Draft Bradford District Local Plan - Preferred Options (Regulation 18) February 2021

Object

Representation ID: 4358

Received: 23/03/2021

Respondent: Addingham Environment Group

-Housing numbers – too high and cannot be accommodated without substantially compromising policies clearly laid out elsewhere in the Local Plan on sustainability and environmental protection.
- There is very limited open land within the settlement boundary or surrounding Green Belt that can be developed without harming the village character, landscape setting and biodiversity value of the green and blue infrastructure corridors identified in the Plan;
- Sites that are potentially otherwise suitable under some of the housing allocation criteria are located at a distance from village services and perform poorly against Policy SP7 that seeks to promote a transformation to sustainable modes of transport, such as walking and cycling, which are more important in a village context than proximity to bus routes;
-Impact on the South Pennine Moors SPA/SCA, and the North Pennine Moors SPA/SCA;
- The village is situated adjacent to the very high landscape value regions of the Yorkshire Dales National Park (to the west) and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding National Beauty (to the north). Connectivity between these areas and the Pennine Moors’ SPAs is essential for wildlife protection. Excessive development will lead to further fragmentation and cause wildlife disturbance. The recent loss of curlews in the field to the north of Springfield Mount is a prime example of the wildlife attrition currently taking place.
• Support - The importance of both Green and Blue Infrastructure and the need to protect and enhance green and blue corridors (although this is inconsistent with preferred sites AD5/H and AD 6/H (see below);
• Support - Enhancing the vitality and viability of the Local Centre to facilitate more sustainable lifestyles;
• Support - Creating and improving safe travel routes for walking and cycling both to village centre facilities and through village neighbourhoods (although this is inconsistent with support given for AD1/H, AD2/H, AD6/H and AD7/H);
• support - Protecting open space especially where there are opportunities to improve wildlife value and to create zones for natural flood water management and Sustainable urban Drainage Systems (SuDS); and
• support - Improving footpaths and biodiversity in the Southfield “green wedge”. The Area Strategy summary only highlights the importance of protecting the landscape to the South of the village; this needs strengthening by stressing:
• The importance of protecting and enhancing blue as well as green infrastructure corridors
• The importance of protecting and enhancing the Marchup and Back Beck/Long Riddings corridors especially the green entry into the village from the Silsden Road roundabout along Marchup and threats to wildlife habitats along Back Beck Lane.
• It has intrinsic heritage, archaeological and ecological importance with respect especially to its medieval history, the occurrence of ancient species-rich hedgerows and its barn owl population;
• It is located within the zone of influence of the internationally designated South Pennine Moor Special Protection Area for wading birds and is used as foraging ground for species such as curlew and lapwing; and
• Despite the barrier created by the A65 road, it links the village to the Street, Lumb Ghyll Wood and Stegholes Local Wildlife Sites and the wider countryside of Addingham Moorside beyond, forming a connection of immense value for both people and wildlife. Village gardens contribute to the conservation of wildlife populations across the site and wildlife observation and care for wildlife contributes to the enjoyment and well-being of residents in the centre of the village.
In this context and if housing is granted on Southfield land as proposed (AD3/H and/or AD4/H below) we seek assurances that no further erosion of this green wedge takes place and its integrity is permanently protected. It should be recognised along with the Wharfe and Beck corridors as an important green infrastructure asset for wildlife and people.

Support

Representation ID: 4361

Received: 23/03/2021

Respondent: Addingham Environment Group

AD1/H Turner Lane - This is a greenfield site, but is a grazed grassland with relatively low biodiversity value. It is acceptable as a housing site, subject to an ecological survey to identify any biodiversity concerns and mitigate impacts. The mature boundary trees and drystone walls should be retained.
Our principal concern is the distance of the site from the village centre which is a deterrent to walking or cycling.

Support

Representation ID: 4365

Received: 23/03/2021

Respondent: Addingham Environment Group

AD2/H Parsons Lane – This is a green field site, but with relatively low biodiversity value. It is a grazed grassland paddock in poor condition. As above it is acceptable as a housing site, subject to an ecological survey to identify any biodiversity concerns and mitigate potential impacts. The mature boundary trees and drystone walls should be retained.
Its distance from the village centre will be a deterrent for walking and cycling but as Parish Council-owned land it presents an excellent opportunity to build affordable houses.

Object

Representation ID: 4367

Received: 23/03/2021

Respondent: Addingham Environment Group

We do not support housing on this site unless stringent conditions are met:

• Protect the integrity of the medieval hollow lane and hedgerow along the northern boundary by blocking vehicular access from Southfield Lane and leaving a wide wildlife buffer strip along the southern boundary line;
• Protect the small beck running down the eastern edge of the site by creating a riparian buffer zone along the entire length of the boundary;
• Conduct a detailed ecological survey to identify the impact of house building on the foraging opportunities for the wader populations associated with the S. Pennine Moor SPA to the south and the hunting range of the local barn owl population in the field to the north.
• Ensure that surface water from this site especially is managed using SuDS and not allowed to enter drains that ultimately join Town Beck on Main St.

