Wickham Parish Council Full Council 15 th June 2015 Agenda item 4.2 To determine the Parish Council s view of the Moyse proposals for Knowle: provision of 44.5 ha public open space including River Meon water meadows in return for 7.2ha of residential development, around 200 houses. 1. Introduction 2. Proposal 3. Plan of land proposed for housing and open space 4. Proposals in the context of Knowle and Welborne 5. Consultation to date 6. Opportunities arising from the proposals 6.1 Improved public access to high quality countryside 6.2 Funding for management and maintenance 6.3 Improved longer distance paths between Wickham and Knowle 6.4 A significant new supply of affordable housing 6.5 Improved viability for local community facilities and services ahead of Welborne 7. Disadvantages of the proposals 8. Next steps 9. LPP1 Policy MTRA 3 10. Correspondence with WCC Head of Strategic Planning Appendix 1 WYG leaflet sent to 2000 households in Wickham and Knowle 1 of 11
1. Introduction Local land owner Graham Moyse through agent WYG has approached the Parish Council with an offer of substantial areas of public open space in return for residential development at Knowle. Winchester City Council s adopted Local Plan Part 1 (LPP1) does not require residential development land to be allocated at Knowle however policy MTRA3 allows for development outside policy if certain requirements are met. The land under discussion is designated as a settlement gap in LPP1 to take account of the development of neighbouring Welborne: a 20 year plan for a new town comprising up to 6,000 homes, workplaces, schools, green space, shops and local community services due to start in 2015. 2. Proposal The proposal is to transfer or lease land to the Parish Council shown as dark green on page 3, this comprises 44.5ha of agricultural land (part of Knowle Triangle), pasture and water meadows together with funding to assist with the management costs. In addition it is proposed that the area of Knowle Triangle 14.5ha, shown as light green, will be retained by the land owner as farmland with a covenant preventing development. In return for the open space an area of land shown yellow, comprising 7.2ha to the north, east and west of Ravenswood Hospital is proposed for residential development. Around 200 new homes are proposed. 2 of 11
3. Plan of land proposed for housing and open space Proposed housing Welborne site boundary Knowle Triangle NOT TO SCALE 3 of 11
4. Proposals in the context of Knowle and Welborne Proposed housing Knowle Triangle 4 of 11
5. Consultation to date Consultation has been carried out by WYG on behalf of the land owner. An initial approach was made to the Parish Council with an invitation to walk the land to the north and east of Ravenswood: the proposed development area and the water meadows, this took place on 20 th August 2014 with a further tour for those who missed the first taking place on 3 rd September. In October 2014 a leaflet outlining the proposals was delivered to every household in Wickham and Knowle: Wickham Parish. This included an invitation to a tour of the site followed by an exhibition at Knowle Village Hall on Saturday 25 th October. See appendix 1. At the exhibition there was an opportunity to make views known and to fill in a questionnaire asking whether the proposals were supported. WYG presented the outcome of the consultation to the Parish Council at its meeting held on 24 th November 2014. Extract from the minutes: Mr Harris reported on the responses received to the consultation. An invitation to a site walk and exhibition on 25 th October 2014 was delivered to 2,000 households in the parish. About 60 people walked the sites and a further 30-40 attended the exhibition. 53 responses were received to the consultation questionnaire, the responses were treated conservatively and demonstrated a 70% support. At the meeting the Chairman of Knowle Residents Association (KVRA) advised that the organisation opposed the proposals and would be seeking the views of property owners. The outcome was reported at the Parish Council s meeting on 19 th January which indicated 116 property owners responded to KVRA s consultation letter opposing the plans. At the Full Council meeting held on 23 rd March it was agreed to postpone agreeing a view on the proposals until after the parish council elections. 5 of 11
6. Opportunities arising from the proposals 6.1 Improved public access to high quality countryside The proposals provide an opportunity to acquire or long lease a significant area of public open space including the Knowle Triangle, River Meon and water meadows. Public ownership would allow the protection of the land from unwanted development of any nature. The rural outskirts of towns and villages are under a great deal of pressure from rural businesses, horse paddocks, stables and traveller sites. The land adjoining Knowle Cemetery and Mayles Corner highlights the difficulty the planning authority has in controlling this type of development. In this case a significant area of countryside and a valued green gap has been subdivided into horse paddocks, stables, caravan sites and waste transfer/aggregates supply businesses. 6.2 Funding for management and maintenance Transferred land would include a dowry to invest in short and long term maintenance. 