Lichfield District Rural Planning WITH Project , MILE OAK, BONEHILL

LITTLE ASTON SHENSTONE WHITTINGTON

Lichfield District Council

November 2011

1. Introduction and study carried out by the District its future and draft vision statement. Background to the Village Council identified Alrewas, Armitage These are intended to promote further Reports with Handsacre, Fazeley/Mile Oak, public discussion and involvement in Little Aston, Shenstone and the future of the villages. They could

Whittington as the six rural settlements also help the Local Development 1. In March 2010 Lichfield District with the greatest range of facilities and Framework to be more locally specific Council started a process of rural services and best transport in relation to each of the villages. planning for six of the most substantial connectivity within the context of the settlements within Lichfield District rural part of the District. This led to the outside of the two main settlements of view that it would be important to look Lichfield and . The rural at the future of these settlements in planning work has fundamentally been particular and to consider how they about engaging local communities in could remain vibrant and viable considering the future of their areas. The settlements in the long term, how they process is explained in more detail might change and how planning below but has involved not just the policies might contribute positively to District Council talking to people, but their future. getting villagers to discuss possible 3. This report describes what has options for change within their village happened so far in the rural planning Whittington Village with each other, particularly through a process for these settlements. It is series of local 'workshops' held in also intended to enable the work of Purposes and structure of the February 2011. These highlighted rural planning to continue, particularly report particularly where there was consensus by providing a basis for further or a divergence of views over important 5. The report has been set out so that discussion between the District characteristics, the key issues and it considers each settlement Council and local communities and options for change in each of the separately and in some detail. It is within the communities themselves. villages. Further exhibitions to feed back thought that local communities will find The report should therefore be seen the outcomes of the workshops, and to this helpful in taking their thoughts on as an interim step in a longer planning seek further comment, were held in the future of their settlements forward. process, but it is essentially about the September and October 2011. It enables the separate sections of the factors that are relevant to working report to be progressed independently, towards a vision for the future of each 2. For the District Council an important although regard always has to be settlement that can emanate from and part of the context for this work is the taken of the overall context of each be owned by each local community. preparation of a revised Development settlement within Lichfield District and Plan for the District, the Local 4. The report includes a discussion the wider area. N.B. Whilst the Development Framework (LDF). As about each village that concludes by overall report is dated November part of the evidence for the LDF a 2011, it should be noted that the suggesting some guiding principles for 2

individual village reports are dated Local Development Framework Local Development Framework, September 2011. These reports Evidence: particularly the Core Strategy. were then consulted upon to gain further feedback, and the 7. As part of Local Development Resource for Local People to concluding chapter makes a series Frameworks local planning authorities consider their areas further: of final recommendations as a are required to prepare a Core result. The report has been Strategy and may also prepare 8. The report contains summaries of prepared in this way to clearly Allocations of Land Documents. what people said about issues document the process if community Lichfield District Council is in the affecting their village and about engagement over the full period of process of preparing both types of options for change, including the the project. Document. The Core Strategy will set question of future housing a policy framework that will provide the development. It is hoped that the 6. The report has a number of more main policy context for future planning summaries can provide a resource for specific purposes, particularly in the decisions, particularly in relation to the considering the issues further. The light of the Local Development scale and general location of the main Council intends to feed back on the Framework process, but also because changes proposed to take place work so far to each of the communities of proposed changes to national across the District. An Allocations of involved during 2011. legislation that are aimed to empower Land Document will be specific in local communities to have more terms of which areas and sites are 9. The report also includes, for each influence and a more direct role in the proposed for development. Both of settlement, the views expressed by an planning of their future. these main parts of the Local independent facilitator following the Development Framework will need to 2011 workshops and a summary of be subject to independent testing other evidence gathered by the through a public examination by an Council as part of the LDF process, independent Planning Inspector. that might need to be considered These examinations will scrutinise the alongside local views. Both of these evidence that has been used to inform aspects of the report also provide a the policy decisions made. Plans will further resource for communities to need to be based on sound evidence use in considering their futures. Thus it and the evidence includes the views of may be used in support of the local people. The Council will need to preparation of Parish Plans, or show what these are and how it has perhaps for 'neighbourhood plans' where there is agreement on the need taken them into account in preparing its policies. The Rural Planning Study for such plans to deal with particular

