Guidance Note For Developers
Landscaping Of Development Sites
Introduction
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council is committed to both maintaining and enhancing environmental quality in the Borough. To this end, developments shall contain a well considered and high quality landscape content, which can be properly and cost effectively maintained. Many developments requiring planning permission are enhanced by the inclusion of hard and/or soft landscaping particularly new build or refurbishment. This is an integral and important design factor as relevant in considering an application as land use, siting, access and architectural design.
It is to the advantage of the developer to treat the environmental aspects of the proposed development seriously and to take professional advice where necessary to comply with this and the other guidance notes. In the case of Outline/Reserved Matters Applications, landscaping schemes must now form part of the detailed reserved matters application information, and the same with ordinary 5 year applications. It is no longer acceptable to agree, or postpone by condition, landscaping details after planning permission has been granted. This will enable the planning application to be progressed more effectively and increase the likelihood of a quick and favourable decision. Where environmental aspects are not well considered, delays may be experienced due to the negotiation of amendments, or a refusal.
There are three Guidance Notes for Developers:
- "Landscaping of Development Sites"
- "Trees in Development"
- "Protection of Trees on Development Sites"
The objectives of them are:-
- To enable the planning application to be progressed as quickly as possible by encouraging the developer to provide appropriate, well considered and clear information at the detailed submission stage.
- To ensure that landscaping and tree planting is considered as an integral part of developments and not as an afterthought.
- To avoid delays and cost to the developer and the Council.
- To maintain, protect and enhance the quality of the environment as it exists and as it will be after development.
- To clearly identify responsibility for future maintenance.
Checklist
With any detailed planning or reserved matters application it will be expected that either a separate or integrated comprehensive landscaping scheme should be included with the relevant forms and other design plans.
In presenting both hard and soft landscaping proposals, developers should show that they have considered how the development is to be integrated in the surrounding landscape and how the landscape works will help achieve this in much the same way as details of height, form, materials and colour etc., of a building. Since "soft" landscaping elements are living materials, developers should demonstrate that they have been designed and chosen for the intended situation and will be able to grow in the particular environment; and that trees in particular will not cause future problems in relation to buildings, services and members of the public.
With "hard" landscaping elements their functionality and practicability are important but so are their aesthetics and compatibility to the surrounding vernacular and general environment, and proposed buildings.
The following should be considered by the developer in preparing his planning application submission:-
- Investigate the development sites' planning background and that of the immediate neighbourhood. In particular the presence of:
- Tree Preservation Order(s)
- Conservation Area
- Area(s) of High Landscape Value
- Site(s) of Biological Importance
- Woodland Strategy zoning
- Unitary Development Plan Proposals
The Planning Department can provide you with this information.
- Produce a "Site Location Plan" at an appropriate scale (1:1250/2500) that clearly shows:-
- The Development Site (marked in red)
- Other Abutting Land Holdings of the Applicant (marked in blue)
- A North Point
- The Surrounding Development and Land Use Features
- Produce an "Existing Situation Plan" following a Site Survey and analysis at an appropriate scale (1:500/1000/1250) showing such relevant features as:-
- Contours and levels
- Drainage (natural and man made)
- Buildings and other physical structures and land use
- Existing Services, above and below ground
- Boundaries - location, type, height, etc.
- Rights of way
- Access
- Vegetation and natural features (shrubbery, hedges, ponds, streams, etc)
- Measured survey of existing trees (genus, species, Latin and English names, height, spread and condition)
- Wildlife habitats and features of ecological interest
- Visual considerations, views into and out of the site
- Produce a "Development Proposals Plan" at an appropriate scale (1:200, 500, 1000, 1250) that depending on the size and type of development can include the landscaping elements with layout access, services, etc., or:-
- Produce a separate "Landscape Proposals Plan" that will show these elements where relevant:
"Soft" Landscaping:
- Proposed contours, levels and areas of Topsoiling (with depth).
- Grassed areas with seed mix/type, etc.
- Areas of Public Open Space - where the developer proposes to offer the land for adoption to the Local Authority or create a private management agreement. On large developments, particularly housing; it will be expected such areas to be set aside and laid out, and details of size, location, type, play equipment, amenity equipment, planting, etc., must be agreed at an early (preferably pre-application) stage. The Council's Children Play Strategy and U.D.P. Guidelines will be useful references and can be obtained from the Planning Department.
- New Planting Plan - trees and shrubs, genus and species, planting location/density, size of plants and details of early years protection.
- Existing trees/shrubs to be retained with details of protective fencing
- Hedgerows, new and existing, including elements to negate early year "trampling".
- In some cases due to size and complexity of the scheme, a separate Planting Plan may be necessary with a detailed schedule of plants and planting regime. Particular species must be indicated e.g. Salix alba (White Willow), Willow alone is insufficient. "Acer Platanoides" (Norway Maple) heavy standard, 12-14cm girth (location as marked with cross). Berberis thunbergii atropurpurea" (Barberry Purple Thorn) 60-90cm high, pot grown at 3 per m2. It is expected that any scheme will include a guarantee condition that all plant losses occurring in the first year after planting will be replaced like for like.
- Water Features - adapted/incorporated natural features.
"Hard" Landscaping
- Roads, Drives, Car Parks, Paths, Steps, Ramps - alignment, materials.
- Services
- Buildings (other than main elements of development) - materials
- Water Features/Land Drainage - man-made.
- Boundaries - walls, fences, gates - alignment, materials, height. It will be probable that separate elevations and details will be needed for these features. Particular care must be taken in the siting and design to avoid creating unmanageable or poorly managed strips of land on the edges of development sites e.g. along fence/wall lines and back of pavement.
- Street Furniture - Seating, Lighting Columns, signage, waste disposal receptacles, statutory undertaker infrastructure, play equipment, etc.
- Manufacturers' specification/leaflets are acceptable and very useful to show these elements.
- In designing any landscaping scheme, it is imperative to give serious consideration to the future maintenance and management requirements, how they will be carried out, and by whom whether public or private. This should be made clear at the time of submission. Early discussion with the Planning and Leisure Services Department is recommended particularly in relation to any proposed Public Open Space. Every effort must be made to exclude from designs any landscaping which either has high maintenance costs but low amenity value such as grass verges, or areas where maintenance responsibilities cannot be clearly delineated into for instance private plots or where maintenance would be impractical. With regards to future management a development must consider the alternatives. Where a site is to be dedicated to the Council, a budget - committed sum - will be agreed between the developer and the Council prior to the finalisation of the development. The sum will be based on the current contract rates and tender prices. Where landscaping is to pass to new private ownership, the owner(s) must be clearly informed of their responsibilities, and if communal areas are to be held in joint ownership responsibility, evidence of the means of future maintenance management must be given to the Council prior to finalisation and included as a legal responsibility (in perpetuity) within contract papers for new and future owners.
An Example of a Simple but Informative Landscaping Scheme for a Small Development
