A Parklands Inspired Development
on Land North and East of
Blandford Forum
Landscaping and Open Space
The Landscape and Open Space Strategy has been carefully considered and revised to take into account the consultation responses from the Council’s officers and external consultees such as the AONB board, the design review panel and on-going discussions with Dorset Council.
Landscaping and Open Space Strategy
Entrance and arrival
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Less than 10% of the frontage to the bypass south of Hill Top roundabout would be affected by the access proposals.
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The loss of the species rich grassland on the western verge would be mitigated by the establishment of areas of calcareous grassland within the site.
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In addition to reinstating the hedgerows, new tree planting is proposed to add to the depth of planting adjacent to the entrance, both to strengthen the boundary planting and provide a robust and soft entrance to the site.
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Tree planting would include native species appropriate to the area
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The Green would be defined by specimen trees, to form a focal point, in front of the housing fronting onto the open space. The verges and central island would be established as calcareous grassland and adjacent gardens and frontages defined by evergreen species hedges.
Central park, green corridors & wedges
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The Central park provides a new and substantial open space at the heart of the development south of Salisbury Road. It is focused around the existing hedgerows and tree belts running through the site and provides the opportunity to enhance the wildlife corridors and links across the development.
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The new woodland and tree belts, which would run along the contours, would also serve to break up and visually contain the more elevated areas of the development
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The open spaces would be a combination of wild flower meadow and amenity grassland.
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The park would provide a range of more informal recreation opportunities, including a play area Neighbourhood Equipped Area for Play (NEAP), seating and a pavilion for events.
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The park has an elevated location which would afford long views out to the wider landscape and AONB.
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The central park is linked to the surrounding neighbourhoods by a series of radiating green corridors with footpaths and cycleways.
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The green routes would provide views out to the southern country park and the wider landscape. All routes would have active frontages with housing facing onto the open spaces.
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The existing east-west hedgerows running through the scheme would be enhanced with two belts of substantial new woodland planting reinforcing the wildlife corridors across the site.
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New woodland planting (standard trees and whips) would also extend along the eastern boundary of the site with Letton Park.
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Country Park
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The Country park occupies the lower ground in the southern part of the site and would include wetland features, principally the SuDs ponds and surface water management for the overall scheme.
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The ponds and associated wetland areas would establish new wildlife habitats that would be enjoyed from within the park and from approaching footpaths.
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The park would also provide for formal and informal recreation with the provision of play equipment and informal meadow grassland areas and seating.
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The park would be managed to provide a wide range of wildlife habitats, maximizing the wildlife potential of the site and a semi-natural character to the southern end of the scheme.
Western linear park
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The interface between the bypass and the development has been redesigned to provide a soft edge to the scheme and a landscape buffer between the proposed housing and the road and its associated traffic.
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It has provided the opportunity to incorporate additional open space and a linear park to the western margins of the site. The land would be raised to buffer the noise from the bypass and provide a landscaped setting to the new housing, rising a maximum of 2m above the levels of the adjacent bypass.
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Footpaths within the park would link to the school and community facilities to the north and the central park and housing neighbourhoods to the south
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The parkland would include calcareous grassland and native tree and scrub planting. The newly established grassland would offset losses to the existing grassland around the main site access. The western boundary of the park would be planted with native trees and shrubs.
Recreation hub
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The northern parcel of the site lies within the AONB and the land uses are, with the exception of the school, confined to recreation and amenity. Existing shelter belts and the hedgerows along the eastern boundary of the scheme, together with the roadside hedgerows would be retained.
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A 10m woodland buffer would be established alongside the eastern hedgerow boundary to the school site. Along with new hedgerow and tree planting to the allotment and school site boundaries, the landscape strategy would reinforce the already contained nature of the development site.
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The existing mature shelter belts of trees along the eastern boundary would provide a substantial landscape buffer between the new land uses and the wider AONB landscape.
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A minimum of 2500 sqm of dedicated play space would be provided based on a provision of 0.2ha per 1000 population (520 dwellings x 2.4 people per dwelling).
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LAPS (Local Areas of Play); 2 LEAPS ( Local Equipped Area of Play); and a NEAP (Neighbourhood Equipped Area of Play) would be provided;
