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WEYLAND DEVELOPMENT BRIEF

KIRKWALL

Development Brief: October 2014

Introduction

This Development Brief sets out the principles for the development of the site KW-J on Carness Road in Kirkwall as informed by local and national planning and design guidance. The brief informs applicants of the site constraints, development and design aspirations to be considered as part of the planning application process.

Purpose of the development brief

This Development Brief has been prepared to provide guidance on the design and function of site KW-J to ensure high quality development that is sensitive to the local context. This is to reflect the long term aspirations of the County and users of the development. This brief offers a clear and detailed explanation of the Council’s expectations of proposals for this site and the principles that should be considered in its development.

Guidance to applicants

This Development Brief has been prepared by Orkney Islands Council’s Development and Marine Planning function. The Development Brief has the status of Planning Policy Advice and is a material consideration in the determination of planning applications. This Development Brief takes into consideration the nearby Watersfield Development Brief (March 2011).

The Development Brief sets out planning and design principles to guide the future development of the Weyland site. Applicants will be required to demonstrate how the proposal conforms to the principles set out in this Development Brief. This evidence should be presented in a Design Statement which will be submitted in support of a planning application. The level of information required in this Design Statement will vary according to the scale of development proposed. For example a proposal consisting of a single house will require quite limited information that will demonstrate how the design responds to site and layout related criteria. This is in contrast to larger proposals consisting of multiple housing units which will be required to provide a more comprehensive Design Statement in proportion to the scale and likely impact on the built environment and resources.

IMAGE: Figure 1 — Map of the Weyland site at the north-east edge of Kirkwall, outlined in red. The map shows Weyland Bay, Carness Road, the existing settlement, Orkney College, the pumping station, surrounding fields and nearby locations including Wideford Hill and Hatston Pier. Source: Ordnance Survey 2014.

Pre-application guidance

Prior to submission of a planning application it is necessary to consult with OIC Roads, Scottish Water via the Pre Development Enquiry Form, SEPA and related public bodies to ensure infrastructure expectations and requirements are met as part of a high quality development proposal. Clarification should be sought from the planning department at the pre-application stage on the level of information that will be required. At a basic level applicants should provide a brief written response to the Development Brief Strategy and each of the Design Criteria, explaining how the proposal addresses the issues raised in the criteria. It should be noted the content of this brief is not exhaustive and proposals should refer to applicable policy and supplementary guidance as outlined in local and national planning policy with conditions set out for any tender documentation that might be issued for individual parts of the site. See Supplementary Guidance: Development Briefs and Design Statements for more information.

Site description

Situated at the north east edge of Kirkwall, the Weyland site is located between the urban environment of the town and the countryside to the northeast. It enjoys views of Wideford Hill, the waterfront and harbour activity; including Hatston Pier. The site therefore offers an opportunity to provide housing within walking distance of the town centre, whilst also enjoying the amenity of the countryside. Adjacent plots to the north, south and east are in Council ownership.

The site is used for agricultural purposes during the summer with a pumping station located adjacent to the northern boundary of the site. The site slopes downwards towards the coastline with a drystone dyke forming the boundary along Carness Road. Amenity greenspace at Weyland is situated across the road. The northern and southern boundaries consist of timber stock fencing. The eastward extent of the field that this Development Brief applies to is indicated in figure 1 running from the drain line to the edge of the housing development, currently delineated by telegraph poles across the site that align with the settlement boundary in the Orkney Local Development Plan.

Existing built environment to the south consists of a range of detached and semi-detached houses of one or two storeys. Carness Road is the most suitable public road for vehicle access to be established from. Existing drainage infrastructure is situated along the Carness Road site boundary, and electrical infrastructure exists in the form of overhead power lines along the east site boundary.

IMAGE: Figure 2 — View southwards from the development site showing the existing built edge, including houses, the waterfront and Wideford Hill across the bay.

IMAGE: Figure 3 — View of the development site from Carness Road. The image shows the road beside the open field and the existing settlement in the distance.

IMAGE: Figure 4 — View of Wideford Hill and Hatston Pier from the development site. The image shows the bay, the hill and harbour infrastructure across the water.

IMAGE: Figure 5 — View northwards of the pumping station and overhead powerlines. The image shows open agricultural land, utility poles and buildings in the distance.

