Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex) December 2019

Land east of Odstock Road and south of Rowbarrow,

Planning Statement

savills.co.uk

Planning, Design & Access Statement

Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Site Assessment 4 3. Pre-Application, Screening and Community Engagement 6 4. Design Response 10 5. Planning Policy 12 6. Other Planning Considerations 23 7. Planning Obligations 28 8. Summary and Conclusions 29

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Planning, Design & Access Statement

1. Introduction

1.1. Background

1.1.1. This Planning Statement has been prepared by Savills in support of a full planning application by Bellway Homes Limited (Wessex). The proposed Site adjoins built development to the immediate south of East , Salisbury, on land to the east of Odstock Road and south of Rowbarrow. The Site adjoins recent housing development at Rowbarrow and Downton Road.

Figure 1: Location Plan (site outlined in red)

Source: Google Maps

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1.2. The Proposed Development

1.2.1. Bellway Homes is proposing 108 dwellings with vehicle access off Odstock Road. The Site has been allocated within the Housing Site Allocations Plan (WHSAP) under policy H3.4 to deliver approximately 100 much needed dwellings. It is expected that the WHSAP will be adopted in early 2020.

1.3. Bellway Homes Ltd (Wessex)

1.3.1. Bellway Homes is a Plc national housebuilder, with a local division based in Ringwood, Hampshire. It has undertaken a number of local developments in recent years, in or adjoining the main cities, towns and villages in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire and West Sussex. The division builds about 500 homes a year. Bellway Homes take community relations seriously and are keen to bring forward the most appropriate development on sites on which they have an interest.

1.4. Accompanying Documents

1.4.1. This Statement is part of a suite of documents and drawings which should be read together to provide a full understanding of the content and merits of the proposed development. These supporting documents are:

• Complete application forms for full planning permission • Full suite of architects plans (AAP Architects) • Design and Access Statement (AAP Architects) • Transport Assessment and Travel Plan (Paul Basham Associates) • Ecological Assessment / Phase 2 Protected Species Survey (Lindsay Carrington Associates) • Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) (Paul Basham Associates) • Heritage Assessment (CgMS) • Landscape and Visual Impact Appraisal (Savills) • Highways Assessment and Travel Plan (Paul Basham Associates) • Landscape Strategy plans (ACD Environmental) • Drainage and Utilities – Site Appraisal Report • Drainage Strategy (Paul Basham Associates) • Tree Report and Arboricultural Impact Assessment (ACD Environmental) • Waste Audit and Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP).

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Planning, Design & Access Statement

1.5. Structure of this Statement

1.5.1. The purpose of this document is to explain the policy context and the reasoning behind the proposed development. This Planning Statement describes the Site and assesses relevant planning policy, design and access matters. A separate Design and Access Statement is also provided. This Planning Statement is structured as follows:

Section 1: Introduction Section 2: Site Assessment Section 3: Pre-application screening and community engagement Section 4: Design Response Section 5: Planning Policy Section 6: Other Planning Considerations Section 7: Planning Obligations Section 8: Summary and Conclusions

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2. Site Assessment

2.1. Site Context

2.1.1. The Site is situated on rising land adjoining built development to the immediate south of East Harnham, Salisbury, and to the east of Odstock Road. The Site adjoins recent housing development at Rowbarrow and Downton Road. To the south of the Site lies a scheduled monument (SM) (Woodbury Ancient Villages).

2.1.2. The Site is allocated for housing within the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocation Plan (WHSAP). The WHSAP has been through an Examination in Public (EiP) (April 2019), following which the examiner wrote to the Council suggesting they consult on a schedule of Further Main Modifications (FMM’s) suggesting minor amendments to policy. This period of consultation has ended and minor amendments sought do not affect this Site’s allocation. The WHSAP is expected to be adopted in early 2020, allocating the Site (Land at Rowbarrow - Site reference H3.4) for approximately 100 dwellings. Figure 2 (below) shows the proposed site allocation which avoids overlapping the scheduled monument boundary immediately south of the Site.

Figure 2 – Site Plan (as proposed to be allocated within the WHSAP)

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2.2. Site Description

2.2.1. There is existing residential development to the north and east of the Site as previously described. The western part of the site is adjacent to Odstock Road and bordered by an intermittent hedgerow boundary.

2.2.2. The southwestern boundary of the Site is marked by a large tree belt, which separates the Site from the SM (Woodbury Ancient Village). A substantial buffer zone is proposed between the development and this tree belt in order to protect the SM’s integrity and setting.

2.2.3. The main access to the site is proposed from Odstock Road with requisite visibility splays capable of being achieved within land in the applicant’s control. The Site is well connected to an existing network of footpaths / cycleways which provide access into the city centre via the existing development at Rowbarrow.

2.3. Topography

2.3.1. The site occupies a gently sloping field that drops from approximately 86.5m Above Ordnance Datum (AOD) on its southern boundary, to approximately 76m AOD at its northern boundary, adjacent to Rowbarrow. Within the wider area, the landform gently rises to the south, forming a plateau to the north of Salisbury hospital. To the north of the site, the landform continues to fall in height, forming part of a ‘bowl’ in which the city of Salisbury sits.

