From Bryce Humphreys, Hucknall
Topic Draft local plan Stubbing Wood Farm
Question 1
“The phrase “local plan is paused” I have heard used on many occasion even during the consultation period of the draft local plan and when Micheal Gove announced there may be changes in the way the calculations are worked out for housing needs it was used and been said by yourself on a few occasions however when I speak to planning as far as they are concerned it’s not paused and they are working to the set time line that was originally set by having everything ready to submit to government for March sometime and as far as they are concerned it’s not paused.
So can you please Clarify what you mean by using the phrase “local plan is paused” as it is becoming confusing especially when the planning department tell you its not paused.”
Question 2
To the Leader of the Council:
“Stubbing Wood Farm is Greenbelt and the last bit of greenbelt at the end and behind the houses of Watnall Rd in Hucknall and where I live just before we meet with Broxtowe council area.
The land being clay on bedrock is natural flood area and to help prevent flooding onto the properties that back onto the land and the 3 properties that are on the land a dyke was put in place many years ago around the perimeter of the fields. The flooding can be that bad I have installed French drain within my garden to remove the water quicker to stop potential flooding into my home and I have seen the water running down the access lane like a stream on many occasions.
This land which is greenbelt would be better used for planting British Native trees and native wildflowers which then intern help our pollinators as well other wildlife and would also help with the flooding of the land. Bearing in mind there is government subsidies for this especially with the land being clay and not very good for crop growing due to the clay and flooding and the latest subsidy scheme is the land recovery scheme which is used for pockets of land like stubbing wood farm which is greenbelt to grow our native plants and trees especially with the current climate change crisis we now live in.
Surely you should be helping and encouraging landowners / farmers and assisting them to claim the subsidies from government to transform pockets of land like stubbing wood farm which is greenbelt to claim these subsidies to rewild instead of wanting to build houses on greenbelt land and add more pollution and traffic to an area that is gridlocked every day.”
Minutes:
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11, the following questions had
been submitted by Mr. Bryce Humphreys:
Question 1
To the Leader of the Council:
“The phrase “local plan is paused” I have heard used on many occasion even during the consultation period of the draft local plan and when Micheal Gove announced there may be changes in the way the calculations are worked out for housing needs it was used and been said by yourself on a few occasions however when I speak to planning as far as they are concerned it’s not paused and they are working to the set time line that was originally set by having everything ready to submit to government for March sometime and as
far as they are concerned it’s not paused.
So can you please Clarify what you mean by using the phrase “local plan is paused” as it is becoming confusing especially when the planning department tell you its not paused.”
The Leader of the Council, Councillor Jason Zadrozny, responded and acknowledged that there may have been some confusion as the announcement to pause development of the Draft Local Plan had been made during the consultation period.
He advised Mr. Humphreys that there would be no progression of the Draft Local Plan until clarity from the Government had been obtained in relation to the methodology for calculating standard housing need and their position regarding building on greenfield sites.
Ashfield District Council housing requirements currently stood at 457 houses per annum or 8,226 houses in total up to 2038. The Council had a good record of building on brownfield sites but there were not enough of these sites left in the District to fulfil the full housing requirement.
In the Draft Local Plan, 1,100 homes could be built on existing brownfield sites and some windfall sites might become available during the life of the Plan but this would still not prevent development on greenfield or greenbelt sites to meet the current requirements should the Government’s methodology not be changed.
In respect of the Draft Local Plan being paused, the Leader confirmed that this would not prevent the Forward Planning team from continuing to work on the responses to the consultation and to continue any necessary evidence gathering to support the new Plan, as required, prior to receipt of clarification from Government.
The Chairman then gave Mr. Humphreys the opportunity to ask a supplementary question and he responded as follows:-
“I have the development here and on the back is a schedule with rough months showing the timetable and March/April is when the actual Local Plan is to be issued for further consultation this year. Are you saying that unless you get clarification as to the housing figures, then that is not going to happen in March/April? If we end up not getting clarification until the end of March, are you going to push it back 2 months?”
The Leader of the Council responded to the supplementary question by clarifying that the Local Plan timeframe was indefinite and that it could and probably would change, dependent on the response from Government.
Question 2
To the Leader of the Council:
“Stubbing Wood Farm is Greenbelt and the last bit of greenbelt at the end and behind the houses of Watnall Rd in Hucknall and where I live just before we meet with Broxtowe council area.
The land being clay on bedrock is natural flood area and to help prevent flooding onto the properties that back onto the land and the 3 properties that are on the land a dyke was put in place many years ago around the perimeter of the fields. The flooding can be that bad I have installed French drain within my garden to remove the water quicker to stop potential flooding into my home and I have seen the water running down the access lane like a stream on many occasions.
This land which is greenbelt would be better used for planting British Native trees and native wildflowers which then intern help our pollinators as well other wildlife and would also help with the flooding of the land. Bearing in mind there is government subsidies for this especially with the land being clay and not very good for crop growing due to the clay and flooding and the latest subsidy scheme is the land recovery scheme which is used for pockets of land like stubbing wood farm which is greenbelt to grow our native plants and trees especially with the current climate change crisis we now live in.
Surely you should be helping and encouraging landowners / farmers and assisting them to claim the subsidies from government to transform pockets of land like stubbing wood farm which is greenbelt to claim these subsidies to rewild instead of wanting to build houses on greenbelt land and add more pollution and traffic to an area that is gridlocked every day.”
The Leader of the Council, Councillor Jason Zadrozny, responded by confirming that the Stubbing Wood Farm had been identified in the Draft Local Plan for a potential development of up to 109 residential properties with a Council statement included in the Plan outlining exceptional circumstances for the release of any such earmarked greenbelt land within the District. The Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA) document had also identified the land as located in Flood Zone 1 and the Council were aware of previous surface water flooding around the area.
He advised Mr. Humphreys that any new developments of this nature would most likely be subject to an urban drainage scheme and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Environment Act also encouraged biodiversity on all new sites. In addition, the Council had also stated in the Draft Local Plan that trees should be retained wherever possible on any new developments, but should any ultimately require removal, at least 2 trees would need to be replanted for every tree lost on the same site or any alternate site as identified.
The Chairman then gave Mr. Humphreys the opportunity to ask a supplementary question and he responded as follows:-
“With Stubbing Wood Farm, and I appreciate what you have just said, that are two aspects that I feel have not been properly disclosed to the Council originally, which I know for a fact.
There are three properties on the land which weren’t disclosed, two properties off Olympus Court and the other one was my property which is smack bang in the middle between the rear and front field. I actually found out by a lamppost which looked like you were demolishing my property. Disclosure wasn’t done properly by the landowner and Planning is aware of this as I have supplied all my registered documents from when I purchased the property 45 years ago.”
The Leader of the Council responded to the supplementary question and acknowledged Mr. Humphrey’s legitimate concerns regarding his property. He confirmed that the Planning Team would always gather pertinent evidence properly prior to any decisions being made and, in any event, the Council were categorically not up for compulsorily purchasing any properties and turning people out of their homes. He concluded by offering to speak further with Mr. Humphreys and the Planning Team, should any additional reassurances be required.