Somerford Keynes Parish Council

Neighbourhood Development Plan

PARISH PRESENTATION19th JANUARY 2015

Who makes the NDP?• The people within the Plan area• Led by Parish Council• Managed by PC Project Group,

supported by others as appropriate• External support – DCLG, CDC, GRCC

The Plan is developed by the community, for the community and it is the community

that has the final say, through a referendum, over whether the Plan is

adopted.It must, however, conform with the NPPF, CDC’s

Local Plan and other relevant legislation

The Main Challenges?

• Ageing population (the modal group is now 60-74) may seek to downsize within the Parish.

• Housing stock of main settlements dominated by large houses, with prices in excess of £400K inaccessible to younger families

• Few local amenities and some e.g. transport, under threat

• Managing flood risk• Absence of village ”centre” as a focal point• Surrounded by large holiday home developments,

which don’t offer anything to the permanent settlements.

• Absence of local employment opportunities

Valued Aspects of our Community

• Strong sense of community• Good location, with most properties having

open views of the countryside• Highly educated population• Good access to the countryside, through

footpath and cycleway network• Convenient transport links, mainly by car, to

Cirencester, Swindon, Cheltenham and London

• Easy access to retail and leisure amenities

PLAN STRUCTURE

Vision

Aims

Objectives

Policies

PLAN

Vision:

To maintain and enhance a vibrant community which is an attractive location to live, work and visit.

The five areas for consultation

• Amenity• Conservation and

environment• Economy• Housing• Infrastructure

Aims of the five consultation areas

Housing: To improve the demographic balance and, thereby, the continuing viability of the community by the appropriate development of housing.Economy: To make the parish an attractive place to work and a sustainable place from which residents can go to work.Infrastructure: To build on the existing infrastructure for the improvement of safety, work opportunities and communications within and between the communities of the Parish and beyond.Amenity: To maintain the current amenities of the Parish, develop and add to them to meet the needs of the community now and in the future.Conservation and Environment: To conserve and enhance rural settings, buildings and countryside and adapt, enhance, maintain and protect the environment to improve the sustainability of all the settlements in the parish.

Housing Objectives

• To maintain the identity and characteristics of the main settlements, by protecting them from uncontrolled expansion

• To protect the surrounding countryside from inappropriate, large scale development schemes but to support small scale sustainable growth with uses that benefit the rural landscape, economy and environment

• To maintain the open countryside views enjoyed from houses within the settlements and to maintain the ‘ribbon’ design of the two settlements of permanent housing

• To ensure that any new development enhances the setting of the settlements and complements and enhances their character, including the predominant vernacular, their setting alongside verges, and their relationship with the roads, paths and the surrounding countryside.

• To ensure all new development and payments derived from development schemes benefit the Parish and communities, whilst not impacting on existing services and the environment (e.g. flooding)

Economy Objectives

• To support and encourage existing businesses within the parish so long as they do not detract from the essential character and ambience of the community

• To encourage home working and innovation• To support the appropriate conversion and use of existing buildings

to business units whilst ensuring that they complement the settlements and do not have a harmful impact on residential properties, services and the environment

• To ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place to support business and home working

• To minimise the impact of tourism on the permanent settlements• To ensure that any signage used is appropriate to the rural setting

Infrastructure Objectives

• To improve travel options between locations within and beyond the Parish, whether on foot, by cycle, car or public transport

• To improve road and pedestrian safety within and around settlements

• In particular, to encourage sustainable transport on foot and by cycle

• To develop communications media opportunities in order to make the Parish a more attractive location in which to live and work

Amenity Objectives

• To maintain the separateness of the main settlements by the establishment of settlement protection boundaries

• To maintain, enhance and protect local amenities important to the community

• To encourage additional amenities for which there is local support

• To protect the rurality and natural beauty of the local environment by restricting unsympathetic development

Conservation and Environment Objectives

• To maintain the present relationship between the built environment and its surroundings, identifying the features important to the community and taking the necessary measures for its protection.

• To protect important vistas in the parish• To recognise and protect areas of historical or archaeological

importance within the Parish• To protect important flora and fauna and their natural habitats• To understand the hydrology in the parish and to continue

striving to improve the water management throughout the parish, by the maintenance of flood defences , culverts and ditches and by taking every opportunity to extend and develop them for the protection of the community

• To ensure that any future development does not impact negatively on any of the above

Policy Consultation• Policies have been influenced by the NPPF, CDC Local Plans, SK

Parish Plan and NDP public consultations (including housing needs survey)

• Policies are displayed, in full, on display panels

We would like your views on the developing policies…

However, there are a few policies that require a little more explanation…….