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3. Pre-Application, Screening and Community Engagement

3.1. Pre-Application Enquiries

3.1.1. A pre-application response was received from in August 2017 (Appendix 1). In summary, whilst acknowledging that the site is currently outside the built up limits of development, ‘subject to a favourable Sites DPD process leading to allocation, the principle of the site as defined being utilised for housing would become acceptable in principle’. This has been achieved through the Site’s allocation in the draft WHSAP.

3.1.2. Notwithstanding this comment, in order for any scheme to be considered acceptable by officers matters and mitigation highlighted in the letter would need to be taken on board. These are:

• Principle of development (as mentioned above) • Design, layout and impact on the character of the area, heritage assets and landscape impact • Impact on residential amenity • Parking / highways • Archaeology • Ecology • Drainage and flooding • Sustainability • S106 contributions • Affordable Housing • Education • Highways and rights of way • Community provision • Public Art • CIL • Need for an EIA

These matters are discussed and addressed throughout this Planning Statement.

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3.2. EIA Screening Opinion

3.2.1. An Environmental Impact Assessment screening request was submitted to Wiltshire Council on 23 May 2018 to assess a proposal for up to 125 dwellings with access from Odstock Road. A formal Screening Opinion was provided by the Council on 9 July 2018 confirming that EIA would not be required (Appendix 2).

3.2.2. The Screening Opinion highlights that consultation was undertaken with relevant consultees and sets out the matters raised in respect of:

• Archaeology and Heritage Impacts • Landscape Impacts • Ecological Impacts • Drainage and ground condition impacts • Transport Impacts and right of way matters • Cumulative Impacts

3.2.3. The Opinion concludes by stating that regard should be had to the following potential impacts needing to be addressed by the planning application:

• Possible effects on the significance of heritage assets and impacts on the visual character of the wider countryside given that the Site is prominent in the landscape and includes a scheduled ancient monument. • Existing landscape features should be enhanced and land should be set aside from development to mitigate potential landscape/ heritage impacts. • The need for additional primary school capacity has been identified and can be provided for offsite.

3.3. Community Involvement

3.3.1. Bellway has engaged with the local community and a four side A5 leaflet was distributed to approximately 250 dwellings surrounding the site. The leaflet provided details of the proposal, including an illustrative layout of 108 dwellings and images of the proposed housing design.

3.3.2. Local residents were given the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposal via email or post (prepaid envelope provided). The feedback provided by the residents is summarised below.

3.3.3. No negative feedback was received. A total of five emails were received from local residents, all of whom were enquiring about when new houses might be available to purchase.

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Figure 3 – Consultation leaflet

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4. Design Response

4.1. Design principles and concepts acknowledging the context of the site

4.1.1. This section will explain the design principles of the site and how the design has responded to the landscape and historical context of the surrounding area.

4.1.2. The design concept for this proposal has been informed by the desire to create a high quality, new neighbourhood on the southern side of Salisbury. The site is intended to create a well-connected and thriving residential development, which responds sensitively to the hillside setting and vistas of Salisbury Cathedral.

4.1.3. The design of the proposal has been informed by a number of specialist reports, including:

• a Heritage Assessment • Ecological Assessment • Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment • Transport Assessment • Flood Risk Assessment • Archaeological Assessment • Drainage Strategy • Tree Survey

4.2. The Proposed Design

4.2.1. The design process has adopted a landscape and heritage led approach, with the developable area determined by landscape and heritage features set out in the supporting reports. These features include the Woodbury Ancient Villages Scheduled Monument (SM) to the south of the site, the existing woodland belt running along the northern boundary of the site, and the existing beech shelterbelt running along the southern boundary.

4.2.2. The layout of the proposal (see figure 4 below) has also been largely informed by the rising nature of the land and a desire to keep development off the higher ground to avoid the development being overly prominent in views from the north. The Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment Report (LVIA) produced by Savills (December 2019) indicates an upwards elevation from 76m Above Ordnance Datum (AOD) on the site’s northern boundary to 86.5m AOD on the southern boundary. The Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV) indicates that views from the site are strongly influenced by the topography of Salisbury. The views of the site from its immediate surroundings are limited by screening elements such as the existing woodland and tree belt on the northern and southern boundary respectively. The proposed design has retained these features for this purpose. The proposed development can also be viewed more distantly from Old Sarum and Salisbury Cathedral. However, the LVIA states that the small size of site and the potential to leave the southernmost part undeveloped would result in minimal impact on the setting. In response to this recommendation, open space has been located on the southern part of the site.

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4.2.3. The design of the proposal has also been sensitive to the Woodbury Ancient Villages SM located to the south of the site. The Heritage Impact Assessment prepared by CgMs Heritage (March 2019) states that whilst the southern site boundary sits adjacent to the SM, it is not the primary contributor to its significance. The historical context of the site has been responded to in the design of the proposal through locating green open space on the southern part of the site.

4.3. Design Evolution

4.3.1. The proposed layout of the site has undergone a number of changes throughout the design process to ensure that the scheme is sensitive to the surrounding areas. These changes and the evolution of the Site masterplan are detailed within the Design and Access Statement (AAP architects).

Figure 4 – Site Layout

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5. Planning Policy

5.1. This section explains the national and local planning policy considerations for the assessment of the planning application.

