Thank you for taking the time to visit our website about our plans for a new high quality housing development in Harriseahead, Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Our proposals seek to deliver 94 new homes, helping local people to get on the housing ladder or find their forever home. Too many people are forced to move out of the area they grew up in to find a new home because of the worsening housing crisis across the country. These new homes seek to benefit local people and will provide 28 affordable homes (to be transferred to a local registered affordable housing provider) to meet the needs of those on the Councils affordable housing waiting list.
Our plans will include homes suitable for first time buyers and young families, and some bungalows suitable for older people looking to downsize.
Our proposals go beyond bricks and mortar – it takes more than a new house to make a community. Our plans include dedicated green space for use by local people as well as facilities for a play area. We are also exploring ways to facilitate improvements to the adjoining area of open space owned by the Council. Creating a place that feels like home takes more than four walls and a roof – it’s about creating a positive environment to live in.
The scheme will create new employment opportunities during the construction phase, both directly and indirectly through the supply chain. The development industry, including its supply chain, is a major contributor to both national and local economies as part of the wider construction sector, both through the employment it creates and the investment it makes in the sites being built.
In addition, new residents will increase footfall for existing shops and other local businesses and sports and social clubs.
Bloor Homes is a family owned housing developer who take great pride in building quality homes that stand the test of time in locations where people want to live.
Founded in 1969, Bloor Homes is today the largest privately owned housebuilder in the UK. Consistently rated as a 5 Star Home Builder, the company builds over 4,000 new homes annually and operates from nine regional offices, with the local North West office based in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire.
You can find out more about us on their website here.
The site is a greenfield site that falls within the Green Belt. And is bounded to the south and to the east by residential development residential development with associated domestic curtilages and paddocks are located to the north, and the north western boundary of the site is located adjacent to a public right of way with open countryside beyond.
Access into the site is currently taken via an existing field gate to the western boundary of the site which fronts Bullocks House Road. The existing field gate is located to the north of the western boundary.
There is an existing footway to the site frontage and there is broad scope to provide a suitable point of access along the site frontage with adequate visibility splays. There are no hedgerows to the site frontage that would require removal to facilitate a vehicular access into the site.
To the north of the site is a primary school and a community centre which are walkable from the site. The nearest bus stop is located adjacent to the primary school.
Bloor Homes is bringing forward proposals for new homes in Harriseahead, Newcastle-under-Lyme
These plans will include:
- 94 new homes of which 30% will be provided as affordable housing that will be transferred to a registered local provider of affordable housing
- A mix of house types, including 1, 2, 3 and 4-bed properties. The plans also include some bungalows
- Good quality, traditionally designed homes in a fantastic setting
- Publicly accessible open space on site, including an equipped area of play
- New pedestrian link to connect to the existing Public Rights of Way
The site is identified as a land allocation for housing development in the emerging Local Plan for Newcastle-under-Lyme which has been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for independent examination, which is expected to take place in late spring. The site is therefore considered to be suitable for housing development.
Flooding and Drainage
The site is located in Flood Zone 1 and is at a low risk of flooding.
The plans will include a comprehensive drainage strategy that incorporates sustainable urban drainage systems, such as ponds and swales that will attenuate surface water on site and gradually divert water into the surface water drainage network over a longer period of time than conventional engineered drainage system which will avoid surface water from the site overloading the local drainage network during periods of heavy rainfall.
Ecology and Biodiversity
The existing site is used for grazing.
The Environment Act 2021 now expects all development sites to deliver a minimum of 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), which can be met by providing habitats on site, or by improving biodiversity off site.
Bloor Homes are currently exploring the opportunity of improving the biodiversity of the adjoining council owned land as part of the proposals as part of its BNG requirements.
Traffic
A full Transport Assessment, including traffic counts, will be submitted as part of the planning application to determine if any local highway improvements will be required over and above the localised pedestrian and cycle infrastructure that will be provided as part of the proposals.
Bloor Homes will also remain open to providing enhancements to the existing road network where it is deemed necessary and appropriate.
Landscaping
The site will incorporate publicly accessible open space as well as provide and improve connectivity to the adjoining public rights of way and the adjoining open space owned by the Council.
Formal open space, including areas of play will be incorporated into the proposed development.
The development will respect the topography of the land, and include design features and focal points to give the site a distinctive feel.
The proposed development would result in a number of benefits for the local community. These would include:
1. Social Benefits
- The provision of new family homes to meet an identified need for new housing within the borough, including the provision of new affordable homes;
- New open space provision within the site, including enhancements to the existing play area adjacent to the site: and
- Planning contributions towards local services.
2. Economic benefits
- Increased spending in the local shops and facilities, at a time when the retail industry is facing significant challenges;
- Increased spending in local leisure, trades and services will support new jobs in those industries;
- The creation of new jobs during the construction phase;
- Ensuring there is sufficient housing to meet the needs of the borough and future job creation; and
- An increase in council tax revenue.
3. Environmental benefits
- The provision of new open green space throughout the development;
- The provision of green infrastructure through the retention of existing tree and hedgerow planting and the provision of additional planting and landscaping throughout the site;
- Delivery of a minimum 10% biodiversity net gain through a combination of on-site and off-site habitat creation, and
- The provision of planning contributions towards open space provision and maintenance.
We would like your views on the proposals and request that all responses are returned by. We are also taking expressions of interest in the proposed development as part of the consultation.
(Please use the contact form below.)