Proposed Mixed Use Development

Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd were instructed to assess the landscape and visual issues, and prepare the strategic masterplan and landscape strategy relating to the comprehensive mixed use redevelopment of Newcastle General Hospital. The original scheme was refused in 2009 following which Aspect were commissioned as part of a new consultant team.

The development includes retail, new medical centre, public realm enhancements and linear parks. The strategic landscape masterplan was developed in conjunction with the design and planning consultant team, and Aspect prepared detailed linear parks and public realm proposals to enhance the existing links and create a robust landscape strategy to integrate the development. The work also included a comprehensive tree strategy and negotiation of the relocation of a listed wall as well as the removal of a number of TPO trees with the key treescape along frontages retained. The linear park and extensive areas of public realm were included as an integral part of the proposals designed to link publically the large open spaces of Nun’s Moor to the north of the existing hospital with the major arterial links along Westgate road and the river.

The extensive mixed use redevelopment of the hospital site was successfully granted approval by Newcastle City Council in January 2011.

Planning Issues: Original scheme refused, extensive redevelopment site, landscape and visual impact, public realm proposals and linkages, TPO removals, Listed wall relocation.

Grange Fields Redevelopment

Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd were commissioned to prepare the sketch landscape masterplan for a residential development to sit alongside a comprehensive package of sports facilities. The indicative layout of the proposed residential development consisting of 370-435 units within 13.2ha aims to respond to and reflect the existing urban grain of the surrounding built up area as well as the ambitions for the future housing needs identified within the local and regional planning policy framework.

The scheme includes extensive areas of sports facilities totaling 6.1ha and the integrated landscape scheme provides mature and robust boundaries to fully integrate the proposed built form within the existing landscape. The design has been developed to create a village atmosphere at its heart and aims to retain and enhance the existing landscape structure whilst reflecting the housing densities of the adjoining built up areas. Additional strategic information was prepared by Aspect to illustrate the strategic layout and concept of the proposals in relation to the surrounding areas, with a key emphasis on enhancing pedestrian linkages as well as linking the proposed sports facilities with existing open spaces.

Planning Issues: indicative sketch proposals, urban edge location, impact upon landscape character and residential amenity, requirement to meet future housing targets.

Redevelopment of Former Bath Press Site

Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd were instructed to prepare the landscape chapter for an Environmental Statement to support the application for the mixed use redevelopment of the former Bath Press site in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bath City. The development included retail, residential and commercial uses, and will form a landmark urban regeneration project of a brownfield site within the City as part of the wider Local Development Framework strategies.

The setting of the retained facade of the locally important historic building was key to the success of the redevelopment proposals and Aspect produced detailed landscape and public realm proposals to illustrate these enhancements which formed part of the outline planning application. A landscape and visual impact assessment including night time assessment formed a key element in the design process to ensure the character of the surrounding UNESCO World Heritage Site and townscape setting remained unaffected.

Planning Issues: Landscape and Visual Assessment, Setting of UNESCO World Heritage Site, extensive urban regeneration, Public realm proposals and linkage improvements, locally important historic building.

Proposed Urban Extension

Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd were instructed to prepare a Strategic Landscape Appraisal for the proposed urban extension to the south east of Kenilworth, as part of the need to meet projected residential and employment requirements within the emerging Local Development Framework. The Appraisal involved a detailed analysis of the existing landscape character and visual amenities of the Greenbelt and surrounding townscape in order to ensure there would be no detriment to the Greenbelt proper or visual amenities, and justify the extension to the urban area.

The strategic proposals aim to provide a mixed use development which forms a natural urban extension and integrates with the existing urban grain and townscape. The strategic Landscape Masterplan included open space strategies including formal play spaces as well as designated residential and employment uses.

Planning Issues: Strategic Urban Extension, Greenbelt Location, Land Allocation to meet future housing and employments requirements as part of the emerging LDF, Existing Residential Amenity, Key Vegetation Structure

Proposed Residential Development

Aspect Landscape Planning were instructed to prepare the landscape and visual assessment and landscape scheme for the application of a proposed high quality residential development consisting of thirteen bespoke homes located on the edge of the built up area of East Claydon. The proposed development is located on the former Aylesbury Truck Engineering site and incorporates bespoke residential units which would form a more appropriate use of the disused land and integrate well with the village/rural location.

