October 2009 - Issue 15

LDF Bulletin
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Core Strategy Update and Revised Programme

Thank you to all those who made comments on our draft Core Strategy. The consultation closed on 3 July with over 850 responses received, raising in excess of 4000 comments. All the comments received have now been placed on our website and can be viewed at http://documents.winchester.gov.uk/preferredoption/Default.aspx
You can search this by name of respondent or policy number of the Core Strategy, and view other comments made.

A series of exhibitions was also held across the District during June. Approximately 600 people visited these and nearly 500 people viewed the exhibition on our web site. The next step in the process will be to assess all the comments received and report these to the Council's LDF Cabinet Committee - the first meeting has been booked for 20 October 2009. This meeting will cover the general level of response and a revised programme for Core Strategy production. Papers for this Committee will be available to view from Monday 12 October on the LDF Cabinet Committee web page.

The Council received an informal advisory visit from the Planning Inspectorate during August 2009. The Inspector gave an informed opinion on the Core Strategy given his experience and the expectations of Government as to the level of detail now required to be dealt with in these documents. His report can be viewed at on the Council webpages. The resulting advisory note concluded that further technical work is required on the Core Strategy.

It is considered beneficial to undertake this additional work in advance of formally publishing the Core Strategy or submitting it for examination. This will require the Local Development Scheme to be revised to accommodate the proposed changes, which will delay Core Strategy publication from December 2009 until autumn 2010. Our current assessment of the programme changes needed to accommodate the additional work, is still in progress but will be considered formally by the LDF Committee on 20 October.

Following consideration and agreement of the revised Local Development Scheme by the Council, a revised programme will be submitted to Government for approval. 


Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)

Winchester has completed its draft SHLAA which was subject to consultation during March and April 2009. The results of the consultation will be considered by the Councils Cabinet on 14 October, along with an assessment of the need to release Local Reserve Sites. The report to Cabinet will respond to the key issues raised such as whether the SHLAA should identify greenfield sites outside settlements and whether an allowance for small sites should be made.  The report on Local Reserve Sites will recommend whether any of these sites need to be released to maintain an adequate supply of housing land over the next 5 years. Papers can be viewed on the Cabinet web page from 2 October.


Strategic Development Area N/NE Hedge End

The Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) has appointed Matthew James in the role of Project Feasibility Manager for the Strategic Development Area N/NE of Hedge End, working on behalf of Eastleigh Borough Council and Winchester City Council.  Matthew is based in the Planning Policy and Design team at Eastleigh Borough Council.

His role is to project manage technical studies over the next year, to establish the feasibility of delivering the SDA within the search area. This will involve working with the various community interests, landowners and developers, Council departments, government agencies and specialist consultants. The outcomes of the feasibility study will inform future decision-making and the emerging Local Development Frameworks for Winchester and Eastleigh.

Matthew will also be handling enquiries on the SDA and can be contacted for further information at matthew.james@eastleigh.gov.uk. More information on the SDA can be found the SDA web page. 


South Downs National Park

Following declaration of the South Downs National Park in April 2009, and after a brief public hearing in August, the Inspector will shortly report to the Secretary of State (SoS) regarding six possible adjustments to the overall park boundary. This should then allow the SoS to formally confirm the designation order and the precise boundaries of the Park. 

In advance of this, an establishment team has begun twelve months of preparatory work, leading to the creation of the new 'shadow' National Park Authority which will become operational from the 1 April 2010.  After a further twelve months of 'bedding in' the new Park Authority will assume its full range of duties and responsibilities from the 1 April 2011, at which time the South Downs Joint Committee will be formally wound up.

Find out more at www.southdowns.gov.uk or email helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Strategic Planning Team

Winchester City Council
City Offices
Colebrook Street
Winchester
Hampshire
SO23 9LJ

Tel: 01962 840 222
ldf@winchester.gov.uk

www.winchester.gov.uk/liveforthefuture

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