Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan · 1 Introduction 5 2 The site selection process 12 3 Stage...

Wiltshire Housing SiteAllocations Plan

Topic Paper 2Site Selection Process Methodology

July 2018Submission version

Information about Wiltshire Council services can be made available on request in other languages including BSL and formats such as large print and audio. Please contact the council on 0300 456 0100, by textphone on 01225 712500 or by email on [email protected].

Wiltshire Council

Executive summary

Stage

Site selection focuses on community areas where housing landsupply needs to be supplemented in order to meet WCS indicativelevels of housing development for 2006 - 2026

Areas of Search1

Land promoted for development is recorded in Strategic HousingLand Availability Assessment (SHLAA sites). These represent thepool of possibilities for Plan proposals.

Strategic Assessment– Exclusionary Criteria

2a

SHLAA sites are rejected from further consideration or their capacityreduced where affected by obstacles to development such asheritage and wildlife designations and flood plain, or because thesite is already a commitment for development or located in the builtup area.

SHLAA sites at some Large Villages are removed from furtherconsideration because previous and committed development already

Strategic Assessment– Rural Settlements

2b

meets those villages local needs, they are in AONB and alternativesare available or a Neighbourhood Plan for the settlement has alreadyreached an advanced stage.

Remaining SHLAA sites are assessed against 12 sustainabilityobjectives. Sites with major adverse effects are rejected. Other sitesare divided into ‘more’ or ‘less’ sustainable site options.

Sustainability Appraisalof site options

3

The suitability of site options, prioritising the more sustainable ones,is assessed in greater detail to develop them into possible plan

Selection of PreferredSites

4a

allocations. They are checked to be sure they fit with WCS strategyand preferred sites are selected.

The total contribution of all the preferred sites to each HousingMarket Area is assessed in terms of overall land supply and whether

Developing PlanProposals

4b

Plan objectives are met.The selection of preferred sites is amendedif necessary and confirmed as Plan proposal.

Plan proposals are checked to ensure that there is at least areasonable prospect of them being implemented

Viability Assessment5

A draft Plan is prepared containing the Plan proposals and theirlikely significant effects are assessed in combination against the 12sustainability objectives.

Sustainability Appraisalof Draft Plan and HRAscreening

6

The Plan is ‘screened’ under the Habitats Regulations as to whetherthe draft Plan will result in significant adverse effects upondesignated sites. As a consequence, an appropriate assessmentis carried out and mitigation measures proposed.

The Draft Plan is amended to include recommendations fromsustainability appraisal and HRA screening.

Draft Plan7

• WHSAP Topic Paper 2 - July 2018 Submission Version • • Page 1

The Draft Plan has been published, supported by the following topic papers:

PurposeDocument

Reports on stages 1 to 4a of the site selection process foreach community area, including a summary of relevantoutputs from stage 3.

Community Area Topic Papers

Reports on the process and outcome of settlement boundaryreview for each community area settlement

Explains the process followed to review settlementboundaries and how it was developed

Topic Paper 1: SettlementBoundary Review Methodology

Explains the process followed to select preferred sites andproduce plan proposals

Topic Paper 2: Site SelectionProcess Methodology

Provides the quantitative evidence for housing landrequirements

Topic Paper 3 : Housing LandSupply

Reports on how preferred sites affect housing land supplyfor each Housing Market Area in terms of meeting WCSrequirements and the spatial strategy

Topic Paper 4 : Developing PlanProposals

Tests the ability of sites to be developed, provide policycompliant levels of affordable housing and necessaryinfrastructure

Topic Paper 5 : Assessment ofViability


5Introduction1

12The site selection process2

13Stage 1: Areas of search3

15Stage 2: Strategic assessment4

19Stage 3: Sustainability Appraisal5

21Stage 4: Selection of preferred sites and developing plan proposals6

23Stage 5 Viability assessment7

24Stage 6: Sustainability Appraisal of plan proposals and Habitats Regulation Assessment8

Appendices

26Stage 2 Strategic assessment - 2B: Large Villages1

33Stage 4a: Selection of preferred sites - detailed methodology2

• WHSAP Topic Paper 2 - July 2018 Submission Version •

1 Introduction

1.1 The purpose of the Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan (‘the Plan’) is established in theWiltshire Core Strategy (WCS) to:

Revise, where necessary, settlement boundaries in relation to the Principal Settlementsof Salisbury and Trowbridge, Market Towns, Local Service Centres and Large Villages;and

Allocate new sites for housing to ensure the delivery of homes across the plan periodin order to maintain a five year land supply in each of Wiltshire’s three HMAs over theperiod to 2026.

Settlement Boundary Review

1.2 The Council did not review the extent of the boundaries to inform the WCS and relied uponthe former district local plans. They would instead be reviewed as a part of preparing thisPlan (paragraph 4.13 of the WCS).

1.3 Consequently, the Council has undertaken a comprehensive review of the boundaries toensure they are up-to-date and adequately reflect changes which have happened since theywere first established. The Plan amends settlement boundaries where necessary. It is alsothe prerogative of local communities to review them through the preparation of neighbourhoodplans.

1.4 A separate methodology topic paper explains the review process and how it was developed(1).

The Site Selection Process

1.5 The WCS refers to the role of this Plan, in combination with the Chippenham Site AllocationsPlan, to help ensure a sufficient choice and supply of suitable sites throughout the planperiod in accordance with national policy and to compliment Neighbourhood Planning.

1.6 The WCS disaggregates the scale of housing required over the plan period to three separateHousing Market Areas (HMAs) shown below (East, North and West and South).The NationalPlanning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires that each Local Planning Authority demonstratesthat there is five years supply of deliverable of land for housing development for each HMAbased on the implied delivery rates of the WCS requirement. Fluctuations can occur in thedelivery of housing but a central objective of the Plan, ensuring surety of supply, is to sustaina ‘five year housing land supply’ over the remainder of the plan period to 2026.

1 Topic Paper 1: Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan - Settlement Boundary Review Methodology


Figure 1.1 Wiltshire Housing Market Areas

Page 6 • • WHSAP Topic Paper 2 - July 2018 Submission Version •

1.7 The WCS also defines a hierarchy of settlements within the County and disaggregatesindicative levels of housing to each Community Area and includes indicative requirementsfor the Principal Settlements, Market Towns and in the South Wiltshire HMA, the LocalService Centres and their surrounding community areas(2). This distribution of developmentdirects the majority of development to these main settlements and promotes a sustainablepattern of development. The Plan’s allocations focus on those settlements and areas whereland supply falls short of the indicative levels. In so doing it helps to deliver the WCS spatialstrategy.

1.8 This document sets out the methodology for identifying suitable sites for housing developmentin accordance with the settlement strategy and housing market areas established in theWCS.

Context

1.9 The WCS contains a settlement strategy for managing growth over the period up to 2026.The strategy establishes tiers of settlements based on an understanding of their role andfunction; and how they relate to their immediate communities and wider hinterland.

1.10 Core Policy 1 of the Core Strategy identifies four categories of settlements, namely:

Principal SettlementsMarket TownsLocal Service CentresLarge and Small Villages

1.11 Except small villages each of these settlements has a “settlement boundary”. In simple terms,they are the dividing line, or boundary between areas of built/ urban development (thesettlement) and non-urban or rural development – the countryside. In general, developmentwithin the settlement boundary is, in principle, acceptable, whereas development outsidethe settlement boundary is, with limited exceptions, unacceptable.The WCS uses settlementboundaries as a policy tool for managing how development should take place.

1.12 The table below sets out the relationship between each settlement’s role within the settlementstrategy and the expected level of development under Core Policy 1.

Table 1.1 Settlement levels of development

Level of developmentSettlement

The primary focus for development and will provide significant levels ofjobs and homes

Principal Settlement

Have the potential for significant development that will increase thenumber of jobs and homes to help sustain/ enhance services andfacilities and promote self-containment and sustainable communities

Market Town

Modest levels of development to safeguard their role and deliveraffordable housing

Local Service Centre

Development limited to that need to help meet the housing needs ofsettlements and improve housing opportunities, services and facilities

Large village

2 Paragraph 4.26 and Table 1, WCS


Level of developmentSettlement

Some modest development may be appropriate to respond to localneeds and contribute to the vitality of rural communities but limited toinfill

Small village

1.13 Core Policy 2 of the WCS also proposes a minimum housing requirement for each HMA asfollows:

Table 1.2 : Housing Market Areas housing requirements

Minimum housing requirement (dwellings)Housing Market Area (HMA)

5,940East Wiltshire

24,740North and West Wiltshire

10,420South Wiltshire

1.14 Table 1 and the Area Strategy Policies of the WCS provide indicative housing requirementsfor settlements, community area remainders and community areas.

