Description
THE SITE
The site comprises about 122 acres (50 hectares) of mainly scrub land which is previously developed by virtue of the gravel extraction, waste disposal and other industrial activities that have taken place over many years.
HISTORY
The land has had a long and chequered history. Gravel pits were first noted on the land as long ago as 1865 but large scale extraction did not take place until 1947. By 1957 parts of the site where gravel had been dug out were beginning to be filled with domestic waste. Other parts were recorded as being in industrial use and by 1966 road haulage depots, taxi garages, bus garages and vehicle depots were recorded.
Landfilling with domestic waste was believed to have ended in 1973 when the legislation on refuse disposal was changed but filling with materials such as soil, brick, concrete, stone, clay, glass, ceramics and hard-core continued until 1990 and gravel extraction did not cease until 1992 – the legacy being the present fishing lakes.
Today, land uses are limited to grazing rights on the paddocks adjoining Chertsey Road and to the Feltham Angling Club which makes good use of the lakes and employs a bailiff to ensure the day to day security of the site. Public access is not permitted, given inherent dangers posed by the site in its present state.
KEY ISSUES
POLICY CPA1
There is a shortage of publicly accessible open space in the area. At present there is no public access to any part of the site, yet it is a potentially vital component in the chain of green space running between Heathrow and the River Thames.
As long ago as 1999 the Council identified the chain of Green Belt running through the western part of the Borough as part of a Comprehensive Planning Area in which it would give priority to improving public access and recreational facilities, and enhancing or protecting nature conservation.
While these objectives remain as important today as they were ten years ago, little progress has been made as most land is in private ownership and municipal funds are strictly limited.
The site could make a significant contribution to improving recreation opportunities in Feltham but the objectives of Policy CPA1 will remain a pipedream unless some positive action can be taken to release the potential of the site.
CONTAMINATION
Large parts of the site have been filled but there is no technical reason why development should not take place, subject to appropriate mitigation measures. These would depend on the type of development and where in the site it might take place.
Landfill gas is occurring from the burial of domestic waste and this may be having an effect on groundwater. Other sources of soil contamination arising from past land uses have also been found. It would be highly desirable to improve present conditions within the site and reduce its potential adverse effect on surrounding areas.
The only way in which the site is likely to be fully cleaned up is if development were to be allowed on some part of it in order to provide the necessary funds to carry out the work on the rest.
ECOLOGY
Parts of the site are known to support a variety of species – although until now there has been little data collected.
A comprehensive ecological study has found the presence of reptiles, bats and breeding birds across the site, however no badgers, great crested newts, or breeding birds protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act have been recorded. Nor is there any flora which is of notable or protected quality, although there are extensive outcrops of Japanese knotweed which is a highly invasive plant. It is an offence in law to spread Japanese knotweed and important that it is properly eradicated.
The conclusions of the ecological study are that appropriate mitigation measures can be taken to protect the ecological interests of the site in the event of development.
OUR PROPOSALS
DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES
What we are proposing is development of about half of the overall site with the remainder opened up to public access.
We could provide new homes and job opportunities, a new local centre, recreation areas and a village green.
Such development would provide the funds needed to clean up the contamination. It would also enable the remaining parts of the site to be laid out for a variety of formal and informal recreation activities.
WHEN WOULD THE DEVELOPMENT TAKE PLACE?
Plans for continued growth at a rate greater than at present are likely to emerge over the next 3-4 years. They raise important questions about what the housing and employment needs of the Borough are likely to be in the future and how they are to be met. There are also important questions to ask about how open space and recreation objectives can be delivered.
It is our view that there will be a need for this site to be developed in the years after 2012 when it can provide a long term resource for development, complementary to urban regeneration programmes elsewhere in the Borough.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
At present there are many options and no fixed solutions. This exhibition is about finding out what you would like to see done with the land. Please spend as much time as you like looking at the rest of this exhibition and please ask us any questions that you may have.
