Policy GB7: Nursery Land adjacent to Egley Road, Mayford, GU22 0PL

 

 

 

This 18.65 ha site is excluded from the Green Belt and allocated for a mixed use development to include residential including Affordable Housing and recreational/open space between 2022 and 2027, in accordance with Policy SA1, and for a school to be developed during the Plan Period when a need can be justified and a special circumstances case can be established.

To achieve this, the development must address the following key requirements:

•   Net developable area of approximately 4.4 ha for residential development; Density of development should maximise the efficient use of the site without compromising the general character of the area;

•   Potential to focus development at the north end of the site, leaving the southern end (adjacent Mayford village) as open space/playing fields, providing a visual break;

•   Shared school and community sports playing fields positioned within the central portion of the site would provide a green corridor, allowing views to be retained through to the railway embankment and rising escarpment beyond, whilst accommodating development to the north and south ends of the site;

•   Retain protected trees and tree belts and strengthen with planting to create a wide landscape frontage along Egley Road, to enhance the sense of separation between the two settlements;

•   Sensitive handling of site topography;

•   Any flood lighting should be sensitively designed to minimise impact in landscape/townscape terms. Screening/bunding to create a buffer between the development, railway and the escarpment landscape beyond;

•  This site features an Area of High Archaeological Potential in the north of the site. To ensure full information about heritage and archaeology informs its development, the

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developer will need to undertake an archaeological investigation and submit full details of this to the Local Planning Authority, in accordance with Core Strategy Policy CS20;

•   Contribution towards infrastructure delivery in accordance with the Community Infrastructure Levy;

•   The developer will contribute to the provision of essential transport infrastructure related to the mitigation of the impacts of the development of this site, in addition to the relevant Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) contribution. The exact nature of these site specific requirements will be identified through the development management process and informed by a Transport Assessment. Potential issues to be addressed include:

•   new site access required onto A320, and

•   provision of pedestrian and cycle facilities (including a pedestrian crossing) and linkages, particularly east to Barnsbury Primary School and beyond to services in Westfield, and south to Mayford Neighbourhood Centre and to recreation space beyond;

•   Appropriate and adequate provision of car and cycle parking in accordance with the adopted car and cycle parking standards but that takes into account the sites sustainable location and will not compromise on highway safety;

•   Potential for development to share access with any later development on the adjoining Proposal Site GB9;

•   Any drop off point for the school would need to be within the development site;

•   Strengthen existing / new connections to the site from the east to overcome limited

  connectivity caused by severance by the Hoe Stream;

•   Contribution towards Strategic Access Management and Monitoring to mitigate the impacts of residential development of the site on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area;

•   It is important that any development of this site demonstrates that it will in no way prejudices the later development of adjoining Proposal Site GB9, which is also recommended by the GBBR and is known to be available;

•   Contribution towards Affordable Housing provision in accordance with Policy CS12: Affordable Housing of the Core Strategy, in this case 50% to be provided on site;

•   Proportionate on-site measures to support the creation, protection, enhancement and management of local biodiversity and Green Infrastructure;

•   Opportunity to provide a pedestrian crossing on Egley Road, linking the existing primary school and proposed secondary school, plus existing (Hoe Valley Linear Park) and future green infrastructure corridors;

•   Opportunity for playing field facilities to be shared by the new school and the local community through a Community Use Agreement;

•   Opportunity for the relocation of the Athletics Track from Sheerwater if it is not retained on that site (UA32);

•   Due to the proximity to the road and railway line, the development would need to consider the impacts on noise and air quality and ensure mitigation measures are implemented to protect residential amenity. A Noise Impact Assessment would be required. An Air Quality Assessment is recommended;

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Reasoned justification: This Green Belt site lies on the main southern route (A320) into Woking, adjoining the existing boundary of the urban area. It has excellent accessibility to local services, both in the Town Centre and the nearby Mayford Neighbourhood Centre. The Green Belt boundary review (GBBR) identifies the site as an opportunity to deliver new homes, a secondary school and associated infrastructure in accordance with Core Strategy Policies CS6, CS10, CS12, CS14 and CS16.

