Site HA825 Detailed Assessment

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Is it needed?

“BDOG 03”

Potential site analysis for site 825, North of Feidr Eglwys, Newport

Associated settlement LDP settlement tier Community Council area
Newport Local centres Newport

Site area (hectares) 0.82 Site register reference(s) (if proposed as development site for LDP)

3204/SR125 Relationship to designated areas

Not within 100 metres of a SSSI.

Not within 500 metres of a SAC. Not within 500 metres of a SPA. Not within 500 metres of a National Nature Reserve. Not within 100 metres of a Local Nature Reserve. Not within 500 metres of a Marine Nature Reserve. Not within 100 metres of a Woodland Trust Nature Reserve. Not within 100 metres of a Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve. Not within 100 metres’ of Access Land. Partly within a Conservation Area.

Within 100 metres of a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Within 50 metres of a Listed Building. Within a Historic Landscape Area. Not within 100 metres of a Historic Garden. Within 50 metres of Contaminated Land. Not within airfield safeguarding zones for buildings under 15m high. Not within HSE safeguarding zones. Not within MoD safeguarding zones for buildings under 15m high. Not within 10 metres of a Tree Protection Order. Not within 100 metres of ancient or semi-natural woodland. Underlying Agricultural Land Classification: 4 (1 is Agriculturally most valuable, 5 is least valuable). Not within a quarry buffer zone. Not within safeguarded route for roads or cycleways. No Public Right of Way. Not a Village Green.

Stage one commentary Site is not wholly within a Site of Special Scientific Interest; Natura 2000 site; National, Local, Marine, Woodland Trust or Wildlife Trust nature reserve; or Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Does the site pass stage one site criteria tests? Yes

Stage two evaluation Ownership General overview Not known. This L-shaped site is partially divided by a hedgerow running from the southern boundary towards the right-angle of the L. The land generally slopes away gently to the north forming a plateau before dropping suddenly before the northern and eastern boundaries. Greenfield or Brownfield/PDL Greenfield Estimated number of dwellings 12 Adjoining uses and access Visible constraints to development The northern boundary is marked by hedgerow with undeveloped fields immediately adjacent. This leads further to the road known as Goat Street. The eastern boundary is marked by a hedgebank running along the upper part of Feidr Bentick. The southern boundary of the site is marked by a hedgebank running along Church Street with a line of houses on the opposite side of the road. The eastern boundary is separated from an existing property and garden by a hedgerow/hedgebank. Access into the site is via a farm gate from Church Street. The site is on rising land to the east of Newport and density of development will need to decrease to the east of the site, with additional planting becoming more prevalent. This will help to assimilate the development into the surrounding woodland setting and help to minimise visual intrusion. The western area of the site is well screened by existing vegetation and development of single or one and half-storey dwellings could be accommodated within the context of the surrounding properties to the south, north and west. Impact on National Park’s Special Qualities This site is situated close to the Church in Newport which is important not only in its own right but as one of the structures that dominates views of the town from the northern side of the estuary, thus forming a prominent landmark. It is also outside but adjacent to the Conservation Area. There is extensive tree cover in the vicinity of the site which gives the appearance of the town set within a woodland. Development of this site will need to respect the character and setting of the Conservation Area and church and additional and significant planting within the site area will enhance this characteristic attribute which contributes strongly to the setting of the town. Landscape impact mitigation measures Affordable housing capacity assessment General notes Although the site is well-screened the density of development will need to be restricted to ensure that it does not harm the character of the area. Landscaping within the site will be necessary to maintain effective screening. There is demand for one and two- bedroom affordable housing units in the Newport area and the number of units on the site could be increased from 8 under normal circumstances to 12 to accommodate these smaller units. Development planning history Planning application history (planning applications within, overlapping or adjacent to the potential site) Summary of geological risk (class A is lowest risk, class E is highest risk) Running sand class B; compressible ground class A; landslide class B; no soluble rocks; shrink swell class B Summary of flood risk (from TAN 15) Not within a TAN 15 zone Public transport service Services at least hourly, six days a week, including journeys suitable for travel to and from work, schools, morning and afternoon shopping.

