Proposed redevelopment of the Chequersfield North Site · The Glacial Deposits comprise an interbedded sequence of shallow Brickearth, Sand and Gravel, Lacustrine Deposits and Boulder

architecturetown planninginterior designurban design

Proposed redevelopment of the Chequersfield North Site

Welwyn Garden City

Request for Pre-application advice and EIA scopingon behalf of the Hertfordshire County Council

December 2010

prepared by Vincent and Gorbing

LAND AT CHEQUERSFIELD NORTH, WELWYN GARDEN CITY

LAND AT CHEQUERSFIELD NORTH, WELWYN GARDEN CITY, HERTS

REQUEST FOR PRE‐APPLICATION ADVICE AND AN EIA SCOPING

OPINION

CONTENTS

Page

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1

2.0 THE SITE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

2

3.0 GROUND CONDITIONS AND CONTAMINATION

5

4.0 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT

9

5.0 DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS

15

6.0 THE CASE OF NEED FOR THE HOUSEHOLD WASTE RECYCLING CENTRE

21

7.0 THE CASE OF NEED FOR THE FIRE & RESCUE TRAINING CENTRE

23

8.0 TECHNICAL STUDIES

26

9.0 CONSULTATION WITH THE BOROUGH COUNCIL

28

10.0 TOWN PLANNING PROCESSES

30

11.0 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

32

PLANS

1. Site location plan 2. Site identification plan 3. Site appraisal 4. Development principles

RP/4613/DECEMBER 2010


1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 This request for Pre‐Application Advice and an Environmental Impact

Assessment (EIA) Scoping Opinion is made to the County Planning Authority

on behalf Hertfordshire Property and relates to an area of land in Welwyn

Garden City that is generally known as ‘Chequersfield North’. The location of

the site is shown on Plan 1.

Pre‐Application Advice

1.2 Pre‐Application Advice is sought in respect of the following development

proposals for the Chequersfield North site

• The implementation of a Remediation Strategy for the whole site in

order to make it fit for development.

• The provision of access, drainage and service infrastructure to enable

the development of the whole site.

• The construction of a Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) in

the northern part of the site to serve the Welwyn Garden City /

Hatfield area (replacing the existing facility at Cole Green).

• The construction of a Fire & Rescue Service Training Centre in the

northern part of the site (replacing the existing facility at Longfield,

Stevenage).

EIA Screening and Scoping Opinions

1.3 In the event that the County Planning Authority concludes that a planning

application for the above proposals would be considered favourably, an EIA

Scoping Opinion is requested under the terms of the Town and Country

Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales)

Regulations 1999.

RP/4613/DECEMBER 2010 P a g e | 1


2.0 THE SITE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

Site location (Plan 1)

2.1 The Chequersfield North site is located in the southern part of the Welywn

Garden City urban area, between the main London – Edinburgh railway line

and the A1000 (Chequers) and to the immediate south of the Burrowfield

Employment Area.

Site area / ownership (Plan 2)

2.2 The site is some 4.46 hectares (11.02 acres) in extent and is wholly owned

by Hertfordshire County Council.

Site history

2.3 The site, together with adjacent land now forming part of the Burrowfield

Employment Area, was quarried for brick earth and aggregates from the

1930’s onwards. In the late 1950’s / early 1960’s, the site was used for

landfill purposes.

2.4 Subsequent to the closure of the landfill site, the site was purchased by

Hertfordshire County Council from the New Towns Commission for use as a

detached playing field facility for the Mater Dei School. However, it was

never actually used for that purpose and has now remained vacant for a

long period.

Site description (Plan 3)

2.5 The site is characterised by rough grassland with some regenerated scrub.

Although the site surface is uneven, the site is relatively flat, with just a 2

metre fall from north to south. The highest part of the site is located in the

north‐western corner.

2.6 The site’s boundaries are defined by a variety fences, many in a poor state

of repair and overgrown with brambles.



2.7 Around and within the site are located a number of pipes which form part of

a passive gas venting system installed in 1990/91 to discharge

concentrations of landfill gas from the site.

Utilities

2.8 An underground high voltage electricity cable runs through the south‐

western corner of the site, connecting to the nearby electricity sub‐station.

Adjoining uses

2.9 The site is bounded

• To the north and north‐west, by industrial / warehouse units accessed

off the access road Burrowfield which joins the A1000 at a ‘T’ junction

further to the north and also provides access to a number of

residential dwellings.

• To the west, by an area of portacabin storage, beyond which lies a

large electricity sub‐station, accessed from the southern end of

Burrowfield.

• To the east, by a belt of mature woodland with an area of amenity

open space beyond.

