Object

Representation ID: 56310

Received: 29/07/2013

Respondent: Mr Edward Walpole-Brown

Agent: Brown and Co

1-The split between the housing numbers in the Primary and Secondary Service Villages is inappropriate and premature until the villages and the general suitability of the alternative sites has been considered (Refers to separate supporting document).

Draft Settlement Hierarchy Report only just published and its findings are flawed in a number of ways:
* It is inappropriate to start to base allocations and naming villages when this has not gone through a full period of consultation and assessment.

* At this stage only the total number of houses to be allowed in the Primary and Secondary Service Villages should be indicated and the split per village and the range should be deleted.

* Inappropriate at this stage to judge the allocation of the housing growth and of principal concern is the status of Hatton Park by comparison to Hatton Green.
* Inconsistencies in the scoring system and questions relating to the weighting of certain elements. It must reflect the need to help sustain services and provide new services in smaller village locations.
* Needs to be a balance between focusing development on Primary Service Villages and Secondary Service Villages where there are existing services that need supporting, or where those villages can also provide services which will be of wider benefit to the community.

2- It is not clear how sites will be selected and fairly evaluated to make sure that there are economic, sustainable and desirable sites.

3-RDS5 should refer to Hatton Green, and not Hatton Park.
* Whilst Hatton Park is the larger of the two areas, Hatton Green needs proactive consideration.
* Also possible merit in considering Hatton Park and Hatton Green as one settlement. Further development at Hatton Green will help to support, expand and produce new services which will be of benefit to the wider community in addition to the combined settlements of Hatton Green and Hatton Park.
* Hatton Green has a number of benefits and land could be offered for the improvement of other facilities.
Makes the following key points in support of a general review of the status of Hatton Green as a Primary Service Location. Hatton Green and proposed development:
* Land for a School extension and adjacent parking;
* Community facilities: development of the play area,
a site for a new allotment; encourage the promotion of new activities including a new sports facility for the village.
* car parking at the Church which could be used in conjunction with the School relieving existing school related car parking pressures on Hatton Green Village and take traffic away from the main village road.
* Could also offer possible extension of the burial ground at Haseley Church.
* Further car parking could be of assistance to Starmer Place which is very congested.
* Could be opportunity of improving the junction of the A4177 and Hockley Road. The plans put forward will negate non-residential traffic on Green Lane providing a different access to the School and easing the existing hazard at the First Lane and Green Lane/Dark Lane/Hockley Road crossroads.
* it may be possible to provide land for the Hatton Village Hall to expand its car parking facilities
* The possibility of a shop is being considered.
In reassessing the village hierarchy and the scoring of the villages, consideration should be given to:
* How the improvements that would flow from a development of the sites proposed in Hatton Green should be reflected.
* With the increase of housing and school facilities etc, , further bus facilities would be made available so increasing the settlement hierarchy in the village assessment process.
* The sites are in close proximity to Hatton Railway Station and closer than Hatton Park.

* The Village Hierarchy Report does not take account of: the proximity to the nearby Falcon Pub, the Village Hall and also the Hatton Arms, footpaths, cycle ways and considerable local employment - all of which are easily accessible.
* A significant number of employment opportunities and areas of recreation are available close by.
The sites that could be brought forward will bring sustainable and deliverable areas for development and will help to improve community facilities to the benefit of the residents of both Hatton Green and Hatton Park.