Site Allocations
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Development Strategy and site allocations consultation Cabinet, 20 December 2011, item 3 appendix 1 Public Participation on Development Plan Document Development Strategy & Site Allocations January 2012 The Council would like your comments on the issues raised in this document. Please answer the questions in each section of the document. How Can I Make My Comments? You can make your comments in the following ways: On Line Please make your comments on-line. This is the most efficient way for the Council to deal with your representation – it speeds up the process of registering and considering your comments and makes sure that what you say is captured in full. To register on the online system please go to or go to the Uttlesford website at www.uttlesford.gov.uk and follow the links. By E-Mail or Letter If you would prefer to send a letter please make sure that you say which part of the document you are making comments on, whether you are objecting to or supporting that part of the plan, the reasons for your objection or support and the changes you would like to see. The letter should be e-mailed to [email protected] or sent to the following address Planning Policy Team Uttlesford District Council Council Offices London Road Saffron Walden Essex CB11 4ER However you choose to make your comments they must be received by Monday 5 March 2012 If you have any questions please phone the Planning Policy Team on 01799 510461, 01799 510454 or 01799 510637 If you require this document in other language or in large print, Braille or other alternative format please contact 01799 510510 Page 1 Item 3 appendix 1 / page 1 Development Strategy and site allocations consultation Cabinet, 20 December 2011, item 3 appendix 1 1. Introduction The Uttlesford Local Plan 2005 is used to decide planning applications for development in Uttlesford. This plan is being replaced by a new style local plan which will be made up of three key elements: • The Core Strategy Long term vision and objectives for the District and includes strategic policies to steer and shape development. • Development Management Policies Detailed policies which the Council will use to determine planning applications. These policies will help to deliver the vision for the District. • Site Allocations Sites needed to deliver the plan for the District. A policy will explain how the development will take place and identify requirements to be met. The sites will be shown on a map. The District Council has already done a lot of work on the Core Strategy. The last consultation stage was Further Consultation on Preferred Options in February 2010 (all the material associated with the work on the Core Strategy is available on the Council’s website at www.uttlesford.gov.uk) The Council consulted on a plan which was based on the Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England (known as the East of England Plan); May 2008. This required in the order of 10,000 new homes to be built between 2001 and 2026. Taking into account the number of houses built since 2001 and also those given planning permission but still to be built, the Council needed to identify sites for 4000 new homes. In 2007, supplemented by the further consultation in 2010, the Council consulted on 4 options 1. Development to be split between Saffron Walden, Great Dunmow and Stansted Mountfitchet. 2. Development located over a hierarchy of settlements from the towns to the villages 3. Development located over a hierarchy of settlements from the towns to the villages but with significant development at Elsenham as the start of a new settlement. 4. Development of a new settlement to the north east of Elsenham with limited development in the towns and villages. The Council’s preferred strategy for delivering the housing growth needed in the District was Option 4 - a new settlement between Elsenham and Henham. Page 2 Item 3 appendix 1 / page 2 Development Strategy and site allocations consultation Cabinet, 20 December 2011, item 3 appendix 1 2. What’s happening now? The intention was to adopt the Core Strategy first and then the other two documents would be prepared together afterwards. Due to changes at national level and the fact that the Council has decided to review its housing targets the timetable has been amended. The Council is working on all parts of the document at the same time. The timetable (Local Development Scheme) for the preparation of all the documents is available on the Councils website. The key stages are set out below. Pre Public Publication Submission Examination Adoption Submission Participation And Pre To Sec of Consultation On Submission State on Issues and Preferred Consultation Options Options Core Strategy Development Jan/Feb June/July Oct/Nov March Management 2012 June 2013 Nov 2013 2012 2012 2013 Policies Site Allocations Jan/Feb Policies 2012 3. What is this consultation about? • To propose a strategy for development and the roles of the towns, key villages and other smaller villages. • To look at available sites for development and find out if there are any other available sites • To find out if any minor changes to Development Limits need to be made. • To identify sites for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Show-people. Page 3 Item 3 appendix 1 / page 3 Development Strategy and site allocations consultation Cabinet, 20 December 2011, item 3 appendix 1 4. A strategy for development This section asks for your views on a proposed strategy which distributes development over a number of settlements with most development in the two main towns and key villages. Small scale development in other settlements may also be considered suitable. In proposing this strategy the Council has looked at a number of changes which have taken place at national and local level; the response to past consultation; and the role of settlements of different sizes in the District. Since the end of the last public consultation in April 2010 there have been a number of changes to consider. 1. The Coalition Government has passed the Localism Act which will enable the East of England Plan to be withdrawn giving the Council responsibility for setting housing and employment growth targets. 2. The Environment Committee on 7 September 2010 resolved to review the scale and location of housing growth appropriate for Uttlesford. 3. In May 2011 a legal decision was issued which said that until the Regional Plans had been fully withdrawn it would be illegal for the Council to proceed with a Core Strategy which was not based on East of England Plan figures. 4. The Council, working with other Districts in Essex and adjoining Counties, have commissioned consultants to prepare a range of population, household and labour force forecasts to support its plan preparation. 5. In July 2011 the Government published its Draft National Planning Policy Framework which proposes a presumption in favour of sustainable development. Local plans need to be in place as soon as practical because in the absence of an up-to-date and consistent plan, Government Guidance is that planning applications should be determined in accord with the National Framework, including its presumption in favour of sustainable development. 6. The increasing housing need in the District is because people are living and working longer which reduces the turn over of housing stock for new home owners. Uttlesford benefits from being an attractive place to live and there is therefore competition for houses which in the long run pushes the prices up beyond the reach of many younger people. The Council is required to provide sufficient houses to meet the identified need which includes migration. About 74% of the growth in population is estimated to come from people moving into the District from elsewhere in Britain, with 13% through natural change (i.e. births and deaths) and 13% from international migration. Furthermore the size of households is getting smaller with significant increases in single person households and couples with no children. This increases pressure for additional homes. Building houses in the District will increase the supply of housing to help meet the future demand and ensures the provision of affordable houses. These changes give the Council an opportunity to review its strategy. Page 4 Item 3 appendix 1 / page 4 Development Strategy and site allocations consultation Cabinet, 20 December 2011, item 3 appendix 1 In considering a development strategy for the District, the Council is taking into account the response to past consultation; and the role of settlements of different sizes in the District. Response to past consultations The common response to previous consultations is clear: a preference towards housing being dispersed across the District. In April 2006 one of the actions, proposals and policies which had consensus of the participants was that Key villages should absorb some new housing to secure additional facilities. In June 2006 most people preferred sites for new homes to be found in larger villages which have access to shop(s), school and railway station, and within Saffron Walden, Great Dunmow and Stansted Mountfitchet. In January 2007 most people favoured development distributed over a range of settlements. In November 2007 when the 4 options were consulted on, each option found support and opposition. The February 2010 consultation on the preferred Option 4 attracted considerable opposition. Residents and service providers were generally concerned about its deliverability in terms of the amount of infrastructure required, its sustainability and the environmental impact. It was considered that the proposal was of insufficient size to make services and facilities viable leading to an increase in journeys to nearby towns using an inadequate road network.