• To the south, by the access road Chequersfield and an area of unused

land in the ownership of George Wimpey North London Limited.

2.10 Beyond Chequersfield and the swathe of open land is the recently

completed Chequersfield South residential development. The site formerly

housed the Holy Trinity Roman Catholic primary school and the Herts

Country Club.

Access

2.11 Chequersfield joins the A1000 (Chequers) and the distributor road

Howlands some 120 metres to the east at a roundabout junction.



2.12 A new roundabout has recently been constructed on Chequersfield adjacent

to the south‐eastern boundary of the subject site, to serve both the

Chequersfield South residential development and a future development of

the Chequersfield North site.

2.13 A combined footway / cycleway has been constructed up to the entrance of

the Chequersfield North site, together with a crossing facility over

Chequersfield. This footway / cycleway then runs along the southern side of

Chequersfield to the A1000 and crosses under the A1000 / Chequersfield

roundabout junction. It links with a footway / cycleway that runs along the

eastern side of Chequers between Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield.

2.14 Chequersfield is not currently served by public transport. However a

number of bus routes, providing regular services to Welwyn Garden City

town centre, run close to the site along the A1000 (Chequers) and

Howlands. The nearest bus stops are located on Howlands, some 300

metres from the Chequersfield North site and are accessible via the

aforementioned footpath / cycleway network.

Rights of way

2.15 There are no definitive footpaths within or immediately adjoining the site.



3.0 GROUND CONDITIONS AND CONTAMINATION

Background

3.1 The Chequersfield Landfill was operational in the 1950’s and early 1960’s at

a time when relatively few regulatory controls applied to landfilling and

landfill sites were generally not ‘engineered’. The landfill site was essentially

created by backfilling the void that resulted from the mineral workings. The

base and sides of the landfill were not lined (other than by in situ low

permeability clay) and on completion the site was ‘capped’ only with a

relatively thin cover of soils.

Technical Investigations

3.2 In the light of its landfill history, the Chequersfield North site has been the

subject of extensive technical investigation for over 20 years by RSK Stats

Geoconsult Limited (RSK) on behalf of the County Council.

3.3 The results of these investigations are summarised in the accompanying RSK

reports

• Updated Technical Appraisal and Outline Remediation Strategy, June

2010.

• Report on Investigation of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Plume in

Groundwater, November 2010.

Extent of the landfill site

3.4 The outer extent of the Chequersfield Landfill has been defined by RSK

based on historic records and extensive borehole and trial pit results, as

indicated on Plan 3.

3.5 The void was one of several separate voids in the area and extended slightly

to the south, east and west of the land area owned by the County Council. A

strip of land along the northern boundary of the site together with an area



of land in the south‐west corner were excluded from the void and thus

represent ‘virgin’ land.

Waste characteristics

3.6 The principal conclusions of the waste characterisation investigations

carried out by RSK are as follows

• In general, the thickness of the fill is typically about 4.5m to 5.5m,

with a minimum thickness encountered of 1.7m and a maximum

thickness of 6.5m.

• The fill is covered by a clay capping layer that varies in thickness

between 0.3 and 1.4m.

• The total volume of fill on the site, including the capping layer, may

be estimated to be approximately 210,000m3.

• The fill material encountered during investigations is consistent with

reported deposits of mixed domestic refuse and commercial /

industrial wastes (see Plan 3).

• Across the majority of the site, the fill material predominantly

comprises black‐ash rich ‘refuse’ with paper, fabric, plastic, scrap

metal, glass, rubber, brick and concrete.

• The domestic refuse is absent in the south‐east corner of the site

where the waste comprises blue grey to black sand containing

rusted‐through industrial drums. The drums contain pharmaceutical

/ laboratory glassware, blue crystalline material and liquid with a

strong sulphuric odour.

• A hydrocarbon ‘plume’ is present in the southern part of the site, as

indicated on Plan 3. The plume contains elevated concentrations of a

number of petroleum hydrocarbon fractions and the presence of a



significant thickness of free product has been confirmed. A solvent

plume has also been detected in the same location.

• The organic content of the waste materials on the site ranges

between 0.6% and 38%, but generally falls within the 10 to 30%

range.

• There are anecdotal reports of possible low‐level radioactive waste

having been deposited at the site in the form of a small number of

canisters buried towards the western site boundary. No elevated

levels of gamma and beta radiation were measured by RSK,

however, and no canisters have been identified.

Groundwater contamination

3.7 The geology underlying the site comprises a complex sequence of Glacial

Deposits overlying the White Chalk. The Glacial Deposits comprise an

interbedded sequence of shallow Brickearth, Sand and Gravel, Lacustrine

Deposits and Boulder Clays.

