Florida Farm North, St Helens

September 2015

Florida Farm North, St HelensDevelopment Vision Statement

Contents

© Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners. Designed by Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners Ltd 2015. Trading as Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners. All Rights Reserved. Registered Office: 14 Regent’s Wharf, All Saints Street, London N1 9RL. This document is formatted for double sided printing. All plans within this document produced by NLP are based upon Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. © Crown Copyright reserved. Licence number AL50684A

Executive Summary 1

1.0 Introduction 5

2.0 About Bericote Properties 9

3.0 Site and Surroundings 13

4.0 Is There a Need for Development in the Green Belt? 17

5.0 The Contribution of the Site to the Purposes of the Green Belt 21

6.0 Is the Site Suitable and Sustainable? 27

7.0 Is the Site Deliverable? 35

8.0 Vision for the Site 43

9.0 Conclusion 47

This document is confidential and prepared for your information. Therefore, you should not, without prior written consent, refer to or use our name or this document for any other purpose, disclose them or refer to them in any prospectus or other document, or make them available or communicate them to any other party.

Introduction

The site will create a sustainable employment extension to Haydock Industrial Estate accommodating approximately 1,500,000 sq ft of industrial and warehouse buildings, with ancillary office development, and will provide a vastly improved access to the industrial estate.

This Development Vision Statement demonstrates that land at Florida Farm North:

• Is the most sustainable and deliverable Green Belt site for employment development adjoining the edge of the St Helens urban area for release.

• Is entirely suitable to be allocated for future employment development due to its physical containment and consolidation of employment development in this part of Haydock through the extension of the established Haydock Industrial Estate.

• Has no technical or environmental constraints that would prevent the development of the site.

• Provides significant economic, social and environmental benefits. In particular, proactively drives and supports sustainable economic development delivering significant employment opportunities that meet the needs of the local area. This will be at least 1,800 jobs and possibly significantly higher depending on the nature of the end users. It responds to the need to contribute to positive economic growth in St Helens addressing the low Gross Value Added (GVA) and employment levels, educational underachievement, low work productivity, low wages, unemployment, economic inactivity and deprivation.

• Will vastly improve the access arrangement to the Haydock Industrial Estate.

The site no longer fulfils its purpose as Green Belt land. Its allocation for future development would NOT:

• Result in the unrestricted sprawl of Haydock. The A48 (Liverpool Road), Haydock Industrial Estate and A580 (East Lancashire Road) provides a long term defensible boundary to the north, south and east of the site. It therefore forms a logical rounding off to the urban area.

• Result in the coalescence of neighbouring towns into one another.

• Impact on the setting and special character of a historic town as St Helens is not a nationally recognised historic town.

• Prevent the recycling of brownfield land but will be complementary to it as there is insufficient previously developed land in St Helens to meet the future economic development needs of the Borough. Previously developed land in sustainable locations within Haydock Industrial Estate and the M62 Link Road Corridor will remain priority areas for economic development. However, given that the Council has very limited previously developed land there is no alternative than to develop in the Green Belt in this location.

Executive Summary

There are exceptional circumstances which support its release from the Green Belt

The Council’s evidence clearly demonstrates that the only realistic and viable alternative is to take land out of the Green Belt. The Council acknowledges in its Adopted Core Strategy that it needs to allocate at least 37 ha of employment land. The St Helens Allocations and Sustainable Development Local Plan indicates that there is an even greater need to allocate additional employment land identifying that St Helens needs to release a possible total of 352.3 ha of land from the Green Belt to meet its housing and economic development needs. The possible total amount of land required for employment purposes in the Borough is 53.3 ha. This land is required to:

• Mitigate recent employment land losses of 21 ha to residential development.

• Provide an estimated 20 ha contingency reserve of employment land.

• Provide 12.3 ha safeguarded land for the period 2027-2032 (source: Scope of the St Helens Allocations and Sustainable Development Local Plan §2.29).

• The Council is currently verifying the actual amount employment land needed and have appointed the BE Group to assess its objectively assessed employment land needs to 2032.

CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS

Investment Value [estimated total cost of construction]

Direct Employment[estimated to create 762 person years of construction employment over the length of the build]

762 JobsIndirect/Induced Employment[115 permanent equivalent jobs could be supported in the construction supply chain]

115 Jobs

Economic Output[expected additional, per annum]

£10.7m GVA£68.5m

LOCAL AUTHORITY REVENUE IMPACTS

1,800Direct On-Site Employment [Minimum of 1,800 industrial/distribution jobs]

520 Indirect/Induced Employment [520 Jobs]

£79.1m

Economic Output [expected GVA per annum from operational employment]

£1mBusiness Rates[£1m payments per annum to the LA]

OPERATIONAL IMPACTS

ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS IMPACTS

Designed and prepared by NLP (June 2015)

Access to New Markets Attraction of Inward Investment

Investor Confidence

eVAL

UATE

IN

DUST

RY

The proposed warehouse development offers the opportunity to provide employment, stimulate economic growth and help to relieve pressure on local authority budget cuts.

The Economic Benefits of the proposed warehouse development at Florida Farm North, St Helens

02

04

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Significant Public Benefits

In addition to improving the access to the Haydock Industrial Estate, there are a number of significant material planning benefits which will be delivered through the allocation and future development of the land. Some of which are shown in the infographic opposite.

This Development Vision Statement has been prepared by Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners on behalf of Bericote Properties. It promotes the allocation of land at Florida Farm North, Haydock for employment development in the emerging St Helens Allocations and Sustainable Development Local Plan.

