Griffiths Park - Additional Information
NPL Estates have announced the submission of three planning applications to Vale Royal Borough Council comprising of land at Hargreaves Road, Former Wade Works and land at Rear of Farmers Arms in Rudheath, Northwich. If successful, the developments will also deliver the much needed rejuvenation of the adjacent Community Park at Griffiths Park.
The applications (Design and Access Statements available in Download section below) have been designed after fully widespread public consultation and groundbreaking urban design principles which places car usage at the bottom of the movement hierarchy. The boulevards, streets and access-ways have been designed to give priority to pedestrians and cyclists with offset street patterns and communal squares to encourage residents to use the street scene area in safety.
The housing mix has been designed to work with and enhance the existing predominantly Victorian housing stock providing much needed family accommodation and delivering the council’s 30% Affordable Housing aspirations.
The close care retirement village and nursing home has been designed to cater for an ageing population where people over the age of 55 can enjoy their retirement with the comfort of knowing that care provision is available for them on site. The village will deliver amenity features in the form of a subsidised restaurant, gym, bus service and tea rooms which will be available to members of the local existing community above the age of 55.
The proposals include the redevelopment of the untidy industrial estate to the rear of the Farmers Arms (now Coop). This site has in the past caused problems within the local residential community due to the unsightly appearance and seemingly unregulated operations of HGV vehicles passing through predominantly residential areas. This site will form Phase 2 of the residential proposals presented by NPL.
Having acquired the Griffiths Park former landfill from ICI, NPL is preparing to utilise funding from the development to design and implement a much needed rejuvenation of this important community asset. Following its creation in 1999/2000 which attracted Millennium Grant Funding, the Park has slipped into decline through lack of ongoing management and is now attracting anti-social behaviour in the form of under age drinking, vandalism, motorbike scrambling and has a general overgrown appearance. Users of the Park feel threatened and are dismayed that this much loved community asset is wasting away.
NPL are embarking on a widespread community consultation, having drawn up initial draft plans (PDF available to download below). It is anticipated that a public exhibition to gauge the views of local residents and to collect ideas and thoughts, will be held in early June following an extensive neighbourhood notification exercise. If you would like to find out more, please contact
Following a public exhibition in September 2007 the following summary and conclusions can be drawn:
- The planning application seeks outline planning permission with means of access for residential development of 306 dwellings with associated car parking, access, public realm, open space and landscaping. The dwellings are promoted in a variety of types of properties of differing forms to create a well balanced residential development to suit local needs.
- This application represents an ideal opportunity to secure the beneficial regeneration of a highly sustainable urban site in a way which will significantly enhance the local area through the removal of disused infrastructure, remediation of the land and the provision of a well designed high quality residential environment.
- The application site is largely unallocated within the adopted Local Plan. The application proposals are considered compliant with the Development Plan as a result of emerging RSS housing requirements and national policy guidance.
- The development is considered socially inclusive as it will provide access to increased variety of properties in the local market allowing existing residents to remain in the Northwich area and provide improved facilities locally such as open space and pedestrian and cycle linkages through the site to the wider area in the future.
- In short, the development will be a welcome investment to the area and locality and the site will benefit from this physical regeneration by private investment. This will create confidence in the local area acting as a catalyst for further future investment in the area.
- In conclusion, for reasons detailed above, the sustainable site is considered ideally suited to a high quality residential development and the Council are invited to support the application accordingly.
Downloads
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