2. YOUR DETAILS

Name Paul Jobson

Company/Organisation DLP Planning Ltd (if applicable)

Address

Telephone

Email

Status (please tick all that Owner of (all or part of) the site [ ] Land Agent [ ] apply Planning Consultant [ x ] Developer [ ] Amenity/ Community Group [ ] Local Resident [ ] Registered Social Housing Provider [ ] Other (please specify) [ ]

If acting on behalf of Landowner / developer please provide client name and address details:

I (or my client)… Is sole owner of the site [ ] Owns part of the site [ ] Do not own (or hold any legal interest in) the site whatsoever [ x ]

If Owner/Part Owner, have Yes [ ] No [ ] you attached a title plan and deeds with this form?

If you are not the owner, or own only part of the site, do you know who owns the site or the remainder of it (please provide details)?

Does the owner (or other Yes [ x ] No [ ] owner(s)) support your proposals for the site?

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8. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

If necessary, please continue on a separate sheet and attach to this form. Please see New Local Plan representations dated April 2018.

Completed forms, site location plans and any supporting information (Title and deeds etc.) should be emailed to: [email protected].

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For and on behalf of

RESPONSE TO SOUTH COUNCIL’S NEW LOCAL PLAN CONSULTATION DOCUMENT

Land between Road and Elberton Road,

Prepared by DLP Planning Ltd Bristol

April 2018

A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

Prepared by: Annie Taylor BA (Hons) MPlan Planner

Approved by: Paul Jobson BA Hons MTP MRTPI Director

Date: April 2018

DLP Planning Ltd

DLP Consulting Group disclaims any responsibility to the client and others in respect of matters outside the scope of this report. This report has been prepared with reasonable skill, care and diligence. This report is confidential to the client and DLP Planning Ltd accepts no responsibility of whatsoever nature to third parties to whom this report or any part thereof is made known. Any such party relies upon the report at their own risk.

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

Contents Page

1.0 INTRODUCTION 4 2.0 SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT 6 Core Strategy 6 Policies, Sites and Places Plan 6 Joint Spatial Plan 6 New South Gloucestershire Local Plan 6 3.0 REPRESENTATION ON THE OVERALL STRATEGY 7 The Proposed Spatial Strategy 7 Approach Towards Non-Strategic Growth 8 4.0 THE PROPOSED SITE 11 Constraints 11 Opportunities 11 Olveston Parish Housing Needs Survey (2016) 12 5.0 SITE SUITABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY 14 Green Belt 14 Sustainability 15 Transport and Access 17 Site Availability 18 Site Achievability 18 Site Deliverability 18 6.0 CONCLUSION 19

Appendices Appendix 1: Site Location Plan Appendix 2: Constraints Plan

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 This consultation representation has been prepared by DLP Planning Ltd (DLP) on behalf of These representations are in response to the South Gloucestershire Council New Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document and the associated evidence base and supports the promotion of land that have interests in at Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston

1.2 have not themselves previously promoted the site. However, Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston has been put forward by the landowner as a suitable location for housing as part of the Call for Sites exercise which took place in 2015 (Site Ref. SG000096). The site has also been promoted by the landowner through the West of Joint Spatial Plan (JSP) process and was submitted to the ‘Towards the Emerging Spatial Plan Strategy’ Regulation 18 Consultation in November 2016 (Site Ref. SGJSPTESS100).

1.3 The site is within the Green Belt and just to the north of the current Olveston settlement boundary. It is anticipated to be capable of providing around 20-30 dwellings including affordable and market housing as well as securing the delivery facilities identified by the Parish Council and local community, such as a car park for the Primary School and an extension to the cemetery, as the existing cemetery is reaching capacity.

1.4 support the Council’s approach to the preparation of the SGLP in response to their commitment to plan for the increased levels of growth outlined in the emerging Joint Spatial Plan (JSP). However, there are a number of issues we believe the Council need to reconsider in order to make the plan sound, such as the overall housing number, the proposed housing distribution strategy and the use of Green Belt Assessment Stage 2.