1 .0Introduction

6Florida Farm North, St Helens : Development Vision Statement5

This Development Vision Statement has been prepared by Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners on behalf of Bericote Properties, with specialist input from technical consultants. It provides supporting information to St Helens Council and other stakeholders demonstrating the merits of a further expansion of the Haydock Industrial Estate.It is intended to assist the Council in promoting the allocation of the Florida Farm North Site within the emerging Allocations and Sustainable Development [ASD] Local Plan and establishes that there are no policy or physical barriers to the successful implementation of the proposed development of Florida Farm North. It also provides information about Bericote Properties, the proposed developer of the scheme, and their significant track record in developing these type of schemes successfully throughout the country.

The land at Florida Farm North, Haydock presents an ideal opportunity to provide a sustainable employment development which will help meet the economic development needs of the Borough. Ideally located on the A580 Liverpool - East Lancashire Road, just 1.5 miles (2 minutes driving time) west of Junction 23 of the M6, the site has direct and convenient access to the national highways network. The site also represents an extension and consolidation to the existing Haydock Industrial Estate, with significant improvements to the existing access.

The need for Green Belt release to provide additional employment land is set out in the emerging St Helens ASD Local Plan Scoping Report 2012. The Council recognise that exceptional circumstances exist to justify an alteration to the Green Belt boundary to be able to meet the Borough’s economic development and housing needs.

1 .0Introduction

Despite the focus on urban renewal and regeneration, there is a need to release Greenfield land for employment development. The development of this site will not undermine the objectives of the Green Belt in this location, and should be identified as a preferred option for Green Belt release by the Council.

This statement will:

1. Provide an analysis of the physical and technical constraints of the site;

2. Explain why the site is suitable for development, taking account of the Government’s policy for the release of Green Belt land and the focus on sustainable patterns of development; and,

3. Set out the overall Development Vision for the site.

It is requested that the Florida Farm North Site is removed from the Green Belt and allocated for employment use in the emerging St Helens Allocations and Sustainable Development Local Plan. The proposals will help meet the economic development needs of the Borough and result in sustainable growth by meeting the economic, environmental and social needs of the Borough for this and future generations.

2.0About Bericote Properties


Bericote Properties is a niche commercial developer, specialising in occupier led development and the promotion and development of large sites around the UK. They are currently one of the most active developers in the industrial property sector, having developed 1.5 million sq ft. in 2014 and currently on site building over 2 million sq ft in 2015.

Bericote Properties has undertaken substantial projects for a variety of blue-chip occupiers including ASDA Wal-mart, Tesco, Sainsburys, Ocado and Rolls Royce. Turnover in 2014 was £97.2m. The group has no external borrowings and has significant cash reserves. It is the group’s policy to use its own balance sheet to fund the early stages of development.

Bericote Properties have recently opened a Manchester office to cover the North in addition to existing offices in London and Leamington Spa, taking the team to eight including three regionally-focussed development directors.

Examples of recent successes, all of which have resulted in significant job creation, are below. For more information visit bericoteproperties.com.

2.0About Bericote Properties

Rolls Royce

Bericote Properties were invited by Rolls Royce Motor Cars to tender for the site acquisition and procurement of two new fulfilment centres totalling 410,000 sq ft on the south coast, close to their HQ in Goodwood, Chichester. Bericote Properties were selected over 5 other major UK and Global developers as the preferred partner to procure the facility. Having secured the site and acquired the planning consent, the facility is now under construction and when complete will result in 400 jobs.

Ocado

Following an extensive site search throughout the South East, Ocado selected Bericote Properties’ site at Erith for their Home Shopping Centre requirement. Ocado were attracted by the certainty provided by Bericote Properties, having de-risked the site and so being able to guarantee Ocado’s tight delivery programme for the new £250m facility of 570,000 sq ft. When operational, the facility will create up to 3,500 jobs.

Asda

Bericote Properties was selected by the world’s largest retailer ASDA Wal-mart, to deliver their North West distribution facility at Warrington, a 400,000 sq ft unit and a £100 million investment, Wal-mart’s largest single investment in the UK. When fully operational, it will employ 500 people.

J Sainsbury

After a competitive tender process, Bericote Properties was selected to deliver a new 250,000 sq ft chilled and frozen facility on Sainsbury’s own site in Charlton, South London. Sainsbury’s saw Bericote Properties as being focused, dynamic and entrepreneurial in approach.

3.0Site and Surroundings

141313 Florida Farm North, St Helens : Development Vision Statement

Site Context

The Florida Farm North Site extends to approximately 36 Hectares and is located immediately to the north of the A580 adjacent to the Haydock Industrial Estate. The northern edge of Haydock lies a short distance beyond the A580. It is irregular in shape, with its north-western boundary defined roughly parallel to the A58 Liverpool Road, which sits approximately 150m away.

The site is bounded to the:

1. North west by the residential properties fronting Slag Lane. To the North and north east is agricultural land in a different ownership and a combination of hedge and fence demarks the edge of the site. A public footpath runs along this boundary and also a line of overhead power cables, connecting Pewfall Park to the Haydock Industrial Estate.

2. South by the A580 beyond which lies open countryside and the residential properties of Springfield Park.

3. East by the edge of the existing buildings on the Haydock Industrial Estate. The industrial estate is made up of a range of ageing industrial units, formed from a variety of materials; predominantly brickwork and metal / asbestos cladding systems. Clipsley Brook, an existing open watercourse, runs along the edge of the industrial estate, also defining the site boundary.

4. West by an existing watercourse, which meanders north eastwards from the junction of Slag Lane with the A580. This links up with some pond features on its course and sits within a swathe of mature trees, forming an ecological corridor. Beyond this lies further agricultural fields and the residential properties of Liverpool Road (A58).

3.0 Site and Surroundings

KEY

Figure 2: Key Constraints Plan

The key constraints on the development of the site are illustrated here

4.0Is There a Need for Development in the Green Belt?

17

The St Helens ASD Local Plan (July 2013) indicates that:

1. Through the Green Belt review, the Council is considering which parcels of land, if developed, will cause least harm to the Green Belt, along with an assessment of development potential.

