OFFICERS’ REPORTS TO
PLANNING POLICY & BUILT HERITAGE WORKING PARTY – 28 MAY 2012
PUBLIC BUSINESS – ITEM FOR DECISION
1.
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK – MIXED USE ALLOCATION AT
STALHAM
This report informs Members of progress on a Development Brief for the allocation
of land at Stalham adjacent to Church Farm, Ingham Road and suggests a process
for public consultation prior to considering its approval
1. Introduction
The Site Allocations Development Plan makes proposals for a mixed use
development on land adjacent to Church Farm, Ingham Road, Stalham. In common
with a number of allocations it will be necessary to agree a Development Brief before
any development can occur. Policy ST01 of the Allocations Document requires the
prior approval of such a Brief and states that it must incorporate:
not more than 160 dwellings at a net density of not less than thirty dwellings per
hectare;
provide not less than 2 hectares of land suitable for community and low key
employment generating uses
provision of a neighbourhood park (incorporating suitable public open space and
recreational facilities) of not less than two hectares on a suitable part of the site;
and
a footpath and cycle link joining the Ingham Road and Yarmouth Road and
suitable footways linking the development to the town centre.
The Council will need formally to approve the Brief as a basis for the determination of
future planning applications on the site.
2. The Brief
Development Briefs are prepared by Local Authorities as a way of establishing key
requirements which should be complied with when sites are developed. They are
particularly useful for large mixed use development sites where it is important to
establish broad distribution of land uses and where development may come forward
in phases. Their content can vary widely but commonly they will incorporate an
overarching vision for the development, broad development principles of
development layout, design codes and phasing. Briefs should be subject to public
consultation and formal approval by the Council and once approved are material to
the determination of future planning applications.
A Draft Brief has been prepared by planning consultants on behalf of the Hopkins
Homes, a regional house builder with an interest in the site. The Brief has been
informed by a ‘Vision Statement’ for the site, which was formulated by the Council’s
Major Development Team in consultation with Stalham Town Council. In addition, at
this early planning stage the Major Development Team has provided technical advice
on aspects of the site’s development. The Draft Brief responds to this and sets out
key development principles as to how the site will be developed in order to deliver the
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Vision. The Brief also includes a Master Plan, indicating primary points of access and
where on the site the different land uses are proposed.
At the time of preparing this report the Draft Brief remains subject to changes and a
final version will be forwarded to Working Party Members prior to the meeting.
Officers consider that the document should now be subject to a formal period of
public consultation.
3. Arrangements for Consultation
It is proposed that the document is published for a 28 day period of
public/stakeholder consultation. The consultation will be publicised in the local press
and will include a staffed exhibition during the early part of the consultation period.
Site notices will be displayed around the site. Officers will attend a meeting of
Stalham Town Council to outline the proposals and explain the process prior to
commencement of the consultation.
RECOMMENDATION
That the Draft Brief be subject to a 28 day period of public/stakeholder
consultation.
(Source: Tracy Armitage, Senior Planning Officer, ext 6304)
PUBLIC BUSINESS – ITEM FOR DISCUSSION
2.
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK – CORE STRATEGY POLICIES H09 and
EC2
This report discusses the potential impacts of the publication of the National
Planning Policy Framework in relation to the Councils adopted policies on the reuse of rural buildings and introduces a number of potential options for further
consideration.
1. Introduction
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) consolidates and replaces most of
the national planning policy advice published by government in the last decade
including Planning Policy Statements (PPSs), Circular 05/2005 in relation to Planning
Obligations, and a number of advisory letters providing interpretation of various items
of Government guidance. The new Framework is applicable to both Plan making
(policy formulation) and the determination of individual planning applications. A new
single Framework document was published on 27th March and the previous advice
was formally cancelled.
The Government expects that as a result of the new framework those Councils with
adopted policies may wish, or need to, review their policies and the framework
includes a 12 month transitional period to allow for this.
At the meeting of the Working Party in April members identified a number of policy
areas which would be considered further.
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2. Policy approach to the re-use of rural buildings
Attached as Appendix A is a discussion paper in relation to the Councils current
approach to the re-use of rural buildings which explains adopted policies, the degree
to which they comply with the NPPF, and a number of alternative approaches that
could be taken.
This is intended to be the first of a number of discussion papers dealing with
individual or grouped policy areas. At the end of this process a decision will then be
required in relation to the desirability or otherwise of undertaking a review of the Core
Strategy.
RECOMMENDATION
This item is for discussion only.
(Source: Tracy Armitage, Senior Planning Officer, ext 6304)
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