Object

Representation ID: 8947

Received: 01/10/2021

Respondent: Snelsons Farm Partnership

Agent: DLP Planning Limited

3.32 Firstly, there is a shortcoming in the Vision in terms of it reflecting comprehensive opportunities for sustainable development across the Borough. Secondly, while there are positive aspects for outcomes sought under the Vision these will not be addressed as part of the strategy due to the Council’s selected Preferred Options.
Reasoning
3.33 The draft Vision sets out that:
“Rural communities will embrace appropriate development, in many instances through the preparation of their own neighbourhood plans.”
3.34 This would imply a requirement for additional growth. However, the draft strategy apparently exclude such growth from a significant number of centres. The draft Vision fails to address that it is part of the role of the local plan review (and resulting updates) to address strategic priorities deferred as a consequence of the BLP2030 (for example expansion of primary healthcare and secondary education). The Vision also fails to reflect that the proposed
development strategy is not looking to provide for any additional growth in rural areas as part of an uplift to meet housing needs in full before 2030. This is a significant shortcoming and overlooks suitable and deliverable sites that could be prioritised now to meet these increased needs alongside the delivery of other substantial benefits.
3.35 Theme 4 (Better Places) of the Council’s proposed Objectives states:
“Provide appropriate amounts and types of housing to meet the needs of the borough’s urban and rural communities over the lifetime of the Plan making the housing stock more adaptable and resilient
3.36 The principle is supported but is reliant on delivering diverse opportunities for development across the settlement hierarchy. The draft strategy as it stands renders this highly unlikely.
Remedy
3.37 There should be demonstrable scope to alter the distribution of the housing requirement to sustain continued appropriate levels of growth in the rural hierarchy and recognise the sustainable capacity of the higher order rural settlements to continue to accommodate further development.