Object

Representation ID: 8979

Received: 01/10/2021

Respondent: Snelsons Farm Partnership

Agent: DLP Planning Limited

Introduction to Site and Proposals
4.1 The site subject to this representation is land off Carlton Road, Turvey.
4.2 An area of approximately 2ha has been allocated in the Turvey Neighbourhood Plan (TNP), which passed referendum on the 15th July 2021. The TNP allocates two sites, and at paragraph 5.20 notes that each site is suitable for 25 dwellings. However, Policy T1 which is the development policy for Carlton Road, does not specify a number of dwellings to be provided, just that the site is allocated for housing development along with a set of development principles.
Figure 1: Turvey Settlement Boundary, with Carlton Road allocation marked yellow.
4.3 Our view is that the net developable area of the site (excluding open space to be retained on the Carlton Road frontage and significant boundary landscaping) could provide a capacity of at least 40 dwellings having regard to Framework paragraph 124.
4.4 The site has however no physical constraint which would prevent the increase in capacity beyond the boundaries of the present allocation. Having regard to our submissions above in respect to the timescale of the plan, the need to plan strategically even in relation to growth in villages and moreover to the scale of development that will be required, we consider that the current allocation should be extended.
4.5 In the first instance the site is demonstrably deliverable, and our client expects to bring forward development within the boundaries prescribed in the TNP once the TNP is ‘made’. It is our case that more, deliverable, sites are needed in the early years of the new Local Plan in order to sustain the supply of housing until such time as the major new development allocations can be relied upon to support the five-year supply. For the reasons set out we do not consider that they will be able to do so until at least 2035 and possibly 2040. Consequently, a further allocation should be made to Turvey and that, having regard to the assessment carried out for the TNP which concluded that land at Carlton Road was suitable for development, the only logical conclusion would be that the site is also suitable for an extension of the present site. That is supported by consideration that there are no physical boundaries on the land save for those that will be created by the current allocation and infrastructure will be provided to support the current allocated development.
4.6 Notwithstanding that Policy T2 of the TNP states ‘Housing development must include a mix of sizes of accommodation, based on the most recent evidence of local need that is available. This must include smaller units (1-2 bedrooms) to cater for first time buyers and those seeking to downsize’ there is no physical constraint on the delivery of a full range of house types including the provision of affordable homes including First Homes.
4.7 Furthermore, the site could also deliver self-build or custom dwellings, with there not being a policy that would inhibit a scheme that was largely consisting of these elements rather than market or affordable housing.
Response to Borough Council’s Site Assessment Pro-Forma and Neighbourhood Plan Assessment
4.8 The site was not submitted to the Summer 2020 Call for Sties event due to progression with the Neighbourhood Plan, as such it was not assessed as part of the production of the Local Plan. Therefore, a comparative assessment has been undertaken below on the Neighbourhood Plan assessment.
Site Assessment Criteria – Support
4.9 As part of the Neighbourhood Plan a much larger site than the allocation (2ha) was initially considered, comprising up to 19.5ha which had an indicative capacity of 380 dwellings. Smaller options of between 90 and 120 dwellings were also submitted and this formed the basis of the original site assessment.
Reasoning
4.10 The assessment rejected the delivery of 90-120 dwellings only insofar as it was considered in the context of the then emerging housing requirement to be a scale of development greater than proportionately required for Turvey. The assessment however acknowledged the ability of the site potentially to deliver around 50 dwellings. Subsequently 25 units have been indicatively allocated through the TNP. It follows however that a larger allocation could be delivered that was well related to the settlement in the circumstances where a greater scale of growth is required in the Borough to meet its future planned needs.
4.11 Issues in the assessment were raised in relation to landscaping, flood zones, mineral safeguarding areas, listed buildings and highways, but all were capable of being overcome through mitigation as set out in the assessment and affirmed through the current allocation.
4.12 The assessment concluded that the site was capable of delivering up to 50 dwellings and that this was an appropriate scale of development. The site was therefore deemed as suitable, available, deliverable, and recommended as an allocation.
Suggested Alternative Site Assessment Finding
4.13 Given the findings of the previous assessment, 50 dwellings, it is our view that the site has capacity to deliver development in the order of 90-100 dwellings. This would still be less than that originally appraised and could be accommodated without adverse impact on the site or breaching any existing natural barriers – of which the current TNP allocation would be a part.
4.14 As such, for the purposes of the emerging Local Plan 2040, a further allocation north of Carlton Road should be made of at least 75 dwellings.
For figure 1 see attachment