Issue and Options 2023

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We note that only the town and larger settlements have been included in the list of settlements in the consultation document. We consider that housing provision could also be supported from the smaller Category 1 villages. Exisitng smaller settlements would benefit from additional housing development in terms of increasing the local population to maintain and potentially increase local services and provide more housing and choice to local people. Existing settlements will already have at least basic infrastructure which can then be improved and increased. This also then ties in with dispersion of development so that all settlements are taking some housing. We understand that sustainability is centred around the need to travel by private car, and the need to provide environmental benefits, but we would also suggest that the way these elements are thought of need to change, with the change is working culture. Whilst not applicable to all, the levels of commuting have reduced since the Covid-19 pandemic and created a whole cultural change in the way people work and live. The boom in the housing market during the lock down was fuelled by the changes in Stamp Duty, but it was clear that people moved out of urban cities such as London where space is at much higher premium. The HEDNA also confirms this position with the data provided by local agents, which showed that the majority of demand for larger houses were from people moving from larger cities for quieter towns. The rise of online shopping and convenience store home delivery has also meant there is less of a need to live next to services and amenities. From 2025 all new homes will be required to produce 75-80% less carbon dioxide emissions and will need to be ‘zero-carbon ready’ requiring no further energy efficiency retrofit work to enable homes to become zero-carbon as the electricity grid decarbonises. From 2035 the sale of new petrol, diesel or hybrid cars in the UK will also be banned. Existing and future behavioural changes which will result from home working and the ban on fossil fuelled cars, which ultimately have an impact on the levels of air pollution. Sustainable travel has been primarily about the pollution that cars cause, but if in the future cars do not produce that pollution then, this needs to be taken into account when determining if a development is sustainable or not, if the air pollution no longer is an issue.

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We also agree with Option C4.1b: Set a higher local standard beyond the building regulations requirements to achieve net zero carbon in all new developments. Our clients’ aspirations for residential development within South Warwickshire is for net zero carbon homes, to be able to actively contribute to the wider environmental agenda. Whilst we also agree that this may impact on the provision of affordable housing in terms of the viability of sites and the additional costs associated with creating net carbon, but a balance has to be struck. Whilst phased approach will provide additional time for developers, starting the requirements from say 2030 in line with the South Warwickshire Climate Action Plan. However a Net Zero policy should start from the start of the SWLP plan period, in order for the plan to then manage the provision of this across the period, otherwise it will not be able to meet the strategic objective of having a “resilient and Net Zero Carbon South Warwickshire Contributing towards Net Zero Carbon targets Ensuring that new development does not cause a net increase in carbon emissions, that new developments are resilient to a changing climate, and that every opportunity is taken to reduce existing carbon emissions and mitigate against climate harms”. Innovation in zero carbon technologies as well as building fabrics could also seek to help design better buildings which are would also meet the other strategic vision of a “A well-designed and beautiful South Warwickshire - Focusing on the design of new development to create great places, spaces and buildings that are of a high quality and cater for the needs of all users and which respect the setting of our many settlements” Smaller development can begin the introduction of more eco-friendly design in a rural setting, which can then potentially have a knock-on effect and help promote entire small-scale settlements and villages to seek to collectively be more carbon neutral (subject to any restrictive designations). Undertaking these types of wholescale behavioural changes through small scale gentle development can be more appealing to smaller settlements. In terms of what scale of development this should apply to, we agree with Option C4.2b: Development over a certain size as opposed to all development, including residential extensions. What threshold this should be set against should be linked to the threshold for the provision of affordable housing so that this can be taken into account as part of the viability work.

The parcel of land at Bush Heath Lane is approximately 1.09ha in size and located directly adjacent to the settlement boundary of the village of Harbury. This site has previously been assessed within the SHLAA both in 2020 and in 2021, but the site was not put forward by the joint owners. Both times there were a number of criteria which were flagged as ‘red’ (red, amber, green being the suitability of the site/or meeting the criteria). These were down to the following issues/criteria: • Relationship to highway • Intensions/ownership • Landscape Impact • Landscape Sensitivity These red flags applied to most of the sites which were located as part of the Harbury and Deppers Bridge Neighbourhood Plan. The site is now submitted with the support of a Transport Technical Note which looks at potential access locations as well as traffic data etc which deals with the relationship with the highway given that the Bush Heath Lane already has residential development along it. This note concludes that the residential use of the site can be accommodated within the existing local highway network, as well as a new access point along Bush Heath Lane .This conclusion also takes into account any highways safety issues the new access would have together with the previously proposed access for the site opposite. We are aware that Gladman Ltd submitted a hybrid application for the site opposite in 2019 for: full planning permission for the change of use of agricultural land to cemetery with vehicular access from Temple End; and Outline planning permission for the erection of up to 120 dwellings and associated infrastructure with all matters reserved except for access. This application was withdrawn on 26th February 2021. We note that this site has been submitted as part of the first Call for Sites consultation in 2021, as site for mixed use development. A Preliminary Ecological Appraisal was undertaken to understand any constraints that may have been present on the site. This assessment is submitted in support of the Call for Sites as part of the technical information to help assess the site. The site predominantly comprises of arable cropland, hedgerows and scattered trees. The site also has some potential to support bats, birds, amphibians and terrestrial mammals. It would not be unusual for undeveloped site to have potential, however it would need to further assessed through surveys as to what this potential is as well as detailed mitigation for any proposed development in the future. The Site is available for development, and has the full support of both joint owners. With regards to landscape sensitivity and impact, the Site is not located within the Green Belt but is located in the Open Countryside. The adopted Neighbourhood Plan covers the same period as the current Core Strategy so up to 2031, so upon adoption of the SWLP the neighbourhood plan would need to be updated as it would be considered out of date. The current built boundary is tightly drawn around the village where there is existing development or where at the time of writing planning consents were granted. Whilst there is a policy of allowing residential development, this is within the boundary of the village. Site 1 is located to the south of the residential development of 27 dwellings which had reserved matters approved in 2012 along Bush Heath Lane and Ridgley Way and the other modern development along Bush Heath Lane. The site put forward would be located partly opposite the site which had its application withdrawn, but would seek to provide a modest number of units directly adjacent to the current boundary of the existing village settlement. This would seek to mirror the existing densities which are located adjacent to the site and follow a similar layout to development but ensure that there was more of an emphasis on green space and ecological enhancements as part of the site’s function.