3.8 The White Chalk is designated by the Environment Agency as a Principal

Aquifer whilst the Glacial Deposits contain two shallow aquifers (Upper

Sand and Gravel and Lower Sand). The site is thus within a Groundwater

Source Protection Zone (SPZ 3) and is less than 130m from a SPZ 2 to the

public extraction at Essendon.

3.9 The work carried out by RSK has identified two main sources of

contamination resulting directly from the landfill

• Hydrocarbon, metal and ammonium contamination in the Upper

Sand and Gravel Aquifer (which comprises the base of the refuse).

• The aforementioned hydrocarbon ‘plume’, which appears to have

migrated from the Upper Sand and Gravel Aquifer to the Lower Sand

Aquifer.



3.10 However, there is no evidence of any direct impact of the landfill on the

Chalk Aquifer, indicating the presence of a continuous aquitard beneath the

Glacial Deposits.

Landfill gas

3.11 In 1990/91, 25 shallow gas vents (in the waste) and three deep venting wells

(in the Lower Sand Aquifer) were installed. The shallow gas vents were

located at approximately 20m intervals along the northern, western and

southern perimeter of the site, typically 10 to 20m into the body of the

waste from the margin of the landfill. The majority of the vents remain

along the northern boundary but a number of those installed along the

southern and western boundaries have been destroyed over time.

3.12 The monitoring work carried out by RSK indicates that the site is still actively

gassing, although gas flow rates are negligible. Gas monitoring points have

recently been installed in the waste and a quarterly programme of ground

gas monitoring has been implemented.

3.13 To the south of the Chequersfield access road, the new housing

development has been protected by the installation of a ‘virtual gas curtain’

consisting of vent nodules connected to a geocellular collector duct system

wrapped in a membrane, with a vent stack and bollard inlet / outlet

arrangement at calculated centres. In principle, the system creates a zone of

low pressure that attracts and dilutes ground gases to acceptable levels.

Monitoring of the system has indicated no gas migration since its

installation.



4.0 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT

INTERNATIONAL DESIGNATIONS

4.1 There are no international environmental designations affecting the

Chequersfield North site i.e. RAMSAR sites, Special Areas of Conservation,

Special Protection Areas or World Heritage Sites.

NATIONAL DESIGNATIONS

4.2 There are no national planning or environmental designations affecting the

Chequersfield North site, i.e. National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural

Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest or National Nature Reserves.

HERITAGE ASSETS

4.3 The Chequersfield North site is not located within a Conservation Area or

Area of Archaeological Interest, nor does it contain any listed buildings or

scheduled ancient monuments.

NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY

4.4 National planning policies are set out in Planning Policy Guidance Notes and

Planning Policy Statements and are material considerations in the

determination of planning applications.

4.5 Documents that are particularly relevant to the proposed development of

the Chequersfield North site include:

• Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development

(including supplement on climate change).

• Planning Policy Statement 4: Planning for Sustainable Economic

Growth.

• Planning Policy Guidance Note 13: Transport.



• Planning Policy Guidance Note 14: Development on Unstable

Ground.

• Planning Policy Statement 23: Planning and Pollution Control.

• Planning Policy Guidance Note 24: Planning and Noise.

• Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN

4.6 Section 38 (6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 states

that

‘If regard is to be had to the development plan for the purpose of any

determination under the planning Acts, the determination must be made in

accordance with the plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise’.

4.7 The Development Plan in respect of the Chequersfield North site

comprises:‐

• The East of England Plan, published May 2008.

• The Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005.

• The Waste Local Plan 1999.

• The Minerals Local Plan 2007 (not relevant to the development

proposals).

East of England Plan

4.8 Whilst the East of England Plan still forms part of the development plan, the

Coalition Government has announced its intention to revoke all regional

strategies.



4.9 Consequently, we consider the policies and proposals of the East of England

Plan to be of limited relevance to the planning application proposals.

District Plan

4.10 The site is shown on the District Plan Proposals Map as being located within

the Welwyn Garden City urban area and within the Burrowfield

Employment Area.

4.11 The District Plan policies considered to be of particular relevance to the site

to the site are set out below, although any consideration of the site’s future

will be need to be made in the context of the plan as a whole.

POLICY EMP1: EMPLOYMENT AREAS

‘The following areas of land as shown on the Proposals Map are designated

as Employment Areas (inter alia):

EA2 Burrowfields, Welwyn Garden City 15.6 hectares’

POLICY EMP2: ACCEPTABLE USES IN EMPLOYMENT AREAS

‘In the designated employment areas, proposals for development within Use

Classes B1, B2 and B8 will be permitted, subject to the following criteria:

i. The proposal would not, due to the scale of employment generated,

have an unacceptable impact on the demand for housing in the travel

to work area;

ii. The proposal would not have an unacceptable impact on the local

and/or strategic transport infrastructure;

iii. The proposal would not harm the amenities of any nearby residential

properties;

iv. The development would provide adequate parking, servicing and

access;



v. Any retail element of the development would clearly be ancillary to

the main business use.

