Land to the rear of the Police Station, High Street, Heathfield Environmental Statement March 2013
Land to the rear of the Police Station, High Street, Heathfield Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary Issue/Revision Draft Final Date February 2013 March 2013 Prepared by Project Team Project Team Checked by Barton Willmore Barton Willmore Project Reference 17959/A5/EIA/NTS 17959/A5/EIA/NTS Barton Willmore 7 Soho Square, London, W1D 3QD Tel: 0207 446 6888 Our Ref: 17959/A5/ES NTS Date: February 2013 COPYRIGHT The contents of this document must not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of Barton Willmore LLP. All Barton Willmore stationery is produced using recycled or FSC paper and vegetable oil based inks.
1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Summertree Estates Ltd and Gleeson Developments Ltd (hereafter referred to as the Applicants ) are seeking outline planning permission 1 for a residential development at Land to the rear of the Police Station, High Street, Heathfield (hereafter referred to as the Application Site ). The development comprises: the retention of the property known as Reynards; demolition of the properties known as Woodhatch, Holmhurst and Lavender Cottage; and the construction of up to 115 residential dwellings on land to the north of the A265 High Street in the northwest of Heathfield, East Sussex. The development is hereafter referred to as the Proposed Development. 1.2 The location and extent of the Application Site, which is situated within the administrative area of Wealden District Council (WDC), is shown on Figures 1.1 and 1.2. 1.3 This report provides a non-technical summary (NTS) of the Environmental Statement (ES) prepared to accompany the planning application. The ES presents the findings of an Environmental Impact Assessment 2 (EIA) undertaken in support of the planning application. 1.4 The full findings of the ES are presented in a comprehensive set of documents that can be viewed at Wealden District Council, Vicarage Lane, Hailsham, BN27 2AX. Additional copies of the NTS (no charge), ES ( 80 plus postage) and the Technical Appendices ( 180 plus postage) are available from Andrew Wilford at Barton Willmore LLP, The Observatory, Southfleet Road, Ebbsfleet, Dartford, Kent, DA10 0DF. The complete ES can also be obtained on CD for 20 (plus postage) from the same address. The Application Site 1.5 The Application Site, approximately 4.94 hectares (ha) in area and shown on Figures 1.1 and 1.2, is located on land to the north of the A265 High Street in the northwest of Heathfield. The Application Site is bounded by: Heathfield and Waldron Millennium Green to the east; residential properties, the Police Station and the A265 High Street to the south; Old Waldron Rectory and rear gardens of existing dwellings to the west; and woodland to the north. 1.6 The Application Site comprises a gently sloping grass field and the residential properties and curtilages of Reynards, Woodhatch, Holmhurst and Lavender Cottage. These residential properties face onto, but are set back from, the A265 High Street. The open field extends to 1 Applications for outline planning permission seek to establish whether the scale and nature of a proposed development would be acceptable to the local planning authority, before a fully detailed proposal is put forward. 2 Prepared in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 17959/A5/NTS2013 1 March 2013
the rear of these properties and to the rear of the Police Station on the southern site boundary. 1.7 The Application Site is well connected to the local highways network, with the A265 High Street along the southern boundary which leads to the A21 in the east and via the A267 and A272 to the A22 in the west. There are bus routes servicing Heathfield providing links with nearby towns and villages including Uckfield, Crowborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Hawkhurst, Hurst Green, Battle and Eastbourne. The nearest railway stations are in Uckfield, Buxted or Etchingham. There are also a number of Public Rights of Way within the vicinity of the Application Site as well as footways along the A265 High Street providing easy pedestrian access to the town centre. 1.8 The majority of the Application Site is located within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) 3 however the Application Site is not subject to any statutory or nonstatutory nature conservation designations. The predominant habitat within the Application Site is semi-improved grassland, with the southern part comprising residential gardens of the properties along the A265 High Street. There is also a row of trees on along a north-south alignment through the centre and a small group of trees in the northeast corner of the Application Site. Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) 4 cover a group of four trees adjacent to Reynards and two trees located on the southern curtilage of Holmhurst. The habitats within or adjacent to the Application Site are known to be used by bats, dormice, birds, reptiles and amphibians. The Application Site is located within an area which is classified as being at a low risk of flooding. 