Building an Eco Village in Mothecombe Plymouth, United Kingdom - Report Example

TOPIC: Geotechnical Report on Building an Eco Village in Mothecombe Plymouth, United Kingdom Course: University: Tutor: INTRODUCTION This report shall give an overview of the proposed Eco Village in Mothecombe, Plymouth, United Kingdom by providing the overall geotechnical situation and parameters of the proposed project; the highway planning for the area, the surveying analysis for the area, and the different types of green roofs in existence. Eco Villages are increasingly gaining in popularity, particularly among those who are environmentally conscious, and the proposed project shall have potential environmental benefits to the area of Mothecombe Plymouth, the major benefit being the sustaining of Mothecombe Beach and the surrounding ecology. The following report shall thus make a case for the proposed Eco Village at Mothecombe Plymouth. 1. Highway planning for Mothecombe: The construction of highways on a beach is a rarity. As such, the process is unique and quite different from that of other highway constructions given the soil quality and overall topography and climate found on beaches. There exist very unique challenges including tidal waves, potential storms, among others. As such, the manner of highway planning on Mothecombe will be markedly different form the highway planning in other areas. Developments in water are referred to as a ‘waterfront project.’ According to Your Dictionary (2012) Waterfront refers to a piece of land positioned directly near a water body such as a lake, river or ocean. The proposed Eco Village will thus suffice to be termed as a waterfront project as it is located adjacent to the River Erme. As the Project for Public Spaces (2013) aptly explains, it is crucial that all waterfronts are easily accessible for people’s use to the greatest extent possible. Currently, accessibility to Mothecombe is only though a narrow wooden path and this accessibility needs to be enhanced by the proposed highway. The initial definition of the need for any highway occurs at the planning stage and according to the Federal Highway Administration (2012), one of the major reasons for the development of highways is as a result of developmental pressures. The proposed development of the Eco Village at Mothecombe shall thus necessitate the development of a highway for ease of access. The Plymouth City Council needs to develop a framework for the development of an important roadway corridor in Mothecombe Beach. The purpose of this plan shall be to guide the development of the area and this shall include plans for a highway construction. Currently, there are no major infrastructural developments and there is only a narrow, wooded path that gives access to the beach. To develop a waterfront, Waterfronts NL (2013) recommends the process outlined in the diagram below: Diagram courtesy of Waterfronts NL (2013) Planning is an integral part of this process and according to City of Delray Beach, Florida (2011), below is a general outline of the required planning process The Planning Process An overview of the boundaries of the Plan Area; Review of existing land use patterns; and Review of Existing Zoning Districts and Future Land Use Map Designations. An overview of existing conditions A review of proposed Future Land Use Map Amendments A review of proposed rezonings A review of boundaries of the proposed Eco Village; and A review of proposed regulations for properties within the overlay district, including permitted uses, buffering, setbacks, building size, access, etc. For the purposes of this discussion, the cases of the cities of Baltimore (in the United States) and Mombasa (Kenya) have been analyzed as both have undertaken major waterfront highway planning and construction. From the case of Baltimore, the following are an outline of guiding principles that the Plymouth City Council should follow as they undertake highway planning at Mothecombe: Guiding Principles of the Highway Plan Open Space Develop a world class waterfront open space Maximize access to the waterfront Design a Highway with people and cars in mind Building Form Create an active, publicly accessible and pedestrian friendly Highway Plan Create eco- friendly buildings which are in line with the environmentally conscious ideals of an Eco Village. Transportation Develop a well thought out, comprehensive and eco friendly plan for traffic and other demands that will arise from the development Create a plan for the development of transit resources along the Highway and develop parking management strategies which will deal with parking demand Draft controls and regulations to enforce the zoning, development controls, and disposition of land in the area (City of Baltimore, 2010) For the above to take place, however, an analysis of Mothecombe needs to be undertaken to ensure that the proposed highway and eventual Eco Village is viable in terms of the ability for construction to take place in the area. This analysis shall be provided in this discussion under the coming ‘Geotechnical Report’ and Surveying Analysis sections. 