11

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGES Headlines

The Preferred Options consultation last autumn led to over 2,000 individual representations from individuals, local communities, developers and service providers, which in turn generated over 10,000 responses, once analysed

Analysis of representations by officers and drafting of changes, supported by: o Further checking on technical issues raised o Conformity with National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) o Consideration against evidence updates o Drafting of background papers o Reporting to Joint Advisory Panel (Members‟ steering group comprising councillors from the three partner authorities)

Report to Councils on 3rd July 2012 and six weeks‟ targeted consultation The Schedule of Significant Changes in Part 2 provides a more detailed overview of the issues and responses considered by Full Council meetings of the three partner authorities held on 3rd July 2012. The main Issues and Responses document is in excess of 1,000 pages long and has been made available principally in electronic format only, although a hard copy for reference is available to view at the three Council offices. It can be viewed on the SWDP website. The Schedule in this consultation document provides a summary of all of the Significant Changes identified through the consultation, along with the response and recommended change. Approximately 200 representations were received regarding the proposed development strategy. Most of these were objections but a few set out an alternative strategy. Briefly, some of these representations advocated a more dispersed approach to development; however, there were a number who advocated the opposite. There were also representations advocating the allocation of a new town at Throckmorton Airfield. With respect to the rural allocations, there were numerous site-specific representations. Where these were substantive, a change has been recommended. Around 100 new land-holdings were submitted for consideration at the time of the Preferred Option consultation and a few of these have been identified as potential changes. The village allocations are informed by the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) and the Village Facilities and Rural Transport study, which itself has been updated.

SWDP Consultation document – list of significant changes and amendments, new and amended policies - 6th August – 14th September 2012 12

In relation to employment allocations, there are two additional employment sites proposed in (at Stonebridge Cross Business Park, and Vale Park, ) and another in Worcester at Warndon Woods. It is intended that these additional sites will improve the scope and flexibility of employment provision within the SWDP. The most significant change is in relation to the evidence from the recent Strategic Housing Market Assessment, which supports an increase in the number of new homes required to 23,200 (scenario 2). The reasoned justification for this is set out in Part 2 (in relation to SWDP 2).

A number of new polices have been recommended and are set out in Appendix B. These new policies are as a result of comments received in relation to the Preferred Options document and as a result of the introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework, which requires local authorities to consider and where appropriate provide guidance for various aspects of planning policy at a local level. Other policies have been revised in light of comments received and / or because of changes at the national planning level. These include policies related to flooding and gypsy and travellers provision. Appendix A sets out where a significant change is required to a draft policy as a result of changes elsewhere in the draft document. Specific allocations Worcester and urban extensions

Extension to the Shrub Hill Opportunity Zone in Worcester City Centre to include the Sheriffs Gate area

New sites at Henwick Road (student accommodation) and Cedar Avenue proposed for housing

Deletion of two smaller sites unlikely to come forward for development

Six new small sites that have been garages or a service station have been put forward for housing development (such as the service station on Bromyard Road for 10 dwellings). This would provide an additional 60 units in total

Gwillam‟s Farm and Kilbury Drive urban extensions were identified in the Plan for 300 new dwellings on each site. Following consultation this has been amended to 250 dwellings on each site on grounds of site constraints and design

The site boundary for Gwillam‟s Farm is being recommended for change to ensure better separation from Bevere Conservation Area

Small extension to Northwick Farm for housing

There is a recommendation to reinstate the allocation for a football stadium on Nunnery Way with enabling development (not housing)

SWDP Consultation document – list of significant changes and amendments, new and amended policies - 6th August – 14th September 2012 13

New sites put forward north and south of Warndon Woods as employment land provision Malvern Hills

At Malvern the proposed housing site known as land off Welland Road, for 24 dwellings, is deleted.

Across the rural areas a number of changes have been made to the rural allocations, including: o The identification of a recommended housing allocation for Hallow (46 dwellings) o Two additional sites at Tenbury Wells are recommended, bringing the total number of dwellings proposed at Tenbury Wells to 70 o A modest housing allocation for 10 dwellings is recommended at Welland adjacent to The Pheasant public house, which is aimed at supporting the retention of the public house o To serve the Upton area, an additional site for housing at Tunnel Hill is put forward, comprising 18 dwellings; the previous preferred option allocation at Holly Green is reduced to 25 dwellings, giving a total of 43 dwellings for the area o The level of housing growth for has been reduced by nearly half to 30 dwellings o The level of housing growth for Common has been reduced to 16 dwellings from 33 dwellings o The Bowling Green housing site at and Collett‟s Green is recommended for deletion and a new site proposed near to The Crown public house o The housing number recommended for is reduced to 51 dwellings Wychavon

A change to the allocation at with the removal of a number of sites that would have provided for 57 dwellings; proposal for a new allocation to provide 10 dwellings

A new site for 200 dwellings on land west of Abbey Road at Evesham

An increase from the current proposals for 120 dwellings at to 350 dwellings to allow sufficient funding for a new primary school

A change to the Station Road site in Broadway to allow the site to be developed for mixed uses

Additional employment allocations of 10ha at Vale Park (Evesham) and 10ha at Stonebridge Cross Business Park (Droitwich Spa)

SWDP Consultation document – list of significant changes and amendments, new and amended policies - 6th August – 14th September 2012 14

Other changes to proposed village allocations (as set out in Appendix 2 of the SWDP) at Ashton-under-Hill; Beckford; ; ; Broadway; ; ; Cropthorne; Crowle; ; ; Fernhill Heath; ; ; ; ; ; ; Pebworth; ; ; ; ;

In order to provide the 23,200 homes required in South during the Plan period, any redistribution in housing proposed in the consultation would have to be considered across the whole area. Thus a decrease in any particular site allocation would need be balanced by an increase in provision on another site.

SWDP Consultation document – list of significant changes and amendments, new and amended policies - 6th August – 14th September 2012