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ID sylw: 108112

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: William Davis Homes

Asiant : McLoughlin Planning

It is in our view imperative that the SWLP deals head on with the fact that the release of existing Green Belt land will be required to meet development needs over the Plan period. Such a case is not made clearly at section 4.9, and we strongly recommend that this is remedied in the forthcoming Regulation 19 Consultation draft of the Plan.
We support the recognition at Section 4.9 that “Some of South Warwickshire’s most sustainable locations fall within the Green Belt. For example, all of our train stations are either in or close to the Green Belt. This means that in order to deliver a truly sustainable pattern of growth, the SWLP needs to consider all options, including Green Belt options”. This was a point made in our previous representations and reflects the direction of travel contained within Government rhetoric regarding Green Belt land.
Chapter 13 of the NPPF refers to ‘Protecting Green Belt land’, with paragraph 146 clearly setting out that an authority’s inability to meet its identified need for homes would be considered to constitute ‘exceptional circumstances’ justifying the alteration of Green Belt boundaries. We recommend that due regard is given to national policy in the drafting of the SWLP, given the relevance of this particular element of the NPPF to the situation in South Warwickshire.
Paragraph 148 of the NPPF goes on to set out that where it is necessary to release Green Belt land for development, “plans should give priority to previously developed land, then consider grey belt which is not previously developed, and then other Green Belt locations”. As previously set out and accepted by the Councils in their evidence base and emerging SWLP, there is insufficient previously developed land to meet development needs. Attention must therefore turn to greenfield and inevitably to land currently located within the Green Belt where this offers the most sustainable opportunities for development.