Proposals for Class B8 development should also be well located in relation

to the primary road network.

Proposals for any other uses in the designated employment areas should

generally be resisted and will only be permitted where it can be clearly

demonstrated that the existing land or premises are no longer required to

meet future employment requirements and business and community needs.

All such proposals will also be required to satisfy criteria (i) to (v) above and

other relevant policies of the Plan relating to the use proposed.

In all cases, the proposed development must comply with the design policies

contained in the Plan.’

POLICY EMP7: PROVISION FOR 'DIRTY USER' INDUSTRIES

‘The Council considers that the Mater Dei Site, Chequersfield, Welwyn

Garden City, is a suitable site for the location of bad neighbour/dirty user

industries. The Council will expect the site to be developed in accordance

with a development brief, to be agreed by the Council. The development

brief for the site will require part of the site to be allocated for bad

neighbour/dirty users.’

POLICY R1: MAXIMISING THE USE OF PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED LAND

‘In order to make the best use of land in the district, the Council will require

development to take place on land which has been previously used or

developed. Development will only be permitted on 'greenfield' land where it

can be demonstrated that no suitable opportunities exist on previously used

or developed land.’



POLICY R2: CONTAMINATED LAND

‘The Council will encourage proposals for the development and reuse of land

which is or may be contaminated. On such sites, applications must be

accompanied by a full survey of the level of contamination and proposals

for remediation measures. In considering whether planning permission

should be granted, the Council will need to be satisfied that there will be no

unacceptable risk to health or the environment arising from the remedial

works or the proposed use of the site in relation to the type of

contamination.’

Waste Local Plan

4.12 The site is not located in an area of search for new waste facilities in the

Hertfordshire Waste Local Plan 1995‐2005 (adopted January 1999).

4.13 Waste Policy 24 is relevant to the development proposals and states

‘Disposal of waste by raising the level of land will only be permitted where it

would assist the preparation of land for other approved development

proposals …. And where the proposal can meet the environmental standards

and planning requirements set out in operational policies 32‐46.’

Emerging Waste LDF

4.14 The site was included in the consultation draft Waste Site Allocations and

Preferred Options 2 (November 1999) as a Preferred Waste Area as part of

the wider Burrowfield Industrial Estate. The suggested waste facilities for

this area included a Household Waste Recycling Centre although it was

noted that

‘Part of the estate to the south is a former landfill site, which includes the

former Mater Dei Playing Field. There are likely to be limitations regarding

the development of this part of the site due to ground stability and landfill

gas measures’.



4.15 Policy 8 of the Waste Core Strategy Pre‐Submission DPD (November 2010)

states (inter alia)

‘Disposal of waste and restoration with inert material by raising the level of

land will only be granted where

• It would assist the preparation of land for other approved

development proposals;

• The land is derelict or degraded;

• It would result in significant or other environmental benefit;

• It can be demonstrated that it is necessary to achieve restoration for

mineral voids; and

• It can be demonstrated that it will not give rise to unacceptable

implications to human health, amenity, landscape and the

environment.’



5.0 DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS

5.1 The development proposals for the Chequersfield North site comprise

• The implementation of a Remediation Strategy for the whole site in

order to make it fit for development.

• The provision of access, drainage and service infrastructure to enable

the development of the whole site.

• The construction of a Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) in

the northern part of the site to serve the Welwyn Garden City /

Hatfield area (replacing the existing facility at Cole Green).

• The construction of a Fire & Rescue Service Training Centre in the

northern part of the site (replacing the existing facility at Longfield,

Stevenage).

5.2 The development proposals are illustrated on the attached Plan 4 and the

Indicative Layout drawings by MACE Group.

REMEDIATION STRATEGY

5.3 Based on its comprehensive technical investigations and discussions with

the Environment Agency and WHBC Environmental Health, RSK has defined

a Remediation Strategy for the Chequersfield North site as described in

detail in the accompanying RSK reports.

5.4 In summary, this strategy comprises

• Removal of the hydrocarbon ‘plume’ from the Lower Sand Aquifer,

followed by groundwater treatment to achieve remedial target

concentrations to be agreed with the Environment Agency.



• Removal of the industrial / pharmaceutical waste in the south‐

eastern area of the site, or encapsulation of those materials beneath

hard cover with minimum disturbance.