Table 1.3 Community Area indicative requirements

Indicative requirement2006-2026

Area

2,010Devizes

490Devizes CA remainder

2,500Devizes CA Total

680Marlborough

240Marlborough CA remainder

920Marlborough CA Total

600Pewsey CA Total

1,750Tidworth and Ludgershall

170Tidworth CA remainder

1,920Tidworth CA Total

5,940EAST WILTSHIRE HMA

595Bradford on Avon

185Bradford on Avon CA remainder

780Bradford on Avon CA Total

1,440Calne



Area

165Calne CA remainder

1,605Calne CA Total

4,510Chippenham

580Chippenham CA remainder

5,090Chippenham CA Total

1,220Corsham

175Corsham CA remainder

1,395Corsham CA Total

885Malmesbury

510Malmesbury CA remainder

1,395Malmesbury CA Total

2,240Melksham and Bowerhill

130Melksham CA remainder

2,370Melksham CA Total

1,070Royal Wootton Bassett

385Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade CA remainder(3)

1,455Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade CA(3) Total

6,810Trowbridge

165Trowbridge CA remainder

6,975Trowbridge CA Total

1,920Warminster

140Warminster CA remainder

2,060Warminster CA Total

1,500Westbury

115Westbury CA remainder

1,615Westbury CA Total

24,740NORTH & WEST WILTSHIRE HMA

3 Totals for Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade CA remainder and Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade CA exclude any developmentat the West of Swindon.



Area

2,440Amesbury, Bulford and Durrington

345Amesbury CA remainder

2,785Amesbury CA Total

235Mere

50Mere CA remainder

285Mere CA Total

6,060Salisbury

Wilton

255Wilton CA remainder

6,315Salisbury and Wilton CAs Total

190Downton

425Southern Wiltshire CA remainder

615Southern Wiltshire CA Total

200Tisbury

220Tisbury CA remainder

420Tisbury CA Total

10,420SOUTH WILTSHIRE HMA

1.15 Paragraph 4.30 of the WCS makes clear however that:

"The disaggregation to Community Areas set out above is not intended to be so prescriptiveas to be inflexible and potentially ineffective in delivering the identified level of housingfor each market area. It clarifies the council’s intentions in the knowledge of likelyconstraints in terms of market realism, infrastructure and environmental capacity. Theyprovide a strategic context for the preparation of the Housing Sites Allocation DPD andin order to plan for appropriate infrastructure provision.”

1.16 There are a number of sources for new homes to meet the requirements of Core Policy 2.They include:

strategic allocations made within the WCSretained Local Plan allocationsexisting commitmentsregeneration projects, for example, those in Chippenham, Trowbridge and Salisburyneighbourhood planswindfall


1.17 Sites identified in the Plan supplement housing land supply providing not just an additionalnumber of homes but improving the choice of location and house types.


2 The site selection process

Plan Objectives

2.1 The Plan allocates sites for housing development to ensure enough land is allocated to helpmeet the minimum requirements of each housing market area. In so doing, the Plan hasbeen prepared to achieve the following objectives:

1. To help demonstrate a rolling five year supply of deliverable land for housingdevelopment.In principle, land within settlements, in particular previously developed land, is acceptablefor housing redevelopment. A realistic allowance is included for this source of newhousing when calculating the scale of land supply(4). Within a predominantly rural areahowever, there is a limited amount of previously developed land. Not only are suchopportunities limited, they can also be difficult to rely on as a large proportion of overallsupply. The consequence is that the Plan must identify a number of sites involving theloss of countryside. As the WCS recognises it is a challenge to plan for sufficient newhomes in Wiltshire(5).

2. To allocate sites at the settlements in the County that support the spatial strategyof the Wiltshire Core StrategyThe spatial strategy describes a hierarchy of settlements within the County. Each tierrecognises the particular role of those settlements and plans a level of new housingdevelopment that is appropriate. Chippenham, Salisbury and Trowbridge, are PrincipalSettlements supported by a number of market towns. Designated large and smallvillages all serve their rural hinterlands. Local service centres have also been identifiedthat have a more pronounced role than villages. They possess a level of facilities andservices that provide the best opportunities outside the Market Towns for sustainabledevelopment.

4 See Topic Paper 3: Housing Land Supply, Wiltshire Council, (Jul 2017)5 WCS, paragraph 2.12, Wiltshire Council (Jan 2015)


3 Stage 1: Areas of search

Site selection focuses on community areas where housing land supply needs to be supplemented inorder to meet WCS indicative levels of housing development for 2006 – 2026

Defining ‘Areas of Search’

3.1 The site selection methodology, as a first stage, prioritises the consideration of housing sitesat those settlements and areas(6) where land supply needs to be supplemented in order tohelp meet the distribution and levels of housing provided by the WCS. These locations aretermed ‘Areas of Search’.

3.2 There are WCS Core Policies for each Community Area in the County. They propose a levelof housing for each Principal Settlement, Market Town and some of the Local Service Centresdesignated by the WCS. An approximate provision is made for the remainder of theCommunity Area (‘the Community Area remainder’). For the purposes of this Plan theselevels are termed indicative requirements.

3.3 Initial Areas of Search are therefore Principal Settlements, Market Towns, some Local ServiceCentres and those Community Area remainders, where evidence suggests additional housingland is necessary to meet indicative requirements. In these areas there is a quantified needfor development.

3.4 With regard to Community Area remainders, Core Policy 2 limits development to infill withinthe existing built up area at designated Small Villages. The Plan therefore does not seek toidentify land for housing development at Small Villages. Instead, where a community arearemainder is identified as an Area of Search, the focus of the approach to site selection isLocal Service Centres (which in the North and West and East HMAs do not have a specificindicative housing requirements) and Large Villages.

Neighbourhood Planning

3.5 Neighbourhood Plans are an important part of the planning system. The National PlanningPolicy Framework (NPPF) describes their role:

Neighbourhood planning gives communities direct power to develop a shared vision fortheir neighbourhood and deliver the sustainable development they need. Parishes andneighbourhood forums can use neighbourhood planning to:

set planning policies through neighbourhood plans to determine decisions on planningapplications...”(7)

3.6 The Council supports passing direct powers over planning to local communities as a part ofbuilding up the resilience of local communities.

3.7 Referring to the role of Local Plans prepared by the Council the NPPF states:

“Local planning authorities should set out the strategic priorities for the area in the LocalPlan. This should include strategic policies to deliver:

6 Each area strategy, for each community area in the WCS, proposes a level of housing for Principal Settlements, Market Towns andthe ‘Community Area Remainder’. A level of housing is also proposed at some of the Local Service Centres designated by the WCS.For further information about the role and function of each tier of the County’s settlement hierarchy see Core Policy 1 of the WCSand its supporting text.

7 National Planning Policy Framework, DCLG, March 2012 para 183


the homes and jobs needed in the area ...”(8)

3.8 It is only necessary for this Plan to allocate land for housing development where it is astrategic priority to do so. WCS Core Policy 1 proposes that development at Large Villagesshould be limited to that needed to help meet the housing needs of settlements and toimprove employment opportunities, services and facilities. Unless there is a strategic priorityto deliver the homes needed in an HMA, then the most appropriate means to assess localneeds and plan growth at each Large Village is through the neighbourhood planning process.

3.9 Topic Paper 3 explains that here is a high level of existing housing supply in the East WiltshireHMA and unlike the two other HMAs, a forecast rolling supply 20% in excess of five yearsfor all the remaining years of the plan period except the last. At the outset, therefore, it wasconsidered unnecessary to allocate sites for housing development at Large Villages in thisHMA. At this level of settlement, the priority should be for communities to meet local needsfor housing through neighbourhood planning. Possible plan allocations were however stillconsidered at Market Towns and the Local Service Centre where there was an indicativerequirement.

3.10 Assessment at Stage 2b (see paragraph 4.16 below) looks separately at each Large Villagewithin Areas of Search and the role being played by neighbourhood plans in meeting housingneeds at individual settlements.

Community Area Topic Papers

3.11 Topic Papers have been prepared for all the Community Areas using a 2017 baseline forinformation on dwellings built or already committed compared to indicative requirements.They show how land supply will meet indicative housing requirements for the WCS planperiod or whether fresh land for housing needs to be allocated in accordance with theremaining stages of the site selection process.

