Olive Mount Redevelopment:

THE PLANNING OFFICER'S REPORT,
February 2003 (continued)

ii) Visual amenity value

The visual amenity value of the green space comprises important vistas into and across the site; key frontages which are visible from a main road; important trees and landscape features; the character of the site within the surrounding area and its importance as open land within an otherwise densely developed area.

Significant tree planting (100 new trees are required by condition) and the creation of a linear park through the site will create new vistas across the site; and the existing sandstone wall around the site is to be retained as are many of the existing trees. However, built development on the site will remove some of the predominantly open views across the southern part of the site from main road frontages and surrounding housing. The proposal cannot therefore be accommodated without material harm to the visual amenity value of the green space.

iii) Links to other green spaces

The former school site at the southern end of the site currently provides a visual link between the Mill Lane playground and Manweb Sports Ground. However there is currently no physical link across this part of the site. It is considered that the benefits of the physical link created by the linear park outweigh the harm caused by the narrowing of the wide visual link between the two adjoining Green Spaces that the school site currently provides.

iv) Nature conservation value

The former school site has no statutory nature conservation designation, is not identified as a Site of Nature Conservation Value in the UDP and there is no evidence that the site contains any legally protected wildlife species. There will therefore be no material harm to any known nature conservation value.


continued . . .

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