• Provision of a piled solution to enable the development of buildings

and roads, with a load transfer mattress across the site (save for any

limited areas of soft landscaping).

• Use of displacement piles, identified as the method that will pose the

lowest environmental risk.

• The installation of service trenches within the load transfer mattress

adjacent to areas of roads and hardstanding to prevent settlement

of the trenches.

• The monitoring of the redevelopment of the site for the presence of

possible low‐level radioactive waste.

• The installation of a gas venting trench along the western and

northern boundaries of the site.

• The installation of passive gas vents (e.g. combined with lamp posts)

at a suitable spacing across the development.

• The installation of an appropriate level of gas protection measures in

all buildings, expected as a minimum to be based on passive venting

of a sub‐floor void, gas proof membrane and the venting of manhole

chambers.

• The installation of upgraded barrier pipes for potable water supply.

• The provision of a suitable layer of clean soils in all areas of soft

landscaping and tree pits.



• A groundwater monitoring strategy to be agreed with the

Environment Agency to ensure the protection of controlled waters

during development of the site.

5.5 Whilst it is appreciated that the majority of these actions do not constitute

development (in town planning terms), the load transfer mattress to be

provided across the site (save in any areas of virgin ground) is likely to

comprise a granular 1m thick capping containing layers of geogrid, thereby

constituting a ‘landraise’ activity requiring planning permission.

ACCESS, DRAINAGE AND SERVICE INFRASTRUCTURE

Vehicular access

5.6 The recently constructed Chequersfield roundabout already provides a high

quality vehicular access to the site.

5.7 As indicated on Plan 4, it is anticipated that an industrial estate road will be

extended into the site to serve the proposed land uses described below.

5.8 In accordance with the guidance contained in the County Council

publication ‘Roads in Hertfordshire – A Design Guide’, the principal

characteristics of the estate road are anticipated to be as follows

• A minimum carriageway width of 7.3 metres.

• Adjacent footways to be a minimum of 2 metres in width.

• For cul‐de‐sacs in excess of 200 metres, full turning facilities for heavy

commercial vehicles to be provided at 200 metre spacing.

• Spacing of junctions to be not less than 90 metres on the same side of

the road and not less than 40 metres on opposite sides.

• Turning facilities to be provided at the end of culs‐de‐sac, either in the

form of a ‘T’ or ‘banjo’.



• If a security gate is provided to an individual premise, it should be at

least 20 metres from the highway boundary to avoid obstruction by

vehicles awaiting entry.

Footpath / cycleway

5.9 It is anticipated that the existing 3‐metre combined footpath / cycleway that

currently terminates at the site entrance will be extended into the body of

the site, running alongside the estate road and thence through to the

western boundary of the site, to allow for a future link into the adjoining

Burrowfield industrial area. At the present time, however, the presence of

an intervening land ownership would prevent such a link being achieved.

Drainage and services

5.10 In accordance with normal development practice, it is anticipated that

drainage and service infrastructure will provided in the estate road corridor.

5.11 Appropriate foul and surface water sewers are available alongside Chequers

to the east of the site and connections will need to be secured in

negotiation with the appropriate utility companies / Environment Agency.

5.12 It is anticipated that on‐site attenuation of surface water will be required.

As indicated on Plan 4, given the prevailing site levels, the most appropriate

location for a balancing pond would be in the south‐east corner of the site.

Some on‐plot balancing will also be required.

HOUSEHOLD WASTE RECYCLING CENTRE

5.13 The proposed HWRC will occupy a site of some 0.37 hectares, which will be

fenced and gated to prevent unauthorised access outside of opening times.

5.14 It is anticipated that the HWRC will be similar in nature and configuration to

the recent HWRCs provided at Harpenden, Garston and Stevenage, with an

internal one‐way access road and skips / car parking arranged on either side

of the access road. Space for some 20 recycling skips will be provided,



served by some 26 car parking spaces. A small office building will also be

provided on the site.

FIRE & RESCUE TRAINING CENTRE

5.15 The Fire and Rescue Training Centre will occupy a site of some 1.48 hectares

and will comprise

• A 2‐storey training / administration building (3,250 square metres

GIA) containing an auditorium with capacity for 150 people, 6

lecture rooms, 4 breakout rooms, ICT training room, occupational

health suite, gymnasium, prayer room, dining facilities,

administrative offices, overnight sleeping accommodation for 25

people, drying room and changing facilities.

• Car parking for 120 cars.

• Two drill yards including towers and associated buildings.

• Training area including two ‘hot cans’ (one heat and smoke unit and

one for forensic and extinguisher training) and crawling galleries.

• Storage compounds for crashed vehicles to be used for training

purposes.

