Development Consultation Forum

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Development Consultation Forum

• Woodcroft Farm
• January 2012

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Programme

• 17.30 Developers display
• 18.00 Introduction Councillor Guest
• 18.05 Explanation of process and policy
  background
• 18.15 Presentation by the Developer
• 18.35 Invited speakers
• 19.05 Comments from other consultees
• 19.15 Developer response to issues raised
• 19.25 Councillor opportunity to ask questions
• 19.50 Summary of key points
• 20.00 Chairman closes Forum meeting

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The purpose of the Forum is

• To allow developer to explain development
  proposals directly to councillors, public key
  stakeholders at an early stage
• Informs officer pre application discussions with
  developer
• Identify issues that may be considered in any
  formal application.
• Enable the developer to shape an application to
  address community issues

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The Forum is not meant to

• Negotiate the proposal in public
• Commit councillors or local planning authority to
  a view
• Allow objectors to frustrate the process
• Address or necessarily identify all the issues
  that will need to be considered in a future
  planning application
• Take the place of normal planning application
  process or role of the Development Management
  Committee

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The outcome of the Forum will be

• Developer will have a list of main points to
  consider
• Stakeholders and public will be aware of
  proposals and can raise their concerns
• Councillors will be better informed on
  significant planning issues
• Officers will be better informed as to community
  expectations during their pre application
  negotiations with developers

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Woodcroft Farm
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Strategic Site Profile  Site location Woodcroft
Farm Site 5           

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Woodcroft Farm
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Policy Background

• National Planning Policy Statements
• Havant Borough Core Strategy 2011 Policy CS18
  Strategic Sites
• Contributions Policy (SPD)
• Local Transport Strategy
• Playspace
• CIL

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Core Strategy - allocation

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Key Planning Issues

• Principle of development
• Policy CS18 Allocates residential development
  indicative 340 dwellings
• Residential mix
• No. and size of houses
• Highways and access
• Assessment of traffic
• Design
• Context of surrounding properties

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Key Planning Issues

• Neighbouring properties
• Assessing relationships
• Open space
• Location and amount
• Landscaping
• Existing on site trees and site boundaries
• Site conditions and Drainage
• - Sustainable drainage (SUDS) and sink holes

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Key Planning Issues

• Relocation of playing field
• - From Woodcroft School
• Diversion of bridleway
• - Woodcroft Lane
• Nature Conservation
• - James Copse SINC
• Possibility of other development
• - Fields to north and south
• Existing mobile phone mast

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Developers Presentation
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Main Points for DiscussionWaterlooville
Community Board

• Main concerns relate to traffic movements during
  construction and later residential access
• Proposals for junction movements in Eagle Av,
  Milton Rd Lovedean Lane incl. London Rd
  junction
• Interaction between site traffic, footpaths and
  relocated bridleway
• Impact of possible extension to Woodcroft Farm
  development on cumulative traffic flow
• Site traffic flows and time of day patterns
  across the WV/A3(M)
• Impact of parking and mov.t of commercial
  vehicles during the construction period

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Main Points for DiscussionWaterlooville
Community Board

• Impact of development in Winchester on land
  adjacent to the site
• Request that HCC Highways publish analysis of
  traffic impact survey
• Traffic impact statements must incorporate
  possible future development in adjoining areas

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Consultee Comments

• Housing Services Manager
• Policy CS9 requires min 30 affordable
• Low affordable housing within Hart Plain ward
  (22) therefore no justification for decreased
  provision
• Tenure expectation 7030 (affordable rent shared
  ownership)
• Accommodation mix will be flexible

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Consultee Comments

• Housing Services Manager contd..
• Affordable housing to be pepper potted and
  indistinguishable from private housing
• Hampshire Homechoice (choice based lettings
  scheme) demonstrates housing need
• - 1155 require 2 bed accommodation
• - 654 require 3 bed accommodation
• - 473 require 4 bed accommodation

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Consultee Comments

• Housing Services Manager cont.d
• Homes in Hants shared ownership/equity housing
• 76 require 23 bed accommodation
• Broad guidelines agreed with Savills
• 65 2 bed
• 30 3 bed
• 4 4 bed
• No 1 bed houses proposed

