Cowling Farm Masterplan Consultation

The plan below highlights the respective land ownerships of Homes England and Chorley Council.

The site is allocated for mixed use development in the adopted Chorley Local Plan (2015).

Chorley Council and Homes England are currently in joint ownership of the 9.5 hectare site known as Cowling Farm, Chorley, which is allocated for development in the adopted Local Plan. In advance of development coming forward, Draft Masterplan Options have been prepared for public consultation.

We are keen to understand your views regarding the masterplan and future development of the Cowling Farm site. Please let us know what you think of the Draft Masterplan Options by filling out the questionnaire available at the event today.

Copies of these exhibition boards and background reports can be downloaded from: http://chorley.gov.uk/Pages/AtoZ/Consultations.aspx

The Local Plan establishes the principle that around 6 hectares of the site will be developed to delivery up to 158 houses, 3.5 hectares of land wil be developed for employment uses and 0.4 hectares will be developed as for permanent Gypsy and Traveller pitches.

The Council and Homes England have jointly commissioned a range of technical studies which are being used to inform and shape a Masterplan for the site. These include highways and transport, topography, flood risk and drainage, utilities, ground conditions, air quality and environmental noise.

Introduction

Land OwnershipExtract from the Adopted Chorley Local Plan (2012 - 2026) Proposals Map

View of site looking west towards Moorland Gate

View of site from Cowling Road

View of site from Moorland Gate

A range of design considerations have been taken into account in developing the draft Masterplan.

• Where site access for the various uses should best be located?

• How the steep topography of the site may need to be remodelled to create a developable site?

• How the development should relate to adjoining residential, commercial and industrial uses?

• How the impact of noise from the M61 can be best mitigated?

• How surface water drainage from the site can best be managed?

• How land uses in the northern part of the site can best be configured to accommodate industrial uses and pitches for the gypsy and traveller community?

Cowling Farm Masterplan ConsultationDesign Constraints

Draft Masterplan Options

The Constraints Plan illustrates how some of these factors have informed the design of the site masterplan.

Two alternative Masterplan Options have been produced for the site.

In both plans, land to the south of the site is allocated for housing, broadly corresponding with Homes Englands’ ownership.

Employment land is proposed on Chorley Council owned land to the north of the site, along with two alternative options for 0.4 hectare Gypsy and Travellers pitches on land owned by Chorley Council to the north of the site.

The breakdown of land areas varies slightly between the two options is illustrated, with Option 1 having slightly more residential land and less employment land than Option 2.

Constraints Plan

Masterplan Option 1: Gypsy and Traveller Pitches to the East of the Site

Masterplan Option 2: Gypsy and Traveller Pitches to the West of the Site

Indicative replacement car park location (scale and layout to be confirmed)

Indicative replacement car park location (scale and layout to be confirmed)

Cowling Farm Masterplan ConsultationMasterplan Design Issues

Site Levels and Sustainable Drainage: It will be necessary to undertake a package of earthworks to create reasonably level development areas on the site. The plan illustrates those areas of the site where ground levels will be raised or lowered by 1m or more.

Re-grading works will be designed to minimise the amount of material that is brought onto or taken away from the site. This will help to reduce the impact of development on the local area.

Road Access Options: Two alternative residential access options have been identified.

1. The first option is for an access close to the existing pub car park entrance, 34m east of the Moorland Gate junction.

2. The second option is for the access road to be located 43m east of Moorland Gate. This would be closer to the Spinners Arms, but would provide a greater separation from the existing junction with Moorland Gate.

An independent Safety Audit has been prepared and presented to the Highway Authority, which has confirmed that there are no highway safety concerns with either access option.

Both of these access options would cross land which is currently leased to the owners of the Spinners Arms and used as a car park and decking area. An indicative area to the rear of the Spinners Arms has been identified for alternative parking facilities.