• Parking area for fire appliances and other Fire & Rescue Service

vehicles.

• 4 x 4 vehicle driver training area.

RESIDUAL SITE AREA

5.16 As indicated on the drawings, the Household Waste Recycling Centre and

Fire & Rescue Service Training Centre will not occupy the whole of the

developable area of the site. Two separate areas of land on either side of



the site access road (totalling some 2.27 hectares) will be available for use

by other activities.

5.17 It is the County Council’s current intention to market these plots for sale for

private sector development following the remediation of the site and the

construction of the site infrastructure. Whilst the future use of the plots will

be determined by their purchasers, it is considered likely to comprise

Employment Uses falling with Use Classes B1, B2 and B8. At typical

development densities, these plots would be able to accommodate around

10,000 square metres of such development.

5.18 Planning applications will be made (to the Borough Council) in due course.



6.0 THE CASE OF NEED FOR THE HOUSEHOLD WASTE RECYCLING

CENTRE

6.1 The existing Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) serving the Welwyn

Garden City / Hatfield area is located at Cole Green, to the south‐east of

Welwyn Garden City and to the north‐east of Hatfield.

Reasons for the proposed relocation of the HWRC

6.2 The Cole Green HWRC is not considered to be fit for purpose for the reasons

set out below

• The site is not owned by Hertfordshire County Council, but is leased

from Lafarge. The current lease runs out in December 2012.

• The site is accessed directly from the A414. Due to the small size of

the site, and limited queuing area, it is not uncommon for cars to

queue back on to the A414. This represents a significant traffic

hazard and creates the potential for a serious accident.

• The site is located in the open countryside and is also within the

Green Belt. The County Council’s preferred location for HWRCs is

within or on the edge of the settlements where they are better

placed to serve the local population.

• The site is too small and vulnerable to accommodate all the facilities

which the County Council would normally seek to provide at one of

its HWRCs.

• The HWRC sits on a former landfill site and is at risk from the

migration of methane gas. As a result, the site has no proper

drainage and no proper toilets.



• The site’s remote location makes it vulnerable to theft and

vandalism, resulting in it being expensive to maintain and limited in

the scope of recycling services that can be offered.

6.3 Each year the Waste Disposal Authority produces an Annual

Accommodation Statement in which the HWRCs are assessed against a

range of criteria and classified as either ‘red’, ‘amber’ or ‘green’. The red

centres are in need of re‐location within the next seven years. The site at

Cole Green was identified as red in the most recent classification, and has

been ever since the classification was commenced.



7.0 THE CASE OF NEED FOR THE FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE TRAINING

CENTRE

7.1 The Fire & Rescue Service Training Centre is currently located on a 2.68

hectare site at Longfield, Hitchin Road, Stevenage. The Longfield site

originally housed a special needs primary school which was constructed in in

1967 / 1968. The Fire and Rescue Training Centre was created on the site in

1991 following the closure of the school.

Reasons for the proposed relocation of the Training Centre

7.2 The main reasons for the County Council’s decision to relocate the Training

Centre to Chequersfield North are as follows

• The facilities on the Longfield site are no longer regarded as fit for

purpose by the Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service for its own

training requirements and will require replacement in the near

future.

• Additionally, the Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service wishes to

increase the use of the facilities by adjacent fire authorities and

other organisations to increase the viability of the use. The

deficiencies of the existing facilities on the site are considered to be

a drawback in this respect.

• Whilst the Longfield site is of sufficient size for a replacement

Training and Development Centre, the replacement of the centre in

situ would result in considerable logistical difficulties in terms of

maintaining the on‐going training centre use whilst the County

Council does not have the necessary funding to carry out the works.

• The Chequersfield North site, being located within an existing

industrial area and in the central part of the county, is considered to



be a more appropriate location for a new Training and Development

Centre.

• The alternative residential use of the Longfield site will fund the

provision of a modern Training and Development Centre at

Chequersfield North whilst not posing any logistical problems in

terms of the on‐going training centre requirement.

7.3 The reasons why the existing Training and Development Centre facilities on

the Longfield site are no longer considered to be fit for purpose are as

follows

• The original Longfield School building which houses the main training

and development centre was constructed using an early SEAC

system. Being now some 43 years old, it is coming to the end of its

operational life and requires extensive refurbishment e.g. to replace

its Critall single glazed windows and remove extensive asbestos

materials.

• Additionally, the building is inflexible in layout with the room shapes

being unsuitable for lecture rooms and training areas. Generally, the

spaces are too small and, as a result, the former school hall has to

‘double up’ as a canteen and auditorium, requiring the regular

removal of furniture. The auditorium building has no toilets and the

installation of drainage to provide toilets is impractical unless

pumped solutions are installed.

