Our Reference: 40882
To whom it may concern
Re: the function of the Chiddingfold Neighbourhood Plan and applications for residential development.
This open letter is in response to various comments on social media and submitted on the Waverley Planning Portal in relation to a specific planning application and is intended to offer context to the planning process in light of the adoption of the Chiddingfold Neighbourhood Plan (CNP).
Background to the Neighbourhood Plan and site allocations:
Waverley Borough Council (WBC) are in the process of producing an updated Local Plan (for the period to 2032) and this is taking place in 2 stages. Part 1 of the plan (LPP1) was adopted in 2018 and specifies the overall spatial strategy for development and growth in Waverley and allocates strategic sites, while Part 2 (LPP2), provisionally expected to proceed to adoption at the end of 2022, will provide the more detailed ‘Development Management’ policies and allocate sites needed for housing or other uses in certain areas of Waverley. Together LPP1 and LPP2 will replace the 2002 Local Plan
The housing target figure for the Waverley Local Plan is set by Government. The initial Chiddingfold housing target was 100 new homes and increased to 130 after the Inspector’s report on the unmet housing need in the Woking Local Plan.
130 is a minimum requirement over the plan period, demonstrating capacity to meet nationally set targets. It is not a cap on development and ‘ordinary’ planning processes continue. In addition to specific site allocations, a certain amount of additional ‘windfall’ development i.e. new homes on non-allocated sites, was anticipated within the plan period.
It was clear that, as a result of the 2002 Settlement Boundary having been drawn very tightly around Chiddingfold, boundary adjustments would be required to allocate sites to meet housing targets. WBC undertook a review of the Green Belt in 2014 and the report, by AMEC, proposed two areas for removal from the Green Belt in Chiddingfold, one at the North East and one to the South, including Ballsdown. The report, Waverley Borough Council Green Belt Review Part 2: Assessment of Areas of Search is available from the Waverley website under LPP1 Examination Documents > Core Documents and the Chiddingfold specific content is at internal pages 43-49.
As a result of delays to LPP2 the option was available to bring the site allocation process within the ongoing CNP process, and thereby for more locally led allocations to be made. The CNP group decided to take on the site allocation process from WBC and revise the Settlement Boundary as part of the CNP.
An initial Call for Sites as part of LPP1 resulted in several sites coming forward and further sites were identified within the CNP Call for Sites in Feb-Mar 2017. An initial assessment process screened out those sites too far from the existing settlement boundary and the remaining sites were then reviewed against criteria and views from outside agencies sought.
Sites that scored sufficiently well to proceed through the process were also subject to public consultation exercises with residents, as were proposals for adjustments to the Settlement and Green Belt boundaries.
Ultimately, the draft CNP was prepared including a final selection of sites to meet the target requirements along with a number of changes to boundaries in order to allow sites to be deliverable, and to better reflect the nature of the existing settlement (including correcting where the boundary bisected gardens etc). The proposed boundary changes were on a smaller scale then those recommended in the 2014 WBC Green Belt Review.
A non-statutory consultation event took place at the Village Hall in February 2019 and 72.7% polled in favour of the proposed boundary changes. The draft CNP went to formal (Regulation 14) Consultation in July 2019 at which 54.9% of respondents actively agreed with the settlement boundary and Green Belt proposals, 13.7% were neutral / don’t know and 31.4% disagreed.
The CNP proceeded to final referendum in July 2021 and was adopted with 91% voting in favour of the plan.
The Effect of the Neighbourhood Plan:
The CNP now forms part of the Waverley Statutory Planning Framework against which local planning applications will be considered. WBC, as the local planning authority are required to have regard to the policies in the plan when determining planning applications.
The CNP does not circumvent or replace the planning process. Development on sites allocated in the CNP is subject to planning approval in the usual way, as is the case for sites not allocated in the CNP. Planning applications will be considered by Waverley in accordance with the relevant legislation and local policies (the Waverley Local Plan and the CNP).
In relation to non-allocated sites, the relevant CNP policy is H2 Windfall Sites (page 35 CNP):
Residential development provided on infill sites and through the redevelopment of brownfield sites will be supported on land within the settlement boundary but excluded from the Green Belt.
Small residential developments provided on infill sites and through the redevelopment of brownfield sites will be supported on land within the Settlement Boundary within the area washed over by the Green Belt.
Beyond the Settlement Boundaries, the principle of residential development will only be supported where it meets the provisions of Paragraph 79* of the National Planning Policy Framework.
[* reference to 2019 NPPF not the 2021 version that followed the CNP submission]
Policy H2 sits within the context of wider planning legislation and policy.
Application WA/2022/00213 – Hartfield, Ridgley Road
Erection of five detached dwellings and associated access and landscaping. Works associated with existing dwellinghouse including demolition of existing garage and erection of new garage and alterations to hardstanding.
The Parish Council is aware some residents have concerns about this planning application. The Parish Council will consider its own response to the application at its meeting on 24th February 2022.
It is hoped that this letter clarifies the relevance of the CNP to the application. The following matters are noted:
- Sites allocated within the CNP are a demonstration of capacity to meet a government-set development target and not a cap on local development.
- Sites not included in the CNP can be brought forward and will be assessed by the planning authority (WBC) according to the relevant legislative and policy frameworks in place at the time.
- The online Waverley planning map has not been updated since the adoption of the CNP. The changes to the settlement and Green Belt boundaries are not shown (the Parish Council have raised this issue with WBC several times and are assured that the update will be made soon).
- The application site is within the settlement boundary and is not in the Green Belt. The changes to boundaries are shown in the Neighbourhood Plan at p25 which can be viewed on the WBC and Parish Council websites.
- The site was included in the CNP process (known as site 4A). The site scored well in the initial NPSG assessment and was considered by AECOM to be suitable in terms of Green Belt and AONB policy. It did not proceed to the final site selection as it was considered by AECOM as unsuitable due to access issues (from Ballsdown), limited pedestrian access and there was uncertainty of the development time frame (page 77-81 Site Assessment Summary Paper).
Yours faithfully,
Lauren Blatherwick
Clerk to Chiddingfold Parish Council