Sustainability
A forward-thinking approach
The proposals are being developed with a focus on how the site can respond to climate change, manage water carefully, support wildlife and create a pleasant place to live. Technical work is ongoing and will continue to shape the emerging masterplan, which will be informed by our Sustainability Strategy.
The outline planning application will be supported by a range of assessments that look at the environmental effects and how they can be avoided, reduced or managed.
Green space & biodiversity
Supporting both community and local wildlife
Before a planning application is submitted, extensive environmental surveys are carried out to help us better understand the site. The results guide our approach and identify opportunities to enhance the natural environment, while ensuring potential impacts are addressed responsibly.
A significant amount of the site will be reserved for publicly accessible green space comprising up to 18 acres or approximately 48% of the whole site.
The new spaces will offer a range of benefits to residents and wildlife and with a range of additional planning and ongoing maintenance will enhance habitats onsite to create 10% Biodiversity Net Gain.
The plans could include:
- Retaining and strengthening existing landscape features where possible.
- Delivery of new allotments and community orchard. Both allotments and community orchards will provide opportunities for local people to connect with nature.
- Providing play space for local families to use.
- Planting new trees and hedgerows to help support local wildlife linked with drainage proposals to deliver integrated green and blue infrastructure solutions.
Travel
Access, walking and cycling
The site is sustainably located to take advantage of and support a range of services, facilities and amenities around Baston including the primary school, public houses and the post office.
As part of the wider sustainability strategy, the proposals are looking at how people will move within and around the site and the village beyond. This includes:
- All modes access points taken from Deeping Road and Greatford Road.
- Considering safe and convenient walking and cycling routes through the development, linking into the wider network to provide access towards existing services and facilities such as such as Brudenell Playing Fields and Baston Primary School.
- Exploring opportunities to connect with existing paths and routes in Baston such as retention of the northern Public Right of Way and potential enhancements.
- Looking at how streets and open spaces can support everyday journeys on foot or by bike.
A car club could be provided along with electric vehicle charging, both encouraging more environmentally friendly transport options.
A transport assessments will accompany the planning application and will set out in more detail how movement and access are expecting to work.
Site boundary
Primary road
Secondary roads
PRoW
Bus stop
10 min walking
5 min cycling
Post Office
Supermarket
Restaurant
Play field
School
Church
Community hall
Managing water
Sustainable drainage system
Careful management of water and drainage is an important part of the proposals. Specialist consultants are assessing how the site currently drains and how surface water can be managed in a controlled way. The emerging approach includes:
- Using sustainable drainage systems where appropriate, such as swales or attenuation basins.
- Slowing the flow of surface water to reduce the risk of flooding downstream.
- Exploring ways to integrate drainage features within green spaces where possible.
We are currently engaging with Lincolnshire County Council as Lead Local Flood Authority and the Welland and Deeping Internal Drainage Board to discuss our proposed drainage strategy for the site.
Flood risk assessment
The Environment Agency (EA) Flood Maps
The Environment Agency (EA) Flood Maps shows that the site is located within fluvial / tidal Flood Zone 1 (low probability of fluvial flooding).
The nearest Main River is the King Street Drain which runs along the western side of King Street approximately 10m west of the site. A network of land drains is present within the surrounding fields (see adjacent image).
The EA surface water flood risk mapping show that the majority of the site is at a ‘very low’ risk of surface water flooding. Small isolated pockets of surface water flood risk are shown throughout the site, however these relate to low points within the topography rather than overland flow routes. They can be readily managed through the proposed surface water drainage strategy without resulting in a significant flood risk to the proposed development.
Redline boundary
High (> 3.3% AEP)
Medium (1.0% – 3.3% AEP)
Low (0.1% – 1.0% AEP)