• As a result, the refurbishment of the existing former school buildings

has been rejected as an option and wholesale redevelopment or

replacement is required.

• The other buildings that have been introduced onto the site since

1991 by the Fire & Rescue Service include several temporary



buildings (including factory made temporary building solutions) that

have a relatively short life span. A number of these buildings are

inadequate for modern requirements.

• A further problem with the Longfield site is that many of the internal

roads and hard standing areas comprise the original paths and

playgrounds. These areas are used for vehicle training by fire and

rescue vehicles (including the hydraulic platform vehicles). Since

vehicles have increased in size and weight from 7.5 tonne to 20

tonne since Longfield opened, many of the areas are now breaking

up and are in need of replacement.

• The breathing apparatus training facilities on the site have also been

identified as inadequate and require improvement / replacement.

• Parking at the site is also insufficient and many cars have to be

parked on temporary plastic mesh on grass, which is very

unsatisfactory in wet weather. There is no parking available off site

within a reasonable distance.

• The site access from the A602 Hitchin Road also currently causes

problems, the bend radii requiring large vehicles to cross the north

bound carriageway to the outside lane of this dual carriageway to

enter and exit the site.



8.0 TECHNICAL STUDIES

8.1 A number of technical assessments have been carried out in respect of the

Chequersfield North site and the emerging development proposals. In

addition to the RSK studies mentioned previously, these include

• Transport Assessment – Wormald Burrows Partnership.

• Flood Risk Assessment ‐ Wormald Burrows Partnership.

• Drainage and Utilities Assessment ‐ Wormald Burrows Partnership.

• Phase 1 Ecological Survey – Jones & Sons.

8.2 These technical assessments are contained on the attached CD and their

main conclusions are summarised below.

Ground conditions and contamination

8.3 The main conclusions of the technical investigations carried out by RSK have

been outlined previously.

Transport Assessment

8.4 The Transport Assessment tested the impact on the highway network of the

proposed HWRC and Fire and Rescue Training Centre, plus some 12,000

square metres GFA of business and industrial development.

8.5 It concluded that this scale of development could be accommodated on the

highway network at both the base year of 2011 and the design year of 2016

assuming a scheme of improvements (within the highway) at the Chequers /

Ascots Lane junction.



Flood Risk Assessment

8.6 The Flood Risk Assessment has identified that the site lies within Flood Zone

1 and is thus at little or no risk from fluvial flooding. The Environment

Agency has confirmed that there is no history of flooding on the site.

8.7 A surface water attenuation strategy for the site has been drawn up by

Wormald Burrows based on sustainable drainage (SUDS) techniques. The

strategy includes the provision of a surface water attenuation facility,

discharging via new pipework to an existing drainage ditch to the south of

the site. The principles of this strategy have been agreed with the

Environment Agency.

Utilities

8.8 A foul water drainage strategy for the site has been drawn up by Wormald

Burrows and agreed with Thames Water Utilities Limited. This provides for

foul water to be discharged to a connection to the public sewer that was

provided at the time of the Chequersfield South residential development.

8.9 Enquiries have been made by Wormald Burrows of a number of other utility

providers, including gas, electricity, water and telecom. The availability of

spare capacity within existing networks, or the potential to enhance existing

networks, has been confirmed by all providers.

ECOLOGY

8.10 The Phase 1 extended survey carried out by Jones & Sons included a review

of relevant local data sources and a walk‐over habitat survey of the site,

following which a refugia reptile survey was carried out. No reptiles were

recorded during the survey and it was generally concluded that the site is of

low ecological value.



9.0 CONSULTATION WITH THE BOROUGH COUNCIL

9.1 Given the provisions of adopted District Plan Policy EMP7, Welwyn Hatfield

Borough Council has been consulted on the emerging proposals for the

Chequersfield North site and a meeting has been held with both Forward

Plan and Development Control officers.

9.2 The Borough Council’s written response is contained at Appendix 1. In

summary

• Notwithstanding the changes to the planning system since Policy

EMP7 was drafted and adopted, the Council’s preferred approach is

for the development of the site to be guided by a Development

Brief.

• The Council considers that the provision of a HWRC on the site would

be consistent with Policy EMP7, being a ‘dirty use’.

• The Council requires further evidence to demonstrate that the

provision of the Fire & Rescue Service Training Centre would be

consistent with Policy EMP7.

• A concern has been raised in respect of noise sources and hours of

operation of the proposed uses and the need for a Noise Assessment

has been identified. A Landscaping Strategy has also been requested.

• The need for a cycle and pedestrian link through to Burrowfield has

been confirmed by the Highway Authority, but not a full vehicular

link.

