Issue and Options 2023

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Hill Residential welcomes that there is acknowledgement that the SWLP may need to meet the shortfalls of neighbouring authorities in addition to the existing commitments to 2029 (CWHMA) and 2031 (GBBCHMA). The Councils should take positive steps to include provisions in the SWLP that will meet a contribution to the identified shortfalls to ensure that development can, wherever possible, take place in accordance with the spatial strategy that has been set out. The Greater Birmingham and Black Country Housing Market Area (GBBCHMA) Housing Need and Housing Land Supply Position Statement (December 2021) stated that circa 6,000 homes of the Birmingham City Council’s (BCC) shortfall (identified in the 2017 Birmingham Development Plan up to 2031) remain unaccounted for. BCC are now progressing their Local Plan Review, based the latest Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (HELAA) there is a potential significant shortfall of 78,415 homes during the plan period (up to 2042). Whilst the Black Country Plan has now been abandoned, the most recent version of that plan established a shortfall of circa 28,000 homes up to 2039, this shortfall is robustly evidenced through the four councils’ Urban Capacity Study Update (December 2019) and tested through the WMCA Brownfield Land Study. Coventry City Council are also preparing their Local Plan Review. The scale of any shortfall is unknown at present, however the HEDNA (November 2022) identifies a significant annual housing requirement of 1,964 (based upon the 2021 trend-based projection). Both Birmingham and Coventry have significant constraints on growth within their administrative boundaries. They both have tightly drawn boundaries with limited non- Green Belt options for growth. WDC and SDC should accommodate an appropriate proportion of the emerging GBBCHMA housing shortfall to 2042 and, once established, also accommodate an appropriate proportion of the emerging CWHMA housing shortfall. It is considered that the HMA authorities should determine their respective shortfalls and agree an approach to distributing the shortfall across the HMA area as soon as possible. The approach to the BCC shortfall should be avoided, as set out above there is still a remaining circa 6,000 homes arising from the 2017 shortfall that is unaccounted for. The lack of apportionment of shortfall across the GBBCHMA has resulted in significant delays in plan making across the region, with North Warwickshire being the only authority to adopt their plan following the adoption of the Birmingham Development Plan in 2017. Hill Residential consider that the CWHMA approach to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2017 proved to be a successful approach to dealing with the shortfall and enabling authorities to progress with Plan Making – with the last local plan being adopted in June 2019. It is recommended that the south Warwickshire authorities push for such a proactive approach through this next round of shortfall discussions.

In relation to how best to accommodate any shortfall, it would appear logical to locate any housing closest to where the shortfall is arising – in areas to the north of the South Warwickshire plan area.

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The Vision Document (enclosed at Appendix 1) includes a draft Sustainability Strategy which contains measures that could be delivered at Hatton New Community to ensure it is delivered as a zero-carbon settlement with exceptional levels of environmental sustainability. Hill Residential is leading the house building industry with the adoption of low and zero carbon building models and the scale of growth at Hatton will afford Hill Residential the flexibility to improve on their own very high standards. The 2025 Future Home Standard (FHS) will require every new home in England to produce 75% to 80% less carbon emissions (it ‘will also be a ‘zero carbon ready’ standard, switching off fossil fuels and becoming zero carbon as the grid decarbonises) than those currently being built. A stepping-stone to that target came into place, with homes built from June 2022 required to deliver 31% less carbon emissions than necessary under previous regulations. In advance of these policy and regulatory changes Hill Residential, along with partners, in 2020 adopted and trialled a range of certified Passivhaus, and Active Homes project research and development schemes. Each example is achieving the 75% to 80% reductions, in low through to high density homes and apartments. During 2022, Hill Residential developed solar form design guides and Passivhaus Playbooks. In 2023 they will further develop this knowledge into Residential Pattern Books to enable them to create the appropriate low carbon pathways, to achieve 2025- 2030 transition strategies. Currently, all Hill Residential’s homes are designed to optimise water usage of 105 litres per person per day (lpppd) and they have also delivered homes in Cambridge that achieve 100lpppd. In parallel Hill Residential are developing a better understanding of whole life carbon and circular economy strategies which will inform the homes they build at Hatton. Hill Residential are future-proofing new schemes and homes through climate change, adaptation, and resilience strategies. This includes public realm sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDs), subterranean engineered solutions and green (brown) roofs to mitigate surface water flooding risks - in response to the predicted transitional and physical climate change risks. Hill Residential are also committed to deploying varying forms of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) as the progress towards the introduction of the FHS from 2025 and their voluntary net zero pathway commitments as set out within the Vision Document (Appendix 1).

