Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2068 (REDACTED) Representation to Emerging Chiltern & South Bucks Local Plan Land North of Botley Road, Botley, Bucks HP5 1XN GRE Group November 2016 Submission to: Emerging Chiltern and South Buckinghamshire Local Plan 1 Page 1 of 24 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2068 (REDACTED) CONTENTS 1.0 Chiltern & South Bucks Local Plan (2014-2036) – Representation to 3 the Green Belt Preferred Options Consultation 2.0 Introduction of the Site 3 3.0 Planning Policy Context of the Site 5 4.0 Identification of Development Needs & Potential Land Supply 7 Development Needs & Market Areas Land Availability for Future Development 5.0 Spatial Strategy Options for Chiltern & South Bucks District Councils 9 The Councils’ Strategic Approach Spatial Strategy & Assessment of Options 6.0 Evidence Base 12 Residential Development Needs and Opportunity in Botley Housing & Economic Land Availability Assessment 7.0 BAE/Infill Development Options & Green Belt Assessment in Botley 15 8.0 Conclusions 17 Appendices 19-24 2 Page 2 of 24 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2068 (REDACTED) 1.0 Chiltern & South Bucks Local Plan (2014-2036) – Representation to the Green Belt Preferred Options Consultation 1.1 The GRE Group have compiled this document in order represent it to the Green Belt Preferred Options Consultation for the emerging Chiltern and South Bucks District Council’s Local Plan. There have been no previous representations made for this site, and therefore it will be assessed in accordance with the (Regulation 18) Issues and Options Consultation, and the Green Belt Preferred Options Consultation. Between 19th January and 14th March 2016, Chiltern and South Bucks District Councils carried out an Initial (Regulation 18) Consultation Incorporating Issues and Options. Various comments were received and taken into consideration by both Councils, and as a result, this has assisted in the compilation of this subsequent Green Belt Preferred Options Consultation. 1.2 The land in question will be introduced in the following section, which will include a brief overview of its location, surroundings and development potential. After this, principal points of this representation are discussed, including an introduction to the current planning policy context in Chiltern and South Bucks and comments on the Development Needs and Opportunities, and the Spatial Strategy Options set out in the consultation document. 1.3 In light of the overall discussion the conclusion is therefore drawn that the land in question is suitable for allocation for residential development and should form part of an infilling of Green Belt land, as part of an extension of Botley. 2.0 Introduction of the Site A satellite image to show the approximate area of the site in question – boundary outlined in red. 3 Page 3 of 24 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2068 (REDACTED) 2.1 This site is approximately 17.3 hectares (42.8 acres) and is located north of Botley Road within the hamlet: Botley, and currently comprises agricultural land, with a few rows of houses off Botley Road on the southern border of the site. A border of trees and vegetation separates the site with other surrounding fields. The site does not fall within, and is not near any Flood Risk Zones associated with the River Chess, as established by the Environment Agency. 2.2 The site is situated directly adjacent to a bus stop, which serves bus routes 71 and 73, allowing easy access to Little Chalfont, Old and New Amersham, Chesham Bois, Chesham, Ley Hill, Whelpley Hill, Coleshill, Penn Street and Winchmore Hill. Within Botley, there is the Hen and Chicken pub and Botley Stores. With the site’s proximity to Chesham train station (approximately 1.8km away), it enables the opportunity for easy access into central London, and the north-western suburbs via London Underground’s Metropolitan Line. The site is also approximately 1km away from Chesham Grammar School, Ley Hill School, Chesham and Ley Hill Golf Club and the two pubs in Ley Hill: The Crown and The Swan. Chesham town centre is approximately 1.8km away. 2.3 Botley is divided between Chesham and Latimer Parishes, and merges into the neighbouring village of Ley Hill. A satellite image to show the available land – edged blue, compared to the representation site – edged red 2.4 As can be seen from the above image, a vast majority of the site in question is already available. Additional sections of land to the north and west of the site are available, and can also be put forward for consideration by the Council. 4 Page 4 of 24 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2068 (REDACTED) 3.0 Planning Policy Context of the Site 3.1 Chiltern District Council and South Bucks District Councils have been preparing a Joint Local Plan for the plan period 2014-2036 (since November 2015) due to pressure from the Government to speed up the process of delivering new Local Plans. Between 19th January 2016 and 14th March 2016, both Councils undertook their Initial (Regulation 18) Consultation Incorporating Issues and Options for the Local Plan. Further to this, the Councils are undertaking their Green Belt Preferred Options Consultation, which ends on 12th December 2016. 