2.0 EIA METHODOLOGY Assessment Methodology 2.1 EIA is a systematic procedure that uses best practicable techniques and available sources of information to determine the potential environmental effects (beneficial, adverse, negligible, temporary, permanent, direct, indirect, cumulative and interactive) of a development. This enables the importance of predicted effects to be considered by a local pl anning authority (in this case WDC) before a decision is made about the planning application. The prediction of such effects for the Proposed Development was made in relation to both the construction activities and the completed development phase of the Proposed Development i.e. when complete and occupied. 3 An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, that has been specially designated by Natural England. 4 A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is a legally enforceable order made by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) to protect trees and woodland in the interests of public amenity 17959/A5/NTS2013 2 March 2013
2.2 Within the ES the significance of each environmental effect has been identified. The significance reflects the relationship between: The sensitivity, importance or value of the affected resource or 'receptor' (such as people or wildlife); and The actual change taking place to the environment (i.e. the 'magnitude' or severity of an effect). 2.3 The three levels of significance defined are: Major an effect which, on its own, could have an influence on the decision making process; Moderate an effect which, on its own, could have some influence on decision making, particularly when combined with other similar effects; or Minor an effect which, on its own, is likely to have a minor influence on decision making but when combined with other effects could have greater influence. 2.4 Table 1.1 shows the relationship between the value of the receptor and the magnitude of an effect used to determine the significance of an effect. Table 1: Significance Matrix Sensitivity/Value of Receptor High (England, UK, International) Medium (County, Regional) Low (Local, District) Magnitude of Effect High Medium Low Major Major/ Moderate Moderate Major/ Moderate Moderate Moderate/ Minor Moderate Moderate/ Minor Minor 2.5 Effects are also described as: Adverse i.e. detrimental or negative effects to an environmental resource or receptor; or Beneficial i.e. advantageous or positive effect to an environmenta l resource or receptor. 2.6 Where an effect is considered to be not significant or have no influence, irrespective of other effects, it is classified as negligible. 17959/A5/NTS2013 3 March 2013
Cumulative Effects 2.7 Within EIA, the cumulative effects of a development in conjunction wi th other consented but not yet built development in the area are considered. Cumulative effects are generally considered to arise from the combination of effects from the Proposed Development and from other proposed or permitted schemes in the vicinity. The following cumulative schemes are considered in the ES and are shown on Figure 2.1: Land at Ghyl Road, Heathfield (Application No. WD/2010/0852) comprising: the erection of eight two-bed, 10 three-bed and 19 four-bed dwellings; the formation of 74 parking spaces for the use of the residential dwellings and an additional eight parking spaces for use in conjunction with the Cuckoo Trail; the construction of a woodland boardwalk, public open space (including Local Area for Play); and associated access and la ndscaping; and Oaksdown and Lowlands, High Street (Application No. WD/2008/0276/F, extended by WD/2011/0400/FE) comprising: the demolition of an existing pair of semi-detached houses, Oaksdown and Lowlands; and redevelopment of the site to provide a block of nine apartments. Determining the Content of the ES 2.8 Scoping' involves focusing the study (and hence the ES) on environmental issues of potential significance. The scope (content) of the ES was established by the project team at the start of the EIA process. A request for a Scoping Opinion 5 was sent to WDC on the 30 th March 2012. After the five week determination period WDC had not adopted a scoping opinion nor requested a time extension from the Applicant. Therefore a Scoping Direction was sought from the Secretary State which was received on the 7 th September 2012. The Scoping Direction confirmed that in general terms, the scope and methodology was considered to be acceptable as long as an assessment of Ecology and Nature Conservation was include d. The Scoping Process identified that the following environmental topics were to be addressed within the ES: Landscape and visual amenity; Ecology and nature conservation; Water quality and resources; and Socio-economics. 5 A Scoping Opinion is a written statement of the local authority s opinion as to the information to be provided in the ES, in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2011. 17959/A5/NTS2013 4 March 2013
