GROVE END FARM WHITMINSTER | COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
BASELINE ASSESSMENT
A Position Statement has been prepared https://www.stroud.gov.uk/media/1287265/p20-0372_6-groveendfarm_positionstatementupdate.pdf which was submitted to Stroud District Council to assist in the consultation on Additional Housing Options.
Baseline Conditions
The Site is not subject to any statutory or non-statutory landscape, heritage or ecological designations and lies within Flood Zone 1 (least probability of flooding). The Site lies adjacent the Stroud Industrial Heritage Conservation Area (IHCA) and a Key Wildlife Site to the south.
The location of this land near to the A38/M5 and A419 corridors, and relative proximity to Stroud/ Stonehouse provides an opportunity for a range of sustainable transport options.
The Site is located on the Main Movement Corridor as defined in the Stroud Sustainable Transport Strategy and where integrated packages of initiatives can be delivered.
Further assessments of the individual SALA parcels have also been carried out by Stroud District Council in respect to landscape sensitivity, heritage and flood risk.
LUC for the local authorities in Gloucestershire produced an Interim Assessment of Strategic Development Opportunities (October 2019) and the final assessment in May 2020. Assessment Area 41 covers the Whitminster area including the Site and much of the surrounding area extending to Moreton Valence to the west, Hardwick to the north and the M5 corridor to the east (representing an assessment study area of approximately 851 hectares). The Site is located to the south east of Assessment Area 41.
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The Summary Section to Area 41 notes that: “There is land in the southern half of the assessment area that is unaffected by the majority of constraints….”
Detailed baseline survey/assessment work is being undertaken in respect of all aspects of the environment which has further informed the emerging concept plan.
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Transport and Access
The Stroud Sustainable Transport Strategy (November 2019) prepared by AECOM, identifies three main movement corridors where integrated packages of initiatives can be delivered, which can “showcase multimodal use with a focus on sustainable travel modes”.
The Site at Whitminster is well placed to support this approach being located at the central ‘Hub’ of the ‘Movement Corridors’. Development of the Site will enable people to access services and facilities elsewhere along the movement corridors. The location is where there is the best chance to obtain improvements to community infrastructure, services and facilities and bring about coordinated improvements to accessibility, connectivity and public transport as a direct result of development.
The Site is in relatively close proximity to the main settlements of Stroud, Stonehouse and Cam/ Dursley which will provide residents with a choice of sustainable travel modes to connect to the key centres in the District with ease.
Locating development on existing or potential high-quality public transport corridors represents some of the most sustainable options for any development strategy. Opportunities to build on these corridors by increasing service frequency and reliability will ensure public transport is highly competitive with car use. Stagecoach supports the delivery of development alongside the A38 corridor at Whitminster as it would help to catalyse the necessary step change in bus service provision needed to help meet the Council’s wider sustainability goals, including carbon neutrality.
Access to the Site is proposed to be from the A38, A419 located alongside key road corridors close to M5 Junction 13 provides good access to the strategic road network which is important for access to the proposed employment area located alongside the A419. It also provides a unique opportunity for the Site to facilitate an ‘Interchange Hub’ for seamless multi-modal integration.
The access strategy would also offer the potential to downgrade or even close Grove Lane to through traffic towards its western end.
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National Cycle Route 45 routes along Grove Lane in the vicinity of the Site and therefore this would significantly benefit cyclists on this section of NCR 45. It would also address local concerns regarding rat running along this route and the long standing highway safety concerns with the A38 / Grove Lane crossroads junction. Furthermore, it would allow the potential for Grove Lane to become part of a sustainable transport corridor, providing a key bus priority route to/from the A38 and Stonehouse, including the Great Oldbury, West of Stonehouse Strategic Allocation, and Stroud.
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Landscape and Visual context
The Site is made up of a number of fields divided by existing hedgerows and trees which provide some visual screening. The land slopes gently downwards to the north, and affords views to the east towards the Cotswold escarpment. Several footpaths cross the site from west to east, those being EWH13 to the north, EWH15 to the middle, and EWH16 and 17 to the south. To the south of Grove Lane the land rises up from the eastern corner, above the M5 motorway before sloping gently westwards to the A419 roundabout junction with the A38. The eastern half of the site has a parkland feel, characterised by specimen trees, woodland and hedged boundaries. These areas of woodland would be retained as part of the proposed Green Infrastructure. The flatter south western part of the site is used as pony paddock
No Tree Preservation Orders are present within the Site Boundary.
The existing woodland which together with other opportunities for green infrastructure will form an integral part of the development to maximise landscape and other benefits.
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Ecology
There are no Internal or European Designations located within approximately 3km of the Site.
The closest is the Severn Estuary Special Area of Conservation (SAC) / Special Protection Area (SPA) / Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) located approximately 3.3 km to the west at its closest point.
The Stroud District Council SALA update 2018 states that:
“An initial desktop biodiversity and geodiversity assessment of the site has indicated there is potential to develop this site without harm to a designated natural environment site.
Note that the assessment does not consider whether there are protected species on this site and it is therefore recommended that any developer consult the Gloucestershire Centre for Environmental Records (GCER) for the potential presence of protected species on site.”
