Revised plans for Wareham

Wareham are starting consulting on a revised version of their pre-submission Neighbourhood Plan today. As a result of new sites being found within the town, they no longer need to release any greenfield (and green belt) sites to meet their quota - https://warehamplan.co.uk.

Policy H5: Westminster Road: has been redrafted and the allocation has been reduced in size (but including design elements from former policy LDP3). There is now no mention of land west of Westminster Road being added when the Neighbourhood Plan is revised;
New Policy GS3: Proposed Affordable Housing and Extra Care Housing, Bonnets Lane has been added - the 'new site in town'

Design policies have had a makeover, including a new policy on tackling climate change through good design.

Just over the county boundary...

The South Somerset Local Plan Review 2016-2036 Preferred Options Consultation (Regulation 18) has been published today, with consultation running from now to 18 September.

Its proposed housing target is based on the new Government methodology and the 2014-based household projections, so for South Somerset this means 716 dwellings per annum (no major difference from the 725dpa target in the adopted plan).

However the plan does include a change in the settlement hierarchy with a new class “village” identified, slotting in between rural centres and settlements.  Stoke sub Hamdon has been ‘down-graded’ from a rural centre to a village whilst 11 of the rural settlements have been ‘up-graded’, including places like Queen Camel, Sparkford and North Cadbury.  All of these “will” have provision made some development, with a target of 60 dwellings per village (in addition to the 120 dwellings already completed between 2016-2018 and 470 already permitted across the 12 villages).  Exactly how this growth will be managed is not clear, as no allocations or settlement boundaries are proposed, the plan simply states that “growth is expected to take place adjacent to the existing built settlement”

Lots more for those communities to digest over the coming weeks…

Community Involvement - what Dorset says

Consultation on the draft Statement of Community Involvement has just started, with Dorset Council asking for feedback by 2 August. 

At just seven pages and fairly generous spacing, the question is, does it say enough?  In my experience the main issues raised by members of the public are not hearing about planning applications and the lack of officer support on neighbourhood plans.  I am not sure this Statement really addresses those questions clearly - the word "may" certainly appears at least 10 times!

So this is your chance to comment - what would you like them to actually say and stick to?

https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/planning-buildings-land/planning-policy/dorset-council-planning-policy/dorset-council-planning-policy.aspx

Upper Marshwood Vale shows what it can do

Upper Marshwood Vale is showing that even in sparsely populated areas there is a will to get Neighbourhood Plans in place to promote development that should benefit the local community. 

Their pre-submission draft plan is now out for consultation.  It includes policies that highlight the important places and spaces in the area, a more flexible approach to allow the conversion of existing buildings to provide new homes, as well as being 'open for business' for small-scale employment.  It also proposes two site allocations.  The first, a site opposite the Marshwood school, should provide a new site for the now closed village shop to re-open, as well as improved parking (for use by the school and church), in return for a limited number of new homes.  The second, the Three Counties Nurseries site on the outskirts of Marshwood (a redundant site), is where some live/work units could be allowed to be develop.

West Dorset and Weymouth Plan - emerging options now available to view

One to keep an eye on – the preferred options draft of the West Dorset and Weymouth Local Plan is now going through committees prior to consultation in August – October.  Click here for a look at the proposed policy changes and site allocations. 

Key points to note include:

• 2.5% increase on proposed growth (up to 794 dwellings per annum) – but the actual supply could in theory deliver 955 dwellings per annum as it would include a ‘buffer’ of about 3,200 homes above what is needed;
• New site specific allocations at all of the towns, plus Crossways.  This includes a major development north of Dorchester, significant growth at Sherborne, and the release of further sites at Crossways.  No specific allocations proposed in the area's villages; 
• Proposed approach to setting minimum growth figures for Neighbourhood Plan areas;
• More permissive approach for residential conversions in the countryside, providing the building is not completely isolated (so at a minimum should forms of a hamlet or group of buildings);
• More relaxed approach proposed on the size of replacement dwellings in the countryside;
• Small sites (up to 5 dwellings) will not be expected to make any affordable housing contributions for the foreseeable future.

Get in touch with me if this may effect you and you need some professional planning advice…

Dorset Neighbourhood Plans - update

A few notable Neighbourhood Plan milestones achieved so far this month

• Piddle Valley Neighbourhood Plan's referendum took place yesterday (19 April) - the results have been declared with 75% in favour of the plan
• Gillingham's examination has now concluded, and the examiner's report has been published, signalling that this too can progress to referendum subject to some relatively modest amendments.
• Sturminster Newton's plan is now going through its pre-examination consultation
• The pre-examination consultation on the plan for Askerswell parish, created by their Neighbourhood Forum, ends on Monday.
• The plans for Fontmell Magna and Pimperne have also been submitted for their examination. 
• Hazelbury Bryan has published its pre-submission draft plan for consultation

A fantastic amount of effort by local volunteers representing their communities, so that local people can have more of a voice on the future of their area!

One week left to comment on the Piddle Valley Neighbourhood Plan

The Piddle Valley Neighbourhood Plan is going through its final consultation with both local residents and the statutory consultees before it gets submitted to the District Council. 

The plan covers a number of issues that local residents thought were important – trying to balance the need for the area to have some growth, particularly affordable housing for local people, but not of a scale or type that will damage the beauty and attractiveness of the valley.  Another key issue affecting some local people has been flooding, so the plan tries to go one step further to make sure that development does not make the flooding situation worse.

The neighbourhood plan group has worked hard to listen to the opinions of local residents in pulling together the proposals in the plan, and has made a number of changes along the way, in terms of the sites that have been chosen that the way the new settlement boundaries have been drawn up.

They hope that the referendum will be given the go-ahead by next Spring.  For more information on the plan and process, visit their website.

One week left on East Dorset and Christchurch scoping consultation

One week left to go for anyone wanting to comment on what should be included in their Local Plan Part 2 - in particular suggestions for potential Local Plan allocations for housing, employment, retail, open spaces, suitable alternative natural greenspace, or for mixed use development.

For more details click here on contact me for advice.  Always good to get a foot in the door...