Land at North-West Haverhill

14.7 There remains scope for further releases in the northwest sector of the town for residential growth. Careful planning will be necessary to ensure that merging with the nearby settlements of Great Wratting, Little Wratting and Withersfield does not occur. The release of land in this area will bring considerable community gain through the construction of a north-west relief road for the town, the first phase of which already has planning permission. The road is a significant piece of infrastructure which would bring real environmental benefits in and around the town centre, in particular, relieving the Cangle junction.

14.8 Government guidance on the phased release of housing sites, "Planning To Deliver" (2001) refers to the identification of strategic sites in local plans. The identification of north-west Haverhill would meet this requirement and would signal certainty on long-term greenfield development as well as allow for the lead times needed to deliver the associated infrastructure. In allocating north- west Haverhill, the Borough Council recognises that development will extend over the phases of this Plan (see Table 5) and the complete development of the site will extend beyond 2016. This phased release will help the continued balanced growth of the town.

POLICY HAV2: STRATEGIC SITE - NORTH WEST HAVERHILL

42 Ha of land at North-West Haverhill is allocated for:

• i) Housing (up to 755 dwellings to 2016 including affordable housing provision of 40% in accordance with Policy H3);
  ii) Primary School;
  iii) Recreational Open Space; and
  iv) A local centre or centres which could include local shops and community, health and recreation uses.

In addition, but not intended to be comprehensive the following associated infrastructure is required to facilitate the development:

• a) completion of a North-West Relief Road linking Withersfield Road (Meldham Bridge) to Wratting Road (adjacent Rising Sun).
  b) a strategic landscape buffer to the north of the relief road.

The amount of land available for development, location of uses, access arrangements, design and landscaping will be informed by a masterplan for the site. Applications for planning permission will only be considered once the masterplan has been adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document by the local planning authority. The developer will be expected to prepare the masterplan in accordance with the content of the concept statement for the site.

The local centre site(s) and any other sites for community facilities will be safeguarded from other forms of development. The local planning authority will require these sites to be transferred to the Borough Council, who will be responsible for their development.

Developers will be expected to enter into a legal obligation for the phased implementation of this infrastructure.