Environment
Biodiversity
A comprehensive programme of ecological survey work has been undertaken across the site.
Key features include:
Retained landscaping, including the established hedgerows, trees and planting along the site boundaries, providing landscaped buffers.
Enhance Biodiversity along the eastern boundary, supporting habitat connectivity.
Built-in wildlife features within new homes, including swift bricks, bat roost features and hedgehog highways.
A new SANG of circa 2.38 hectares, extending the Bytheway Field SANG and creating a connected walking network.
Drainage and Flood Risk
A Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy will be prepared as part of the application.
The area for proposed housing is within Flood Zone 1 (lowest risk of flooding). Areas of the site within Flood Zone 2 (at a medium risk of flooding) are not proposed for new housing development.
The planning application will include a comprehensive sustainable drainage(SuDS) strategy to better manage surface water run-off.
The SANG includes a naturalistically designed surface water attenuation basin and a flood compensation basin, both integrated within the landscape. Permeable paving and other SuDS features within the residential area will manage surface water runoff and contribute to biodiversity and water quality objectives.
These features will ensure surface water is managed on site, reducing uncontrolled runoff and enhancing local resilience to rainfall, ensuring no increase in flood risk elsewhere.
Sustainability
New homes will be designed to high standards of energy efficiency, in line with Dorset Council’s climate change objectives.
The development will be gas free. It is expected that homes will be heated by Air Source Heat Pumps and, where appropriate, fitted with solar panels. Electric Vehicle charging is also provided to all properties.