Regulation 19 Rutland Local Plan
Chapter 6 – Housing View comments
Housing Allocations
It is important that a sufficient amount and variety of land can come forward for the development of new homes in the locations where it is needed, that meet needs of groups with specific housing requirements and that land with permission is developed without unnecessary delay.
We have used the government's standard method in national planning guidance to determine the minimum number of homes needed in Rutland for the plan period. This means that the Local Plan needs to identify sufficient land to deliver at least 123 new homes each year.
What will the policy do?
Policy H1 – Sites proposed for residential development View comments
Provision is made in this Local Plan for the delivery of at least 123 homes per annum with an additional 10% allowance for flexibility. The Plan therefore makes provision for 2705 new dwellings distributed in accordance with the spatial strategy in Policy SS1.
Location |
Minimum requirement |
Completions and commitments since 31/03/2021 |
Residual requirement |
Oakham with Barleythorpe |
820 |
729 |
91 |
Uppingham |
515 |
201 |
314 |
Stamford North |
650 |
0 |
650 |
Larger Villages |
620 |
523 |
97 |
Small villages |
100 |
63 |
37 |
County total |
2705 |
1516 |
1189 |
To meet the residual requirement identified the following sites are proposed for residential development over the plan period. Sites are also shown on the Policies Map.
Site capacity is calculated on the basis of 30 dwellings per hectare, based on a net developable area and are therefore potential figures.
Oakham Total:
H1.1Land south of Stamford Road
Uppingham Total:
To be allocated through the Uppingham Neighbourhood Plan
Larger Villages Total:
H1.2 Officer Mess, Edith Weston
H1.3 Whitwell Road South, Empingham
H1.4 Land South West of Belmesthorpe Lane, Ryhall
Stamford Total:
H2 Part of Stamford North
(Quarry Farm/Monarch Park)
94 dwellings
94 dwellings (greenfield)
314 dwellings
124 dwellings
85 dwellings (brownfield)
28 dwellings (greenfield)
11 dwellings(brownfield)
650 dwellings
650 dwellings
(greenfield urban extension)
Policies H1.1 – H1.4 and H2 below set out detailed development principles which should be incorporated into the development proposal for each site. They also include a list of additional studies and evidence which will be required to support a planning application for each site. This list is not exhaustive and additional work may be requested as part of the planning application process.
Why is this policy needed?
The government's standard method for calculating housing requirements for local authorities - called the local housing need (LHN) - gives a minimum housing requirement for Rutland of an average of 123 dwellings per annum (as at March 2024). The Local Plan will therefore make provision to meet this minimum requirement of 123 dwellings, over the period 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2041 (20 years); i.e., 2,460 dwellings over the plan period. This figure will be used as the basis for calculating the Five-Year Housing Land supply during the plan period.
The proposed supply of housing for this Local Plan is set out below. It is proposed to apply a contingency buffer of 10% to ensure delivery of the minimum housing requirement. This will also provide for a level of market choice.
The council is committed to delivering its LHN as a minimum through the allocation of suitable, available, and deliverable sites in this Local Plan. Taking account of commitments and completions since April 2018, the preferred site allocations proposed in Policy H1 meet the overall requirements for the amount and distribution of development set out in the Spatial Strategy.
Table 3 – Housing Requirement
Requirement 2021-41 (123* dpa + 10% buffer) |
Proposed target spatial distribution |
Commitments at 31st March 2023* |
Completions from April 2021 to March 2023* |
Minimum indicative target housing supply to deliver the requirement |
|
Stamford North** |
650 leaving 2,056 |
650 |
|||
Oakham |
820 |
524 |
205 |
91 |
|
Uppingham |
515 |
189 |
12 |
314 |
|
Larger Village with PLD |
620 |
445 |
78 |
97 |
|
Small villages/ hamlets (without a PLD) |
100 |
55 |
8 |
Indicative provision of an additional 37- dwellings assumed to be delivered through infill/windfall in these villages without proposing allocations in these settlements |
|
County Total |
2706 |
2705 |
1213 |
303 |
1189 |
* These figures will be reviewed and updated on a regular basis during the preparation of the Local Plan.
** It is intended now that any development on the Rutland part of a comprehensive Sustainable Urban Extension to Stamford should count towards Rutland's housing needs and so reduce the requirement for new housing elsewhere in Rutland.
The NPPF states that the overall strategic housing requirement policy in the Local Plan should set out a housing requirement for designated neighbourhood plan areas which reflects the overall strategy for the pattern and scale of development and any relevant allocations. Therefore, this Local Plan establishes the strategy for the pattern and scale of development (in Policy SD2) and has allocated suitable and deliverable sites in settlements across the County (excluding Uppingham) and the proposed allocations included in this Plan are considered to meet that requirement.
It is expected that allocations in Uppingham will come forward through their Neighbourhood Plan. This is expected to cover the period up to 2041 and will align with the scale of development proposed for Uppingham set out above.
