Archived decisions

Contact: Karin Taylor, ext 5938/Tony Wardle, ext 6054

1. Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

(i) That New Forest District Council be advised that a statement will be supplied under Section 46 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 stating that the New Forest District Local Plan: First Alteration is in general conformity with the Hampshire County Structure Plan (Review) 1996-2011.

(ii) That the County Planning Officer and County Surveyor, in consultation with the Executive Member as necessary, be authorised to make appropriate officer representations or objections on the Local Plan Alteration.

2. Reason

2.1 The Local Plan makes provision for future development and conservation in accordance with the Hampshire County Structure Plan (Review) 1996-2011.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 To not issue a statement of conformity.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer Consulted - Not applicable.

5. Dispensation Granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. Introduction

7.1 The New Forest District Local Plan was adopted in November 1999 and work immediately started on a review. The review is necessary in order to take into account new Government planning policy, changes in local circumstances and the new strategic planning framework as set out in the Hampshire County Structure Plan (Review). The adopted New Forest District Local Plan is out of conformity with the Structure Plan in respect of Housing, Green Belt and Transport policies.

7.2 Rather than a complete replacement plan, New Forest District Council has produced selective alterations to the adopted Local Plan. These were placed on First Stage Deposit for public consultation on 20 July 2001 and the closing date for objections is 14 September 2001. The County Council has been requested to issue a statement to the effect that the Local Plan Alterations are in general conformity with the Structure Plan.

7.3 Following the first deposit period the District Council will consider all objections and will decide whether or not to make further changes to the Local Plan. Following a second 'Revised Deposit' stage a Public Local Inquiry into outstanding objections may be held.

7.4 This report comments upon the strategic conformity issues and the specific transport proposals. Detailed comments relating to objections to the Local Plan Alterations by the County Council will be submitted to New Forest District Council by 14 September by the Chief Executive under delegated powers. A copy of the full text of the Alterations is available for inspection in the Planning and Surveyor's Library.

8. The Main Alterations

8.1 The basic strategy of the Local Plan Alterations is summarised as:

"Taking an integrated approach to promoting a high quality and sustainable environment, which conserves and enhances the District's special environmental qualities, while also addressing the need of the people who live and work in the District."

8.2 Like the adopted Local Plan, the strategy has three main elements:

(i) development restraint;

(ii) meeting local needs; and

(iii) conserving and enhancing the environment.

The main alterations reflecting these themes are outlined below.

Housing Provision

8.3 In order to provide for the strategic requirements for New Forest District, as set out in the adopted Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 (Review), and the particular need for affordable housing, the Local Plan Alterations make provision for 5,480 dwellings between April 1996 and March 2011.

8.4 Taking into account existing commitments, brownfield sites and increased densities there is a surplus over Structure Plan baseline requirement of 246 dwellings and therefore no new housing allocations are made.

8.5 The Structure Plan requires that in addition to the baseline requirement, a reserve housing provision of 500 dwellings be made. This is offset against the surplus identified above, and the following reserve housing sites are identified:

(i) Durley Farm, Totton 100 dwellings

(ii) MOD land, Marchwood 18 dwellings

(iii) Land south of Normandy Way, 27 dwellings

Marchwood

(iv) Land west of Nouale Lane, 109 dwellings

east Ringwood

Employment

8.6 There is no quantitative requirement in the Structure Plan Review but criteria are set out for local plans to meet. The main changes proposed in the Local Plan Alteration are:

(i) a change in the allocation of a small site at Shore Road, Hythe from employment to housing; and

(ii) a possible major new allocation of employment land (about five hectares) in the "safeguarded land" at east Ringwood, in association with the reserve housing site included at 8.5 (iv) above.

Environment

8.7 Policies and proposals relating to the natural and historic environment have been revised and updated in accordance with both the Structure Plan Review and Government advice. A new policy has been introduced to ensure the protection of the special valleys of the River Avon and River Test, and consideration is given to flooding issues.

Transport

8.8 The transport chapter has received a major redrafting. Primarily this is to bring the wording up to date to reflect recent policy changes in respect of the Transport Act 2000, revised Planning Policy Guidance, the Hampshire Local Transport Plan 2001-06 and the Hampshire County Structure Plan (Review) 2001-11. It also updates text relating to the implementation of schemes.

8.9 The main aims of the transport policies in the Plan are to:

(i) coordinate land use and transport planning;

(ii) reduce the need to travel, particularly by car;

(iii) minimise the environmental impact of transport; and

(iv) improve road safety.

