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February 2013 - Issue 32 |
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LDF Bulletin Winchester
District Local Plan Part 1 – Joint Core Strategy is found ‘sound’ Winchester City Council’s Local Plan
Part 1 has been found ‘sound’ by Planning Inspector Nigel Payne, who
published his final report this week. This concludes that Local Plan
Part 1 reflects the changes to national planning law, policies and guidance
that have taken place since the Plan was first published. The Inspector supported the
Council’s overall development strategy and approach to achieve sustainable
communities across the Winchester District. He recognised that one of the key
priorities is providing affordable housing and, acknowledging the nationwide
priority for delivering new homes, has concluded that the Council should aim
to see development consistent with the upper level of the range of houses
communities had sought in the market towns and larger villages. He also said
there was capacity for additional houses to be built in the proposed
extension of the community at Whiteley. The Inspector has drawn on local
evidence, regional and national planning policy to conclude that Winchester
should deliver 12,500 new homes across the District by 2031, adding 1000
dwellings to the requirement for the ‘Market Towns and Rural Area’ and 500
new homes at Whiteley to the figures the Council submitted. His
recommendations are binding and will now be put to the City’s Cabinet and
full Council to allow final adoption of the first part of Winchester’s new
Local Plan. Taking into account houses
completed, planning permissions granted and strategic allocations at Barton
Farm, North Whiteley and West of Waterlooville, the locations for much of the
housing have been identified, leaving around 2,000 to find through Local Plan
Part 2 which has recently started. The Inspector also recommends
increasing the requirement for employment land, including allocating part of
the Bushfield Camp site in Winchester for this purpose. The remainder
of the Plan is supported, subject to minor changes, including key elements
such as affordable housing provision, settlement gaps, sustainable
construction and the retention of settlement boundaries pending Local Plan
Part 2. View the inspectors
report and schedule of modifications. Community
Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Consultation
on the preliminary draft charging schedule closed on 1 February 2013.
Comments were received from 18 organisations and individuals and these can
all be viewed on the Winchester City
Council website. These
comments, together with the Council’s response, will be reported to the
Council’s Cabinet on 13 March 2013, after which a Draft Charging Schedule
will be published in April/May, prior to submission for examination later
this year. Local
Plan Part 2 Following
on the success of a ‘sound’ Local Plan Part 1, the Council is actively
engaging with the communities across the Winchester District that have a
housing target to deliver, to progress Part 2. Each community has a programme
for any work it is doing and notes and templates have been created to assist
this process. These can be viewed on the Winchester City
Council website. Strategic Planning Team |
All rights reserved. All content ©2013 Winchester Council. |