Framlingham Housing Market Area Maps S - 5702 - 3055 - Badingham - None 5702 Support Framlingham Housing Market Area Badingham Respondent: Evolution Town Planning (Mr Steven Bainbridge) Agent: N/A [3055] Full Text: 1.0 Executive Summary 1.1 The site we submitted in 2013 has been assessed as suitable for development by the District Council as a potential allocation site with a capacity for 6 dwellings. 1.2 We have enlarged the potential allocation site in order to meet the District Council's suggested allocation of 10 to 20 new homes in Badingham. It is our opinion that this extended site still performs well against the District Council's sustainability criteria and the allocation can be extended also. 1.3 This additional land will provide additional choice of homes such as small 1 and 2 bedroom houses or bungalows to meet the needs of those wishing to live in Badingham. This is relevant because the Badingham Parish Plan includes affordability and choice of homes for the young and elderly, lack of existing infrastructure and viability of village facilities as important local issues. 1.4 The site is well related to the settlement pattern of Badingham and the proposed extension of the settlement boundary (to encompass New Lea) will mean it is directly related to it. 1.5 The site and the adjoining land under our client's control is significant in size for the village and as such offers capacity to accommodate development to meet the housing needs of the village for the plan period. 1.6 It also offers the potential for an alternative vehicular and pedestrian access to the Pocket Park and a small parking area within the site to serve the park and this could address many of the interrelated local concerns about it, including a low level of usage and issues of anti -social behaviour. 2.0 Introduction 2.1 Evolution Town Planning LLP (ETP) have been instructed by the land owner to make representations to Suffolk Coastal District Council (SCDC) in respect of land at Badingham (SCDC site ref. 627a) for housing in the new local plan. 2.2 These representations are submitted to the Issues and Options consultation and follow on from representations made in July 2013 (our ref. E175.C1.Rep01) and should be read in conjunction with them. 2.3 The site is shown inset below and in Appendix 1. The site is larger than the one submitted in 2013. We have now included land immediately to the north to facilitate a new alternative entrance to the Pocket Park and to provide better natural surveillance of the park. 2.4 The new site is 0.87ha. We have provided information in the Council's 'new submission forms' because of this additional land. 2.5 This site allows houses to be provided at a low density to accord with local character. 2.6 Evolution Town Planning (ETP) are experienced in promoting small rural sites either through development plan representations or planning applications but also site assessment from working in Council planning departments. As a practice we have 30 years of combined professional experience in this type of work. 2.7 ETP have inspected various sites in Badingham which the District Council have subsequently considered unsuitable for development. 2.8 We have toured the village to get a first -hand understanding of the village and its surroundings and have attended a recent Parish Council meeting to find out more about local needs and issues to which this development could respond. 2.9 We have reviewed the Core Strategy and its requirements for local service centres and the Parish Plan in terms of the needs and aspirations of the community. 3.0 Description of the Site and Surroundings 3.1 The site is located in the northeast of Badingham off Mill Road and adjacent to New Lea. It is 0.87ha in size and sits within a wider land ownership of some 8.5ha. 3.2 To the north of the site is agricultural land in the same ownership. This land can be used if required to provide landscaping or open space in connection with the housing allocation. 3.3 The land rises up gently to the north. Along the eastern southern and western boundaries are mature hedges and trees. 3.4 Beyond the western boundary is a new housing development and the pocket park, and to the south east is a range of farm buildings. The housing development to the west is an affordable housing development. The land for this affordable housing and the pocket park was made available to the village by our clients who hoped that it would benefit the village. Note: The composite reference number in the box at the top of the page is made up of the following information:Object/Support - Representation Number - Respondent Number - Plan Reference - Soundness Tests (if applicable). Framlingham Housing Market Area Maps S - 5702 - 3055 - Badingham - None 5702 Support Framlingham Housing Market Area Badingham 3.5 The site has road frontage to Mill Road along its southern and eastern boundaries. These boundaries to the road are straight and so offer good visibility to create a new access onto Mill road. 3.6 The site is just outside the existing settlement boundary, However Badingham Map 2 in the Issues and Options document proposes to extend the settlement boundary to encompass the development at 'New Lea' which consists of 10 housing association properties which back on to Pocket Park. 3.7 A local website describes the Pocket Park thus: At about a hectare or two acres, it offers: * * * * * * * 3.8 The Pocket Park is also discussed in the 2007 Badingham Parish Plan wherein concerns were expressed by the Parish Council about the future management of the Pocket Park. 3.9 The Parish Plan also discussed aspirations for a village sports field and potential conflict between the use of the children's play area and the wildlife interest of the Pocket Park needing to be reconciled. With increased patronage of the park these issues could be addressed. 3.10 Badingham is linked to Diss and Framlingham by the no. 482 bus route providing services between 10am and 5pm approximately Monday to Friday (see Appendix 2 of attached document) or otherwise by the Coastal Accessible Transport Service which operates a Dial-a-ride service in the district. 3.11 Badingham offers the following village services and facilities as described on the parish council website: "The village has a church, a pub and village hall. The local schools that serve Badingham are Dennington Primary School and Thomas Mills Academy High School. A very well supported PlaySchool operates from the Village Hall for pre-school children. The local Police station is based at Framlingham Fire Station. The Safer Neighbourhood Team meetings take place in Framlingham and Saxmundham, these give the opportunity for local issues to be raised. " 3.12 Badingham has an ageing population and the village housing stocks needs to respond by providing a wider range of house types in the future. 3.13 The location of this site, with limited impact on existing properties in the village, provides the opportunity to provide a range of house types for Badingham for the plan period to 2027. 4.0 Site Constraints and Opportunities 4.1 The site has no planning or environmental designation on it that would prevent development. The land is Grade 3 agricultural land. Development of this site would reduce the pressure on the better Grade 1 and 2 land elsewhere in the locality. The land is used for grazing so the agricultural land classification is less relevant than for arable land. 4.2 Because of its size and location this site could provide for a range of housing to reflect local wishes for example starter homes, affordable housing, bungalows for the elderly and market housing. 4.3 Development of this site would contribute to the sustainability of the village and support the retention/enhancement of the community facilities mentioned above. This is supported by the District Council's Core Strategy. 4.4 The suggested allocation site is adjacent to the Pocket Park. Development in this location could provide for a second access and a small parking area to increase footfall to the Pocket Park seeking to address issues of a lack of use and anti-social behaviour. 4.5 Future housing could be orientated to provide natural surveillance of the park, unlike the housing in New Lea which turns in back on the park. This could deal directly with the issues highlighted in the Parish Plan and the under use of the park currently. 5.0 Proposed Use and Assessment of Development Potential 5.1 The site is proposed for residential development. It is now approximately 0.87ha and so could provide for sufficient new homes over the timeframe of the Local Plan to meet the District Councils requirements for Badingham based on a development density reflective of local character. 5.2 The Issues and Options consultation document includes a suggested allocation of 10 to 20 dwellings. After accounting for 1 completed dwelling and 2 not yet started the residual requirement is reduced to between 0 and 5 Note: The composite reference number in the box at the top of the page is made up of the following information:Object/Support - Representation Number - Respondent Number - Plan Reference - Soundness Tests (if applicable). Framlingham Housing Market Area Maps S - 5702 - 3055 - Badingham - None 5702 Support Framlingham Housing Market Area Badingham dwellings. 5.3 Badingham is a defined as a Local Service Centre in the Core Strategy which means it has a range of local facilities and will be expected to accommodate new housing development that is consistent with the scale and character.