Revised Development Strategy

Object

Representation ID: 55255

Received: 29/07/2013

Respondent: Kingswood Residents Group

Number of questions with regards to Lapworth (Kingswood) :

1 Why is Lapworth (Kingswood) considered a Category 1 Village Village when it doesn't appear to meet the criteria?

2) Why has the proposed number of new houses to be built been increased from 100- 150?

3) What are the initial sites under consideration and why?

4)What are the factors / criteria that determine where the houses get built in Lapworth?

5) What are the anticipated effects on the infrastructure for the village - including increased traffic, need for footpaths, school facilities and capacity, village services etc?

6) Is there any restriction on how many houses can be built in one development at a time?

Object

Representation ID: 55274

Received: 26/07/2013

Respondent: Kingswood Residents Group

Concerned the 12,300 figure is being challenged by a group of Parish Councils and that the figure may be revised pending the findings of the Joint SHMA and the resulting co-operation between the authorities.

An estimate of 2,800 windfall sites has been made, but there is no clarity on either their location or their nature other than that WDC has informed us that the rural figure is 504. The possible implications for a village, such as Lapworth, are not clear and are of concern.

There is not a criterion to determine whether a village is in the Primary or Secondary Service Village Category and categorisation is subjective rather than objective.

Not clear why the allocation of development to the villages has increased since the 2012 Plan although the balance of housing to be provided on new allocated greenfield sites has decreased.

Understood from WDC that the reason that Lapworth in the 2012 Plan has become Kingswood (Lapworth) in the 2013 Revised Plan, is that it is WDC's intention to concentrate the development in Lapworth in the Kingswood area so that it is close to the existing amenities. This seems a questionable decision in view of the fact that, based on WDC's figure of 381 dwellings in the Kingswood area, the planned 100 to 150 new houses represent an increase in housing of 26% to 39% in the Kingswood area. It should be noted that these figures are inconsistent with the baseline growth rate of 20% for Primary Service Villages stated in Section 5.9 of The Draft Settlement Hierarchy Report which would indicate a figure of only 76 new houses. Hence, WDC does not appear to have applied its own guidelines to Kingswood (Lapworth).

Not opposed to phased small scale development distributed throughout Lapworth, but strongly opposed to major development in any part of Lapworth, including Kingswood.

In a recent survey there was a 45% return rate of Lapworth residents and the majority view (88%) was that housing development in the Parish should be phased in small (5-10 property) developments that blend into the existing landscape.

Inconceivable that the existing infrastructure of Kingswood could support an increase of 26% to 39% of the current housing stock for the following reasons:

* Village school is at capacity, and site is constrained. Has further work been undertaken to identify a suitable site for expansion of the school?
* Station Lane is a narrow road which is severely congested at the start and closure of each school day and when there is an event at the Lees Chapel. Has consideration been given to how Station Lane and the other roads in Kingswood will cope with the increased vehicular traffic emanating from 100-150 new houses?
* Surface water flooding occurs in Kingswood. Flooding map (Plan B2) in the 2013 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Report does not appear to reflect local knowledge of the seriousness of the problem in Kingswood.

Although we have been referred to the site selection methodology for strategic sites, we have been unable to ascertain either the criteria or methodology that WDC are employing to identify potential sites in Kingswood (Lapworth). Lists by WDC omit potential sites known to local residents. No clarity over which of these sites would actually be made available for development by their current owners. What are the criteria being adopted by WDC to identify sites in Lapworth?