2. The Core Strategy identifies that at least 37 ha of land must be made available for employment uses (offices, factories and warehouses). Whilst vacant or under-used land in existing employment areas is expected to make a large contribution, recent losses of employment land to non-employment use (around 21 ha) must be offset. The only realistic and viable alternative is to take land out of the Green Belt [§2.23].

3. The possible total amount of land required for employment purposes in the Green Belt is 53 ha. This land is required to:

a. Mitigate recent employment land losses of 21 ha to residential development.

b. Provide an estimated 20 ha contingency reserve of employment land.

c. Provide 12 ha safeguarded land for the period 2027-2032.

4.0 Is there a Need for Development in the Green Belt?

The Development Plan which provides the basis for planning decisions in the area up until 2027 comprises the St Helens Unitary Development Plan (1998) and the St Helens Core Strategy [CS] (2012). In July 2013, the Council consulted on the Scope of the St Helens Allocations and Sustainable Development [ASD] Local Plan which incorporates methodology for the St Helens Green Belt review.

The Core Strategy established that exceptional circumstances existed for the release of land in the Green Belt. In particular, the removal of land from the Green Belt will be required to meet the Borough’s longer term development needs [CS Policy CSS1, Policy CH1, §3.11, §3.12, §6.2, §6.11 & §6.13 & CQL2].

Core Strategy Policy CSS1 supports economic development in sustainable locations within the M62 Link Road Corridor in St Helens and Haydock Industrial Estate.

Allocations Local Plan Scoping Report , Core Strategy, NPPF.

National Planning Policy Framework

www.communities.gov.uk community, opportunity, prosperity

The Council demonstrated that exceptional circumstances for Green Belt release existed when the Core Strategy was adopted in 2012. There are strong economic growth arguments for allocating the site for employment development.

The future development of the site will secure higher social and environmental standards, and deliver well-designed buildings and places that can improve the lives of people and communities.

The Council is in the process of identifying the most suitable sites for release through the forthcoming consultation on the St Helens Allocations and Sustainable Development Local Plan.

The Florida Farm North Site should be identified for employment development through this process and the extension of Haydock Industrial Estate is favoured by the Council in its Core Strategy.

Local Development Framework Core Strategy

Publication Version – May 2009

LDF43E

St.Helens Local PlanCore Strategy

October 2012

5.0The Contribution of the Site to the Purposes of the Green Belt


5.0 The Contribution of the Site to the Purposes of the Green Belt

St Helens Green Belt

The St Helens Green Belt was originally defined in 1983 as part of the Merseyside Green Belt Local Plan which, with the exception of Halton, defined the Green Belt for the whole of Greater Merseyside. The Green Belt was defined to achieve several purposes, including assisting urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of land and to stop the unrestricted sprawl of large built up areas.

The Green Belt covers all of the countryside around the main towns and villages in St Helens, and also ‘washes over’ some individual buildings and small settlements such as Kings Moss and Bold Heath.

The St Helens Green Belt boundary has remained un-changed since the adoption of the Merseyside Green Belt Local Plan in 1983. However, in order to meet the Borough’s social, economic and regeneration needs and to enable it to compete with other neighbouring authorities, St Helens now needs to release land from the Green Belt to maintain its existing population and attract people to live and work in the Borough.

Figure 3: Green Belt


Compliance with the Purposes of Including Land in the Green Belt

The National Planning Policy Framework [§80] states there are five purposes of including land in Green Belts:

• To check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;

• To prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another;

• To assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;

• To preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and,

• To assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.

It is considered that the site no longer fulfils any of the five purposes of including land within the Green Belt. This document considers the site’s contribution to each purpose in turn.

To Check the Unrestricted Sprawl of Large Built-up Areas

The Florida Farm North Site has strong defensible boundaries and is almost entirely enclosed by existing built development including residential properties, major roads, and an area of major employment at the Haydock Industrial Estate. These features contain the site and ensure seperation from the open countryside to the north. The only break in the current enclosure of the site exists along the relatively short north east boundary of the site towards Garswood. However, there is an opportunity to create a long term defensible landscaped edge to this boundary.

The removal of the Florida Farm North Site from the Green Belt will not result in the unrestricted sprawl of Haydock. Employment development on the site would consolidate the existing settlement pattern. It would also create a logical extension to the Haydock Industrial Estate, in line with the Adopted Core Strategy Policy CSS1.

To Prevent Neighbouring Towns from Merging into One Another

The Florida Farm North Site is not essential to achieving this Green Belt purpose. The site lies to the north of the A580 and east of the Haydock Industrial Estate.

The site does not comprise an essential parcel of land that needs to be kept open for any strategic reason. The site is already bounded by existing development to the north, east and the west, and by the A580 to the south.

The A58 Liverpool Road provides a strong defensible boundary to prevent northwards and westwards development from Haydock towards Clinkham Wood, Billinge and Garswood. The allocation of the Florida Farm North Site would not reduce the separation distances between Haydock and Clinkham Wood, or Haydock and Billinge.

The resultant gap between the Florida Farm North Site and Garswood would be over 960m, significantly greater than the narrowest point of separation between the two settlements. The Park Industrial Estate (Garswood) extends south-eastwards from Garswood, and is separated from the Haydock Industrial Estate (Haydock) by only 585m. Therefore, the development of Florida Farm North would not result in the narrowing of the gap, and would not result in neighbouring towns merging.

The removal of the land from the Green Belt will not result in the merging of neighbouring towns into one another.

To Assist in Safeguarding the Countryside from Encroachment

Strong boundaries are a key factor in preventing encroachment into the open countryside. The Florida Farm North Site is strongly defined by existing physical durable boundaries including roads (A580 and A58), residential development (along Slag Lane), and industrial development (Haydock Industrial Estate). The release of the site would result in the delivery of a natural extension to both the industrial estate, and the built up area of Haydock.

