SAMDev Preferred Options Draft February 2012 Bishops Castle Key Centre: Bishops Castle Community Hubs: Bucknell Chirbury Clun 1 SAMDev Preferred Options Draft February 2012 Lydbury North Worthen/Brockton Community Clusters: Brompton, Marton, Middleton, Priest Weston, Stockton and Rorrington Wentnor and Norbury Clunbury and Clungunford Binweston, Leigh and Aston Rogers Hope, Bentlawnt and Shelve Snailbeach, Stiperstones and Pennerley Site Allocations in the Countryside: n/a 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. Infrastructure Information about the local infrastructure priorities, needs and aspirations for Bishops Castle town and surrounding villages is available from the latest version of the Bishops Castle town area ‘Place Plan’: http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/planningpolicy.nsf/open/C4EC29C056B8635E8025 7922004CC911 All these issues will need careful examination when development applications are considered and development proposals will need to be discussed with relevant infrastructure providers at the earliest opportunity to understand the constraints to development. Key Centre: Bishops Castle Bishop’s Castle (population 1,800) is a medieval settlement with a large number of historic buildings, located close to the Welsh border; Its remote location means that it is an important service centre both for its own residents and for its rural hinterland despite being one of the smallest of Shropshire’s market towns; It is an important employment town, with the number of jobs it supports exceeding the number of resident workers and for a settlement of its size, employment self- containment is high; Located on the A488 very close to the border with Wales, the nearest large market town is Newtown in Powys. 2 SAMDev Preferred Options Draft February 2012 Development Strategy Bishops Castle Town Council has indicated that it would support modest additional growth of 100-150 new houses during the Plan period (2006 – 2026). However a significant amount of building has already been built in the first five years and there remains a number of outstanding planning permissions and some potential supply from brownfield sites. This means that land is required for between 20 – 70 additional homes; The Town Council has indicated that employment development for small businesses or to encourage new businesses should be provided. Although there is an acknowledged ready supply of employment land that is not developed, a recent Employment Land Study commissioned by Shropshire Council concluded that a 3 SAMDev Preferred Options Draft February 2012 small amount of additional employment land could be allocated adjoining the existing business park. However community views and planning strategy would support the consolidation and full development of the Business Park and/or redevelopment of business uses in the town before any further employment land is allocated; Key development constraints for Bishops Castle include the town centre conservation area and potential impact on surrounding landscape character including views from the AONB; Key planning issues for Bishops Castle include the need to provide more affordable housing and more housing for the elderly, to stimulate additional employment opportunities to maintain economic activity particularly for small and start-up businesses; Key infrastructure planning issues for Bishops Castle include the need to address surface water drainage and sewerage issues, parking and congestion/access issues. Better local provision of additional open space is required; To reflect these issues and constraints it is proposed to make an allocation for a mixed residential development on the west of Bishops Castle in tandem with the proposed expansion of Abbeyfield for independent living units for the elderly. The site represents an ideal opportunity for Abbeyfield to expand its provision to meet growing local need on a site very close to its existing facility (which would continue) and to Stone House Hospital. The provision of additional homes for the elderly represents a substantial community benefit, it is unlikely this could be delivered elsewhere in Bishops Castle. Access would be achieved off Oak Meadow and additional playspace would be provided to complement/replace the existing facility in Oak Meadow; It is proposed to amend the existing development boundary to include the recent development in the south of the town off Grange Road and Drews Leasowes and will be amended to include the proposed site. No other amendments to the existing development boundary are proposed. Bishop Castle’s town centre is currently defined by the South Shropshire Local Plan and can be viewed via the following link http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/planningpolicy.nsf/viewAttachments/EWET- 8QLCZK/$file/inset-maps-1-2-3-5-6.pdf. The Preferred Option proposes no change to the extent of the Town Centre. Proposals for further retail development in Bishop’s Castle will be guided by Core Strategy Policy CS15 and by SAMDev policy MD12 when adopted. The extent of the town centre will be defined on the Proposal Map at Final Plan stage. Housing: Approx. Houses Town/Parish Council aspirations for housing 2006 – 2026 100 - 150 Houses Built or Committed 2006-11 81 New Housing Required 19 - 69 4 SAMDev Preferred Options Draft February 2012 Balance /Windfall Allowance Approx. 30 Proposed Housing to be Allocated 40 Development Boundary Yes Preferred Sites (See Map): Approx Capacity Land adjacent to Oak Meadow (BISH021) 3.11 ha A single greenfield site well related to existing development. Approx. 40 house + New development will be part of a coordinated scheme 20 additional delivering a mix of housing sensitively designed and independent living consistent with community preferences and needs, new units access from Oak Meadow and additional playspace and equipment. Total Employment Land: Approx. Land (Ha) Town/Parish Council aspirations 2006 – 2026 No additional land required Built or Committed 2006-09 3.3 New Employment Land Required No additional land Proposed Employment Land to be Allocated No additional land Preferred Sites (See Map): Approx Capacity Bishops Castle Business Park (SS1989_01127) 2.8 Large, former greenfield site on eastern edge of Bishops Castle which is already allocated for employment development in the South Shropshire Local Plan providing an opportunity for full range of Class B1/B2/B8 uses to provide key employment opportunities in Bishops Castle. 5 SAMDev Preferred Options Draft February 2012 Community Hubs: Bucknell Development Strategy Bedstone and Bucknell PC has indicated it would support development of between 50-100 new dwellings over the period to 2026 through an allocation and infill and removal of the development boundary. Bucknell offers a good range of facilities and already acts as a Hub which draws people in from a wide area. Particularly important is the presence of a primary school, employment land and opportunities and a rail station. The Parish Council would like to see the development boundary removed; A single preferred site allocation on the eastern edge of Bucknell has been identified from land promoted for this purpose. The site is considered to represent a logical expansion of the village to provide for modest growth whilst remaining close to facilities including the school in the centre of the village. The site will include a wildlife corridor adjacent to the river to allow for flood risk. The site is suitable for housing development to enable potential enhancement of the wildlife corridor to the south east and with a mix of house types will present a positive boundary to the settlement to the north west and north east; Potentially developable land remains within and adjacent to the existing built area for small infill development to meet community preferences in a way which would 6 SAMDev Preferred Options Draft February 2012 be sensitive to the character of the village and its location on the edge of the AONB. The removal of the development boundary would allow for consideration of future applications for appropriate small scale, sensitively designed, infill development to help deliver the communities aspirations for modest growth and additional developer contributions towards community infrastructure; Key development constraints for Bucknell include flood risk in areas to the south of the town and potential adverse impacts on the landscape quality of the adjacent AONB and wildlife value of areas which lie adjacent to the River Redlake. There is also a strong community desire to protect the open areas in the centre of the village; Key infrastructure planning issues for Bucknell include the need for an upgrade to the sewerage infrastructure, improved pavements and the provision of a new village hall. Housing: Approx. No. Houses Town/Parish Council aspirations for housing 2010 – 2026 50-100 Balance/Windfall Allowance 30 Proposed Housing to be Allocated 40 Development Boundary No Preferred Sites (See Map): Approx capacity Land adjacent to Redlake Meadow (BUCK003) 2.0ha A single