Regulation 19 Rutland Local Plan

Object

Representation ID: 8324

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: Persimmon Homes East Midlands

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Paragraph 1 of this policy requires that development should provide a range of house types and sizes and
tenures to meet the general and specialist housing needs set out in the JG Consulting Housing Assessment
2023. Persimmon Homes are of the view that the affordable mix of dwellings should be informed by the
Housing Market Assessment. With respect to market housing, Persimmon Homes recognise that a range of
house types need to be provided for within a development, however, are of the view that the mix of housing
should be dictated by the market where choice is a more fundamental factor as documented in the Housing
Market Assessment at page 172. Allowing for this flexibility will also allow for residential developments to
respond to local circumstances as it is clearly evident in the HMA that there are vast differences between the
different sub areas, also it is more likely that smaller units of accommodation, such as apartments, will come
forward in the main towns within the county.

Object

Representation ID: 8326

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: Persimmon Homes East Midlands

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Paragraph 4 of this policy relates to the provision of M4(3) dwellings. Given that the Whole Plan Viability
Assessment (2023) was undertaken on the basis of M4(3)a dwellings, Persimmon Homes are of the view this is specified in the policy. The cost of providing M4(3)b dwellings is significantly greater and the viability
implications of this have not been considered as part of the Whole Plan Viability Assessment 2023 or the
Regulation 19 Viability Note – September 2024.

Object

Representation ID: 8328

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: Persimmon Homes East Midlands

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Persimmon Homes has proposed an amendment to the policy requiring self-build homes to be delivered alongside larger residential developments. The policy, which includes a cascade mechanism, is deemed inflexible and does not consider site-specific factors. The mandatory requirement for self-build homes could negatively impact housing delivery in the county. Persimmon Homes, a lead developer, has experienced issues with individual developments, design quality, and site management. The policy's inflexibility and mandatory requirement could slow down the delivery of homes on major sites, affecting the Council's supply. Other ways for local authorities to explore self-build homes include using their own land, working with local partners, Homes England, and Neighbourhood Planning Groups, and allocating land.

Support

Representation ID: 8331

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: Persimmon Homes East Midlands

Persimmon Homes have no objections in principle to this policy, however, note that the word ‘generally’ has been removed from criteria part b of this policy. Persimmon Homes are of the view this should be reasserted to allow for some flexibility, just because a building may be on a ridgeline or watercourse does not necessarily
mean it will impact on landscape character.

Object

Representation ID: 8332

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: Persimmon Homes East Midlands

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Additional criteria have been added to this policy (e -g) which Persimmon Homes support in principle.
Criteria f) and g) it has to be recognised within the policy that sites have to be of a sufficient size to be able to accommodate these requirements.
The need for a Health Impact Assessment is discussed at the 2nd but last paragraph of this policy and the trigger for submission of a Health Impact Assessment has reduced from 50 dwellings to 10 dwellings.
Persimmon Homes are of the view that a trigger of 10 dwellings is too low, with such proposals likely to be of an insufficient size to include public open space and infrastructure on site

Object

Representation ID: 8334

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: Persimmon Homes East Midlands

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

The Rutland County Council's Open Space Assessment 2023 reveals a significant increase in open space requirements from 2.95ha to 5.43ha per 1,000 population. This increase is primarily due to the provision of parks, gardens, amenity space, and new requirements for natural and semi-natural spaces, allotments, and community gardens. However, Persimmon Homes disagrees with the assessment's justification for increasing open space standards. The assessment shows a current deficiency in the provision of children and young people, with a surplus for all other typologies. The future population of Rutland is projected to be 45,487 by 2041, resulting in a quantitative deficiency in open space provision for children and young people. Persimmon Homes acknowledges the importance of providing open space on site but believes local justification is needed. They support the inclusion of links with wider green and blue infrastructure and the need for open space to deliver a biodiversity net gain on site in line with policy EN3 of the Regulation 19 of the Local Plan.

Object

Representation ID: 8335

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: Persimmon Homes East Midlands

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

The Regulations set out the following habitat as irreplaceable; blanket bog; lowland fends; limestone pavements; coastal sand dunes, ancient woodland, ancient trees and veteran trees, spartina saltmarsh swards and mediterranean saltmarsh scrub.

Persimmon Homes are of the view the habitat referred
to in this policy should match those as set out in the Regulations.

It is noted that some of the requirements of this policy are covered by other policies within the local plan, for
example, criteria point c) biodiversity net gain which is covered is detail by policy EN3.

Persimmon Homes are of the view that this policy should not duplicate other policies included in the Plan.

Object

Representation ID: 8336

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: Persimmon Homes East Midlands

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Persimmon Homes supports the amendments to the wording of the policy in respect of ‘Managing the Loss of Trees and Woodland.’ However further amendments have been suggested.

Object

Representation ID: 8339

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: Persimmon Homes East Midlands

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Persimmon Homes supports the reduction in biodiversity gain from 15% to 10% and the inclusion of criteria f)
of the policy which allows for the purchase of credits as a last resort.

It would appear the last sentence of this policy is unfinished (‘Policy Guidance on the requirements and
processes for planning applications’).

Object

Representation ID: 8342

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: Persimmon Homes East Midlands

Legally compliant? Yes

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Yes

Persimmon Homes recognise the importance of protecting higher quality agricultural land. Persimmon Homes do however consider there should be some flexibility in the wording of this policy. Whilst it is noted from the
Council’s response to representations received under the Regulation 18 Local Plan that this matter will be considered as part of the allocation process, which is welcomed, this does not provide for the eventuality that
applications of any description could be submitted for development which is not an allocated site.