The allocation and future development of the site would not extend any further into the countryside to the north. It would also consolidate the built up urban area. When set within the context of existing built up area and strong physical site boundaries, the site does not contribute to the open nature of the countryside. Its future development for employment use is not considered inappropriate in its existing setting.

The removal of the site from the Green Belt does not contravene or affect the purpose of safeguarding the countryside from encroachment.

To Preserve the Setting and Special Character of Historic Towns

St Helens is not a nationally recognised historic town and the Scoping Report for the St Helens ASD Local Plan (July 2013) recognises that no action is required in respect of this purpose.

There are no Listed Buildings or Conservation Areas in close proximity to the site. The nearest Listed Building is ‘Le Chateau’ on Millfield Road, part of a dower house to Garswood New Hall, the majority of which has now been demolished. However, the building is over 750m away from the site, and its setting will not be impacted on by the proposed development.

The removal of this site from the Green Belt does not contravene the purpose of preserving the setting and special character of a historic town.

To Assist in Urban Regeneration by Encouraging the Recycling of Derelict and Other Urban Land

The Adopted St Helens Core Strategy (2012) states that Green Belt release will be required to ensure sufficient employment land is identified for the period 2022-2027. Green Belt release is required to accommodate the adopted economic growth requirements as set out in the Core Strategy.

The Scoping Report for the St Helens ASD Local Plan (July 2013) acknowledges that the only realistic option for providing all of the required employment land in St Helens, is to take land out of the Green Belt [§2.23].

The final amount of land to be released from the Green Belt is to be verified by the BE Group Employment Land Study which is currently under preparation.

The release of the Florida Farm North Site from the Green Belt would not prevent the recycling of derelict land and other urban land because the availability of brownfield land is insufficient to meet the Borough’s employment land needs. In adopting the Core Strategy, the Council acknowledged that Green Belt release was necessary to meet its economic development needs.

The removal of the Florida Farm North Site from the Green Belt will not result in the unrestricted sprawl of Haydock, the merging of towns, or encroachment into the countryside. Any development on the site would be well contained and enclosed from the open countryside by the existing built development that contains the site. Furthermore, the removal of the site from the Green Belt would not prevent the recycling of derelict and other urban land.

The site no longer contributes to the purposes of including land within the Green Belt.

6.0Is the Site Suitable and Sustainable?


SUPERPORTGlobal Freight & Logistics H

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M62

M40

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John Lennon

AirportManchester

InternationalSheffield

Brighton

Glasgow Edinburgh

Newcastle

Leeds

Manchester

Plymouth

Southampton

BristolCardiffSwansea

LondonOxford

Luton

Gloucester

BirminghamLeicesterWolverhampton

Coventry

Norwich

NottinghamStoke

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Belfast

DublinIRELAND

Northampton

Cambridge

Derby

BradfordPreston

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M56

NORTH

AND LATIN

AMERICA

MAINLAND

EUROPE AND ASIA

LIVERPOOL

6.0 Is the Site Suitable and Sustainable? Why Haydock?

The North West of England has long been sought after by industrial and distribution occupiers primarily due to its extensive motorway network and large urban population. The bulk of large space occupiers have tended to site along the M6 and M62 North Manchester corridors. The recent success of Warrington to attract occupiers such as ASDA Wal-mart, Travis Perkins and the Hut Group is a good example of this. St Helens, and in particular Haydock, is well-located to build on this trend being linked via the A580 dual carriageway to the recently upgraded junction 23 of the M6. Occupiers would have quick and easy access to the motorway network and beyond.

However, large space occupiers are also now beginning to view the Merseyside region as a compelling location. This is for a number of reasons including the large scale investment currently ongoing at Liverpool 2, the new deep water container terminal at the Port of Liverpool. When completed towards the end of 2015, it will dramatically increase the annual handling capacity of the port and is expected to result in a significant increase in jobs and investment into the area.

The need for additional logistics facilities to meet the growing demand is supported by the Liverpool City Region LEP. A recent Market Analysis report by the LEP highlighted the importance of creating logistics clusters to support high value added and comprehensive logistics goods and services. In

order to maximise the opportunities provided by Liverpool 2, the LEP report notes that there is a demand for a minimum of 634 ha of land for logistics development over the next 20 years. Whilst there is some short term supply, such as Omega at Warrington, there is a critical need for around 400 ha of additional high quality sites that are suitable for logistics clusters. The Florida Farm North Site can contribute to meeting the need, whilst enhancing the existing logistics facilities within the Haydock Industrial Estate.

There are a range of infrastructure investments being made by private and public sectors in the Liverpool City Region. This is part of the Government’s Northern Powerhouse Agenda, which aims to rebalance the country’s economy and establish the North of England as a global powerhouse. Logistics developments are a crucial part of the Government’s agenda and it is accepted that there is a need to increase the capacity of distribution networks including ports, road and rail systems, and logistics hub facilities.

In this context, the Government is supporting a range of Infrastructure investments such as the improvement of the M6/A580 junction and the creation of the M6 as a Smart Motorway from Junction 21a to Junction 26. The Florida Farm North Site makes use of these infrastructure investments and helps to deliver one of the objectives of the Government’s Northern Powerhouse Agenda.

SUPERPORT

LIVERPOOL CITY REGIONSUPERPORT

MARKET ANALYSIS LAND AND PROPERTY

March 2014

Superport Vision Document, Liverpool City Region Superport Market Analysis Report, and the Government’s Northern Powerhouse Agenda

The Northern Powerhouse: One Agenda, One Economy, One North

A report on the Northern Transport Strategy

March 2015

Site Suitability

The Adopted Core Strategy Policy CSS1 supports future economic growth in sustainable locations within the M62 Link Road Corridor in St Helens. It is entirely appropriate to support the continued expansion and growth of the Haydock Industrial Estate. Development of the site will also provide a vastly improved access to the Haydock Industrial Estate.

