Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy: Examination (Resumed Hearings)
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Cheshire East Local Plan Strategy: Examination (Resumed Hearings) Supplementary Statement submitted on behalf of BDW Trading Limited (Representor Number: 750734) in relation to Matter 5: Urban Potential and Site- Selection Methodology St James Park, Wilmslow (formerly known as Land at Little Stanneylands) September 2015 Does the assessment of Urban Potential and Site Selection Methodology fully consider the potential for development within and around the existing towns and settlements in Cheshire East, including development of smaller sites within the built-up area or on the fringes of settlements in the north of the area and the balance between brownfield and greenfield sites, and provide an appropriate, consistent, objective, justified and effective approach to the selection of sites, in line with national guidance and fully addressing the Inspector’s concerns in his Interim Views, particularly in terms of: a) Urban Potential Study 1. BDW Trading Limited (BDW) would raise the following general points in relation to the robustness of the Urban Potential Study: • The study has applied a density of 30dph across all sites, ‘unless [there is] a clear reason to deviate from this’. It is not clear whether this is a gross or net density. It would appear somewhat overly simplistic to apply a 30dph density across all sites without considering the gross to net ratio, even on a standardised basis. • This study is entirely separate from the SHLAA and does not follow accepted SHLAA methodology. Crucially it does not include any specific consideration of deliverability, and particularly viability. 2. BDW would note that even with these concerns, the potential for new housing sites within the built-up area of Wilmslow is very low. This position is consistent with BDW previously representations, insofar that Wilmslow’s housing needs can only be met through suitable and appropriate Green Belt release around their periphery. 3. With regard to the assessment of edge of settlement potential, BDW has no particular concern with the overall approach and method. However they do wish to make the following comments in relation to the assumptions and conclusions made in relation to the development potential of specific sites around Wilmslow: 4. BDW welcomes the conclusion that the St James Park site (formally known as Land at Little Stanneylands) (Sub: 2846) is suitable for further consideration in the LPS as a potential strategic housing site. However, the UPS has not considered the most up to date Vision document for the St James Park site (attached at Appendix 1 for completeness). This was submitted to Adrian Fisher at Cheshire East Council on the 10th July 2015 and BDW would be grateful if this evidence could be taken into account as it provides the most up-to-date position. 5. This vision document provides further evidence to demonstrate that the St James Park site is available, suitable, and achievable; and merits further consideration for allocation in the LPS as a strategic housing site. BDW requests that the Inspector notes the vision document and the following key points. • Vehicular access to the site will be achieved from Stanneylands Road. The new road alignment will deliver notable highway safety enhancements by providing a safe pedestrian footpath and removing a dangerous pinch point. • The scheme can deliver up to 250 new homes, whilst protecting important landscape and topographical features. • The site can be developed without building on areas that are at risk of flooding. • The site can facilitate the delivery of new areas of public open space, as well as opening up new pedestrian linkages between the site and Handforth. • The site is under sole ownership and the viability of the development has been tested by David Wilson Homes. If the site is allocated, a housing development will be pursued in a timely manner 1.1 BDW is concerned about the robustness of the assessment of the following sites; that were identified in the UPS as being suitable for further consideration in the LPS as a potential strategic housing sites: • Land at Prestbury Road (Sub: 1066) - No technical studies have been undertaken to assess the suitability of this site for residential development. Further, a landscape assessment of the sites around Wilmslow (commissioned by BDW) has indicated that there are potential adverse landscape effects on this site as a result of the loss of woodland and the allotment, as well as the effect on the distinctive rolling landform to the south of the site. The absence of any technical work means that the suitability of the site is unknown and further work is required. • Land at Upcast Land (Sub: 2595)- While some masterplanning and technical work has undertaken in relation to development on this site, the UPS fails to identify that development on this site would extend the built form into the Lindow Moss character area - a rare landscape type within Cheshire. The loss of a rare landscape character type is an important consideration and one that must be considered when assessing whether a site is suitable for development. The silence of the UPS in respect to this constraint is a shortcoming of the evidence and is an influence on whether the site is suitable for development. b) Site Selection Methodology 6. BDW has no concerns in principle with the Site Selection Methodology. It is how this applied that will require scrutiny. BDW reserves its position in this regard. 