5.2. The statutory duty, expressed in s70(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and s38(6) of The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, is that applications for planning permission “…must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise”.

5.3. Section 39 of the 2004 Act requires decision-makers to exercise their functions with the objective of contributing to the achievement of ‘sustainable development’.

5.4. The site lies within the administrative boundary of Wiltshire Council. The Council is the Local Planning Authority, responsible for preparing the Development Plan and for decision-taking. The relevant parts of the ‘development plan’ principally consists of:

• Wiltshire Core Strategy (adopted January 2015) • ‘Saved’ policies of the Local Plan (adopted 2003) • Wiltshire and Swindon Minerals Core Strategy (2006 – 2026) adopted 2009 • Wiltshire and Swindon Waste Core Strategy (2006 – 2026) adopted 2009

Supporting SPDs: • Infrastructure Delivery Plan 3 (completed December 2016) • Community Infrastructure Levy Charging Schedule (approved May 2015) • The Wiltshire Regulation 123 List (approved September 2016) • Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (adopted October 2016) • Wiltshire Design Guide Supplementary Planning Document (in progress)

5.5. Other relevant material includes emerging policies such as the Wiltshire Local Plan Review, the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocation Plan (expected to be adopted in early 2020), and the Salisbury Neighbourhood Plan (which is in its very early stages of progression).

5.6. Relevant national material includes the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (June 2019) and the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG).

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5.7. National Planning Policy

5.7.1. Paragraph 11 of the NPPF (June 2019) provides for an overarching ‘presumption in favour of sustainable development’. For decision-taking, this means:

“c) approving development proposals that accord with an up-to-date development plan without delay; or d) where there are no relevant development plan policies, or the policies which are most important for determining the application are out-of-date, granting permission unless: i. the application of policies in this Framework that protect areas or assets of particular importance provides a clear reason for refusing the development proposed; or ii. any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in this Framework taken as a whole”

5.7.2. For Wiltshire, the Wiltshire Core Strategy is a prime part of the adopted development plan. The Council’s policies for the supply of housing are however ‘out-of-date’ as it is demonstrated that the South Wiltshire HMA no longer has a 5 year housing land supply (as acknowledged within decision notice 19/03480/OUT – Land to the east of Wagtails).

5.7.3. Notwithstanding the location of the application site (outside of but immediately adjacent to the settlement boundary), there are no other specific policies to restrict the development of this site. There are also no adverse impacts that would significantly or demonstrably outweigh the benefits of delivering the proposed homes. For these reasons, a balance in favour of development should therefore be applied to this proposal and the local policies in the core strategy regarding the supply of housing afforded ‘less weight’ in the decision-taking process.

5.7.4. As the Council is unable to demonstrate a deliverable supply of housing land to meet its existing identified needs, a balance in favour of the proposed development applies, especially as the site is allocated in the WHSAP which is at an advanced stage. In respect of planning policies, it is concluded that the proposed development represents sustainable development.

5.8. Wiltshire Core Strategy

5.8.1. The Wiltshire Core Strategy replaced the South Wiltshire Core Strategy as well as a number of policies from the Salisbury District Local Plan (2003). Some of the ‘saved’ policies from the Salisbury District Local Plan have not been replaced in the Wiltshire Core Strategy and are, therefore, still extant.

5.8.2. The relevant Core Strategy designations and policies affecting the site have been identified and these are examined below.

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5.8.3. CP1 (“Settlement Strategy”) and CP2 (“Delivery Strategy”) operate in conjunction to identify the most sustainable locations for development across Wiltshire. The Core Strategy aims to deliver 42,000 homes across Wiltshire over the plan period (2006 – 2026), with a minimum housing requirement of 10,420 in the South Wiltshire HMA.

5.8.4. The application site is located outside of the settlement boundary of Salisbury and is therefore considered as ‘development outside the defined limits of development”. However, CP2 states:

“The limits of development may only be altered through the identification of sites for development through subsequent Site Allocations Development Plan Documents and neighbourhood plans”

As discussed in section 5.7.2, the site has been allocated for development in the draft WHSAP, which should be given considerable weight given its imminent adoption. The site also falls within the recently designated Salisbury Neighbourhood Plan area (designated July 2019). The Neighbourhood Plan has not begun to allocate sites and is still at an ‘early vision’ stage. 5.8.5. The WHSAP is a significant material consideration, however, if a decision is made before adoption, given the lack of a 5 year housing land supply for the South Wiltshire HMA the Council should also apply the principle of the presumption in favour of sustainable development as per the NPPF. Given the proximity of the development to the settlement boundary and its inclusion in the WHSAP, the Council should not seek to resist development in principle due to its location outside of the settlement boundary.

5.8.6. The development would contribute towards meeting the housing needs of the District in a sustainable location and would also support and enhance the viability of existing local facilities. The proposal would therefore be supporting a sustainable community in line with the aims of the NPPF.

5.8.7. CP41 (“Sustainable construction and low carbon energy”) addresses the importance of sustainable construction in all new developments. This policy aims to reduce Wiltshire’s contribution to climate change through improved and sustainable design. Bellway Homes are committed to providing sustainably built homes which meet required energy performance standards and more on this can be found in the Design and Access Statement.

