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Design and Access Statement & Planning Statement for

Hawkshaw Farm Visitor Centre animal shelters and play equipment

at Hawkshaw Farm Longsight Road Clayton Le Dale

Blackburn BB2 7JA

Prepared by Mary Miller Rural Futures (North West) Ltd 78a Main St Warton Carnforth LA5 9PG

This statement has been structured with reference to CABE best practice guidance; Design & Access Statements – how to write read and use them. CABE 2006.

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Design & Access Statement and Planning Statement

Contents Page 1.0 Introduction 3

2.0 The Site Details 3

3.0 The development 4

4.0 Design & Access 10

5.0 Planning Policy Framework 12

6.0 The determining Issues 17

7.0 Assessment of the determining issues 17

8.0 Conclusion 17

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1.0 Introduction

Hawkshaw Farm is a 135 acre dairy farm owned and occupied by Mr & Mrs Dowson and their family. In addition to the farm at home there is an additional 250 acres of rented land which is farmed as part of the business. The business comprises 200 dairy cattle with all replacements being reared on farm so that at any one time there are 350 head of cattle present on the holding. A proportion of the milk produced is used to make Mrs Dowsons award winning ice creams with currently over 50 different flavours available. Ice cream making began on the farm in 2001 and has continued to grow on an annual basis. Currently the farm and ice cream making enterprise employ 7 FTE staff. The farm visitor centre and café were developed in 2008 to enable people to look around the farm and then to enjoy Mrs Dowsons ice cream and homemade cakes. The centre enables people to come into contact with a range of farm animals and small animals including pigs, alpacas, sheep, cattle, goats, hens and ducks. To enable visitors to have close contact with these different species of animals a number of small pens have been created in the field adjacent to the café. Several of these enclosures have small buildings included to offer shelter and protection for the livestock in inclement weather. The visitor centre is open at weekends, bank holidays and school holidays from mid-March to September. During the times of opening there are two full time staff and up to 15 part time staff throughout the school summer holidays. Daily opening times are 9.00am to 6.00pm. 2.0 Site details

Hawkshaw Farm is located on Longsight Rd and is to the east of the A59. The majority of the 135 acres farm is grassland which is a mixture of permanent pasture and silage meadows, with a small area of maize being grown each year. There is a large range of traditional and modern farm buildings providing cattle housing, silage clamps, general storage and manure storage. The visitor centre was granted planning consent in 2007 as a bird of prey centre with office, classroom and associated storage. Amendments were made to the original scheme in 2008 (3/2007/0313P and 3/2008/0413). The original plans included the widening and improvement of the farm entrance onto the A59, the development of single storey building 12.5m x 12.5m for the café and classroom, with a separate toilet block alongside and the associated car parking. (See site plan) The scheme for the access which was approved by highways was implemented before work commenced on the visitor centre. The work was completed to standards above those approved with the working amendments being agreed with a highways engineer during a number of site visits. Unfortunately this wasn’t logged in a paper

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application but it can be seen that the widening works and improvements have been made.

Another condition of the original consent was the approval and installation of a water treatment plant. A plant was installed which is suitable to cope with the number of visitors to the site. The outlet is a soakaway in the field to the east of the visitor centre – see site plan. Once the café and classroom building was built the business partner with the birds of prey pulled out of the enterprise. The first visitors came mainly to use the café and to enjoy the ice cream which is produced on farm. They also took the opportunity to see the farm animals.

3.0 The development

Gradually as visitor numbers increased it became impractical to allow greater numbers of people to have access to the farm buildings so separate animal pens were created in the field around the café building. Initially these were just field pens and the animals were enclosed in these pens all summer with no shelter being provided. Over the last few years Mr Dowson and his family have erected small buildings in each livestock pen to provide shelter in inclement weather and to enable different

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species to be kept separately within the enclosures all year round to aid management and maintain welfare standards. To meet the needs of family visitors a sand pit was created and a children’s play area has been erected. A polytunnel was erected over the sandpit following an advisory visit from Environmental Health who advised that there was a significant risk of sand in the uncovered pit becoming contaminated with bird or cat faeces. This would put children at risk of infection from salmonella, toxoplasma or other organisms. This application is to apply for retrospective planning consent for five small buildings which are animal shelters, one feed storage building, a polytunnel erected over the sand pit and a children’s play area. Each structure is labelled on the enclosed site plan and elevation drawings have been produced for each structure. Descriptions and photographs of each structure are listed below.

