Design and Access Statement - East Staffordshire

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Barton Consortium Ltd and Bellway Homes Ltd

!Phase 2, Land East of Efflinch Lane, Barton under Needwood

!Design and Access Statement

November 2014

Prepared by !Howard Sharp & Partners LLP

79 Great Peter Street Westminster

London SW1P 2EZ

P/2014/01490Received 14/11/2014

CONTENTS

!1. Introduction........................................................................................... P3

2. Site........................................................................................................ P5

3. Context and Character…………………………………………………………….. P6

4. Design Objectives.................................................................................. P7

5. Amount and Layout................................................................................ P11

6. Scale...................................................................................................... P12

7. Appearance........................................................................................... P13

8. Landscaping.......................................................................................... P13

9. Crime Prevention................................................................................... P13

10. Conclusion............................................................................................. P14

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! 2

HOWARD SHARP & PARTNERS LLP

1. INTRODUCTION

!1.1. Barton Consortium Ltd and Bellway Homes Ltd

are jointly seeking outline planning permission

for up to 25 dwellings on land east of Efflinch

Lane and north of Mill Crescent, Barton under

Needwood.

!1.2. The purpose of this design and access statement

is to explain and justify the design of the

proposal and how it will be accessible to all

sections of the community. It will set out the

principles and concepts that will guide the

submission of the reserved matters.

!1.3. It has been prepared in accordance with the

Town and Country Planning (General

Development Procedure) Order 1995 (as

amended) and has had regard to the document -

Design and access statements: how to write,

read and use them - issued by the former

Commission for Architecture and the Built

Environment.

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PAGE � 3PHASE 2 EFFLINCH LANE, BARTON UNDER NEEDWOOD / DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT !



FIGURE 1. SITE LOCATION PLAN

(N.T.S.) !Ordnance Survey

(c) Crown Copyright 2013 All rights reserved

Licence Number 100022342


2. SITE

!2.1. The application site of 1.8ha in area is located

adjacent to Barton under Needwood in East

Staffordshire.

!2.2. The Site is located directly to the south and west

of a scheme for 130 houses on 13.1ha of land to

the east of Efflinch Lane and north of Mill Lane,

approved under Reserved Matters Ref: P/

2014/00200 and now currently under

construction. This Phase 1 scheme is known as

Barton Manor.

!2.3. The housing development the subject of the

current application will be accessed through the

Phase 1 scheme as a second phase of

development, utilising the same access and

spine road. The landscaped strategic green

infrastructure for this scheme will enclose the

site from the east and ensure both sites will be

at low probability of flooding.

!2.4. The agricultural field to be developed beyond

the Phase 1 scheme is 1.4 hectares in area,

irregular in shape and fairly flat. There are

hedgerows on three sides, containing a few

scattered trees. It has previously been in arable

use but is currently fallow, with longer grasses in

the field margins. A wet ditch runs along the

southern boundary and a small, occasionally wet

pond abuts the north east corner. Overhead

power lines mounted on timber poles cross the

site from east to west.

!2.5. To the south is the Mill Lane housing estate built

in the early post-war period. To the west is a

grass field with development potential adjoining

Efflinch Lane.

!2.6. To the north of the site is the Thomas Russell

Junior School and the Barton Marina

development with various leisure and

commercial activities on offer.

!2.7. Phases 1 and 2 are bordered to the east by the

Trent and Mersey Canal and associated

conservation area, with the A38 and Barton

Business Park beyond this.

!2.8. The site benefits from a high degree of visual

enclosure from surrounding built development,

boundary vegetation and the transport corridor

to the east. The Submitted Landscape and Visual

Appraisal provides further details.

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!PAGE � 5

PHASE 2 EFFLINCH LANE, BARTON UNDER NEEDWOOD / DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT !


3. CONTEXT AND CHARACTER 3.1. Saved Policy BE1 of the East Staffordshire Local

Plan states that planning permission will only be

granted for proposals that relate well in design

terms to their surroundings. In establishing

whether development is acceptable in design

terms, it requires that several factors be taken

into account, including the scale, massing and

height of the proposal and materials from which

it is to be constructed in the context of the site

and its surroundings.