Neighbourhood plans can, however, make provision for more housing development than that required in the strategic policy and the Council supports groups that wish to provide site allocations for housing development within their neighbourhood plans that go beyond the minimum requirement contained in the strategic policy, particularly those who assess their local housing needs through an appropriate assessment and plan to meet it. As a general guide, additional housing development should not exceed 5% of the number of existing dwellings in the neighbourhood plan area or be no more than 20% greater than the minimum requirement already allocated in this Local Plan.
In making site allocations, neighbourhood plan groups should demonstrate how the selected site(s) meet the site appraisal methodology, including the Sustainability Appraisal which has been used to determine site allocations in this Local Plan and clearly set out how any additional local assessment criteria has been applied. In making additional allocations consideration should be given to delivering a proportion of this requirement as small/medium sites (of less than 1 hectare (ha)) for development by small scale local builders and as custom and self-build homes in accordance with Policy H8).
Annual monitoring of housing supply will be used to help monitor the rate of housing delivery on the allocated sites during the plan period in accordance with the housing trajectory set out in the Council's Authority Monitoring Report.
The sites that are allocated have been identified as a result of an extensive site appraisals process, which included appraisal against the Sustainability Objectives from the Sustainability Appraisal. All sites put forward to the Council through the Call for Sites in 2022 and subsequent site submissions and outstanding Local Plan and neighbourhood plan allocations have been appraised where they are within and immediately adjacent to the towns and those villages identified as Larger Villages.
The site appraisal process has considered each site against a consistent set of criteria which cover environmental, social, and economic factors. In order to ensure that sufficient land is identified which is deliverable and in a suitable location to meet the housing needs of the County, the site appraisal process considers the likelihood of suitable sites being delivered during the plan period. This includes land ownership, and the site promoters' intentions in terms of planning permission and releasing land; the involvement of developers and predicted build out rates. This is to try to ensure (as much as the Council can) that the sites which are allocated in the plan will be delivered.
Development principles to guide the form, layout, dwelling mix (for housing allocations), and infrastructure needs of each allocated site are set out below and in policy H2.
H1.1 Land south of Stamford Road View comments
Policy H1.1
Land at Stamford Road
Opus ID: 156
Indicative capacity 94
Minimum 30% affordable housing
29 affordable homes / 65 market homes
The proposed development should be designed to incorporate the following key principles within the layout:
- Retain and enhance all trees within the site and boundary hedgerows to contribute to the wider network of green corridors;
- Ensure the design respects the form and character of the town in this location, as an extension along Stamford Road, and which considers potential effects on the setting of the adjacent Conservation Area;
- Ensure the layout and detailed design including landscape mitigation measures alongside Stamford Road enhances the settlement edge and the wider 'setting' of the Conservation Area and preserves the distinct openness along Stamford Road;
- Ensure the layout takes account of the Cordon Sanitaire in the north-east corner of the site;
- Ensure appropriate access solution to avoid conflict with Sculthorpe Close opposite and the junction of A6003 with A606 and that highway mitigations measures are provided;
- Provide safe, direct and convenient footway and cycleway connections through the site and to the town centre. This is likely to include a 3m wide shared footway/cycleway facility along the Stamford Road frontage, plus public transport improvements as a minimum.
- Make appropriate provision for surface water management systems, including SUDS drainage system to ensure greenfield run off rates are maintained once the site is developed;
- Provide an appropriate mix of housing choices which reflect the mix set out in the most up to date SHMA including 30% of the site capacity as affordable homes (a target of 24 homes);
- Ensure 2% of site capacity to be provided as serviced self-build/custom build plots
- Provide green infrastructure and landscaping incorporating an appropriate amount open space, for each relevant typology using the standards in Appendix 3, this should include "a LAP and a LEAP to meet the need for children's play; and
- Submission of a Health Impact Assessment to identify and respond to the impacts of development on health and well being.
For Information:
An application for this site should be accompanied by the following evidence/surveys which include, where appropriate, evidence that the necessary mitigation measures have been planned into the design and layout of the development:
- Full Transport Assessment
- Stage 1 Safety Audit
- Detailed Design of off-site highway works
- Health Impact Assessment
- Historic Impact Assessment
- Archaeological Assessment
- Badger survey
- Ground level tree assessment
- Bat survey
- Agricultural Land Survey (if there is not enough information available from previous data)
- Lux lighting plan
- Reptile Survey
- A precautionary method statement to further reduce any risk of harm to reptiles and amphibians outside of the bird breeding season
- SUDs Drainage System
H1.2 Officer Mess, Edith Weston View comments
Policy H1.2
Land at Officer's Mess, Edith Weston
Opus ID: 2851
Indicative capacity 85
Minimum 30% affordable housing
26 affordable homes / 59 market homes
The proposed development should be designed to incorporate the following key principles within the layout:
- Retain the line of mature trees along the northern boundary of the site along Manton Road;
- Ensure the design and layout respects the form and character of the village in this location and enhances the settlement edge and the wider 'setting' of the Conservation Area;
- Provide an appropriate mix of housing choices which reflect the mix set out in the most up to date SHMA including 30% of the site capacity as affordable homes (a target of 26 homes) ;
- Ensure 2% of site capacity to be provided as serviced self-build/custom build plots
- Make appropriate provision for surface water management systems, including a SUDS drainage system to ensure greenfield run off rates are maintained once the site is developed;
- Provide green infrastructure and landscaping incorporating an appropriate amount open space, for each relevant typology using the standards in Appendix 3, this should include "a LAP and a LEAP to meet the need for children's play;
- Open space provision should be on-site in the southwest corner along with provision of surface water retention basin as part of drainage proposals;
- Provide safe, direct and convenient footway and cycleway connections through the site and to the village centre; and
- Submission of a Health Impact Assessment to identify and respond to the impacts of development on health and well being.
