Landscape Design Statement

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Landscape Design Statement

Re

Landscape

l a n d s c a p e a r c h i t e c t u r e + e n v i r o n m e n t a l p l a n n i n g

JANUARY 2014

Housing Development, Princess Avenue, Poulton-le-Fylde

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1 Context Appraisal

1.1 The landscape proposals for the proposed housing development at Princess Avenue, Poulton-le-Fylde are based on a thorough appraisal of the site and the surrounding area. This follows from the Guidance on information and requirements for validation (DCLG March 2010) with respect to Design and Access Statements.

Neighbourhood

1.2 The development is located on Princess Avenue in Poulton-le-Fylde adjacent to and south of Poulton-le-Fylde St Chad’s Primary School. Properties on Princess Avenue are mainly semi-detached or terraced.

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Character of existing development

1.3 Development on Princess Avenue is suburban in character comprising semi-detached or terraced properties sitting on individual plots and set back from the road. Grass verges varying in width and planted with trees provide an adequate landscape setting.

Figure 1: Princess Avenue landscape setting

1.4 Car parking is accommodated in front of many of the properties which together with on street parking create strengthens the suburban character. Boundary treatments to front gardens are predominantly Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) hedges and concrete post and timber panel fences. To the rear of the properties boundary fences are typically 2 metre high concrete post and timber panel fences.

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Figure 2: Princess Avenue hedge boundary treatment to front gardens

1.5 The semi-detached or terraced properties are two storeys in height with pitched roofs. Properties are brick built with tiled roofs and with either brick or rendered elevations.

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1.6 A playing field associated with Poulton-le-Fylde St Chad’s Primary School lies to the north of the site. There is a mature belt of trees on the south boundary of the playing field which forms the north boundary of the development site.

Figure 4: Poulton-le-Fylde St Chad’s Primary School playing field

Landscape, habitat and green infrastructure

1.7 The development is located on an 807 square metres area of derelict urban land which was previously used to accommodate garages serving adjacent houses.

1.8 The site is predominantly hard surfaced with occasional short perennial species growing in cracks in the pavement. There is an area of dense scrub located in the north of the site which provides is a breeding habitat for Wood pigeon which was recorded on the site. The scrub is also suitable for moths.

1.9 There are two individual trees, Common Hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna and Common Alder

Alnus glutinosa, and one group of trees comprising Norway Maple, Acer platanoides, Goat

Willow, Salix caprea and Holly, Ilex aquifolium on the site. A quality assessment of the trees compliant with BS5837:2012 recorded one Category B tree (Alder), one Category B group and one Category C tree (Hawthorn).

1.10 The tree, scrub and perennial species are common and wide-ranging so the site itself is not considered to be of particular importance to them.

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Plan 3: Plan showing location of existing trees with an assessment their value (Arboricultural Survey by Thomson Ecology, September 2013) and trees to be retained and their development constraints

Views of or out of the site

1.11 Properties to the west, south and east of the site will obtain views of the development from second floor windows in their rear elevations. The development will have views of the backs of properties on Princess Avenue and the Poulton-le-Fylde St Chad’s Primary School playing field.

1.12 An existing group of trees on the south boundary of the playing field limits views of the site from the school and properties on Elizabeth Court and Higher Green to the north of the playing field.

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2 Landscape Strategy: Approach

2.1 The landscape design approach is to:

• Enhance the positive landscape character and identity of Princess Avenue

• Protect and enhance existing valued trees

• Reduce surface water run off

• Create landscape features of ecological value

• Create an end view into site with a tree or building

• Provide a shared space street with a level surface

Enhance the positive landscape character and identity of Princess

Avenue

2.2 The green environment created by tree planting within verges and by hedges forming the boundary to several front gardens provides Princess Street with a positive landscape character and identity.

Design principles:

• Hedges to be used for front garden boundary treatment.

• Tree planting within a verge or island in street to provide a focal point from the site entrance.

Protect and enhance existing valued trees

2.3 The two existing individual trees on the site and a tree group on the adjacent playing field act as form givers for the development.

Design principle:

• Development within root protection areas of trees on and off the site to be avoided.

Reduce surface water run off

2.4 The development will introduce measures to prevent run off from new paved areas. Design principle:

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Create landscape features of ecological value

2.5 As a number of moth species listed as species of principal importance were identified in the Ecology Survey (Thomson Ecology, September 2013) as occurring within 1km of the site, and as host plants for some of these species were recorded on site, it is likely that the site may support some of these species.

Design principles:

• A new grass verge to be sown with wildflower meadow seed and managed to develop into coarse grassland.

• Native species of small broadleaved trees to be planted within gardens.

• Native hedgerows to be planted around the garden boundaries.

Create an end view into site with a tree

2.6 There is a framed view into the site from Princess Avenue which lacks an end view. A multi stemmed tree will provide a stop to the view and screen cars parked within the development. Design principle:

• A multi stemmed tree to be planted on a new grass verge within the development.