3.12 Plan allocations based on the 2017 baseline are the culmination of reviews of Areas ofSearch that have taken place whilst the Plan was being prepared. 2014 data was the firstbaseline. Since then, as work has progressed on the Plan, some areas have been excludedbecause they have met indicative requirements by a combination of dwellings built, existingallocations or land with planning consent. (Topic Paper 3 Table 1.1 shows how residualindicative requirements changed during the formation of the Plan.)

8 National Planning Policy Framework, DCLG, March 2012 para 156


4 Stage 2: Strategic assessment

2A: Exclusionary Criteria

Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) sites are rejected from further considerationor their capacity reduced where affected by obstacles to development such as heritage and wildlifedesignations and flood plain or because the site is already a commitment for development or locatedin the built up area.

4.1 All councils are required to maintain a register of land that is put forward for development.This is referred to as the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA). WithinAreas of Search the SHLAA provides a pool of land opportunities for possible housingdevelopment. Sites with a capacity of less than five dwellings were considered too small forinclusion in the Plan. From this pool SHLAA sites unrelated to Principal Settlements, MarketTowns, Local Service Centres and Large Villages have been excluded.Those sites remainingare therefore broadly consistent with the Plan objective of making land allocations to supportthe WCS spatial strategy and focus development in these settlements.

4.2 Other land, not included in the SHLAA(9), may possibly be capable of development butbecause neither a developer nor landowner has promoted the site for development, the sitecannot be said to be available within the plan period(10). It cannot be counted on to supplementhousing land supply and therefore, for the Plan to be effective, land other than SHLAA siteshas not been considered for inclusion.

4.3 SHLAA sites were therefore the basic building blocks of the Plan, but they simply amountto land put forward for development(11). This does not mean any particular site is capableor suitable for development; either in part or whole.

4.4 For the Plan to be effective, SHLAA sites need to be suitable and capable of being builtduring the plan period.The availability of each SHLAA site being reviewed was also checkedwith its owner or promoter. The National Planning Policy Framework describes land forhousing development in terms of being, ‘developable’, ‘available’ and ‘suitable’.(12)

4.5 The site selection process considers their suitability to help meet housing requirements.Their suitability may be affected by a variety of different constraints. It may also be the casethat SHLAA sites are not developable, for example because there is no reasonable prospectof creating a suitable vehicle access. In such circumstances, they do not represent areasonable alternative.

4.6 There may be a number of barriers to development ruling out a site in whole or part: forexample, SHLAA sites involving land with areas at risk of flooding or protected by adesignation because of important biodiversity interests or heritage value.

4.7 A systematic strategic assessment has tested each SHLAA site against a number ofexclusionary criteria. These were:

9 Since the publication of the pre-submission draft Plan, further assessment has been undertaken to include sites that werepromoted to the Council through the pre-submission consultation and were in areas of search, or to re-assess sites wherenew evidence was submitted through the consultation

10 All those submitting a SHLAA site were contacted to confirm land was available for inclusion in the plan.11 The site selection process did not consider SHLAA sites that had a gross capacity of less than 5 dwellings12 Footnote 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework, DCLG, March 2012


Table 4.1 : Exclusionary criteria

Exclusionary criteria

Is the SHLAA site fully or partly a commitment? Or is the site fully or partly within a PrincipalEmployment Area, or other existing development plan allocation? Or is the site isolated fromthe urban edge of the settlement i.e. not adjacent to the settlement boundary and not adjacentto a SHLAA site that is?

Is the site fully or partly within the settlement boundary

Is the site fully or partly within one more of the following environmental designations ofbiodiversity or geological value?

SAC

SPA

Ramsar sites

National Nature Reserve

Ancient woodland

SSSI

Is the site fully or partly within green belt?

Is the site fully or partly within flood risk areas, zones 2 or 3?

Is the site fully or partly within areas involving any of the following internationally or nationallydesignated heritage asset?

World Heritage Site

Scheduled Ancient Monument

Historic Park and Garden

Registered Park and Garden

Registered Battlefield

4.8 Some SHLAA sites were detached from a settlement’s built up area. Greenfield developmentshould take place in a way that expands an existing built up area in order to properly managethe growth of settlements and prevent the premature loss of open countryside.

4.9 SHLAA sites entirely within a settlement boundary were also excluded from the site selectionprocess(13). In principle, brownfield sites carry a presumption in favour of development andestablishing an allocation for development is unnecessary.The council may grant permission

13 SHLAA sites that would no longer be within the settlement boundary as a result of boundary review were treated by the site selectionprocess as if they were already outside.


in principle for housing-led development(14). Important brownfield sites may also advanceswiftly by more flexible development briefs or more simply through the planning applicationprocess.This different approach is often more adaptable to individual circumstance and maybetter deliver the higher priority accorded to developing brownfield land. In accordance withnational guidance, an allowance is made for windfall development. Calculated individuallyfor each Housing Market Area, this ensures this source of land supply is fully and properlyaccounted for as a part of land supply. (Allowances estimated for smaller areas, such asindividual towns, are difficult to substantiate and would not be statistically valid.)

4.10 SHLAA sites were rejected or reduced in capacity because one or more of the considerationsin Table 4.1 applied to part of a site or the whole, leaving a smaller set of potential siteswithin Areas of Search. Each Community Area Topic Paper records all the SHLAA sites thatare unaffected by exclusionary criteria, those that were rejected or their capacity reducedin size because of them. (An example extract is provided at appendix one of this paper.)Where reduced, the whole SHLAA area was still considered in later stages of the selectionprocess but with a lower development capacity. Land, unsuited to development, yet withinthe control of a developer could be important to a scheme as a benefit (for example, as openspace) or as a means to help mitigate harmful adverse effects of development (for example,by being used for tree planting).

2B: Large villages and Local Service Centres

SHLAA sites at some Large Villages are removed from further consideration because previous andcommitted development already meets those villages local needs, they are in AONB and alternativesare available or a Neighbourhood Plan for the settlement has already reached an advanced stage.

4.11 The WCS provides indicative requirements for new housing at each of the County’s mainsettlements. It provides an approximate scale of housing development for the remainder ofa community area. These areas may contain several rural settlements that do not haveindividually prescribed levels of development unlike Market Towns and Principal Settlements.

4.12 The spatial strategy requires new housing development at Large and Small Villages to belimited to that needed to help meet the housing needs of settlements and to improveemployment opportunities, services and facilities. Some rural settlements are designatedas Local Service Centres where levels of facilities and local employment suggest greaterpotential for growth and better self-containment.

4.13 Housing development at Small Villages is required to take the form purely of limited infill.House building will be small in scale, for sites of single figures and the Plan does not seekto identify sites of less than five dwellings.

4.14 On the other hand, all SHLAA sites at Local Service Centres were assessed since the WCSspecifically identifies these settlements as more suited to growth.

4.15 Opportunities at some Large Villages, however, have not been explored because localhousing needs for the plan period have already been accommodated; either throughdevelopment that has already taken place or that is planned. Further development broughtabout by additional Plan allocations would exceed meeting local needs and result in conflictwith WCS Core Policy 1. SHLAA sites at these Large Villages were not therefore consideredreasonable alternatives.

14 The Town and Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017


4.16 Another factor was that for some large villages growth has already been thoroughly consideredby Neighbourhood Plans, where these plans have advanced to a sufficient stage(15). It is apriority of the Council for local communities to take direct control over planning theirsettlements, as it is national policy. Alternative consideration by the Housing Site AllocationsPlan would contradict that priority and conflict with policy contained in the NPPF.

4.17 Preparing a Neighbourhood Plan addresses the housing needs of a settlement in accordancewith Core Policy 1 of the WCS. It is unnecessary for the Plan to supplement localconsideration. SHLAA sites at Large Villages where Neighbourhood Plan preparation is atan advanced stage are not considered reasonable alternatives.

4.18 In rural areas involving Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Large Villages outsidethe AONB are preferred locations to consider housing allocations compared to those atsettlements inside the designation (provided they have not already experienced developmentmeeting local needs and there are site options to consider). In these circumstances, consistentwith national policy on AONBs(16), options at Large Villages within the designation are notconsidered reasonable alternatives.

4.19 In a few cases, other reasons specific to particular Large Villages also prevented them frombeing considered reasonable alternatives. These instances are documented in the relevantCommunity Area Topic Paper and an example is included in appendix one.

