Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

Please find my objections to the inclusion of SP2 Land between Horn Hill and Bendish Lane, Whitwell in the Local Plan listed below.

Object to Chapter 4, Policy SP2
The plan is not sound as the evidence used to identify sustainable villages is flawed. This results in isolated villages with no facilities such as a senior school and shops and very little public transport being seen as suitable for significant development. In addition Whitwell is accessed by narrow, single track lanes, often requiring passing places. I believe more evidence is needed on impact on additional car usage.

Object to Chapter 13, Site Allocation SP2
The NHDC approach is not sound and it does not comply with NPPF as no consideration has been taken of flood risk. The site has a known and identified high risk of surface water flooding as recognised in the Council's Strategic Flood Risk Assessment. The NPPF states that development should be steered to areas with the lowest chance of flooding. Site SP2 should only be considered if there is an identified need that cannot be met elsewhere with a lower probability of flooding.
It was also added at a late stage with an allocation of greater than 5ha - this conflicts with NHDC evidence that large housing extensions to Whitwell could have an unacceptable visual impact due to high visual sensitivities associated with cross country views

NPPF Requirement to empower local people to shape their surroundings (Paragraph 150)
The Local Plan has ignored our local community. NHDC is must be aware of the local feeling towards potential development on this site, as it was recently rejected as a site for development. Despite this, NHDC Planners remain determined to use this site despite the known objections, environmental and flooding concerns together with the visual impact on the intrinsic beauty of the countryside. I am bewildered how this can be added to the local plan when the NHDC Planning Committee recently rejected the site for development

Object to the allocation of SP2 for housing
The Local Plan Preferred Option allocated the site for Green Belt. This was fully supported by the Parish Council. NHDC has provided no justification for the site no longer being categorised as Green Belt. Latest figures (reduction in OAN) show that SP2 is not needed for housing. Green Belt status is also needed to mitigate for Green Belt losses elsewhere in the District ,where additional housing is being provided in more sustainable locations.
The late submission of SP2 has not given the Parish Council or villagers the opportunity to be empowered and ignored their wishes for SP2 to remain Green Belt.

For the reasons above I consider that SP2 should be removed from the 2011 - 2031 Local Plan.