5.8.8. CP45 (“Meeting Wiltshire’s housing needs”) addresses the delivery of a range of types, tenures and sizes of homes to provide accommodation appropriate to the needs of the community. The housing mix for the proposal is broadly policy compliant for the proportion of housing mix required for Wiltshire, as stated in the Swindon and Wiltshire SHMA (2017). These figures are indicated in the tables below:

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Market Housing – (65 Dwellings, 60%) Dwellings Wiltshire UA – Rowbarrow – Proportion of Proposed required housing proportion of mix (%) housing mix (%) Flats 1 bedroom -0.2 n/a 2+ bedrooms 0.8 n/a House 2 bedrooms 6.7 32.3 3 bedrooms 61.4 46.2 4 bedrooms 25.0 21.5 5+ bedrooms 6.1 n/a

Affordable Housing - (43 dwellings, 40%) Dwellings Wiltshire UA – Rowbarrow – Proportion of Proposed required housing proportion of mix (%) housing mix (%) Flats 1 bedroom 10.0 14 2+ bedrooms 11.2 23 House 1 bedroom 4.4 9.3 2 bedrooms 31.6 28 3 bedrooms 37.2 23.3 4+ bedrooms 5.0 2.4

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5.8.9. According to CP43 (“Providing affordable homes”), the Site should provide 40% affordable housing. The 43 affordable homes proposed as part of this development represents this 40% provision. Affordable housing is ‘pepperpotted’ in manageable clusters throughout the site.

5.8.10. CP57 (“Ensuring high quality design and place making”) states how new proposals should be designed in order to make a positive contribution to the character of Wiltshire. Saved Policy G1 (“General Criteria for Development 1”) and G2 (“General Criteria for Development 2”) contribute similar expectations and state that priority will be given to proposals which comply with the design criteria. The following demonstrates how the proposal responds to the design criteria:

• Responding to the natural and historic environment – see paragraphs 5.8.12, 5.8.13, and 5.8.16.

• The retention and enhancement of existing important landscaping features – see paragraph 5.8.13.

• Responding positively to townscape and landscape features – see paragraphs 5.8.13 and 5.8.14.

• Conserving historic buildings and historic landscapes – see paragraph 5.8.16.

• Maximising opportunities for sustainable construction techniques – see paragraph 5.8.7.

• Making efficient use of land – the proposed layout provides an appropriate density of development given the context of the landscape and historical constraints to the north and south of the site.

• Reducing actual or perceived opportunities for crime or antisocial behaviour – the proposed layout ensures active uniform frontage and passive street surveillance with houses positioned so that they overlook streets and public spaces throughout the development, thus reducing opportunities for crime.

• Planning for diversity and adaptability – please see Design and Access Statement

• Meeting the requirements of CP61 (“Transport and New Development”) – see paragraph 5.8.18.

5.8.11. CP46 (“Meeting the needs of Wiltshire’s vulnerable and older people”) addresses the promotion of independent living for vulnerable and older people in the design of new developments. The housing types, general site layout and street have been designed with ease of use for all end users in mind.

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5.8.12. CP50 (“Biodiversity and geodiversity”) addresses the protection and enhancement of the natural environment. An ecological appraisal has been carried out by Lindsay Carrington Ecological Services to ensure that the design and construction of the proposal is sensitive to the immediate environment. The site is located within 0.6km of the River Avon Special Conservation Area (SAC) and the River Avon System Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and is within 20 metres of the Lime Kiln Chalk Local Wildlife Site (LWS). As per the recommendations in the ecological appraisal, a Construction Method Statement will be prepared to outline the mitigation of construction on the designated areas and leaflets will be distributed to new homeowners to inform them of the sensitivity of the SAC, LWS and SSSI. The site also supports habitats of ecological importance to bats and birds. Measures will be taken to control the impacts of lighting on nocturnal species and vegetation clearance will be conducted outside of the bird nesting season (March – September). Recommendations to ecologically enhance the Site as part of the development include native hedgerow planting, provision of bat roosting features, bird nest boxes, bee bricks, hedgehog-friendly gravel boards, use of native trees, shrubs and grassland mixtures for soft landscaping.

5.8.13. CP50 (“Landscape”) seeks to protect and conserve Wiltshire’s landscape character, which is particularly relevant as the site is situated within a locally designated ‘Special Landscape Area’. The South Wiltshire Landscape Character Assessment (adopted 2008) is relevant in implementing this policy for the site. A Landscape and Visual Impact Appraisal has been carried out by Savills (December 2019) to ensure the sensitive design of the proposal. The appraisal states ‘it is acknowledged that the site occupies an elevated and open area of land that is distinguishable from as far away as Old Sarum to the north and Pepperbox Hill to the south. Given the panoramic nature of these views however, the sensitive development of the site need not result in any visual effects’. As per the recommendations, the visual impacts are reduced through the creation of a softened urban edge to the city, the retention of the beech shelterbelt, and a substantial area of open space.

5.8.14. The draft WHSAP further addresses the landscape framework for the site.

Paragraph 5.148 of the draft WHSAP states that: ‘This is a sloping and quite prominent site. In combination with Heritage Impact Assessment, development will need to take place within a strong landscape framework that maintains and enhances the existing woodland belts affecting the site. Containment provided by the beech shelterbelt on the southern boundary should extend as a green corridor from the end of the shelterbelt eastwards towards the existing Rowbarrow housing development and woodland around the Milk & More Salisbury Depot. This would provide a setting for rights of way in the area and maintain their views of the Salisbury Cathedral spire.’

