Where are new homes in being proposed through the emerging Local HS2 Safeguarding Route - The route of HS2 is now a safeguarded route under direction of the Secretary of Plan? State for Transport as of November 2016. The advice in the safeguarding guidance for Council’s preparing a Local Plan is that the area safeguarded by the Safeguarding Directions should be taken into account. Local Plans should state that the Safeguarding Directions have been made by the Secretary of State for Transport. They are not proposals of the LPA and the routes in question will not be determined through the local plan process.

How many planning permissions already exist that will contribute towards the Towns’ housing need?

Some sites have already been built/approved for housing at the settlement as at the base date of the Local Plan (1st April 2015) and will contribute towards Mexborough’ housing requirement range of 465-1,040 new homes therefore. The largest of these sites (i.e. sites which could provide at least 5+ new homes) are identified as green outline sites on the map and summarised below in Table 1; these sites are proposed to be allocated. National policy states that planning permissions are assumed to be deliverable sites unless clear evidence to the contrary.

There are also some smaller sites which have been built over the first 2 years of the plan period (1st April 2015- 31st March 2017) which are also being included in the overall numbers for Mexborough (but not shown on the map/summary table as they are too small to allocate). In summary, 364 of the 465-1,040 new homes have already been built or have planning permission already granted as at 1st April 2017.

How much more housing needs to be identified at Mexborough?

Given the supply of new housing from completions on small sites and existing permissions 5+ units (364 new homes) is below the bottom of the growth range target/requirement, there is a need to find further sites for at least 101 new homes, or up to 676 new homes if the top of the growth range is to be met at the town.

What sites have been put forward to provide this additional housing by landowners/developers and which are being proposed to be supported/rejected through the local plan?

There are a further 8 sites at Mexborough that have been considered through the site selection methodology process and shown on the map. A very brief summary of each, including why the site is either being proposed (identified on the map via an orange outline) or rejected (shown with a red outline) as a new housing site in the emerging local plan is provided in Table 2.

Are there any other sites being proposed for housing at the settlement?