Consultation Process 2.1 The consultation process has included: Discussions with WDC; Meetings/discussions with Heathfield and Waldron Parish Council; Discussions with Statutory Consultees inc. East Sussex County Council, Environment Agency and Natural England and Key Stakeholders; Engagement with the local community in the form of a public exhibition (19 th November 2012). 2.2 The consultation exercises listed above have informed the design evolution of the Proposed Development and kept the local community and key stakeholders informed wit h the proposals and the application submission, which has helped shape the Proposed Development. 3.0 ALTERNATIVES 3.1 The EIA Regulations 6 require that an applicant provides an outline of the main alternatives considered. The Applicants considered alternative designs for the Proposed Development following identification of the constraints and opportunities on the Application Site. The layout and design of the Proposed Development has been informed by: the considerations and constraints within the Application Site; the key design principles necessary to ensure the vision for the Proposed Development is achieved; and has considered feedback from the public exhibition. 4.0 THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT 4.1 The description of the Proposed Development is set out below: 1. Retention of the property known as Reynards; 2. The demolition of the properties known as Woodhatch, Holmhurst and Lavender Cottage; 3. Construction of up to 115 residential units on land to the north of the A265 High Street, Heathfield and 4. Site access with all other matters Reserved 4.2 Development parameters have been established for the entire Application Site and are shown 6 The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2011 17959/A5/NTS2013 5 March 2013
in a series of parameter plans 7. These set out details of the limits necessary to define and fix those aspects of the Proposed Development capable of having significant environmental effects, as defined in the EIA Regulations. These limits or development parameters are shown on the parameter plans, Figures 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, and are described below. Demolition 4.3 Woodhatch, Holmhurst and Lavender Cottage will be demolished and cleared as part of the Proposed Development. Residential Provision 4.4 Up to 115 dwellings will be provided by the Proposed Development. The types and heights of units will vary throughout the Proposed Development, respo nding to a number of factors including density, the sloping topography of the Application Site and proximity to existing dwellings. The majority of dwellings will form units ranging from one and two bedroom apartments to four bedroom houses. Affordable housing provision will be provided at a level of 35% in predominantly two to three bedroom house types within the Proposed Development. The housing mix will be confirmed at the detailed design stage; however an indicative mix is set out in Table 4.1. Table 4.1: Indicative Residential Mix Mix Proportion of Units 1 bed flat 5.5% 2 bed flat 5.5% 2 bed houses 24% 3 bed houses 50% 4 bed houses 15% 4.5 Residential units will be predominantly two storeys in height with some 2.5 storey units, as shown on Figure 4.2. The maximum building height within the Proposed Development will be 159.5m Above Ordnance Datum (AOD) at the southern end of the Application Site and 135.5 m AOD at the northern end of the Application Site, this range is due to existing topography, as shown on Figure 4.2. 7 Parameter plans are a series of drawings that set the types of land use, the heights of the future buildings, main points of access, and landscaping proposals. They do not show individual buildings or roads but set out w here the key parts of a development will be located on a site. 17959/A5/NTS2013 6 March 2013
Density 4.6 The housing density within the Proposed Development will be an average of 26 units per hectare and will reflect the constraints of the Application Site including topography and location. Access 4.7 The existing access to Reynards and the Old Waldron Rectory within the southwest of the Application Site will be retained. A new vehicular access will be provided from the A265 High Street to the east of this retained access. This will provide access to a new primary access corridor which will link north into the Proposed Development as shown on Figure 4.3. 