Issue - meetings

To receive a report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration requesting that the masterplan be approved for consultation

The Cabinet had before it a report * of the Head of Planning and Regeneration requesting it to consider the draft Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document for stage 2 public consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Regeneration outlined the contents of the report explaining that the Allocations and Infrastructure Development Plan Document (AIDPD) was adopted in January 2010 following extensive public consultation and examination by a Planning Inspector. It allocated sites for development in order to meet the Core Strategy’s growth requirements. A large proportion of this growth was to be accommodated within urban extensions.

An area of 74.8 ha to the north west of Cullompton was allocated for development  within the AIDPD.  The allocation comprised of : mixed use development, 1100 houses with 35% affordable housing and at least 5 gypsy and traveller pitches, 40,000 sq m employment floorspace, transport provision including a road linking Willand Road with Tiverton Road, primary school, local centre, community facilities and 28 hectares of green infrastructure.

The masterplanning of the site had been informed by a range of surveys and studies which sought to understand the constraints to development and in particular how much development could be delivered, where within the site in relation to green infrastructure areas. Topics considered included transport and access, ecology, landscape and visual impact, topography, drainage and flooding archaeology, heritage and utilities.

A first round of public consultation had taken place between 12^th September and 12^th October 2014, followed by a workshop of stakeholders. The first stage consultation focused on key issues around the amount of development and how it was distributed across the site in relation to the green infrastructure, access options and the location and amount of employment land and also the location of the primary school, sports pitches and gypsy and traveller pitches. From the first consultation period a  total of 65 valid responses  had been received. Key issues identified included the need to prioritise the delivery of highway improvements and the primary school.

The first stage public consultation specifically considered 2 options for the boundaries between the area identified for development and the green infrastructure. The first option looked at the area as allocated. Additional site investigation and survey resulted in an estimate of 700 houses being able to be delivered within the areas identified. This lower quantum of housing would not be able to deliver all the necessary infrastructure and community benefits.

A second option considered redrawing the boundaries between the area to be developed and the green infrastructure, whilst keeping within the overall site area as allocated. This redistribution of development was estimated to deliver 1000 houses, which would still meet the policy requirement for at least 28 hectares of green infrastructure. The higher housing numbers that could be achieved  through this option would generate more development value and therefore more funding towards infrastructure and community benefits as required by policy.

The responses from the public consultation over this and other key issues had informed the emerging  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50