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Representation ID: 63538

Received: 20/01/2014

Respondent: King Henry VIII Endowed Trust (Warwick)

Agent: AMEC

The District Council's decision to review Green Belt boundaries is consistent with national planning policy guidance:
-The NPPF at paragraphs 83-84 states that, once established, Green Belt boundaries should only be altered in 'exceptional circumstances', through the preparation or review of the Local Plan. At that time, authorities should consider the Green boundaries having regard to their intended permanence in the long term, so that they should be capable of enduring beyond the plan period. Further, when reviewing Green Belt boundaries local planning authorities should take account of the need to promote sustainable patterns of development.
-To boost significantly the supply of housing, the NPPF (Paragraph 47) requires local authorities, in preparing their local plans, to ensure that the full objectively assessed needs for housing are met as far is consistent with policies set out in the Framework. Seeking to meet such needs is part of the soundness test of development plans being positively prepared (Para.182). According to the Warwick District Council, the full objectively assessed housing needs for the District is 12,300 dwellings1; a scale of development for which WDC considers there is insufficient suitable and available sites outside of the Green Belt to meet. Then lack of suitable and available sites to meet objectively assessed housing needs provides the exceptional circumstances for a review of Green Belt boundaries.