The GBBR estimates a residential development yield of 188 dwellings on this individual site, calculated at an assumed indicative density of 40 dwellings per hectare (dph).

Development of this site would not adversely affect the integrity of the escarpment. This former tree nursery does however occupy an important green gap between Woking and Mayford, the integrity of which should be retained whilst accommodating development to assist in meeting identified needs.

The land rises four to five metres between the east and west boundaries. The extent of previous development on the site is limited to a redundant building and glasshouse frames. The site adjoins the London - Portsmouth main rail line on its western boundary.

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GB7

•   Historical contaminative uses may have led to soil and groundwater contamination around just the former nursery buildings that will need to be considered during any development of the site, dependent on detailed proposals and consultation with Environmental Health and the Environment Agency;

•   Development to meet relevant Sustainable Drainage Systems requirements at the time of planning application for the development of the site;

•   Upgrades to the existing drainage infrastructure are likely to be required. A detailed drainage strategy should be undertaken;

•   Applicants are advised at the early stage to consult Thames Water regarding the management of waste water capacity and surface water runoff;

•   Undertake feasibility study for integration of CHP within the development;

•   Improve provision of and connectivity to existing recreation spaces (main road and railway

  act as barriers);

•   Conduct landscape assessment / ecological survey / tree survey to determine levels of biodiversity and valuable landscape features on site and adjacent to site;

•   An archaeological assessment may be required as set out in Core Strategy Policy CS20: Heritage and conservation;

•   Appropriate landscaping, potentially to include landscaping to buffer to the road and railway lines;

•   Careful design of layout to take into account environmentally sensitive sites and vegetationforming ‘Escarpment and Rising Ground of Landscape Importance’ on adjacent land, topreserve their integrity;

•   Take opportunities to make positive contribution towards biodiversity through the creation of green infrastructure, retention/enhancement of any features of nature conservation value on-site, and creation of linkages with GI network, the design solution should build in wildlife features/corridors.

 

GB7

 

Whilst there are presently limited local facilities within close walking distance of the site to serve the residential development proposed, there is the opportunity to later improve these through the provision of additional facilities on the adjacent land (see Proposal Site GB9).

The education development would comprise a secondary school on a site to accommodate up to 8 form entry on up to 10 ha. This part of the development would include a new athletic track facility. Surrey County Council Education Service has confirmed its support for the provision of a new secondary school on this site to serve families in the South Woking area. The intended catchment area for intake to the new school overcomes concerns raised by the County Highway Authority in respect of barriers to good non-vehicle connectivity in approaches from the west (poor road / bridge links over / under the railway via Hook Hill Lane and Blackhorse Road) and east (severance by the Hoe Stream).

In addition to open space on this site, additional land could later come forward for Green Infrastructure from another nearby site recommended by the Green Belt boundary review and safeguarded through this DPD (Proposal Site GB12).

The site boundary is drawn to include the highway verge to Egley Road, to assist in ensuring a strong defensible Green Belt boundary.

Planning permission has been granted on part of the site for the erection of a new secondary school and leisure centre, formation of an 8 lane athletics track and sports pitches (PLAN/2015/0703). Development is near completion and the school is expected to be operational in September 2018. The remainder of the site will be developed for residential development between 2022 and 2027.

Delivery arrangements:

•   The land is in single ownership, there are no known legal or ownership problems associated with the site;

•   Developer-led.Key evidence base:

•   Green Belt Boundary Review (Parcel 20 - WGB020a);

•   Letter from Surrey County Council Schools Commissioning Officer (North West), 6 October

  2014, regarding secondary school provision in Woking Borough;

•   Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAAHEA013);

•   County Highway Authority transport review of Woking Green Belt sites (officer comments,

  October 2014);

•   Sustainability appraisal;

•   Habitat Regulations Assessment;

•   Strategic Transport Assessment;

•   Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area Avoidance Strategy;

•   Design SPD;

•   Planning permission PLAN/2015/0703.

  (This site has previously been referred to as Jackman’s Nursery, and the Showground)

 

 

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