Housing requirement – The housing aim sets out to improve the demographic balance by some small-scale, planned housing development.

The development of some smaller houses is intended to attract younger families and facilitate downsizing, for those that wish to, freeing up larger family homes.

Do you agree?

Vistas (SKPOL1) – The NDP seeks to preserve the environment we value by identifying key vistas within the parish that are to be unimpeded and protected.

Do you agree?Have we identified the important vistas?Please describe any missing vistas?

Criteria for housing development (SKPOL3) – The NDP seeks to ensure that any future housing complements and enhances the settlements.Please comment on the criteria

Design code for housing (SKPOL3)

We have identified a number of design characteristics that we consider important for any new housing.Do you agree?What other design characteristics are important to you?

Settlement Protection Boundary (SKPOL2)

Should we include a settlement protection boundary around all the settlements in the parish?If so, where should it be?

An option to buy for local people (SKPOL5)

Should the NDP include an option to buy for people with connections with the parish?Are our eligibility criteria suitable?

The economy (SKPOL7)

Should the NDP be encouraging and facilitating small businesses within the parish?

Flood protection (SKPOL9)

Is the NDP’s policy to protect the parish from the risk of flooding robust enough?If no, how could the policy be made more robust?

Road safety (SKPOL10/11)

The NDP includes a policy on speed restrictions and the development of pavements. Do you agree with it?Is it appropriate for our community?

Amenities – green spaces (SKPOL13)

The NDP includes a policy on the designation of green spaces that are important to the community.Do you agree and, if so, what green spaces are important to you and should be designated.

Cotswold Water Park lakes

Many of the Cotswold Water Park lakes are situated within the Parish (Keynes Country Park, Cokes’ Pit, Neigh Bridge, Lake 99 and Lower Mill Estate lakes)

What amenities or development would you like and not like to see around the lakes?

How do you envisage the impact of the use of these lakes being controlled?

Other Areas• NDP seeks to encourage and facilitate small businesses within the

parish.

• NDP includes policy that seeks to ensure that the flood risk in the parish is reduced following any development. Is this robust enough?

• NDP includes a policy on the introduction of speed restrictions and pavement. Is this appropriate?

• NDP supports the designation of green spaces, where appropriate. Do you have any suggestions?

Location of Development Policies

SKPOL1 – Characteristics of Settlements

A number of key public vistas have been identified as those that define the characteristics of settlements. Any proposal for development should protect and preserve these key vistas to ensure the continuity of the defining characteristics of the settlements.

SKPOL2 – Location of Development

Proposals for new development will be supported if it is small in scale, is located within the defined settlement protection boundaries and is immediately adjacent to existing development and is compatible with the surrounding character and setting.

SKPOL3 – Design of housing

Proposals for new development of housing will be supported if the development:

• maintains the ‘ribbon’ design of the villages, ensuring the existing open countryside vistas are not impacted.

• complies with Plan’s Design Code in respect of the Cotswold Style, setting, harmony, street scene, proportion and materials.

• ensures the continuing provision of existing services and infrastructure (e.g. broadband)

• provides for the safety of traffic and pedestrians in the (immediate) vicinity of the development

• does not increase the risk of flooding to any properties in same settlement

• does not impact on any biodiversity or archaeological interest

Housing Policies

SKPOL4 – Size of Housing

New housing will be limited to small (two or three bedroom) houses, where the plot sizes comply with the following:

Two-bed house - plot size no greater than 250m2

Three-bed house - plot size no greater than 300m2

SKPOL5 – first option to buy for local people

All housing developments will be subject to conditions that, for the first three months, the properties will be offered for purchase (at the market rate) to people who meet one of the following criteria:

• A person who currently lives in the Parish and wishes to move to a smaller property

• A person who has lived in the Parish for a continuous period of 5 years or more, when under the age of 19 (should this go hand in hand with help to buy schemes?)

After this period, the property can be offered on the open market at the same advertised rate.

SKPOL6 – Holiday homes

No more holiday homes will be permitted outside the existing development boundary of the Lower Mill Estate.

Nor will any additional holiday homes to be permitted over and above the 575 that currently have planning permission.

To ensure compliance with the holiday home ethos, Cotswold District Council has two conditions on holiday homes. These are:

1. The holiday home must not be used as a primary residence ( the owner must already have a property used for that purpose) and

2. The holiday homes must only be occupied 11 months of the year: no occupation is allowed between 5th January and 5th February.