15 Where a Neighbourhood Plan has been publicised by the Council under Regulation 16 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General)Regulations 2012

16 NPPF paragraphs 115-116, DCLG (Mar 2012)


5 Stage 3: Sustainability Appraisal

SHLAA sites are assessed against 12 sustainability objectives. Sites with major adverse effects arerejected. Other sites are divided into ‘more’ or ‘less’ sustainable site options.

5.1 After a high level assessment, remaining potential sites have been assessed usingsustainability appraisal. This is a transparent and systematic way of carrying out a detailedassessment of the performance of all the remaining site options using a sustainability appraisalframework.

5.2 The sustainability appraisal framework contains 12 objectives that cover the likelyenvironmental, social and economic effects of development.

Table 5.1 Sustainability objectives

Sustainability objectives

1. Protect and enhance all biodiversity and geological features and avoid irreversible losses2. Ensure efficient and effective use of land and the use of suitably located previously developed

land and buildings3. Use and manage water resources in a sustainable manner4. Improve air quality throughout Wiltshire and minimise all sources of environmental pollution5. Minimise impacts on climate change

a. through reducing greenhouse gas emissionb. through reducing our vulnerability to future climate change effects.

6. Protect, maintain and enhance the historic environment7. Conserve and enhance the character and quality of Wiltshire’s rural and urban landscapes,

maintaining and strengthening local distinctiveness and sense of place8. Provide everyone with the opportunity to live in good quality, affordable housing, and ensure

an appropriate mix of dwelling sizes, types and tenures9. Reduce poverty and deprivation and promote more inclusive and self- contained communities10. Reduce the need to travel and promote more sustainable transport choices.11. Encourage a vibrant and diversified economy and provide for long-term sustainable economic

growth12. Ensure adequate provision of high quality employment land and diverse employment

opportunities to meet the needs of local businesses and a changing workforce

5.3 The performance of each site has been assessed against each of the objectives using a setof decision-aiding questions. Each option was then scored under each objective based ona generic assessment scale from major positive to a major adverse effect.

Table 5.2 : Sustainability Appraisal - Generic assessment scale

Option likely to have a major adverse effect on the objective withno satisfactory mitigation possible. Option may be inappropriatefor mixed use development

Major adverse effect (---)

Option likely to have a moderate adverse effect on the objectivewith difficult or problematic mitigation

Moderate adverse effect (--)


Option likely to have a minor adverse effect on the objectivebecause mitigation measures are achievable to reduce thesignificance of effects

Minor adverse effect (-)

On balance option likely to have a neutral effect on the objectiveor no effect on the objective

Neutral or no effect (0)

Option likely to have a minor positive effect on the objective asenhancement of existing conditions may result

Minor positive effect (+)

Option likely to have a moderate positive effect on the objectiveas it would help resolve an existing issue

Moderate positive effect (++)

Option likely to have a major positive effect on the objective asit would help maximise opportunities

Major positive effect (+++)

5.4 Objectives and decision aiding questions resulted from consultation on a scoping report.The appraisal used common evidence and the process therefore ensured a transparent,consistent and equitable comparison of all reasonable alternatives.

5.5 Potential sites are rejected where the appraisal concludes development would result in oneor more major adverse effects with no satisfactory mitigation possible.

5.6 The remaining potential sites in each area or settlement are compared in terms of the balanceof their sustainability benefits versus adverse effects. The appraisal therefore suggestspotential sites that are ‘more sustainable’, ‘less sustainable’ and rejected others. Wherepotential sites were rejected, the reasons for doing so are clearly stated.There is a separatedraft Sustainability Appraisal Report, but each Community Area paper summarises theassessment and its recommendations.


6 Stage 4: Selection of preferred sites and developing planproposals

4A: Selection of preferred sites

The suitability of site options, prioritising the more sustainable ones, is assessed in greater detail todevelop them into possible plan allocations. They are checked to be sure they fit with WCS strategyand preferred sites are selected.

6.1 The site options that were identified to be taken forward from Stage 3 were analysed further.The focus for further work was the set of ‘more sustainable’ sites identified at stage 3. Furtherconsultation with specialist consultees(17) helped to develop potential sites into site optionswith individual housing capacities and specific boundaries. Consultation also helped toidentify requirements that should be highlighted for individual site options, to guide the formdevelopment should take, including the definition of realistic site boundaries.

6.2 Stage 4a is carried out in five steps. Steps 1-4 are carried out for each of the ‘more sustainablesites’ recommended by the Stage 3 SA results. In exceptional circumstances it was necessaryfor further assessment of ‘less sustainable sites’. Step 5 considers the area of search as awhole, selects and justifies the selection of preferred sites and concludes with a set of draftproposals.

6.3 Step 1 transforms a SHLAA site into a possible draft proposal by a more detailed assessmentof the significant effects identified in Stage 3.

6.4 A range of stakeholders were invited to comment on the site options. Input was particularlytargeted to address likely adverse effects and mitigation predicted by sustainability appraisal(stage 3). The capacity of some sites, for example, was reduced to allow for larger areas oflandscaping to mitigate potentially harmful visual impacts. In some cases, more detailedassessment revealed that adverse effects associated with the development of a site couldnot be adequately mitigated or were greater than expected.

6.5 Step 2 assessed how well a site may contribute to the relevant area strategy for the widercommunity area in terms of how much it might contribute to housing requirements, deliverthe vision for the area or address specific local issues.

6.6 Step 3 is a further specific assessment of whether a site at a Large Village is consistent withCore Policy 1; that it would constitute growth to meet local needs, including local housingneeds.This also takes note of how work on Neighbourhood Plans has progressed since firstconsidered at stage 2 and the extent to which they may contain housing proposals of theirown.

6.7 Step 4 is a summary conclusion for each site with a measure of the net sustainability benefitsof each site.

6.8 Step 5 considered all the sites in each Area of Search together and resulted in the selectionand rejection of sites. All sites that have satisfied Steps 1-3 were taken forward. This stepcompared the total dwellings that are provided by the pool of sites to indicative residualrequirements.Where necesssary, it selects and justifies site options that need to be rejectedbecause the overall scales of development exceed that proposed by each area strategy and

17 Heritage, Landscape, Ecology, Drainage, Transport, Education, Public Protection specialists within Wiltshire Council, HighwaysEngland , Natural England and Environment Agency and Heritage England.


growth would not result in sustainable development. For example, if several site options ata large village suggest too much development, in excess of local needs, then a site mayneed to be rejected.

6.9 The result of this five step assessment were a set of draft allocations in the form of detailedsite boundaries and an approximate dwelling capacity. Each Community Area Paper alsoidentifies particular considerations connected to a given site that should be referred to bythe Plan.

6.10 Assessments are recorded in each Community Area Paper and they use a common templateof guidance (included in this paper in appendix two) and evidence sources.

4B:Testing Plan Proposals

The total contribution of all the preferred sites to each Housing Market Area is assessed in terms ofoverall land supply and whether Plan objectives are met.The selection of preferred sites is amendedif necessary and confirmed as Plan proposal.

6.11 Previous stages assessed site options. Together the total amount of housing proposed inthe Plan should aim to ensure overall supply at least meet housing market area requirements.The form housing land supply takes should also provide for a demonstrable supply ofdeliverable land for each year in the plan period. This step checked the degree to which thiswould be achieved with the additional of the sites preferred from stage 4a. It assessed theresilience of supply using several different tests.

6.12 This stage also checked how all the draft allocations together fitted with the spatial strategy;in terms of the overall distribution of housing growth; the approach to rural areas; and therole of Principal Settlements and Market Towns. The rationale for the Plan is to supplementhousing land supply.This is a strategic priority stemming from the WCS.The spatial strategyexpects development at villages to respond to local needs. It is Government and the Council’swish to give direct power to local communities to articulate their own visions for their area,to define and respond to their own local need. Therefore, where land supply can meetobjectives of the Plan without allocating sites at villages then it should not. There is nostrategic priority. This stage has therefore specifically reviewed the purpose and the casefor making allocations at Large Villages.

6.13 This stage has also identified those sites in each HMA that are important to ensure supplyand assessed whether the Plan would be in general conformity with the WCS. The resultsof this assessment are reported in a separate Topic Paper 4: Developing Plan Proposals.