Site analysis

IMAGE: Figure 6 — Site analysis diagram. The plan identifies the site, flood buffer, pumping station, built edge, green network, access links, visual links, sunpath, Watersfield Development road link and footpath. Legible map labels include Bay of Weyland, Hatston, Wideford Hill, Pipe Line, Weyland Bay, Orkney College, Carness Road and Watersfield. The site is shown north-east of the existing settlement, with a flood buffer along the coast, green-network planting around the edge and potential links toward the college and surrounding development. Source: Ordnance Survey 2014.

Policy background

Local policy

With reference to the Orkney Local Development Plan, the site is designated as an immediate housing area (S3). Due to the coastal aspect of the site any development, including Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), must not be sited within the indicated buffer strip as per policy Flooding and Coastal Erosion (D1) within the Plan. The site is highlighted as high coastal flood risk with possible mitigation measures stated as development site layout, avoidance of low areas and raising floor levels, as per the Orkney Strategic Flood Risk Assessment referred to in the Flooding and Coastal Erosion Supplementary Guidance.

Proximity to the Green Network in conjunction with Open Space (D6) is to be considered as part of proposals. Further applicable policy includes Criteria for All New Development (SD1); Infrastructure Delivery and Developer Contributions (SD3), and Low and Zero Carbon Technologies in Buildings (SD5). Proposals should take consideration of applicable policies in the Plan and associated supplementary guidance.

Kirkwall Urban Design Framework

“Land at Weyland is promoted for housing development. This area is within the 15 minute walking contour and reflects the coastal settlement pattern of the town. There are likely to be road infrastructure issues to address in particular road access. Development will also have to ensure that a suitable level of residential amenity can be achieved in relation to the existing Sewage Pumping Station. This may require a setting back of development from this infrastructure. Development to the East of the Pumping Station is not supported due to the fact that this is beyond a 15 minute walking distance, and is at a high risk of flooding. Opportunities to link in with the existing cycle/walking network should be explored through the proposals for this site. Landscape proposals including woodland planting on the eastern and southern boundary should ensure a strong urban edge to the development area. Proposals must also take reference from the townscape characterisation guidance in the UDf in terms of building design, site layout, use of materials and boundary treatment. If the site is to be developed in phases then a masterplan should be prepared to accompany the first phase of development, demonstrating how later phases of development will be integrated. This must include consideration of an integrated, long term plan for road and pedestrian/cycle link networks, open spaces, access and landscaping issues for the whole site.” (Kirkwall Urban Design Framework- KUDF)

IMAGE: Figure 7 — Extract of Kirkwall Proposals Map from the Orkney Local Development Plan. The map marks the housing site KW-J, adjacent development areas KW-T, KW-K and KW-L, the settlement boundary, coastal flooding zones, the green network, primary routes, open space and other planning designations. The map legend contains the headings “Settlement growth area”, “World Heritage Site inner Sensitive Zone (Policy HE1)”, “World Heritage Site outer Sensitive Zone (Policy HE1)”, “Care policy (Policy SD2)”, “Aspirational care path (Policy SD2)”, “Green network (Policy D6)”, “Primary trail frontage (Policy S2)”, “Designed landscape or garden (Policy HE5)”, “Conservation area (Policy HE4)”, “Settlement boundary (Policy S1, S2, S8)”, “National Scenic Area (Policy N1)”, “Town centre (Policy S3)”, “Strategic Development Area (Policy C4)”, “Site of Special Scientific Interest (Policy N2)”, “Special Protection Area (Policy N2)”, “Special Area of Conservation (Policy N2)”, “Village centre improvement area (Policy S2)”, “Areas subject to coastal erosion (Policy D1)”, “Plans and targets (Policy D1)”, “Area of potential natural flood risk (Policy D1)”, “Coastal flooding zone (1:200 year flood event) (Policy D1)”, “Fluvial flooding zone (1:200 year flood event) (Policy D1)”, “Local Nature Reserve (Policy C9)”, “Coastal zone (Policy C6)”, “Safeguarded area for minerals (Policy C8)”, “Safeguarded area for waste management facilities (Policy SD8)”, “Scheduled Ancient Monument (Policy HE2)”, “Ramsar Site (Policy N2)”, “Business and industrial land (Policy S1)”, “Commercial centre (Policy S1)”, “Mixed use area (Policy S1)”, “Open space (Policy D6)”, “Housing area (Policy S3)”, and “Housing area after 2017 (Policy S3)”. Some smaller map text is not legible.

