Regulation 19 - Proposed Draft Local Plan Submission

See suggested amendments to Policy SA02 specified in the attachment (Consolidated Forms Reps).

See attachment for representations.

Paragraph 5.10 should read as follows:

5.10 The defined site boundary will be identified on each Council’s Adopted Policies Map as SA02 in the
District of Harborough and as AP5 in the Borough of Oadby and Wigston. The site is located within close
proximity to Leicester City and is well placed to contribute towards provision of sustainable development and the site will provide for approximately 4,000 dwellings across the site, with at least 3,000 new homes within Harborough District, and at least 850 homes in the
Borough of Oadby and Wigston.

See attachment for representations.

Proposed to para 5.13 of the supporting text to read as follows:
5.13 The new development will create a high-quality and sustainable extension to the existing urban area and Stretton Hall, but also, will maintain a visual and physical separation between the settlement and Oadby. Separation will also be afforded to the existing village of Great Glen through the creation of a new Area of Separation in Harborough District, which will prevent coalescence and will protect individual character and identity of the settlement.

See attachment for representations.

Paragraph 5.17 should be amended to read as follows:

5.17 Addressing transport impacts is necessary to promote sustainable travel, ensure road safety and manage cumulative residual impacts on the road network. Safe vehicular access, regular bus services, and high-quality cycle and pedestrian routes are vital to reducing car dependency and encouraging healthier, more sustainable modes of transport through a vision-led approach.

See attachment for representations.

Paragraph 5.19 of the explanatory text should read as follows:

5.19 Phased infrastructure provision is essential to avoid straining existing services. By delivering schools, healthcare, and a local centre in tandem with housing, the development can meet community needs from the outset. Sports pitches and recreational facilities promote physical activity and community cohesion, fostering a healthy living environment for future residents. This would offer a high-quality recreational area for both existing and new residents, while improving biodiversity and habitat value. All open space provision and open space standards for the site, regardless of location, must be broadly
consistent with Harborough District open space standards although the Councils may agree bespoke approaches within the overall requirement where that results in a better outcome. This is to ensure that the entire site, even areas within the Borough of Oadby and Wigston, has a consistent approach to open space provision.

See attachment for representations.

Paragraph 5.23 of the explanatory text should read as follows:

5.23 This Policy and the Infrastructure Delivery Plan for this Site will ensure that phased essential infrastructure provision will avoid straining existing services in the locale as the new community grows to its full and complete maturity. By delivering necessary education, highways and
transport, healthcare, open spaces, sports and leisure facilities, biodiversity and habitat creation, and, other much needed community infrastructure in tandem with housing and employment growth, means the development can meet the new demands from the outset and for generations to come. Given the length of the development the plan will need to be applied flexibly to ensure that the needs of communities and changes of approach by public authorities to provision are appropriately met. Where the site is meeting wider strategic needs contributions from other developments will be sought to contribute to the costs of that provision in line with Regulation 122 of the CIL Regulations (2010, as amended).

See attachment for representations.

Policy DS02, Part 2 a) should be amended to read as follows:

2 a) Provision of appropriate employment uses, services and a local centre providing jobs broadly equivalent to up to 5 hectares of new general employment land within Harborough District on Site SA02.

See attachment for representations.

DS05 Parts 2 and 5 should be amended to read as follows:

2. The detailed site-specific mitigation schemes included within the site allocation Policies SA01, SA02, SA03 and SA04 are required and expected to be included within development proposals and site development costs. Development proposals should make provision for all the land required to accommodate any additional infrastructure arising from the development on site. Requirements will be reviewed on a Phased basis.

5. The policies within this Local Plan have been viability tested, and it is the expectation that policy compliant contributions will be made. A variation to the requirements set out in Policy within the Plan may be triggered by changes in development phasing and need. For strategic sites this will be subject to agreed plans and review processes. Changes to provision based on viability will only be accepted by the Council in exceptional circumstances. In such cases, a site-specific viability assessment may be accepted where viability is identified as a barrier to delivery. Where it is identified that the Policy requirements set out within this Local Plan cannot be met, this must be supported by evidence to be independently verified as part of an open book viability appraisal. The costs of this work will be borne by the applicant. The weight placed on this assessment will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

See attachment for representations.

Proposed amendments to Policy HN01 to read as follows:

1. To meet the need for affordable housing 40% of the total number of homes in residential developments of 10 or more homes (or capable of delivering 10 or more homes), unless otherwise specified in a site specific policy, must be affordable.

d) Where it is robustly demonstrated that the required provision of affordable housing would make a scheme unviable, the requirement for a lower level of provision of affordable housing will be considered. In these exceptional circumstances, a clear justification supported by an independent viability assessment will be required. The costs of subsequently reviewing this work on behalf of the Council will be borne by the applicant. Bespoke mechanisms for strategic allocations, linked to site specific policies and DS05 (Infrastructure) may be agreed.

e) For schemes of 500 or more houses, where a non policy compliant scale of affordable housing is accepted as a result of viability issues, or as part of a wider bespoke mechanism for an allocated site, in accordance with d) above, viability will be reassessed at agreed times over the lifetime of a development based on actual costs and values generated by the development. The cost of the Council reviewing this will be borne by the applicant.

See attachment for representations.

Policy should be amended to read as follows:

Specialist housing for older people will be required as an integral part of all residential development of 100 dwellings to 500 dwellings at a rate of at least 10% of all dwellings proposed, providing the site offers a suitable location for the provision of this type of accommodation. Strategic site allocations should define the proportion within their housing strategy, which will be subject to ongoing monitoring and review.

See attachment for representations.