Land for New Homes

3.4 The Suffolk Structure Plan 2001 sets out an annual requirement for 440 homes in St Edmundsbury from 1996 to 2016 which is equivalent to a total of 8,800.

3.5 During 1996-2004 some 4,380 new homes were built across the borough, equivalent to 548 a year. This rate of building means that over 100 more homes are being built every year than are required. If this rate were to continue there would be nearly 25% more homes built by 2016 than required by the Structure Plan. The Borough Council, as local planning authority, has to comply with the Structure Plan requirements and, under the plan, monitor and manage approach required from the development plan system, ensure that development is delivered in accordance with the strategic and locational guidance of the Structure Plan.

3.6 A significant proportion of the remaining housing requirement already has planning permission. A total of 1736 homes were committed at 1 April 2004, of which some are already under construction. Table 1 sets out in more detail the scale of housing requirement in St Edmundsbury. Further details on housing provision are set out in a background paper on housing land availability, which will be updated annually.

*This figure includes the planning permission at Chalkstone Way, Haverhill. Although this was not a commitment as at 1 April 2004, the development is for 80 homes which represents a significant proportion of the greenfield land housing requirement (approximately 10%). These have therefore been taken account of in the housing requirement calculations.

In meeting the County Structure Plan requirement, the new housing is proposed to be distributed across the borough approximately as follows: Bury St Edmunds 43%, Haverhill 38% and the rural areas 18%.

This distribution of housing would meet the requirement of Structure Plan Policy CS3 in that major growth takes place in Bury St Edmunds, significant growth in Haverhill and limited growth in the rural areas.

3.7 The sequential approach: Government advice promotes a sequential approach for bringing forward housing land. In the first place, priority must be given to the re-use of previously developed land. The release of additional greenfield land will not be permitted where previously developed land is available to meet the housing requirement. The principles of the sequential approach are set out in the Development Strategy chapter.

3.8 The Plan aims to achieve at least 40% of new homes built on previously developed land over the plan period (1996- 2016) across the whole borough. The national (60%) and regional (50%) targets are much higher than this but the fact that many brownfield sites have already been developed and the rural nature of the borough will make the achievement of a 40% target very challenging. The Borough Council will monitor development rates on previously developed land and regularly review its Urban Capacity Study.

POLICY H1: SCALE OF HOUSING PROVISION

The Local Plan proposes the development of 4,590 for the period 2004 - 2016 by the following means:

• a) Existing commitments (minus a 5% allowance for non take-up): 1,725 dwellings
  b) The re-use of existing buildings and previously developed land and the use of underused land, within the Housing Settlement Boundaries of Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Chedburgh and Ixworth (1,570 dwellings).
  c) Greenfield allocations in Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill, Barrow, Clare, Ixworth and Stanton (1,025 dwellings).
  d) Development on sites within existing village Housing Settlement Boundaries (rural windfall allowance) (270 dwellings)

In the Rural Service Centres there is limited opportunity for brownfield site development but a desire to provide planned sustainable growth to meet local needs and support local services. Therefore greenfield sites are allocated in the Rural Service Centres in order to achieve this.

3.9 Urban capacity: Government advice requires local planning authorities to prepare urban capacity studies. These studies are now at the heart of the sequential approach of giving priority to the redevelopment of brownfield sites, before the release of greenfield sites. The Borough Council has prepared an Urban Capacity Study in accordance with government guidance in "Tapping the Potential" (December 2000) and the Suffolk Methodology on Urban Capacity (December 2001) prepared by Suffolk Local Planning Authorities. This preparation included consultation with the development industry.

3.10 The Urban Capacity Study is provided as a background paper to this Plan. The Study estimates that 112 urban capacity sites will come forward in the borough, contributing a maximum of 1,820 dwellings. Since the study was prepared some brownfield site allocations have either been developed or have extant planning permission for housing development. Some allocations have also been deleted from the Plan and amendments have been made to the allocation at the Telephone Exchange site in Haverhill to reflect latest developments. In addition, a new brownfield site has been allocated in Chedburgh. This means that there now remains a potential capacity for 1,570 dwellings to be delivered on brownfield sites. Bury St Edmunds presents the greatest scope in terms of scale of previously developed land and so it will not be necessary to release additional greenfield land until after 2006 at the earliest. In Haverhill the limited number of brownfield sites will mean an earlier release of greenfield land to meet the housing needs of the town.

3.11 The Urban Capacity Study identified a number of previously developed and underused sites which in principle are suitable for residential redevelopment. Those sites capable of accommodating ten or more homes are allocated in Part 2 of the Plan.

3.12 Greenfield sites for housing development: To meet the housing requirement as set out in Table 1 above, it is necessary to make provision for housing development on greenfield sites. It is proposed that a greenfield allocation at Vinefields Farm will be needed to accommodate some 50 dwellings in Bury St Edmunds to 2016 and be phased for release after 2006.

3.13 In Haverhill, the scale of existing planning permissions and urban capacity is very limited. It is therefore considered necessary to release greenfield land before 2006 to maintain housebuilding and sustain economic growth in the town. Land allocated at north west Haverhill has been earmarked for residential development since the original development framework for Haverhill was prepared in 1970. An initial phase is likely to come forward before 2006. A further site at north west Haverhill has been allocated. Its release is dependent on the delivery of a north-west relief road linking Withersfield Road with Wratting Road.

3.14 Rural Service Centres have been identified in accordance with the criteria of Structure Plan Policy CS3(e) and are listed in Policy DS1 of the Plan. The Borough Council will support the role of the Rural Service Centres and the Local Plan seeks to do this by providing for modest but balanced growth during the plan period. Given that there is limited opportunity for large brownfield sites in the Rural Service Centres, the local planning authority considers it appropriate to allocate greenfield sites for housing in Clare, Ixworth and Stanton.

3.15 Housing Settlement Boundaries: Housing Settlement Boundaries define the extent to which new housing development will be allowed around towns and villages and provide a basis for development control decisions. The development of under-used or developed land within these built-up areas will be permitted provided that access, density and environmental requirements are satisfied and the proposed development is consistent with other Local Plan policies. Proposals for new homes and extensions within Housing Settlement Boundaries will be assessed against the criteria in Policy DS3 of this plan.

POLICY H2: HOUSING DEVELOPMENT WITHIN BURY ST EDMUNDS AND HAVERHILL

Within the Housing Settlement Boundaries for Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill (defined on the Proposals Map) planning permission for new residential development, residential conversion schemes, residential redevelopment and replacement of dwellings with a new dwelling will be permitted where it is not contrary to other policies in the plan.
In addition proposals for residential annexes will be permitted only where:

• a) the design and siting of the annexe is such that it is capable of being reasonably integrated into the use of the original dwelling once its need has ceased;
  b) the size of the annexe is the minimum necessary to meet the purpose; and
  c) the annexe is not capable of being used as a separate dwelling.