For Information:
An application for this site should be accompanied by the following evidence/surveys which include, where appropriate, evidence that the necessary mitigation measures have been planned into the design and layout of the development:
- Detailed Design Code.
- Archaeological Programme of Works required
- Contaminated Land Investigation
- Noise Impact Assessment
- Construction Method Statement
- Removal of redundant current highway features
- Health Impact Assessment
- Bat Mitigation Method Statement
- Construction Environment Management Plan
- Detailed Design of off-site highway works
H1.3 Whitwell Road South, Empingham View comments
Policy H1.3
Land South of Whitwell Road, Empingham
Opus ID: 82
Indicative capacity 28
Minimum 30% affordable housing
9 affordable homes / 19 market homes
Including relocation of Empingham Medical Centre
The proposed development should be designed to incorporate the following key principles within the layout:
- Provision of a new medical centre and associated car parking in accordance with policy INF4;
- Retain the tree belt on the southern boundary to screen any potential development and retain and protect the trees on the north side of the site;
- Provide swift boxes as the site is within a Swift Alert area;
- Ensure the development is in keeping with the settlement form and pattern that retains the characteristic compact, regular linear pattern of the village;
- Retain the views out from the settlement to undeveloped ridges of higher ground on the skyline including the church as a focal point which create an important backdrop to the village ;
- Ensure mitigation of any potential impact of the development on nearby heritage assets and their setting;
- Provide safe, direct and convenient footway and cycleway connections through the site, to the medical centre and to the village centre and are likely to include a 2m wide footway from the site to connect to the existing footway infrastructure to the north with a suitable crossing point for the bus stop as a minimum;
- The repositioning of the gateway feature, the physical works of which to be carried out by the developer under a Section 278 agreement under the Highways Act 1980;
- Make appropriate provision for surface water management systems, including SUDS drainage system to ensure greenfield run off rates are maintained once the site is developed;
- Provide an appropriate mix of housing choices which reflect the mix set out in the most up to date SHMA including 30% of the site capacity as affordable homes (a target of 9 homes); and
- Provide green infrastructure and landscaping incorporating an appropriate amount open space, for each relevant typology using the standards in Appendix 3, this should include a LAP and a LEAP to meet the need for children's play.
For Information:
An application for this site should be accompanied by the following evidence/surveys which include, where appropriate, evidence that the necessary mitigation measures have been planned into the design and layout of the development:
- Badger Survey
- Habitat survey
- Archaeological Pre-determination evaluation by desk based and appropriate field assessment
- Agricultural Land Survey (if there is not enough information available from previous data)
H1.4 Land South West of Belmesthorpe Lane, Ryhall View comments
Policy H1.4
Land South West of Belmesthorpe Lane, Ryhall
Opus ID: 34
Indicative capacity 11
Minimum 30% affordable housing
4 affordable homes / 7 market homes
The proposed development should be designed to incorporate the following key principles within the layout:
- Retain and enhance all trees within the site and boundary hedgerows to contribute to the wider network of green corridors;
- Provision of a 10m wide ecological buffer strip adjacent the River Gwash, to form a wildlife corridor/green area;
- Make appropriate provision for surface water management systems, including a SUDS drainage system to ensure greenfield run off rates are maintained once the site is developed;
- Provide an appropriate mix of housing choices which reflect the mix set out in the most up to date SHMA including 30% of the site capacity as affordable homes (a target of 4 homes);
- Provide safe, direct and convenient footway and cycleway connections through the site along Belmesthorpe Lane and to the village centre;
- Ensure an appropriate access solution and highway mitigation measure are provided including a scheme of off-site highways improvements;
- Provide green infrastructure and landscaping incorporating an appropriate amount open space, for each relevant typology using the standards in Appendix 3, this should include a LAP to meet the need for children's play; and
- Ensure the layout and detailed design including landscape mitigation measures enhances the key views towards the site along Belmesthorpe Lane and terminating the view from both Back Lane and The Crescent and takes account of positive characteristics of the settlement generally and Belmesthorpe Lane specifically.
For Information:
An application for this site should be accompanied by the following evidence/surveys which include, where appropriate, evidence that the necessary mitigation measures have been planned into the design and layout of the development:
- A thorough site and contextual analysis
- Landscape Ecological Management Plan
- Construction Environment Management Plan for biodiversity
- SUDs Drainage System
- Detailed Design of off-site highway works
- Pre-condition Highway Survey
Supporting Evidence
Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (December 2019)
Site Appraisal Report 2023
Sustainability Appraisal Technical Appendix 2023