1.5 support the identification of Thornbury as a Strategic Development Location (SDL). However they think it is important that the Council look to allocate sites for non-strategic development in the most sustainable locations so that they are not over- reliant on large sites coming forward and that the strategy proposed is the most sustainable possible.

1.6 Chapter 3 of this report sets out consideration of the overall SGNLP.

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

consider there to be significant questions surrounding the potential distribution strategies outlined in the Plan and whether these present the most appropriate locations for growth.

1.7 Chapters 4 discusses the constraints and opportunities for Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston in further detail, to illustrate that the site is largely unconstrained by absolute constraints.

1.8 Chapter 5 looks further at the benefits of the site. This Chapter covers the following:

 Community benefits of the site;  Its contribution to the Green Belt;  Sustainability of Olveston;  Transport and Access;  The Olveston Parish Housing Need Survey results; and  The sites availability, achievability and deliverability.

1.9 A Site Location Plan, Constraints Plan and Landscape Plan have both been provided as part of this submission (see Appendices).

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

2.0 SOUTH GLOUCESTERSHIRE PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT

Core Strategy 2.1 South Gloucestershire adopted the Core Strategy in December 2013. The Council were committed to an early review by the end of 2018, this is taking the form of this New Local Plan 2018-2036.

Policies, Sites and Places Plan 2.2 The Policies, Sites and Places Plan was adopted in November 2017. This Plan contains detailed planning policies to manage new development and allocate and safeguard sites for various types of development.

Joint Spatial Plan 2.3 The JSP has undergone numerous stages of public consultation, the last being the Publication Plan consultation which took place from the 22nd November 2017 – 10th January 2018. The JSP was submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government for Examination on the 13th April 2018.

New South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2.4 This current consultation is the second stage of consultation for the LP, the first stage was the New Local Plan Prospectus Consultation which ran between 12th January 2017 and 23rd February 2017.

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

3.0 REPRESENTATIONS ON THE OVERALL STRATEGY

3.1 generally welcome the preparation of the SGNLP and whilst they are supportive they do have concerns over key components of the strategy which are considered lacking in terms of achieving a robust strategic plan which will deliver the most sustainable pattern of growth. The following sections look at the emerging Plan in detail.

The Proposed Spatial Strategy 3.2 The strategy for new development in South Gloucestershire detailed in the SGLP is made up of 4 elements:

 22,300 dwellings from the build out of the development planned for in the South Gloucestershire Core Strategy;  2,900 dwellings from maximising the use of brownfield land within the urban areas;  6,000 dwellings from five new SDLs (+500 dwellings) at , , Thornbury and and the proposed Buckover Garden Village. The JSP also proposes a 1,000 dwelling contingency at land south of which will only be released if it is demonstrated that housing provision is not being delivered at the levels being planned for;  1,300 dwellings from non-strategic sites in the rural areas (10-499 dwellings). The JSP also proposes a 500 dwelling contingency from non-strategic sites which will only be released if it is demonstrated that housing provision is not being delivered at the levels being planned for and where there would be no reasonable prospect of planned delivery being met otherwise.

3.3 The 22,300 to be delivered from the build out of planned developments in the Core Strategy includes the large new neighbourhoods at /, , , North Yate and Thornbury. However, when discussing non- strategic sites, the SGLP at Paragraph 2.29 states:

“Historically Local Plans in South Gloucestershire have focussed on larger sites in a limited range of places, for example growth in Yate, Thornbury and at Airfield. This has contributed to a reliance on relatively large sites, in a small number

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

of places to meet the district’s need for deliverable homes, and directs the benefits of growth to a limited number of places.”

3.4 As stated previously in these representations, South Gloucestershire Council have a history of failing to meet housing targets and have not been able to demonstrate a five year supply of housing land for a number of years. would therefore suggest the SGLP strategy is overly reliant on 6,000 dwellings being delivered at the SDLs, when this strategy and existing committed development has led to persistent under-delivery in the past. We believe a more appropriate balance should be struck that increases delivery in from non-strategic sites in sustainable locations.

