Lundy Close - Feb 2023 Update

Lundy Close - Update

Following the planning approval granted for the development of the northern area of Lundy Close toward the end of last year, officers have been working toward discharging several planning conditions which the Local Planning Authority as part of the approved planning application.

Green Space Enhancement – Condition 8

Condition 8 requires a written strategy for green space enhancements, including measures to enhance biodiversity, within the estate surrounding the site, to the value of £5000. Upon liaising with the Parks Department, South Essex Homes and ward members, a strategy has been submitted to employ the assistance of the Parks and Open Spaces Department to embark on a planting programme in the autumn to early winter of 2023. to plant over ten thousand bulbs of various varieties to add a vibrant splash of colour and bring to life a sense of pride and help with the biodiversity enhancing cross pollination from Bees and insects alike. The bulbs will be planted around the trees within the green space under the canopy coverage. Once planting has been completed, come Spring 2024, as these bulbs are Spring flowering, the Parks Team will be aware and will make efforts not to mow around the emerging bulbs.

Archaeology Surveys – Condition 9

As the area in and around Cherry Orchard Way has been of archaeological interest in the past, Southend Museum requested a condition be added to the planning approval that an archaeological survey of the proposed development site be carried out and report back to planners and the museum. The strategic housing team have engaged Oxford Archaeology East to carry out this work and submit any artifacts or objects which may be of interest. Conversations with the archaeological team indicate it will be very unlikely anything significate would be found due to the amount of work which has taken place in the locality of the development, i.e., the industrial site that surround Lundy Close.

The Archaeological works is due to start in the coming weeks and will consist of excavating a 5% sample of the development area of c. 0.24ha. the archaeological team will do this by excavating 60 linear metres of trenching at a width of 2m. Trenches will be laid out to evenly sample the development area, on a standard grid array,

The trenches will be dug by a tracked 360° excavator machine. The trenches will be excavated to a standard average depth of 0.50m, with no trenches exceeding a safe working depth of 1.00m. Archaeological features will then be investigated by hand. All areas of excavation will be fenced as required. Any archaeological features found will then be recorded and will be sent for approval from the County Archaeologist, the trenches will be backfilled with excavated material in reverse order of excavation.