SAMDev Revised Preferred Options Draft July 2013 Bishops Castle 1 SAMDev Revised Preferred Options Draft July 2013 This is the third or ‘Revised Preferred Options’ stage of the Site Allocations and Management of Development (SAMDev) Plan. This document deals with any changes to the strategies for growth in towns, hubs and clusters and changes to preferred options for sites for new development following the extensive consultation and engagement in 2012. The Revised Preferred Options SAMDev Plan is out for public consultation for 8 weeks from 1st July 2013, and comments are sought only on matters that have changed since the Preferred Options consultation in 2012. Settlement type Name Is there a change from Preferred Options? Key Centre: Bishops Castle Yes Community Hubs: Bucknell Yes Chirbury No Clun No Lydbury North and Brockton Yes Community Clusters: Binweston, Leigh and Aston No Rogers Brompton, Marton, Middleton, No Priest Weston, Stockton and Rorrington Clunbury & Clungunford Yes Hope, Bentlawnt and Shelve No Snailbeach, Stiperstones and No Pennerley Wentnor and Norbury No Worthen and Brockton* Yes Site Allocations in the None No Countryside: *NB The status of Worthen and Brockton has changed from Community Hub to Community Cluster If your village is not included in the list of Community Hubs or Community Clusters above, then this means that your Parish Council has not advised us to date that it wishes the village to be identified as a location for new open market housing development. The village is therefore proposed to be ‘countryside’ for planning policy purposes, where new development is strictly controlled in accordance with national and local planning policies. New housing would only be permitted in exceptional circumstances in accordance with Policies CS5 and CS11 of the Council’s Core Strategy. 2 SAMDev Revised Preferred Options Draft July 2013 Key Centre: Bishops Castle Bishop’s Castle is in the river Clun catchment. Within the catchment, new development may be phased or subject to additional design requirements to meet water quality standards which help conserve protected species and habitats in a way consistent with the requirements of Natural England, the EU Habitats Directive, Core Strategy Policies CS6, CS18 and the Shropshire Water Cycle Study. Natural England are currently likely to oppose all new development which has an adverse impact on water quality, pending adoption of a new nutrient management strategy and measures to improve waste water treatment in the catchment. The Preferred Options Consultation responses The key points from the Preferred Options consultation responses are: The majority of respondents supported the target of a further 20-70 houses to be built in Bishop’s Castle by 2026 The proposed allocation of the BISH021 site was not supported for housing and independent living units for the elderly. The providers of the latter indicated that this is an ideal site as it has reasonably level pedestrian access to the town and is close to their existing facility, enabling the centralisation of management and catering facilities. The main concerns were that access to the site was difficult and dangerous, development here would cause congestion in the town and there was no need for more units for the elderly. Several people preferred alternative sites to the north east of the town with the Castlegreen area being specifically mentioned. 94% of respondents agreed that Bishop’s Castle Business Park should continue to be allocated for further employment development and 65% felt that no additional employment land should be allocated. The majority of respondents agreed with the proposed new development boundary for the town. The majority of respondents wanted land between Schoolhouse Lane and Castlegreen to be considered for new housing. This Revised Preferred Options consultation The following changes are proposed; The previously preferred site BISH021 (land adjacent to Oak’s Meadow) is not carried forward for housing and the provision of independent living units. The Town Council and public consultation responses indicate that this site is not supported, raising issues of access, congestion and questioning the need for housing for the elderly. Site BISH013 off Schoolhouse Lane (see map), a greenfield site to the north east of the town, between Schoolhouse Lane and Castlegreen, is allocated for a maximum of 40 houses. This is a new site in the general location supported by the Town Council and the community and one which was not promoted prior to the Preferred Options consultation. The advantages that site BISH021 offers for the providers of independent living units for the elderly do not apply to BISH013, so this use is not proposed. 3 SAMDev Revised Preferred Options Draft July 2013 Access to BISH013 would be via the B4384, so minimising additional traffic congestion in the town and avoiding the concerns raised about access to sites via Kerry Lane. New development will be carefully laid out within the site and sensitively designed. Existing tree and hedge lines will be retained where possible and new planting provided to minimise the impact on the landscape - particularly views from the AONB and the approach to the town from the north and east. There will be no change to the following: The number of houses required The location and amount of employment land The development boundary Summary of housing requirements Number of houses Town Council aspirations for housing 2006-2026 150 Houses built or committed April 2006- March 2013 85 Remainder required to be delivered 65 Does the town have a development boundary? Yes Number to be supplied through windfall or brownfield within 25 the development boundary Number of houses to be delivered on an allocated site 40 *This includes outstanding commitments and completions up to March 2013. 4 SAMDev Revised Preferred Options Draft July 2013 5 SAMDev Revised Preferred Options Draft July 2013 Community Hubs: Where a community so wishes and a development boundary already exists or has been consulted on at an earlier stage it will be considered further for potential inclusion in the Final SAMDev Plan. No additional new development boundaries will be drawn up through SAMDev. The Council considers the approach set out in proposed SAMDev policy MD3 link to go here appropriate for the control of new development in settlements without development boundaries. Where a community wishes to define a development boundary where none previously existed this could be brought forward through a revised Parish Plan following the Council’s Community Led Plan process http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/planningpolicy.nsf/viewAttachments/EWET- 936L8C/$file/community-led-planning-guidance.pdf ). Bucknell Bucknell is in the river Clun catchment. Within the catchment, new development may be phased or subject to additional design requirements to meet water quality standards which help conserve protected species and habitats in a way consistent with the requirements of Natural England, the EU Habitats Directive, Core Strategy Policies CS6, CS18 and the Shropshire Water Cycle Study. Natural England are currently likely to oppose all new development which has an adverse impact on water quality, pending adoption of a new nutrient management strategy and measures to improve waste water treatment in the catchment. The Preferred Options Consultation responses The key points from the Preferred Options consultation responses are: The majority of respondents (73%) supported the designation of Bucknell as a Community Hub. The majority of respondents (67%) objected to the proposed growth target for Bucknell. The main concerns related to the capacity of existing infrastructure, the lack of demand and the limited employment opportunities to support this level of growth. The majority of respondents (67%) objected to the allocation of BUCK003 for 40 houses. Concern was raised in relation to flood risk, the impact on the character of the village and creation of a ribbon pattern of development in the settlement. o In response to the Preferred Option, it was proposed by the Parish Council to remove BUCK003 from the strategy in favour of investigating a mixed housing and employment allocation at the Timber Yard / Station Yard on a larger site than the existing commitment for 30 houses with employment buildings. A small majority of respondents (57%) objected to the removal of the development boundary for Bucknell, as they were concerned that removal of the boundary will result in a lack of clarification as to where the relationship between the village and the countryside. 6 SAMDev Revised Preferred Options Draft July 2013 Alternative sites were also promoted for housing use in the settlement. This Revised Preferred Options consultation The following changes are proposed; Site BUCK003 adjoining Redlake Meadows is removed from the strategy for Bucknell to respect the views of the respondents to the Preferred Option and the decision by Bucknell Parish Council to bring forward an alternative site for mixed housing and employment development. The combined Timber Yard / Station Yard site is proposed to be allocated as a mixed use allocation to deliver employment buildings to accommodate employment uses on the site including existing businesses and to provide 50 new houses including an appropriate level of affordable housing. In addition to current commitments, the provision of 50 houses at the Timber Yard would leave a requirement for a further 48 houses to the maximum target of 100 houses. It is necessary to determine