The first stage in preparing the Local Development Framework document looked at some of the key issues faced by the borough and suggests possible options for resolving them. These include where housing could be built in the future, employment needs, infrastructure and community facilities. This stage also allowed everyone to have their say, raise issues and suggest possible route’s forward for the future of the borough.
The full Core Strategy Issues and Options (PDF 1Mb) report and a summary leaflet (PDF 236Kb) of the report can be viewed from this page. The initial sustainability appraisal )PDF 143Kb) can also be downloaded from this page. The sustainability appraisal tests the options considered in the core strategy to make sure that they do not cause harm to the environment, economic success or social progress.
Consultation
In accordance with the council’s Statement of Community Involvement, in March/April 2008, the public and key stakeholders were consulted on the Core Strategy Issues and Options document. A wide programme of consultation events sought to obtain the views of as broad a cross section of the population in the borough as possible. The consultation included:
- focus groups and community workshops;
- leaflet drops at supermarkets,
- library drop in sessions;
- parish presentations; and
- presentation to the Youth Forum, and Western Suffolk Local Strategic Partnership Community Strategy Steering Group.
The two community workshops were held in Bury St Edmunds and
Haverhill and looked in detail at the five proposed options for growth. As individuals, the attendees highlighted that their most and least preferred options are as follows:
| Workshop | Most preferred option as an individual | Least preferred option as an individual |
| Bury St Edmunds Community Workshop (9 April 2008) | Option 3 (Regeneration of Haverhill )
| Option 4 (Rural development) |
| Haverhill Community Workshop (14 April 2008) | Option 3 (Regeneration of Haverhill) | Option 4 (Rural development) |
In total 118 responses were received to the consultation, with 30 responses made in relation to the accompanying Sustainability Appraisal. Officers have condensed all of the responses which have been set out by question in the Core Strategy Issues and Options Consultation Responses document.
For information the responses relating to the core strategy growth options (Question 10) are summarised below:
| Number of votes | Option 1 - Business as usual | Option 2 - Urban growth | Option 3 - Regeneration of Haverhill | Option 4 - Rural Development | Option 5 - A new settlement |
| Rank 1st | 19 | 15 | 14 | 22 | 10 |
| Rank 2nd | 21 | 13 | 17 | 9 | 7 |
| Rank 3rd | 13 | 21 | 19 | 6 | 4 |
| Rank 4th | 8 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 13 |
| Rank 5th | 9 | 6 | 2 | 15 | 36 |
| Net votes (1+2)-(4+5) | +23 | +8 | +13 | -1 | -32 |
The 'net votes' figure represents the number of positive votes for an option less the number of negative votes. For example, if the positive votes for Option 1, (Rank 1 + 2) is shown as 40 and the negative votes (Rank 4 + 5) for Option 1 is shown as 17, the 'net vote' figure is +23.
The headline messages from the consultation were that the most preferred option is Option 1 (business as usual) and the least preferred option is 5 (new settlement).
