These representations should be read alongside representations made to paragraph 1.28 and the Development Strategy Topic Paper and Sustainability Appraisal.
As a preliminary point, the emerging preferred options only amount to approximately 12,500 homes. The allocation of 12,500 homes would only just ensure the minimum number of homes required are provided, and would not provide any flexibility to address any delays in delivery that might be encountered during the plan period. It is common for Plans to over provide by some 10% to 15% to give certainty that the housing need will be met, and we note the adopted Local Plan contained an 11% buffer endorsed by the Inspector. The Council should include similar over provision when preparing their Plan.
Secondly, none of the emerging preferred options allocate any growth to all villages, and only certain villages may receive growth depending on which option is chosen (i.e. the southern, rail based, or eastern parishes). To allocate no growth to villages is contrary to national policy which requires planning policies to identify opportunities for villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services and maintain the vitality of rural communities (paragraph 79 of the NPPF). Nor is it consistent with the emerging Vision for the Borough which sees the villages accommodating development in order to provide and support much needed housing, and rural facilities and services.
A third of the population of the Borough live in the rural area, and that population will have housing and economic needs over the Plan period that should be met locally. Whilst there are existing commitments within the villages which should contribute housing during the early part of the Plan period, those commitments do not meet the higher housing requirement and it is unrealistic to then assume those villages and communities needs will be satisfied for the remainder of the Plan period to 2040. Moreover, there is no evidence to suggest villages are not capable of accommodating further modest growth over the Plan period. The final preferred strategy therefore needs to include an allocation for some growth within the villages over the entire Plan period to ensure rural communities remain sustainable.
The suitability of Roxton to accommodate modest growth is recognised within the Options identified within the Topic Paper, forming part of Option 2d, 3c, 4, 6, and 7 (although Options 4, 6 and 7 do not include any growth in and around the urban areas, and therefore appear unrealistic as options). Although Option 2d is not considered the best performing option in the Sustainability Appraisal, dispersing housing growth over a wider area than Option 2a has the advantage of enabling the housing requirement to be met earlier in the Plan period. That will have significant economic and social benefits.
Whichever option or mix of options is carried forward as the preferred strategy, villages like Roxton need to accommodate modest growth (i.e. an additional circa 50-75 dwellings) over the remainder of the Plan period to continue to grow and thrive to 2040. Such a strategy would not detract from the urban and rail-based growth focus.
Rainier Developments would draw your specific attention to land off Bedford Road, Roxton (ID 776) as a suitable site that would complement the strategy in this context.