The Site layout and building heights proposed are compliant with these expectations.

5.8.15. CP52 (“Green infrastructure”) addresses the retention and provision of green infrastructure in Wiltshire. A large area of landscaped green open space is provided to the south of the site, complying with this policy. With regard to the provision of equipped play space, CP52 defers policy requirements to saved policies R1C (Recreation) and R2 (Open Space Provision) of the Salisbury District Local Plan (2003). In accordance with policy one Locally Equipped Area of Play (LEAP) and two Local Areas of Play (LAP) will be provided on Site. A large area of general open / amenity space (18,788 sq. m) is provided on site.

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5.8.16. CP58 (“Ensuring the conservation of the historic environment”) addresses the protection of the historic environment. Specific to the site, the draft WHSAP states:

“Development will need to preserve the contribution made by the site to the setting and therefore to the importance of the Woodbury Ancient Villages Scheduled Monument. If necessary land will need to be set aside from development. Detailed design and layout will be guided by Heritage Impact Assessment. Scheduled monument consent will be required. The site also has high archaeological potential”

5.8.17. The Heritage Impact Assessment states that whilst the southern site boundary is adjacent with the Woodbury Ancient Villages Scheduled Monument (SM), it is not the primary contributor to its significance. In order to be sensitive to conservation, green open space has been located between the housing development and the SM. The Heritage Impact Assessment also identifies a high potential for archaeological remains, primarily from the Bronze Age and Iron Age, and it is recommended that impacts on these remains could be mitigated through a programme of archaeological works. The development causes a negligible degree of harm to the significance of Salisbury Cathedral, which has been mitigated and accounted for within the proposed design.

5.8.18. CP60 (“Sustainable transport”), CP61 (“Transport and new development”) and CP62 (“Development impacts on the transport network”) addresses the expectations of sustainable transport in new developments. A Transport Assessment and Travel Plan has been prepared by Paul Basham Associates and accompanies this application. Para. 8.3 of the Travel Plan states that:

‘The site is accessible with a wide variety of services and public transport modes within close proximity to the site including Salisbury District Hospital, local convenience store and Longford Primary School. The proposed development is accessible within walking and cycling distance of public transport services, the city centre and large residential areas within Salisbury. The location for this site provides a choice of car- free and sustainable travel options for both residents and visitors.’

5.8.19. The site has good transport access, with bus links into Salisbury on surrounding roads (Odstock Road, Rowbarrow, A338/ Downton Road). Park and Ride is also located to the south east of the site – park and ride buses are also accessible to the general public and provide easy access in and out of the city centre.

5.8.20. CP64 (“Demand management”) encourages the reduction of private transport use and outlines car parking standards. The guidance for residential parking standards states that new residential development will be based on minimum parking standards, as published in the LTP3 Car Parking Strategy. The minimal parking standards are shown below in figure 5. The proposed development complies with the prescribed standards.

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Figure 5 – LTP3 Car Parking Strategy, minimal parking standards

5.8.21. CP67 (“Flood Risk”) states that housing development in Flood Zone 1 will be favoured over higher risk areas. The site is located in Flood Zone 1 and is therefore considered as low risk in terms of flooding.

5.9. Saved Policies from the Salisbury Local Plan (2003)

5.9.1. The following policies are those which have been saved from the former Salisbury Local Plan (2003). These policies have not been superseded by policies from the Wiltshire Core Strategy and are therefore still extant.

5.9.2. Policy G9 (“Planning Obligations”) addresses the planning obligations required from new developments. This policy is supported by the Revised Wiltshire Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (adopted October 2016). The proposal will comply with planning obligations as required by Wiltshire Council. Draft heads of terms are detailed within this statement at Section 7.

5.9.3. Policies R1C (Recreation) and R2 (Open Space Provision) outline the requirements for recreational open space in new developments. The policy also states “Additional amenity open space (including landscaped areas, public gardens and roadside verges) will be sought as appropriate”. The green open space (18,788 sq. m) provided in the southern half of the site ensures compliance with this policy.

5.9.4. With regard to the provision of equipped play space policies R1C and R2 refer to Appendix 4 – ‘Standards for the Provision of Public Open Space in Association with New Residential Development’. Appendix 4 sets a formula for prescribing the level of play space needed based on household projection figures.

5.9.5. Policy R1C requires the provision of 0.3ha of play space provision per 1000 population. The development could house 382 residents requiring the provision of 0.115 ha of equipped children’s play space. This is provided for via the provision of 1 LEAP and 2 LAP’s.

5.9.6. There is also the requirement to either provide 0.6876ha of youth and adult space on site or to provide a commuted payment for offsite provision. The draft heads of terms details a proposed off site contribution.

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5.10. Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan

5.10.1. The purpose of the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan (WHSAP) is to support the housing delivery set out in the Wiltshire Core Strategy (2015) through allocating additional new housing sites. Upon adoption, the Council’s aim is that the site allocation will help to ensure that the five year housing land supply is maintained across Wiltshire’s three Housing Market Areas over the plan period.

