Object

Representation ID: 4941

Received: 23/12/2022

Respondent: AJM Planning Associates Ltd

Agent: AJM Planning Associates Ltd

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? Not specified

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

It is considered that the Council’s approach continues to place far too much emphasis on the “strategic development locations”, most particularly proposals SA2 (Cross Green) and SA3 (Linthouse Lane). It now appears that SA2 only “safeguards” the land for the potential rail-based parkway with no requirement for it to be provided (in contrast to previous Infrastructure Delivery Plan’s implicit indications).

These large allocations put the delivery of a large part of the new housing requirement firmly in the hands of the larger developers, who will consequently potentially dictate supply. It is considered that the strategy should instead seek to deliver more growth around the edges of settlements in locations which are already sustainable and deliverable, such as in Bilbrook & Brewood.

it is noted that the proposed strategy does not allow for any new safeguarded areas of land in accordance with para 140 of the NPPF. Safeguarded land should continue to be identified within the higher Tier settlements, including Bilbrook and Brewood.

Moreover, this emphasis on “strategic development locations” has meant that smaller sites adjacent to the conurbation have not been fully evaluated. One such site is at The Wergs, Wolverhampton