A Phase 1 Habitats Survey and relevant protected species / faunal surveys has been undertaken to inform the emerging concept plan. There is also potential for biodiversity enhancements across the Site (e.g. hedgerows / grassland) that could provide habitat enhancements and connectivity with nearby designations, strategic land uses and woodland areas.
Opportunities for ecological enhancements within the proposed development will be identified and these will be used to promote a net gain in biodiversity across the development.
Noise
In order to inform a planning application, noise levels within the proposed development areas will be assessed against the guidance contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPP) and BS 8233, to demonstrate that a satisfactory noise environment can be achieved within the proposed residential areas of the proposed development.
Consideration would be given to providing appropriate mitigation, particularly within the eastern part of the Site to ensure noise levels are reduced to a satisfactory standard.
With appropriate mitigation and design measures incorporated it is anticipated that an acceptable noise environment for future residents across the Site would be successfully achieved.
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Hydrology, Flood Risk and Surface Water Drainage
The entirety of Site is located in Flood Zone 1 based on Environment Agency (EA) Flood Mapping (lowest risk of fluvial flooding). Small components of the Site are shown on EA detailed mapping to be susceptible to risk of surface water flooding.
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment
The Stroud Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Draft Report (November 2019) undertakes a Level 2 assessment of site options identified for potential allocation within the emerging Stroud Local Plan Flood risk from all sources have been assessed for each of the SALA sites received. This information gives more detailed information regarding the risks posed to each development site.
The results of this assessment, showing site screening of Potential Allocation sites including Site WHI007 are shown in Appendix N of the Stroud Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Draft Report (page 151, November 2019).
In general, access routes from the A38 to the west of the Site are unaffected by fluvial or surface water flood risk. Modelling has shown that parts of the A419 to the south of the Site may potentially be at risk from fluvial Flooding associated with the River Frome, including further allowances for climate change.
Site Specific Flood Risk Assessment(FRA):
In accordance with the requirements of the NPPF and the SFRA recommendations a Site Specific FRA is being prepared to demonstrate that the Site can be safely developed without flood risk, from any source, and without increasing flood risk elsewhere.
Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS):
Surface Water will be managed through the use of an appropriate sustainable drainage system incorporating the surface water management train principles and including green infrastructure such as basins, ponds and swales. The FRA will include details of a surface water drainage strategy incorporating SuDS.
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The preliminary desk based assessment concludes that there is no significant flooding or drainage issues that would prevent the development of the Site. Therefore in terms of flooding or surface water drainage the land at Grove End Farm is considered to be a sustainable location for development.
Ground conditions
The SALA update 2018 states that:
“There are no known physical constraints that would prevent development of this site. The site is gently sloping; there are no known ground contamination or land stability issues.
Cultural Heritage and Archaeology
The Site does not contain any designated or nationally important heritage assets and is not
located within a Conservation Area.
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There are a number of Grade II listed buildings within approximately 1km. The closest of these is the Old Forge Grade II listed building (List ID: 1303091) which is currently used as a public house and located in the vicinity of the existing services / shops / restaurants on the A38.
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Further listed buildings tend to be separated from the Site by existing built form and road infrastructure (See Environmental Designations Plan). Frampton Court Registered Park and Garden is located approximately 2km to the west of the Site.
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The Site is situated adjacent to the boundary of the Industrial Heritage Conservation Area (IHCA),but is separated from it by the A419. The setting of the IHCA would need to be carefully considered, alongside other historic features of the landscape and the potential for further previously unrecorded archaeological remains to be present, which would be informed by a programme of further field surveys. The results produced by the field investigations will be used to inform the further development of the emerging concept plan.
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Gas pipeline
A high pressure gas pipeline runs through the site and we are aware of the advice from the Health and Safety Executive. RHL replied to Stroud District Council in August 2020 to clarify that discussions have taken place with Wales and West Utilities (WWU) which has confirmed that the pipeline can be diverted and/or reinforced following a study for the works which RHL are about to initiate. A Gas Feasibility Study has been commissioned with Wales and West Utilities and is underway
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Furthermore, reinforcement will reduce the easement to a ‘standard’ distance which we understand to be circa 6m. The ability to reinforce and/or divert the pipe and thereby reduce the impact this will have on built development is being taken into account in the design of the masterplan layout together with the opportunities provided by the easement for creating a strategic open space for cycling and walking routes through the development. Having regard to the mitigation measures available it is not considered the high pressure gas pipeline will constrain the capacity to achieve the development proposed for land at Grove End Farm Whitminster.
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Strategic Assessment of Land Availability (SALA) 2020
The land has been promoted to Stroud District Council and has been assessed in the SALA which is part of the Council’s evidence base to support the preparation of the Local Plan Review
https://www.stroud.gov.uk/media/1287278/appendix-3-future-potential-sites-2020.pdf
The SALA provides a summary of the site’s potential
“There may be future potential for a modest housing and employment extension to Whitminster or a planned and comprehensive growth point development including housing, local centre incorporating retail and community facilities and employment, together with the creation of open spaces and landscaped buffers with the M5 and A38/A419. Detailed masterplaning of the site would be required, but at this stage it is noted that the site is being promoted for up to 2,250 dwellings, 18.3 hectares of employment land, a local centre, school and green infrastructure.”
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The site has recently been included in the Council’s consultation on Additional Housing Options.