1 HUMBIE, EAST & WEST SALTOUN and BOLTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL OUTLINE RESPONSE to MAIN ISSUES REPORT This Report Is Set out In
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HUMBIE, EAST & WEST SALTOUN AND BOLTON COMMUNITY COUNCIL OUTLINE RESPONSE TO MAIN ISSUES REPORT This report is set out in two parts: 1. Answers to the questions posed in the Main Issues Report; and 2. Additional comments in relation to policy issues which need a clearer statement. Question 1: Aims, Objectives and Outcomes – do you have any comments on the aims and objectives for the LDP? (page 31) It is helpful to recognise the development pressures and the fact that East Lothian is part of the wider City of Edinburgh region. The LDP must therefore seek to accommodate this pressure in the most sustainable and realistic way. Question 2: Sustainability and Climate Change – Are there any additional matters related to sustainability and Climate Change mitigation that you think the LDP should seek to address? In order to deliver these policies it is essential that close attention is paid to transport and building design and construction. Developments that are not serviced by public transport or that use energy intensive technologies should not be permitted.. In addition, these measures should not only focus on new developments – better transport and enhanced energy efficiency are is requirements of existing communities. Question 3: Development locations – Of the two spatial strategy options, do you support the preferred (compact growth), alternative (dispersed growth) or neither? The preferred approach is supported. With most people working in Edinburgh, it makes sense to locate housing as close to Edinburgh as possible. Furthermore, transport links are most developed in these locations. Question 4: Town Centres – Subject to the ability to expand Blindwells, do you support the introduction there of a new town centre? Do you support retention of the current network and hierarchy of existing centres? The intention is to prepare strategies for each town centre, what ideas do you have for improving your town centre? For Blindwells, we support the creation of retail facilities necessary to support the new development. We do not support wider development of retail activities given the proximity of Fort Kinnaird/Edinburgh and the increase in on-line shopping. The current network and hierarchy of existing centres is supported. The area covered by this Community Council is serviced by three main centres: Haddington, Dalkeith as well as Edinburgh. For Haddington, there is no need for 1 additional retail space other than for smaller retailers. Retail facilities in Dunbar are also readily accessible. Furthermore the growth of on-line shopping means that there is a reduced need for such outlets. In terms of improvements for Haddington: Traffic management – parking and traffic issues need to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Our rural community is car-dependent. Car parking is therefore essential for accessing local amenities, doctors etc. More leisure offerings – cinema and other leisure activities particularly for younger members of our community need to be developed as an alternative to a trip into Edinburgh. Question 5: Planning for Employment – Do you think the review of the employment land supply should be as set out under the preferred approach, alternative approach or neither? The preferred approach is supported. In rural areas, there is needs to greater flexibility to change designations between housing and employment land to ensure that small businesses are encouraged. Small businesses in rural areas typically have low and variable incomes and require small and flexible business space. Critical to their development is the ability to access markets. High speed broadband should be a pre-requisite of designating any employment site. Question 6: Planning for Housing – Should the LDP plan for a longer term settlement strategy to meet the SDP’s housing requirements as well as help contribute to signposted need and demand for housing post 2024 (preferred approach) or should it plan only to meet the SDPO’s confirmed housing requirements to 2019 and 2024 (alternative approach) or neither? The preferred approach is supported. Growth of communities should occur in a planned manner. This allows consideration to be given the wider needs of the whole community. It is important that the LDP ensures a gradual expansion of communities to ensure that new and existing communities can be integrated. Large and sudden expansions will threaten the vibrancy of existing communities. Question 7 – Green Belt – In terms of the approach to Green Belt, do you support the preferred approach, the reasonable alternative, or neither? The preferred approach is supported. 