Planning for Alresford’s Future Steve Opacic - Head of Strategic Planning Winchester City Council

1. Planning for Alresford’s FutureSteve Opacic - Head of Strategic Planning Winchester City Council

2. Local Plan Part 1: Alresford Policy MTRA2: • 500 dwellings (2011-2031) • Maintain & improve shopping, tourism, etc • Maintain & improve housing/employment balance • Assess capacity within settlement before extending boundary • Be appropriate in scale, design, etc

3. Local Plan Part 2 - process • Define Alresford’s needs – housing, employment, open space, infrastructure • Assess potential sites objectively – fully meet needs, SHLAA and other sites, initial sieve followed by detailed assessment • Develop and consult on conclusions – leading to proposed allocations • Alresford-specific development management policies? – if not covered in LPP1/LPP2

4. Alresford Needs Groups • WCC drafted ‘templates’ on housing, employment and infrastructure needs • Alresford public meeting 23 Jan 2013 invited volunteers for ‘Needs Groups’ • 4 ‘Needs Groups’ met from January – April 2013 – Housing, Employment & Economy, Infrastructure, Open Space & Recreation • Each Group’s conclusions on needs presented at public exhibition & meeting 25 April 2013

5. Summary - Housing • 500 required, with 80 permitted/committed • 40% to be affordable housing • 75+ age group may double in size by 2031 • Half of dwellings 1-2 bed (2 preferred) • Need for sheltered/nursing facility • Use sites close to centre for higher density • Explore possibility of using industrial or school sites

6. Summary – Employment / Econ • Retain Alresford as a ‘working’ town • Provide 200 new jobs (maintain proportion of residents working locally - 38%) • Need 1.5 – 3 hectares for new / relocated businesses, with good access & parking • Need high-speed telecommunications • No significant new retail needs • Tourism is important to local economy

7. Summary – Infrastructure • Any expansion of Perins School likely to be on existing site. Need for pre-school places • Need to safeguard future of town centre car parks (sites leased) • Future need for extra care / nursing / dementia accommodation • Need for further burial ground / space • Developments to provide safe routes connecting to the town • Various detailed highway/pedestrian/cycling improvements suggested

8. Summary – Open Space & Rec. • Shortfall of open space (using Local Plan standards) of 15+ ha, rising to 20+ ha • Need for various types of open space: • allotments (0.5ha) • cricket ground (1.5ha) • rugby (2ha) • tennis (0.5ha) • children’s play • BMX park

9. Summary – Land ‘Budget’ • Housing * 14 ha • Commercial 3 ha • Open Space – new development 5 ha • Open Space – existing population 15 ha • Burial ground 0.5 ha ** • Total 37.5 hectares (93 acres) * Assuming 420 houses at 30 houses per hectare beyond the town centre and at higher densities in the centre ** Reduced from original 5ha recommendation

10. Available Sites

11. Initial Site ‘Sieve’ Green= no constraints Amber = some constraints (consider mitigation) Red = absolute constraint (no mitigation possible)

12. Further Studies / Evidence • Constraints mapping • Landscape Sensitivity Assessment • Windfall Trends & Potential • Open Space Assessment • Historic Environment Assessment • Transport / Accessibility Assessment • Initial Sustainability Appraisal • Traveller needs assessment

13. Allocations Workshop/Conclusions • Site allocations workshop with NATC in Sept considered evidence / studies • Not just assessing sites 1 by 1, but developing a strategy to meet needs • Includes mix of housing, employment, open space, recreation, burial ground, etc totalling 37.5ha • Housing is ‘easy’ other uses more difficult

14. ? Employment Locations ?

15. Developing a Strategy 1 • About meeting a range of needs, not just housing • Housing could potentially go on several sites • Open space and employment more difficult • Risk of diluting ability of development to achieve needs

16. Developing a Strategy 2 • The strategic options are: • large mixed-use site • spread development around smaller sites • No easy option - will be opposition to any • Only east of Sun Lane capable of delivering all needs • Other options not suitable for employment, etc and more limited open space provision

17. Proposed Site Allocations

18. Sun Lane – Land Uses

19. Deliverability • Sun Lane is best to deliver range of needs • But… delivery of all the elements is critical • Including new access to A31, employment, open space, traveller site, sequence of development, etc • Discussions with promoter suggest it is do-able, if not reconsider alternatives • The Dean dependent on employment relocation

20. These Are Early Stages • ‘Needs Groups’ have been consulted and came up with various ideas • Don’t have all the details/answers at this stage • Traffic will be an issue for any site, will look at options/opportunities • Further work and testing needed to address problems and find solutions

21. Conclusions • A bold solution but capable of meeting a range of needs and benefits • Promoters keen to work with community to make it work • Proposal put forward jointly by NATC and WCC for consultation - is this the best way to meet Alresford’s future needs? • If not, is there a deliverable alternative?

22. Next Stages • Public exhibition/event 7 Jan 2014 • 6-week consultation – to 21 Feb 2014 • Consider responses Feb – May 2014 • Draft Local Plan Part 2 – July 2014 • ‘Pre-Submission’ – Jan 2015 • Submission / examination – Apr-Jul 2015 • Inspector’s Report – Nov 2015 • Adoption – Dec 2015