Meeting documents

March 2005

This report has been prepared in good faith, with all reasonable skill, care and diligence, based on information provided or available at the time of its preparation and within the scope of work agreement with the client.

We disclaim any responsibility to the client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of the above.

The report is provided for the sole use of the named client and is confidential to them and their professional advisors. No responsibility is accepted to others.

Nicholas Pearson Associates

^{_______________________________________}

^{Environmental Planners · Landscape Architects · Ecologists}

1.0 INTRODUCTION

St John's Catholic School is currently located on two sites at Pulteney Road and Oldfield Lane in Bath, which are almost two miles apart. The school buildings have substantial condition and suitability problems and in December 2000 the Department for Education and Skills agreed to fund the building of a new school on a single site.

In November 2001, the Education Committee of Bath & North East Somerset Council unanimously agreed that a site at Lymore Avenue (Brickfields) was the best site for the replacement school. In December 2003, the discovery of bye-laws protecting parts of the proposed site led to the termination of the project. Council staff have since examined other potential sites and in January 2005, two sites were short listed.

The purpose of this report is to provide an environmental appraisal of these two short listed sites. The proposed sites are Odd Down Park and Ride and Odd Down Playing Field.

2.0 SCOPE OF WORK

Nicholas Pearson Associates was commissioned by Llewellyn Harker Associates to undertake an environmental appraisal of the alternative sites proposed by the Council on behalf of the Governors of St John's Catholic School. This process included the following:

This work has been undertaken to provide an understanding of the environmental context of the two sites and to identify potential constraints and opportunities. By taking account of potential concerns early in the planning process an informed decision on which site to pursue can be made. Geology and soil appraisal has been undertaken by others.

3.1 Location

The site is located to the south of Bath and is currently used as a Park and Ride facility. Some of the proposed site is land safeguarded for Park and Ride purposes and includes some undeveloped land situated between Combe Hay Lane and the A367 on the southern edge of Bath. It is approximately 2.5 miles south of the existing main school site.

3.2 Description

The north-eastern section of the site operates as the existing Park and Ride facility and is laid out to tarmac and consolidated surface car parking with associated landscape planting and a facilities building. The remainder of the site is undeveloped land most of which is virtually flat but falls sharply along the southern boundary (on to Combe Hay Lane). The vegetation on the site is mostly grass with patches of scrub, bramble and hawthorn. There are mature trees along the southern boundary. The eastern and western boundaries of the Park and Ride have been provided with dense barrier planting of trees and shrubs. A mature hedge runs across the southwestern section of the site in a north west/south east direction. The existing site is 11 hectares of which approximately 50% is occupied by the existing Park and Ride car park. The site area required for the school development is between 1.37 and 1.6 hectares. With the school accommodated, between 9.4 and 9.63 hectares of this site would remain for existing or future uses.

There are three proposed design options for this site. The first option (A) is to position the school in the northern corner of the existing site to minimise intrusion into the Green Belt. The school would share access with the Park and Ride and would lead to a loss of parking spaces which would be replaced by extending the Park and Ride to the south in the area designated for expansion.

The second option (B) would be to position the school within the area allocated for future Park and Ride expansion. This would leave the existing park site untouched and access could be from either the Park and Ride access or from Combe Hay Lane. This location is within the Green Belt and the land designated for future expansion of the Park and Ride.

The third option (C) would be to locate the school further south, outside the area designated for future expansion of the Park and Ride, but further into the Green Belt. Access would be from the A367 but substantial alterations would have to take place. To provide a suitable and safe access from this main road an alternative access would be from Combe Hay Lane.

3.3 Environmental Appraisal

Landscape

The Park and Ride site is in an elevated position and the existing vegetation would screen development from the majority of local and distant receptors. The proposed development would be visible from St Gregory's Catholic School and residential properties along Old Fosse Road (to the north of the site). However, subject to the design and mitigation incorporated, effects could be minimised. All three proposed design options are located within the Green Belt and are adjacent to the Cotswolds AONB.

Ecology

Design option A is located within the developed area of the existing Park and Ride. Options B and C are located within undeveloped land which is semi-improved grassland according to Phase 1 Habitat Survey Maps provided by BRERC. Bats, including the Greater Horseshoe, are known to be present in the area and forage to the north of the site according to a radio-tracking survey undertaken on behalf of Bath & North East Somerset Council. There are several Special Areas of Conservation sites designated for bats in the Fox Hill and Combe Down area to the north east of the site. The BRERC data has identified one known bat roost and one known badger sett within a one-kilometre buffer of the site. There are no species records for the development area itself.

Water Environment

There are several springs in the area and the nearest water feature is a `spout' approximately 250m to the north of the Park and Ride entrance. This spout feeds a stream that flows northwest to Englishcombe village. There are no Special Protection Zones for groundwater around the site so discharge of surface runoff to ground may be incorporated into a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS).

The development of the school in this area is likely to increase traffic on the road network (especially during morning peak hours). However this is unlikely to result in a significant change to local air quality as the alteration to the baseline percentage traffic would be minor. The area around the site is not designated as a local Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and is therefore assumed not to exceed national thresholds. However, anecdotal evidence from the parish council has identified concerns regarding particulate matter from the Fullers Earth site adjacent to the proposed school development.

Noise

The initial site visit suggests there would be few receptors that would be affected by the school. The dominant noise source in the area is the A367 and the proposed school could be affected by traffic noise from this main route.