Proposals are expected to contribute towards development of woodland planting along the eastern boundary, and nearby woodland framework provision as indicated in dark green in figure 8. This will be supplemented with a contribution from the adjacent development site of KW-T.

National policy

The value of good design is stressed within National Policy documents, and the role it plays in wider aspects other than aesthetics. Creating Places outlines the values as:

  • ‘physical value – enhances a setting;
  • functional value – meets and adapts to the long-term needs of all users;
  • viability – provides good value for money;
  • social value – develops a positive sense of identity and community; and
  • environmental value - efficient and responsible use of our resources.’

This in conjunction with Designing Places, which highlights the importance of distinctiveness, safety, ease of movement, welcoming, adaptable and resource efficient; Designing Streets placing emphasis on contextual responses rather than generic standards based street design solutions. Development proposals should marry these aspirations by creating a well-considered design response which adds value to the setting and creates an attractive environment for users to enjoy.

Development aspiration

The aspiration for the site is that it should provide a high quality mixed tenure residential development which takes advantage of the site’s proximity to the historic core of Kirkwall and the excellent views to the north. At the same time, it is expected that great effort should be made to integrate the new development with the landscape through site layout and building levels to reduce visual impact. Architectural details and materials appropriate to the Orkney context should be considered which includes provision of a reasonably sheltered environment for new homes; achieved through design and street layout.

The development should be well connected to its surroundings, and encourage pedestrian access to the town centre. This includes consideration of potential future developments that may take place in proximity to the site to enable through routes to be established. Use of appropriate building lines and layouts should promote an attractive pedestrian environment that is easy to navigate with open space and building layouts promoting social interaction and a sense of community. The development should also meet standards of building and external space which are appropriate for the 21st century and meet the aspirations of the Kirkwall community. These aspirations reflect the community views expressed through the KUDF consultation that a higher standard of development is essential. For further guidance with regards to good practice for design, detailing and materials reference should be made to the Kirkwall Urban Design Framework in particular section 4 developing the vision.

IMAGE: Figure 8 — Extract from Kirkwall Urban Design Framework. The diagram highlights creation of a woodland framework in dark green. Legible text includes “Bay of Kirkwall”, “KEY GATEWAYS” and “Landscape Framework / Gateways”. Arrows identify gateway locations around the settlement and the diagram shows the surrounding bay, green areas, woodland areas and settlement framework.

Development Brief Strategy

The role of this Development Brief is to establish common planning and design principles for all kinds of housing development in order that the site as a whole is coordinated and well designed – creating a high quality and highly valued addition to Kirkwall. To achieve this, new development proposals must respond to the following strategic principles:

  • Providing for a network of open spaces and pedestrian and cycle routes.
  • Identification of building lines for new buildings which tie in with the above network of spaces and routes.
  • Establishing an appropriate distribution and scale of vehicular access points, streets and external connections.
  • Establishing design characteristics which reflect the high quality of new development the County aspires to and ensures that individual buildings have common characteristics and contribute collectively to the coherent development of the Weyland site as a whole.

These key principles are illustrated in the Development Brief Strategy Plan in figure 9. An illustrative section drawing is also provided to assist applicants in understanding the physical character of the site. Planning applications will be measured against their success at responding to the Development Brief Strategy. Proposals which do not respond to these strategic principles will not be granted planning permission.

Phasing considerations

Phasing of the development should take account of infrastructure requirements before proceeding with building phases as appropriate to proposed development timescales. It is envisaged that the existing overhead power lines will be resolved as a grounded supply as part of the development, enabling the woodland planting to be realised and create an attractive boundary to the development site. Expected power demands of the site means a substation will be necessary on site. This should be located and detailed to minimise impact on the public realm. Phasing should also accommodate for establishing greenspace, integration of pedestrian and cycle routes, and sustainable drainage as described below to ensure a high quality development appropriate to phase completion. The Development Brief Strategy Plan sets out indicative building lines as part of the initial phases with future phasing considerations highlighted separately in response to this.

