Chairman’s Introduction

I am very pleased to introduce the Council’s revised draft of the Local Plan (Second Review) which contains planning policies for the period up to 2011. An earlier version of the Plan which was published for public consultation in the autumn of 1999 attracted 5,300 comments from over 2,000 respondents.

In November 2001 the Council agreed changes to the Plan to take account of public comment together with new national and county planning policies. This revised draft version identifies the changes that have been made and we look forward to receiving your comments on them. Government Guidance states that comments on the revised Plan can only relate to the changes. Each change has a unique number which should be referred to in your comments.

I hope the high level of public interest in the Plan continues and that you will write to the Council, not only to object to any changes to the Plan, but equally importantly to give support to those changes that you like.

The main aim of the Plan remains as before - to ensure that future development in East Hampshire is sustainable. This approach seeks to provide homes, jobs, and facilities that are needed, in a way that safeguards the environment and protects the rich natural and historic heritage for future generations.

The main changes to the Plan relate to the proposed housing sites. After the Plan was published in 1999, the Government issued new planning guidance (PPG3) which requires Councils to make the best use of previously developed land (often known as “brownfield” land) by building at higher densities in towns and villages. Councils now have to carry out an “Urban Capacity Study” of the settlements in their area to assess the potential for new housing development. Priority has to be given to development sites within settlement policy boundaries before greenfield sites are brought forward. The Council has taken account of Government advice on achieving higher densities through good design. Our urban capacity study confirms that the revised Plan need only allocate 10 sites to meet the “baseline” housing figure of 5,500 homes (compared to 27 sites in the earlier Plan).

At the same time as PPG3 was published, the County Structure Plan Review was approved. The Structure Plan now requires the District Council to find land for another 1,500 homes on reserve sites in addition to the 5,500 homes “baseline” figure. Many of the sites, no longer required to meet the baseline figure, are retained as reserve sites, together with some new sites. These reserve sites will only be released if monitoring of development rates on brownfield sites and local plan allocations across the whole County shows that there is a compelling need to do so. Many of these sites will also provide additional community facilities, such as open space, playing fields, community buildings and doctor’s surgeries. Although the reserve sites are on green fields they are located as close as possible to shops, services, and other facilities, so that the need to travel by car is reduced.

A number of exhibitions will be held throughout the District during the public consultation period which concludes on 14th March 2002. The Council will then examine all the comments on the changes and decide whether further amendments should be suggested to the Inspector at the Local Plan Inquiry which it is anticipated will begin in early 2003. Further alterations may be made in the light of the Inspector’s recommendations which will be published for public comment. The Plan is likely to be adopted in 2005.
I look forward to reading your comments on the Plan. Please send them in writing to Alison Wood, Head of Planning Policy by 14 March, 2002.

Councillor Mrs Susan Halstead
Planning Portfolio Holder and Chairman of Development Policy Panel