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High quality design should be at the heart of new development in the SWLP, with well-designed places considering of a range of key factors, contributed to by the place and surrounding environment as a whole. This includes the built form, but also effective and valuable green infrastructure and landscaping, which should be particularly emphasised when considering sites to release from the Green Belt. The Vision Document, enclosed at Appendix 1, confirms quality design that is sustainable, beautiful and appropriate for Hatton will be a key driver for Hill Residential who take pride in the fact that they build homes to suit the needs of future residents. Hill Residential anticipate that they will collaborate with local designers, as well as a number of their existing trusted parties, to arrive at a quality of place for Hatton New Community. The design will be unique and diverse, and bring something new to the South Warwickshire landscape without resorting to a pastiche.

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Q-D2: Hill Residential support the development of a design code for development sites such as Hatton New Community. Hatton New Community offers an exciting opportunity to adopt a different strategy to invigorate and empower the manner in which new homes are brought forward. With identity, character, beauty and the right level of infrastructure to support the community and meet the needs of the region. A design code will assist in capturing this design ethos and ensure that the place is delivered as expected.

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Q-T1: Hill Residential are generally supportive of the principles of the 20-minute neighbourhood for new development. It is considered that the larger the scale of development, the greater the opportunity to design the 20-minute neighbourhood principles into a place. As set out in our response to question S5.2, the Internalisation and Containment Note enclosed at Appendix 3 demonstrates the potential to deliver a successful and thriving new community at Hatton. Large-scale development prospers when designed in a coordinated manner, with the key placemaking and mobility features providing for truly socially inclusive communities that prosper and retain trips within the Site. In the case of Hatton New Community, local living is placed as the highest priority, followed by a movement hierarchy with convenience of single occupancy vehicular travel at the bottom. This creates an environment wherein local trips are encouraged and the effect of the development on the local highway network is minimised in terms of traffic effect. Q-T5: Hill Residential support the identification of a well-connected South Warwickshire as one of the five pillars of the SWLP. A Transport Vision Document has been prepared by Vectos (part of SLR) and is enclosed at Appendix 4. The Transport Vision Document sets out that Hatton New Community builds on its excellent location and the established operation ‘Hatton Country World’ to the west of Warwick. The design and masterplanning of the new community ensure it is permeable by active travel modes and it aims to attract a wide range of people who will have the opportunity to embrace local living and sustainable mobility through a site design based on the hierarchy of travel and SAM Framework. As the Site comes forwards, an accompanying Travel Plan will build on the design of the Site and encourage modal shift from single car occupancy to walking, cycling public transport and car clubs, learning from already changing travel habits in society. The development will provide the means for policy compliant growth whilst also contributing to climate change and healthy living aims. The overall Transport Strategy for Hatton New Community adopts the Vision and Validate approach and focuses on an overall access strategy based on a 15-minute community concept. In the first instance the scheme would seek to minimise the overall need to travel through virtual mobility (working from home, online deliveries etc). The next stage is to contain trips within the Site, and this will be delivered through provision of on-site services and facilities (including retail, leisure, and primary and secondary education as well as on site mobility hub and micro consolidation centre). Containment will also be facilitated through delivery of high quality and attractive active travel routes within the Site. It is accepted that the development will create demand for off-site trips and the scheme will deliver a package of off-site sustainable access measures to provide a realistic opportunity for off-site trips to be made sustainably. These includes enhancement to active travel links to Hatton and Warwick Parkway Rail Stations, Warwick Town Centre and Leamington Spa. The public transport Strategy can include provision for a Demand Responsive Transport Bus services. Car clubs will also be provided which can assist with limiting car ownership within the Site. The Transport Vision Document sets out the access strategy to support a new community including walking, cycling, public transport and vehicles. The primary vehicle access will be from Hockley Road. Secondary access will also be provided onto Hockley Road and Station Road as well as the use of Dark Lane. The existing nature of Dark Lane will be changed to become a more pedestrian and cyclist friendly environment by adopting quiet lane principles. National and local policy supports and encourages growth which in turn is supported by a presumption in favour of sustainable development which encourages mobility, health and well-being, and economic vitality. The highway modelling within the note demonstrates that development at Hatton New Community will result in the need for wider highway network improvements to mitigate any impact. It is considered that this position is not unique to Hatton New Community. The SWLP is seeking to accommodate over 48,000 new homes through the plan period. It is anticipated that growth at this scale will require strategic level and site-specific highways infrastructure improvements, to mitigate any impact. The Warwickshire County Council (WCC) highways modelling will need to be refined throughout the next stages of the SWLP, to ensure that a holistic approach to mitigation is considered. Hill Residential welcome the opportunity to continue to work with the SWLP authorities and WCC to develop suitable mitigation measures.

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Hill Residential generally support the proposed broad content of the Part 1 plan. 20 The identification of Hatton for a potential new settlement is logical and wholly aligns with the aspirations of the SWLP. The Vision Document at Appendix 1 of these representations demonstrates how Hatton New Community can be delivered to align with the five pillars of the SWLP. Hill Residential welcomes the opportunity to continue to engage with the SWLP process to promote the sustainable, logical and unique opportunity that is presented at Hatton New Settlement.