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Livestock Shelters 1 & 2 – Aplacas and pigs These two buildings are identical with one being located in the alpaca enclosure and one in the pig paddock. (See photographs below)

The buildings measure 7.3m x 2.9m and are constructed with a timber frame clad with box profile steel sheets. The buildings have an earth floor and are bedded with straw. The shelter enables the animals to be fed inside when the weather is bad as well as offering shelter to meet animal welfare requirements. Storage shed This small garden shed type structure is used to store feed, troughs and equipment which is used to care for the small animals around the visitor centre.

The shed is erected on a hardcore base and measures 6m x 3m. Elevation drawings are enclosed with the application.

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Rabbit and guinea pig pens This is a timber framed building clad in box profile juniper green sheets. The roof is half sky lights and half steel sheets to allow the maximum natural light.

The building is set on a concrete pad, measures 9.2m x5.7m and has double timber doors at both ends. Internally the building is divided into a number of small individual pens with access for children to go in and handle rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens and ducklings. Donkey and pony shelter This is constructed in the same manner as the rabbit and guinea pig shelter with a timber frame clad with box profile steel sheets. For this building around one third is made up of skylights to offer natural light for the animals.

The central passageway allows visitors to walk down and stroke the donkeys and ponies. The building measures 18.3m x 6.1m and is set on a concrete pad.

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Hen and duck shed This is a monopitch building with a timber frame and clad in box profile steel sheets. The building measures 13.8m x 3 m and is erected on a concrete pad.

The hens and ducks have a large enclosed pen to the west of the building. The building is fitted out with perches and nest boxes. The visitors do not have access to this building. An elevation drawing is enclosed.

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Children’s play area The children’s play area has been developed adjacent to the café and toilet buildings to offer entertainment for families visiting the site. The photograph below shows the layout.

Polytunnel for sand pit The sand pit was originally created in the open but the environmental health team advised that there is a high risk of uncovered sand becoming contaminated with animal or bird faeces, thus creating a potential health risk. The polytunnel was erected to cover the sand pit when it is not in use to exclude cats, birds and other wildlife. The tunnel measures 14.5m x 5m and is pegged into the soil around the sand pit.

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4.0 Design and Access

Context of Site

Assessment The development which is the subject of this retrospective planning application is the range of animal shelters and other structures which have been erected around the visitor centre at Hawkshaw Farm. There are 5 small animal shelters, a storage shed, a polytunnel and a children’s play area. The animal shelters are required to ensure that adequate animal welfare standards can be maintained whilst the storage shed is used to store animal feed, troughs and equipment used to care for the livestock around the centre. The polytunnel provides an animal proof cover for the sand pit whilst the children’s play area is offered to provide family entertainment.

Involvement The application was discussed during a site visit and an office based meeting with Colin Sharpe prior to the submission of this application.

Evaluation The site gained planning for a café and classroom in 2007/2008 and has evolved in to the attraction it is today in gradual stages to meet visitor expectations.

Design The field adjacent to the café has been used to create animal enclosures so that people can see farm and other animals in close proximity. In fine sunny weather the enclosures are adequate but in spells of wet cold weather it is necessary to provide shelter for the livestock and to enable them to be fed under cover to meet animal welfare standards. The shelters are of varying designs to meet the needs of the specific species they offer accommodation for. Elevation drawings and photographs have been included along with written descriptions to ensure the different designs can be visualised and understood.

Design Principles and Concepts:

Use Each of the five livestock buildings and other structures will be used as described above.

Amount The six buildings and the polytunnel cover a total of 338.31 sq metres.

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Layout Each building is located within the relevant enclosure to provide the shelter. The polytunnel is located on the central grassy area near the café. See enclosed site plan.

Scale

The buildings are a range of sizes as previously described.

