Commercial Development in Chipping Campden
About This Project
Client:
Project Team:
Site:
Land off Battlebrook Drive, Chipping Campden
Introduction:
Tree Frontiers gave initial advice on this development proposal at pre-app stage and were then called upon again to provide a report to accompany the full planning application and subsequently a method statement for the discharge of conditions imposed by the local planning authority.
The Client:
Wigwam Storage are a self-storage operation with facilities in Chipping Norton, Bromsgrove and Shipston on Stour. They had identified a potential new site on land to the west of Battlebrook Drive in Chipping Campden and appointed Savills as their planning consultants. Savills offer guidance on a range of planning-related matters and would advise the approach to take in order to achieve the best achievable permissions.
The Opportunity:
Wigwam Storage intended to submit an application to Cotswold District Council to erect a number of self-storage units together with associated parking at the site at Battlebrook Drive. This parcel of land had originally been grazing land but it sits adjacent to Chipping Campden Business Park to the north east of Chipping Campden itself.
On behalf of Wigwam Storage, Savills approached Tree Frontiers at the pre-application meeting stage of the planning process, and requested our input to aid in the design process. We undertook a survey of the site and provided a brief summary and indicative tree constraints plan to allow the architects to draw up suitable plans.
Savills came back to us a few months later to advise that the site had been secured with outline consent, and that a full planning application now needed to be drawn up. We were asked to provide a full arboricultural impact assessment together with an arboricultural implications plan to be submitted alongside the plans for the development.
Our advice to the clients was that their proposed scheme would require the removal of one low-quality blackthorn, and the canopy lifting of four trees along the boundary of the site. We also identified a number of early mature willows along the western boundary and suggested a management regime of pollarding for these. Some of the units were to be installed close to retained trees requiring special ground protection measures such as the use of cellular confinement systems under the access road and the use of low impact foundations such as screw piles to ensure there was no excavation or damage within the rooting environment.
The Results:
Consent for 78 units to be erected on the site was granted on 6th March 2024. Discussions have been held with the owner of the willows who has advised that it is their intention to manage the trees for habitat and screening purposes. Our final input was to provide an arboricultural method statement and tree protection plan prior to the commencement of any works on site in order to ensure that all the retained trees would be protected throughout the construction phase.
While this was a relatively small and simple site, the early engagement of a range of professionals for the project helped to ensure that issues that could have resulted in a delay were addressed appropriately and in timely manner.
If you are working on high-quality development schemes and need assistance please get in touch (info@treefrontiers.com)