Canterbury City Council has resolved to grant planning permission for a Gladman application with 54% on-site Biodiversity Net Gain. The scheme for up to 120 residential units off Pope’s Lane, Sturry, includes associated access, roads, gardens, and public open space across approximately 9.31 hectares.
Expert masterplanning and ecology services
CSA Environmental played an integral role in the masterplanning process, which evolved over time to meet policy requirements and BNG targets. Alongside this, CSA carried out all habitat and protected species surveys to inform the ecological impact assessment and BNG calculations.
Benefits for Individual People
The open spaces within the site have been designed to encourage community interaction, healthy lifestyles, and a strong sense of wellbeing. New traffic-free routes for walking and cycling have been incorporated. The site also benefits from good connections to Pope’s Lane, the A291, and the A28, with nearby bus services and a railway station supporting commuters travelling into the wider area.
Benefits for the Community
The new homes will be set within an extensive network of connected and accessible green spaces. These include two new children’s play areas, a picnic area, natural play spaces, allotments, two new wildlife ponds, a wildflower meadow, and recreational routes.
Benefits within the Project for Nature and Biodiversity
The main goals for nature and biodiversity were to:
– Maintain and enhance the nature conservation value of retained habitats.
– Mitigate any identified adverse effects of the development on the flora and fauna of the site and its immediate environs.
– Create and maintain new habitats within the green infrastructure network.
As arable land, it is the boundary habitats that are of greatest ecological value, highlighting the need to retain trees and hedgerows and to protect or buffer the adjacent woodland where possible. This site has three ecologically significant hedgerows that traverse the site serving as linear habitats and navigational features for commuting bats and provide valuable foraging opportunities.
To boost the site for nature, pockets of thicket and wildflower meadow introduce variety into the open spaces and create small habitats for wildlife. Tree planting within the character area will also help and have the added benefit of screening and filtering views of the new homes. Sustainable flood defense and drainage (SuDS) features include basins seeded with wet-tolerant wildflower mixes and areas of planting or wetland thicket. In addition, two new wildlife ponds within wildflower areas, support amphibians and reptiles known to inhabit the locality.
How we overcame notable hurdles
An ancient woodland and Local Wildlife Site lies adjacent to the east of the application boundary. The development proposals were set back from this feature, incorporating a 15-metre buffer zone. Ample public open space has been provided within the scheme to help reduce recreational pressure on footpaths through this woodland.
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