The site at Land off Arnesby Road is proposed for allocation in preference to a range of other sustainable sites.

A planning application for 290 dwellings was recently recommended for approval by officers on one of the alternative sites, namely the Land at Fleckney Road (Ref: 16/01355/FUL). This recommendation was informed by a full consideration of all of the relevant factors including locational sustainability, landscape character and capacity, design, highways, flooding/drainage, ecology, residential amenity and impact upon the community. The Officers Report is appended for the Inspector's consideration.

The Land at Fleckney Road has been subject to far more rigorous levels of assessment in terms of its sustainability that the proposed allocation at Land off Arnesby Road, and is supported by a wealth of technical reports. This site is therefore demonstrably sustainable and accordingly it should be allocated. A Deliverability Statement is appended which provides a summary of the opportunities provided by this site.

The Sustainability Appraisal identifies that the proposed allocation at Land off Arnesby Road contains a significant area (in excess of 10ha) of excellent and very good quality best and most versatile agricultural land; and in excess of 20ha of excellent, very good, and good to moderate best and most versatile agricultural land.

The Sustainability Appraisal therefore classes this as red which indicates that the impacts are unavoidable and that mitigation is likely to be required. No such mitigation can be provided to address the loss of this agricultural land. The allocation of this site will unavoidably and irreversibly result in the loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land.

Paragraph 112 of the NPPF requires that where significant development is required on best and most versatile agricultural land, this should be directed towards the areas of poorer quality. In Fleckney there is no such need for significant development on best and most versatile agricultural land, as the Sustainability Appraisal identifies a number of other alternative sites which would not require significant development on this valuable asset. This includes site A/FK/HSG/13, Land at Fleckney Road which has been demonstrated to be sustainable.

The site at Land at Fleckney Road is classed as green in the Sustainability Appraisal in terms of agricultural land and also performs broadly consistently with the site at Land off Arnesby Road on all other sustainability considerations in the Sustainability Appraisal. Indeed, as set out above, the Land at Fleckney Road is demonstrably sustainable. and there is more evidence in support of this proposition than there is for Land off Arnesby Road.

In order to accord with national policy and protect the best and most versatile agricultural land, it is therefore necessary to allocate sustainable sites such as Land at Fleckney Road in preference to sites such as Land off Arnesby Road which would erode this valuable resource.