Site ID: 602
Object
Site Assessment Pro Formas
Representation ID: 5433
Received: 03/09/2021
Respondent: Mrs Lynn Tippett-Wilson
We have ancient woodlands that are essential to the natural world, including rare species, in this area. Any offsetting would be pointless as it take upwards of 140 years for any site to be as good as it currently is - and the offsetting site may not even be in Renhold. Further Renhold does not have the infrastructure in place to support an additional 100 dwellings at this site, this includes roads, schools, water supply, internet and sewage.
Support
Site Assessment Pro Formas
Representation ID: 8499
Received: 27/09/2021
Respondent: Gladman Developments Ltd
Gladman are promoting the following sites for consideration as housing allocations through the Local Plan 2040. Each of the sites is sustainably located adjacent to the existing settlement form with the potential to be brought forward for residential development within 0‐5 years. The following locations were submitted during last year’s Issues and Options consultation and represent suitable, available and achievable sites that can contribute towards the sustainable delivery of housing against the borough’s growth needs during the plan period.
Noting the initial site assessment work that has been undertaken, these further submissions take note of where the Council has indicated that there is uncertain or insufficient information in order to support their further assessment as the plan making process continues.
and off Hookhams Lane, Renhold (ID: 602)
Gladman are promoting Land off Hookhams Lane, Salph End, Renhold for residential development. The site promoted by Gladman measures approximately 5.93 hectares in size and can accommodate up to 110 dwellings. A location plan for the land being promoted is included below.
SEE ATTACHMENT FOR PLAN
Gladman are in discussions with the adjacent landowners to the west, represented by Phillips Planning Services, regarding the potential to bring forward both parcels as a comprehensive scheme. This additional parcel measures 1.18 ha and is capable of delivering up to 30 dwellings. We are in the process of preparing a Vision brochure demonstrating how both sites could be brought forward together in a sustainable location close to the Bedford Urban Area.
Access is proposed to be taken from Hookhams Lane, this point of access was deemed to be acceptable in a previously refused application on the parcel to the west in October 2020 (Reference: 19/02194/MAO).
The parcel that Gladman are promoting is in agricultural use, with the site sloping gently from the west, with Renhold Brook forming the eastern site boundary. This will be a key part of the proposals, providing a recreational route within the proposals but also access to the wider countryside. This would also help in ensuring development is kept out of area of flood risk on this boundary.
Salph End is a village on the edge of the Bedford Urban Area, benefitting from not only a local service provision within Salph End and Renhold but also further afield in the Bedford Urban Area itself.
The site is within safe walking and cycling distance with good footpath links to a number of key services and facilities with a semi‐regular bus service also available from Hookhams Lane to allow a number of journeys to be completed using non‐car modes of transport.
Gladman has considered Bedford Borough’s initial assessment of site 602 at Renhold, as well as adjacent land at site 680. Please find information below to aid in further assessment.
Landscape Character
The site comprises a mixture of grassland and scrub in the northwest parcel and paddock in the south west. The easten parcel comprises agricultural land. The site slopes gently from the west to Renhold brook on the eastern boundary. It is envisaged that the brook can from a key part of proposals ensuring enhancement to the Public Right of Way with improved linkages to the wider network, a key aim of saved local plan policy AD24. Taking into account the site conditions, site visibility and the nature of the development proposals assessed, it is felt that the site could be developed without causing significant or unacceptable harm to the landscape or result in an unacceptable visual impact.
Biodiversity, Green Open Space & Local Wildlife:
The site will be enhanced through an attractive landscaping scheme which includes extensive planting of trees and hedgerows both within the development, and along the boundaries. The proposal includes the provision of open space and play space within the site. Biodiversity will be enhanced through the provision of a 2m wide wildlife corridor. Gladman have undertaken preliminary ecological appraisal work at the site and can address the observations made in the Council’s initial site assessment work as follows:
- Whether the site is within or adjoining a site of nature conservation. The site is not within or adjoining a site of nature conservation.
- Whether the site is within an area where protected species are known or likely to exist.
The site is within an area where protected species are known or likely to exist. However, with the implementation of some straightforward mitigation and precautionary measures as proposed above, the development is not anticipated to result in any significant residual negative effects to important ecological features.
- Is there potential to achieve a net gain in biodiversity.
The site is dominated by arable habitat comprising a Pea monocrop, indicating that the proposed development is unlikely to result in significant adverse effects to ecological receptors. Furthermore, the retention and enhancement of current and new habitats/landscaping, open space and/or sustainable drainage features are likely to be capable of delivering Biodiversity Net Gain on‐site.
- Able to link into the green infrastructure opportunity network.
The site currently lies outside the green infrastructure network as defined by the Bedford Green Infrastructure Plan (2009). It is however well located in relation to the public rights of way network (via route 12), which provides access by foot to a wide range of green infrastructure resources in the wider area. A Development Framework Plan for the site will be designed to retain, enhance and compensate all habitats of principal importance. Enhancement to species rich hedgerows, the retention and enhancement of the semi‐improved grassland and the areas of green space around the site, will be positioned to extend the current network of linked habitat and maintain a significant biodiverse corridor to the wider area. This will serve to meet local BAP targets. It is deemed that with the implementation of some straightforward mitigation and precautionary measures, the development is not anticipated to result in any significant residual negative effects to important ecological features. A considered Development Framework Plan can deliver significant ecological mitigation and enhancements through the retention of linear features and the incorporation of species diverse grassland, SUDS features and tree planting.
Flooding and Drainage
Development will be kept away from the eastern boundary along the Renhold Brook corridor to ensure that areas at risk of flooding are avoided. An attenuation basin will be included within the site as part of the drainage strategy.
Archaeology and Heritage:
The Heritage England Map identifies that there are no heritage assets on or near to the site. Investigations to inform a previous application on adjacent land (site 680) concluded that there is a potential for an impact on archaeological remains, but this could be dealt with at planning application stage through condition. The same is expected to apply to site 602.
Highways
The site can be safely suitably accessed from a new priority junction off Hookhams Lane. As referred to above, when considering the previous application on part of the wider site (Reference: 19/02194/MAO) access was considered to be acceptable. No significant impacts from the development on the transport network in terms of capacity, congestion, and highway safety were raised and it is expected the same would be the case when accessing the wider land. Gladman would enact a travel plan that follows guidance from Bedford Borough and consultants in order to ensure increased usage of sustainable transport methods; this may include footpath widening, provision of or linkage to the cycle network, and contributions to increase the bus service on line 27, if deemed necessary.