!3.2. Saved Policy H6 expands upon this aim with

specific reference to residential development. It

requires new dwellings to integrate well within

the street scene.

!3.3. The East Staffordshire Design Guide elaborates

upon the requirements of Saved Policies BE1 and

H6. It states that: a) Residential layouts should

be designed with focus on the streets and

spaces between dwellings rather than the

individual buildings themselves; b) The location

of buildings in relation to streets should create

interesting streetscapes including consciously

arranged views and vistas within and out of the

development; c) Long straight and sweeping

roads should be avoided with a preference for

traffic calming inherent in the design of the

development; d) Repetitive house types should

be avoided; e) The cramming together of large

numbers of detached properties should be

avoided. f) High proportions of frontage car

parking will not be acceptable.

!3.4. Whereas the older buildings in and around the

centre of the village usually have very little

setback from important streets (sometimes none

at all), the later development incorporates front

gardens and is generally lower density.

!3.5. Most of the traditional buildings and boundary

walls are built from dark red brickwork although

there are also a few stone buildings. Some

buildings are finished with a pale render (or

painted masonry). Slates and clay tiles are the

traditional materials for roofs.

!3.6. Postwar development has mostly used standard

house types side by side in uniform rows, with

large front gardens and less architectural variety.

!3.7. Most buildings in the neighbourhood do not

have extensive decoration. However, there is

sometimes ornamentation within the brickwork

at eaves or verge and prominent stone quoins

along the older streets.

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!PAGE � 6

PHASE 2 EFFLINCH LANE, BARTON UNDER NEEDWOOD / DESIGN AND ACCESS STATEMENT !


4. DESIGN OBJECTIVES

!4.1. Having regard to the site and context analysis

above, and the relevant policies and guidance,

key design objectives have been formulated

which are consistent with the Phase 1 scheme

and its approved Development Framework. The

design objectives are as follows:

• The development will respect the existing

village character, its local patterns of

development and its landscaped setting

!• The development will be well-integrated with

the existing form and character of the village

and will appear as a natural addition that

successfully ‘rounds off’ the settlement.

!• The development will preserve and enhance

the existing environmental assets of the site,

and in particular the integrity of the site

boundaries which contain trees and

hedgerows.

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• The development should respond to its

location within the National Forest and ensure

that trees are planted within the surrounding

landscape to assist with National Forest

objectives.

!• The public realm will be designed to relate

the amount of movement through the space

with its character.

!• The layout will be easy to move through

(permeable) and easy to understand (legible).

It will enable all the residents to easily reach

the centre of the village and public transport

into nearby towns.

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FIGURE 2. LAYOUT AND

TREE CONSTRAINTS (N.T.S.)



FIGURE 3. CONCEPT PLAN

(N.T.S.) !Ordnance Survey

(c) Crown Copyright 2013 All rights reserved

Licence Number 100022432



FIGURE 4. ALTERNATIVE

ILLUSTRATIVE LAYOUT (N.T.S.) !

Ordnance Survey (c) Crown Copyright 2013

All rights reserved Licence Number 100022432


5. AMOUNT AND LAYOUT

!5.1. The precise number of dwellings and thus

density will depend upon detailed design

considerations at the Reserved Matters stage

(‘up to 25 dwellings’ is sought in the description

of development).

!5.2. The site capacity has been tested and 25

dwellings is considered to be the maximum

number that is compatible with a site of this

size, shape and location and which allows scope

for some larger dwellings.

!5.3. The illustrative layout has been designed with

the focus on the streets and spaces between

dwellings rather than the individual buildings

themselves. Two options have been worked up,

one with a parking court and one without. This

shows how the structure can be adapted to meet

the detailed advice at the Reserved Matters

stage.

!5.4. The layout has been structured so that dwellings

address the street to maximise surveillance of

public areas and the orientation of buildings is

used to create a clear demarcation between the

private and public realm. By facing dwellings

onto streets it also provides a sense of enclosure

and encourages social interaction. The direct

overlooking of the green infrastructure to the

east is a key element of the concept.

!5.5. The illustrative layout shows how a range of

dwellings sizes can be accommodated on the

site and sufficient parking spaces provided. A

mix of detached, semi-detached and short rows

of dwellings will provide variety and interest

within fairly consistent building lines.