A workshop at Fazeley will therefore form a significant areas of change. component of the evidence to be taken into account in preparing the 10. While the main report contains summaries of views and evidence, a3

series of appendices for each village 2. The 'Rural Planning' Process important to consider whether they contains more detailed information, for offer opportunities to contribute to any example plans of past development of 12. As noted earlier the District future housing needs arising in the each village and plans prepared from Council had identified the six District, since creating and maintaining the workshops results, showing what settlements involved in the rural 'sustainable' communities is a most people found to be important about planning project through a study of the important objective of national planning their village. The original workshops rural settlements within Lichfield policy. information has been published on the District. This was completed in 2008. District Council website at: The Rural Settlements Sustainability 14. To enable residents of the villages www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/ruralplanning Study considered in some detail concerned to become more involved in factors relevant to the needs of living the future of their village whilst the Recommendations for the Local in the rural communities of the District. LDF process was progressed, the Development Framework: It looked at which facilities were District Council sought the available within each village, such as involvement of an outside 11. The Council is in the process of schools, shops, community halls, organisation, the Commission for preparing a revised version of its doctors, dentists etc. It looked at the Architecture and the Built Environment emerging Core Strategy, taking quality of public transport access to (CABE). Its role was to facilitate open account of an extensive public facilities that would not be expected to discussion about the villages and to consultation exercise carried out be available within villages, such as prepare a subsequent report to the between November 2010 and secondary schools, hospitals and town District Council. The discussions took February 2010. The timing of the rural centre facilities. It also considered place through workshop group planning public involvement allows this whether there was local employment sessions in February 2011. They report to feed into the Core Strategy or good access to other employment included the consideration of the revision process. This report therefore centres. character of each village, current includes recommendations for the issues, the needs each village might Core Strategy preparation and LDF 13. Out of this process the study have in terms of future housing and process deriving from the rural defined a 'hierarchy' of villages within the role they might play in contributing planning exercise. In particular it Lichfield District and the six villages to district housing requirements. considers the potential scale of included in the further rural planning housing growth that could be work were identified as those having accommodated by the six settlements the best overall range of facilities. In concerned, potential or preferred terms of planning this identifies them directions of growth and suggested as the settlements having the best elements of a vision for the future of degree of 'self-containment' and most each settlement for the purposes of opportunities for living a 'sustainable' the Local Development Framework. lifestyle, in the context of the rural communities of Lichfield District. A consequence of this is that it becomes 4

consensus about particular issues and 17. The numbers of questionnaires where the results of the February and attendance at events are shown in events showed less consistency with the table below. There are perhaps the earlier views obtained. issues over the overall ‘sample size’ of the numbers of people who expressed views during the process so far and whether it is sufficiently representative, for example in terms of age groups, since it was clear from the workshops that they were attended by predominantly ‘older’ age groups. A CABE facilitator presentation at a Village Questionnaire Workshop workshop event February 2011 responses – attendance summer 2010 – February 15. In order to make these sessions 2011 successful and helpful locally considerable preparatory work was Alrewas 26 150 first carried out by the District Council, Armitage 21 60 including a series of exhibitions in the summer of 2010 where questionnaires Fazeley 22 70 were handed out seeking views on local issues. The results of these Little 15 85 provided a framework for a workshop People commented on issues using Aston held in November 2010, held for sticky dots and post-it notes. Parish Councils, key local Shenstone 23 100 stakeholders and District Council 16. The individual reports on each Members. The outcomes from this village, which can be read as separate Whittington 25 75 were used at the February events held documents, are therefore based upon for each village. The events consisted three sets of information gathered in of an exhibition presenting the 2010 to 2011, these being the However overall it is considered that information so far – including questionnaire responses, the workshops attendance and summaries of what people had said to November stakeholder, Councillor and participation were good. This view is date, and asking people to show parish workshops and the February supported by the range of issues and whether they agreed or disagreed and events facilitated by CABE. views generated by the process. The to add additional comments via ‘post- Summaries of the November result is a significant base of views its’. The individual village reports show workshops are contained within the that enables both the Local where there appeared to be Appendices for each settlement. 5

