Development Strategy

14.2 Haverhill is the borough's second largest town and has expanded steadily in the last 30 years, boosted by a town expansion scheme and more recently by its location within the Cambridge sub-region. The town is recognised as a location that will accommodate significant levels of growth over the period to 2016.

14.3 Given the town's recent expansion, including high density estates, the urban capacity study prepared in 2001/02 did not identify significant scope for accommodating residential development on previously developed land. Land for housing on greenfield sites is therefore required. Table 4 below shows the proposed distribution of new housing in the town by land type.

Table 4 - Housing Land Supply in Haverhill 2004-2016

14.4 A small number of larger sites were identified in the urban capacity study and those which, in the opinion of the Borough Council, can be delivered during the Plan period are put forward as allocations in Policy HAV1 and identified on the Proposals Map. The development of each site will be expected to accord with its concept statement and/or masterplan.

POLICY HAV1: HOUSING ON URBAN SITES - HAVERHILL

The following urban sites are allocated for residential development during the period 2001-2016.

14.5 While the development of vacant and underused land is encouraged, it is recognised that to maintain balanced growth in Haverhill and to support its economy, there is not enough brownfield land in the short to medium term (that is, before 2006) so it will be necessary to release further areas of greenfield land. In 1998 the Borough Council commissioned consultants to examine the feasibility of major expansion of the town. The consultants identified areas of land around the town which, in their opinion, could be developed and which would preserve the sense of separation between Haverhill and the nearby villages of Withersfield, Great Wratting and Kedington. The Borough Council has had regard to the study in determining the release of greenfield land for housing. In this context the Borough Council has released the first phase of a strategic greenfield site at North West Haverhill and permission has been granted for a development of 393 dwellings. This is reflected in Table 5 below. This development is not included in the 755 homes allocated in Policy HAV2.

Table 5 - Phased Release of Housing Land in Haverhill