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Consultee Comments

• Housing Services Manager cont.d
• The location is best suited for families
• Initial proposals indicate that sizes of
  dwellings will equate to the upper levels of the
  HBC Housing Quality Indicators (Housing SPD)

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Consultee Comments

• Hampshire Highways Highways Officer
• A traffic assessment will be required
• The traffic assessment will need to assess
  committed developments and cumulative impacts.
• The surrounding junctions will be assessed, also
  linkages to public transport

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Consultee Comments

• Drainage - HBC Special Projects Engineer
• Design utilises Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDS)
  in accordance with current best practice
• The design recognises and responds to the
  constraint imposed by the swallow holes.
• The design allows for detention and treatment on
  site using a mixture of open ponds, shallow
  roadside ditches ('swales') and underground
  storage, using buried cellular boxes.
• Future maintenance of SUDS features

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Consultee Comments

• Drainage - HBC Special Projects Engineer cont.d
• Southern Water have verified the capacity for
  foul water sewerage
• A s106 will be required for maintenance issues

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Consultee Comments

• HBC Open Spaces Team Leader
• Sufficient sports pitches for hire to teams for
  organised sport in the Borough but quality issues
  and a lack of artificial turf pitches.
• Deficient in allotments, burial land and areas of
  formal horticulture.
• Wecock is well provided for in terms of informal
  open space, equipped play and youth provision
  although the play equipment is ageing.
• There is a move towards more natural playable
  spaces and there may be scope for this.

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Consultee Comments

• HBC Open Spaces cont.d
• Facilities and public spaces need to be have
  regard to proximity to houses and anti-social
  behaviour and noise nuisance to residence.
• The need to design out difficult to maintain
  areas and litter traps
• The need to be aware of traveller incursions and
  designing out or defending against these.

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Consultee Comments

• Planning Policy Requirements (CS18)
• Provision of a mixed community to include private
  market housing
• 30 affordable housing in accordance with policy
  CS9 Housing
• Code for Sustainable Home requirements

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Consultee Comments

• Planning Policy Requirements cont.d
• (Policies CS18 DM6 Coordination of Development)
  
• Policy CS18 acknowledges potential larger overall
  site 700 homes (400 outside Borough)
• Larger site promoted to Winchester City Council
  and East Hants DC.
• Policy DM6 only permits development that does not
  undermine future development potential of
  adjacent land.

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Consultee Comments

• Planning Policy Requirements cont.d
• Highway impacts beyond the immediate site
• Close working with HCC regarding access via
  surplus land at Meadowlands School.
• Diversion of existing bridleway accommodated

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Consultee Comments

• Planning Policy Requirements cont.d
• Development will need to have regard to the
  adjacent SINC designation
• Minimise tree loss, include new planting
• Suitable provision required for sports
  facilities/play space

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Consultee Comments

• Planning Policy Requirements cont.d
• Identify deliver wider regeneration benefits
  (policy CS6.5 Regeneration of the Borough Wecock
  Farm).
• HBC/ Skills and Employability Partnership
  developing a skills and employment guidance note
  to maximise site training employment
  opportunities

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Consultee Comments

• Urban Design and Landscape
• Proposal integrates existing landscape assets
  with the overall design and layout.
• Masterplan needed, including land beyond Havant
  BC boundary
• The need to create a safe, overlooked and
  attractive gateway entrance
• Well lit and overlooked routes

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Consultee Comments

• Urban Design and Landscape cont. d
• The new development needs to have good access to
  the school.
• The need for an attractive boundary to the
  playing field
• Avoid over-reliance on car parking courts.
• Care need to avoid dominance of parking in
  streetscene

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Consultee Comments

• Arboriculturalist
• Further information will be required
• -Topographical survey with tree positions Root
  Protection Areas
• -Trees for removal to be identified.
• -Full Arboricultural Impact Assessment
  including remaining trees