Rights of Way / Community Access

All three design options are within or adjacent to the existing Park and Ride and therefore there would be a high level of public access adjacent to the site. The school is unlikely to affect any public rights of way during construction or operation.

Archaeology

The closest Scheduled Ancient Monument designation is the Wansdyke (Anglo-Saxon military frontier work), located approximately 200m to the northeast of the Park and Ride. Remnants of the Wansdyke-Avon Roman Road are thought to run within a 30m corridor of the existing A367. Although the precise location is unknown the road is the subject of a Sites and Monuments Record. The construction of the school may not directly impact upon the Wansdyke Scheduled Ancient Monument or the Wansdyke SMR and impacts on the setting would be limited due to the existing park and ride facility. Archaeological investigations would be required prior to determination of any planning application.

4.0 ODD DOWN PLAYING FIELDS

4.1 Location

The site is within a residential area to the south of Bath. The site is a large, predominantly flat area of public open space, which is used as a sports field between Bloomfield Road and the A367 Wellsway. The site is approximately 1.6 miles southeast of the existing main school site.

4.2 Description

Houses bound the site on its west and south sides. To the north is an area of higher open ground called `The Tumps'. To the east the site falls away steeply towards the Wellsway. Areas immediately to the north and east are designated as part of the Bath conservation area. The site itself is not included within this designation. The total area of the existing site is 14.3 hectares. This includes an area of hard surfaced car parking and a pavilion on the western side of the site. The main grass area has capacity for 10 pitches but is generally set out for 7-8 football pitches in the winter and 4 cricket squares in the summer. The proposed school would occupy between 1.37 and 1.6 hectares of the site leaving between 12.7 and 12.93 hectares for existing or future uses.

4.3 Environmental Appraisal

Landscape

There are a number of local visual receptors adjacent to the proposed development site. These are mainly residential properties around the boundary of the playing fields. The distance to the nearest visual receptor of the proposed location (the southwest corner of the field) would be less than 20m. The site is relatively enclosed and further views of the site would be from distant receptors to the north east of the site and would be set within an urban context. The playing fields are designated as a Visually Important Open Space.

Ecology

The playing field is shown as amenity grassland in Phase 1 Habitat Survey Maps provided by BRERC. The Tumps (located north of the playing field) is a wooded area designated as a Local Nature Conservation site, and is also used as a flight corridor by Greater Horseshoe bats. A 1990 site record describes The Tumps as `tall rank grassland dominated by Rubus fruticosus (bramble), species poor, grading into mature woodland on the northern side'. There are several Special Areas of Conservation sites designated for bats (in the Fox Hill and Combe Down area) to the east of the site. The BRERC data has identified three known bat roosts and eleven known badger setts within a one-kilometre buffer of the playing fields. However, the proposed development would be to the south east of the playing fields and therefore at a distance from the main ecologically sensitive areas.

Water Environment

The nearest water feature is a spring and small stream approximately 450m to the northwest. There is a groundwater Source Protection Zone (inner zone) approximately 200m to the southeast of the playing fields. This would need to be considered further within any design proposals to discharge to ground with a SUDS approach.

Air Quality

There would be an increase in traffic on Bloomfield Road (to the west of the playing field) particularly during the peak morning hours. The current flow on Bloomfield Road and the additional traffic could alter the total percentage traffic enough to affect local air quality. However, the area is not designated as an AQMA and therefore any change in air quality as a result of increases in traffic is unlikely to exceed national thresholds. There are a number of residential properties close to the likely access route.

Noise

The surrounding area is generally quiet and noise would increase particularly at school playtimes. The residential properties along the north side of Chelwood Drive (to the south of the playing field) are likely to be affected by the school. The quiet surrounding environment means that the school is unlikely to be susceptible to impacts from external noise sources.

Rights of Way / Community Access

The area is designated as Protection of Land of Recreational Value and is currently used by the community for football pitches and cricket squares. Given the size of the proposed development it is anticipated that sporting facilities would be maintained on the site once the school is operational.

Archaeology

The nearest Sites and Monuments Record (SMR) is the site of the old Red Lion Inn. Part of the old inn has been incorporated into the Odd Down Pharmacy and is located approximately 100m to the southwest of the proposed development site. More distant areas of interest include a SMR for undated burials in the northwest corner of the playing fields. The area known as The Tumps to the north of the playing fields is cited as Ancient Woodland in another SMR. In the northeast of the fields there is a SMR for an iron age camp called `Berwick Camp'. If the school is located in the south western corner of the playing field as planned there would be no effect on the aforementioned SMRs or their settings.

5.0 SUMMARY

From the investigation and appraisal work undertaken the key issues surrounding the proposed sites are:

Odd Down Park and Ride:

B7 Conflict with use as a Park and Ride facility;

B7 Proposed site is within the Green Belt;

B7 Potential noise impacts upon the proposed school;

B7 Access from the A367 would need to be resolved;

B7 The precise location of the Roman road is unknown.

Odd Down Playing Fields

B7 Proposed site is land designated as Visually Important Open Space and Protection of Land of Recreational Value;

B7 Potential noise and visual impacts upon local residents;

B7 Potential impacts upon local air quality.

If either site is selected for further appraisal, detailed studies e.g. with respect to ecology, visual impacts and noise would be required. At this stage little consultation with statutory or non-statutory bodies has been undertaken; this would be fundamental to gaining an understanding of the significance of the environmental issues.