Maidstone Garden Communities Deliverability and Viability Assessment FINAL DRAFT On behalf of Maidstone Borough Council Project Ref: 48561/001 | Rev: A | Date: August 2020 Registered Office: Buckingham Court Kingsmead Business Park, London Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11 1JU Office Address: 33 Bowling Green Lane, London, EC1R 0BJ T: +44 (0)203 824 6600 E: [email protected] Deliverability and Viability Assessment Maidstone Garden Communities Document Control Sheet Project Name: Maidstone Garden Village Assessment Project Ref: 48561 Report Title: Deliverability and Viability Assessment Doc Ref: B Date: August 2020 Name Position Signature Date Prepared by: Jo Lee Senior Associate Reviewed by: Richard Pestell Director Approved by: For and on behalf of Stantec UK Limited Revision Date Description Prepared Reviewed Approved A 04.08.20 DRAFT JL RP B 18.08.20 Final Draft This report has been prepared by Stantec UK Limited (‘Stantec’) on behalf of its client to whom this report is addressed (‘Client’) in connection with the project described in this report and takes into account the Client's particular instructions and requirements. This report was prepared in accordance with the professional services appointment under which Stantec was appointed by its Client. This report is not intended for and should not be relied on by any third party (i.e. parties other than the Client). Stantec accepts no duty or responsibility (including in negligence) to any party other than the Client and disclaims all liability of any nature whatsoever to any such party in respect of this report. Q:\LOCAL PLAN REVIEW\Preferred Approaches Reg 18(b)\Appendices Evidence base update report Sep 2020\Garden Settlements Phase 1 and 2\Stage 2 Garden Communities report v9 JL.docx ii Deliverability and Viability Assessment Maidstone Garden Communities Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Approach ....................................................................................................................... 1 2 Method .......................................................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Process .......................................................................................................................... 2 2.2 Deliverability Assessment ............................................................................................. 2 2.3 Viability Assessment...................................................................................................... 5 2.4 Structure of the report ................................................................................................... 5 3 Lidsing / North of M2................................................................................................................... 6 3.2 Deliverability Assessment ............................................................................................. 6 3.3 Employment ................................................................................................................... 6 3.4 Transport ....................................................................................................................... 7 3.5 Infrastructure ................................................................................................................. 9 3.6 Placemaking and governance ..................................................................................... 11 4 Heathlands ................................................................................................................................. 15 4.2 Deliverability Assessment ........................................................................................... 15 4.3 Employment ................................................................................................................. 15 4.4 Transport ..................................................................................................................... 16 4.5 Infrastructure ............................................................................................................... 18 4.6 Placemaking and governance ..................................................................................... 21 5 North of Marden ......................................................................................................................... 25 5.1 Deliverability Assessment ........................................................................................... 25 5.2 Employment ................................................................................................................. 25 5.3 Transport ..................................................................................................................... 26 5.4 Infrastructure ............................................................................................................... 28 5.5 Placemaking and governance ..................................................................................... 34 6 Viability Assessment ................................................................................................................ 37 6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 37 6.2 Land value ................................................................................................................... 38 6.3 Costs ........................................................................................................................... 38 6.4 Affordable housing and housing mix ........................................................................... 39 6.5 Headline findings ......................................................................................................... 39 6.6 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 40 7 Conclusions & Recommendations for the Draft Plan ........................................................... 42 7.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 42 7.2 Leeds Langley ............................................................... 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Bookmark not defined. 7.3 Heathlands .................................................................................................................. 42 7.4 Land North of Marden ................................................................................................. 46 7.5 Land North of Lidsing .................................................................................................. 49 Q:\LOCAL PLAN REVIEW\Preferred Approaches Reg 18(b)\Appendices Evidence base update report Sep 2020\Garden Settlements Phase 1 and 2\Stage 2 Garden Communities report v9 JL.docx iii Deliverability and Viability Assessment Maidstone Garden Communities 7.6 Recommendations....................................................................................................... 52 Appendices Appendix A Method Statements and Questions Appendix B Viability Report (Aspinall Verdi) Q:\LOCAL PLAN REVIEW\Preferred Approaches Reg 18(b)\Appendices Evidence base update report Sep 2020\Garden Settlements Phase 1 and 2\Stage 2 Garden Communities report v9 JL.docx iv Deliverability and Viability Assessment Maidstone Garden Communities Q:\LOCAL PLAN REVIEW\Preferred Approaches Reg 18(b)\Appendices Evidence base update report Sep 2020\Garden Settlements Phase 1 and 2\Stage 2 Garden Communities report v9 JL.docx v 1 Introduction 1.1 Approach 1.1.1 Stantec, formerly Peter Brett Associates, has been commissioned by Maidstone Borough Council (‘the Council’) to assess the deliverability and viability of garden community-scale proposals (i.e. over 1,500 homes), that have proceeded through the Stage 1 Garden Communities assessment. This report follows on from the Suitability Assessment that was undertaken by Stantec in April 2020. Because of the importance of testing the proposals, and the Council’s involvement in promoting one, we are asked to independently review the submissions and draw conclusions based on the technical evidence provided to us and supplemented by promoters in response to our detailed questions. 1.1.2 The report provides an independent view and high-level qualitative assessment of the proposals and their likely deliverability. Where possible a quantitative assessment has been undertaken to measure what is being provided against what is required, as set out in national and local garden communities guidance. Cost information has been sought to enable a high- level viability assessment to identify whether the proposals are likely to be able to pay for everything required to fulfil Garden Community principles and specifically ensure that any abnormal costs are included within the financial modelling. The aim is to identify the key issues and risks and which proposals represent a deliverable and viable scheme that could be progressed for consideration in the Local Plan. This report will consider whether there is enough information provided and whether there are any ‘showstoppers’ that mean it may not be appropriate to take forward the sites, as potential garden community-scale proposals, at the current time. 1.1.3 This high-level review does not score, or directly compare the proposals but rather identifies