Landscaping

There are a number of mature hedgerows around the perimeter of the visitor centre all of which are around 2 metres tall. However the hedge to the north of the site has a number of gaps so it is proposed to plant a mixed native species hedge to fill the gaps where necessary.

Appearance The buildings are mainly clad with box profile steel sheets in either juniper green or light grey. The storage shed is of nut brown stained timber.

Access:

An Accessible Environment The site is easily accessible from Longsight Road and via a number of internal farm tracks. All buildings which are open to the visitors are fully accessible.

Vehicular and Transport Links

The site has good vehicular access and public transport can be accessed from Longsight Road

Access and Movement Patterns There is good access and adequate turning space for vehicles within the site. The original planning consent contained access improvements onto the A59, Longsight Road and these have been carried out to a higher specification than required. There is adequate space for car parking and turning space for coaches visiting the site.

Emergency Services Access There is good access for the emergency services and this will not be altered by the proposal.

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5.0 Planning Policy Framework

Central Government provides policy advice in the National Policy Planning Framework. In this instance the local planning policy which is relevant to the site comes in the form of the Ribble Valley Districtwide Local Plan – Saved Policies 2007 5.1 National Policy

National planning Policy Framework 3. Supporting a prosperous rural economy 28 planning policies should support economic growth in rural areas in order to create new jobs and prosperity by taking a positive approach to sustainable new development. To promote a strong rural economy, local and neighbourhood plans: ● support the sustainable growth and expansion of all types of business and enterprise in rural areas, both through conversion of existing buildings and well-designed new buildings; ● promote the development and diversification of agricultural and other land-based rural businesses; ● support sustainable rural tourism and leisure developments that benefit businesses in rural areas, communities and visitors, and which respect the character of the countryside. This should include supporting the provision and expansion of tourist and visitor facilities in appropriate locations where identified needs are not met by existing facilities in rural service centres; This project supports the diversification of a family run agricultural business. The tourism attraction is a well renowned feature in the Ribble Valley having won many awards. Hawkshaw Farm offers the opportunity for people to come into close contact with farm and other animals. At certain times of year it is also possible to see the dairy cows giving birth and with new born calves. 5.2 Local Policies Ribble Valley Districtwide Local Plan Saved Policies 2007 Policy G1

All development proposals will be expected to provide a high standard of building

design and landscape quality. Development which does so will be permitted, unless

it adversely affects the amenities of the surrounding area.

In determining planning applications the following criteria will be applied:

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(a) Development should be sympathetic to existing and proposed land uses in

terms of its size, intensity and nature.

(b) The likely scale and type of traffic generation will be assessed in relationship

to the highway infrastructure and the proposed and existing public transport

network. This will include safety, operational efficiency, amenity and

environmental considerations.

(c) Developments should make adequate arrangement for car parking

(d) A safe access should be provided which is suitable to accommodate the scale

and type of traffic likely to be generated

(e) The density, layout and relationship between buildings is of major importance.

Particular emphasis will be placed on visual appearance and the relationship

to surroundings as well as the effects of development on existing amenities.

(f) Developments should provide adequate arrangements for servicing and public

utilities.

(g) Developments should provide adequate daylighting and privacy.

(h) Materials used should be sympathetic to the character of the area

(i) Developments should not result in the loss of important open space including

public and private playing fields

(j) Developments should not damage SSSI’s, County Heritage Sites, Local

Nature Reserves or other sites of nature conservation importance

(k) Development should not require culverting, artificial channelling or destruction

of a water course. Wherever possible watercourses should be maintained

within a reasonable corridor of native vegetation.

(l) Developments should be economic in the use of land, water and aggregates

and should not prejudice future development which would provide significant

environmental and amenity improvements

The developments which are the subject of this application are modest in scale and

are appropriate to the setting. The livestock shelters are essential to maintain animal

welfare standards. The polytunnel and play area are small scale but are an intrinsic

part of the visitor experience.

The entrance to the site is adequate to ensure vehicles can enter and leave safely

and is wide enough to accommodate the traffic generated by this project.

The site is supplied by mains electricity and the café toilets are serviced by a water

treatment plant.