Distance from potential sites to selected services in kilometres Nearest shop 0.26 Nearest doctor 0.42 Nearest pub 0.26 Nearest Dentist 0.36 Nearest primary school 0.46 Nearest secondary school 11.07 Nearest post office 0.32 Nearest petrol station 4.82 Nearest community hall 0.36 Nearest police station 10.43 Nearest letter box 0.64 Nearest library 10.46 Nearest place of worship 0.13 Nearest cash point 0.3 Nearest sports ground 0.56 * Distances are in kilometres, ‘as the crow flies’ Consultee responses Consultee

Date of response Pembrokeshire County Council Highways Access is achievable but will require the setting back of the existing hedgebank. A maximum of 20 dwellings should be developed on this site and the site opposite (ref 824).Countryside Council for Wales No adverse comments received. Dyfed Archaeology 03/04/2008 No known archaeology but may have an impact upon a registered historic landscape. Sites with known evidence suggesting surviving significant archaeological remains. These areas require further assessment such as a desk top exercise and site visit to clarify if any areas should be excluded from or retained within the development.

Supplementary comment – area is probably within the medieval town. As such it could be one of the few surviving areas of medieval archaeology of Newport and be nationally important i.e. it could be of schedulable quality. The site should not be allocated until there has been an assessment of the potential resource. In the first instance a site visit should be made. PCNPA Building Conservation Officer 09/09/2008 Abutting CA boundary to west boundary with good hedgerows bounding and within site. Part of important outlying area and a key element of the Conservation Area setting both from distant views and upon entry into the C.A Potential for archaeological consideration given proximity of castle. Dwr Cymru 21/07/2008 Sewerage Within this catchment the public sewerage system is performing satisfactorily in accordance with its designed parameters and can accommodate the potential domestic foul flows from the UDP allocations already identified. To ensure the integrity of this system, we would expect the domestic surface water to be discharged to a separate system and controlled planning. Where new additional allocations are promoted through the Local Development Plan, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water will assess the impact of these demands to establish if available capacity exists. Should all the proposed developments proceed at the same time then the available “headroom” would be eroded and improvements to our systems would be required. This being the case, certain developments may need to be phased for release in the latter part of the LDP to allow us the time to deliver these essential improvements. Sewage Treatment – We have numerous Waste Water Treatment Works within the County which are designed to treat foul effluent from residential and commercial/industrial premises. The discharges from each of the Works are licensed by the Environment Agency to meet European Directives. Dependant on the scale of development identified within your proposed Local Development Plan the associated sewerage catchment, and may need to be upgraded as required to accommodate future growth. Water Supply
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is fed from strategic Water Treatment Works in the County. These water treatment works are important assets for Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water (DCWW) in delivering potable water to customers, Commercial, Health & Education premises. DCWW are developing a 25 year water resource plan to meet projected future demands for the County. Based on future demands already shared with us we do not foresee any problems at present in meeting the anticipated domestic demands during the life of the Local Development Plan. Water is a precious resource and in line with Government objectives on sustainable development we would look to promoters of developments to have considered and included where feasible, water efficient devices within buildings and sustainable drainage measures. Pembrokeshire County Council Drainage 26/01/2009 There would appear to be an ordinary watercourse at the eastern boundary of the proposed development site. The layout of any development would need to take account of this watercourse in order that access can be maintained for maintenance purposes. We do not have any information as to whether the proposed site suffers flooding from this watercourse. It would be preferable if surface water was disposed to soakaways/SUDS in order not to increase the risk of flooding or exacerbate existing flooding in downstream catchments. If, however, ground conditions are not suitable for the use of soakaways/SUDS or positive drainage systems are required for adoption purposes, then any conventional drainage system discharging to watercourse either directly or indirectly, should include measures to improve the status quo. It should be noted that ordinary watercourses must not be filled in, culverted, or the flow impeded in any manner, without the prior written consent of the Environment Agency under Section 23 Land drainage Act 1991. Approval of Pembrokeshire County Council is also required to culvert a watercourse under Section 265(1) Public Health Act 1936. Reasons site is suitable for development Reasons site is not suitable for development