3.5 At present, it is felt that the strategy relies too heavily on large scale sites and should instead be looking to deliver more than 1,300 dwellings (1,800 if including 500 dwelling contingency) on non-strategic sites. Non-strategic sites tend to have shorter lead-in times and are less reliant on major infrastructure improvements or increased service provision and so could help the Council ensure that they are meeting housing targets from the very beginning of the plan period.

3.6 The Council’s strategy relies on 2,900 dwellings being delivered on brownfield land. Brownfield sites are generally less deliverable than greenfield sites due to complications such as availability, existing use values and abnormal costs such as contamination. It is felt that the SGLP should not be so reliant on brownfield land to achieve the housing targets set by the JSP as there could be a risk of not meeting said targets, especially in the short term.

Approach Towards Non-Strategic Growth 3.7 The fourth element of the SGLP spatial strategy requires the delivery of 1,300 dwellings on non-strategic sites, plus a 500 dwelling contingency which will only be released if it is demonstrated that housing provision is not being delivered at the levels being planned for and where there would be no reasonable prospect of planned delivery being met otherwise. For the purposes of the JSP/ SGLP, non-strategic development is defined as sites capable of providing between 10 and 499 dwellings. Paragraph 2.55 of the SGLP states that:

“For the next stage of the Plan individual sites within and surrounding rural places, which have been submitted to the council through call for sites exercises, will be

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

assessed to understand if they could have potential to be “deliverable” in the plan period as a nonstrategic site for new homes.”

3.8 The Green Belt covers 61% of South Gloucestershire District and the SGLP recognises, at Paragraph 2.62, that the plan will need to investigate places both outside and inside the Green Belt as capable of accommodating the non-strategic level growth.

3.9 are supportive of the inclusion of Green Belt sites in the Council’s assessment of places suitable for non-strategic growth and they urge the Council to direct said growth to those areas considered to be the most sustainable.

3.10 The Council have drawn up an initial list of places for non-strategic growth (contained in Appendix 1 of the SGLP). This list contains all villages, settlements and urban edge places within the rural areas of South Gloucestershire, containing settlements and villages with either defined settlement boundaries, or recognised collections of dwellings rather than more general and wider parish areas. The list also includes rural areas within 400 metres (5 minute walk) of the urban edges of South Gloucestershire, which have existing walking, cycling and public transport access to services and facilities, and registered development interest for nonstrategic growth, through the call for sites process. From this list the Council have ruled out those places with poor access to key services and facilities and/ or within Flood Zones 2 and 3. This leaves the Council with 35 places for further investigation.

3.11 The Council are seeking views on the preferred approach to rural growth. Paragraphs 2.70–2.72 of the SGLP state:

“Taking account of the key issues which need to be considered in formulating a plan for non-strategic growth, three broad options are suggested, containing places drawn from those listed in Table 1 above...

…Option 1: Rural Places Outside the Green Belt

Option 2: Rural Places Inside the Green Belt

Option 3: Rural Places Both Inside and Outside the Green Belt.”

3.12 As would be expected, Option 3 ‘Rural Places Both Inside and Outside the Green Belt’ results in the largest number of places being investigated for non-strategic level

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

development, 35 places in total would be assessed. With regards to Option 3, Paragraph 2.78 of the SGLP states:

“This will facilitate an approach of directing growth to places with the highest levels of sustainable access and places which avoid and minimise harm to existing built and natural assets.”

3.13 are not supportive of Option 1 as it restricts the Council’s search to only 12 places. Paragraph 2.50 of the SGLP states:

“Non-strategic growth will need to be sensitive to the existing scale of each settlement and have a positive impact on the character and function of communities.”

3.14 The housing requirement from non-strategic sites in South Gloucestershire is 1,300. This level of housing split between only the 12 places outside of the Green Belt places would mean each place accommodating an additional 108 dwellings within the plan period. This number of dwellings may not be suitable for the smaller settlements. This Option could also lead to highly unsustainable patterns of development.

3.15 feel that is more appropriate to explore places both inside and outside of the Green Belt and urge the Council to consider the most sustainable places. The Council has conceded that it cannot currently demonstrate a Five Year Supply of Housing Land. It is therefore imperative that the Council looks to allocate further sites for residential development that can be delivered in the short term. This will prevent a recurrence of the Council’s current land position.