9. County Planning Officer's Comments

Housing Provision

9.1 The proposals to meet the baseline housing requirements and the reserve site allocations are in general conformity with the policies of the Hampshire County Structure Plan (Review) in terms of the scale of the new provision.

9.2 The reserve housing site west of Nouale Lane, Ringwood, whilst acceptable in housing terms, contains a potentially workable and economically significant deposit of sand and gravel. This is considered to be a mineral resource of strategic significance that should be safeguarded in accordance with Structure Plan Policy MW9 and Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policy 4, and it has not been demonstrated that the exception criteria in Policy 4 have been met. It is considered therefore that objection should be made to this proposed site. If the District Council does remove this site from the list of reserve housing allocations, it will need to identify an alternative site for approximately the same number of new homes in order to remain in conformity with the Structure Plan.

Employment and Shopping

9.3 The employment policies of the Local Plan Alteration are in conformity with the Structure Plan Review and are welcomed.

9.4 There are no issues relating to shopping which affect the conformity of the Local Plan Alteration, but there are a number of detailed points of concern, mainly in relation to the notation used to delineate district, local and village centres. These will be submitted as formal objections to the Local Plan Alteration by the County Planning Officer under delegated powers.

Natural and Historic Environment

9.5 Policies for the natural environment are in conformity with the Structure Plan Review. Those relating to coast are welcomed, as is the inclusion of landscape character areas. A new policy is introduced which seeks to prevent development which would have a harmful impact on the river valleys of the Avon and Test. This is in accordance with Structure Plan policies and adjoining local plans and is supported provided that it is not used as a reason to oppose mineral working in and around the Avon Valley.

9.6 The proposed alterations relating to historic buildings and archaeology are supported.

Recreation and Tourism

9.7 There are no issues affecting tourism or recreation which affect conformity with the Structure Plan Review.

10. County Surveyor's Comments

10.1 There has been significant consultation with the District Council during the preparation of the Local Plan Review. It has been possible therefore to reach general agreement on the strategic transport content.

10.2 On the major changes in the review an additional policy (DW-T2A) has been included to cover traffic management measures, ie bus priority on the A35 Totton Bypass/Redbridge Causeway as proposed within the Totton and Waterside Transport Strategy. Also included is a new policy (DW-T3A) which covers changes to the proposals for the A35/A326 junction at Colbury and includes the signalised scheme as a proposal. The land safeguarded under the adopted local plan for the original proposal consisting of a loop road was insufficient to allow a scheme to be implemented to current standards. Significant progress has now been made in designing a viable alternative which is within the existing highway boundary, does not have the environmental impact associated with the loop road and which is in line with current policy. As a result of this, the land safeguarded for the loop road has been removed from the revision. However the District Council considers it necessary to continue to protect this land against development in case the loop road is needed. It has therefore included a new condition to protect the land from development within Policy TE-15 in respect of the land allocated for housing at Durley Farm, Hounsdown.

10.3 A major change in the Ringwood area is a new policy (RW-12A) which reserves land south of the A31 and west of Nouale Lane for possible release for development in the latter part of the plan period, if it is required (see attached location plan). This is to meet the requirements of the County Structure Plan (Review) and to provide sufficient land for employment development in the Ringwood/Fordingbridge area over the plan period. Contained within this policy is the requirement and safeguarding for a new distributor road which provides access to the reserved site from the existing junction on the A31 and, in the longer term, links with Christchurch Road at Willow Drive. The full road will only be required when and if land to the south of Hightown Road is developed. Connection with Hightown Road, other than for emergency services, public transport, cyclists and pedestrians, will be resisted until there is a requirement for the full link to Willow Drive.

10.4 It is considered that with the uncertain nature of the requirement for this land, and the lack of design or alignment detail for the proposed link, it is inappropriate to safeguard the route. If the reserved land is eventually allocated, the proposed development can be satisfactorily accessed by a cul-de-sac system from the A31 and the need for a full link will only be required once land to the south of Hightown Road is allocated. Detailing the whole route in the local plan at this stage is likely to result in the unnecessary blighting of a large number of properties along the published alignment. It is therefore recommended that an objection be raised to this policy and that New Forest District Council be requested to remove the safeguarded route from Policy RW-12A until further consideration has been given and a feasibility design carried out, and land to the south of Hightown Road allocated for development. Its eventual requirement can remain in the supporting text.

6654/KT/ADW