7 Stage 5 Viability assessment

To ensure preferred sites are viable and capable of development in accordance with national policyrequirements

7.1 Viability assessment has verified that preferred sites and the scale of development identifiedin the plan are not subject to such a scale of obligations and policy burdens that their abilityto be developed viably is threatened. It also shows that preferred sites are capable of providingpolicy compliant levels of affordable homes and that they are capable of contributing fully tothe WCS target for the plan period. Assessment has been carried out by independent expertson this aspect and their report has been published separately(18).

18 Topic Paper 5: Viability Assessment


8 Stage 6: Sustainability Appraisal of plan proposals and HabitatsRegulation Assessment

To draft Plan proposals and assess them against Sustainability Appraisal objectives, including incombination and cumulative effects

8.1 This stage of the assessment considered the impact of the Plan as whole, its cumulativeeffects as well as effects in combination with other plans and projects.

8.2 Following completion of the viability assessment, a further stage of sustainability appraisalwas undertaken to assess whether further refinements were necessary to improve mitigationmeasures and to see that the Plan delivers the most sustainability benefits possible.

8.3 In terms of biodiversity, the impact of potential sites on European Designations is an importantfactor in the selection of preferred sites.The Plan as whole however is also required throughthe Habitats Directive and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (asamended), to consider if it may have a likely significant effect on European Sites either aloneor in combination with other plans or projects. The assessment is published separately andshows there is sufficient mitigation. This included the identification of specific measures atindividual plan allocations.


[Insert Site Selection Process Flowchart aka Figure 2]


Ap

pen

dix

1 S

tag

e 2

Str

ateg

ic a

sses

smen

t -

2B: L

arg

e V

illag

es

Lar

ge

Vill

ages

Ass

essm

ent

Cri

teri

a

Dilt

on

Mar

shB

ratt

on

509

819

Nu

mb

er o

f d

wel

ling

s in

vill

age

(200

6)(1

9)H

ave

loca

l ho

usi

ng

nee

ds

for

the

Pla

n p

erio

d a

lrea

dy

bee

nm

et?

Ho

usi

ng

co

mp

leti

on

s (2

006

–20

16)(2

0)

2120

Dev

elo

pab

le c

om

mit

men

ts (2

016

– 20

26)

16

Pro

po

rtio

nat

e %

gro

wth

of v

illag

e(2

006

– 20

26)

4.3%

3.2%

1920

11 c

ensu

s da

ta (

min

us h

ousi

ng c

ompl

etio

ns 2

011-

2016

)20

Not

e: C

ompl

etio

ns a

nd c

omm

itmen

ts m

ay n

ot a

dd u

p to

the

tota

l for

the

Are

a of

Sea

rch,

as

the

tota

l als

o in

clud

es h

ousi

ng d

evel

opm

ent o

utsi

de o

f the

Lar

ge V

illag

es e

.g. a

t Sm

all V

illag

es a

nd o

pen

coun

trys

ide.


Lar

ge

Vill

ages

Ass

essm

ent

Cri

teri

a

Dilt

on

Mar

shB

ratt

on

No.

The

re is

no

Nei

ghbo

urho

odP

lan

unde

r pr

epar

atio

n.

No

RH

NS

ava

ilabl

e.

No.

The

re is

no

Nei

ghbo

urho

odP

lan

unde

r pr

epar

atio

n.

In 2

013,

a R

ural

Hou

sing

Nee

dsS

urve

y (R

HN

S)

iden

tifie

d, u

ntil

2015

, a n

eed

for

Sub

sidi

sed

rent

edho

usin

g:

• 2x

one

bed

room

hom

es•

1x tw

o be

droo

m h

ome

• 2x

thre

e be

droo

m h

omes

Sha

red

/ Low

cos

t hom

e ow

ners

hip

• 2x

two

bedr

oom

hom

es•

1x fo

ur b

edro

om h

ome

Hav

e lo

cal h

ou

sin

g n

eed

s al

read

y b

een

co

nsi

der

ed b

y a

suff

icie

ntly

adva

nce

d n

eig

hb

ou

rho

od

pla

n?

Dilt

on M

arsh

is r

elat

ivel

yun

cons

trai

ned.

The

re a

re C

ount

yW

ildlif

e S

ites

to th

e so

uth

and

wes

t,co

nnec

ted

to th

e vi

llage

.

Bra

tton

does

not

fall

with

in a

ny A

rea

of O

utst

andi

ng N

atur

al B

eaut

yde

sign

atio

ns, b

ut is

cov

ered

by

aS

peci

al L

ands

cape

Are

a

Are

th

ere

any

po

ten

tial

env

iro

nm

enta

l co

nst

rain

ts (

e.g

. str

ateg

icen

viro

nm

enta

l/ la

nd

scap

e d

esig

nat

ion

s an

d h

erit

age

asse

ts)?

desi

gnat

ion

whi

ch w

ould

nee

d to

be

a co

nsid

erat

ion

in a

ny fu

ture

deve

lopm

ents

at t

he v

illag

e. A

larg

epa

rt o

f the

vill

age

is a

lso

desi

gnat

ed


Lar

ge

Vill

ages

Ass

essm

ent

Cri

teri

a

Dilt

on

Mar

shB

ratt

on

with

in a

con

serv

atio

n ar

ea, a

ndth

ere

are

a nu

mbe

r of

eco

logy

desi

gnat

ions

in th

e vi

llage

hint

erla

nd.

Pri

mar

y sc

ho

ol p

rovi

sio

nT

here

is a

prim

ary

scho

ol in

the

villa

ge, a

lthou

gh th

e sc

hool

is fu

llan

d fo

reca

st to

rem

ain

so, a

nd

Pri

mar

y sc

ho

ol p

rovi

sio

nT

his

scho

ol h

as a

larg

e nu

mbe

r of

surp

lus

plac

es a

nd w

ould

ben

efit

from

hou

sing

with

in th

e ca

tchm

ent

area

.

Are

th

ere

any

kno

wn

str

ateg

ic in

fras

tru

ctu

re c

on

stra

ints

(e.

g.

edu

cati

on

, tra

nsp

ort

an

d u

tilit

ies)

?

cann

ot b

e ex

pand

ed.T

here

are

als

opr

essu

res

on p

rimar

y ed

ucat

ion

capa

city

in W

estb

ury,

and

Dilt

onM

arsh

Prim

ary

Sch

ool

Sec

on

dar

y sc

ho

ol p

rovi

sio

nac

com

mod

ates

pup

ils c

omin

g in

from

Wes

tbur

y. F

urth

erM

atra

vers

cur

rent

ly h

as s

ome

surp

lus

plac

es b

ut th

ese

are

expe

cted

to fi

ll ov

er th

e ne

xt fe

w

deve

lopm

ent a

t Dilt

on M

arsh

islik

ely

to c

ause

an

issu

e w

ith p

rimar

yed

ucat

ion

capa

city

in th

e ar

ea, a

ndye

ars

as h

ousi

ng a

lread

y ap

prov

edho

usin

g al

loca

tions

sho

uld

not b

eis

bui

lt pl

us la

rger

coh

orts

will

beg

inco

nsid

ered

in th

is v

illag

e un

til th

ew

ider

prim

ary

educ

atio

n ca

paci

tyha

s be

en a

ddre

ssed

.

to fe

ed th

roug

h fr

om th

e pr

imar

ysc

hool

s.T

he s

choo

l cou

ld b

eex

pand

ed w

hen

nece

ssar

y.


Lar

ge

Vill

ages

Ass

essm

ent

Cri

teri

a

Dilt

on

Mar

shB

ratt

on

Sec

on

dar

y sc

ho

ol p

rovi

sio

nM

atra

vers

cur

rent

ly h

as s

ome

surp

lus

plac

es b

ut th

ese

are

expe

cted

to fi

ll ov

er th

e ne

xt fe

w

Tran

spo

rt

A r

egul

ar b

us s

ervi

ce e

xist

sco

nnec

ting

the

villa

ge w

ith W

estb

ury

and

Trow

brid

ge.

year

s as

hou

sing

alre

ady

appr

oved

is b

uilt

plus

larg

er c

ohor

ts w

ill b

egin

to fe

ed th

roug

h fr

om th

e pr

imar

ysc

hool

s.T

he s

choo

l cou

ld b

eex

pand

ed w

hen

nece

ssar

y.

Tran

spo

rt

A r

egul

ar b

us s

ervi

ce e

xist

sco

nnec

ting

the

villa

ge w

ith W

estb

ury

and

Trow

brid

ge.

The

Par

ish

Cou

ncil

did

not r

espo

ndto

con

sulta

tion

on th

e H

ousi

ng S

iteA

lloca

tions

DP

D.

