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Draft Word 10 24th February 2017

Winterslow Parish Neighbourhood Plan(“the Plan”)

2015 to 2035


Within the Plan all policy statements are in red.

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CONTENTS

1. Introduction1.1. Executive Summary1.2. Purpose1.3. Legislative Context1.4. Neighbourhood Plan Area1.5. Our community1.6. Steering Group

2. NP Process Summary2.1. Background2.2. Parish Plan2.3. Village Design statement2.4. Housing Needs Survey2.5. Community Engagement2.6. Evidence Base Overview

3. Our vision and Objectives3.1. Vision3.2. Objectives

4. Planning Policy context4.1. National Planning Policy

Framework4.2. Wiltshire Core Strategy

4.2.1. Winterslow, a Large Village4.2.2. Lopcombe Corner, a Small

Village4.2.3. Strategic Housing Land

Availability Assessment4.2.4. Site Allocations4.2.5. Settlement Boundary4.2.6. Housing Numbers and Land

Supply5. Housing and the built

environment5.1. Principles5.2. Location of new homes5.3. Affordable Housing

5.4. Type and Size5.5. Retirement Housing5.6. Scale of development5.7. Infill5.8. Future housing numbers

6. Building Design6.1. Principles6.2. Design6.3. VDS

7. Transport and Access7.1. Background7.2. Traffic in the Parish7.3. Footpaths and Bridleways

8. Infrastructure8.1. Flood Risk Management8.2. Waste Water Management8.3. Street Lighting8.4. Utilities8.5. Mobile Phone Coverage

9. Community Facilities9.1. Background9.2. Village School9.3. Village Hall and Pre School9.4. Recreation and open space9.5. Sport and Recreation facilities

10. Farming and Agricultural Land11. Heritage Assets12. Site Allocations

12.1. Site Selection Process12.2. Site Allocations12.3. Requirements for all sites

13. Site Proposals

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APPENDICES

A. Map of 30 sites from the VDSB. SHLAA mapC. Sites proposed by residents and landownersD. Neighbourhood Plan area MapE. Settlement Boundary (2003)F. Housing Restraint Areas (2003)G. New Settlement BoundaryH. Saxon Leas aerial photoI. Not usedJ. Footpath mapK. Flood risk mapL. Open space mapM. Listed BuildingsN. Site AppraisalsO. 10 original proposed sitesP. Site Allocations mapQ. Details of Site AllocationsR. Site proposals

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Section 1: Introduction

1.1 Executive Summary

Winterslow Parish is a rural community on the SE edge of Wiltshire on the border with Hampshire and 7 miles north east of Salisbury. Most of the 2200 population live in Middle Winterslow and The Common with smaller settlements in the East and West Winterslows. The village of “Winterslow” is, therefore, widespread along narrow roads and does not have a typical single village centre. Within the Parish Boundary there is also a small settlement of 48 dwellings at Lopcombe Corner situated at the NE parish boundary on the A30/A343 junction.

There is a very vibrant community spirit with many and varied groups, clubs, activities and voluntary services. Our village facilities include a school, pre-school, shop, village hall, two public houses, five places of worship, doctors’ surgery, sports field and pavilion.

A comprehensive Parish Plan was completed in 2010 covering environment, housing, transport, culture, education, health, crime and economic wellbeing. This was followed by a Village Design Statement in 2011 and a Housing Needs Survey in 2013. The Housing Needs Survey recommended a minimum of 16 Affordable Homes over 3 years.

The ‘journey’ to a Neighbourhood Plan (the “Plan”) began at a Parish Council meeting in July 2013 and the first Steering Group meeting was in February 2014. Since then discussions have taken place with as many ‘stakeholders’ as possible, several public exhibitions and community views have been sought at every opportunity including several questionnaires of all households. There is a website (www.winterslow2035.co.uk) and approximately 280 people receive regular email newsletters.

The Steering Group initially sought the views of the community on all aspects of planning policy relating to land use. It soon became clear that the priority for the community relates to the ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘how’ of future housing provision. This priority brings with it closely linked concerns including flooding, traffic volumes and speed, protection of green spaces as well as potential benefits including support for the school, provision of homes for local families and increased opportunity for young people and the elderly to remain in the village.

At our public exhibition in November 2014, and based on evidence gathered from the community, the Steering Group summarised the views of our community as follows.

Future housing development should:

Be spread on small sites around the Parish Include affordable homes, for local families, in a position close to village

facilities Minimise any impact on woodland and green spaces Include homes for the elderly (including those downsizing) close to village

facilities Provide 2/3 bedroom homes for young families Minimise any increase in traffic issues on our narrow roads Maximise use of our footpath network

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The Steering Group began considering potential sites from:

1. The site preferences expressed by the community at the time of the VDS, where 30 potential sites were placed in a priority order (See Appendix A).

2. The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment sites as submitted to Wiltshire Council as potential future development sites (See Appendix B).

