Support

Representation ID: 71674

Received: 17/02/2020

Respondent: Spitfire Bespoke Homes Ltd

Agent: Pegasus Group

OBJECTIVE 2
Target A references the need for new residential development that increases demand for community facilities to ‘make additional provision for such facilities and to protect and support the expansion of existing community facilities within the town’. The target could be clarified by expressly stating that its purpose is not to address existing shortfall in provision through cross funding from new development.
Regarding Target B, this should clarify the expected source of the funds referred to therein. S.106 contributions would normally be expected to be delivered through the District Council as planning authority and would not normally be delivered to a Town Council/NP Group, unless there were specific and identified projects supported through a Development Plan policy. If the reference to funds is to the expected CIL funds to be made available to the Town Council, then draft Policy RLS 16 identifies specific spending priorities for these. However, the priorities listed are all transport related projects rather than ‘community facilities/services’. As such it is unclear if the requirement at Target B, is in addition to RLS 16, or is part of it.
The NDP should provide clarity on what is intended. If it is minded to identify specific spending priorities over and above those of the Local Plan, then the policy should be subject to viability review, to ensure that it is not adding to the burden of residential development such that it impacts potential delivery. Without that assessment, then arguably basic conditions a, d and e may have been failed.