Development Framework and more the questions of the scale and because of their size, some of the work at a local level, to be carried distribution of future housing growth. rural local need is likely to arise. forward. The numbers participating in New housing is always a controversial the Workshop discussions for each issue locally, but the Council has to 20. In setting out its policies and village are shown in the Table below. consider whether individual proposals for housing, Lichfield District settlements can contribute towards Council has an obligation, through meeting an overall need. For these national planning policy, to take reasons the question of future housing account of evidence relating to Village Participants in need and growth is given specific housing need and to provide a consideration in each of the village sufficient quantity of housing, taking Workshop reports that follow. account of need and demand and seeking to improve choice, a specific discussions national housing objective. Alrewas 40 21. The District Council has Armitage 23 commissioned work on housing needs within Lichfield District to provide Fazeley 25 evidence for the Local Development Framework. These include a Strategic Little Aston 10 Housing Market Assessment that covers a sub-region including Shenstone 30 Birmingham, Solihull, Tamworth and Lichfield District, completed in 2008. In Whittington 22 Housing under construction at Lynn addition a Rural Housing Needs Lane Shenstone Assessment was completed in 2009. Most recently new population and 19. There are a number of District- household forecasts have been made The findings and suggestions from wide issues related to future housing these events were reported back to (2011) that are at a District level. Much needs that are explained below. They of the evidence relating to housing communities in Autumn 2011 and are relevant to the consideration of further comment was invited. This is need within Lichfield District is housing at an individual village level, summarised within the Homes for the covered in detail in the concluding particularly to the settlements chapter of this report. Future Topic Paper published considered in this report, since these alongside the Draft Core Strategy in are the villages with an existing range 3. Housing January 2011. of services and facilities that are 18. Two principal issues that the potentially most able to contribute District Council has to consider within towards a District need and where, its Local Development Framework are 6

Population and household 23. It is important to note from the demand and widening the choice of forecasts: forecasts, that of the increase of 9,000 housing for people are national households forecast from 2008 – planning objectives. In the open 22. In terms of the overall future 2028, only around 2,300 arises from market, less housing availability housing need of Lichfield District, ‘natural change households’ (i.e. means a restriction of choice, forecasts of future households living locally derived from within Lichfield increased competition and an effect within the District have consistently District), with the remaining 6,700 upon house prices, so that Local indicated that there will be a significant households arising from projected Development Frameworks need to rise at District level when considered migration. determine the appropriate level of new over a 20 or more year period. Such provision taking account of these forecasts have shown variations, 24. In addition, changes in the types of factors alongside all others, such as mainly related to recent trends and the household that are forecast show that the local environmental impacts of economy, but all have projected the natural change increase is as a new developments. significant growth. A number of result of a large increase in single District-level projections were made person households, while there is a for the preparation of the Regional decline in all other types of household. Spatial Strategy for the period 2006- The migration element of the forecast 2026 and all of these indicated a need however comprises mainly family for additional households to be households but also with single person accommodated within Lichfield households, so that overall, while the District. The most recent household largest increase would be in single projections prepared by person households, there would also County Council show an increase in be a significant increase in one family households for Lichfield District of households. Change in households around 9,000 households between cannot be directly translated into a 2008 and 2028, and 10,500 need for specific housing sizes or New housing at Fazeley households from 2008 to 2033. It is types, but it is significant to note that against this general context that the although there is a wide public 26. A further aspect of the forecasts to District Council must consider future appreciation of an ‘ageing’ population note, which is particularly relevant to housing requirements. Lichfield nationally, at a local level the need will villages, is the continuing fall in the Council along with Cannock Chase not solely be for smaller house types, average size of households, resulting District Council and Tamworth and a mix of housing will therefore particularly from the increased Borough Council have now remain as a requirement. numbers of people living alone. This is commissioned a specific study to clearly illustrated by comparing the examine the range of evidence 25. Generally the town planning ‘natural change’ forecasts of affecting future housing needs and system is not aimed at restricting open population with those of households. delivery. This will be completed early market housing provision to meeting a Between 2008 and 2033 the District in 2012. local need, in fact, taking account of population is forecast to be almost 7

