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Representation ID: 22376

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: ROSCONN STRATEGIC LAND

RSL interests relate to Site Ref. WAH237, which we are promoting on behalf of the landowners and is proposed as a Strategic Allocation for approximately 363 new homes under Policy WSA3, being land north of Stonnall Road, Aldridge. RSL fully supports the proposed allocation of this site for residential purposes and re-confirm it is available, viable and suitable, and is deliverable within the first 5 years following the expected adoption of the BCP.

The context for the allocation is detailed within the General Spatial Strategy for Walsall, as detailed at Paragraphs C.17 to C.29. This recognises that the existing growth network does not have the capacity to accommodate all of the area’s need for new homes and jobs and as such, proposes a number of Neighbourhood Growth Areas (NGA) in highly sustainable locations close to the existing urban area that have good access to services. District Centres such as Aldridge, are identified as having a key role in helping drive forward the growth and regeneration of the borough outside of the strategic centres, whilst also accommodating housing growth to improve the vibrancy and health of these centres.

The associated Site Assessment for land north of Stonnall Road, Aldridge concludes that the site has few constraints and limited visual impact due to surrounding land uses and topography. RSL would concur with this overall assessment and agree that issues regarding improved infrastructure (e.g. drainage and highways) are not considered to be significant or otherwise unusual for a site of this scale and can be fully accommodated as part of the proposed development.

In respect of the associated Sustainability Assessment, the overall performance of the site is generally positive with major or minor positive impacts identified in respect of Housing, Health, Economy and Education and a neutral impact on Cultural Heritage, Climate Change Adaptation, Pollution and Equality. Mixed positive/negative impacts have been identified regarding Biodiversity, Climate Change Mitigation and Transport. Minor negative impacts are identified in respect of Natural Resources and Waste, with only a major negative impact identified for Landscape.

These findings are understood to have informed the Design Principles for Policy WSA3 in order to help further mitigate any potential adverse effects, and each of these are considered in further detail below:

1. Improvements to local facilities to support residents and enhance the sustainability of the existing area, in particular improved capacity at the primary school and local health centre – RSL confirm that financial contributions towards the upgrade of local facilities which are necessary to mitigate the impact of the proposed development of the site are agreeable in principle;

2. Investigation of and detailed proposals for remediation of contaminated land – whilst the available evidence does not indicate any former use other than agricultural that would give rise to any significant contamination issues, it is noted that the Site Assessment suggests previous agricultural uses may be an issue due to ‘fertilizer use, sewage sludge presence of heavy metals’. This is not considered to be particularly onerous and unlikely to raise any issues that cannot be addressed through appropriate assessment at the Development Management stage.

3. A transport strategy that includes widening to Stonnall Road for the extent of the site allocation and improves pedestrian access – RSL confirm this is deliverable as the full extent of the site frontage lies adjacent to the public highway and there is scope to widen the carriageway and provide a pedestrian footway that can tie in to the existing pedestrian footway along the northern side of Stonnall Road to the west.

4. Develop a site-wide Sustainable Drainage Strategy to ensure that drainage requirements can be met on site and are designed to deliver landscape, biodiversity and amenity benefits – whilst a detailed drainage strategy has yet to be progressed, the Concept Framework Plan (as enclosed with these representations) has been developed to incorporate a sustainable drainage strategy that works with the site topography and in combination with the proposed structural landscaping along the north eastern boundary of the site, which will help mitigate landscape impact, whilst maximising biodiversity net gain and amenity space for the benefit of both existing and future residents.

5. Develop a strategy for landscape and habitat creation that provides enhancement, retention and mitigation for established trees and hedges, to ensure there is no significant adverse impact on visual amenity and character or on protected animal species – as above, with reference to the accompanying Concept Framework Plan prepared by Define Urban Design and Landscape Architects, the vision for the site is to create a new rural edge to this part of Aldridge. This will comprise a significant structural landscape fringe to the north eastern boundary of the site, with tree planting and retention and management of existing hedges, alongside fingers of green space to break up areas of built form into smaller neighborhoods set within a rural setting. This will help to assimilate the development into the landscape and secure a softer settlement edge on the entrance to the town from the east. Such measures will also provide the opportunity to enhance the biodiversity credentials of the site, compared to the current intensively farmed landscape.

6. The site is in a MSA and requires prior extraction where practical and environmentally feasible. Where practical and environmentally feasible prior extraction for bedrock and superficial sand and gravel, shall take place – this issue effects the majority of sites within the borough and were this to be a precluding factor, it would significantly impact on the ability for the area to achieve its future housing and economic growth aspirations so should be seen in this context. Notwithstanding, this does not necessarily mean that any potential mineral resources that may exist at this specific site cannot be extracted prior to development and this requirement is a pragmatic solution and is an issue that can therefore be dealt with at the Development Management stage. In principle therefore, RSL accept this requirement and agree to an assessment being undertaken at the appropriate time to investigate the potential for such minerals to be present, and the practicality or otherwise of prior extraction in light of all environmental considerations.