2. The Geotechnical Report Mothecombe Beach lies at the mouth of the River Erme which rises on Dartmoor and is about 10 miles from Plymouth. It is not inhabited by residents and the land alongside the estuary is owned by a private estate but the beach is open to the public. It is one of the most attractive and unspoilt beaches in the UK and is accessed through a narrow, wooded path. It joins up with Wonwell Beach at low tide on the Erme Estuary (South West Observatory, 2012). Map of Mothecombe View of Mothecombe Beach. Image Courtesy of Devon Explorer (2013) It is located within Devon County, one of the most geologically diverse counties in the UK therefore there is a vast diversity in terms of the minerals, rocks, processes and landforms in the area (South West Observatory, 2012). The most serious challenges as relates to geology in the area are thick water- logged deposits, limestone cavities, potential emission of methane from confided wastes, steep rock faces, and the potential for block failure in deep excavations (Thomas, 2001). The following is an overview of the Geotechnical Report of Mothecombe, Plymouth: Artificial Fill: The fill used for engineering purposes is generally properly compacted. Quarry waste and casual fills generally have a high void ratio and a characteristically broad variety of materials other than rock and soil. All the materials are easily excavated (Thomas, 2001). . Soil: In the agricultural sense, soil is scarce here. Holocene Alluvium is the main soil and it is very thin. There is scarcity of rounded gravel for construction. There are diverse soils with the shillets producing acid soils and the limestone more calcareous soils (Thomas, 2001). Nevertheless, the area is very sandy as the sand is bountiful at Mothecombe. Water: Mothecombe does not meet the mandatory (minimum) bathing water quality standards (South West Observatory, 2012). . The Environment Agency in the South West found that the River Erme does not meet the requisite standards to be classified as being at ‘good’ ecological status. The main reason is due to the fish whereby the Fish populations are not good. The river also faces localized water quality problems. This, however, poses a great opportunity for environmental projects Harlow (2011). As such, the proposed Eco Village is very timely. Excavability of Consolidated rocks: In 1997- 1998, slate and limestone rocks were excavated from Plymouth. Sandstone is also naturally occurring nearby. Slope stability: There have been no records of slope failures and apart from minor block failures in excavated slopes and small shallow soil slips, the area exhibits good slope stability. Subsidence: There are no known cases of mine subsidence in the area 3. Surveying Analysis For The Area The following is an analysis of the findings following the Geotechnical survey of Mothecombe: Site description: Mothecombe, located at the mouth of the Erme Estuary, is on the south coast of Devon. It is about 330 metres in width and is a remote sandy bay backed by cliffs and sand dunes and a stream flows onto the beach to the sea (The Environment Agency, 2012). An investigation by the University of York revealed that occupation took area in the past in two zones at the back of the beach characterized by a series of structures and hearths. Important historical and archaeological findings on the site include Roman and post-Roman ceramics as well as animal bones and investigations provide evidence of the area’s use for a long period of time (Turner, S. & S. Roskams. (2005). Topography and Soil Description: Mothecombe is a rocky shore and is characterized by having plenty of fine sand, particularly at low tide. It has a winding, narrow pathway therefore, access is not easy especially for the disabled and the time for walking is approximately fifteen minutes distance from the car park (Devon Guide, 2013). The sea and sand is very clean so much so that the proprietors of the beach won an award from the Marine Conservation Society. At low tide Mothecombe comes into its own with fine sand and plenty of opportunity for shallow, sheltered bathing. Since it is privately owned, it has remained pretty much unchanged for centuries (Visit South Devon, 2013). As such, the beach is a very clean area making it very suitable for an Eco Village project as it is in keeping with environmentally conscious practices. Additionally, sand is plentiful and thus readily available for construction purposes. Rock description: The rocks located in the area (limestone, slate and sandstone) are easily excavatable and readily available. This is favourable for construction as the rocks required for construction of the Eco Available are readily available at Mothecombe. Artificial Fill description: All the materials are easily excavated (Thomas, 2001). This spells good news for the proposed Eco Village as the fill shall be easily excavated for construction purposes. Water description: Mothecombe water is located at the mouth of the Erme estuary and the Erme is widely known to have a negative effect on water quality especially following rainfall. The Mothecombe Stream flows across the beach and streams result in reduced water quality (The Environment Agency, 2012). Nevertheless, there is safe, sheltered shallow water at Mothecombe and this situation is favourable for construction purposes (Devon Guide, 2013) Nature inventory: Mothecombe has a wide variety of species and an inventory carried out at the beach recorded the existence of over 700 species different species of flora and fauna (Opal Explore Nature, 2010) 4. The Proposed Types of Green Roofs to be Used During Construction: Given that the houses in the proposed Eco Village must be eco friendly, one of the key elements that should be taken into consideration during construction must be the type of roofing to be used. Green roofs are roofs that are completely or partially covered with vegetation. There are several benefits of green roofs to the environment and as (Liu and Baskaran, 2003) point out; they include the following in brief: Lower energy use. Lessened air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Significant improvement of human health and comfort. Increased storm-water management and water quality. Enhanced quality of life. There are three main types of green roofs that the Plymouth City Council can choose from during the construction of houses for the proposed Eco Village, namely: extensive green roofs, semi- intensive green roofs, and intensive green roofs. a) Extensive Green Roof: Extensive Green Roofs are the kind which is self sustaining and built using shallow