Another infrastructure project which is expected to benefit the entire region is the construction of the new Mersey Gateway, a six lane bridge between Widnes and Runcorn, scheduled to complete in 2017. The success of Jaguar Land Rover at Halewood has also contributed to demand for large space by suppliers, keen to be within close proximity of the car plant. Finally, Liverpool City Region remains an area with a ready supply of available labour. Again, St Helens and specifically Haydock with its strong regional connectivity is ideally placed to take advantage of this increased occupational demand.

In summary, the whole of the North West of England is projected to continue to benefit from strong demand from occupiers for large industrial and distribution units. Haydock is an ideal location to benefit from the strong demand for M6 locations as well as the recent interest in the Merseyside region. Delivery of a large, accessible and developable site is key in attracting these occupiers.

A key benefit of attracting these types of occupiers to these units is that they are generally high employment generators, way beyond historic averages.

Sustainable Development

When reviewing Green Belt boundaries, in order to promote sustainable patterns of development, Councils are specifically required by the Government to secure gains in relation to the economic, social and environmental roles of sustainable development.

Economic Role

The development at Florida Farm North accords with, and will help to deliver, the regional economic development objectives stated in the Government’s Northern Powerhouse Agenda, and the Liverpool City Region LEP support for logistics in association with Liverpool Superport.

In particular, the Atlantic Gateway is a partnership between the Liverpool City Region LEP, Greater Manchester LEP, and Cheshire and Warrington LEP areas, and is recognised by the Government as being ‘critically important to a rebalancing of the national economy’. Part of the Atlantic Gateway, Liverpool 2 is a major infrastructure project that will double the capacity of the Port of Liverpool, driving growth in the north of England. In order to achieve all of this, the Liverpool City Region need to lead on Freight and Logistics growth. The provision of industrial and warehousing buildings on the Florida Farm North Site will assist in the delivery of the Atlantic Gateway, and therefore has more than local importance in helping drive economic growth.

29 30Florida Farm North, St Helens : Development Vision Statement

CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS

Investment Value [estimated total cost of construction]

Direct Employment[estimated to create 762 person years of construction employment over the length of the build]

762 JobsIndirect/Induced Employment[115 permanent equivalent jobs could be supported in the construction supply chain]

115 Jobs

Economic Output[expected additional, per annum]

£10.7m GVA£68.5m

LOCAL AUTHORITY REVENUE IMPACTS

1,800Direct On-Site Employment [Minimum of 1,800 industrial/distribution jobs]

520 Indirect/Induced Employment [520 Jobs]

£79.1m

Economic Output [expected GVA per annum from operational employment]

£1mBusiness Rates[£1m payments per annum to the LA]

OPERATIONAL IMPACTS

ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS IMPACTS

Designed and prepared by NLP (June 2015)

Access to New Markets Attraction of Inward Investment

Investor Confidence

eVAL

UATE

IN

DUST

RY

The proposed warehouse development offers the opportunity to provide employment, stimulate economic growth and help to relieve pressure on local authority budget cuts.

The Economic Benefits of the proposed warehouse development at Florida Farm North, St Helens

02

04

03

01The economic benefits of the proposed development, both during the construction stages and the ongoing operation of an industrial and warehosing development on the site are demonstrated in the infographic on the right.

The Council supports the regional objectives and has aspirations to increase employment and attract new business investment into St Helens. Bericote Properties can assist in achieving this through significant levels of private investment and job creation.

The delivery of employment development on the Florida Farm North Site will provide jobs and help businesses to improve, grow and take on more staff, thereby attracting more people to move to the area.

New employment opportunities will assist in improving the skills of local people, enabling them to take greater advantage of employment opportunities both on the site itself and on nearby employment sites which would be complemented by the proposed development, such as the Haydock Industrial Estate.

Social Role

The allocation of the Florida Farm North Site will result in significant social benefits through the extension of employment land in Haydock. The provision of further employment opportunities in an already established location will meet the needs of the community in providing jobs for present and future generations.

It is envisaged that the scheme will deliver a high quality designed development which is accessible to the existing community, and also improve access to the Haydock Industrial Estate.

Multiple Deprivation Levels in St Helens are amongst the highest in the country and there are some relatively deprived areas in close proximity to the site as shown by the figure on the right. One of the key challenges for the Borough is to deliver large developer-ready sites and other employment land [Core Strategy §3.7].

The allocation of the site will facilitate the creation of at least 1,800 jobs which could be resourced in the local area and provide new jobs for industrial and warehouse operatives, office staff, clerical and managerial roles.

This figure is based on typical historic values for logistics developments. The actual number of jobs created could be 2-3 times higher if the buildings are occupied by internet/dotcom fulfilment operators. For example, the development at Erith occupied by Ocado (see page 9), demonstrates that Bericote Properties have a track record of delivering developments that exceed typical job creation figures.

Bericote Properties will participate in a Local Employment Scheme to promote the use of local construction firms and suppliers during the construction period of the site.

In order to tackle social deprivation, Core Strategy Strategic Objective 5.1 seeks to “provide and protect sufficient land and premises to meet local employment needs and support the implementation of the City Growth Strategy.”

The creation of jobs will inevitably meet the community’s needs and support the Borough’s health and social well-being. The allocation and future development of the Florida Farm North Site will help to tackle social deprivation in the Borough by providing land for employment and jobs.