A landscape and visual impact assessment was undertaken to inform the layout and design of the proposals and identified the requirement of key landscape buffers. The edge of village/rural location of the proposed development required careful design which incorporated a strategic landscape scheme to ensure the built form could be successfully integrated within the landscape setting, without affecting the rural character or visual amenities of the surrounding area. The scheme successfully gained planning consent in June 2008 and most of the properties have now been sold.

Planning Issues: Visual impact upon wider countryside character, existing residential amenity, redevelopment of industrial site, edge of village location.

Proposed Mixed Use Development

Aspect Landscape Planning Ltd were involved in the wider strategic masterplan proposals for a mixed use development on a brownfield site of the disused St Oswalds Cattle Market, Gloucester. The strategic urban regeneration project aimed to provide a major retail park, district centre and extensive residential development to meet the future housing needs. The location on the edge of the urban area required careful design and robust landscape buffers to ensure the development could be integrated within the townscape.

Detailed landscape proposals and a landscape and visual assessment for the first phase of the development was undertaken, consisting of the retail park elements which acted as an anchor for the overall development. This was prepared to support the planning application, and the detailed design of the landscape proposals aim to highlight the pedestrian links with the City Centre and also create a high quality environment for the retail park.

Planning Issues: Urban regeneration of brownfield site, townscape impact, strategic proposals for wider mixed use development, pedestrian linkages.

Proposed Mixed Use Development

Aspect were instructed to prepare the Landscape and Ecology Chapters of the Environmental Statement to support the comprehensive mixed use redevelopment of the Seaton Regeneration Area. The development includes retail, residential, leisure, public realm enhancements and a visitor centre. The strategic masterplan was developed in conjunction with the design and planning consultant team, and Aspect prepared detailed public realm proposals to enhance the links with the town centre and a robust landscape strategy to integrate the development. A significant constraint included the flood compensation requirement to raise the level of the entire site, and Aspect prepared the Landscape and Ecology Chapters of the separate Environmental Statement for the fill operations. The outline application and fill process for the overall scheme gained consent, following which the detailed application for the retail store and public realm links gained approval in November 2010.

Planning Issues: Visual Impact Upon East Devon AONB, Area of Great Landscape Value and open countryside character. Proximity to World Heritage Site and East Devon Heritage Coast. Impact upon residential amenity. Significant flood compensation requirements.

Aspect Ecology were asked by Crest Nicholson to provide ecological input into the competitive bid process in respect of this flagship site at Rochester Riverside being promoted by SEEDA. As part of the bid, Aspect Ecology actively engaged in the design process to bring forward a highly sustainable proposal which fully integrates biodiversity with, in particular, a number of novel design features pursued in order to maximise the value of the masterplan for biodiversity.

The proposal was very well received by SEEDA and Crest Nicholson has been subsequently confirmed as the preferred developer.

Aspect Ecology were initially asked to provide an ecological assessment of the Whitworths Ltd site to inform a planning application for the proposed re-development of the site for residential use. Given the location of the site, approximately 750m from the Nene Valley Gravel Pits proposed Special Protection Area (pSPA), further detailed assessment to inform a potential Appropriate Assessment of the proposals in relation to the pSPA was required by Natural England. In order to address this issue, Aspect carried out a detailed analysis of areas of publicly accessible open space within the local area, together with an assessment of the likely impacts of the proposed development on the SPA.

The former industrial site has been redeveloped to provide a new food retail store together with a number of light industrial units. Earlier ecological studies highlighted the potential importance of the River that passes through the site for bats and Otters. Accordingly, Aspect Ecology was commissioned by the developer to conduct an assessment of the likely impacts of the proposals on wildlife and subsequently to design a detailed mitigation strategy to preserve and enhance important features for bats, Otters and other species.