Bra

tton

Par

ish

Cou

ncil

have

adv

ised

Wilt

shire

Cou

ncil

that

SH

LAA

site

321

is a

site

with

pot

entia

l for

Ho

w d

id t

he

par

ish

co

un

cil r

esp

on

d t

o p

revi

ou

s co

nsu

ltat

ion

s o

nth

e W

iltsh

ire

Ho

usi

ng

Sit

es A

lloca

tio

ns

Pla

n?

build

ing

in th

e fu

ture

bea

ring

in m

ind

it is

in th

e S

alis

bury

Pla

in S

peci

alLa

ndsc

ape

Are

a an

d, a

s it

is a

t the


Lar

ge

Vill

ages

Ass

essm

ent

Cri

teri

a

Dilt

on

Mar

shB

ratt

on

Wes

t ent

ranc

e to

the

villa

ge, a

nyde

velo

pmen

t sho

uld

be d

esig

ned

topr

esen

t an

attr

activ

e as

pect

bot

h in

term

s of

land

scap

e an

d ar

chite

ctur

eto

this

app

roac

h.

6 si

tes

3 si

tes

Ho

w m

any

site

s w

ere

sub

mit

ted

to t

he

SH

LA

A?

Sit

es s

ub

mit

ted

to th

e S

trat

egic

Ho

usi

ng

Lan

d A

vaila

bili

tyA

sses

smen

tS

HLA

A s

ites

175,

100

8, 1

009,

103

8,10

43, 3

270

SH

LAA

site

s 32

1, 7

38, 3

527

1 si

te (

335

dw

ellin

gs)

1 si

te (

32 d

wel

ling

s)

SH

LA

A s

ite

321

Ho

w m

any

SH

LA

A s

ites

do

no

tm

eet

the

Sta

ge

2a s

trat

egic

con

stra

ints

an

d c

ou

ld b

e ta

ken

forw

ard

for

mo

re d

etai

led

asse

ssm

ent

(to

tal r

emai

nin

gca

pac

ity(2

1))?

SH

LA

A s

ite

3270

21S

eeA

ppen

dix

4 to

this

pap

er fo

r th

e fu

ll as

sess

men

t of S

HLA

A s

ites

at S

tage

2a

of th

e si

te s

elec

tion

proc

ess.


Lar

ge

Vill

ages

Ass

essm

ent

Cri

teri

a

Dilt

on

Mar

shB

ratt

on

Dilt

on M

arsh

is n

ot w

ithin

an

Are

aof

Out

stan

ding

Nat

ural

Bea

uty

orot

her l

ands

cape

des

igna

tion.

The

re

Bra

tton

does

not

fall

with

in a

ny A

rea

of O

utst

andi

ng N

atur

al B

eaut

yde

sign

atio

ns, b

ut is

cov

ered

by

a

Taki

ng

the

abov

e in

to a

cco

un

t, is

ther

e an

y ju

stif

icat

ion

for

rem

ovin

g t

he

Lar

ge

Vill

age

fro

mfu

rth

er c

on

sid

erat

ion

in t

he

site

sele

ctio

n p

roce

ss?

Su

mm

ary

and

co

ncl

usi

on

sar

e a

num

ber

of e

colo

gyde

sign

atio

ns in

the

villa

gehi

nter

land

.The

vill

age

cont

ains

a

Spe

cial

Lan

dsca

pe A

rea

desi

gnat

ion

whi

ch w

ould

nee

d to

be

a co

nsid

erat

ion

in a

ny fu

ture

num

ber

of fa

cilit

ies

and

serv

ices

,sh

op, p

ost o

ffice

, pla

ce o

f wor

ship

,de

velo

pmen

ts a

t the

vill

age.

A la

rge

part

of t

he v

illag

e is

als

o de

sign

ated

publ

ic h

ouse

, rec

reat

iona

l pla

ying

with

in a

con

serv

atio

n ar

ea, a

ndfie

ld.T

he v

illag

e al

so b

enef

its fr

omth

ere

are

a nu

mbe

r of

eco

logy

a tr

ain

stat

ion.

The

re is

a p

rimar

yde

sign

atio

ns in

the

villa

gesc

hool

in th

e vi

llage

, alth

ough

the

hint

erla

nd.T

he v

illag

e co

ntai

ns a

scho

ol is

full

and

fore

cast

to re

mai

nnu

mbe

r of

faci

litie

s an

d se

rvic

es,

so, a

nd c

anno

t be

expa

nded

.The

rein

clud

ing

a pr

imar

y sc

hool

(w

ithar

e al

so p

ress

ures

on

prim

ary

capa

city

), a

sho

p/po

st o

ffice

, pla

ces

educ

atio

n ca

paci

ty in

Wes

tbur

yof

wor

ship

, caf

é, p

ublic

hou

se, h

alls

,w

hich

impa

cts

scho

ol c

apac

ity a

tre

crea

tion

grou

nd, a

nd G

P s

urge

ry.

Dilt

on M

arsh

. Fur

ther

dev

elop

men

tT

here

are

not

con

side

red

to b

e an

yat

Dilt

on M

arsh

is li

kely

to c

ause

an

over

ridin

g co

nstr

aint

s w

hich

wou

ldre

sult

in e

xclu

sion

of s

ites

at th

isvi

llage

at t

his

stag

e.is

sue

with

prim

ary

educ

atio

nca

paci

ty in

the

area

, and

hou

sing

allo

catio

ns s

houl

d no

t be

cons

ider

ed


Lar

ge

Vill

ages

Ass

essm

ent

Cri

teri

a

Dilt

on

Mar

shB

ratt

on

in th

is v

illag

e un

til th

e w

ider

prim

ary

educ

atio

n ca

paci

ty h

as b

een

addr

esse

d.

RE

MO

VE

TAK

E F

OR

WA

RD

Co

ncl

usi

on

:


Appendix 2 Stage 4a: Selection of preferred sites - detailedmethodology

Work to this point has considered ‘SHLAA sites’. The purpose of this stage, which involves 5 Steps,is to select those ‘SHLAA sites’ that can be site allocations and produce a detailed site boundary andtext for each one’s inclusion in the draft Plan. The starting point is that all the ‘more sustainable sites’resulting from the assessment in stage 3 are capable of becoming site allocations.

For inclusion in the Plan, a site should demonstrate that it has ‘net sustainability benefits’ : that likelyadverse effects, after taking account of mitigation measures, are outweighed by likely positive effects,once measures to maximise those benefits have also been considered. However further work mayshow that adverse effects actually outweigh the positive ones, or be too marginal, in which case theyshould be rejected.

The Sustainability Appraisal (SA) identifies likely adverse and positive effects. Stage 4a involvesfurther work assessing only the site-specific effects (i.e. effects that are not common to most othersites) to clarify how they may be successfully mitigated or maximised. This work provides a moredetailed understanding of the site, including exact boundaries and a more accurate estimate of asite’s dwelling capacity. The work also involves specialist input from others, such as for landscapeand heritage sustainability objectives. It also judges the overall suitability of a site looking at effectsand measures in combination, for example costly mitigation measures may reduce the scope for adevelopment to provide a policy compliant level of affordable housing. This needs to be noted.Altogether, site suitability is considered at Step 1.

A site should also fit with each area strategy contained in the Core Strategy. Some proposals mayhelp to address issues identified in the Core Strategy but others may not. (Step 2 assesses thisaspect) A ‘SHLAA site’ at a large village should also be consistent with Core Policy 1 of the CoreStrategy. It should represent modest growth and help to support local jobs, community infrastructureand housing needs (Step 3 considers this).

Once more is known about how site options perform and how they fit with area strategy then it willbe possible to distinguish, if needed, between the better and less well performing sites amongst thoseconsidered the ‘more sustainable sites’ resulting from the Stage 3 . (Step 4 summarises Steps 1-3)

But the starting point is that all sites will go forward where there is evidence that they have net benefits,fit broadly with area strategy and are consistent with Core Policy 1. A judgement, however, mayneed to be made on rejecting one or more sites when:

the overall scale of development exceeds that proposed by each area strategy.if several site options at a large village suggest a scale of development that exceeds‘modest growth’ that is not supported by local needs.

If the more sustainable sites do not look like they will provide enough housing, it might be necessaryto look again at ‘less sustainable sites’ identified at Stage 3.

Each remaining site option should have a detailed site boundary and short description of site-specificmeasures, not common with any other site(22), that are necessary either to mitigate harm or maximisebenefits. This text would be capable of transfer to a draft Plan. (This is Step 5).