4.8 The access to the Police Station within the southeast corner of the Application Site will also be retained. This access point, which lies between the Police Station and t he residential property of Oakdene, will also be used to provide a new pedestrian access into the Proposed Development. A new pedestrian access will link with the Heathfield and Waldron Millennium Green, on the Application Site s eastern boundary. This will also act as a maintenance access. Parking 4.9 There are no fixed proposals in respect of parking provision due to the indicative mix of dwellings at this time. However, it is proposed that the Proposed Development will fully comply with current adopted policy in respect of both car and cycle parking provision. Landscaping 4.10 The landscape and open space arrangement for the Proposed Development is shown on Figure 4.4. The landscape strategy for the Proposed Development has been designed with particular consideration to the ecological constraints and opportunities identified on the Application Site. Existing vegetation, in the form of mature trees and hedgerows have been retained where possible. Open Space 4.11 The Proposed Development includes the provision of open space including a Children s Play Area as shown on Figure 4.4. In addition, there will be direct pedestrian access into the Heathfield and Waldron Millennium Green bordering the Application Site to the east. 17959/A5/NTS2013 7 March 2013
Table 4.2: Open Space Provision Open Space Area (in hectares) Children s formal play area 0.05 Informal open space (including children s play trail, existing and 1.34 proposed planting and footpaths) Balancing pond 0.13 Total 1.52 Sustainable Drainage Measures 4.12 To ensure the appropriate disposal of site run-off a surface water management strategy has been devised which includes sufficient storage volume and land for sustainable drainage systems. This includes swales and attenuation ponds. In addition surface water will generally be controlled at source through the use of below ground infiltration features which will be subject to detailed design. Lighting 4.13 The lighting scheme for the Proposed Development will be designed at the detailed design stage which will satisfy the requirements of crime prevention and care will be taken to design a scheme that will seek to limit light pollution. Waste Management 4.14 The Proposed Development will provide appropriate opportunities for the efficient collection and recycling of waste and a site specific plan will be prepared that will set out ways to minimise waste production from the completed development. Adequate space for refuse and recycling facilities will be provided within the Proposed Development as required by WDC. Construction Programme 4.15 Construction will commence in 2014 and be completed in 2017. It is assumed that construction of built development will be more or less continuous throughout this period. A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) will be prepared for the Proposed Development that will provide the methods of managing environmental issues for all involved with the construction activities. 4.16 It is likely that WDC will seek to regulate the hours of work by imposition of an appropriate condition. It is anticipated that these will be 08:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays. All work outside these hours will be subject to prior agreement, and/or 17959/A5/NTS2013 8 March 2013
reasonable notice, by WDC, who may impose certain restrictions. Night time working will be with the agreement of WDC and restricted to exceptional circumstances. 5.0 LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL 5.1 The ES has included an assessment of the effect of the Proposed Development on the landscape and views to and from the Application Site for the construction and completed development phases. To inform the assessment, an appraisal of the current landscape and visual amenity of the Application Site and its surroundings was undertaken. 5.2 The Application Site is dominated by a grass field bounded by areas of existing woodland, copses and tree belts and houses. The field slopes downwards between the north-western edge of Heathfield and established areas of woodland. The majority of the Application Site is located within the rolling landscape of the High Weald AONB. There are no Public Rights of Way within the Application Site or immediately adjacent to it, however there are some in close proximity to the Application Site. There are limited views into the Application Site from the surrounding area. 5.3 During construction, given the scale of the Proposed Development there are few public or private viewpoints from where views of the construction activities are available. However, where the Proposed Development is visible, effects on views during construction are likely to be more significant than following completion. This is due to the additional elevated equipment (such as cranes) present as well as movement and fragmentation of forms generated by construction activity and demolition of Woodhatch, Holmhurst and Lavender Cottage. Overall the effects on residential receptors will vary between neutral to minor adverse through to moderate to major adverse effects depending on the proximity and extent of the views from the nearby properties and other viewpoints. There will also be: a minor adverse effect on landscape features; a moderate adverse effect on landscape character; and a moderate to major adverse effect on the High Weald AONB. 5.4 Once completed, the Proposed Development will have a relatively low effect on view of the Proposed Development as there are few areas surrounding the Application Site from which it is visible. The most affected views are those from the roads and residential properties to the south of the Application Site in Heathfield. Views from further awa y are curtailed by the presence of large woodland blocks to the north and local topographic variation. This will result in neutral to minor adverse through to minor to moderate adverse effects on residential receptors depending on the proximity and extent of views of the Proposed Development. 17959/A5/NTS2013 9 March 2013
