Ward / Postcode / GeoRef

Podsmead / GL1 5LH (nearest) / E: 383101 N: 215801

Gross Site Area:

0.8 ha.

Allocation:

Residential: Approximately 30 dwellings.

Description and overview

Green land adjacent to the allocation for the Blackbridge Sports and Community Hub (see allocation SA06). The site is accessed through an existing residential area and provides an opportunity for an extension to provide small number of new homes. The land currently forms playing field land as part of the wider Blackbridge site. The proposal to allow the loss of limited playing field land to support the delivery of the Blackbridge Sports and Community Hub (Policy SA06) is supported by the PPS Delivery Group. The use of a small part of the site for residential development releases the wider site to deliver significant net gains including a full-sized 3G pitch, grass pitches, a health and wellbeing building and opportunities for informal physical activity. On this basis, it is considered the proposal meets in whole or in part the Sport England exception tests relating to the loss of playing field land.

Site specific requirements and opportunities

Design and layout

• Layout should be designed to incorporate as much of the existing green infrastructure as possible.
• Overlooking should be provided to the playing fields.
• An existing network of green and active routes exists and provide wild food including: blackberries, damsons, sloes, and apples exists.
• These routes and opportunities will need to be maintained for the purposes of health and wellbeing and biodiversity.

Historic environment

• Requirements for upfront information and mitigation would depend on the scale and impact of proposals.

Biodiversity

• Incorporation of and improvements to the dismantled railway cutting, currently an extensive area of brambles, shrubs and small trees including apples and damson. This area forms a potential Local Wildlife Site and is identified as having considerable potential for enhancing local conservation value and protection/enhancement of a key ecological corridor within an urban environment.
• Bird survey: Not required, but vegetation scheduled for removal between March and August must be checked for evidence of breeding birds.