Planning Policy BNP Paribas Real Estate High Peak Borough Council 1st Floor, Fountain Precinct Town Hall Balm Green Buxton Sheffield S1 2JA SK17 6EL Tel: +44 (0)114 263 9210 Switchboard: +44 (0)870 700 2233 Fax: +44 (0)114 263 9244 Email: [email protected]

By email only to: [email protected] Without prejudice

Our ref 110570 ADW L160122 25 January 2016

Dear Sirs

REPRESENTATIONS TO HIGH PEAK LOCAL PLAN MAIN MODIFICATIONS CONSULTATION

LAND TO THE SOUTH OF ROAD, , GLOSSOP

We have been instructed by the owners of the land to the south of Glossop Road, Gamesley (our client’s site) to submit representations to the High Peak Local Plan Main Modifications Consultation.

Background

Our client’s site is located to the south of Gamesley and immediately to the south of the A626 Glossop Road, approximately 1 mile to the east of the centre of the market town of Glossop.

The area surrounding our client’s site comprises predominantly residential uses to the north, east and west, including the older style residential properties located to the north along Glossop Road, further north of which is the Gamesley housing estate.

The Manchester to Glossop / Hadfield railway line is located adjacent to the southern boundary of our client’s site. The railway line itself is located within a deep railway cutting and the remnants of a platform and shelter and abandoned railway sidings (which formed part of the former Mottram and Dinting Marshalling Yard) located adjacent to the railway line. The former yard area now contains woodland and sections of the Trans Pennine Trail (TPT), Pennine Bridleway National Trail (PBNT) and SUSTRANS National Cycle Route No. 62. The woodland forms part of the circa 30 hectare Gamesley Sidings Wildlife Site.

Our client’s site currently comprises a vacant and derelict industrial building (the former Samas Roneo building) located in the north western corner fronting Glossop Road, with low quality agricultural land to the south and east of the industrial building. It extends to approximately 2.68 ha (6.62 acres) in area as shown edged red on the plan below.

Vehicular access to our client’s site can be gained from two points along Glossop Road. The main vehicular access originally served the industrial building and was designed to accommodate commercial vehicles. The second access to the site is located to the east adjacent to the Bluebell Wood Public House.

Outline planning permission was granted for the erection of residential development and associated works (including the demolition of the industrial building) at our client’s site in April 2012 (Reference: HPK/2012/0026). Pursuant to this, the site was included within the High Peak 2014 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) as a suitable and deliverable residential site with the capacity for approximately 93 dwellings within years 0-5.

Pursuant to this, the site owners have marketed the site as a residential development opportunity and are in the process of selecting a house builder to develop it.

BNP Paribas Real Estate submitted representations on behalf of the site owners to previous consultations for both the High Peak Local Development Framework and Local Plan, including the Local Plan Submission consultation in 2014. These previous representations sought an allocation and policy which supported the future residential development of our client’s site.

A Further Statement was submitted on behalf of the site owners as part of the Local Plan Examination, with oral submissions also made and clarification provided by the Council in response to these at the Matter 11 Hearing. Follow the Hearing, confirmation was also received from the Council (Hilary Senior) that the Built up Area shown in the Local Plan would be amended as per the plan extract reproduced below to include all of our client’s site with planning permission.

Pursuant to the above, we provided confirmation that subject to the following changes being made to the Local Plan the site owner’s withdrew their objection to the Local Plan:

1. The amendment of the Built Up Area boundary as shown on the plan extract above to include all of our client’s site with planning permission.

2. The amendment of Policy H1 as shown in the Issue 2 – 30 January 2015 Main Modifications Schedule so this now includes the following:

“The Council will ensure provision is made for housing, taking into account all other policies in this Local Plan, by:

° …Supporting housing development on unallocated sites within the defined built up area boundaries of the towns and larger villages…”

High Peak Local Plan Main Modifications Consultation

MM59 of the December 2015 “Schedule of Main Modifications” proposes the amendment of Policy H1 to include the following:

“The Council will ensure provision is made for housing, taking into account all other policies in this Local Plan, by:

° …Supporting housing development on sustainable small unallocated sites up to an indicative maximum of 19 dwellings within the defined built up area boundaries of the towns and larger villages and up to an indicative maximum of 10 dwellings within defined settlement boundaries of the smaller villages. Exceptionally larger unallocated

schemes may be permitted where it would provide over-riding affordable housing, regeneration, conservation or infrastructure benefits and would not undermine delivery of the spatial strategy.

Furthermore, Map 23 of the December 2015 “High Peak Local Plan - Further Changes to the Policies Map” proposes the Built up Area boundary is amended as shown below.

Representations to the High Peak Local Plan Main Modifications Consultation

It is understood from previous discussions with the Council that the only changes to be made to the adopted Local Plan Policies Map will be to include the new allocations proposed in the new Local Plan. Notwithstanding this, our client’s site was not proposed for allocation in the Submission Draft Local Plan, despite the fact it is allocated for housing and employment development in the adopted Local Plan and planning permission has subsequently been granted for residential development.