At the time of writing, all of the sites submitted for consideration as housing sites at Mexborough How many new homes are being proposed? have been assessed through the site selection process and there are no ‘late’ sites on file awaiting to be incorporated into The emerging Doncaster Local Plan, and its supporting evidence base, has identified Mexborough as one of 7 Main the process. Towns in the borough. The Homes & Settlements consultation (March 2016) proposed a housing allocation range to the Where can I find more information about the site selection process? town of 465 – 1,024 new homes over the plan period to 2032. The latest, and most up-to-date evidence base, now proposes a slightly different range/ target for Mexborough of 475 – 1,040 new homes during this same timeframe. This document provides a very brief summary of the evidence base that has informed the decisions on whether sites should be supported or rejected. Further information and detail therefore can be seen through the Site Selection What are the main physical and policy constraints to growth at the Town of Mexborough? Methodology & Results Report published alongside this consultation and available to view via: Flood Risk – National policy states areas at risk of flooding should be avoided where possible. According to the www.doncaster.gov.uk/localplan Council’s Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (November 2015) a large part of the surrounding land at Mexborough I want to let the Council know now what I think about these proposals. How can I do this? to the north, east and south, is at high risk of flooding (Flood Risk Zone 3). However, the maps do not take account of the presence of flood defences and how they may reduce flood risk to the Town. Other sources of This engagement stage runs until Friday 26th October 2018. You can provide your comments and feedback to us via flood risk, such as surface water flooding, must also be considered. completing the Local Plan Draft Policies & Proposed Sites response form available to download via the following web-link: www.doncaster.gov.uk/localplan The response form provides all the relevant information for how you can return your Green Belt – National policy only allows land to be taken out of the Green Belt in exceptional circumstances, for comments to us or how you should contact us if you have any queries in respect to this stage, or any aspect of the example if the homes target for the borough or a specific town could not otherwise be sustainably achieved. emerging Doncaster Local Plan. Mexborough is surrounded by a tightly drawn Green Belt identified on the map via the green shading, except to the south-east where the settlement meets its neighbouring Main Town of -Denaby and to the south– west where the borough boundary runs along the settlement edge (beyond which is Green Belt). Please note, these are the current boundaries as per the Unitary Development Plan and will need to be reviewed as part of the Doncaster Local Plan. Table 1: Completions & Existing Planning Permissions for new homes at Mexborough from merging, and a moderately strong role in Completions on small sites (1st April 2015- 31st March 2017 on sites of less than 5 units) Number of encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban new homes land. The site is considered to have a moderate role in 43 safeguarding the countryside from encroachment and a Site Ref: Site Name/Address: weak role in preserving the setting and special 632 North Gate Working Men’s Club, North Gate, Mexborough 6 character of historic towns. The sustainability appraisal 687 The Embankment, Leach Lane Industrial Estate, Leach Lane, Mexborough 24 identifies significant positive effects for affordability 704 Land Adjacent 166 Wath Road, Mexborough 14 given the size of the site is likely to trigger a large 790 Red Lion Hotel, 41 Bank Street, Mexborough 16 affordable housing contribution. Other effects are 839 Mexborough Power Station, Mexborough 67* mostly positive or neutral. The sites location to the train 850 Land at Alagu Close, Off Highwoods Road, Mexborough 9 station and Mexborough Town centre are identified as 894 Former Nurses Home, Cemetery Road, Mexborough 9 911 Mexborough Congregational Church, garden Street, Mexborough 7 being negative due to the distance but could be 912 51 Market Street, Mexborough 5 mitigated through a Transport Assessment and Travel 922 Garage Site, Maple Road, Mexborough 5 Plan and it is noted the site is located on a high 678/927 Pastures Road, Mexborough 146 frequency bus network. Negative effects on loss of 960 The Highwoods, Elm Road, Mexborough 13 open space (informal open space at the southern end Total new homes identified 364 of the site identified through the Green Space Audit as Road/Park – reference 586) could be *This development is directly on the route for the HS2 line which has now been safeguarded through a direction from the mitigated through either this part of the site being Secretary of State. The majority of the site has been built out over years with a remaining capacity on site at the start of undeveloped and/or new open space being provided as the plan period of 106 dwellings, of which a further 67 have been completed in the first 2 years of the plan period, leaving part of the development which would be required a remaining 39 units as at 1st April 2017. No further completions have occured however during the 2017/18 monnitoring anyway given the size of the site. Whether or not the period. Latest reports suggest that 16 homes will need to be demolished due to being directly on the route. As such, no site contains best and most versatile agricultural land further units have been assumed from the remaining site capacity towards the settlement’s housing supply post April could be confirmed through on-site survey and then 2017. potentially a soil management plan were the survey to show the site is grade 3a agricultural land as at present Table 2: