BASE HEADER

No

ID sylw: 108009

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Alscot Estate

Asiant : Jonathan Thompson Land & Consultancy Limited

1. The Inspector into the Stratford on Avon Core Strategy and Stratford on Avon Council both consider that the site lies within a sustainable location and is suitable for employment development.
2. Not only does SUA 4 lie in a sustainable location, the evidence also clearly shows that the Site lies within the Spatial Growth Priority Area and the Core Opportunity Area. In these circumstances, it cannot be the case that retaining the allocation does not adhere to the chosen Spatial Strategy ‘Sustainable Travel and Economy”.’
3. The real reason that SUA 4 has been de-allocated relates to the process. Due to the methodology of the HELAA, it is possible that a site that complies with the Spatial Strategy of the plan fails to pass the Part A test and is not considered further. However, in this instance Step 5 of the methodology was not implemented correctly for SUA 4.
4. Moreover, the Plan’s own economic evidence base recommended that the allocation be retained. There is no adequate justification proffering to not following this recommendation and no assessment has been made of the economic consequences of de-allocating SUA 4. Existing firms located at the Airfield surrounding SUA4 are drawing up proposals for expansion and there is no evidence to suggest that the allocation will not be built out within the Plan period.
5. Paragraph 85 of the NPPF requires planning policies to create the conditions in which businesses can invest, expand and adapt. The maintenance of SUA4 is required to enable new investment, as well as the expansion of the existing substantial businesses. This has been evidenced by letters from senior management of Yelo and Wealmoor.
6. For these reasons, the Plan fails the soundness tests:
o It has not been positively prepared.
o It has not been justified and evidenced based.
o It is not consistent with national policy.
7. To be made sound, the SUA 4 allocation should be re-instated into the Regulation 19 version of the plan.