3. Additional sites proposed by local residents and by landowners following a ‘call’ for input (See Appendix C).

The Steering Group then reviewed all sites against criteria including:

Those set by the community as shown in italics on page 4.

Planning constraints (access, ecology, highways, landscape, flood risk, etc).

Deliverability and viability.

Impact on community environmental priorities (biodiversity, health, landscape, and air quality)

The community preference for small sites conflicted with the support for affordable homes and therefore it was proposed that three larger, and dispersed, sites should be allocated to secure approximately 18 affordable homes. It has not been possible to secure a rural exception site for Affordable Homes but this remains an aspiration for the community.

Finally, following further consultation ten specific site allocations were proposed: 3 primary sites each of approximately 15 dwellings (40% of which will be Affordable

Homes) 7 secondary sites of approx 1-4 dwellings

The majority of the community understands the national need for additional housing but it is worth putting the numbers in this plan into local context. In the Wiltshire Core Strategy (WCS) Winterslow is one of 15 parishes (excluding Downton) in the Southern Wiltshire Community Area. WCS Policy CP24 sets out indicative housing numbers for all areas. At December 2015 the total remaining requirement for all 15 parishes was just 4 dwellings to 2026. By December 2016 this remaining requirement had reduced to zero with an ‘over supply’ of 24 dwellings above the 425 WCS plan number.

In contrast to this position the community supported site allocations that will deliver approximately 56 dwellings (including 18 Affordable Homes) and there will also be additional ‘windfall’ sites within the settlement boundary. This will represent a 7% increase in dwellings within Winterslow in the plan period. These new homes are intended to be a positive benefit to the Winterslow community and it must be noted that any significant further or alternative development (particularly large sites and/or estate like proposals) will NOT be supported. At the date of this document planning permission has been granted for 1 primary site and 3 secondary sites. The site allocations in the Plan will therefore deliver approximately 38 dwellings (including approximately 12 Affordable Homes).

The major focus of this plan is on controlled housing provision, but the Plan also contains relevant policies in other important areas including:

Building Design Roads and traffic

Footpaths Flood risk

Utilities Village Facilities

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1.2 Purpose

The Winterslow Neighbourhood Plan (“the Plan”) has been developed to establish a vision for development in the Parish and to help deliver the local community’s aspirations and needs for the plan period 2015 to 2035. It is accepted, that on the basis that the Wiltshire Core Strategy extends to 2026, the Winterslow Neighbourhood Plan may need to be revised at that time.

Unlike the Winterslow Parish Plan 2010 and the Village Design Statement 2011, the Plan has statutory weight and it will be incorporated into the Development Plan for Wiltshire and as such will be used to determine future planning applications.

The Plan has been produced by a Steering Group consisting of local residents, with the support of the Parish Council. The Steering Group has consulted and listened to the community, local groups, local organisations, land owners and other stake holders on the range of issues that will influence the well-being, sustainability and long-term preservation of our rural community, whilst meeting the need for additional housing moving forward over the next 20 years. Every effort has been made to ensure that the views and policies contained in this document reflect those of the majority of Winterslow’s parishioners.

1.3 Legislative context:

The power to designate a Neighbourhood Area is exercisable under section 61G of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Neighbourhood Plans can only be prepared by a ‘Qualifying Body’. In areas where a Parish Council exists, they are the nominated Qualifying Body. Winterslow Parish Council therefore forms the Qualifying Body for this Neighbourhood Plan. Under Regulation 5(1) of The Planning (General) Regulations 2012 an area application has to include a map that identifies the area to which the application relates. A statement explaining why this area is considered appropriate to be designated as a Neighbourhood Area is required. Winterslow Parish Council submitted an application for the designation of Winterslow Parish Neighbourhood Area on 2nd April 2014.

1.4 Neighbourhood Plan Area

The application from the Parish Council was for the whole area of the Winterslow Parish to be designated as a Neighbourhood Area and as such satisfied section 61G(3) of the Act. The application complied with the relevant regulations and was approved by Wiltshire Council on 6th August 2014. The Neighbourhood Plan Area Map is in Appendix D.

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1.5 Our Community

The 2011 Census identified that:

Winterslow had a population of 2,064.

There were 787 households.

86.2% of households were owner-occupied.

4.3% were rented properties owned by social landlords (34) and 7.2% were private rented properties.

0.6% of occupation was shared ownership (part owned/part rent). 1.7% of households lived rent-free.

At the end of the first quarter of 2013/14, there were 22 households on the Wiltshire Council Housing Register seeking affordable accommodation in Winterslow parish.

No Social housing in Winterslow was available to re-let in 2012/13.