Provide a shared space street with a level surface

2.7 Both pedestrian and vehicular access will be from Princess Avenue via an existing 2.9 metre wide access road which previously served garages on the site. The road dimension will not permit a separate footway.

Design principle:

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3 Technical constraints

3.1 The existing dense scrub is suitable to support breeding birds and its removal to

accommodate the development should be undertaken outside the breeding bird season i.e. between the months September to February inclusive.

3.2 If it is not possible to remove these habitats on site outside of the bird breeding season it is recommended that a check for nesting birds be carried out immediately prior to site clearance. This will minimise the risk of an offence being committed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended. If an active nest is discovered, then site clearance in that vicinity should cease until such a time that the young have fledged or the nest is no longer active.

3.3 The protection of retained trees is paramount to their survival during the development process and their consequent long term contribution to the site. The Root Protection Areas (RPAs) identified in Plan 3 should remain protected throughout the development to avoid potential damage, such as:

• Soil compaction;

• Root severance due to excavation;

• Soil coverage with impermeable material;

• Alterations in ground level;

• Leaks and spillages from stored materials; and

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5 Landscape Design Proposals: soft landscape

5.1 Soft landscape treatment will contribute to the positive landscape character of Princess Avenue by means of new tree planting within grass verges and hedges for front garden boundary treatments.

5.2 The character of the development will be unified by the use of tree species present on the site and in the locality of the development. It is intended to create planting palettes which will help define the character of different spaces in the development.

5.3 The public realm will include a small area wildflower grass area with a specimen tree as focal point. The wildflower grass will be a managed to promote a habitat for moth species. 5.4 Private gardens are planned to include a range of planting types including, native trees,

evergreen shrubs and ornamental herbaceous and perennial species. The strategy is to create an unobtrusive garden style framework to include formal low hedges to enclose front gardens and contain ornamental planting. Back gardens will be simply seeded to provide a lawn from which residents can create their own gardens and planting schemes

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6 Landscape Design Proposals: planting strategy

6.1 In accordance with recommendations of the Ecological Survey, species selection will be for wildlife benefit, attracting insects and birds. An area of wildflower grassland will be included to provide habitat for moth species within the development. Native species of broadleaved trees and hedges will be planted within gardens and garden boundaries.

6.2 A large multi stemmed tree, Common Alder, Alnus glutinosa, will be planted to mark the entrance and create a focal point to a view from Princess Avenue into the development. Smaller sized trees will be used in the gardens including Rowan, Sorbus aucuparia, and Silver Birch, Betula pendula.

6.3 Hedges on Princess Avenue are predominantly Privet, Ligustrum ovalifolium, which is non-native. To support more wildlife species, native Beech, Fagus sylvatica, will be planted as front garden boundary hedges in the development. Beech hedges are a typical garden boundary treatment in the wider context of the development

6.4 A mix of evergreen and colourful planting will be used to provide visual interest and variety in front gardens. Species will be hardy and upright with interesting colour of foliage, including

Euonymus japonicus ‘Bravo’ and Photinia fraserii ‘Little Red Robin’ alongside lower

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7 Landscape Design Proposals: hard landscape

7.1 The hard landscape treatment seeks to create a safe shared space street by emphasising pedestrian and cyclist priority. Users of the share space street will have equal entitlement and priority to the space and combine rather than separate the functions of the street. The aspiration is to provide a fully flush surface without any raised kerbs or obstructions. 7.2 The paving will be a simple matrix of materials and colours to reinforce the shared street

space and private gardens in the new development. Concrete block paving will be used to define a legible surface for the shared street space which contrasts in texture to the Princess Avenue carriageway surface material and provide a pedestrian friendly environment.

Concrete flag paving and permeable concrete block paving will be used in the private gardens for footpaths and driveways. Material choice will be based on its durability, associated maintenance and visual appearance. The desire is to provide a hard landscape of quality, longevity and low maintenance.

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8 Landscape Design Proposals: hard materials strategy

8.1 A palette of surface materials is proposed to define a legible hierarchy of surfaces from the shared space street through to private garden pathways.

8.2 A single surface material will be used for the shared space street comprising an interlocking concrete block paving, Tegula – pennant grey or similar. The paving will complement the carriageway material in Princess Avenue in colour but be differentiated by texture. A grass verge build out with a minimum 50 mm upstand will encourage a low vehicle speed as drivers enter the development from the access road.

8.3 Property frontages are to be accessible and provide for appropriate level changes and surface water drainage to ensure thresholds between the shared space street and finished floor levels are accessible to all. Footpaths will be surfaced in concrete flag paving, Natural – 450 x 450

mm or similar. Driveways will be surfaced in a permeable concrete block paving, Priora – Brindle or similar.

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Landscape Design Statement