Harborough Local Plan 2011-2031, Proposed Submission

DLA Town Planning acts for The Owners of Market Harborough Land, the owner of Overstone Park.

We support, in principle, the allocation of the site at Overstone Park in Policy MH1. The site is suitable for residential development, is available for the proposed use and development is achievable within a relatively short period of time. The site is within single ownership and is not subject to planning or other constraints that would prevent development. The site is in a sustainable location on the edge of the largest settlement in the district.

The estimated capacity of the site at "about 600 dwellings" is supported and reflects the description of development provided as part of the current planning application. Alternative approaches to the site could see a lesser number of dwellings delivered but in our view this would represent a sub-optimal use of the site. In view of the scale of housing need in the district and the sustainability and suitability of the Overstone Park location, it is appropriate to maximise the use of the site, within the environmental parameters identified.

We have detailed comments to make on certain aspects of the policy (see separate representations) but we support the principle of the allocation.

Criterion b to policy MH1 requires a cycle and pedestrian access from Overstone Park to the development to the west (Page Road). This access falls outside of the Overstone Park site and therefore cannot be delivered by the Overstone Park development. While provision for such an access can be made within and up to the Overstone Park boundary, the Council may need to use Compulsory Purchase powers to deliver a link with the public highway beyond the site boundary. Any such access should be described in the policy as a "potential" access, since it lies beyond the landowner's control.

Criterion b of Policy MH1 also requires two points of access from Kettering Road. The current masterplan for the site provides for two accesses from Kettering Road, one of which runs through the adjacent Overstone House site. This arrangement is acceptable to the local highway authority and no further points of access have been requested. It should be clarified in the policy that the two points of access could include an access through Overstone House.

The masterplan for Overstone Park was subject to public consultation by way of a public exhibition held in June 2016. This preceded the planning application. Since this consultation has already taken place and the planning application has already been made, this element of policy MH1 would seem to be unnecessary.

A Contamination Desk Based Assessment was carried out for the site in December 2015, which showed the site had a low to medium environmental risk. Any risk was associated with particular parts of the site, mainly the area to the west of the site. However, land adjacent to this part of the site has already been developed for housing purposes and there would appear no reason why this part of the site cannot also be developed. Additional survey work was recommended to be carried out after the outline planning permission stage.