Hambleton District Council Local Development Framework

THIS FORM CAN BE COMPLETED ONLINE AT:

Alternatively please complete (using a separate sheet if necessary) and return to the postal or email address overleaf by no later than Friday 23rd November 2007

YOUR DETAILS:

What town/village are you commenting on?

Not applicable – the comments relate to the Allocations Preferred Options Overview consultation document with particular regard to the Stokesley sub-area (see section 5).

YOUR VIEWS:

1.Do you agree with the Preferred Options Allocation sites for your town/village – and do you agree with the justifications given?

YesNo(If ‘No’ please explain why)

2.Do you agree with the rejection of the other sites considered here – and do you agree with the reasons given for their rejection?

YesNo(If ‘No’ please explain why)

3.Do you think that any other sites should be allocated – and for what reasons?

YesNo(If ‘Yes’ then please provide full site details and map)

A greater number of PDL sites should be allocated and greenfield sites deallocated to ensure the target of 55% on PDL is achieved.

4.Do you agree with the proposed Development Limits – and if not why?

YesNo(If ‘No’ then please explain what changes you seek, providing full details with map)

1. If you have any other comments on the content of the Allocations documents (including the Annexes) or the Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations Assessment Screening Reports please enter them here.

The Council has two main areas of concern:

Over-reliance on greenfield housing sites

1. Insufficient housing sites have been identified on previously developed land (PDL) to achieve the 55% target set out in the Development Policies DPD. The heavy reliance on greenfield sites (62% of allocations) in Hambleton could prejudice development of PDL sites in Middlesbrough as developers are likely to be attracted to easier to develop greenfield sites first. This is particularly the case in the Stokesley sub-area, which is adjacent to Middlesbrough and is identified in the adopted Core Strategy as an area of constraint but includes a proposed greenfield allocation level of 81.5%.

Over-supply of housing numbers

1. Whilst the total proposed allocations is in accordance with the adopted Core Strategy it does not reflect the most up to date housing requirement in the Yorkshire and Humber Plan, Secretary of State’s Proposed Changes (2007). In the proposed changes the housing allocation for Hambleton is 320 per annum up to 2008 and 260 post 2008. As such the housing requirement to 2021 is 4,660 rather than the 4,990 in the Core Strategy.

1. This potential oversupply of housing against the RSS target will be compounded by the proposed approach to windfall sites in the Allocations DPD. The Preferred Options Overview document recognises that windfall sites will continue to come forward in addition to the proposed allocations. Paragraph 3.7 (1) advises that due to windfalls the proportion of PDL development is likely to significantly exceed the proportion of PDL in the Preferred Options. As the proposed allocations already meet the Core Strategy housing requirement (set out in policy CP5) and exceed the RSS requirement, all of the windfall development will be over and above the housing requirement and result in further oversupply. The potential oversupply of housing is likely to be detrimental to attempts by Middlesbrough and the Tees Valley in general to retain population and to deter out-migration to Hambleton.

1. If the predicted 4,996 dwellings are delivered on the preferred options sites (of which only 1,905 are on PDL), then in order to achieve the 55% PDL target, an additional 1,872 dwellings on windfall sites would be required. This would result in the Core Strategy housing requirement being exceeded by 38% and the most up to date RSS requirement by 47%.

1. It is considered that the number of housing allocations on greenfield sites should be reduced and either:

i)additional PDL sites be identified through a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment; or,

ii)a windfall allowance be included based on historic rates and expected future trends.

Para.59 of PPS3 permits the inclusion of a windfall allowance where there are genuine local circumstances that prevent specific sites being identified. This is considered to be the case in Hambleton where the Council is expecting a significant PDL supply from windfalls but is currently unable to identify sufficient PDL sites. If a windfall allowance is not included this would result in the ineffective use of land by unnecessarily using greenfield land and be contrary to PPS3.

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER THIS QUESTIONNAIRE

All responses received will be considered and any information provided

will be open to public scrutiny

Planning Policy Team, Hambleton District Council, Civic Centre, Stone Cross, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 2UU

Email:

A large print version is available on request

Tel: 0845 1211 555