• The draft Transport Assessment has been agreed by the Highway

Authority subject to the consideration of the impact on the Chequers

/ Broadwater Road / Broadwater Crescent roundabout taking

account of the Broadwater Road West development proposals.



• The draft Flood Risk Assessment has been agreed by the

Environment Agency subject to additional details of surface water

drainage calculations (see Appendix 2).

• The Environment Agency has requested that development on the

site incorporates green roofs.

• In respect of the proposed Remediation Strategy, the Environment

Agency has requested further information regarding the strategy for

the treatment of the hydrocarbon ‘plume’ (subsequently supplied by

RSK) and has noted that the piling strategy has not yet been agreed.

• WHBC has asked for an amendment to the section in the RSK report

in respect of the radioactive canisters that (anecdotally) are located

in the landfill.

9.3 As discussed in the following section, the only one of the Borough Council’s

comments that raises any concern is the requirement for the preparation of

a Development Brief prior to the submission of a planning application.



10.0 TOWN PLANNING PROCESSES

10.1 The fact that the development proposals for the Chequersfield North site

include both County Council development and private sector development

raises town planning procedural issues as to how to proceed. Two possible

scenarios have been considered, as set out below.

Option 1

10.2 This is our favoured approach and involves

• The submission of an outline application (with full supporting

information) to the County Planning Authority for the whole site

Remediation Strategy, the Household Waste Recycling Centre and

the Fire and Rescue Training Centre plus the ‘strategic’ road and

drainage infrastructure.

• The accompaniment of the outline application by an Indicative Site

Master Plan for the whole site.

• Public consultation to be carried out on the outline application and

Indicative Site Master Plan at the same time.

• Following approval of the outline application, the submission of

detailed planning applications for the County Council development

once a development partner has been appointed.

• The subsequent submission of detailed planning applications to the

Borough Council for the remaining development plots.

Option 2

10.3 The alternative approach – favoured by the Borough Council – involves

• The preparation of Development Brief (with full supporting

information) for the whole site.



• Public consultation to be carried out on the draft brief prior to

adoption.

• The submission of detailed planning applications to the County and

Borough Councils (as appropriate) following the adoption of the

brief.

10.4 We do not favour this approach for the following reasons

• The ‘ownership’ of the brief is uncertain given that the emerging

development proposals will involve planning applications to both the

County Council and Borough Council.

• Under the current planning system, the status of the brief can only

be informal and it will thus carry limited weight.

• The process of brief preparation and approval introduces the

potential for further delay in the provision of the urgently‐needed

Household Waste Recycling Centre and the Fire and Rescue Training

Centre site.

10.5 On balance, therefore, our preference is for the Option 1 approach. The

County Planning Authority’s support for this approach is requested.



11.0 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

EIA Screening

11.1 The Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment)

(England and Wales) Regulations 1999 require that certain types of

development (‘Schedule 1 development’) must always be subject to EIA

whilst other types (‘Schedule 2 development’) must be subject to EIA

whenever they are likely to have significant effects on the environment by

virtue of factors such as size, nature and location. Developers may also

voluntarily submit an EIA with their development proposals.

11.2 Whilst, generally, the size of the application site and the scale of the

development proposals falls outside the thresholds for EIA, it is recognised

that Circular 02/99 Environmental Impact Assessment states at paragraph

41 that

‘A small number of developments may be likely to have significant effects on

the environment because of the particular nature of their impact.

Consideration should be given to development which could have complex,

long‐term or irreversible impacts, and where expert and detailed analysis of

those impacts would be desirable and would be relevant to the issue of

whether or not the development should be allowed. Industrial development

involving emissions which are potentially hazardous to humans and nature

may fall into this category. So, occasionally, may other types of development

which are proposed for severely contaminated land and where the

development might lead to more hazardous contaminants escaping from the

site than would otherwise be the case if the development did not take place’

(our underlining)

11.3 Unless otherwise advised by the County Planning Authority, it is thus

proposed to submit an EIA with the proposed outline planning application.



EIA Scoping

11.4 In accordance with Regulation 10 of the EIA Regulations, a Scoping Opinion

is thus sought from the County Planning Authority, setting out the main

issues to be addressed in the EIA.

11.5 In our opinion, the main environmental issues arising from the proposed

development are as follows

• The impact of the proposed development on the underlying aquifers

and the quality of the groundwater.

• The impact of the proposed development on the health and safety of

construction workers, employees and visitors to the site.

• The impact of the proposed development on the amenities of nearby

residential, community and industrial properties.

11.6 The County Planning Authority’s view is sought on these issues and any

other issues that it would wish to see addressed in the EIA.