5.5 Although the Application Site will change in character, the key landscape features that contribute to landscape value will be retained and form a strong basis that assists with protecting and enhancing the local landscape. The character of much of the land including the periphery of the High Weald AONB on the northern edge of Heathfield is already influenced by its proximity to the town which will reduce the perceived magnitude of change in this area. This will result in minor adverse effects on the landscape character and the High Weald AONB. 5.6 Further beneficial landscape outcomes will be apparent including: improvements in landscape quality; the creation of a multifunctional network of recreation and habitat oppor tunities; and the provision of links to the existing urban edge with wider areas of countryside. In this context, the change of character from urban fringe to urban with enhanced amenity space is considered appropriate within the Application Site and suitable in terms of being successfully absorbed within the surrounding landscape causing a moderate beneficial effect on landscape features. 5.7 There will be negligible cumulative landscape or visual effects arising from the Proposed Development in conjunction with other development schemes. 6.0 ECOLOGY AND NATURE CONSERVATION 6.1 The ES has included an assessment of the effect of the Proposed Development on the wildlife and nature conservation for the construction and completed development phases. 6.2 There are no statutory or non-statutory designated sites within the Application Site. The closest statutory designation is Heathfield Park Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) 8, located 1.3 km to the east of the Application Site, whilst the closest non-statutory designation is Oaken and Furlong Woods Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI) 9, located approximately 1.8 km to the north-east. However Markley Wood Ancient Woodland 10 is located adjacent to the eastern boundary of the Application Site and forms part of the Heathfield and Waldron Millennium Green. 6.3 The Application Site itself is dominated by species-poor grassland, considered to be of low ecological habitats. Surrounding the Application Site, it is considered to be of elevated value including the surrounding woodland, trees within the Application Site and a species-rich 8 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) are those sites of special interest by reason of any of their flora, fauna, or geological or physiographical features 9 Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI) form a comprehensive suite of local wildlife sites that are of high value for biodiversity, with habitats and species that are uncommon in the County and sometimes further afield. 10 Ancient Woodland is woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England and Wales. 17959/A5/NTS2013 10 March 2013
hedgerow. The Application Site and adjacent areas supports bats, dormice, grass snake, slow worm, a range of bird species and hedgehog. 6.4 A range of potential effects including disturbance and loss have been identified on habitats and fauna within and surrounding the Application Site including Markly Wood during construction and operation of the Proposed Development. The effects will be mitigated through the implementation of the CEMP which will outline best practice during construction as well as new tree and shrub planting and grassland and wetland habitat creation. These measures should provide protection of existing habitats and species while creating new areas of valuable wildlife habitat, providing benefits to a wide variety of faunal species. 6.5 The Proposed Development and mitigation scheme have been designed to achieve compliance with relevant legislation and planning policy and result in negligible effects during construction and completed development. Furthermore the enhancements would result in minor to moderate benefits in respect of habitats, bats and other mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates at the local level. 