3.16 Olveston was considered as a strategic development location in the JSP but was found unsuitable due to constraints surrounding the settlement accommodating development of this scale. Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston is available for development now and is non-strategic in scale. Smaller scale development of circa 20 – 30 homes on this site would not conflict with these constraints. It could significantly help the Council in reaching its future housing requirement by 2036, but crucially in the short term.

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

4.0 THE PROPOSED SITE

The proposed site, outlined in red on the enclose site location plan at Appendix 1, is located in between Aust Road and Elberton Road to the northern edge of Olveston. The site covers approximately 1.82 hectares and currently comprises agricultural land.

The site is outside of the Olveston settlement boundary and within the Green Belt. For the avoidance of doubt, the site is not within the Olveston Conservation Area.

The site is bounded to the north by a residential property and Olveston Nursery, as well as an area of trees/ vegetation. To the east it is bounded by Elberton Road, on the opposite side of Elberton Road there is a ribbon of terraced houses. Access in to the site is currently via a field gate from Aust Road to the west.

The following parts of this section looks at the constraints and opportunities associated with Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road.

Constraints By considering the potential site constraints and opportunities below, we are able to highlight how development in this location would be achieved. A Constraints Map is provided in Appendix 2. The site is affected by the following constraints:

 Located within Green Belt (see Chapter 5);  Located outside of the Olveston settlement boundary;  The site is within Flood Zone 1;  The site is not within the Olveston Conservation Area;  The site is not crossed by any Public Rights of Way (PRoWs).

Opportunities The site presents the following opportunities:

 The site is well-contained and will deliver market housing and Affordable Housing in the short-term;  The site has sufficient capacity to provide additional car parking for the nearby Primary School, which currently suffers from with congestion in pick up drop off time.

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

 The site has sufficient capacity to provide an extension to the cemetery, which is nearing capacity.  A village gateway could be created adjacent the western boundary of the site at Aust Road, providing a sense of arrival and lowering vehicle speeds.

Olveston Parish Housing Needs Survey (2016) During November and December 2015, the Strategic Housing Enabling Team of South Gloucestershire Council, on behalf of and in conjunction with Olveston Parish Council, undertook an independent affordable housing needs survey for Olveston Parish. Olveston Parish includes the settlements of , , Awkley, Lower Hazel and .

The purpose of this housing needs survey was to identify the level and type of affordable housing required for those households that are in housing need or in housing that no longer meets their requirements within Olveston Parish within the next five years (from the date of the survey).

In November 2015 questionnaires were delivered to all households in Olveston Parish and responses were received, which is considered by the Council to be a relatively high response rate at 52%

Although the primary aim of a housing needs survey is to establish if there is a need for affordable housing, the Parish Council also asked that a number of questions be included in the questionnaires to gain information on all types of housing demand in their Parish, such as a need for starter homes, need for properties to downsize to and respondents’ preferences for the type of new housing development.

When asked whether they would be in favour of the development of the following types of homes, the response was as follows:

 48.6% responses) would be in favour of building a number of homes for local people who wish to down size.  45.0% responses) would be in favour of building a number of starter homes if there was a demand.  46.4% responses) would be in favour of building affordable homes for local people if there is a proven need.

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

At Question 19, when asked whether they would support the development of brownfield, infill or rural exception sites, the most popular option was the development of brownfield sites with 58% of respondents replying yes. 54.5% responded yes to the development of infill sites and 23.2% supported the development of rural exception sites.

In total, respondents stated that they wished to move in the five years from the date of the survey. The Survey Report concluded that of these households would require affordable housing, of which could afford to purchase a shared ownership property or starter home.

There is therefore evidence to demonstrate there is an unmet need for affordable housing for households with a local connection to Olveston Parish.

Land between Aust Road and Olveston Road could help the Parish in meeting this unmet need with a proportion of affordable dwellings included as part of the development.