22 Each Community Area Topic Paper, Stage 4a Introduction lists generic mitigation measures that can generally be assumed to becommon to all sites.


Stage 4a is carried out in five steps. Steps 1-4 are carried out for each of the ‘more sustainablesites’ recommended by the Stage 3 SA results. Only in exceptional circumstances should it benecessary for further assessment of ‘less sustainable sites’ (see above). Step 5 considers thearea of search as a whole, selects and justifies the selection of preferred sites and concludeswith a set of draft proposals.

Step 1 (1) transforms a SHLAA site into a possible draft proposal by a more detailed assessmentof the effects identified in Stage 3; and (2) provides a measure of the net sustainability benefitsof each site.

Step 2 assesses how well a site may contribute to the relevant area strategy for the widercommunity area in terms of how much it might contribute to housing requirements, deliver thevision for the area or address specific local issues.

Step 3 is a specific assessment of whether a site at a large village is consistent with Core Policy1; that it would constitute modest growth and meet local needs, including local housing needs

Step 4 is a summary conclusion for each site.

Step 5 considers all the sites together and is the selection and rejection of sites. All sites thathave satisfied Steps 1-3 would be taken forward. The step compares the total dwellings thatare provided by the pool of sites to indicative residual requirements. Where necesssary, it selectsand justifies site options that need to be rejected because the overall scales of developmentexceed that proposed by each area strategy.

if several site options at a large village suggest too much development then a site may needto be rejected.

The conclusion gives an individual justification for a site being rejected. Generally, it should bethe site option(s) that performs the least well using evidence from Step 4.

Steps 1-5 are recorded in each community area paper using the following templates and cue ordecision aiding questions.


ST

EP

1 –

PO

TE

NTA

L S

ITE

SU

ITA

BIL

ITY

DA

QC

rite

ria

Can

sit

e-sp

ecif

ic a

dve

rse

effe

cts

be

mit

igat

ed?

If s

o h

ow

?1.

Iden

tify

each

site

-spe

cific

adv

erse

effe

ct in

the

SA

2.D

escr

ibe

the

mea

sure

s an

d ho

w th

ese

miti

gate

the

effe

cts

3.A

re th

ere

mea

sure

s es

sent

ial t

o al

low

dev

elop

men

t to

proc

eed

If so

des

crib

e ho

w th

ese

mea

sure

s ar

ere

ferr

ed to

in th

e P

lan

text

(1-

2 se

nten

ces)

4.D

o th

ey a

ffect

the

capa

city

of t

he s

ite?

5.D

o th

ey c

hang

e th

e bo

unda

ry to

the

site

Con

sult

as a

ppro

pria

te w

ith th

e re

leva

nt c

onsu

ltee

asso

ciat

ed w

ith e

ach

SA

obj

ectiv

e

The

con

vers

e to

the

abov

e. O

ppor

tuni

ties

shou

ld b

e ex

plor

ed, w

ith re

leva

nt c

onsu

ltees

if n

eces

sary

, to

max

imis

ebe

nefit

s w

hils

t ens

urin

g th

at th

ey a

re n

eces

sary

, dire

ctly

-rel

ated

and

pro

port

iona

te to

the

prop

osal

.H

ow

wel

l sit

e-sp

ecif

ic p

osi

tive

effe

ct b

e re

alis

ed?

A s

umm

ary

desc

riptio

n of

how

veh

icle

acc

ess

can

be a

chie

ved,

how

eas

ily a

nd if

dev

elop

men

t wou

ld c

reat

eco

nges

tion

or s

afet

y pr

oble

ms?

Ho

w a

cces

sib

le is

th

e si

te?

A d

escr

iptio

n of

how

wel

l the

site

is lo

cate

d in

rel

atio

n to

loca

l ser

vice

s an

d em

ploy

men

t in

term

s of

acc

ess

byal

tern

ativ

es to

the

priv

ate

car.

An

over

all c

oncl

usio

n as

to w

heth

er m

itiga

tion

mea

sure

s ar

e re

ason

able

and

ach

ieva

ble.

Ove

rall

suit

abili

ty

Site

cap

acity

is s

tate

d ta

king

acc

ount

of m

itiga

tion

mea

sure

s an

d th

is is

use

d as

the

basi

s of

ass

essm

ent f

orst

eps

2-5.

No

pote

ntia

l site

s ar

e re

ject

ed a

t thi

s st

age.

Mos

t site

s w

ill h

owev

er ‘g

o fo

rwar

d’ to

sel

ectio

n, g

iven

the

SA

conc

lusi

on. H

owev

er, i

t wou

ld n

eed

to b

e no

ted

that

a ‘m

oder

ate

adve

rse

effe

ct’ t

hat c

anno

t be

fully

miti

gate

dw

ill n

eed

subs

tant

ial b

enef

its to

out

wei

gh it

in o

rder

for

such

a s

ite to

be

allo

cate

d.

Whe

re th

ere

is m

ore

than

one

site

at a

set

tlem

ent,

it is

impo

rtan

t tha

t thi

s se

ctio

n hi

ghlig

hts

each

one

’s p

artic

ular

stre

ngth

s an

d w

eakn

esse

s.


ST

EP

2 –

PO

TE

NT

IAL

SIT

E F

IT W

ITH

AR

EA

ST

RA

TE

GY

Ans

wer

s ar

e no

t exp

ecte

d to

be

in d

epth

. It i

s im

port

ant t

o no

te w

here

site

opt

ions

con

flict

or u

nder

min

e as

pect

s of

the

stra

tegy

or m

ay h

ave

a sp

ecifi

cco

nseq

uenc

e pa

rtic

ular

to th

at s

ite.T

hese

are

the

two

mai

n as

pect

s th

at w

ill in

fluen

ce w

heth

er o

r no

t a s

ite is

sel

ecte

d.

DA

QC

rite

ria

Wha

t % o

f the

res

idua

l ind

icat

ive

dwel

ling

requ

irem

ent d

oes

the

site

del

iver

.S

cale

of d

evel

opm

ent v

req

uire

men

t

How

wel

l doe

s th

e si

te p

rom

ote

the

visi

on fo

r th

e ar

ea (

WC

S:‘

How

will

the

?? C

omm

unity

Are

ach

ange

by

2026

?)?

Fit

with

are

a vi

sion

How

wou

ld d

evel

opm

ent o

f the

site

add

ress

issu

es id

entif

ied

in th

e A

rea

Str

ateg

y?A

ddre

sses

spe

cific

issu

es

(WC

S r

equi

res

deve

lopm

ent p

ropo

sals

to d

emon

stra

te h

ow th

ese

issu

es a

nd c

onsi

dera

tions

will

be a

ddre

ssed

.)


ST

EP

3: L

AR

GE

VIL

LA

GE

PO

TE

NT

IAL

SIT

E F

IT W

ITH

CO

RE

PO

LIC

Y 1

For

con

text

als

o re

fer

to t

he s

tage

2 w

ork

that

has

alre

ady

been

und

erta

ken

on la

rge

villa

ges

suita

bilit

y.

App

endi

x 6

has

the

met

hodo

logy

use

d at

stag

e 2

and

ther

e ar

e co

mpl

eted

tem

plat

es fo

r ea

ch c

omm

unity

are

a re

mai

nder

. (T

hese

are

als

o su

mm

aris

ed in

topi

c pa

pers

). A

nsw

ers

are

need

edfo

r al

l DA

Q q

uest

ions

.

DA

QC

rite

ria

Is th

ere

capa

city

in th

e lo

cal p

rimar

y sc

hool

(s)?