The preferred access to the industrial site is via Moorland Gate. A separate access off Moorland Gate is proposed to provide access to the Gypsy and Traveller pitches. Views are sought as to which of these access options are preferred.Two other residential access locations were also assessed, but found not to be appropriate solutions for a number of reasons:

1. A new access road off Moorland Gate was considered but would not be preferable to the Planning and Highway Authorities on the grounds that it would mix industrial and residential traffic. The access would also enter an extremely steeply sloping area of the site and therefore require very significant regrading.

2. A roundabout at the junction of Moorland Gate and Cowling Road was also considered, but discounted due to its size (35m diameter), cost, character and the scale of associated earthworks.

A series of attenuation ponds are also proposed which would retain surface water during periods of heavy rainfall as part of a sustainable drainage network, adding to the ecological value of the site and providing opportunities for integration with green infrastructure corridors running across the site.

Access Option 1: 34m from Moorland Gate

Access Option 2: 43m from Moorland Gate

Countour Plan and Indicative Earthworks

Area raised by 1m+

Steep slopes

Area cut by 1m+

Cowling Farm Masterplan ConsultationEnvironmental Noise: A noise survey has been undertaken across the site. The primary masterplan issue relates to noise from the M61 motorway, which is at its greatest along the eastern side of the site.

It is proposed that an acoustic barrier / fence will be installed along the eastern boundary of the site which will reduce noise levels within the site. In addition, homes which face towards the motorway will be set back from the boundary of the site by a minimum of 40m, and additional sound insulation measures will be incorporated within the building design.

Gypsy and Traveller Site: Acoustic issues are also relevant to the siting of the Gypsy and Traveller pitches.

Two alternative locations have been identified for the 0.4 hectare facility.

1. The first location to the east of the site is closer to the M61 where the ambient noise levels are at their highest. This option will require a dedicated access road off Moorland Gate to the Gypsy and Traveller site. This could be single track with passing places to minimise costs.

2. The second option is located to the west of the site, to the north of the proposed residential area. The site would be accessed via a dedicated access off Moorland Gate. It is noted that although environmental noise levels in this part of the site are still an issue, these may be reduced through the introduction of an acoustic barrier.

A landscape buffer is proposed around the Gypsy and traveller site. This will be integrated with the package of earthworks and public realm design to ensure that the amenity of all occupants of the site is maintained.

Views are sought regarding the preferred option for the Gypsy and Traveller pitches.

Gypsy and Traveller Site Option 1

Gypsy and Traveller Site Option 2

Indicative Environmental Noise Levels with Acoustic Mitigation

Next Steps

Public consultation is being undertaken between Monday 22nd October 2018 and Friday 16th November 2018 to allow members of the public to review these background reports and to provide comments on the Draft Masterplan Options which have been developed for the site.

Two drop in sessions will be held to allow members of the public to discuss the masterplan with representatives of the Council, Homes England and their consultantadvisors.

The drop in sessions will be held at:

Tatton Community Centre Silverdale Road Chorley PR6 0PR

The sessions will be held on the following dates:

• Tuesday 30th October between 3:00pm and 7:00pm• Thursday 8th November between 2:00pm and 5:30pm

Specific comments are requested regarding the potential location of development areas and open space with the site, alternative means of access and any other relevant design or planning considerations.

All comments regarding the masterplan should be sent in writing to:

Civic Offices Union Street Chorley Council Lancashire PR7 1AL

or by email to:

CowlingFarm@bdp.com

All comments must be received by Friday 16th November 2018.

Chorley Council and Homes England are keen to understand your views on the proposals.

Please let us know what you think of the proposals by filling out one of the questionnaires at the event today.

In addition, a copy of the boards can be downloaded from:

http://chorley.gov.uk/Pages/AtoZ/Consultations.aspx

Comments can also be sent to:

CowlingFarm@bdp.com

Cowling Farm Masterplan Consultation

All comments received during the consultation period will be reviewed and considered by Chorley Council and Homes England. Chorley Council as the Planning Authority will ultimately be responsible for endorsing a Masterplan.

It is anticipated that the Council will formally consider a report regarding the Cowling Farm Masterplan and the outcome of public consultation in December 2018 in advance of a planning application being submitted.