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Appraisal and Landscape Strategy
for the development of the site for Housing
Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
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Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
011.918.R1C
REPORT AND DOCUMENT CONTROL
Project:
Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
Client:
William Davis Ltd
Job No:
011.918
Report No:
011.918.R1C
DOCUMENT CHECKING
Author: Signature:
Christopher Nichols CMLI
Checked: Signature:
Christopher Nichols CMLI
Issue Date Status Revision
1 29.10.10 Design Team -
2 16.11.10 Design Team A
3 06.05.11 Planning B
4 15.05.13 Planning C
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Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
011.918.R1C
Harehedge Lane, Burton Upon Trent
Location and Context
The site is located at Beam Hill on the northern edge of Burton upon Trent,
Derbyshire, close to the junction of the A511 Tutbury Road and Harehedge
Lane/Beamhill Road.
LOCATION PLAN
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Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
011.918.R1C
THE SITE
The Site
The proposed development site consists of a rectangular field of pasture
approximately 1.3 hectares in size, facing onto Harehedge Lane to the south,
and with the rear gardens of houses and the Beacon Hotel public house in
Tutbury Road alongside the site to the west. To the north and east is farmland,
almost exclusively laid to cattle pasture.
On the other side of Harehedge Lane is a row of terraced and semi-detached
houses overlooking the site and the adjacent farmland. Behind these houses is
a college and junior school, beyond which lies an extensive residential area.
Approximately 300 metres to the east of the site, following the edge of the
pastureland, is Rolleston Road, beyond which lies a further area of housing.
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Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
011.918.R1C
Landscape Character and Features
The character of the area is one of urban fringe, with influences from both the
fields of pasture to the north and east and the ribbon development of houses in
Harehedge Lane, Beamhill Road and Tutbury Road (A511) to the south and west
respectively. The greater areas of housing to the south and beyond Rolleston
Road to the east, together with the presence of educational establishments
accessed via Harehedge Lane, reinforce the area’s residential character.
VIEW NORTH FROM THE SOUTH-EAST CORNER OF THE SITE
The topography of the area is gently undulating, slightly sloping to the east in the
area around the site but rising to a weak ridge to the north and a stronger ridge
at Beam Hill to the west. The site itself falls gently from west to east across the
site by approximately 2.0 metres.
The hedges that surround the site to the north, east and south are intact,
trimmed and continuous except for one gap through the east hedge to a field
beyond. A section of the hedge on the east boundary, at its northern end, has
been left untrimmed as a belt of blackthorn 5.0m in height. Otherwise the
hedges are 1.5m high comprising hawthorn with bramble and elder – i.e. not
rich in species or variety of habitat.
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Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
011.918.R1C
VIEW NORTH-EAST ACROSS THE SITE TO THE BOUNDARY HEDGE
An Ash tree in the eastern boundary hedge line is 11m height but in poor
condition; it has lost limbs and may have potential danger of losing others. An
arboricultural survey has confirmed that this tree would need to be removed for
health and safety reasons.
A 14m high oak tree, in what appears to be good condition, stands in the
hedge just beyond the NE corner of site in the adjoining field.
The west boundary of site is at first a 1.0m ht. ranch fence & wall adjacent to the
pub car park; then a 1.8m ht. close-boarded fence alongside the pub’s rear
garden, fronted by a strip of scrub and a few trees (poplar & ash, maximum
6.0m high & one 9.0m ash tree in the corner return). Continuing north there is
bramble, plum & sycamore at the rear of nos 279-283 Tutbury Road; then 1.0m
high fences at the r/o nos 285-291 Tutbury Road. Because of the lack of
vegetation and high fences here, the gardens of these latter properties are
visible from the site.
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Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
011.918.R1C
THE REAR OF TUTBURY ROAD PROPERTIES OVERLOOKING THE SITE
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Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
011.918.R1C
Visual issues
Generally, the visual envelope for the site is confined to the area contained by
the ridges to the north and west and the urban-edge houses to the east, south
and west: essentially to the line of houses along the west and south boundaries
(latter other side of Harehedge Lane); two fields then houses to the east
(Rolleston Road) and two fields and the ridge to north.
VIEW TOWARDS THE SITE AND THE BEACON HOTEL PUB FROM
HAREHEDGE LANE
The continuous hedges along Harehedge Lane and Tutbury Road (beyond end
of housing) will restrict views of any housing development from these roads.
There are no PROWS within the site’s visual envelope.
Views are possible over the hedge along a section of Rolleston Road; otherwise
trees along this road restrict views to site.
Slight glimpses of the site are possible from a high point up Beamhill Road (west
of site). Otherwise views from houses in Beamhill Road, inc those in Beam Close,
are blocked by the Beacon Hotel Pub.
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Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
011.918.R1C
Odd House nos 279-295 Tutbury Road (North of The Beacon Hotel Pub) back
onto the site and have views across it, particularly nos. 285-291 which have views
from ground floor windows & rear gardens.
VIEW EAST TOWARDS THE SITE FROM BEAMHILL ROAD
Direct views are possible from the upper storey windows of even nos. 2-34
Harehedge lane, and also from the residence known as Najeluem Barn on the
north side of Harehedge lane to the east of the site. Oblique views will be
possible of the development from nos. 36 Harehedge Lane onwards to Rolleston
Road.
Views of the site exist from the upper storey windows of the Beacon Hotel Public
House that orientate toward the east and north.
Views are possible from houses on the west side of Tutbury Road (even nos 312
to 362), many of which are raised above the level of the road.
Views are possible from the upper storeys of houses in Rolleston Road from its
junction with Harehedge Lane to no. 276 Rolleston Road and Rosemary
Cottage.Views are also possible to the site from Glenville Farm on the ridge to
the north of the site.
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Harehedge Lane, Burton on Trent
011.918.R1C
Conclusions and Recommendations
The grass field is utilised for pasture and has little ecological value. Developing
the site for housing would constitute a loss of farmland and green land cover for
an area of approximately 1.33 hectares.
The hedges are useful visual screens but are not ecologically rich. They could
be managed to grow higher and be maintained at a height of 2.0m to
preclude overlooking by walkers and vehicle occupants travelling on the
adjoining roads.
The development of the site for housing would not require the removal of any
landscape features except for the front hedge along Harehedge Lane to
accommodate the access road entry and visibility splays. It is proposed to
replant a new hedge to the rear of the proposed footpath.
The single specimen Ash tree in the hedgerow on the east boundary requires
removal on health and safety grounds. It will be replaced by another native tree
in the detailed landscape proposals.
Within the first few years of development of the site for housing, views would be
affected for a number of residential properties in Harehedge Lane and Tutbury
Road that overlook the site. There would also be effects on views from a few
homes on Rolleston Road north of Harehedge Lane, but such views are
comparatively distant and the size of field for development is small compared
to the extent of farmland that surrounds the site to the north and the east.
The development of the site for housing would appear as a natural extension to
the housing flanking both sides of Tutbury Road for approximately 150 metres
north of Harehedge Lane.
There are no public rights-of-way (PROWs) or public open spaces (POSs) that
would be physically or visually affected by any proposal for housing
development on the site.
It is recommended that native tree planting be introduced to the site frontage
and around the balancing pond to assist in the softening and partial screening
of the proposed housing. Such planting would help to mitigate the effects of
the development upon views from across farmland to the east and from houses
opposite. Species would include Alder, Birch, Oak and Field Maple. Planting of
Common Ash is currently restricted and not recommended at this time.
Similarly, planting of small trees to the rear of the Beacon Hotel would
compensate for the poor quality trees removed. Planting of large native
specimens within the POS would add further visual screening to the houses