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Policy G5

Outside the main settlement and village boundaries planning consent will only be

granted for small scale developments which are:

i) Essential to the local economy or the social well-being of the area; or

ii) Needed for the purposes of agriculture or forestry; or

iii) Sites developed for local needs housing; or

iv) Small scale tourism developments and small scale recreational developments

appropriate to a rural area subject to Policy RT1; or

v) Other small scale uses appropriate to a rural area which conform to the

policies of this plan.

This is a small scale tourism operation but one which is well known within the Ribble

Valley. It is an appropriate location to site a farm visitor attraction.

Policy ENV3

In the open countryside outside the AONB and areas immediately adjacent to it,

development will be required to be in keeping with the character of the landscape

area and should reflect local vernacular, scale, style, features and building materials.

Proposals to conserve, renew and enhance landscape features, will be permitted,

providing regard has been given for the characteristic landscape features of the

area.

The single storey buildings sit well within the surroundings and are well related to the

large modern farm buildings.

Policy EMP12

Proposals for agricultural diversifications will be approved, subject to other policies

within the Local Plan and provided they are appropriate in both scale and character

to the rural areas of Ribble Valley and do not compromise its natural beauty.

This is a successful farm diversification project which helps to connect people to the

countryside and food production. The development of the ice cream making facility

has clearly placed Hawkshaw Farm on the map as a Lancashire food producer.

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Policy RT1

The Borough Council will approve development proposals which extend the range of

tourism and visitor facilities in the Borough.

This is subject to the following criteria being met:

i) The proposal must not conflict with other policies of this plan;

ii) The proposal must be physically well related to an existing main settlement or

village or to an existing group of buildings;

iii) The development should not undermine the character, quality or visual

amenities of the plan area by virtue of its scale, siting materials or design;

iv) The proposal should be well related to the existing highway network. It should

not generate additional traffic movements of a scale and type likely to

cause undue problems or disturbance. Where possible the proposals

should be well related to the public transport network;

v) The site should be large enough to accommodate the necessary car parking,

service areas and appropriate landscaped areas.

The farm visitor centre is well related to the farm buildings and has excellent

connections within the county road network via the motorways and the A59. The

improved access ensures vehicles of all sizes can enter and leave the site safely.

Policy T1

In making decisions on development proposals the local planning authority will

attach considerable weight to:

• The availability of public transport to serve those moving to and from the

development;

• The relationship of the site to the primary route network;

• The provision made for access to the development by pedestrian, cyclists and

those with reduced mobility.

• Proposals which promote development within existing developed areas at

locations which are highly accessible by means other than the private car;

The site is located on a bus route to enable visitors to arrive using public transport.

The access road to the farm is wide enough to enable visitors to walk into the visitor

centre or to arrive by cycle.

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Policy T7

All development proposals will be required to provide adequate car parking and

servicing space.

There is adequate parking on site and a large turning space for coaches bringing

larger parties. See site plan.

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6.0 Determining issues

It is considered that the determining issues in the case of this application are:-

a) The principle of allowing the retention of the small buildings associated with the farm visitor centre

b) The visual impact of the proposal on the open countryside

c) The impact of the development on the amenity of the local landscape

d) The impact of this tourism development on the local highways network

7.0 Assessment of the determining issues

7.1 The principle of granting permission for the livestock shelters fits with both local and national policy. The polytunnel and play area are ancillary to the visitor centre which is supported by planning policy as a small scale rural tourism facility. 7.2 The small animal shelters have a minimal visual impact on the open countryside and are well screened from most aspects. It would be difficult to screen the site on the south east elevation as the ground behind quickly rises so that the site is viewed from above. 7.3 The farm visitor centre is an appropriate facility in the open countryside and is in itself a valuable amenity. 7.4 Improvements to the site entrance have been carried out to minimise the impact of the development on the local road network. 8.0 Conclusion

After carefully assessing this proposal with regard to all the relevant planning policies and issues it is considered that there will be no obstacles to the granting of retrospective planning permission for this proposal. The farm visitor centre is a valued tourism facility to help to connect the general public with food production and the countryside.