Quality of Life Site Capital Analysis.

Site # 4 : Character Areas 9a. Bledisloe Hundred up to 10a Allaston Ridge Criteria Score

FoDDC Core Strategy

Planning

Environment

Garden Communities Principles

Mitigates biodiversity loss and loss of habitat.

Opportunities to provide green infrastructure.

Opportunities for sustainability energy.

Benefits and protects existing designations.

Proximity to existing services and community infrastructure.

Opportunities to place make.

Social

Protects and enhances local heritage assets.

Access to open spaces and recreation areas.

Supports economic growth potential for onsite employment.

Economic

Connectivity to other settlements local and regional.

Local food production and higher productivity through diversity.

Supports sustainable transport.

Constraints And Opportunities

The site fits well within the core strategy policy and has potential to be sustainable in its design and location with regard to transport links and potential to be energy positive.

Potential to offer well designed car free well connected infrastructure to encourage active travel yet distinct enough to give a sense of place.

The area is described as undulating farmland and has a geology of quaternary drift. It is adjacent to the Ramsar area and SSSI of the Severn estuary and the area has woodland and often ancient hedgerows. Hedgerows with native species like for like could be reinstated and left where possible. But some are irreplaceable due to their age.

There is opportunity and potential for including green infrastructure within and surrounding the new settlement

The aspect of the site varies and there are steep hills with rounded tops hills are generally oriented south west to north east. Not all land is suitable for solar energy production for example. Some of the settlement would not be optimum aspect and slope but is within the selection criteria

The area sits between protected core forest and the Ramsar and SAC of the Severn estuary. In the North east of the area there is Clarks pool nature reserve. The area is adjacent to but does not encroach upon the SAC and Ramsar demanding care consideration and buffering .

The area is well connected and in close proximity to Lydney and to the north Blakeney. The only hospital of the district in Lydney is close by along with all the facilities associated with a high order settlement and a primary school in Blakeney.

The area is the only area in the district that is described as undulating farmland and has a distinct character. The Saxon place names that include “Hlaw” which refers to a settlement associated with a hill.

There are irregular field systems potentially Romano Celtic and Saxon 3 17th century listed buildings near Viny Hill. A disused railway cuts through the area heading to New Fancy Colliery and another to Lydney with cuttings and a tunnel. These heritage assets could be enhanced particularly the rail links and the field systems preserved and incorporated into the final design

While there is enough area to fit the development in terms of the land budget of 371ha there are the constraints of the A48 and the river. The road should not dissect the settlement and the settlement would be constrained to the east or west of the road.

The proximity to the A48 would make the site inviting to business and support the accessibility needed for business. Local land could support diverse and local food production and proximity to the river and forest potential for tourism.

The area is close to Lydney and on the major route between Gloucester and Chepstow. There are small lanes throughout but only on major road that connects regional infrastructure such as the A40 and M5 beyond Ross- on-Wye. The main Gloucester to Newport rail link passes through the area.

There is potential for diversifying and localising food production in the local area. The undulating farmland is productive and throughout the area there are orchards and a variety of crops and livestock reared.

There may be potential to reuse the disused the disused railway and add active travel link adjacent to existing road and rail infrastructure. the area is within moderate active travel commuting distance with Lydney.