This site is at the edge of the town, but is well-screened and with additional planting it can help to enhance the setting of the town. Does the site pass stage two tests? Yes Proposed use Housing Stage three: Sustainability Appraisal Sustainability Objective Summary Commentary 1 + 2 ++ 3 ++ 4 0 The land may be used for grazing, but is poor quality agricultural land. The site is adjacent to the settlement of Newport and within walking distance of a good range of services and facilities within the town. The town has a regular bus service connecting to Fishguard, Haverfordwest and Cardigan, all of which have a full range of services and facilities. The western portion of this site is well-screened and can be made more so with additional planting to the east. Careful design and siting will allow it to assimilate into the landscape and townscape. The scale of development would be well within an appropriate scale for the town and it would be well-related. Though the development will increase the population and therefore the pool of residents that could be taking part in physical recreation, the Sustainabilty Objective seeks a change in behaviour such that a greater proportion of residents and non-residents are takingpart in physical recreation in the Park, and therefore enjoying the health benefits. 5 0 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 11 0 12 13 14 15 The development will not achieve this aim. The site is not within a flood plain. Development should incorporate energy efficiency and sustainable design principles. Housing will be built according to the sustainable design policies of the Plan requiring the highest standards for energy efficiency. The site is within walking distance of the facilities and services in Newport. The town has a regular bus service to large centres. The site can be used to accommodate identified need for affordable housing. The site can be used to accommodate identified need for affordable housing. The site is in an accessible location with good public transport, walking and cycling opportunities. The scale of this development is appropriate for the town and will not individually threaten the culture of this community, but other sites have also been identified in Newport and overall phasing will be required. A positive outcime is dependent on a large proportion of the housing being available at an affordable rate to people from within the community. Development of an individual site is irrelevant to this Sustainability Objective, as its goal is to avoid negative effects of minerals acquisition wherever and whatever the use of those mineral products. Development here is likely to marginally increase waste, though this is inevitable and the only way to avoid this would be to have no development and no increase in population (in or outside the Park) as displacement of the waste generation would not eliminate its harmful effects). The Authority does not have SPG in place on developer contributions. No needs other than those identified by statutory consultees are currently apparent. There may be potential for habitat enhancement within the site through the planning process. Policy 17, Sustainable Design aims to make efficient use of water resources. Issues relating to water quality are addressed at Stage 2 and through the Habitats Regulation Screening and Assessment at Stage 5. Overall Sustainability Appraisal The site is within walking distance of the facilities and services within Newport. The town is on a bus route with regular services to Fishguard and Cardigan which reduces the need to use the car. Plan policy to secure as much affordable housing as can be achieved and is needed as opposed to general needs housing will help ensure development aims to meet the needs of local communities. The housing built will meet the highest standards for energy efficiency due to the sustainable design policies of the Plan. Is the site acceptable for development after Sustainability Appraisal Yes Stage four: compatibility with the Preferred Strategy Is site within or adjacent to named centre? Yes.
Is the proposed use listed as appropriate for the centre?
Is the provision consistent with the scale of development proposed for Is the provision meeting an identified need in the centre?
If greenfield, are there sufficient brownfield sites to avoid choosing this one?
Yes.
Crymych, St Davids, Newport and Saundersfoot are Tier 3 Local Centres. The provision amounts to 60% of what would be anticipated if projection figures were achieved (590 versus 356). The level of provision is curtailed to take account of the conclusions reached in the previous stages of the assessment. Yes it is helping to meet projected growth figures. It is greenfield and there would not be sufficient brownfield sites if this site was excluded. Overall stage 4 assessment The site is within or adjacent to named centre in the Strategy. A use is proposed which is considered appropriate as per the Strategy. Newport’s opportunities for growth have become increasingly limited and the completion rates have reduced over recent years. The sites proposed are small in scale and will be easily absorbed. Is the site compatible with the preferred strategy? Yes Stage Five: Habitat Regulations Assessment For more information see the Habitats Regulations Screening and Appropriate Assessment reports This site is less than 1km away from Felin Llwyn-gwair SSSI, which is a Greater Horseshoe Bat maternity and roost site which forms part of the Pembrokeshire Bat Sites and Bosherton Lakes SAC. Potential effects of this allocation on the Greater Horseshoe Bats include increased disturbance, especially during construction, which can cause an increase in noise, fumes and lights. The Pembrokeshire Bat Sites and Bosherton Lakes SAC Management Plan indicates that within 1km of roosts it is vital to retain wooded areas and vegetation cover (including scrub), and habitat links i.e. woodland, tree lines, hedgerows and even limited sections of walls and fences. It is unlikely that development at this site will remove any key foraging habitat; this cannot be said however, with any certainty. Potential effects: Increased Disturbance; Loss of Foraging Habitat. The Appropriate Assessment concluded no adverse effect on site integrity as the development proposed in the LDP is within existing settlement boundaries and the current condition status of the greater and lesser horseshoe bats is favourable: maintained.