The site comprises about 122 acres (50 hectares) of mainly scrub land which is previously developed by virtue of the gravel extraction, waste disposal and other industrial activities that have taken place over many years.
HISTORY
The land has had a long and chequered history. Gravel pits were first noted on the land as long ago as 1865 but large scale extraction did not take place until 1947. By 1957 parts of the site where gravel had been dug out were beginning to be filled with domestic waste. Other parts were recorded as being in industrial use and by 1966 road haulage depots, taxi garages, bus garages and vehicle depots were recorded.
Landfilling with domestic waste was believed to have ended in 1973 when the legislation on refuse disposal was changed but filling with materials such as soil, brick, concrete, stone, clay, glass, ceramics and hard-core continued until 1990 and gravel extraction did not cease until 1992 – the legacy being the present fishing lakes.
Today, land uses are limited to grazing rights on the paddocks adjoining Chertsey Road and to the Feltham Angling Club which makes good use of the lakes and employs a bailiff to ensure the day to day security of the site. Public access is not permitted, given inherent dangers posed by the site in its present state.
KEY ISSUES
POLICY CPA1
There is a shortage of publicly accessible open space in the area. At present there is no public access to any part of the site, yet it is a potentially vital component in the chain of green space running between Heathrow and the River Thames. As long ago as 1999 the Council identified the chain of Green Belt running through the western part of the Borough as part of a Comprehensive Planning Area in which it would give priority to improving public access and recreational facilities, and enhancing or protecting nature conservation.
While these objectives remain as important today as they were ten years ago, little progress has been made as most land is in private ownership and municipal funds are strictly limited.
The site could make a significant contribution to improving recreation opportunities in Feltham but the objectives of Policy CPA1 will remain a pipedream unless some positive action can be taken to release the potential of the site.
CONTAMINATION
Large parts of the site have been filled but there is no technical reason why development should not take place, subject to appropriate mitigation measures. These would depend on the type of development and where in the site it might take place. Landfill gas is occurring from the burial of domestic waste and this may be having an effect on groundwater. Other sources of soil contamination arising from past land uses have also been found. It would be highly desirable to improve present conditions within the site and reduce its potential adverse effect on surrounding areas.
The only way in which the site is likely to be fully cleaned up is if development were to be allowed on some part of it in order to provide the necessary funds to carry out the work on the rest.
ECOLOGY
Parts of the site are known to support a variety of species – although until now there has been little data collected.
A comprehensive ecological study has found the presence of reptiles, bats and breeding birds across the site, however no badgers, great crested newts, or breeding birds protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act have been recorded. Nor is there any flora which is of notable or protected quality, although there are extensive outcrops of Japanese knotweed which is a highly invasive plant. It is an offence in law to spread Japanese knotweed and important that it is properly eradicated.
The conclusions of the ecological study are that appropriate mitigation measures can be taken to protect the ecological interests of the site in the event of development.
OUR PROPOSALS
DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES
What we are proposing is development of about half of the overall site with the remainder opened up to public access.
We could provide new homes and job opportunities, a new local centre, recreation areas and a village green.
Such development would provide the funds needed to clean up the contamination. It would also enable the remaining parts of the site to be laid out for a variety of formal and informal recreation activities.
WHEN WOULD THE DEVELOPMENT TAKE PLACE?
Plans for continued growth at a rate greater than at present are likely to emerge over the next 3-4 years. They raise important questions about what the housing and employment needs of the Borough are likely to be in the future and how they are to be met. There are also important questions to ask about how open space and recreation objectives can be delivered.
It is our view that there will be a need for this site to be developed in the years after 2012 when it can provide a long term resource for development, complementary to urban regeneration programmes elsewhere in the Borough.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
At present there are many options and no fixed solutions. This exhibition is about finding out what you would like to see done with the land. Please spend as much time as you like looking at the rest of this exhibition and please ask us any questions that you may have.
