Land at Corner Farm, Gib Lane, Bierton, Buckinghamshire
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LAND AT CORNER FARM, GIB LANE, BIERTON, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE REPRESENTATION ON VALE OF AYLESBURY LOCAL PLAN REPRESENTATION ON VALE OF AYLESBURY LOCAL PLAN AUGUST 2016 F164948 LAND AT CORNER FARM, GIB LANE, BIERTON REPRESENTATION ON VALE OF AYLESBURY LOCAL PLAN 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The following statement has been prepared to provide a representation on behalf of Sonia Davis, Fiona Church and Roger Davis on the ‘Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan-Draft Plan for Summer 2016 Consultation’ and to promote ‘Land at Corner Farm, Gib Lane, Bierton. 1.2 Mrs Davis, Mrs Church and Mr Davis are the co-owners of Corner Farm, Gib Lane, Bierton. They are seeking to promote the inclusion of two parcels of their land as allocations in the plan. 1.3 The parcels are known as ‘Land west of Gib Lane, Bierton’ and ‘Land at Corner Farm, Gib Lane, Bierton’. 1.4 This representation relates to ‘Land at Corner Farm, Gib Lane’, and a separate representation has been made in respect of ‘Land west of Gib Lane’. 1.5 Land at Corner Farm is comprised of buildings and land on the northern side of Gib Lane and covers an area of approximately 3.81 hectares (Please see Site Location Plan at Appendix 1). 1.6 Part of the site has been promoted through previous ‘Call for Sites’ exercises and is identified as BIE028 ‘Land at Gib Lane Farm’. 1.7 To the west of the site are residential properties on Gib Lane and the Aylesbury Road (A418) whilst to the north, east and south is agricultural land. The surrounding agricultural land does however form part of the consented Kingsbrook development for three new communities on the north eastern site of Aylesbury accommodating 2,450 new homes and 10 hectares of employment land. 1.8 To the south east will be the new neighbourhood of Orchard Green, to the east will be allotments, whilst to the north will be the ‘Eastern Link Road’. 1 PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD F164948 LAND AT CORNER FARM, GIB LANE, BIERTON REPRESENTATION ON VALE OF AYLESBURY LOCAL PLAN 1.9 Given that the site sits within the context of this development, it is considered that it would be suitable for allocation in the emerging Local Plan. 1.10 The statement therefore provides general comments on the content of the emerging Local Plan and sets out why it is considered that ‘Land at Corner Farm, Gib Lane, Bierton’ should be included as an allocation. 1.11 This statement is set out as follows: 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Comments on the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan 3.0 Summary Appendix 1: Site Location Plan -Land at Corner Farm, Gib Lane, Bierton 2 PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD F164948 LAND AT CORNER FARM, GIB LANE, BIERTON REPRESENTATION ON VALE OF AYLESBURY LOCAL PLAN 2.0 COMMENTS ON THE VALE OF AYLESBURY LOCAL PLAN 2.1. The following comments are made in respect of the emerging Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan. 2.2. The comments have been organised in line with the council’s online consultation proforma. CHAPTER 1-BACKGROUND 2.3. This chapter sets out the overarching considerations which are made and undertaken in the preparation of a local plan. 2.4. It is considered that the chapter makes reference to all relevant matters, however we hold some concern with the lack of clarity on the stated amount of growth which the district will be seeking to accommodate. 2.5. In respect of this, it is stated that the adjoining districts to Aylesbury Vale will be unable to accommodate approximately 12,000 homes due to their constraints, and that the housing requirement for the district will therefore be approximately 33,000 new homes over the plan period. 2.6. It is however stated at paragraph 1.13 that “The council will be robustly challenging the level of unmet need, but this draft local plan has to based on this requirement as a worst case scenario”. 2.7. We therefore hold two concerns with this statement. Firstly, the emerging development plan and strategy should be developed with a clear understanding of the development needs which the district should be seeking to accommodate. If the council are to dispute the level of unmet need in neighbouring authorities, it becomes difficult to accurately assess the potential effectiveness of the proposed strategy. Secondly, we are concerned with the use of the terminology ‘worst case scenario’. In noting the objective of national policy, to significantly 3 PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD F164948 LAND AT CORNER FARM, GIB LANE, BIERTON REPRESENTATION ON VALE OF AYLESBURY LOCAL PLAN increase the delivery of housing, there should be no inferences that delivering beyond the specifically identified need is a negative state of affairs. 