Proposed & Rejected Housing Sites these effects are uncertain. In conclusion, although the importance of the Green Belt in this location is Site Site Name/ Address: Potential Proposed to be supported or rejected through the acknowledged, there are no other options for the Ref: Number of emerging local plan? settlement to deliver significant new housing and the new homes settlement is surrounded by Green Belt. The HS2 068 Former Coal Depot, 82 Rejected Housing Site – the site would lead to Safeguarding route further constrains growth to the Pastures Road, inappropriate development in an area of high flood risk east, and beyond this are areas of high flood risk Mexborough (Flood Risk Zone 3) so the site fails the flood risk including the functional flood plain. The same flood risk sequential test. constraints are found to the south-east/south of 139 Land North of Wath 418 Proposed Housing Site - Large urban extension site Mexborough. Although land to the south-west is not at Road, Mexborough circa 18.6 hectares in size to the west of the settlement. risk of flooding, this is the edge of the DMBC borough The site is currently in agricultural use and is greenfield boundary and beyond it lays a large area of therefore and could accommodate 418 dwellings. To employment uses at Swinton ( MBC). There the north is open countryside and Lousy Busk Lane (a is a complete lack of landowner representations for any track); to the east is Mexborough Highwoods Primary land to the north of Mexborough, so deliverability of a School and Mexborough School, as well residential northern extension cannot be justified which only leaves uses. To the south-east of the site there is Mexborough the western urban extension option. Given the site West junction, a recreation ground, and a public performs well through sustainability appraisal, and footpath which connects the existing neighbourhood to mitigation identified for any negative effects, on balance the A6023, Wath Road. To the west there is a railway it is considered the benefits of allocating the site as a line and beyond that there is Adwick Business Park. sustainable urban extension to one of the borough’s The Phase 3 Green Belt Review concludes that were largest Main Towns outweighs the Green Belt Review the site to be removed from the Green Belt, the Phase 3 findings and exceptional circumstances can be boundary would be defined by Wath Road (A6023) in demonstrated. the south west, a field boundary in the west, a field 154 Land to the North 489 Rejected Housing Site – Large urban extension site boundary supported by occasional mature trees in the West of Pastures extending to 21.8 hectares to the north-east of the north west and a weakly defined field boundary in the Road, Mexborough settlement. The site is currently in agricultural use and north east. Aside from the A6023 which accounts for a is greenfield therefore and capable of accommodating very small proportion of the outer boundary, the Green 489 dwellings. To the west and south of the site are Belt boundary is considered to be weakly defined, existing residential uses. There is open weakly recognizable and unlikely to be permeant. The countryside/agricultural land to the north and north- Green Belt in this location is connected to the South east. A new housing development is currently under Green Belt, but is not considered to have a construction to the south-east of the site (Pastures role in checking unrestricted sprawl of a large built up Road). A small part of the site adjacent to Clayfield area. However, the General Area is considered to have Avenue is a current UDP Housing Allocation which has a strong role in preventing the neighbouring town of not yet been developed, to the east of this is a larger (Rotherham MBC) and Mexborough area of the site which is currently designated as Open Space Policy Area, so these parts are not in the Green development high risk area due to the legacy of coal Belt. The remainder of the site to the north and north- mining in the area. The site would need to undertake a west is the part that is designated Green Belt. Although Coal Mining Risk Assessment to identify site specific this site has a stronger Green Belt case for further site coal mining risks and an appropriate mitigation strategy selection, relative to Green Belt site reference 139 (plus to show that the site can be made safe and stable for a large part of this site is non-Green Belt anyway given the development that is proposed. The site’s proximity its current Housing/Open Space allocation in the UDP), to the canal leads to potential for pollution to this the site lies directly on the route of HS2 and this is now surface water body but this can be mitigated through a safeguarded route under direction of the Secretary of best practice construction techniques. State for Transport as of November 2016. The advice in 379 Garden Street, 15 Proposed Housing Site - The site is 0.5 hectares and is the safeguarding guidance for Council’s preparing a Mexborough located just north of Mexborough's town centre and Local Plan is that the area safeguarded by the currently in use as a surface car park consisting largely Safeguarding Directions should be taken into account. of hard standing and is therefore brownfield. The site is Where a Safeguarded Direction is taken into account in capable of accommodating 15 dwellings. There are a Local Plan, it should be represented on the policies existing residential uses to the west and north of the map (in accordance with Regulation 9 of the Town and site and commercial/retail uses to the south and east of Country Planning (Local Planning) () the site. The site is an existing UDP Housing Allocation Regulations 2012 as amended). Adding information that has not yet been developed. Although the site is about the extent of the safeguarded area on the identified in the Green Space Audit as amenity housing Proposals Map is helpful for those considering public open space, the