Support

Representation ID: 60228

Received: 27/07/2013

Respondent: Gallagher Estates

Agent: Pegasus Group

The NPPF reflects the emphasis which the Government is placing on ensuring that the development the country needs is delivered and contains an additional test of soundness for Local Plans which reflects this, stating that a plan should be:

"Positively prepared based on a strategy which seeks to meet objectively assessed development and infrastructure requirements, including unmet requirements from neighbouring authorities where it is practical to do so consistently with the presumption in favour of sustainable development."

There is [therefore] an increased responsibility on the authority to ensure that the requirement for development is properly evidenced in a transparent and robust manner when making decisions about their strategy.

Very much support and endorse the approach of the District, as set out in paragraph 1.3 of the RDS, to ensure that there is a robust and up to date evidence base and, welcome the acknowledgement that there will be a need to take account of the as yet unavailable findings of the Joint Strategic Housing Market Assessment (JSHMA)

The paragraph 1.3 acknowledgements contained within the RDS are an encouraging response to the concerns previously made to the Preferred Options of May 2012. At that stage there appeared to be no means by which the Duty to Co-Operate could be satisfied which would undoubtedly have been an inadequate basis on which to allow the Plan to move forward.

Welcome the fact that Warwick District is now recognising its statutory obligations with regard to the Duty to Co-Operate with neighbouring authorities in the preparation of the Warwick Local plan in order to maximise its effectiveness with regard, in particular, to the strategic planning matter of housing provision.

The findings of the Inspector considering the Coventry Local Development Plan- Core Strategy (withdrawn in April 2013)were no doubt instructive in this regard. In short, he concluded that the Council had failed to meet the legal requirements of the Duty to Co-Operate.

Whilst the progress in seeking to meet the Duty to Co-Operate is encouraging it is also important to note that the District does have additional neighbouring authorities particularly Stratford upon Avon District and Solihull MBC.

This is pertinent as both Solihull and Stratford are, at present, progressing Local Plans that incorporate a level of new housing development which is significantly lower than their arising needs which could have implications for Warwick District.

Would stress that in addition to the Joint SHMA work currently underway, the Authority must also be in a position, on submission of the Plan, to be capable of demonstrating that they have met the Duty to Co-operate with both Stratford and Solihull.