5.10.2. The Council has concluded a six week consultation on the Schedule of Further Main Modifications for the WHSAP and it is expected that adoption will take place in early 2020. Whilst the Plan is not yet adopted, its advanced stage means it should be considered as a significant material consideration for this proposal.

5.10.3. Land at Rowbarrow, Salisbury has been identified in Policy H3 of the draft WHSAP for development of approximately 100 dwellings. The WHSAP states that ‘the site would provide housing in a location with a reasonable level of access to the local services and facilities in Salisbury city centre but not within walking distance. There is however a frequent bus service within 100m of the site and the Park & Ride is in close proximity’.

5.10.4. The proposed development complies with the site specific policy criteria outlined below:

‘Land at Rowbarrow, as identified on the Policies Map, is allocated for development comprising the following elements:

• approximately 100 dwellings; • vehicular access from the Odstock Road to the west; and • improvements to cycling and walking routes through the site to link into the existing network.

Development will be subject to the following requirements:

• sensitive design and layout, which ensures the significance of heritage assets and their settings are not subject to unacceptable harm. This shall be informed by appropriate heritage and archaeological assessments; • a strong landscape framework that maintains and enhances the existing woodland belts, including open space provision in the southern part of the site and a green corridor extending along the southern boundary of the site from the existing beech tree shelterbelt; • a Flood Risk Assessment (incorporating an assessment of the predicted effects of climate change) and comprehensive drainage strategy to inform site layout and design of the site so that surface water is controlled and does not exacerbate flooding off site; and • provision made for transport network improvements necessary to accommodate the scale of development envisaged, as identified through a comprehensive transport assessment. Development will take place in accordance with a masterplan approved by the Council as part of the planning application process. The design and layout will take account of all policy requirements, including the timely and coordinated provision of necessary infrastructure to achieve a comprehensive development of the site.’

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5.10.5. Despite the site being allocated in WHSAP, it is also relevant that the South Wiltshire Housing Market Area (HMA) does not have a 5 year housing land supply as acknowledged by Wiltshire Council within the decision notice to application 19//0348/OUT – Land to the east of Wagtails). Development of this Site would contribute towards achieving this target.

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5.11. Local Plan Review

5.11.1. Wiltshire Council has begun the process of producing a new Local Plan, which will replace the Wiltshire Core Strategy. The new Local Plan will be in accordance with the revised NPPF published in 2019.

5.11.2. The Local Plan Review will cover those parts of the Local Plan which require updating in light of new evidence which has been published. This will include a review of the existing annual housing requirement, which is particularly important as the South Wiltshire HMA has demonstrated that it no longer has a sufficient supply of deliverable housing land to meet its needs.

5.11.3. The Local Plan Review will inform detailed development management policies for future decision making and will consider revisions to other policies, in response to changes in national policy and legislation.

5.11.4. The Council is expected to begin the Regulation 19 pre-submission consultation on the draft Local Plan in 2020, with adoption expected in Q3 2021 at the earliest.

5.12. Neighbourhood Plan

5.12.1. Salisbury was designated as a ‘Neighbourhood Plan Area’ in July 2019. Salisbury City Council and Salisbury Neighbourhood Planning Group is in the process of preparing a Neighbourhood Plan for the area. However, the plan is in its very early stages and is yet to allocate any sites suitable for residential development.

5.12.2. The ‘Neighbourhood Area’ has been defined by Salisbury City Council. The boundary is inclusive of the Land at Rowbarrow but given the early ‘Draft Vision’ stage of the plan there are currently no material policies to be given weight in this decision, albeit the Plan will need to have regard to allocation policies in the WHSAP.

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Planning, Design & Access Statement

6. Other Planning Considerations

6.1. Ecology

6.1.1. An Ecological Appraisal and phase two surveys have been undertaken by Lindsay Carrington Ecological Services.

6.1.2. The report states that:

‘The majority of the site comprises semi-improved grassland, whilst other habitats and features present include stands of broad-leaved plantation woodland, scrub, scattered trees, tall ruderal vegetation and dry ditches. The site lies within 0.6 kilometres of River Avon SAC and River Avon System SSSI. The site is mostly considered to be of low ecological value, although the scrub and plantation woodland provide a valuable ecological resource for fauna including foraging/commuting bats and nesting birds.’

6.1.3. Mitigation and ecological enhancement measures are set out within the ecological report. As per the recommendations a Construction Method Statement will be prepared to outline the mitigation of construction on the designated areas and leaflets will be distributed to new homeowners to inform them of the sensitivity of the SAC, LWS and SSSI. The site also supports habitats of ecological importance to bats and birds. Measures will be taken to control the impacts of lighting on nocturnal species and vegetation clearance will be conducted outside of the bird nesting season (March – September). Recommendations to ecologically enhance the Site as part of the development include native hedgerow planting, provision of bat roosting features, bird nest boxes, bee bricks, hedgehog-friendly gravel boards, use of native trees, shrubs and grassland mixtures for soft landscaping.

6.2. Access

6.2.1. Paul Basham Associates have produced a Transport Assessment (TA) and Travel Plan to accompany this application. The TA finds that a suitable and safe access can be achieved off Odstock Road - a right hand turn lane into the Site will be provided. No safety or highway capacity issues have been identified.