7. BDW notes the importance of thorough public consultation with Parish Councils and local residents. The location of additional strategic and non-strategic housing allocations should be informed by this consultation. Turley Office 1 New York Street Manchester M1 4HD T 0161 233 7676 Site Advocacy Summary Document St James Park, Wilmslow prepared on behalf of David Wilson Homes S t a n n e y l a n d s R o a d R i v e r July 2015 D e a n V a l e Carlton Drive l y D r i v e Manchester Road CONTENTS 1. Introduction 04 2. The need 06 3. The opportunity 08 4. The proposition 10 5. Conclusion 19 Contact: Sam Ryan Director Disclaimer [email protected] This drawing/document is for illustrative Office Address: purposes only and should not be used for 1 New York Street any construction or estimation purposes. Do not scale drawings. No liability or Manchester M1 4HD responsibility is accepted arising from Telephone: reliance upon the information contained in 0161 233 7676 this drawing/document. Copyright Date of issue: All drawings are Crown Copyright 2012. All July 2015 rights reserved. Licence number 100020449. 2 3 Introduction 01 1.1 This document presents the opportunity to allocate land off Manchester M62 M60 1 M60 5 Manchester Road in Wilmslow k m (the Site) for residential A56 10 k m development to meet the needWarrington Stockport A6 5 Altrincham k for housing identified by the M6 M56 m council as part of the emerging A556 A34 Cheshire East Local Plan. Wilmslow 1.2 The site, St James Park, lies on the north western edge of Wilmslow, abutting existing development on two sides and is enclosed by trees and Knutsford Peak hedges on its other boundaries. A537 District 1.3 The St James Park development proposal envisages the provision of Northwich Macclesfield up to 250 dwellings as a modest expansion of the town. The development would provide public access on to Manchester Road and to the River Dean, which would be retained and enhanced in the long-term as a green corridor separating Wilmslow and Handforth. M6 A34 1.4 The land is under option to David Wilson Homes (DWH), part of Barratt Developments PLC, the UK’s largest house builder. In 2014 DWH delivered A54 over 540 new homes in the North West creating 1900 jobs and injecting Winsford £7.7m additional expenditure in local shops and services. Congleton Strategic context plan 4 Sandbach Scope 1.5 This document articulates: • The need – a broad summary of the strategic drivers for new housing in Cheshire East and Wilmslow • The opportunity - an appreciation of the potential to grow Wilmslow through expansion of the town in sustainable locations • The proposition – the place-making opportunities presented by the St James development, taking account of site-specific opportunities and constraints. Stanneylands Hotel Wilmslow Garden Centre Little Stanneylands Aerial photograph of site 5 The need 02 2.1 There is a national shortage of new homes in England. National planning policy seeks to readdress this by significantly boosting the supply of housing. 2.2 The Examination of the submitted Cheshire East Core Strategy was suspended in November 2014 when the Inspector wrote to the council expressing concerns regarding the (low) housing requirement and distribution of sites across the borough. 2.3 Subsequent research1 carried out on behalf of the Council now acknowledges a need for the emerging local plan to address a higher housing need and allocate more sites for housing, with a particular focus on sites in the northern towns and villages. This will inevitably require some release of land from the Green Belt. “We’ve always tried not to develop on the Green Belt and when you have towns that are surrounded by nothing but the greenbelt you have to look at Brownfield sites first and we’ve done that. If we are going to build on the Green Belt we will do it in a sustainable way. I think we can say that there will not be a massive incursion on the Green Belt. But we will have to build on the Green Belt because there is only Green Belt in the north of the borough”2 1 Cheshire East Housing Development Strategy 2015 2 Cllr Mike Jones speaking at the Full Council meeting of Cheshire East Council, 27 May 2015 6 2.4 The council’s evidence indicates a requirement of 36,000 new dwellings • There will be reduced demand for schools and services for children over the 20-year plan period; that is an increase of 9,000 houses from the and families, potentially resulting in their closure, while at the same time submitted plan.