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Topic: Fire Station - plans revealed (Read 853 times)

paulears

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Fire Station - plans revealed « Posted: 16 September 2011 at 08:58 AM »

We had a nice visit from Badger builders to show us the plans for the houses on the old fire station site, and they're really quite nice, and well thought through - from the road, there will be very little visible impact, as most trees will remain - in fact, they've cleverly designed the layout to allow the existing trees to be in people's gardens. There were a couple of points where they explained they wanted to remove the two VERY tall pines - the ones that go up and up and then have a bit of greenery on the top. The point I'd not thought of is that if they build around these trees, at some point they will come down - they're getting old, and the arborist's view is they're low quality specimens. If they fall - then three exiting houses (mine included) would be in the fall area, plus the new ones planned - and once surrounded by new homes, access to remove them would be impossible - so their view is they should go now, which makes sense. A small number of chestnut trees have a disease, so should also come out - but the remainder should be retained. The houses are a mix of designs - with sensible gardens - plus the ones at the rear of the site are bungalows - matching those already there in height - which should please the mainly elderly residents already loving on the North side. A few in a small terrace on the west side designed as first time/affordable housing, and a few flats in a building on the edge of the west side. Parking and a few grassy areas using existing trees.

I've looked at the artist's impressions and the plans, and have to say they've done a good job of designing something that will fit in.


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Paul Johnson

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Re: Fire Station - plans revealed « Reply #1 Posted: 16 September 2011 at 09:29 AM »

what pattern does the road form, is it a cul-de-sac or a short bendy road?


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paulears

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Re: Fire Station - plans revealed « Reply #2 Posted: 16 September 2011 at 10:04 AM »

If you imagine coming out of Scamacre Crescent accross the road, the entrance is to your right, in between the existing concrete that went to the fire station garage and the trees to the right - from the road you will see just one house, the road goes in, then there is a left turn to the row of terraced houses, and then a screened parking area, and then at the new fire station end, the block of flats. Instead of turning left, the road gently heads in a 'wobble' towards the north side, then curves left, with the bungalows on the north, and the semis and detached houses on the other side. Both ends in a dead stop, not a continuous circle. The traffic surveys suggest no problem getting in and out into Normanston Drive - something I suspect is correct.


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paulears

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Re: Fire Station - plans revealed « Reply #3 Posted: 07 March 2012 at 01:53 PM »

Well the last few trees are nearly gone. I've tried to keep up with the initial tree preservation orders, the amended version, the report from the arborist and it seems the arborist favours the felling of some of the (I thought) protected trees because they're not perfect, could, because of the way they've been lopped in the past go rotten, and some others are just deemed infected - something the saw cut off trunks don't seem to reveal to my unscientific eye. The protected areas of the tree preservation order plan have determined that space awkward trees are substandard and have to go too. The tall, thin ones are coming down probably today or tomorrow, so by then, the only trees worth preserving are remarkably only the ones in the gardens of the new development, on the edges. In some cases, two trees, and Oak and a Chestnut were both deemed good trees, but just one was preferable, so one had to go.

Very sad, but not a lot we can do as plans are plans and tree preservation orders are overturnable if you get a decent enough reason.


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Paul Johnson

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Re: Fire Station - plans revealed « Reply #4 Posted: 07 March 2012 at 02:10 PM »

I tought they said they were trying to preserve trees


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paulears

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Re: Fire Station - plans revealed « Reply #5 Posted: 07 March 2012 at 04:00 PM »

Well - yes, but the first thing was to get a tree preservation order on the nice ones. So this was done, but some were discounted because of being low quality - the very tall single stem pines with just greenery on the very top - I like those, but they are low quality, and pose a real danger when they get about 20 years older and might fall onto the houses. So the better ones were detailed. Some nice looking trees were right in the way - so a fully qualified expert was called in to assess their condition, health, shape, life expectancy etc. He concluded that one of these trees, while looking splendid in the summer, was in fact grown from a tree cut down many years ago, where the main stem grew new growth so it had what they call multiple stems, and a huge root area that would need protecting. This area was in a poor location, so despite having the designation T21 and having a preservation order on it, the expert recommended felling, which has been done. Some of the felled specimens show considerable age, and perfect wood on the inside, yet has evidence of canker on the outside. Canker is a fungus and can be cut from limbs, but not from the main stem - its a sort of 'warty' looking lump. Quite common.

As far as I can tell, they have done everything by the book. If a tree has an active TPO and is completely healthy, it cannot be felled and must be protected. If, however, the specimen has any defects, or even potential defects by the way it is growing, then the TPO can be overturned. The sad thing being that the artists impression isn't quite what we expected. Not to worry!


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Paul Johnson

Jamesw82

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Re: Fire Station - plans revealed « Reply #6 Posted: 07 March 2012 at 05:29 PM »

Shame I cant find no plans of this on the Badger website Sad


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paulears

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Re: Fire Station - plans revealed « Reply #7 Posted: 07 March 2012 at 06:00 PM »

The plans are on the waveney district council planning portal, you just need to log in and you can read every single document and even the complaint letters. You need to search in the normanston ward, then go back in time one page and you will be able to find it. P


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Paul Johnson

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Re: Fire Station - plans revealed « Reply #8 Posted: 08 March 2012 at 04:12 PM »

Previously healthy trees that are in the way of any developments usually become dangerous,rotten or diseased almost as soon as the plans are being drawn up.
Most odd.


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Mel

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Re: Fire Station - plans revealed « Reply #9 Posted: 08 March 2012 at 06:29 PM »

Quote from: Old Spice on 08 March 2012 at 04:12 PM

Previously healthy trees that are in the way of any developments usually become dangerous,rotten or diseased almost as soon as the plans are being drawn up.

That is the time to send in the newts... Wink


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