6.2.2. The application site is in an accessible location approximately 1.6km south of Salisbury City Centre with sustainable travel opportunities available to future site users, including bus stops c.80m north of the proposed site access, providing services on multiple bus routes to the local schools, Salisbury City Centre and destinations within Wiltshire and Hampshire.

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Planning, Design & Access Statement

6.3. Travel Plan

6.3.1. A Travel Plan (TP) produced by Paul Basham Associates accompanies this application. The TP concludes that:

‘the site is accessible with a wide variety of services and public transport modes within close proximity to the site including Salisbury District Hospital, local convenience store and Longford Primary School. The proposed development is accessible within walking and cycling distance of public transport services, the city centre and large residential areas within Salisbury. The location for this site provides a choice of car- free and sustainable travel options for both residents and visitors.’

6.4. Flood Risk

6.4.1. A Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) was undertaken by Peter Brett Associates confirming that the Site is correctly shown as being in Flood Zone 1 (lowest possible risk of flooding) for fluvial and tidal flooding.

6.4.2. The Environment Agency mapping service shows that the vast majority of the Site is not at risk of surface water flooding, bar a very small area in the north of the Site. The accompanying drainage strategy plans detail how this can be managed. In general the FRA concludes that the Site is suitable to accommodate all forms of development given that it is located within flood zone 1.

6.5. Drainage Strategy

6.5.1. A drainage strategy has been prepared by Paul Basham Associates to show how the Site can be drained of both foul and surface water – please see accompanying plans submitted with this planning application.

6.6. Heritage

6.6.1. A heritage appraisal has been undertaken by CgMs Ltd (March 2019) which assessed potential impacts on the historic environment (both archaeology and built heritage) as a result of development. Whilst a small part of the Site lies adjacent to the boundary of the Woodbury Ancient Villages scheduled monument (SM) any potential impacts are eliminated by completely avoiding development on this part of the Site.

6.6.2. Previous archaeological work in the area, and related to the adjacent recent housing development indicates the potential for archaeological remains to be present within the Site boundary, primarily from the Bronze or Iron Age. The heritage appraisal states that potential impacts on these remains could be mitigated via a programme of archaeological works to identify and preserve findings. Furthermore, whilst the Site area is within close proximity to the Woodbury Villages SM, the report concludes that impact on the SM’s setting would be ‘less than substantial.’

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Planning, Design & Access Statement

6.6.3. The heritage appraisal also assesses potential impact on Old Sarum, concluding that given the distance between the Site and Old Sarum (5km+), ‘no measurable harm’ as a result of development would occur. The report states that ‘only Salisbury Cathedral (1.2km distant) could see any degree of harm, as a result of the limited contribution the Site makes to its very wide setting within the urban and rural landscape of Salisbury. The changes in setting would not be considered to amount to more than a negligible degree of harm to the asset’s significance, which could be balanced by some mitigation measures in the development design.’

6.6.4. The report further states that:

‘No designated built heritage assets (listed buildings, Registered Parks and Gardens, Conservation Areas) within 1km of the PDA would be impacted by the proposed development’.

‘With regard to the recent housing developments adjacent to the Site, it is noted that no issue of impacts on buried archaeology or the settings of the Woodbury SM or any built heritage assets were considered as barriers to development, and any potential impacts were mitigated through work carried out as part of planning conditions. It is considered therefore that any such issues arising as a result of development proposals within the Site could similarly be dealt with via a programme of pre-determination works and suitably worded planning conditions, and should not preclude development.’

6.7. Landscape and Visual

6.7.1. A landscape and visual impact assessment (LVIA) was undertaken in 2017 and an addendum produced in December 2019 to reflect minor changes in the Site’s proposed layout. The LVIA report concludes that development as proposed would successfully meet policy requirements of WHSAP policy H3.4 and would respect vistas to and from Salisbury Cathedral.

6.7.2. The LVIA states that:

‘the site has both a ‘moderate-high’ mitigation potential and ‘capacity to accept change’. By including a green corridor of open space within its southern area with new trees and retaining the existing beech tree belt, the setting of the adjacent public right of way and scheduled monument can be conserved. By laying out the new housing to include vista(s) towards the spire of Salisbury Cathedral, distinctive views of the landmark building from the open space and public right of way can also be retained. All of these mitigation measures are included within the Bellway Layout which illustrates how a development can successfully be designed to meet the requirements of Policy H3.4.’

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Planning, Design & Access Statement

6.8. Lighting

6.8.1. The Site is located outside of the Cranborne Chase AONB dark sky reserve, however, it is located within 2km of the AONB’s boundary. The proposed development and a lighting scheme to be conditioned will be designed to comply with guidance set out in the Cranborne Chase AONB Good Practice Note 7a: Recommendations for Dark-Sky compliant lighting on new builds & refurbishments in and around the AONB area. External lighting will be designed in accordance with guidance, which is designed to mitigate the impacts of upward and sideways dispersion of light. This is a matter which can be secured by condition.

6.9. Landscape strategy

6.9.1. ACD Environmental have prepared a landscape strategy and plan for the Site. The landscaping strategy incorporates:

• areas of new tree planting and wildflower meadows,

• play areas,

• the enhancement of streetscapes with ornamental planting to plot frontages,

• the retention of the southern tree belt and mature trees on site.