growing mediums. They do not need much maintenance and are relatively cheaper to make since little reinforcement of the existing roofing is required (Ecolife Dictionary, 2013). b) Intensive Green Roof / Roof Garden: These types of roofs comprise of a growing medium which is deep and necessary so as to support a wide host of vegetation ranging big trees to groundcovers (Ecolife Dictionary, 2013) and major constructions such as ponds, walkways and playgrounds can be constructed onto the roof. There are therefore very little restrictions as to what is possible on an intensive green roof. That said, the Intensive Green Roof has to be in harmony with the environment. The cost of construction and maintenance of Intensive Green Roofs is higher than with Extensive Green Roofs and permanent due to the sheer scope and detail and also from the fact that fertilization and irrigation has to take place on a regular basis. c) Semi-Intensive Green Roof: Semi-Intensive Green Roofs falls between Extensive and Intensive Green roofs and is characterized by a deeper substrate level. This provides room for a lot more possibilities in terms of design and a wide range of grasses, herbs and shrubs such can be planted in the absence of trees and growing bushes. It is a lot more expensive and heavier than the other two and they require more maintenance. From the above analysis of the different types o green roofs, I recommend the extensive green roofs. This is because, for a development project, cost- cutting is crucial and expensive green roofs are the cheapest of the three. More importantly, however, is that the extensive green roofs are self sustaining and require less maintenance. As such, they are very suitable for a project such as the proposed Mothecombe Eco village. CONCLUSION In summary, from the above discourse and analysis, it is possible to build an Eco Village in Mothecombe and highly recommended following this research. From the Geotechnical analysis of the area, there exist suitable conditions for construction of an Eco Village and other infrastructure such as a Highway including the readily available sand, artificial sill and water. Additionally, the water quality in the area has been declining over the areas and this provides sufficient motivation and impetus to have an Eco Village constructed in the area so as to improve the ecology of the area. The prevailing ecological conditions and motivations are therefore present; all that is required is proper planning by the Plymouth City Council to ensure that there is a clear commitment to achieve sustainable living, natural building techniques, and eco- friendly practices throughout the planning, design and implementation stages of the proposed project. With this commitment and excellent planning, the proposed Mothecombe Eco Village has the potential to be a major Eco- Hub, not just for the United Kingdom, but for the world as a whole, leading the way in creating an eco friendly village which creates benefits to the environment both for the present time and for future generations. References City of Baltimore. (2010). Planning / Master Plans, Maps & Publications / Key Highway Waterfront Planning City of Delray Beach, Florida. (2011). South Federal Highway Redevelopment Plan. Retrieved Fromhttp://mydelraybeach.com/planning-and-zoning/long-range-planning/redevelopment-plans/south-federal-highway-redevelopment-plan Devon Explorer. (2013). Beach, Mothecombe, Devon. Retrieved from http://www.devon-explorer.co.uk/devon/Mothecombe/Beach.html Devon Guide. (2013). Mothecombe Beach. Retrieved from http://www.devonguide.com/beaches/south_hams/mothecombe.htm Ecolife Dictionary. (2013). Green Roof – Definition. Retrieved from http://www.ecolife.com/define/green-roof.html Harlow, Anna. (2011). Improving water quality in the River Erme – how can you help? Environment Agency. Liu, K. and B. Baskaran. 2003. Thermal Performance of Green Roofs through Field Evaluation. National Research Council of Canada. Report No. NRCC-46412 Opal Explore Nature. (2010). Mothecombe bioblitz post-event release. Retrieved from http://www.opalexplorenature.org/sites/default/files/7/file/Mothecombe-Bioblitz-June2010.pdf Project for Public Spaces. (2013). How to Transform a Waterfront. Retrieved from http://www.pps.org/reference/turnwaterfrontaround/ South West Observatory. (2012). Environment & Natural Resources (Changing State of the South West 2012). Retrieved from http://www.swo.org.uk/sotsw2012/environment-natural-resources/ The Environment Agency. (2012). What's in your backyard? Retrieved from http://maps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/queryController?topic=coastalwaters&ep=2ndtierquery&lang=_e&layerGroups=1&x=261050.0&y=47340.0&extraClause=SAMPLING_POINT~%2726100%27&extraClause=YEAR~2011&textonly=off&latestValue=&latestField= The Federal Highway Administration. (2012). Overview of the Highway Planning and Development Process. Retrieved from http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/publications/flexibility/ch01.cfm The World Bank Group. (2010). Roads & Highways: Planning, Section 1. Retrieved from http://www.worldbank.org/transport/roads/pl_sect1.htm Thomas, Robert G. (2001). Geology of Plymouth, England. Environmental and Engineering Geosciences, Vol VII, No. 2, pp. 119- 175 Turner, S. & S. Roskams. (2005). Excavation and survey at Mothecombe, September 2004’ Society for Medieval Archaeology Newsletter 32, p.3-4 Visit South Devon. (2013). Mothecombe Beach - Beach in Mothecombe, Kingsbridge. Retrieved From http://www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk/lots-to-do/mothecombe-beach-p432553 Waterfronts NL. (2013). What is Waterfront Development? Retrieved from http://www.waterfrontsnl.com/the-process/what-is-waterfront-development-/ Your Dictionary. (2012). Waterfront. Retrieved from http://www.yourdictionary.com/waterfront Read More