31 32Florida Farm North, St Helens : Development Vision Statement

Haydock Lane, St Helens Existing Access

Scale:Drawing Number: Date:1:5000 @ A313007 - F020A 10 August 2015

East Bound Tra�c

West Bound Tra�c

E Lancashire Rd

Haydock Lane

E Lancashire Rd A580

Piele Rd

Mill�eld Ln

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KEY:

Haydock Lane, St Helens Existing Access


East Bound Tra�c

West Bound Tra�c

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KEY:Existing Access

Haydock Lane, St Helens Proposed Access


Existing East Bound Tra�c Access

Proposed New All Way Access

Existing West Bound Tra�c Access

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KEY:

Haydock Lane, St Helens Proposed Access


Existing East Bound Tra�c Access

Proposed New All Way Access

Existing West Bound Tra�c Access

E Lancashire Rd

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Piele Rd

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KEY:Proposed Access

Environmental Role

The development of the Florida Farm North Site will not have any adverse impacts on identified heritage assets, or on any designated sites of special or ecological value.

The visual impacts of the proposed development will be minimised by taking advantage of the topography and using cut and fill techniques to lower the floor level of the buildings to minimise their apparent height in the landscape. The use of planting will soften the appearance of the proposed buildings and surrounding service yards and car parks.

The provision of a roundabout will provide a number of positive benefits; enabling a direct means of access to be provided to the site whilst maintaining full access to Haydock Lane. This supports optimal masterplanning of the site along with enhancing the existing accessibility of Haydock Lane to the A580.

The site is well located in relation to the Strategic Highway Network. The scheme will include the provision of an improved junction on the A580 to serve the site and create a gateway feature into the existing Haydock Industrial Estate. The new junction will facilitate improved access into the industrial estate, making it easier for vehicles travelling to and from the M6 to enter and exit the industrial estate. The improved arrangement is illustrated in the plans below, which demonstrate that the scheme should reduce journey distances with a consequential saving in fuel costs and reduction in vehicle emissions. The improvements will facilitate further investment in the Haydock Industrial Estate and reduce the operating costs for the current occupiers such as Sainsbury’s.

The proposed development will meet the Government’s objectives for sustainable development by providing significant economic, social and environmental benefits.

The proposed development will also provide a range of environmental benefits, including:

1. The improvement of pedestrian/cycle crossing facilities over the A580, improving the accessibility by non-car modes of transport between the Haydock Industrial Estate to the residential areas to the south of the A580.

2. The provision of landscape planting along the north eastern boundary creating a long term defensible and attractive edge to the site;

3. An acoustic bund to protect the visual and noise amenity of residential properties along Liverpool Road and Slag Lane; and,

4. Additional planting within the site which will provide visual interest.

As well as the provision of a Sustainable Urban Drainage System [SuDS] which will minimise waste and support new habitats and ecosystems, the development will incorporate energy efficiency systems to reduce the energy demand of the buildings.

7.0Is the Site Deliverable?


7.0 Is the Site Deliverable?

Available

The site is within the control of a major developer and can be delivered for employment. Bericote Properties is seeking to develop the site at the earliest opportunity following the adoption of the ASD Local Plan. The site would be brought forward for development within five years.

Achievable

Landscape

The site occupies an urban fringe landscape context comprising a mix of uses and influences.

In landscape character terms, the site occupies a position on the edge of the more industrial and urban areas to the east and south and the more rural landscape to the north west. The St Helens Landscape Character Assessment (2006) defines the area within the Broad Rural Slopes Landscape Type and on the edge of the Industrial Fringe Landscape Type, reflecting this change.

The site includes a stream and an area of existing woodland and a couple of other small copses within the site. Other existing trees and hedgerow planting is located largely around the perimeter of the site. The preliminary assessment of the landscape value of the site and its immediate context is low to medium.

New employment development could be suitably assimilated within this landscape context. The conservation of the mature woodland planting in the west and the inclusion of other strengthened planted boundaries would be included as an integral part of the scheme.

The focus on the new landscape proposals would be around the site`s perimeter and a robust landscape setting would be created from the existing and new native planting and habitats. This landscape framework would assist in mitigating any adverse landscape and visual effects arising from the proposed development and would support the woodland planting strategy for this area as outlined in the Mersey Forest Plan.

There are no landscape constraints preventing the future allocation and development of the site.

Ecology

The site lies within a predominantly urban context. Habitat linkages exist to the north where there is further agricultural land, and to the south via a stream and a ditch below the A580.

The site comprises intensively managed agricultural land of limited ecological value. A small network of linear features exists including species poor, heavily managed hedgerows and two water courses.

The woodland block in the western portion of the site supports some woodland flora but is dominated by the invasive Himalayan Balsam. Two smaller woodland copses occur in the north.

Two field ponds of no ecological interest occur within the southernmost field. Other non-native invasive species include Japanese knotweed along the eastern ditch, which would be treated.

Suitable habitat for protected species is restricted to the more semi-natural habitats and linear features. Preliminary bat surveys indicate that bats utilise the linear features, in particular the woodland edges. Waterbodies do not support Great Crested Newts and there is no evidence of Badgers using the site.

The woodland belt and its associated stream would provide a key part of the green infrastructure, seeking to create a more diverse complex of habitats than at present.

There are no ecological constraints preventing the future allocation and development of the site.

Archaeology

An archaeological desk-based assessment of the proposed development site found that there are no designated heritage assets on the site and there will be no impact upon any designated heritage assets in the wider area.

The site contains a single non-designated heritage asset; the route of an inclined plane from Gerard’s Quay to Pewfall Colliery, approximately 40m of which is located within the site. The inclined plane will be preserved within proposed landscaping.

The site has a low potential for significant archaeological remains of all periods.

There are no known heritage constraints that would prevent the future allocation and development of the site.


Flooding and Drainage

The site is at low risk of flooding from tidal, groundwater, existing sewers and artificial sources. The majority of the site is within Flood Zone 1 and at low risk of fluvial flooding (an annual probability of less than 1 in 1000 in any year (<0.1%)). Some of the site at the south east extent is within Flood Zone 2 (an annual probability of fluvial flooding of between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 in any year.) There will be no buildings located within Flood Zone 2, and therefore the risk to the occupants of the site is low.