6.10. Trees

6.10.1. There are a number of trees on Site which have been assessed in the Tree Report and Arboricultural Impact Assessment produced by ACD Environmental.

6.10.2. The reports conclude that there is scope for development on site, retaining significant trees on the boundaries and incorporating category ‘A’ and ‘B’ tree specimens which are classed as being of moderate-high value and should be retained in the landscape. Category ‘C’ trees on the other hand would not normally be retained where they would pose a significant constraint to development.

6.10.3. A total of seven category C trees are proposed to be removed to accommodate development.

6.10.4. The AIA states that:

‘All of the trees proposed to be removed are all unremarkable specimens of very limited merit, such that they can be replaced with tree planting as part of the landscape proposals, (or even future residents)’.

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Planning, Design & Access Statement

6.10.5. A tree belt which runs along the southwestern boundary of the Site is covered by a tree protection order (TPO) - these trees will not be affected by the proposed development.

6.10.6. The AIA further states that:

‘All ‘A’ and ‘B’ category trees and groups are to be retained and protected throughout the development. All the trees and groups proposed for removal are in the lower ‘C’ category and are not of a quality that should represent any constraint to development.’

‘The relationship between the buildings and retained trees is sustainable and does not result in any situations which may result in unreasonable pressure to prune requests from future occupants’.

‘It is confirmed that no new hard surfaces are proposed within the root protection areas (RPAs) of retained trees where there is not already existing hard surfacing’.

6.11. Open Space provision

6.11.1. In accordance with saved policies R1C and R2 of the Salisbury District Local Plan (2003), 1 LEAP and 2 LAP’s have been provided on site which accord with equipped open space requirements. A large amount of amenity public open space is also provided, totalling 18,788 sq. metres. If necessary, a commuted payment for offsite provision of Youth and Adult Space can be agreed within a S.106 agreement.

6.12. Economic Assessment

6.12.1. The proposed residential development will generate a wide range of direct, indirect and catalytic economic effects.

6.12.2. Bellway Homes predict that the development of 108 dwellings would benefit Wiltshire Council by providing an additional £79,635 in Council Tax revenue per annum. Furthermore the initial ‘one off local spend’ and anticipated benefit to retailers from new home purchasers is anticipated to be approximately £586,785, with an ongoing annual local spend of £2,829,145 anticipated.

6.12.3. Bellway anticipate that £16,765,272 would be spent on ‘supply chain spend’ including materials and transport to and from the Site. A total of 304 jobs are expected to be created as a result of the proposed development.

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Planning, Design & Access Statement

7. Planning Obligations

7.1. Legal Agreement

Planning policy requires various contributions to be made to the Council for housing developments such as this whether physical or financial. A Section 106 Agreement will be agreed with the Council in respect of this application. This will set out the contributions proposed calculated from Council guidance for the number of dwellings proposed and local feedback. Further discussions will be needed with the Council over this Agreement in order that the final terms can be agreed. In relation to the heads of terms for such an agreement these are likely to include the following:

7.2. Affordable Housing

Delivery of 40% affordable housing will be provided on site in accordance with Core Policy 43 of the Wiltshire Core Strategy (WCS) with a tenure split guided by WCS Core Policy 45.

7.3. Transport

Transport contributions will be made in consultation with the Council, together some minor off-site highway works in close proximity to the site. (WCS Core Policy 61).

7.4. Public Open Space

The provision of 1.87 hectares of public open space on the southern part of the site will be provided. Within this area a LEAP and 2 LAP’s will be provided. The legal agreement will cover ongoing maintenance of these areas.

7.5. Education

Financial contributions to the additional primary and secondary education places required as a result of the development (unless already covered within CIL contributions to provision within the Council’s 123 list.)

7.6. Community Facilities

Financial contributions towards Community provision as suggested within the pre-application response.

7.7. Waste and Recycling

Financial contributions towards refuse and recycling in accordance with the Council’s waste and recycling policies.

7.8. Community Infrastructure Levy

A CIL contribution will be paid based on the Council’s formula based on residential floorspace created.

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Planning, Design & Access Statement

8. Summary and Conclusions

8.1. This Planning Statement has demonstrated that this proposal is:

· In a sustainable location;

· Has been formulated taking into account the views of local people;

· Has been designed sympathetically to respect its surroundings and neighbours;

· Accords with Government planning policy as set out in the NPPF and NPG;

· Accords with local planning policy in the form of the WCS and the soon to be adopted WHSAP, which allocates ‘approximately 100 dwellings on land at Rowbarrow;

· Makes provision for much needed market and affordable housing;

· Makes substantial financial contributions towards important matters such as education provision, transport, open space and play area and further community facilities;

· Provides an additional 108 dwellings to contribute to the Council’s 5 year-land supply.

8.2. Conclusion

The submitted details address the key requirements of the Local Plan policies for this site and accord with all relevant planning considerations, including the NPPF. Accordingly, the Council should be able to approve the development without delay, or in any event seek to approach its decision making in a positive way to ensure the delivery of this sustainable development. Subject to successful detailed discussions on the planning application with the Council, there would appear to be no reason why planning permission should be withheld for 108 much-needed additional market and affordable dwellings.

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