1.BRIEF AND METHODOLOGY

A New Settlement In The Forest Of Dean

Landscape Characterization and Capacity Study

The focus of this study is the production of a Landscape Characterization and Capacity Study for a new settlement for the Royal Forest of Dean District, South of the A40 trunk road.

The initial section describes the existing character of the study area, and through a process of sieve mapping, identifies areas with capacity to absorb the volume of new housing development. The study concludes with a preferred location for the development of a new settlement and a ‘Vision’ for the proposals.

The work is informed by current planning policy and other guidance and best practice. It considers these critically and constructively in the identification, synthesis and analysis of data and in the presentation of the recommendations. The brief has the following criteria; the settlement is to be monocentric, have 5275 dwellings (based on Forest of Dean District Council calculations 2022), describe the movement & access hierarchy, describe the plan for green infrastructure, describe the plan for blue infrastructure.

In addition to the required 5275 dwellings the other components of the development include; appropriate employment land allocation appropriate school allocations, both primary and secondary appropriate community facilities including; health centre / GP surgery / pharmacy faith buildings community centres / neighbourhood centres sport or leisure centre post office pubs

The study aims to set out the main components, characteristics and qualities of the garden community as outlined in the government’s 2018 publication. The guiding principles of the Garden community approach were first outlined in Ebeneezer Howards seminal work, “Garden Cities of Tomorrow” first published in 1898 and still in print. Howard proposed a garden city would harmoniously combine the countryside with the urban town, where rural flight and urban overcrowding would be simultaneously addressed. The principles of the Garden Cities philosophy has been maintained and adapted to the government’s Garden Communities scheme and is enshrined in its principles. The garden communities approach is explored in more detail in coming 2 and it guides the planning and design of the proposed settlement.

The garden communities prospectus aims to help “developers, investors, local authorities and local enterprise partnerships to build communities with local character, good employment opportunities, strong services, integrated and accessible transport, innovative uses of technology – and beautiful green spaces.”( Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2018)

The land budget for the proposed development is calculated following the mechanism laid out in Shaping Neighbourhoods.(Barton et al., 2021) estimates the net density of dwellings per hectare and including in that calculation the space for gardens parking and immediate roads. This figure does not include the link roads beyond the immediate dwellings. The initial Net residential density is; Massing.

5275 dwellings. Average occupancy 2.4/ dwelling 12,660 population

102.05 ha for 5275 dwellings = 52 average dpha

Employment land = 0.0067ha / dwelling= 0.0067 x 5275 = 35.3425ha

Other uses including, recreation, education, social, commerce, industry =48ha

Subtotal = 185.39ha

Following garden city guidelines 50% of the total land use should be allocated to green infrastructure. = 371ha

Total land requirement for the site is 371ha.

The study area is shown on Figure 3. It does not include the entire administrative district of the Forest of Dean and is bounded in the northwest by the A40 running between Gloucester and Ross-on-Wye. The river Severn forms the south eastern boundary of the study area and the river Wye the north western edge. Both rivers meet at Chepstow where the Wye flows into the Severn as the Severn estuary and the Bristol Channel. The study area is diverse in character and landscape typology. The study area falls into the National Character Area (NCA) 105. Natural England has subdivided areas based on landscape, biodiversity, geodiversity and economic activity. There are 159 areas across England. They are not constrained by administrative boundaries but rather follow natural boundaries. NCA105( Forest of Dean and lower wye) covers 90% of the study area and NCA 106(Severn and Avon Vales) covers the top north western portion towards Gloucester. Much of the forest of Dean is bounded by the Gorge of the Wye which includes Symonds Yat and is a designated area of outstanding beauty (AONB) and represents nearly 30% of the study area. This region bordering Wales has the highest land and steepest inclines and differs dramatically from the rolling pastureland and flood planes of the land adjacent to the river Severn. The forest of dean district is often referred to as mosaic of different landscape types and character areas. (Natural England, NCA105, 2012). The study will look in detail at the variety of these areas from the perspective of developing a settlement that is sympathetic to the environment in which it will rest. It will be held to the standards of the biodiversity net gain metric and provide an increase in biodiversity across the development. The study must consider the context, sustainability and future proofing of the design. In addition the cultural and socio economic context are considered and contribute to developing an understanding the sense of place. The historic environment and cultural traditions and narratives that create the forest’s unique identity must be not only preserved but celebrated in the vision for the new settlement. The NCA105 describes in detail the different aspects that contribute to the character of an area and they are interlinked with one another;

• topography

• geology and soils

• rivers and coastal features

• trees and woodland

• field patterns and boundary features

• agricultural uses

• semi-natural habitats

• species closely associated with the area

• history of the area

• settlement and development patterns

• roads, railways and rights of way

• commonly used building materials and building design

• tranquillity and remoteness

In the following section the planning context is described linking the development to international, national and local planning policy and guidance. Following that, the existing character of the study area is explored and described. Finally, after assessing and describing the nature of the study area, the spatial data will be analysed using GIS to decide the area most suitable for a development that fits within the landscape and one that is holistically planned, self sustaining, and characterful.(Garden Communities, 2018)