In response to a pre-development enquiry, St Helens Council have highlighted that there are issues with fluvial flooding downstream of the site, resulting from Clipsley Brook at West End Road. However, the Environmental Agency [EA] have stated that they will be repairing the culvert of Clipsley Brook that is currently causing the flooding. St Helens Council have also confirmed that there is a requirement for a 8m easement from the top of bank of existing watercourses to allow for maintenance access

The EA surface water maps show portions of the centre of the site to be at high risk of surface water flooding (chance of flooding of greater than 1 in 30 (3.3%)). The proposed positive drainage system for the site will provide mitigation and the site will include new roads and car parks laid to falls, in line with best practice guidance to direct surface water runoff to the nearest highway channel and gully and away from the proposed buildings.

The run-off from roofs and hard paved areas will be directed through pollution prevention measures into onsite attenuation ponds, which will contain the additional surface water runoff generated as a result of developing the site. Discharge from the attenuation ponds to the local watercourses will be restricted to greenfield rates to mimic the pre-development scenario. As well as ensuring no worsening of the existing situation will occur during normal conditions, this will also prevent increased discharge to the downstream watercourses during extreme events.

There are no known flooding or drainage constraints that would prevent the future allocation and development of the site.

Noise

The potential noise effects of the proposed development on existing residential properties along Liverpool Road (A58) and Slag Lane to north and west of the site have been considered.

A baseline noise survey has been undertaken to establish existing ambient and background noise levels at nearby sensitive receptor locations and an assessment of noise from the proposed scheme has been undertaken. The results show that existing ambient noise levels around the site are dominated by traffic along the A580 and Liverpool Road (A58) with industrial noise from Haydock Industrial Estate audible during the daytime period. As noise levels surrounding the site are dominated by road traffic, noise levels vary significantly between daytime and night-time with background noise levels reducing by up to 12 dB at night.

The proposed development is not expected to result in significant effects in terms of road traffic noise created by off-site vehicle movements as traffic flows are not anticipated to increase by more than 25% on local roads.

An assessment of operational noise has been undertaken to represent typical operations associated with large scale distribution centres. Mitigation measures have been considered to reduce impact on nearby receptors including the installation of a 4.0m high acoustic barrier, to ensure no significant noise impacts would be experienced by neighbouring residential properties.

There are no noise constraints that would prevent the future allocation and development of the site.

Air Quality

The site at Florida Farm North is not in an Air Quality Management Area [AQMA].

The proposed industrial and warehousing development at Florida Farm North in St Helens has the potential to lead to air quality impacts, during both the construction and operational periods. However, the air quality impacts are not anticipated to be significant and any minor impacts can be mitigated using measures such as best practice construction methods and sustainable transport initiatives.

The potential for significant air quality impacts resulting from road traffic emissions generated by the development is low. Any minor impacts can be mitigated using various measures such as strategic traffic routing, low emissions incentives and ultra-low emissions infrastructure.

There are no air quality constraints that would prevent the future allocation and development of the site.


Ground Conditions

Historically the site was part of the Florida Old Engine Colliery which worked the site until 1833. Prior to this the site was open fields. Between 1851 and 1892 a mineral tramway connecting Pewfall Colliery to the north and Haydock Colliery to the south was constructed and cut across the site. This was partially dismantled by 1928 and completely removed by 1959. Since the cessation of coal mining and use as a tramway, the site has been returned to poor quality agricultural land.

A review of geological mapping indicates the general geology of the site area consists of Glacial Till (sandy gravelly clay with lenses of sand and gravel), over the Middle Coal Measures (mudstone, siltstone and sandstone with economic seams of coal, ironstone and fireclay). The geo-environmental walkover observed that the near surface soils consist predominantly of Made Ground (colliery spoil).

The site is known to be underlain by coal workings in nine coal seams from a shallow depth to approximately 480m depth, and there are 19 mineshafts within the site or within 20m of the site boundary, two of which are known to have been removed or treated. There is historical surface mining to the north east of the site and areas of surface workings are also shown to the east and southwest of the site. All mitigation works with regards to the coal workings will be undertaken under a licence from the Coal Authority and all geo-environmental risks will be assessed by site investigation and agreed with the Environmental Health Team, and if necessary the Environment Agency.

With regards to geotechnical and geo-environmental risks, subject to site investigation, the site is anticipated to be a low to moderate geo-environmental risk and a moderate to high geotechnical risk.

There are no insurmountable ground condition constraints that would prevent the future allocation and development of the site.

Infrastructure

The existing gas infrastructure mains are owned by National Grid and it is proposed to connect onto the existing local Medium Pressure gas network, and extend to the site to serve individual plots.

It is proposed to connect onto the existing local water network, and extend to the site to serve individual plots.

It is proposed to extend the United Utilities local 11KV network to the site to serve individual plots.

The Local telecommunications operator is BT Openreach. There is a network of ducts in the area, which will be extended to the site to serve individual plots.

There are no infrastructure constraints that would prevent the future allocation and development of the site.

Transportation and Travel Plan

A technical assessment will be produced to demonstrate that a suitable means of access to the site can be provided from the A580 and that offsite highway impacts can be mitigated which would enable the development of the land in traffic impact terms.

A roundabout junction is proposed as part of the development and significant improvements to the operation of the existing junction will be made to the benefit of the A580, the wider transport network, and the Haydock Industrial Estate.