2.8. It is therefore considered that the finally defined housing requirement should be treated as a minimum and that the associated strategy should facilitate the ability to exceed this requirement. CHAPTER 2-VISION AND STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 2.9. The vision and strategic objectives set out in the draft plan appear to correlate with the core principles of the planning system, as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. 2.10. It is therefore considered that the vision and objectives promote a positive agenda for the delivery of growth and development, and is appropriate for Aylesbury Vale. 2.11. It is also considered positive approach, that development is to be distributed across the entire district, and to facilitate the substantial growth of the town of Aylesbury. CHAPTER 3-STRATEGIC POLICIES 2.12. Whilst the visions and objectives of the plan, appear to promote a positive agenda for the delivery of development, we are somewhat concerned with the content of some of the strategic policies, most specifically policy S2 which sets out the ‘spatial strategy for growth’ 2.13. In regards to this, it is noted that the targeted level of development and the scale of growth to be attributed across the district’s settlements is expressed as specific figures. 2.14. As discussed in relation to the ‘background’ chapter, all targets and requirements should be expressed as a minimum, in order to support the delivery of growth. 4 PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD F164948 LAND AT CORNER FARM, GIB LANE, BIERTON REPRESENTATION ON VALE OF AYLESBURY LOCAL PLAN In particular it is considered that setting fixed positions would be at odds with the Strategic Objectives. 2.15. The growth of Aylesbury and its promotion as a Garden Town, is however considered logical, as the settlement plays a major role in the delivery of the district’s employment opportunities, services and facilities. Furthermore, given the existing commitment for the town to expand to the east (e.g. the Kingsbrook development), it is considered that additional sites compatible with this growth should be supported through the plan. CHAPTER 4-STRATEGIC DELIVERY 2.16. As set out above, it is considered that the strategic policy to substantial grow the town of Aylesbury and to facilitate the formation of a ‘Garden Town’ through the eastern expansion is a logical approach to accommodating a large proportion of the district’s development needs. 2.17. It is noted under policy D1 that it is identified that the housing requirement for Aylesbury is 15,845 (including the requirements of Stoke Mandeville, Bierton and Weston Turville due to their association with the urban expansion to the east and south of the town). The residual housing requirement is identified as 8,221 homes. 2.18. The policy identifies that the housing development will be delivered through previously developed sites and sustainable urban extensions, with a list of potential housing allocations listed at Appendix A. 2.19. The potential housing allocations includes both previously developed sites within the existing town as well as urban expansion sites to the south east of the town. These sites have a total capacity of 6,829 dwellings. 2.20. There is therefore clearly a substantial shortfall between the residual requirement and the capacity of the potential allocations. 5 PHILLIPS PLANNING SERVICES LTD F164948 LAND AT CORNER FARM, GIB LANE, BIERTON REPRESENTATION ON VALE OF AYLESBURY LOCAL PLAN 2.21. Further to this, it is noted at paragraph 4.78 that due to Bierton Weston Turville forming part of the proposed expansion of Aylesbury, specific allocations for those settlements would not be made (e.g. the allocations made are as part of the expansion), and that “Any other proposals for development at Bierton or Weston Turville will therefore not be permitted except in exceptional circumstances” 2.22. Given the above situation, it is considered that in order to achieve the housing requirement for Aylesbury, the council should be allocating a greater number of sites and ensure flexibility in policies to allow additional growth in Bierton and Weston Turville which concords with the strategic expansion of Aylesbury on unallocated sites. 2.23. In respect of additional allocations, it is considered that ‘Land at Corner Farm, Gib Lane, Bierton’, would represent a sustainable location for development, in accordance with the emerging strategy. 2.24. As will be noted, the site sits adjacent to the eastern edge of Bierton and will sit to the north west of the new neighbourhood of Orchard Green. It therefore clearly sits within the context of the eastern expansion of the town, and would provide an addition site for housing to address the shortfall between the residual housing requirements and identified potential allocations, and provide housing in a location to support the services and facilities of both Bierton and the new neighbourhood. CHAPTER 5-HOUSING 2.25. In regards to the chapter on housing, it is noted that the policies set a threshold and proportions for delivery of affordable housing, dwelling sizes and mixes as well as criteria which will be applied to proposals for rural exceptions site, rural workers dwellings and, self-build replacement dwellings.