PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS DOCUMENT IS CURRENTLY BEING REDRAFTED AND THEREFORE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE Stow on the Wold and Swell Neighbourhood Development Plan 2017-2031 DRAFT Revision 12 ©Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council and Swell Parish Council 2017 Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council and Swell Parish Council 2017 ©Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council and Swell Parish Council 2017 Stow-on-the-Wold and Swell Neighbourhood Development Plan 1 Foreword Welcome to the Stow-on-the-Wold and Swells preparation of the Plan and I look forward to Neighbourhood Development Plan. receiving the support of the community so that both councils can put the Plan into action. In this, the first Neighbourhood Development Plan for Stow-on-the-Wold and Swell Parish (“the Plan”), we have used the provisions in the Ben Eddolls new Localism Act to prepare a plan which Chairman should ensure the future of Stow-on-the-Wold Stow on the Wold Town Council and the Swells. The Localism Act seeks to shift power from central government into the hands of Jolyon Grey individuals, communities and councils, by giving Chairman them the right to shape their local areas Swell Parish Council through Neighbourhood Development Plans. It is vital therefore that for Stow-on-the-Wold and the Swells, we have a Plan which has the backing of the community to provide guidance when decisions are made about the future of our town and parish. This Plan builds on the Stow Community Strategic Plan which was approved by Stow Town Council in February 2011, the wide range of documents produced by Cotswold District Council in the preparation of the Cotswold Local Plan, the Cotswold District Plan 2011- 2031 (June 2016) which is in its final stages of approval, and other guidance covering the Plan area. The policies, projects and actions identified in the Plan should support and encourage a community where people can lead active and fulfilled lives in the place where they live and work. Stow Town Council and Swell Parish Council will ‘champion’ and provide support and encouragement for these policies. They will also monitor the Plan’s progress to make sure that the local community is kept informed. We should like to extend our sincere thanks to all those who have helped with the ©Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council and Swell Parish Council 2017 Stow-on-the-Wold and Swell Neighbourhood Development Plan 2 Acknowledgements Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council and Swell Parish Council would like to thank the following individuals and groups for their assistance in preparing the Neighbourhood Development Plan: To be completed by Stow TC and Swell PC ©Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council and Swell Parish Council 2017 Stow-on-the-Wold and Swell Neighbourhood Development Plan 3 Neighbourhood Development club • Additional sports and leisure facilities for Plan Summary young people, including an adventure playground, and skate/BMX Park Stow-on-the-Wold and Swell Neighbourhood • A town museum Development Plan will guide the development • More parking of the parishes of Stow-in-the-Wold and Swell • Better access to public transport from 2011 to 2031. It should be read together • A reduction in through traffic, especially with Cotswold District Council’s ‘Cotswold HGVs District Local Plan 2011-2031’ which covers the whole of Cotswold District. The Local Plan contains a wide range of policies which could Plan Goals have an impact on Stow and Swell parishes, but these are not repeated in the Neighbourhood In response to these concerns, the Plan has Development Plan. adopted 4 broad goals to ensure that: • The unique townscape and environment of The Neighbourhood Development Plan Stow and Swell parishes and the AONB are contains a Community Design Statement and conserved and enhanced the District Local Plan contains the Cotswold • The community has an adequate supply of Design Code, both of which will help guide the affordable housing to meet its needs design of new developments, and alterations • The town’s economy is secured and and extensions to existing buildings. Stow developed Town Council and Swell Parish Council will • The community has appropriate consult these two Design Guides when infrastructure in terms of health services, responding to planning applications in their community facilities, traffic, parking, public areas. transport, and its green infrastructure. What the Community told us Policies and proposals The Neighbourhood Development Plan has To help to achieve these goals, the Plan been the subject of lots of research, discussion contains polices and proposals in 4 areas - and consultation which identified key issues Environment, Housing, the Economy and which the local community wishes the Plan to Infrastructure. address: • Conserving and enhancing the unique Location Plans for each of the proposals are townscape and environment of Stow and contained in Appendix 2. Swell parishes and the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the AONB • The need for affordable housing for local Environment policies people • To be supported new developments will • Concern about the development of too need to: many assisted living/care units in the town • The need for the town’s economy to be - Conserve and enhance the unique maintained and developed character of the existing settlements and • A new medical centre the AONB environment • A leisure/community centre with a youth - Not adversely affect the character of ©Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council and Swell Parish Council 2017 Stow-on-the-Wold and Swell Neighbourhood Development Plan 4 Stow and Swell one time so that the fabric of the town has - Conform to the ‘Cotswold Design Code’ enough time to absorb the impact of new - Conform to the Stow and Swell housing developments and the increasing ‘Community Design Statement’ which is numbers of people living within its an integral part of the Neighbourhood boundaries Development Plan • Residential development proposals will only - Conform to the AONB, Conservation Area be supported where it can be demonstrated and Character Area Guidelines. that off-street parking provision is adequate • Development in the AONB outside the to meet likely future needs and complies settlement development boundaries will not with the Community Design Statement be supported • To be supported, development proposals • Developments proposed for the Plan area must demonstrate that they will make a will be rigorously tested against contribution towards the provision of environmental and design criteria. In order appropriate community infrastructure to do this, Stow and Swell Councils will set • Support will be given to development up an advisory group with suitable expertise, proposals that bring previously developed which will monitor the process by which land and existing buildings into use, developments are assessed, liaising with the provided the proposals conform to other District Council, and advising Stow Town environmental and design policies Council and Swell Parish Council on their • To ensure that the development of responses to planning applications as a additional care home accommodation for statutory consultee older people does not place an undue burden on the community’s resources or results in an unbalanced population, new Housing Policies care home provision for older people will only be supported where the developer can There are already permissions to develop 23 demonstrate clearly that the development houses for sale, 44 extra care dwellings, a 48 will provide accommodation for people place care home and 106 assisted living/extra already living in Stow and will not place an care units in Stow. additional burden on the local health and • The objectively assessed demand for at least social infrastructure. No such 27 affordable houses in Stow should be developments, other than truly affordable satisfied in a way that meets townscape and care housing for local older people will be AONB guidelines supported before 2031. • Any affordable housing created will be sold • The Plan proposes that the following sites or let through a Community Land Trust or will be developed for affordable housing by other appropriate organisation, to ensure a Community Land Trust or other affordable housing for local people in appropriate organisation: Stow Town perpetuity and minimising any incursion into Council allotments – 5 to 7 self-build houses; the AONB Stow Youth Club – 3 to 5 flats; Bartlett’s Park • In the letting or sale of new affordable – 2 to 4 houses; Fire Station. housing, priority will be given to local people in need of affordable housing who can also demonstrate a local connection on first and Economy Policies and proposals subsequent occupation • • New housing developments should be To provide suitable accommodation for limited to a maximum of 10 dwellings at any small businesses and to ensure that Stow ©Stow-on-the-Wold Town Council and Swell Parish Council 2017 Stow-on-the-Wold and Swell Neighbourhood Development Plan 5 benefits from the expansion of existing enhance the environment and improve businesses, the creation of new businesses pedestrian safety, investigation of the and any inward investing businesses, the possibility of the construction of a Stow former Stow Agricultural Services site should bypass is proposed. be reserved for business use, which may • The Plan proposes that the following include small workshops, business space and additional sites are developed for public craft shops. parking: White Hart Lane; to the rear of • To help to create new employment by Majestic Wines; Stow Town Council building on the large number of home allotments;