Green Infrastructure

The aim of our proposals at Middle Farm is to create an environment where green habitats and landscape nurture biodiversity as well as enhancing and improving access to open space and recreational opportunities. The proposals have been designed to ensure environmental benefits are at the forefront of the development through a sensitive and evidence-based landscape and biodiversity-led design process.

The retained land within the Green Belt will be protected and enhanced to ensure that biodiversity can thrive and new habitats are created for protected wildlife, with structural landscaping to enhance and add to the existing green landscape.

Ecology Assessments

A number of ecological and wildlife surveys have been carried out to understand the ecological conditions in and around the site. The site is not covered by any statutory ecological designations, with the nearest statutory designation (New Hartley Ponds) around 1.6km to the northeast of the site. There will be no impact on New Hartley Ponds as a result of this development.

East Cramlington Local Wildlife Site is 0.4km to the east, Lanercost Nature Reserve (LNR) 0.5km to the north, and Annitsford Pond LNR 0.7km to the south-west. There will be no impact on the local wildlife sites and nature reserves as a result of this development.

Landscape Assessments

The site is not covered by any designation at a national, regional or local level that recognises a specific landscape importance.

Visibility is limited to the immediate vicinity of the Site by vegetation aligning the A189 to the west, by built form to the north and by the linear woodland band to the east.

A comprehensive landscaping scheme is proposed throughout the site to provide a landscape enhancement for the area and reduce any visibility from the immediate vicinity.

Sustainability

Middle Farm proposes to embed sustainability at the heart of the development and is aiming to become a net-zero-ready development.

Middle Farm proposes to embrace sustainable energy options, reduce carbon emissions, and adapt to climate change to create a more sustainable and resilient community. The proposals can improve the quality of life of existing and future residents of the area, whilst contributing to national and global sustainability efforts.

Middle Farm proposes low and zero-carbon technologies to generate heat and power, with the aim to achieve net zero by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change.

This will be achieved by limiting the operational energy demands and embodied carbon emissions to levels that are compatible with a net zero carbon future. All energy demand on site is proposed to be met by a mixture of on-site renewable energy generation and zero carbon energy supplied via the national grid.

The proposals will support and uphold national targets to achieve future home standards. Future home standards require new build homes to be future-proofed with low carbon heating, which will produce 75-80% less carbon emissions than homes built under current Building Regulations.

The proposals will uphold local planning policies to deliver sustainable new buildings and buildings that are resilient to and mitigate against climate change.

Green Infrastructure Proposals

The proposals plan to retain and enhance the public rights of way and provide new routes and areas of recreation to provide further opportunities for access to public open space.

Around 100 acres of Green Belt will be retained as open space and enhanced to provide further opportunities for recreation and the creation of new habitats.

The development of Middle Farm will deliver a significant Biodiversity Net Gain. This will provide long-term benefits to a range of wildlife and lasting improvements to a variety of ecosystems services. This will be delivered through the retention of existing high-value habitats such as hedgerows, watercourses, and woodlands, as well as the creation and enhancement of other habitats throughout the site. The open green space will provide places where biodiversity can thrive and support valuable ecosystem services and bring wider benefits to nature and people.

‘Green corridors’ are proposed as the key transport routes through the site, connecting residential areas with local centre uses, areas of play, open space, and transport nodes, ensuring people will be more likely to walk or travel actively to and from their destinations.