majority of the site is currently in development in the area, however it is important to note use for car parking. The site performs strongly through that the requirements of the Safeguarding Directions the sustainability appraisal stage with entirely positive apply, in the circumstances described above, or neutral effects with the exception of significant regardless of whether the safeguarded area is identified negative effects on unstable land due to the site being on the Proposals Map or not. Local Plans should state located in a development high risk area due to the that the Safeguarding Directions have been made by legacy of coal mining in the area. The site would need the Secretary of State for Transport. They are not to undertake a Coal Mining Risk Assessment to identify proposals of the LPA and the routes in question will not site specific coal mining risks and an appropriate be determined through the development plan process. mitigation strategy to show that the site can be made They will be considered in Parliament under hybrid Bill safe and stable for the development that is proposed. procedures, which will provide appropriate opportunities 412 Willow Drive, 25 Proposed Housing Site - The site is an open space for petitions to be made to Parliament by those directly Mexborough which is circa 0.7 hectares in size and greenfield affected by the scheme. Prior to the HS2 Safeguarding therefore. The site could accommodate 25 dwellings. Direction, this site would be a logical expansion for There are existing residential uses to the north and Mexborough given part of the site is non-Green Belt west of the site and allotments/further open and the remainder that is has a stronger case for space/sports pitches to the east and south. The site is release compared to site reference 139 based on the currently allocated for Housing in the UDP but has not findings from the Phase 3 Green Belt Review. The site yet been developed. The site performs strongly through also makes sense in urban form given the Pastures the sustainability appraisal stage with entirely positive Road development under construction to the east (site or neutral effects with the exception of significant reference 731). However, site reference 139 does negative effects on unstable land due to the site being perform stronger through sustainability appraisal located in a development high risk area due to the compared to this site. legacy of coal mining in the area. The site would need 155 Site A, Leach Lane 16 Proposed Housing Site - The site is 0.6 hectares in size to undertake a Coal Mining Risk Assessment to identify Industrial Estate, and previously contained an industrial estate although site specific coal mining risks and an appropriate Mexborough all buildings have since been demolished and the site is mitigation strategy to show that the site can be made cleared. The site is brownfield and capable of safe and stable for the development that is proposed. accommodating 16 dwellings. To the north of the site is 414 Windhill, Whinhill 112 Proposed Housing Site - The site is 3.3 hectares and the A6023 (Greens Way) with Mexborough's town Avenue, Mexborough consists of former housing stock that has been centre beyond. Station Road adjoins the site to the west demolished and cleared. The site is brownfield which leads directly to Mexborough Train Station. therefore and capable of accommodating 112 Beyond Station Road there are various dwellings. There are existing residential uses on all four industrial/commercial buildings. The sides of the site. The site performs strongly through Navigation Canal runs adjacent to the south of the site sustainability appraisal with significant positive effects and further cleared former industrial land is located to on affordability, market failure, and, re-use of land and the east of the site. The site is currently designated as buildings. Other effects are mainly positive or neutral. Employment Policy Area in the UDP but there are no Significant negative effects on unstable land due to the active uses on the site and previous buildings relating site being located in a development high risk area due to historical employment use have been demolished. to the legacy of coal mining in the area would need to The site performs strongly through sustainability be addressed through undertaking a Coal Mining Risk appraisal with mainly positive and neutral effects. Assessment to identify site specific coal mining risks Significant negative effects in relation to unstable land and an appropriate mitigation strategy to show that the are found due to the site being located in a site can be made safe and stable for the development that is proposed. 834 Pitt Street, 82 Rejected Housing Site – The site is 2.9 hectares and Mexborough consists of open space and sports pitches and is greenfield therefore. The site could accommodate 82 dwellings. There are residential uses to the north, east and west of the site with further open space to the south. The site performs strongly through the sustainability appraisal stage with entirely positive or neutral effects, with the exception of significant negative effects on unstable land and negative effects for the loss of an existing open space. Although the site would be a sustainable housing site, the site is currently public open space which is being proposed to be retained through the Local Plan

Table 3: Proposed Housing Site Allocation Summary Total potential of 1,223 additional new homes (Table 2) Total new homes 586 proposed to be supported (Table 2) Total new homes 637 proposed to be rejected (Table 2) How does this Requirement = 475-1,040 new homes compare to the Completions & Existing Planning Permissions = 364 new homes (Table 1) settlement’s housing Proposed Housing Allocations = 586 new homes (Table 2) requirement? Total Housing Identified = 950 new homes (+475 new homes compared to the bottom of the target range, or 44 new homes below the top of the range)