SKPOL7 – BUSINESS USE

The use, and conversion, of existing units for small scale businesses will be supported if they meet the following criteria:

• have minimal impact on the environment such as noise, pollution and traffic

• adequate off-road parking is provided• signage is appropriate for its rural setting

Economy Policies

SKPOL8.1 – RURAL EXCEPTION POLICY

Establish settlement protection boundaries around Somerford Keynes and Shorncote in which there will be no construction, development or minerals extraction, except as permitted by the Gloucestershire County Council Draft Minerals Local Plan, and conforming to the criteria established within other policies in this Plan

SKPOL8.2 – RENEWABLE ENERGY

Proposals for the development of renewable energy facilities will be supported provided that it can shown that the activity:

1. Would not conflict with the Policies of the NDP and in particular:i. Would not adversely affect the areas which are of nature

conservation importance.ii. Would not adversely affect the quality and character of the

landscape or of designated vistas of importance, and iii. Would not result in irreversible loss of the best and most

versatile agricultural land. 

2. Would not adversely affect the amenities or safety of local residents or  other  users of the countryside. 

3. Could be satisfactorily accommodated on or close to the existing road network without the need for significant changes, which would affect the character of the surrounding area.

SKPOL9 - Flooding and drainage infrastructure

New development, whether constructions or excavations, should reduce the overall level of flood risk in the area. Development, other than minor domestic or commercial extensions, will be supported only with clear evidence that it will not result in an increased flood risk (either to the development site or to other land).

No development shall commence until full details of the proposed drainage schemes for surface water (including details of their routing, design, and subsequent management and maintenance) have been submitted to and approved by the planning authority; and no building shall be occupied until the drainage schemes have been implemented in accordance with the approved details.

The flood defences should be maintained and extended, and all ditches and culverts in the Parish should be maintained to ensure water management and the reduction of flood risk.

Infrastructure Policies

SKPOL10 - Footpaths and cycleways

Non-motorised transport links should be maintained and extended to facilitate safe and appropriate pedestrian and cycle routes within the Parish and link to wider networks.

This will involve:

Extension of pavements within settlements A strategic overview of the network of footpaths and cycleways

to link destinations within and beyond the parish boundaries. For example, the identification of quiet lanes connecting designated footpaths.

Adoption of the routes outlined in the Parish Plan (2.1.1 and 2.1.2)

Ensuring that any future planning applications facilitate the enhancement of the network and, if they encroach upon existing footpaths, should make explicit the provision for their maintenance.

Continued access to footpaths within the CWP, specifically within the former Keynes Country Park.

SKPOL11 - Road safety

Future developments must take account of their impact on traffic movements to discourage/avoid further traffic on roads within the settlements. This could include speed restrictions and speed reduction methods, which should be extended to surrounding principal roads.

This will involve:

Adoption of (50mph) speed restrictions on main roads, particularly the Spine Road and Spratsgate Lane

Use of “traffic calming” measures at the village boundaries Introduction of pavements in roads to improve pedestrian

safety. Where no pavements can be introduced, the adoption of 20mph

speed limit.

SKPOL12 – TELECOMMUNICATIONS (Mobile Telephone)

Proposals will be supported for structures designed to improve the mobile phone services in the Parish, provided that they are sympathetic with the local environment and vistas.

SKPOL13 – Protection of valued community amenities

SKPOL13.1 – Village hall

The maintenance and further development, in the interests of the community, of the Village Hall will be supported.

SKPOL13.2 – Parish Church

The Parish Church, its surroundings and vistas, will be protected and continue to meet the needs of the community.

SKPOL13.3 – Village pub – Baker’s Arms

The Bakers Arms is considered to be an important Parish asset. For that reason, a Community Right to Buy should be registered.

SKPOL13.4 – Local green spaces

These will be designated, where appropriate, as local green spaces to protect them from development e.g. Neigh Bridge

Amenities Policies

SKPOL14 – Support for new community amenities

SKPOL14.1 – Retail facility

A small-scale retail facility should be encouraged in the Parish in keeping with the community and its needs e.g. village shop.

SKPOL14.2 – Sports or recreational amenity

Support the establishment of an open-air community meeting place/play area with, if appropriate, outdoor sports facilities e.g. tennis court, pitches.

 

SKPOL15 - SIGNS AND SIGNAGE

Strict controls, within the law, should be imposed on outdoor advertising, signage, etc, requiring, where possible, specific planning permission.

SKPOL16 - Trees All trees of importance to the rural landscape should be preserved and, where necessary, be protected by tree preservation orders.

SKPOL 17 - Biodiversity To protect, maintain and enhance the natural environment and biodiversity of the parish in line with the NPPF policies of March 2012. This would be over and above the wide range found in the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust survey of November 2014.

Conservation and Environment Policies