Object

Main Modifications to the Proposed Submission Core Strategy

Representation ID: 21585

Received: 26/09/2013

Respondent: Town and Country Planning Solutions

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Representation Summary:

The Council's revised housing figure acknowledges more scope for meeting assessed housing need. While this will require some additional increase in housing provision in the main towns of Bexhill, Battle and Rye (& potentially Hastings fringes), there is also a need to increase the provision in rural settlements as an important contribution to need.

Notwithstanding the proposed figure of "1,670" there may be scope to increase supply within and around villages once potential sites come forward through the site allocations/neighbourhood planning.

Full text:

Rural Areas - Housing in Villages
Proposed Modification Nos. MOD -12.1, 12.2 and 12.4

1. These representations (TCPS Representations No. 2), relate to proposed modification numbers MOD 12.1, 12.2 and 12.4 and should be read in conjunction with representations (TCPS Representations no. 1) made in relation to proposed modification numbers 7.1, 7.5, 7.6, 7.12, 7.13, 7.14 and 7.15, which make the case that the Plan's housing requirement should be increased from "at least 5,700 dwellings" to "at least 6,200 dwellings': This would then also require consequential changes to paragraph 12.13 (Modification 12.1).

2. The Council's revised housing figure now acknowledges that there is more scope than previously considered for meeting the assessed housing need. While this will require some additional increase in housing provision in the main towns of Bexhill, Battle and Rye (as well as potentially on the Hastings fringes), there is also a need to increase the provision in (and adjoining) rural settlements so as to make an important contribution to the assessed need. MOD 12.4 proposes to amend Part (v) of Policy RA1 to increase the housing requirement in villages from 950 - 1,000 dwellings (as set out in the Proposed Submission Version of the Plan) to 1,670 dwellings.

3. Modified paragraph 7.41 (MOD 7.11) states 'the housing provision seeks to maximise the contribution that villages can make to sustainable growth without prejudicing their individual character and amenities, as well as those of their shared, for the most part High Weald AONB setting". In terms of the housing figures proposed however, modified paragraph 7.30 (MOD 7.6) states "the possibility of further opportunities for sustainable housing (as well as employment) development arising over time cannot be ruled out; hence the requirement is expressed as a minimum for the purpose of Plan making. These will be further assessed as part of site a/locations/neighbourhood planning processes".

4. Thus, notwithstanding the proposed modified figure of "1,670 additional dwellings" now inserted into Policy RA1(v) (MOD 12.4), there may well be scope to increase supply within and around villages once potential sites come forward as part of the subsequent site allocations/neighbourhood planning stage. Indeed, the revised (June 2013) SHLAA estimates that some 6,180 dwellings can be accommodated on potentially suitable, available and deliverable housing sites within the District, and there may well therefore, be scope to increase the potential for adding to housing in and around villages over and above 1,670 additional dwellings as part of a site allocations process.