2 Question 8 – Countryside Around Towns – In terms of the potential to introduce Countryside Around Town designations as a new policy approach, do you support the preferred approach, the reasonable alternative or neither? The preferred approach is supported. This ensures that communities are distinct. Question 9 – Central Scotland Green Network – In terms of approach to the Central Scotland Green Network in East Lothian, do you support the preferred approach, the reasonable alternative, or neither? What do you think the priorities are for the green network for East Lothian or your local area? The preferred approach is supported. Green spaces are important for communities, provide space for wildlife and enhance the appearance of a town or village. There are no priorities in this Community for the green network as most land is designated as agricultural or forestry. Question 10 – Development in the Countryside and on the Coast – In terms of the approach to managing development in the East Lothian countryside and on the coast, do you support the preferred approach, reasonable alternative, or neither? If you support the alternative approach, do you think a) or b), or a) and b) should be incorporated into policy? The Reasonable Alternative, both a) - to enable like for like replacement and (b) - where local need for affordable housing can be demonstrated and “very small scale” is defined. We support the particular policies 5.8.3 to 5.8.7. We agree that disused buildings regardless of their reason for that disuse, should be allowed to be developed subject to tight conditions on the nature of the redevelopment. The policy should: - enable both housing and business development (where required); - enable architecturally distinct buildings to be created; - create a restriction on the size of the redevelopment to ensure that the existing community is not overwhelmed with new residents and the character of the existing village/hamlet is not altered in an unrecognisable fashion; - recognise the lack of transport and therefore provide adequate parking within any development; and - recognise the nature of accommodation/tenures needed in the vicinity. For example a block flats more commonly found in urban areas would not be appropriate. This Community Council covers two Cluster areas: Tranent and Haddington. We would wish to note that the Cluster areas do not match Ward Boundaries. In our view, these should match thus ensuring that elected Councillors can represent their areas in a clear and transparent way. 3 TRANENT CLUSTER Question 13 – a) Do you support the preferred approach to new economic development and housing opportunities in the Tranent cluster? The preferred approach is supported. Special consideration should be given to reviewing Council processes and policies to make them more effective in facilitating economic development in the smaller villages where small start-up businesses struggle to find suitable premises for an affordable rent, and where poor communication between the Council’s planning and building control functions imposes unacceptable and unnecessary delays and costs. b) Do you think all of the preferred housing sites can be delivered in the anticipated timeframe? The failure to deliver many of the planned sites in the 2008-13 period should not be taken as an indicator of likely delivery in the period to 2019 given the improvement in the economic climate. c) Potential options have been identified for how education capacity might be increased in the cluster. How do you think those options could be funded and delivered? Please see our answer to d) d) Where might such facilities be located if required? It is clear from the MIR that a catchment review is required in order to provide sufficient education capacity. This Community Council argues that a catchment review is long overdue and should remove the current anomaly whereby secondary children (except for those in Bolton village, Eaglescairnie, Howden and Bankrugg) are required to attend Ross High. For many, Knox Academy is closer and aligns with family use of other amenities and services. Whilst the numbers of students is very small, it would provide some relief to the capacity problems at Ross High. A more detailed explanation is given under Additional Comments. Also, please note that the Primary School in East Saltoun is called Saltoun Primary and serves both West and East Saltoun villages. HADDINGTON CLUSTER Question 14 - Do you support the preferred approach to new economic development and housing opportunities in the Haddington cluster? The preferred approach is supported. However, we offer the following observations: 4 We question why no development is allowed south of the river which is close to Haddington town centre. Haddington has recognised traffic issues that will be compounded by large developments towards Letham because of a lack of car parking. Unless parking issues are resolved, new and existing residents will simply abandon Haddington as centre for shopping and go elsewhere. Fort Kinnaird is a mere 15 miles way. We suggest that provision is made for a Park and Ride facility at the West side of Haddington. This would remove the need for commuters using the buses to park within the town. Whilst the site at Clerkington is recognised as another potential site, better access to the A1 must be created before the development proceeds. Current links between the Pencaitland Road and the A198 are unsuitable for high volumes of traffic. In relation to education, please see the comments to the Tranent Cluster and the Additional Comments.