Nee

ds c

an b

e m

et a

t the

loca

l prim

ary

scho

ol

Pro

port

iona

te in

crea

se in

the

tota

l siz

e of

a s

ettle

men

t and

con

tinui

ty w

ith p

ast r

ates

of

deve

lopm

ent

Mod

est s

cale

of d

evel

opm

ent

Is th

ere

evid

ence

to s

how

that

a N

eigh

bour

hood

Pla

n (N

P)

will

add

ress

loca

l hou

sing

nee

dsor

that

ther

e w

ill n

ot b

e an

NP

?M

eetin

g Lo

cal H

ousi

ng N

eeds

Cou

ld L

ocal

Hou

sing

Nee

ds b

e m

et b

y an

exc

eptio

n sc

hem

e un

der

polic

y C

P44


ST

EP

4: S

ITE

SU

MM

AR

Y

Ove

rall

conc

lusi

on to

the

abov

e na

rrat

ive:

indi

catin

g th

e fo

rm, e

xten

t and

cer

tain

ty o

f net

ben

efits

, sta

ting

whe

ther

or

not t

he s

iteco

nfor

ms

to C

ore

Pol

icy

1 (f

or a

rur

al s

ettle

men

t) a

nd h

ow c

entr

al a

pro

posa

l may

(or

may

not

be)

, ind

ivid

ually

or

in c

ombi

natio

n,to

ach

ievi

ng th

e ar

ea v

isio

n se

t in

the

core

str

ateg

y an

d in

add

ress

ing

any

iden

tifie

d ke

y is

sues

(par

ticul

arly

for t

owns

and

prin

cipa

lse

ttlem

ents

)

Co

ncl

usi

on

and

su

mm

ary

of

step

s 1-

3

Sum

mar

y sh

ould

incl

ude

an o

vera

ll st

atem

ent o

f sus

tain

abili

ty n

et b

enef

it, u

sing

the

follo

win

g as

a g

uide

Tab

le 2

.1

Just

ific

atio

nC

rite

ria

Ove

rall

sust

ain

abili

ty

...It

is n

ot c

erta

in th

at a

site

is d

evel

opab

le (

poss

ibly

insu

rmou

ntab

lein

fras

truc

ture

obs

tacl

e (e

.gl.

not p

hysi

cally

pos

sibl

e to

enl

arge

loca

lpr

imar

y sc

hool

), n

o re

alis

tic s

afe

vehi

cle

acce

ss, s

igni

fican

t new

cons

trai

nt)

A s

igni

fican

t neg

ativ

e ad

vers

e ef

fect

resu

lts fr

om m

ore

deta

iled

asse

ssm

ent

beca

use

...

Mar

gina

l

... It

is n

ot c

erta

in th

at p

ositi

ve e

ffect

s w

ill o

utw

eigh

neg

ativ

e on

es (e

.g.

site

will

be

subj

ect t

o H

RA

app

ropr

iate

ass

essm

ent)

... th

e sc

ope

for

affo

rdab

le h

ousi

ng is

lim

ited

The

re a

re s

ever

al m

inor

adv

erse

effe

cts

all s

trai

ght f

orw

ard

to m

itiga

te b

utbe

nefit

s ar

e lim

ited

beca

use

...

Min

or

... c

onst

rain

ts s

ever

ely

limit

the

prop

ortio

n of

dev

elop

men

t acc

epta

ble

on th

e si

te

... d

evel

opm

ent a

dds

to p

ress

ures

on

loca

l inf

rast

ruct

ure

exce

pt fo

rC

IL c

ontr

ibut

ions

...th

ere

is s

cope

for

affo

rdab

le h

ousi

ngA

dver

se e

ffect

s ar

e m

inor

and

will

be

reso

lved

by

stra

ight

forw

ard

miti

gatio

nan

d ...

Mod

erat

e

... if

nec

essa

ry, d

evel

opm

ent c

an h

elp

to a

ddre

ss lo

cal i

nfra

stru

ctur

eca

paci

ty is

sues

ove

r an

d ab

ove

CIL


Just

ific

atio

nC

rite

ria

Ove

rall

sust

ain

abili

ty

...th

ere

is g

ood

scop

e fo

r af

ford

able

hou

sing

and

ther

e is

evi

denc

e of

need

Min

or a

dver

se e

ffect

s ar

e cl

early

outw

eigh

ed b

y po

sitiv

e be

nefit

s an

d ...

Goo

d

... d

evel

opm

ent w

ill p

rovi

de lo

cal i

nfra

stru

ctur

e on

site

, hel

ping

toad

dres

s lo

cal i

nfra

stru

ctur

e ca

paci

ty is

sues

ove

r an

d ab

ove

CIL

...sc

ale

of d

evel

opm

ent i

s no

t lim

ited

or d

epen

dent

upo

n re

solv

ing

impo

rtan

t con

stra

ints

...m

inor

adv

erse

effe

cts

are

clea

rly o

utw

eigh

ed b

y po

sitiv

e be

nefit

sD

evel

opm

ent a

ddre

sses

pos

itive

ly a

spec

ific

issu

e id

entif

ied

in th

e ar

east

rate

gy a

nd ..

.

Sig

nific

ant

... th

ere

is g

ood

scop

e fo

r af

ford

able

hou

sing

and

ther

e is

evi

denc

eof

nee

d

... d

evel

opm

ent w

ill p

rovi

de lo

cal i

nfra

stru

ctur

e on

site

, hel

ping

toad

dres

s lo

cal i

nfra

stru

ctur

e ca

paci

ty is

sues

ove

r an

d ab

ove

CIL

... s

cale

of d

evel

opm

ent i

s no

t lim

ited

or d

epen

dent

upo

n re

solv

ing

impo

rtan

t con

stra

ints


Ste

p 5

: C

om

mu

nit

y A

rea/

set

tlem

ents

CO

NC

LU

SIO

NS

DA

QC

rite

ria

Rec

ord

tota

l dw

ellin

gs th

at a

re p

rovi

ded

by th

e po

ol o

f pre

ferr

ed s

ites

v in

dica

tive

requ

irem

ents

. Do

thes

e re

sults

fit w

ithth

e sp

atia

l str

ateg

y in

dica

tive

requ

irem

ents

?F

it w

ith s

patia

l str

ateg

y

Is it

nec

essa

ry to

red

uce

the

num

ber

of s

ites?

Is it

nec

essa

ry to

incl

ude

‘less

sus

tain

able

site

s’?

If so

whi

ch o

nes

and

why

, rep

eatin

g st

eps

1-4

abov

e fo

r th

ese

site

s?

Sho

uld

any

pote

ntia

l site

s be

rej

ecte

d be

caus

e ad

vers

e ef

fect

s ou

twei

gh th

e be

nefit

s?S

elec

tion

of p

refe

rred

site

sS

houl

d an

y po

tent

ial s

ites

be r

emov

ed a

t a la

rge

villa

ge in

ord

er to

com

ply

with

CP

1 be

caus

e

they

exc

eed

‘mod

est g

row

th’ f

or w

hich

ther

e is

no

loca

l jus

tific

atio

nW

here

ther

e is

mor

e th

an o

ne p

oten

tial s

ite a

t a v

illag

e, s

houl

d on

e or

mor

e si

tes

be r

emov

ed to

fit w

ith C

ore

Pol

icy

1. If

so

whi

ch o

ne(s

) an

d w

hy th

ose?

Sho

uld

any

pote

ntia

l site

s at

Mar

ket T

owns

or

Prin

cipa

l Set

tlem

ents

be

reta

ined

in o

rder

to p

rovi

de s

uffic

ient

hou

sing

eve

nth

ough

bec

ause

adv

erse

effe

cts

outw

eigh

the

bene

fits?

Just

ify th

e se

lect

ion

of s

ites

base

d on

pre

ferr

ing

thos

e re

mai

ning

site

s th

at p

rodu

ce th

e m

ost n

et b

enef

its.

Pre

ferr

ed s

ites

shou

ld fi

t wel

l with

the

spat

ial s

trat

egy.

Site

s at

Mar

ket T

owns

and

Prin

cipa

l Set

tlem

ents

will

fit w

ith th

ese

bein

g th

e fo

cus

for

grow

th. L

arge

vill

ages

sho

uld

only

acc

ept m

odes

t gro

wth

to m

eet l

ocal

nee

ds (

as a

sses

sed

for

each

site

at s

tep

3 an

d as

abo

ve).

Sum

mar

ise

the

loca

l jus

tific

atio

n fo

r gr

eate

r sc

ales

of d

evel

opm

ent t

han

mod

est g

row

th a

t a L

arge

Vill

age.

The

rol

e of

a s

ite a

t a L

ocal

Ser

vice

Cen

tre

will

als

o ne

ed to

be

reco

gnis

ed.


This document was published by the Spatial Planning team, Wiltshire Council,Economic Development and Planning Services.

For further information please visit the following website:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/wiltshsgsiteallocationsplan.htm

Information about Wiltshire Council services can be made available in other formats (such as large print or audio) and languages on request. Please contact the council on 0300 456 0100, by textphone on (01225) 712500 or by email on [email protected].

Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan · 1 Introduction 5 2 The site selection process 12 3 Stage...

Documents

Transcript of Wiltshire Housing Site Allocations Plan · 1 Introduction 5 2 The site selection process 12 3 Stage...