Local Plan 2011-2031 Proposed Submission Draft

I would like to make the following comments

Object to Chapter 4, Policy SP8

The Plan is unsound as there is too much housing against losing open countryside. Sites like SP2 have been added at a very late stage

Object to Chapter 4, Policy SP2

The evidence used to identify sustainable villages is unsound. This means that isolated villages with no facilities are seen as being suitable for significant development. Not only does Whitwell fall into this category but it is also accessed by narrow lanes requiring passing places. More evidence is needed on car usage. Whitwell should be categorised as a B village

Object to Chapter 13, site allocation SP2

The site is not sustainable and depends on public transport for most travel. The NHDC Planning Committee on August 25 thought that required sustainable drainage would have an unacceptable impact on the visual beauty of the site and the application was refused. Two pits of which one was larger than an Olympic swimming pool was rejected.Alternative solutions will require underground tanks and pumps which are also unsustainable

NPPF To empower local people to shape their surroundings (para 150)

Our local community has been ignored. NHDC is well aware of local feeling. The site was turned down 4 months ago, is not needed to meet identified housing need and still the planners are determined to use this site. There are real environmental and flooding concerns together with the visual impact on the intrinsic beauty of the area. Thames Water see lack of sewer capacity as a problem. As stated earlier the Planners even disregard their Planning Committee who recently rejected the site for development

Object to the allocation of SP2 for housing

The Local Plan preferred option allocated the site as Green Belt and was fully supported by the Parish Council. There has been no reason given for the site losing its Green Belt status. The reduction in OAN shows that SP 2 is not needed. The Local Plan seems to have added sites at a late stage almost gratuitously. Neither the Parish Council nor villagers have been given the chance to be empowered and have ignored the wishes for SP2 to be retained as Green Belt

For the reasons given above I consider that SP2 should be removed from the 2011-2033 Local Plan