Road infrastructure is to be completed before any housing is built or individual plots are sold as appropriate to the phasing of the development as a whole. This is to be achieved through consultation with OIC Roads. Proposed phasing schemes should take into account the quality and functionality of the development upon phase completion whilst the entirety of the site is not fully realised.

Further considerations

As the site is subject to high flood risk, a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) is required to be achieved through consultation with SEPA for development on the site KW-J. Due to the combination of ditches and waterfront context of the site, Otters may be present. As a European Protected Species, a walkover survey of the site and its immediate surroundings is required to help inform the extent of any presence and if a Species Protection Plan is necessary. Both the FRA and walkover survey is expected to be achieved by the first developer as part of the planning application requirements for the site as a whole. The requirement of a walkover survey does not place excessive additional cost or time as part of any proposed development. Consideration should also be given to communal charging points for electric cars to offer more sustainable travel options.

IMAGE: Figure 9 — Indicative Development Brief Strategy Plan diagram, scale 1:2500. The plan shows the proposed primary and secondary access routes, pedestrian and cycle links, building lines, play area, green edge, woodland planting, SuDS, drystone dyke and section line. Future phasing considerations are separately marked for primary access, pedestrian and cycle links and building lines. The key text reads: “PRIMARY ACCESS (VEHICULAR+PEDESTRIAN+CYCLIST)”, “SECONDARY ACCESS (PEDESTRIAN+CYCLIST PRIORITY)”, “PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLE LINK”, “BUILDING LINE”, “PLAY AREA”, “GREEN EDGE”, “WOODLAND PLANTING”, “SUDS”, “DRYSTONE DYKE”, “SECTION LINE”, “FUTURE PHASING CONSIDERATIONS:”, “PRIMARY ACCESS (VEHICULAR+PEDESTRIAN+CYCLIST)”, “PEDESTRIAN AND CYCLE LINK” and “BUILDING LINE”. Source: Ordnance Survey 2014.

IMAGE: Figure 10 — 1:1250 indicative section. The section shows Weyland Bay, a flood-buffer greenspace, roads, houses, gardens, future phases and a woodland edge. Legible labels include “FUTURE PHASES”, “WEYLAND BAY”, “FLOOD BUFFER GREEN SPACE”, “ROAD”, “HOUSE”, “GARDEN” and “WOODLAND EDGE”.

Design criteria

The Kirkwall UDF sets out broad criteria for development in line with local and national policy. Briefly, it is expected that building design will reflect the prominent location of the site and the traditions of building in Orkney. Attention must be paid to both the site’s urban and rural contexts. Suburban styles finished in brick or which include barge boards and boxed in eaves will not be acceptable. In addition to demonstrating compliance with the Development Brief Strategy above, planning applications for individual dwellings or groups of buildings should respond to each of the specific points set out in the following 5 Design Criteria in order to deliver the development aspiration outlined above.

Design criterion 1: Buildings and Placemaking

Firstly development should contribute to the Placemaking objectives as follows:

Context driven

  • vehicle speeds influenced through design;
  • street and junction design that is not standards based;
  • SuDS design and requirements;

Better design outcomes

  • achieved through collaborative multi-disciplinary approach;
  • through early consideration of signage and street marking to ensure minimal application required;
  • that promote social interaction and movement network integration;
  • that are not service and utility driven;
  • that integrate natural landscape features;
  • that utilise distinctive, easily maintained, durable and visually appealing quality materials; and

Pedestrian and cyclist priority

  • balance place and movement requirements with pedestrians put first and vehicles last, including traffic junctions.

This is in line with the Council approved Placemaking Principles and the Scottish Government Publications, ‘Designing Streets’ and ‘Creating Places’.