A roundabout junction will enable full turning movements from the north and south arms of Haydock Lane to the A580 which are both currently limited to left in/left out turning movements. The existing Haydock Lane / A580 junction also does not provide formal controlled crossing facilities. A roundabout junction will enhance crossing facilities by being designed to incorporate ‘controlled’ at grade crossings of the A580. To support the inclusion of pedestrian and cycling facilities at the roundabout, complimentary speed management and associated regulatory signage would be provided along the appropriate length of the A580 to reduce vehicle speeds at the approaches to the roundabout to further enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Consultation with the local highway authority has identified that the following highway network should be considered in the technical work to provide transport evidence:

• A580 / Haydock Lane Junction;

• A580 / A58 Liverpool Road Junction;

• Haydock Lane / Millfield Lane Junction;

• Millfield Lane / Liverpool Road Junction; and,

• M6 J23 / A580 Junction.

The Initial work undertaken by consultants on behalf of Bericote Properties demonstrates that the traffic generated by the development can be satisfactorily accommodated at these junctions.

There are no highways constraints that would prevent the future allocation and development of the site.

Summary

The delivery of 36 ha of employment land will make a significant contribution towards meeting the employment needs of the area as well as facilitating economic growth.

Bericote Properties has reviewed the economic viability of the proposals in terms of the land value, location and potential demand in St Helens; as well as the cost factors associated with the site including site preparation costs and site constraints. Where potential constraints have been identified, Bericote Properties has considered the necessary mitigation measures and required investment in order to overcome any deliverability barriers.

Bericote Properties can therefore confirm that the development of the site is economically viable and is confident that employment development can be achieved within five years.

The Florida Farm North Site is within the control of a major developer and is not subject to any technical or environmental constraints that would prevent it coming forward for employment development. There are therefore excellent prospects of it being delivered within five years.

8.0Vision for the Site


8.0 Vision for the Site

Approach

The approach taken by Bericote Properties to providing industrial and warehousing employment development on the Florida Farm North Site is underpinned by the following goals:

• Creating a high-quality and sustainable business park type setting, which will be attractive for potential occupiers, their staff and visitors alike.

• Providing state of the art logistics distribution buildings, serviced by efficient external yard and loading bays areas.

• Promoting pedestrian and cycle connectivity into the site from a new traffic roundabout with the A580, and ensuring that the new site infrastructure incorporates wide footpath / cycleways alongside the highways, giving circulation into the various development plots.

• Ensuring that the development will be very easy to navigate, without the need for excessive signage, keeping roads and frontages clean and clearly identifiable.

• Achieving a development that will be high-quality in appearance, and which utilises contemporary robust materials and co-ordinated colour schemes to achieve a sense of place and form interesting building frontages.

• Retaining existing tree planting and natural features wherever possible to achieve a mature feel immediately upon completion, and provide new soft landscaping that is low maintenance but enhances the existing retained species.

• Enhancing biodiversity across the development by using new features such as ponds and carefully designed landscaping.

• Creating a visually attractive entrance to the site and gateway to the Haydock Industrial Estate.

The Vision for the Florida Farm North Site

A preliminary masterplan has been developed for the Florida Farm North Site to demonstrate how the development will respond sensitively to the landscape characteristics of the site and help deliver a firm Green Belt boundary. Account has been taken of the various constraints identified in the site analysis detailed at section 7.0 of this statement. The constraints present opportunities in terms of where vehicular and pedestrian access routes arrive into the site.

Figure 4: Illustrative Site Masterplan

Current Access Serving Haydock Industrial Estate Proposed Access to Serve Florida Farm and Haydock Industrial Estate

The Masterplan demonstrates the following key elements of the Vision for the site:

• The main access will be at the south east corner of the site. This location is well suited to ensure a highly legible scheme and to promote the ease of movement in to and through the scheme. The access solution will be the construction of a new roundabout to replace the existing traffic light junction on the A580. This will also significantly improve access into the existing Haydock Industrial Estate.

• Existing ecological features are retained wherever possible and integrated into the scheme, and where possible, enhanced by new features.

• Opportunities to enhance existing ecological features are combined with functionality. For example, new ponds can provide habitat enhancement, and also serve to attenuate surface water run-off from the development.

• The arrangement of buildings, service yards and car parking creates a sense of place, with more functional areas concealed to the side / rear of the units.

• The scheme is designed so that office frontages are located to those prime frontages facing the internal roads, which introduces human scale to the development and gives an attractive appearance.

9.0Conclusion

47

9.0 Conclusion

It is considered that the site should be removed from the Green Belt and allocated for development to provide 36 Ha of employment land.

Through this statement, it has been clearly demonstrated that the site represents an excellent and much needed opportunity to deliver a sustainable employment development for St Helens.

This statement has demonstrated that the site is suitable, sustainable and deliverable. In particular:

Suitable

Exceptional circumstances exist to justify the release of land from the Green Belt. The Council will be undertaking a Green Belt review to identify the most appropriate sites to allocate for development. The Florida Farm North Site should be identified for employment development through this process.

The removal of this site that is contained by the existing urban area and major roads, and which therefore benefits from well-defined existing boundaries, will not result in the unrestricted sprawl of Haydock. The development of the site provides an opportunity to deliver a long term defensible boundary to Haydock and the provision of employment for the Borough.

Sustainable

The proposed development will offer significant economic, social and environmental benefits. It therefore meets the Government’s objectives for the creation of sustainable development.

Deliverable

The Florida Farm North Site is not subject to any technical or environmental constraints that would prevent it coming forward for employment use, and being within the control of a major developer, there are excellent prospects of it being delivered within five years.

Exceptional circumstances exist to justify the site’s release from the Green Belt. The site no longer serves any of the purposes of the Green Belt as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. Removing the site will have limited impact on the urban form and landscape character of Haydock and St Helens. St Helens Council should be pro-active in allocating the site, as it will provide a high quality development which will help meet the needs of the local community for employment.

Nathaniel Lichfield & PartnersPlanning. Design. Economics.

Co-consultants:

Florida Farm North, St Helens

Documents

Transcript of Florida Farm North, St Helens