Community Benefits

The site is capable of providing wider benefits to Olveston Parish who have expressed a need to identify land to deliver a car park for Olveston Church of England Primary School, as it experiences issues with congestion during pick-up and drop-off time. We envisage this to be best located on the highest part of the site (eastern part) adjacent Olveston Road. The School is located approximately 80 metres to the south of the site, car parking would be linked via an existing pavement along Elberton Road will provide a safe and short walking route to the school. Parking would also be beneficial for Church visitors and users of Village facilities when not being used by the school and would also include landscape enhancement.

In addition, the Parish have also expressed the need for an extension to the cemetery at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin as the cemetery is reaching capacity. The current cemetery is surrounded on all sides by development so there are no sites available adjacent to it. The site promoted in these representations is sufficient to provide land for a Church cemetery expansion.

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

5.0 SITE SUITABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

5.1 Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road covers an area of 1.82 hectares and has the potential to deliver around 20-30 new homes (depending on the detailed master- planning), cemetery expansion and school parking. The site is just to the north of the Olveston settlement boundary and within the Green Belt and currently comprises agricultural land.

Green Belt 5.2 Olveston is a location identified to be investigated for suitability to deliver non-strategic growth in the HELAA (Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment) Proposed Methodology. The Villages is awash with Green Belt so any new housing in or around the village would have to be within Green Belt.

5.3 Paragraph 80 of the NPPF states that the Green Belt serves five purposes:

 to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;  to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another;  to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;  to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and  to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.

5.4 Within the JSP Stage 1 Greenbelt Assessment produced in 2015, Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road falls within Cell 9 – Tockington/ Olveston. Cell 9 is described as:

“Comprises open, agricultural which includes the villages of Olveston, Elberton and Littleton-on-Severn. The Green Belt land in this cell assists in defining Thornbury, Olveston and Tockington as separate settlements. The Green Belt in this cell directly serves purposes 2, 3 and 5.”

5.5 As part of the JSP, a Green Belt Assessment Stage 2 was undertaken in 2016. Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston is contained within Cell 9b and the Council’s assessment of this Cell is included overleaf:

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

9b 47ha Green Belt Purpose 2, 3 and 5 Contribution to Purpose 1 - Not applicable Contribution to Purpose 2 Limited Contribution Located to the north of Olveston, this cell is not considered to have a direct role in preventing merger of settlements along the North Fringe, and Thornbury corridor.

Contribution to Purpose 3 Contribution Green Belt and countryside in this location are well connected to wider Green Belt visually and physically. There are limited urbanising features within this area of Green Belt.

Contribution to Purpose 4 - Not applicable Overall contribution Contribution Green Belt is largely open and connected to wider Green Belt and countryside.

5.6 The Council assess all of the cells surrounding Olveston overall as making a contribution to the Green Belt. With regards to Purpose 3, almost any area of undeveloped countryside within the Green Belt can be said to contribute to Green Belt Purpose 3 in at least a limited way. The site however, is well-contained as it is bounded on several sides by road infrastructure, residential, allotments and the nurseries. As such, it is believed to be capable of development without detriment or harm to the function of the Green Belt or to the rest of Cell 9b

5.7 In summary, the site is located within a parcel of the Green Belt which is well defined and enclosed by several significant physical barriers which detaches it from the wider countryside. In terms of the purposes of Green Belt it is considered by and backed up by the JSP Green Belt Review and this evidence that the site does not form a significant part of the Green Belt compared to other area being considered for non-strategic level growth. As a location performing limited function in a sustainable location, the site must be worthy of careful consideration by the Council.

Sustainability 5.8 The sustainability of Olveston has been assessed in the Sustainable Access Profiles produced by the Council in February 2018 as part of the SGLP process. Olveston benefits from the following services and facilities within the suitable walking and cycling catchments as specified by the Council in the Sustainable Access Profiles:

 1 Primary School;  1 Community Centre;

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

 1 post office;  1 pub;  2 local convenience stores;  1 Church.  Bakery  Butcher  Meeting Hall  Garage/vehicle repair

5.9 The map below is taken from the Olveston Sustainable Access Profile and demonstrates that the site is within 800m walking and cycling distance from all of the services and facilities listed above.