Secondly proposals should be energy efficient, context specific and promote a pedestrian environment through the following:

  • All new development should demonstrate efficient and sustainable use of energy and resources in terms of layout, orientation, construction, materials and energy supply.
  • Building layout should present a frontage to the internal street system as identified in the Development Brief Strategy Plan (figure 9). The indicated building lines convey how public to public and private to private frontages should be maintained.
  • New development should achieve building lines which create sheltered spaces and a pleasant public realm (with consideration of predominant wind directions and utilising deviated building lines). The housing density should be reflective of the edge of town, suburban typology appropriate to the site location.
  • Buildings must be articulated to enable clearly defined public frontages to promote natural surveillance of public places, and private frontages to maintain privacy of tenants. Conflicting public onto private frontage relationships are to be avoided.
  • Development of the whole site could result in a mix of building types, including semi-detached and terraced buildings and individual dwellings, and add variety to the street environment they create. In some circumstances this will result in a layout where the minimum distances will be less than 21m between buildings and where the footprint of buildings exceeds one third of the total plot area.
  • New buildings should be 1 to 2 storeys in height in keeping with the local context. Building heights must be carefully considered and justified in terms of the gradient of the slope, the provision of shelter, the effect on neighbouring properties and the provision of views.
  • It is expected that new development should be predominantly residential but this does not prevent possible opportunities for other uses such as community facilities, small scale business premises i.e. office, corner shop etc. - such a proposal must be integrated with the overall layout of the site, in particular relationships with public space.
  • New development should promote a better relationship between likely users wherever possible (i.e. narrower streets, shared surfaces, tree clusters, limited regulation signs etc.: see criterion 4) rather than generic traffic calming measures. Development should orientate towards new pedestrian and cycle links both within the sites and externally, in particular linking to the amenity areas as identified on the Development Brief Strategy Plan (figure 9) including consideration to linkages to Weyland Bay, the pathway leading to the College, and access links established as part of the Watersfield Development Brief.
  • The site layout must include public landscaped spaces as part of Phase 1, which may be extended to co-ordinate with Weyland Bay and those areas proposed by the Watersfield Development Brief.

Design criterion 2: Boundaries and edges

Proposals should clearly define public space and differentiate between public and private realms through the following:

  • Existing stone dyke field walls within the site should be retained where possible and incorporated in the new layout of the development area.
  • Edges along the roads through the site should take references from the surrounding countryside stone walls and grass verges.
  • A sense of enclosure should be created throughout the development by linked frontages and garden walls with materials and heights consistent with existing site boundary walls and throughout the proposed development. This will also aid the location of bin storage areas not to be visible from the public realm and prevent any negative impact on the streetscape.
  • The green edges as indicated in the Development Brief Strategy Plan are expected to help minimise the visual impact of the adjacent pumping station, and provide a threshold to the built edge of the development site facing Weyland Bay through appropriate planting and landscape schemes. Development proposals must consider the implications of the pumping station in order to ensure houses in close proximity are not adversely affected including potential noise issues.
  • Consideration should be given to buildings having shared satellite points to minimise any visual impact upon the overall quality of the development site.
  • The use of brick walls, coniferous hedges or decorative gateways is not acceptable.

Design criterion 3: Open space, play areas and landscaping

Proposals should demonstrate how open space is considered as an important part of the development proposal in proportion to the likely user demands of the development through the following:

  • Adhering to the Open space requirements in new developments, and Planning and Design Principles within the Orkney Open Space Strategy: Planning for Open Space Supplementary Guidance in relation to Policy D6.
  • Playspace should offer challenging elements to promote an engaging and attractive space for children supplemented with suitable furniture and facilities for families and older users.
  • The flood buffer area is envisaged to take the form of greenspace. This and the combination of green edges and SuDS provide opportunities to add biodiversity value to the site.
  • Trees and natural landscaping species should be appropriate to envisaged site conditions and enhance the context due to their presence. Whilst native species are favoured, non-native species will be considered on their merits if successful examples in Orkney already exist. Please refer to the Woodland Design Guide for further guidance available at http://www.outdoororkney.com/explore-further/orkney-woodland-project-resources .
  • Maintenance details must be provided before the first phase of development is completed to ensure long term maintenance of public space is secured to ensure its value to residents and users is sustained.

