Publication Draft

Object

Representation ID: 65857

Received: 27/06/2014

Respondent: Business Flats Ltd

Agent: Mr Will Charlton

Legally compliant? No

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

Plan does not provide for sufficient units within the identified growth villages. Due to the tight village boundary there is little or no opportunity for windfall sites to come forward to assist in meeting this target. It has been acknowledged that growth villages should accomodate at least a 20% increase in dwellings, only 2 of the villages with the others including Kingswood substantially underproviding. Kingswood has a good range and number of local services, including a main line station therefore has the facilities to support a larger number of dwellings. Given how the village has historically developed it is contended that a dispersed strategy would be the most appropriate way forward. In order to acheive this further sites should be considered for allocation and the growth village envelope should be revised to include small parcels removing them from the green belt. This would also allow small windfall sites including those which are less than 5 units and cannot be formally allocated to come forward without impacting on the openness and purposes for including land in the green belt. It is considered that a number of sites including Kingswood site no6 were too readily dismissed.
This site was dismissed on the grounds of flooding. Whilst it is acknowledged that the sites western section (including the indicative access) is within flood zones 2 and 3 and remainder of the site is within flood zone 1 and therefore provides sufficient land to accomodate residential units. subject to levels and the need not to raise the ground level the area within flood zone 2 and 3 could be used for car parking and open space. An alternative access point could be the existing eastern vehicle access point which currently serves the 12 adjacent properties. In addition earthworks and re- profiling could provide flood and surface water capacity. It is contended that with appropriate design and layout of the site the construction of properties albeit potentially less the 5 units, would not cause or exacerbate flooding in the area.