Figure 1: Map Showing Distance to Services and Facilities: South Gloucestershire Council’s Sustainable Access Profile for Olveston (February 2018)

5.10 It does not benefit from any health facilities, a Secondary School or major employers within the required walking and cycling catchment areas. However, the Sustainable Access Profile states that there is considered to be public transport with suitably frequent

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

and timed connections to Thornbury on weekdays and weekends and also Cribbs Causeway at the weekend. This facilitates sustainable access to key services and facilities lacking in Olveston itself.

5.11 It is therefore felt that it is suitable to deliver residential development and can make a significant contribution to boosting housing supply in South Gloucestershire.

Transport and Access 5.12 The proposed site is currently accessed from the west via Aust Road. Aust Road becomes The Street just to the south of the allotments, which is the main road through Olveston village. In terms of sustainable means of transport, the bus stops are located approximately an 8 minute walk from the site, to the southern end of the village.

5.13 The Olveston Sustainable Access Profile also assessed the public transport services from Olveston to surrounding key destinations. The times below are taken from the Stagecoach website. The No.622 bus has at least one bus arriving before 9am and returning after 5pm on weekdays:

 To Thornbury: (13 minutes).  To Alveston (5 minutes).  To Cribbs Causeway (24 minutes)  To Yate (46 minutes)  To Chipping Sodbury (58 minutes)

5.14 On Saturdays the No.622 provides the following bus services from Olveston and has at least one bus arriving before midday and returning after 3pm:

 To Thornbury: (11 minutes)  To Alveston (5 minutes)  To Cribbs Causeway (24 minutes).  To Yate (46 minutes).  To Chipping Sodbury (58 minutes)

5.15 The No.411 bus also provides a service from Olveston to the Marlwood School in Alveston and the Castle School and Castle Upper School in Thornbury, once in the morning and returning in the afternoon in line with the school day.

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

5.16 The site is within walking and cycling distance of a limited number of services and facilities. The existing public transport network from Olveston provides frequent bus services to key destinations within the wider area.

Site Availability 5.17 The land is in ownership. The site is immediately available and no land off-site will need to be acquired to develop the site. There are also no current uses which would need to be relocated.

Site Achievability 5.18 The site is an undeveloped green field site and there are no known abnormal development costs associated with the development of the site.

5.19 The site is sufficient to make an important local contribution to the required housing provision of around 20-30 new homes (depending on the detailed master-planning).

Site Deliverability 5.20 In terms of developability and deliverability there are also no known constraints which would prevent this site from being delivered within the next five to ten-years.

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A5103P – Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston – April 2018 South Gloucestershire Local Plan 2018-2036 Consultation Document Response

6.0 CONCLUSION

6.1 This consultation response has set out to highlight that whilst is generally supportive of the delivery of the SGLP they have concerns over key components of the spatial strategy and therefore question the overall soundness of this approach. This leads to concern that the SGLP will fail to deliver the required housing figures as detailed in the JSP in the most sustainable way.

6.2 In terms of non-strategic growth, support the inclusion of both Green Belt and non-Green Belt places in the Council’s assessment. It is felt that the Council should utilise the current Green Belt Assessment evidence and undertake further Green Belt assessment to identify further appropriate Green Belt releases adjacent to the more sustainable locations in the authority.

6.3 Land between Aust Road and Elberton Road, Olveston is sustainably located just to the north of the village. Whilst the land is currently designated as Green Belt, it has been demonstrated that it actually provides a relatively limited contribution to the existing Green Belt purposes and could be developed without detriment to the Green Belt as a whole and the rest of Green Belt parcel 9b.

6.4 In order to meet the housing numbers required, specifically the emerging targets set for non-strategic scale sites, and offer further flexibility in terms of delivery, would suggest sustainable sites such as this should be allocated through the SGLP. The development of this site would act as a natural extension to the existing settlement without damaging the integrity of the wider landscape character

6.5 The site is currently underutilised and based on this sites sustainable location and ability to potentially deliver wider community benefits for the Parish as discussed in Chapter 5. Development would also sustain the vitality of the existing village facilities and school, it is felt this site should be considered suitable for a housing allocation in the SGLP.

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