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Developers Response

• A construction route will be agreed
• A total figure of 700 houses is considered
  unlikely, the future Core Strategies for
  Winchester and East Hants are currently out to
  public consultation
• Grainger builds to some of Life Time Homes
  standards (parking and space)

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Main Points for Discussion Councillors
Questions

• Q Will the existing farm house be maintained?
• A Yes, the developer is aware of the need to
  maintain and secure the existing farmhouse.
• Q Can local businesses and trades people be used
  where possible?
• A Grainger has a CITB apprenticeship/training
  scheme.
• Q The development would result in additional
  vehicles using the dangerous Lovedean Lane/Milton
  Rd junction will roundabouts or traffic lights
  be incorporated?
• A This is being considered as part of the TA

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Main Points for Discussion Councillors
Questions Cont.d

• Q Can the terraces be split up to appear more
  visually appealing?
• A The design is low density and the detailed
  design can be negotiated.
• Q Will cycleways into the site from surrounding
  areas encourage and invite trouble?
• A The routes will be well overlooked to
  discourage anti-social behaviour and connect the
  new development to the community

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Main Points for Discussion Councillors
Questions Cont.d

• Q What is the housing mix likely to be?
• A Indicative percentages are currently
• 1 bed 3
• 2 bed 38
• 3 bed 44
• 4 bed 15
• Q Will the TA take into consideration the amount
  of construction traffic coming onto Eagle Avenue?
• A This will be looked at as part of the proposed
  submission

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Main Points for Discussion Councillors
Questions Cont.d

• Q Will the houses be linked to cables?
• A Yes, internet provision will be incorporated
• Q Will the site be linked to Wecock field?
• A Yes there will be a footpath link
• Q Will there be a footpath link to the school as
  part of safer routes to school?
• A Yes, a crossing point at the new access road is
  shown. The crossing would lead to a footpath to
  the school

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Main Points for Discussion Councillors
Questions Cont.d

• Q Will the Council be obliged to take on
  sustainable drainage?
• A Not at the present time and maintenance will be
  undertaken by a management company which will
  need to be set up to serve the development.
  However, in the future the County Council would
  have the legal power to adopt such schemes.

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Main Points for Discussion Councillors
Questions Cont.d

• Q Can commercial vehicles and caravans be banned
  from the site?
• A This is incorporated in most of Graingers
  covenants
• Q Could an employment fair be held at the Wecock
  Centre?
• A Yes
• Q Can the mess from construction vehicles onto
  surrounding roads be kept to a minimum?
• A A condition can be incorporated to require
  wheels to be cleaned prior to leaving the site.

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Main Points for Discussion Councillors
Questions Cont.d

• Q Can safe routes be provided during the
  construction phase as well as for the final
  scheme?
• A Temporary measures can be introduced
• Q If the pinch point along the access road is
  damaged during construction work, which is
  possible given the need for construction vehicles
  to use it, would it be made good before the
  development is completed?
• A Yes

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Main Points for Discussion Councillors
Questions Cont.d

• Q Please avoid giving the impression of a gated
  community.
• A Noted

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Wecock Residents Association

• Q. Will traffic calming measures be incorporated
  to ensure school childrens safety?
• A. The TA will need to have regard to the
  surrounding situation including the proximity of
  the school. Specific measure proposed crossing
  the new access road.
• Q. Will the rooms be large enough to encourage
  family interaction e.g space for family dinner
  table?
• A. Yes, with the majority of housing proposed to
  be family housing.
• There is a need for the development to
  integrate with the existing community and
  community centre, for instance financing
  community worker and youth employment ideally a
  purpose built workshop to teach skills such as
  mending a bike and purpose built facilities for
  teenage children
• The developer welcomes the suggestions where
  improvements could be made. Developer will enter
  into negotiations with the Council and community
  regarding the content of the section 106 planning
  agreement.
• Comment - James Copse is not suitable for future
  development

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What Happens Next?

• Summary notes circulated to attendees
• Officers will discuss outcomes with developer
• Developer will continue to develop proposals and
  consider issues raised by Forum
• Decision as to form of application and timing of
  submission rests with developer.