6.6 It is considered that there will be no cumulative effects associated with the Application Site in relation to other on-going or proposed developments in the local area. 7.0 WATER QUALITY AND RESOURCES 7.1 An assessment of the likely significant effects of the Proposed Development in terms of water quality and resources during construction and completed development was undertaken as part of the ES. 7.2 Currently surface water run-off from the Application Site drains to two streams, considered to be tributaries of the River Rother, located just outside the Application Site close to the northwest and northeast boundaries. There are no public surface water sewers on or in the vicinity of the Application Site although a public foul sewer crosses the Application Site as it passes adjacent to the Police Station and as it crosses the back gardens of Reynards and Woodhatch. Overall there is a low flood risk posed to the Application Site from tidal, fluvial, sewer, groundwater, overland flow and artificial sources. 7.3 During construction the adoption of industry standard techniques for the management and treatment of surface water run-off through the implementation of the CEMP will lead to the residual risk to water quality and quantity leaving the Application Site being negligible during demolition and construction. 17959/A5/NTS2013 11 March 2013
7.4 On completion of the Proposed Development, the effective implementation of a system of swales (grass lined ditches), permeable surfacing and attenuation ponds incorporated directly into the Proposed Development along with petrol interceptors will ensure that the water leaving the Application Site is of good quality and there will be no increase in the flow of surface water compared to the current situation. Overall there would be negligible effects on rates of run-off, pollution control, public sewers and flood risk. 7.5 Cumulative water resources and flood risk effects during the construction and completed development of the Proposed Development in conjunction with other development schemes will be negligible. 8.0 SOCIO ECONOMICS 8.1 The ES includes an assessment of the effects of the Proposed Development on socioeconomics in proximity to the Application Site during the construction and completed development phases. 8.2 During construction it is anticipated that 172 jobs per year will be generated by the construction of the Proposed Development. These will be supplemented with further indirect employment that may be generated due to requirements for building materials, plant, plant maintenance etc. during the build period. Local services such as restaurants, cafes, shops, petrol stations etc are also likely to experience a temporary boost through the provision of meals, refreshments and fuel to the workforce. 8.3 Once complete the Proposed Development will provide up to 115 residential dwellings with a mix of accommodation size, type and tenure, potentially providing homes for up to 251 people. A significant contribution will be made to the choice of high quality homes in the area. Introduction of new residents into the area, boosting the n umber of working age population, will have a beneficial effect on economic vitality and vitality of the town. 8.4 Overall the Proposed Development is anticipated to produce a moderate beneficial effect on the socio-economic conditions within Heathfield and Wealden District. 8.5 In terms of cumulative effects, there will be a cumulative moderate beneficial effect on employment during the construction phase and a cumulative moderate beneficial effect on housing. In contrast there would be an overall negligible effect on education and healthcare. 17959/A5/NTS2013 12 March 2013
9.0 RESIDUAL EFFECTS AND CONCLUSIONS 9.1 In summary, the Proposed Development will comprise up to 115 residential dwellings, associated open space and landscaping. The Proposed Development will result in the following beneficial effects: Creation of high quality homes for the Wealden District area; Creation of direct and indirect employment opportunities during construction and longer term economic benefits to the town centre; Creation of new and enhanced ecological habitats providing benefits to a variety of protected species; The creation of swales, permeable surfacing and flood attenuation ponds will manage surface water on the Application Site while improving water quality, regulating water flow leaving the Application Site and providing additional new wildlife habitats and landscape features; and The retention of existing mature trees and hedgerows; creation of a public open space; new planting within the network of new public open spaces, once mature will help integrate the Proposed Development into the surrounding landscape and also provide greater habitat diversity which will benefit bats, birds, reptiles and amphibians. 9.2 The ES has also identified a minor adverse effect which will mainly occur during demolition and construction of the Proposed Development and include the following: Views, including those from properties adjoining the Application Site, of construction and demolition works and of the Proposed Development following completion. 9.3 However, the implementation of the mitigation measures during construction such as the use of site hoarding, dust and noise suppression measures and temporary drainage will result in many adverse effects being reduced or avoided. 17959/A5/NTS2013 13 March 2013