Object

Representation ID: 4368

Received: 23/03/2021

Respondent: Addingham Environment Group

We do not support housing here unless stringent criteria are met:

• Conduct a detailed ecological survey to identify the impact of house building on the foraging opportunities for the wader populations associated with the S. Pennine Moor SPA to the south and the hunting range of the local barn owl population in the field to the north-east;
• Protect Coppy beck by creating a wide riparian buffer strip along the entire length of the western boundary;
• Enhance field boundaries by filling in gaps in the hedges and creating wide marginal buffer strips along hedge bottoms to improve wildlife habitat and wildlife movement along the hedgerows;
• Ensure that surface water from this site is managed by the installation of SuDs to prtect Coppy Beck to the west and Town Beck to the north.

Object

Representation ID: 4381

Received: 23/03/2021

Respondent: Addingham Environment Group

Although this site occupies the footprint of the former school buildings and is technically a brownfield site it, together with adjacent land, is a site with a very high intrinsic biodiversity value. Following closure of the school, the whole site is rewilding. There is a mosaic of habitats including the running water of the beck on two sides, woodland along the edge of Back Beck, boundary hedgerows with hedgerow trees, and tussocky grassland, with a wet flush. We regard any development on this site as unacceptable for housing on the following grounds:

• These habitats support highly diverse wildlife populations.
• The site forms part of the Back Beck/Long Riddings ‘green/blue infrastructure’ corridor
• Light and noise pollution will create further continuing disturbance leading to loss of wildlife;
• There is no viable access without causing habitat damage:

The site should become a village nature reserve

Support

Representation ID: 4382

Received: 23/03/2021

Respondent: Addingham Environment Group

This is a Green Field site but with relatively low biodiversity value except along the boundaries. As AD1/H and AD2/H above it is acceptable as a housing site, subject to an ecological survey to identify any biodiversity concerns and mitigate impacts. The mature boundary trees and drystone walls should be retained and a wide riparian zone along the beck on the northern boundary will need to be created. The installation of SuDS on this site is especially important in view of the proximity of the beck and the incidence of flooding at properties further down Moor Lane.

We are also concerned that its distance from the village centre will be a deterrent for walking and cycling and that views for existing residents across the field towards Beamsley Beacon will be lost.

Object

Representation ID: 4385

Received: 23/03/2021

Respondent: Addingham Environment Group

Housing on this site is not acceptable:

• It occupies important green space within the green/blue infrastructure corridor along Marchup, connecting people and wildlife to open countryside;
• It forms part of a green gateway, contributing to the village landscape character, helping to soften the entry into the built-up area of the village down Silsden Road;
• The Daniel Palmer Nature Reserve with its rich wildlife populations including roe deer and badger lies adjacent to the southern boundary. Although the Reserve already has to contend with traffic on the main road, additional human activity close by will create further unwanted disturbance;
• Marchup Beck also runs close by in the deeply incised wooded valley beyond the Reserve. Water quality in the Beck is poor. Surface water runoff to the beck from a housing development on these slopes could hinder current efforts to restore the ecology of the beck downstream.

Support

Representation ID: 4388

Received: 23/03/2021

Respondent: Addingham Environment Group

This is a Brownfield site. It is acceptable for housing subject to:

• an ecological survey to identify & mitigate any environmental impacts identified; and
• the retention of mature trees along the boundary, especially the trees along the front of the plot that contribute to the local street character and those to the rear (west) of the site that form the boundary with the newly planted hedge in Hofmann Wood Field.

Object

Representation ID: 4871

Received: 24/03/2021

Respondent: Addingham Environment Group

Although this is technically a brownfield site it, together with adjacent land, is a site with a very high biodiversity value. There is a mosaic of habitats including the running water of the beck on two sides, a TPO woodland along the edge of Back Beck, boundary hedgerows with TPO trees, and tussocky grassland, with a wet flush. We regard development as unacceptable on the following grounds

• These habitats support highly diverse wildlife populations (we record butterflies, bumblebees, birds, bats and fish)
• Back Beck/Long Riddings ‘green/blue infrastructure’ corridor (see above) is a tranquil space for both wildlife and people.
• Light and noise pollution caused by new homes would lead to loss of wildlife;
• Access is almost impossible, provision would be very damaging to habitat and wildlife
We would like to see the site become a community asset as a nature reserve