3.2 Although there is no formal Call for Sites process for the emerging Local Plan, any nominations for land may be put forward in writing in order to be assessed amongst those that were submitted for the Call for Sites for the separate Councils, before the decision was made to create a Joint Local Plan. 3.3 This report will use the evidence base that has been supporting Chiltern District Council with their process of compiling their new Local Plan: . Buckinghamshire Housing and Economic Development Needs Assessment (HEDNA) Report of Findings (October 2016). Draft Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (January 2016) (HELAA). Buckinghamshire Green Belt Assessment Part 1: Methodology and Assessment of Land Parcels. Chiltern and South Bucks Settlement Infrastructure Capacity Study: Report of Settlement Findings – Baseline Assessment (January 2016). Sustainability Appraisal of the Chiltern and South Bucks Local Plan Initial Consultation (Regulation 18) Incorporating Issues and Options: Reasonable Alternatives Report (January – March 2016). Chiltern and South Bucks Green Belt Preferred Options Consultation Document (October – December 2016). Chiltern and South Bucks Green Belt Assessment Part 2: Draft Report 3.4 As a result of this level of evidence, as shown in the Issues and Options and Regulation 18 stages, this document is able to consider what the perceived key issues are within Chiltern and South Bucks Districts. The Councils will need to address these issues, whilst also adjusting the strategies accordingly to account for pressures from national planning policy and the Duty to Co-operate 3.5 The Visions and Objectives on the emerging policy and its ‘Broad Findings’ from the Regulation 18 consultations of the separate Local Plans included: Chiltern: 1. General support of Core Strategy objectives. 2. Requested additional measures for protection of Green Belt and AONB. 3. ‘Improved design, enhancement of local character’. 4. HS2 (impact and opposition). 5 Page 5 of 24 Classification: OFFICIAL PORep2068 (REDACTED) South Bucks: 1. General support of Core Strategy objectives. 2. ‘Differing views for and against ‘maintaining the Green Belt’’.` 3. ‘Improved design reflecting local identity’. 4. Inclusion of SuDS and improved river corridors. 3.6 With the Regulation 18 Incorporating Issues and Options Consultation Document, suggestions for Built Area Extensions (BAEs) into the Green Belt were put forward. These were subject to further assessment, within the Preferred Options Document. Whilst assessing the BAE suggestions, it is vital to assess their value as part of the Green Belt, and also its value in terms of heritage and historical features, landscape features, and most importantly, its impact on Chiltern’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The NPPF puts forward that AONBs should be given the highest amount of protection (for its scenic landscape value and the conservation of wildlife and cultural heritage). 3.7 Although potential BAEs have been put forward by the Issues and Options document and the later Preferred Options document, it is still important to assess other options, such as the release of smaller areas of the Green Belt, like the site in which this report relates. It is later demonstrated in this report that the site in question puts forward a more beneficial alternative than the BAE option for Chesham. 3.8 More recently, Chiltern and South Bucks’ Green Belt Preferred Options document outlines that the key issues that the Councils need to address are: The level of development that should be planned for, taking account of overall development opportunities, policy and environmental constraints, deliverability and the scope to secure sustainable development within the Local Plan area and wider sub-regional context A review of the Green Belt and whether land could in principle be removed from the Green Belt to help contribute to meeting development needs, namely whether exceptional circumstances exist for a Green Belt change and whether or not a change will significantly harm the purposes of including land in the Green Belt A Green Belt Development Options Appraisal taking into account the Green Belt Assessment to-date, other on-going technical work such as Sustainability Appraisal, infrastructure needs, impact on the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and other information such as relevant consultation responses at Issues and Options and additional information provided by those promoting site options Infrastructure requirements necessary to support the level of planned development Notwithstanding the fact that the updated HEDNA (September 2016) reduced the housing need very slightly from 15,100 to 14,700 dwellings, Chiltern and South Bucks District Councils cannot deliver a substantial proportion of this (5,800 dwellings –which is almost 40% of the total assessed need). This figure already encapsulates how the Councils are not preparing their Local Plan in order to deliver the Objectively Assessed Need.