static, showing a slight decline by (86.6%), the lowest social rented stock affordable than many other parts of 2033, to 97,150 compared to 98,040 in (13.4%) of the four areas, a small the sub-region. 2008. For the same period however, private rented stock, a relatively high the number of households that the proportion of detached dwelling types population is living in is forecast to (37.9%) and of four bedroom homes 30. In addition, the principal increase by 2,278, from 40,231 to (29.5%). It divided the area into local conclusion of the SHMA report, which 42,509. housing market areas. was aimed at assessing affordable housing need, was that there was a 27. Considered the other way round 29. For rural parts of the District the significant annual need for affordable and translated into housing, if there SHMA showed: housing within Lichfield District as a were to be no change in the number of whole and this was not being met by dwellings in a settlement, there would • In ‘Lichfield North’, which the existing stock of affordable be fewer people living in the included Alrewas and Armitage with housing. In terms of the types of settlement. This is of particular Handsacre, very high rates of owner affordable housing needed it importance to those villages that occupation, more than half the suggested that for the District, it currently have a range of services and dwellings being detached, high house should be 44% in two/three bedroom facilities that serve a local market. Can prices coupled with high household properties and 54% for single person such facilities be retained given a incomes and very low rates of social households. Importantly it also declining population and would some housing and other affordable housing showed that there was a need for housing growth have any effect in affordable housing provision to be helping to retain them? It is relevant to • In ‘Lichfield South East’, which made in all of the rural housing note here that it is only through the included Little Aston, Shenstone and markets of the District as well as in migration element of the household Whittington, very high priced detached Lichfield and Burntwood. forecast that there is any increase in housing, a very low rate of one and family households. two bedroomed properties, a low Rural Housing Needs Assessment: proportion of terraces and apartments, Strategic Housing Market a low supply of social housing; it was 31. The Rural Housing Needs Assessment (SHMA): the least affordable housing sector in Assessment was carried out through a the sub-region. questionnaire survey, the results of 28. This assessment considered which were considered in four rural housing needs within an area covering • The SHMA included Fazeley/Mile ‘sub-areas’ of the District. The areas Birmingham, Solihull, Tamworth Oak in the Tamworth housing market defined were slightly different to the Borough and Lichfield District, but it area, which showed a relatively small Strategic Housing Markets contains findings that provide relevant private rented sector, relatively fewer Assessment in that Whittington was context to the consideration at a properties with one or two bedrooms, included in a ‘rural south east’ area, village level. It indicated a general a slight undersupply of smaller separated out from ‘rural south’, which context for Lichfield District of a high properties and that it was more included Little Aston and Shenstone. proportion of private housing stock 8

32. The results of this assessment are relevant to the consideration of Village Reports: specifically considered where relevant housing issues within them. Some of within the specific village reports. It the settlements originate largely from Approach taken in the Village should be noted that the assessment former agricultural rural communities, ‘reports’: does not provide definitive whilst and assessments of local need in terms of Fazeley, Mile Oak and Bonehill have a 35. A separate report on each of the level of provision. It does, however, significant industrial past. These two six villages has been prepared, based contain information on existing villages in particular had significant upon the rural planning work to date. It housing prices, affordability and stock, post-war housing development that seeks to combine the ‘fine-grained’ on the suitability of housing to meet related to employment, whilst Alrewas, evidence derived from the local peoples’ needs, on the movement of Shenstone and Little Aston became knowledge of residents on the issues, households within the housing stock – largely commuter settlements. The needs and potential of each village, for example patterns of local migration origins and history of the settlements the output from the CABE facilitator (where people have moved into a sub- influence today’s villages and this can and more broadly based evidence area from), and upon local residents be seen in their ‘social profiles’, which from studies carried out for the views on the need for new housing are included as Appendix 1 for each preparation of the Local Development development. of the village reports, and in statistics Framework. The purpose is to put related to existing households and local ‘anecdotal’ evidence alongside housing. more specialist studies as relevant information that could contribute to the 34. The Tables opposite provide a development of visions for future ‘snapshot’ profile of housing and change for each of the settlements. household statistics from the 2001 Some conclusions are then drawn for Census that remains relevant to the each village. These include villages today. The Tables show recommendations for further testing on significant variations between the an appropriate level of housing growth settlements in the levels of owner for the Local Development occupation and availability of social Framework, a set of principles to housing. The figures relating to assist in determining and guiding Recent housing development at pensioner and lone pensioner actions, a draft vision statement that Armitage households may be relevant indicators sets a more general approach to the towards the consideration of matters Housing and Social Profiles of the future, and some potential locations Villages: relating to ‘downsizing’, (an issue for housing development, take into raised in a number of the workshop account the findings contained within 33. The villages within the Rural events), and to future needs for the village reports. Planning Project each have a unique supported or specialist housing for the character and features that are elderly. 9

Total % Owner % Social occupied Rented H’holds dwellings

Alrewas 1,863 80.8 11.8

Armitage 2,134 80.6 11.8

Fazeley 1,914 68.2 22.3

Little Aston 1,074 95.5 1.2

Shenstone 1,269 82.5 9.7

Whittington 1,292 79.2 7.5

Lichfield 37,500 79.0 13.5 District

Source: 2001 Census

Pensioner % Lone households % pensioner households

Alrewas 22.7 12.0

Armitage 19.5 10.6

Fazeley 25.5 14.2

Little Aston 28.2 11.0

Shenstone 24.1 12.9

Whittington 21.1 10.4

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