!5.6. Repetitive house types - particularly the

cramming together of large numbers of

detached properties - will be avoided.

!5.7. Dwellings will have a separation distance of at

least 21 metres to rear elevations so as to avoid

harming residential amenity through loss of light

or privacy.

!5.8. A mix of parking solutions will be provided

throughout the site. Parking will generally be

provided within the curtilages or in parking

courts overlooked directly by the fronts of

dwellings. Garages will not be prominent in the

street scene. Whilst some frontage parking is

shown - as has been accepted for the Phase 1

scheme - where possible parking is provided at

the sides of dwellings, particularly on the street

overlooking the green space.

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5.9. Long, straight and sweeping roads have been

avoided and traffic will be inherently calmed by

the length of streets and junctions, so as to

restrict visibility.

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6. SCALE

!6.1. The scale and massing of housing throughout

the site has been designed to ensure it sits

comfortably next to the existing dwellings at Mill

Crescent.

!6.2. In order to protect the existing character of the

area, it is proposed that none of the new

dwellings will exceed two storeys.

!6.3. Utilisation of roofspaces with dormers will only

take place in parts of the site which will not

detract from residential amenities or the existing

character of the village.

!6.4. It is anticipated that the maximum ridge height

of the dwellings will be 11m and the maximum

heights of any garages will be 6m.

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7. APPEARANCE

!7.1. The appearance of the scheme will respect and

complement the building form and materials of

the village.

!7.2. The dwellings will be traditional in design and

proportion with dual pitched roofs, traditional

fenestration and traditional verge and eave

treatments, matching into the character and

appearance of dwellings located on Efflinch Lane

and the Phase 1 scheme. To provide local

distinctiveness dwellings will feature decorative

details such as brick detailing, complementing

window and eaves styles, non-standard roof

pitches and overhanging eaves.

!7.3. High quality materials will be used throughout

the development. The colours, textures and mix

of materials throughout the development will be

sensitive to and complement the existing pattern

of materials present in the nearby context.

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8. LANDSCAPING

!8.1. The landscape proposals will be designed to

help buildings integrate with and complement

their surroundings, and conserve existing

natural and other features of value as far as

possible.

!8.2. The spine road through the Phase 1 scheme will

be planted with trees as a requirement of that

consent. Further trees will be provided in the

Phase 2, particularly the interface with the

strategic green space.

!8.3. The existing trees and hedgerow will be retained

and protected. These will be reinforced along the

boundaries of the site and new trees planted in

gardens in the main courtyard. Appropriate

street trees, which establish quickly are

whitebeam (Sorbus), wild cherry (Prunus) and

some of the more hardy member of the Acer

family.

!8.4. Any courtyard areas will incorporate careful and

creative use of planting, surfacing materials and

street furniture. Such features will

simultaneously facilitate the successful

integration of on-street parking whilst

contributing to traffic-calming. Materials will be

appropriate to the character of the locality.

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9. CRIME PREVENTION

!9.1. The design and layout of the proposal will

incorporate measures to assist crime prevention

and help reduce risks to the security of property

and personal safety.

!9.2. Community safety issues will inform the

arrangement of buildings, streets and open

spaces, which will be based on a ‘perimeter

block’ approach with public fronts and private

backs and ensuring all public streets through the

housing development area benefit from a high

degree of natural surveillance.

!9.3. To further reinforce the perception of active,

safe streets, all new dwellings will have visible

front doors onto the streets.

!9.4. At reserved matters stage, the detailed design

can address personal visibility, the arrangement

of buildings, walls, landscaping and lighting.

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10. CONCLUSION

!10.1. It has been demonstrated that the site can

accommodate up to 25 dwellings, having regard

to the national and local policies on new housing

development.

!10.2. The indicative layout shows how the site can

provide satisfactory access for vehicles, cyclists

and pedestrians as part of a high quality layout

that improves the connectivity of the site with

the land around it, including extensive green

infrastructure and local facilities.

!10.3. The principles set out in this statement provide a

sound basis to deliver high quality development

at reserved matters stage in which the layout,

scale, appearance and landscaping of the

proposal will meet the national and local policies

for securing good design and promoting healthy

communities.


Documents

Design and Access Statement - East Staffordshire