6.3 Improved longer distance paths between Wickham and Knowle The Parish Council has a long term objective to create a circular route from the Meon Valley Trail where it ends at Knowle, the proposals would allow this aspiration to be realised, providing off road pedestrian and cycle access to and from Wickham and Knowle and into North Fareham. (Parish Plan February 2013) Residents and visitors to Wickham and Knowle would benefit from improved pedestrian and cycle access which in turn would assist the economies of both settlements. 6.4 A significant new supply of affordable housing Local Plan policy would require 40% of the development to be affordable houses; of these policy CP3 requires 70% to be for affordable rent (80% of market rent) with the balance being intermediate affordable housing. According to WCC s website there are 2050 households on the waiting list and 100 new households join a month. A family in average need can expect to wait four to six years for a three bed house. 6 of 11
http://www.winchester.gov.uk/housing/new-affordable-housing/need-affordablehousing/ Wickham and Knowle residents have a continuing and increasing need for affordable housing. There are 81 applicants with a Wickham and Knowle connection on Winchester City Council s housing register. 6.5 Improved viability for local community facilities and services ahead of Welborne New residents would help keep the Knowle Community Hall, the local shop and services viable. Additional residents could help improve the viability of the bus service which requires an annual subsidy of 74,466 (2015/16) 7. Disadvantages of the proposals Knowle Residents Association has confirmed it will oppose the proposals. Reluctance to support new housing is to be expected wherever it is proposed. Concerns raised are usually about loss of green fields, additional traffic, infrastructure provision and increased pressure on local services such as health care. 8. Next steps The proposals cannot progress without the support of the Parish Council. Community support will also need to be demonstrated. Should the Parish Council support the plans Winchester City Council s Local Plan Policy provides scope for development outside of the allocated development sites. See 9. extract from Policy MTRA 3 below. The views of WCC s Head of Strategic Planning have been sought, see 10. copy of emails below. The email from WCC suggests that if the Parish Council supports the proposals there are two options to progress/test the plans: through a planning application whereby WCC makes the decision or through a Neighbourhood Development order whereby the Parish Council makes the application which is decided by a referendum. 7 of 11
9. LPP1 Policy MTRA 3 Extract (see Chapter 6 page 64 & 65 of Local Plan Part 1) Other development proposals may be supported to reinforce a settlement s role and function, to meet a community need or to realise local community aspirations. These should be identified through a Neighbourhood Plan or process which demonstrates clear community support. All new development should be appropriate in scale and design and conserve each settlement s identity, countryside setting, key historic characteristics and local features, particularly as identified in Village Design Statements, the District Landscape Assessment or other guidance. Development should protect areas designated for their local, national, or international importance, such as Gaps and the South Downs National Park. 10. Correspondence with WCC Head of Strategic Planning From: clerk.wickham@parish.hants.gov.uk [mailto:clerk.wickham@parish.hants.gov.uk] Sent: 01 June 2015 10:39 To: Steve Opacic Subject: Moyse land / watermeadows at Knowle Steve Should the Parish Council agree to support the proposals for housing in return for watermeadows at Knowle, what would be the best way forward to follow the local plan process? To include the site in SHLAA for consideration in the first review of LPP2? Do the proposals have any possibility of permission through the community support route? Thank you. Regards Nicki Nicki Oliver Clerk to Wickham Parish Council tel 01329 835019 www.wickhamparishcouncil.org 8 of 11
Nicki, I don t think it should be / needs to be done through the Local Plan process. Any support would be on the basis that LPP1 policy MTRA3 allows for development that is normally outside policy to be permitted if the requires of LPP1 policy MTRA3 are met, including clear community support. One way to test this would be through a planning application submitted with the results of the community consultation that was undertaken, the PC s views, and any other relevant info. WCC would then have to decide whether the level of community support warranted the scale of exception to policy that would be involved. Through this process the offer of water meadows could be considered and secured through a S106 obligation or other means. Alternatively, a Neighbourhood Plan or a Neighbourhood Development Order may be better as these require a referendum and would give a clearer view of whether there is community support. An NDO would actually grant permission and guidance re NDOs can be found here: http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/blog/guidance/neighbourhood-planning/ Regards, Steve Opacic Head of Strategic Planning Winchester City Council Colebrook Street Winchester, SO23 9LJ T 01962 848101 (Direct) F 01962 841365 sopacic@winchester.gov.uk 9 of 11
Appendix 1 Leaflet delivered to 2000 households in Wickham and Knowle 10 of 11
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