Regulation 19 Rutland Local Plan

Object

Representation ID: 8527

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: The Society of Merchant Venturers

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

The overall approach now proposed in Policy H3 (requiring new development to ‘make the most efficient
use of land whilst responding to local character, context, and distinctiveness’) therefore broadly aligns
with Paragraph 128 of the NPPF (2023). It is notable that the minimum density reference of 25dph is a reduction to that applied in draft Policy H1
(30dph) and that set out in the current adopted Core Strategy Policy CS10 (which refers to 30dph in the
villages and 40dph within the built-up area of Oakham and Uppingham).

Object

Representation ID: 8528

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: The Society of Merchant Venturers

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

The overall requirement for major development to provide a range of housing types, sizes and tenures to
meet local needs reflects the provisions of the NPPF (2023). It will be important that the housing mix required across the County is subject to ongoing monitoring to
ensure it reflects up to date information and evidence of local needs.

Object

Representation ID: 8529

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: The Society of Merchant Venturers

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

The overall requirement for all new dwellings to be adaptable and accessible and to reflect the overall needs
of the community aligns with Building Regulations and the provisions of the NPPF (2023) and is supported. To ensure the soundness of the Plan, it will be important to ensure that the requirements set for dwellings
to meet M4(3) standards is based on an up to date evidence of local housing needs.

Object

Representation ID: 8530

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: The Society of Merchant Venturers

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

The HMA (2023) (paragraph 45) explains that the Council is permitting self-build and custom housebuilding
plots in excess of those on the Council’s Self-Build and Custom Housebuilding Register. Ia blanket reference to providing 2% of site capacity as self-build/custom build plots is not considered appropriate or justified

Object

Representation ID: 8531

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: The Society of Merchant Venturers

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

The overall approach to requiring provision of affordable housing on major housing developments aligns
with the provisions of the NPPF (2023) and will help to support wider housing needs. Given that
affordable housing needs are likely to change over the course of the Plan period and across the borough,
it will be important that affordable housing is provided to meet local needs at the time of development
coming forward and taking into account site-specific circumstances.

Object

Representation ID: 8532

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: The Society of Merchant Venturers

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

The overall approach of Policy SC1 is broadly consistent with the requirements for Chapters 15 and 16 of
the NPPF (December 2023) as it seeks to protect and enhance valued landscapes and heritage assets. Whilst we concur with the overall findings of the Landscape Character Assessment (December 2022), importantly
we note that this is a broad brush assessment and is not site specific.

Object

Representation ID: 8533

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: The Society of Merchant Venturers

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

In a similar context to Policy SC1, the draft wording for Policy SC2 confirms that local character and
distinctiveness should have regard to the Rutland Landscape Character Assessment 2022 and the RSLSS
2023.

Object

Representation ID: 8534

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: The Society of Merchant Venturers

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

The overall aspiration to secure high standards of design in the County broadly reflects the aims of the
NPPF (2023). It is particularly important however that design guidance is not unnecessarily prescriptive or
repetitive, in order that full consideration is given to site-specific characteristics and that flexibility of design
standards is allowed for where appropriate.

Object

Representation ID: 8535

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: The Society of Merchant Venturers

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

The overall approach of Policy EN1 broadly matches the provisions of Paragraph 186 of the NPPF (2023)
and is therefore considered an acceptable approach.
20.2.2. It is however noted that the policy as currently drafted partly duplicates the provisions of other policies in
the draft Local Plan, specifically those in relation to Biodiversity Net Gain (Policy EN3).

Object

Representation ID: 8536

Received: 02/12/2024

Respondent: The Society of Merchant Venturers

Agent: Savills

Legally compliant? Not specified

Sound? No

Duty to co-operate? Not specified

The overall approach to seek a 10% biodiversity net gain is in line with the provisions of the Environment
Act 2021 and the accompanying secondary legislation. However, notably paragraph 16 of the NPPF (2023)
states that plans should be ‘avoiding unnecessary duplication of policies’.