Further to the above, although a house builder is expected to be selected shortly to develop our client’s site, residential development has not yet commenced and the 93 dwellings proposed have not been delivered. Notwithstanding this, the site forms part of the ‘Commitments’ which have been deducted from the gross housing target in the Local Plan, in order to calculate the net housing requirement. Accordingly, its future residential development is required in order to deliver the gross housing target set out in the Local Plan.

In light of the above, it is vital that the Submission Version Local Plan includes a policy and amendment of the adopted Local Plan Built up Area boundary in order to support the future residential development of our client’s site. This is important to ensure the site is developed for

housing in order to meet High Peak’s housing need. For example, should the developer selected for the site choose to submit a new full planning application rather than reserved matters, it is important that this is supported by the new Local Plan in order to ensure delivery.

Pursuant to the above, our client’s strongly support Main Modification MM59 and the proposed Built up Area boundary amendment shown on Map 23 as set out above. More specifically, without these changes the Local Plan cannot be considered positively prepared or consistent with national policy and is therefore unsound for the reasons set out in more detail below.

1. Meeting Housing Need

Our client’s site has outline planning permission for residential development and is assessed in the 2014 SHLAA as a suitable and deliverable residential site with the capacity for approximately 93 dwellings within years 0-5. Accordingly, it forms part of the ‘Commitments’ which are required to be delivered in order to meet the Local Plan’s gross housing target.

As part of the Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that the planning system supports a:

“strong, healthy communities by providing the supply of housing required to meet the needs of present and future generations, and by creating a high quality built environment, with accessible local services that reflect the community’s needs and supports its health, social and cultural well-being” .

Paragraph 47 of the NPPF also requires local planning authorities to boost significantly the supply of housing integral to which is the requirement to:

“use their evidence base to ensure that their Local Plan meets the full, objectively assessed needs for market and affordable housing in the housing market area, as far as is consistent with the policies set out in this Framework, including identifying key sites which are critical to the delivery of the housing strategy over the plan period.”

In order to be compliant with the above, the new Local Plan should support the development of sufficient land to meet the housing needs of the area. This should be done by supporting residential development on sites which provide easy and convenient access for all to a range of services and community facilities and would not cause harm to the environment. This should include supporting the development of both existing sites with planning permission and new sites.

As set out in more detail above, in light of the previous planning permission, our client’s site forms part of housing land supply required to meet the Local Plan’s gross housing requirement and is considered a suitable and sustainable location for future residential development. Accordingly, in order to demonstrate a robust housing land supply in accordance with the requirements of the NPPF, it is vital that the Local Plan includes a policy and allocation that supports the residential development of the site.

2. Suitability for Housing Development

Our client’s site is considered to comprise a suitable location for residential development in light of the following:

■ The majority of it is located within the existing “Built-Up Area Boundary” defined in the adopted High Peak Local Plan; ■ It forms part of the Market Town of Glossop defined in the Submission Draft Local Plan and therefore a focus for future growth and development in accordance with the Settlement Hierarchy defined under Policy S 2;

■ It is not located within the Green Belt; ■ It is accessible to recreational walking and cycle routes, including the TPT, PBNT and SUSTRANS National Cycle Route No. 62; ■ It is located close to public transport services, including bus stops on both sides of Glossop Road which are served by frequent bus services to the surrounding areas, including Glossop Town Centre, Marple, Hattersley, Hyde and Stalybridge. Dinting Railway Station is also located approximately 1 mile to the east of the sites and provides direct rail services to Glossop, Hadfield, Hattersley and Manchester; ■ It is located within a predominately residential area, with a quantity of existing housing located to the north, east and west; ■ It is located within close proximity to a number of community services and facilities along Glossop Road and within the Gamesley Estate, including the following: i) A parade of shops; ii) Public houses; iii) A health centre; iv) A youth and community centre; v) Primary schools; vi) A pre-school; vii) A family centre; viii) A pharmacy; ix) A post office; x) A library; and xi) Churches; ■ It is located close to public open space, including playgrounds, playing fields, football pitches, a rugby ground, a bowling green and the circa 30 Ha Gamesley Sidings Wildlife site; and ■ The site is considered to be of relatively low environmental quality. The Ecological Survey submitted with the outline planning application for the site demonstrated this.

In light of the above, and as recognised by the previous planning permission and 2014 SHLAA, our client’s site is considered to be a suitable and sustainable location for future residential development. It is therefore vital that the Local Plan includes a policy and allocation that supports the future residential development of the site in order to ensure a robust housing land supply is provided to meet future need, in accordance with the requirements of the NPPF.

We reserve the right to amend or withdraw these representations if necessary.

Finally, we trust the above is clear and satisfactory; however, if you require further information or if you have any queries regarding the above, please do not hesitate to contact Alex Willis at the above office. Otherwise, we would be grateful if you would acknowledge receipt of these representations and confirm that they have been “duly made”.

Yours faithfully

BNP Paribas Real Estate