor and outdoor sports facilities Planning contributions for other purposes, including expanded health provision at Thorley Centre and library services. Nursery at St Michael s Mead Sports pitch Local precedents to inform local centre and employment building character
Access & Connectivity Transport Strategy In consultation with HCC, the Local Highway Authority, and with full awareness of other initiatives coming forward in the town centre, a Transport Strategy is being prepared to support the proposals. The objective is to encourage as many journeys as practical by means other than the private car. This would include: Measures to improve bus services and encourage journeys by bus. Measures to improve pedestrian and cycle linkages. The introduction of these measures will be accompanied by an awareness strategy. To ensure that all future residents understand the options available to make journeys by noncar means, information on future bus times, where buses stop, and walking and cycle routes will be extended to the immediate neighbourhood around the development. Clearly, not all journeys will be made by non-car means as a result of personal choice and convenience. Therefore modelling is being undertaken with HCC, and particular consideration is being given to improving the flow of traffic on London Road. The Southern Gateway provides a key primary access from a roundabout on St James Way, enabling the separation of employment related traffic. The north to south link through the site will be designed to a 20mph speed limit in accordance with the criteria set out in the Neighbourhood Plan. This will mean that movements to and from the southern part of the site, including the school, will be encouraged to use the proposed access roundabout on St James Way, thereby minimising the movements entering and leaving the site from Whittington Way. Hertfordshire Way The Hertfordshire Way is a long distance public footpath that passes through the site over the crest of the hill. It is not open to use by cyclists. 5 The paths through the site will be open to all users, dog walkers and joggers, and provide informal connections to the wider countryside, the Southern Country Park and a town-wide route.
Improving Connectivity to Town The site is within a convenient walking distance of local facilities at the Thorley Neighbourhood Centre, and within a cycle journey of the town centre and the railway station. Wider studies are being undertaken in relation to how more journeys could be made by cycle and on foot in Bishop s Stortford, particularly by SUSTRANS, who understand the constraints that exists within the town. The proposals will encourage journeys on foot and by cycle, both from the development and to the school and the facilities on site. They will consider all aspects of the journey including: Proposed cycle connections The footways and cycle ways within the development, where Countryside have an excellent design reputation The crossing of Whittington Way The route through to the centre of the town, in particular the connections to the railway station where the Council have recently approved a Master Plan to provide a link from London Road to the railway station and improved connections to the bridge over the River Stort. Awareness will be a major part of encouraging people to walk and cycle as well as the improved linkages. Each use within the masterplan will have a Travel Plan, which will include the requirement to provide maps of how people can make journeys on foot and by cycle, and provide cycle training for residents.
Improving Connectivity to Town continued Sustainable Transport Countryside will introduce new bus services for the development, to seek to encourage people to make journeys by bus through the provision of high quality information and initial free travel. Countryside have found that once people get used to making journeys by bus during the incentive period, then a considerable proportion continue to make journeys once the incentive period finishes. with train times. At Beaulieu in Chelmsford, Countryside have introduced a new bus service which is scheduled to arrive at least 5 minutes before a train departs and leave 5 minutes after a train arrives. This is in addition to ensuring that bus services start early in the morning and finish late in the evening, so it is a valid option for those who have to start early or stay late for any reason. Countryside are working with HCC and the local bus operator Arriva in terms of the bus proposals for the development, and in particular the scope to introduce new services for the emerging proposal and the surrounding area. The site is readily accessible for the station by bus, but one of the key issues is ensuring the bus times are linked This attention to detail can make a considerable difference to how many people travel, and for their Beaulieu scheme in Chelmsford, nearly 25% of journeys in the peak period are made by bus, which is over double that which occurs in the local area. Proposed bus connections 510 309 509 309 509 Stan Bishop s Stortford Town Centre 508 Bishop s Stortford Railway Station 308 Thorley Neighbourhood Centre 309 308 509 508 510 Harlow
Next Steps This is our anticipated timeline. East Herts District Plan draft Policy BISH 5 sets out a programme for delivery of 750 homes by 2027 at Bishop s Stortford South. All will be dependent on the outcome of the District Plan Public Examination and the adoption of it by East Herts District Council. Mid 2017 December 2017 February 2018 April 2018 Mid 2018 Early engagement begins with Interest Groups and Neighbourhood Plan Formal public consultation on draft proposals Feedback analysis Proposal development and detail refinement Formal Council-led public consultation period Pre-application discussion with officers and initial draft proposals emerge Ongoing discussions with officers and statutory consultees Submission of application