Design criterion 4: Site access, roads and movement

As part of meeting the following expectations in relation to site access, roads and movement, the developer should engage with the council as Roads Authority at the earliest opportunity, prior to the submission of a planning application, to determine requirements for roads, lighting and drainage for various phases of the development. Furthermore proposals should convey that road construction has not been conceived in isolation but as an integrated element of the overall design of the development through consideration of the following:

  • The design of an innovative, less car dominant layout which respects the landform and character of the area.
  • With reference to the Development Brief Strategy Plan, primary access routes will consist of ‘Homezone’ streets which utilise surface and texture variations to provide a pedestrian orientated environment that accommodates vehicular access. The secondary access route is envisaged to be predominantly for pedestrian and cyclist usage as a narrower route with minimal vehicle access still permissible. This is supplemented with dedicated pedestrian and cycle links, to promote a walkable setting and sustainable travel as part of the development.
  • Implementation of the concepts laid down in ‘Designing Streets – A Policy Statement for Scotland’ issued by the Scottish Government. This document promotes an informal system of well-connected streets with natural traffic calming (building lines, shared road surfaces etc.) built in and equal priority given to all modes including walking and cycling. Traffic calming should be introduced as a self-enforcing measure to maintain vehicle speeds below 20 mph. This should be aided by utilising deviated building lines, natural landscaping elements and narrower streets without resorting to a formal pavement and road arrangement.
  • Use of shared surfaces must respond to blind and partially sighted user requirements through continuous building lines and surface edging details.
  • Requirement for a Traffic Impact Assessment to be carried out to assess any potential implications and any mitigation which may be required to the wider traffic network. The Traffic Impact Assessment should consider vehicular, pedestrian and cycle movements to and from the development site. This will be required to be carried out alongside the first planning application(s) for Phase 1.
  • It is anticipated that a new artery road will be established in Phase 1 of the development to provide access in relation to additional phases proposed as part of the development. This is in conjunction with the pedestrian and cycle link, as indicated in the Development Brief Strategy Plan to be realised in Phase 1.
  • Suitable construction access with consideration of work as part of future phases to minimise disruption to completed properties.
  • The Council has approved a series of Placemaking Principles which underpins all Placemaking projects within the Placemaking Strategy and will inform revisions to the Roads Development Guide 2006. In the meantime reference should be made to the Placemaking objectives summarised at the start of criterion 1.

Specific access requirements

Parking requirements: Shared parking arrangements will be preferred over individual parking allocations. Individual parking allocations should be avoided where it will have an adverse impact on the character of the street and should be appropriate to the scale and context of the development site. In the case of planning applications for individual plots, meeting the above parking arrangements should be achieved to the satisfaction of the Planning Authority which does not undermine the functionality of the development site as a whole. As part of the building lines indicated within the Development Brief Strategy Plan, to minimise impact on the public frontage, on street parking should be kept to a minimum; figure 14 conveys how this may be achieved. For guidance regarding the design and construction of any new infrastructure associated with the development, with particular regard to standards for safety and the provision of accesses, servicing arrangements, and parking facilities, reference should be made to the Roads Development Guide 2006 and the National Roads Development Guide.

A range of solutions to reduce the impact of car parking on the residential environment must be considered in the design of individual plots. These should include a combination of:

  • avoiding front garden space being given over to parking;
  • using front garden walls to structure the street appearance;
  • designing in shared small scale semi-private courtyard parking; and
  • building shared surfaces in traditional materials rather than using coloured concrete block surfaces.

IMAGE: Figure 11 — Indicative sketch of how open space should be focus of activity within development. This should be reinforced by visual and physical thresholds i.e. trees, texture edging details rather than a typical fence and gate enclosure. Pedestrian and cycle priority route highlighted in green, deviated vehicular route highlighted in red. The sketch shows buildings arranged around a central shared space, with arrows indicating pedestrian and cycle movement and vehicle movement.

IMAGE: Figure 12 — Sketch of shared space between buildings with texture details highlighted in red to provide minimal threshold. Trees may also be used to promote a less car dominant environment by helping create deviations in the vehicular route. The sketch shows a shared street between buildings, with trees, surface thresholds and a vehicle route.

IMAGE: Figure 13 — Example of shared surface and tree arrangement in Newhall, Harlow from Designing Streets. The image shows a street designed as a shared surface with a tree planted within a protected circular feature beside the roadway.

IMAGE: Figure 14 — Indication of how building lines can aid traffic calming by reducing forward visibility. This can enable small scale spaces to be created which could be used for parking. The diagram shows buildings arranged with staggered frontages, creating a less direct vehicle route and small parking spaces.

