Object

Representation ID: 5611

Received: 07/09/2021

Respondent: Land Allocation Ltd

Agent: AAH Planning Consultants

The current draft Local Plan 2040 out for consultation does not include any housing allocations for the borough, however it is noted that these will come forward in the next draft version, following the Call for Sites exercise which has previously taken place. We consider it essential for the Council to over-allocate housing land to ensure flexibility, choice and competition in the housing market, reflecting the government guidance including the requirement to significantly boost the supply of housing as per the NPPF.
Whilst the spatial strategy is still being formulated and which has been considered above, it is considered that due to the higher housing need figure of the Local Plan 2040, compared to the Local Plan 2030, then we consider it is likely that more rural areas such as Oakley are to be subject to either housing allocations or reviews of neighbourhood plans to reflect the significantly higher housing need figure. Development in these sustainable but more rural areas would help to meet the identified need and help support the rural economy.
Our client’s site at Land West of Pavenham Road, Oakley was submitted as part of the Call for Site’s exercise and is identified as Site 702. There is a willing landowner who has previously submitted an outline planning application under reference 20/00433/MAO and an appeal with an indicative plan showing how the site could accommodate dwellings. Although the previous outline planning application was subsequently refused and also dismissed at appeal, taking the comments of the Inspector into account, the site can still be considered suitable for a small-scale residential development, which could be focused to deliverable housing for a specific group, for example affordable or over 55’s housing, and can also respond to the existing character of the village.
None of the technical reports completed for the outline planning application and appeal indicate that there are on site issues that would prevent the sites allocation for residential development. There are no significant abnormal or major infrastructure requirements. The Full Policy Requirements for Planning Obligations are expected to be made as evidenced by the Outline Planning Application. There is no indication of any viability issues here.
The site forms a natural extension of the settlement being directly adjacent to the existing settlement boundary and there are no major contraints or viability matters to prejudice the development or allocation of the site for housing. There are no legal issues. The landowners are party to a promotion agreement with Land Allocation Ltd. Consequentially, the site is deliverable, available and developable now.
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