East Lothian Local Development Plan: Proposed Policy and/or SPG for New Development in Existing Housing Clusters or Groups Site at Liberty Hall, by Gladsmuir, Haddington, East Lothian Prepared by: Brent Quinn MA(Hons) MRTPI PRINCE2 Cockburn’s Consultants May 2013 www.cockburnsconsultants.com Liberty Hall – ELLDP Submission, May 2013 Contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................ 3 2. Site Description ....................................................................................... 6 3. Policy & Geographical Context ................................................................ 7 4. Existing Housing Land Supply – A Problem............................................. 10 5. A Rural Housing Group Policy or SPG – an Integral Part of the Solution .. 16 6. Proposal Policy Wording ....................................................................... 19 7. Conclusion ............................................................................................ 20 Appendix 2: Aberdeenshire Rural Housing SPG Appendix 1: Cairngorms National Park Authority Housing Development in Rural Building Groups 2| P a g e www.cockburnsconsultants.com Liberty Hall – ELLDP Submission, May 2013 1. Introduction Background Cockburn’s Consultants, has been commissioned by clients Cappoquin Properties Ltd. to make a representation in respect of the forthcoming East Lothian Local Development Plan (ELLDP) for a change in policy that would justify the erection of single house development at a site at Liberty Hall, Gladsmuir, East Lothian. A proposal for a single house on this site has been refused planning permission previously (05/00973/FUL) on the grounds of non-compliance with Policy DC1 of the East Lothian Local Plan only, which restricts almost all new housing in the countryside, except in very limiting circumstances. It is worth noting that all other aspects of the development were considered to be acceptable, other than the principle. Even in the subsequent appeal, the Reporter acknowledged that the site represented a sound planning solution, but that he could not justify approval, on account of the restrictions of Policy DC1. It is considered that the restrictions of this policy are now no longer appropriate in this Council area on account of: • Changes in government policy, • Demand for housing in rural areas, • Approaches taken by other comparable Planning Authorities, and • A chronic need for additional housing within the East Lothian and wider Lothians area. This document makes the case for the inclusion of a suitably worded policy or Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) whereby additional housing would be acceptable in areas outwith defined settlements and other housing allocations where a cluster or group of housing already exists. The individual development at Liberty Hall would become acceptable in compliance with this new policy, on account of it being unambiguously an infill within an existing cluster or group of houses. The site, as proposed, is identified on the plan below in Figure 1, whilst in the aerial photograph in Figure 2, the red circle indicates the site within its wider context. It illustrates the site’s close proximity to the town of Haddington to the north east with its associated services and amenities. 3| P a g e www.cockburnsconsultants.com Liberty Hall – ELLDP Submission, May 2013 Figure 1: Site Location Plan Figure 2: Wider Context Plan The purpose of this statement is to specifically describe the proposed development and appraise it against the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), SESPlan, the approved Structure Plan (Edinburgh & Lothian Structure Plan, approved 2004 (ELSP)) and all other relevant associated statutory and non-statutory guidance. It focuses on an examination of housing land issues, and national & strategic planning policies to justify a proposed policy in either the new ELLDP and/or SPG whereby new housing will be supported 4| P a g e www.cockburnsconsultants.com Liberty Hall – ELLDP Submission, May 2013 in areas where there are existing housing groups or clusters, such as the case in the area around the site at Liberty Hall. Development Process We rightfully acknowledge that, in the event that the proposed policy principle and/or SPG is applied, either within the ELLPD and/or in SPG, for the next phase of the development (i.e. to secure either Planning Permission in Principle or Full Planning Permission) that the following studies/additional information may (or may not) be required: • Design statement, • Landscape appraisal/statement, • Desktop site investigation, • Ecological assessment/statement Report Structure Following this introduction, this report comprises: • Section 2: Site Description; • Section 3: Policy & Geographical Context; • Section 4: Existing Housing Land Supply – A Problem • Section 5: A Rural Housing Group Policy or SPG: an Integral Part of the Solution • Section 6: Proposed Policy Wording; and • Section 5: Summary and Conclusions. It is requested that the East Lothian Council Planning Policy Team positively consider the policy as proposed and that this site should be considered favourably for housing development, under the terms of the policy, as so defined. Overall, we would request that this submission should result in a positive recommendation for the policy wording as proposed to the appropriate Committee as part of the next stage of the new, forthcoming ELLDP. 5| P a g e www.cockburnsconsultants.com Liberty Hall – ELLDP Submission, May 2013 2. Site Description The main thrust of this submission is for a change of approach in policy and/or SPG, although the ultimate goal is to secure planning permission for a single dwellinghouse at a site at Liberty Hall, by Gladsmuir, Haddington. This would be predicated on the back of a change in policy in respect of rural housing, as suggested in this document. This section describes that site and both demonstrates that it is unequivocally in infill site within an existing group or cluster of housing. This site occupies a location within a small hamlet settlement to the west of Haddington and is partially made up of open grassland and a wooded area, south and east of which is the U126 road. The site is bounded to the north by the road with open fields beyond, to the west by the property of ‘Southwood’, to the east by properties ‘Barrel Cottage’ and the ‘the Birks’ and to the south by woodland, immediately beyond which lies ‘Nairns Mains Farm’, adjacent to the ‘Beechwood’ residential property. Overall, the site sits within a context that has four existing houses, one to the immediate west and three to the immediate east, and thus constitutes a gap or infill site within that existing group or cluster. A photograph showing the site (roughly delineated in red) in relation to the properties ‘Barrel Cottage’ and ‘Southwood’, taken from the U126 road, west of the site entrance, is illustrated in Figure 3, below. This emphasises the characteristics of the site as an ‘infill’ within what both Figures 1 and 3 clearly visually illustrate is a well-established and defined housing group or cluster. Figure 3: Photograph Taken from West of Site 6| P a g e www.cockburnsconsultants.com Liberty Hall – ELLDP Submission, May 2013 3. Policy & Geographical Context East Lothian – Historical Growth Pattern East Lothian has a population of around 100,000 people, spread over an area of 679 square kilometres. This equates to a very low population density. Indeed, there are only very few settlements with a population of 5,000 people or more, namely: Musselburgh, Tranent, Prestonpans, North Berwick & Haddington. Historically, therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the area has grown exponentially in response to mainly rural demands, with the above named towns acting as the main market and trading centres. However, the most recent adopted Local Plan for the area, the East Lothian Local Plan (adopted 2008) advocates mainly urban growth, with housing allocations principally being promoted within, or adjacent to existing urban settlements. This most recent policy approach defied the historical, organic growth of the area at the expense of those living in the countryside who continue to seek increased choice in terms of new housing, types and tenures. National Planning Policy & Guidance Further, Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), Planning Advice Notes (PANs) 72 & 73 all require that planning authorities consider rural diversification, housing and employment in a more flexible way whilst still preventing the erosion of the amenity and character of rural areas. In Paragraph 93 of SPP it is stated that the character of rural areas and the challenges they face vary greatly across the country, from remote and sparsely populated regions to pressurised areas of countryside around towns and cities. The strategy for rural development set out in the development plan should respond to the specific circumstances in an area, whilst reflecting the overarching aim of supporting diversification and growth of the rural economy It is clear that whilst current policy does provide some opportunities (in allocated sites only) the focus of the policies is out of step with the thrust of these national documents. It is argued that a new approach to rural areas is required as a background to policies for development in the open countryside. This would obviously be dependent on rural typologies. It should also recognise the characteristics of different areas and the local needs within particular areas. This now presents