Provision must be made to link into and extend the existing pedestrian / cycle path. Access requirements specific to this brief include:

  • establishing a pedestrian and cycle link to connect with the existing pathway to Orkney College;
  • extending pavement provision to the south to connect with the existing built environment along Carness Road in conjunction with extending the existing 30mph speed limit to encompass the development site; and
  • consideration of future proofing pedestrian and vehicular access links to enable these to be extended if required.

Upgrades and improvements to the existing road network required as part of the development must be completed prior to any housing sites being developed. Other requirements may be identified as the design progresses. The width and adequacy of existing foot and cycle paths may need to be investigated at the Planning Application stage. Proposals that require the introduction of a new Traffic Regulation Order, the developer should consult with OIC Roads Services at the earliest opportunity.

Design criterion 5: Water resource management

The site naturally drains to Weyland Bay. The western extent of development site is identified within Coastal Flooding Zone within the Orkney Local Development Plan, policy D1. The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) finds that low lying areas of site KW-J are considered to be at significant risk of tidal flooding. The exposed nature of the site may result in wave and tide levels in excess of the 3.23m OC (N) still water level. Due to the high flood risk of the site, a Flood Risk Assessment is required in consultation with SEPA. This is expected to be fulfilled by the first developer as part of the planning application for development on the site KW-J.

All surface water run-off to be treated by SuDS in line with Scottish Planning Policy (Paragraph 209), PAN 61 Planning and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems and PAN 79 Water and Drainage. Proposals are required to carry out a SuDS assessment which should include for full attenuation, filtration and treatment, identifying any requirements for upgrading the existing drainage system where appropriate. This should take SuDS provision implications for the whole site into consideration. Discharges to combined sewers should be avoided to free up capacity for waste water discharges. Further guidance on the design of SuDS systems and appropriate levels of treatment can be found in the CIRIA C697 manual entitled The SUDS Manual, Sewers for Scotland Second Edition standards and SuDS for Roads to ensure best practice. Scottish Water should be consulted as part of proposed adoption of SuDS schemes. Details of regulatory requirements and good practice advice for applicants can also be found at www.sepa.org.uk/planning.aspx.

Any surface water drainage generated from this site is assumed to discharge directly into the sea via an outfall. There are issues associated with the blocking of existing sea outfalls by beach materials during onshore storm conditions. The findings of the SFRA recommend possible mitigation through:

  • design of an appropriate development site layout;
  • avoidance of low-lying areas;
  • raising floor levels; and
  • at project level the design of any discharge point constructed on the foreshore will require careful consideration.

Individual planning applications must demonstrate that they have considered whether there are any local sources of flooding and be designed to avoid such areas. In line with the requirements of PAN61 Planning and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, an appropriate SuDS will be required as part of planning applications for individual and multiple dwellings. This will be achieved most effectively as identified in the Development Brief Strategy Plan, to reinforce a buffer to the pumping station in conjunction with ensuring that SuDS are visually attractive, safe and accessible for maintenance purposes. All planning applications must demonstrate that they will connect to the public foul drainage and the proposed layout of wastewater infrastructure in response to site layout of the development. Completion of a Pre Development Enquiry Form is to be submitted to Scottish Water’s Customer Connections Team as early as possible.

Summary

Applicants are to note the following key requirements as detailed throughout the Development Brief:

Pre-application

  • Consult OIC Roads, Scottish Water and SEPA at earliest opportunity.
  • A brief written response to the Development Brief Strategy and each of the Design Criteria: buildings and Placemaking; boundaries and edges; open space, play areas and landscaping; site access, roads and movement; and water resource management as part of early engagement with the Planning Authority.

Full planning application requirements

  • Flood Risk Assessment in consultation with SEPA.*
  • A Traffic Impact Assessment that considers vehicular, pedestrian and cycle movements to and from the development site.*
  • A walkover survey of the site and immediate surroundings with regards to the possible presence of Otters.*
  • Access requirements: establishing a pedestrian and cycle link to connect with the existing pathway towards Orkney College; extending pavement provision to the south to connect with the existing built environment along Carness Road; and extending the existing 30mph speed limit to encompass the development site.*
  • Design Statement in support of the planning application.

(* denotes requirements envisaged to be undertaken by first developer)

Fulfilling these requirements should help inform the design response to the site and its associated characteristics. This in combination with the expectations outlined in this Development Brief ensures proposals are of a high design standard in how they maximise the potential of the site and integrate with the wider context.