1.6 Steering Group

It was important that the plan was not prepared in isolation. There was a requirement to consider how to engage with the wider community, as well as groups often described as hard-to reach, but which might have specific social needs or aspirations that should be considered. Wiltshire Council advocates a steering group approach led by the Qualifying Body. On that basis our Steering Group consisted of serving parish councillors, other local stakeholders and members of the community. A representative of the Wiltshire Council Spatial Planning Department supported the Steering Group and acted as a ‘link officer’ for Wiltshire Council in order to perform the council’s duty of providing such support and advice.

The Steering Group has consulted and listened to our parishioners, local groups, local organisations, land owners and other stakeholders on the range of issues that will influence the well-being, sustainability and long-term preservation of our rural community, whilst meeting the need for housing moving forward over the next twenty years. Every effort has been made to ensure that the views and policies contained in this document reflect those of the majority of Winterslow’s parishioners.

The Steering Group monthly meetings have been open public meetings with agendas and minutes made available via our website. Regular progress reports have been published online and in our parish magazine which is distributed to the majority of households.

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Section 2: Neighbourhood Plan Process Summary

2.1 Background

At the November 2013 meeting, Winterslow Parish Council confirmed that they would agree to the production of a Neighbourhood Plan and would support the establishment of a steering group to undertake the task of its production. A parish meeting was convened in January 2014 to inform parishioners of the process and to seek volunteers to sit on the Steering Group (SG). The first meeting of the SG was held in February 2014 at which point the fifteen volunteer members of the SG, including three parish councillors, elected the SG officers and established an outline project plan for the initial twelve months. One of the key decisions made at this meeting was to revisit the Parish Plan (2010) Village Design Statement (2011), including all the stored support data, and refer to the Housing Needs Survey (2013). This would provide the basic community data, as a starting point, and provide the information necessary to produce the first questionnaire to confirm or otherwise the validity of the information as a reflection of current community opinion. As the preparation of the Plan has progressed the ‘core’ eight members of the Steering Group (including two Parish Councillors) have remained throughout.

2.2 Key Points from the Parish Plan (2010)

The Parish Plan was based on a comprehensive questionnaire covering all aspects of life in our Parish. 81% of households completed the questionnaire. The final document contained detailed action plans for each topic. The following points from the analysis of questionnaire responses are relevant to this Plan:

ENVIRONMENT We appreciate our rolling chalk farmland, Brown’s copse, the wooded areas and our

wildlife. The preservation of the local environment is high up on the list of issues that matter

to the parishioners of Winterslow. All green areas and woodland should be protected.

HOUSING Similar high density developments to those built in the past should be avoided to

preserve the essential rural atmosphere. There is no majority support for further extending the housing boundary for large

scale development. There is a lack of suitably scaled and priced housing for local families. There is a requirement for small-scale homes for the elderly. There is a need for Affordable Housing (Housing Association controlled).

OPEN SPACES To be protected against inappropriate development that fails to enhance the existing

character of the Parish or receive community support.

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NEW DEVELOPMENT To be restricted to areas adjoining the housing boundary and be small-scale (5 or

less homes on each site) development only. To provide infill, lower priced and affordable homes for local needs. To provide a mix of 2, 3, 4 & 5 bedroom homes. To provide small-scale homes for the resident elderly to down-size into. Should not come at the expense of our historically open spaces and agricultural land,

which could destroy our essentially rural environment.

TRANSPORT There is little appetite among the community for any road widening or road

straightening. There is concern about the speed of vehicles travelling through the narrow parish

roads.

2.3 Key Points from the Village Design Statement (2011)

ENVIRONMENT

Develop wildlife havens and corridors.

Maintain traditional character of roads, rights of way and footpaths.

Open spaces should be retained.

Protect and extend the footpath and bridleway network.

DEVELOPMENT SHOULD

Should maintain rural character and have low impact on the landscape.

Be restricted to small-scale.

Be of diverse, non-uniform, non-suburban designs.

Provide density appropriate to a rural village.

Give priority to starter homes, affordable housing and accommodation for the elderly.

Be within current infrastructure capacities.

PREFERRED SITES FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Although not part of the VDS supplementary planning guidance, the VDS document also contained the results of a community survey of preferred sites for future development. Parishioners ranked 30 sites in priority order as shown on the map at Appendix A. No further site appraisals or analysis of deliverability or viability were carried out at that time. The VDS map has, however, provided a useful starting point for site selection in this Plan.

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2.4 Key points from the Housing Need Survey (2013)

Wiltshire Council’s Housing Development Officers discussed carrying out an updated rural housing needs survey with the Parish Council, to establish the current requirement for Affordable Housing in the parish and potentially to use the findings of the survey to inform the Plan. The survey was completed by October 2013 and published in November of the same year.

Key points from the survey:

The survey’s recommendations concentrate on households unable to afford accommodation on the open market.

The survey is only one source of the evidence required to fully assess housing need in the parish. The other sources include Wiltshire Council’s Housing Register, the Strategic Housing Market Assessment, and the advice of allocation staff who manage the Register. Such evidence must be taken into account in fully determining local housing need.

The following indicates the minimum need over the next three years for new affordable housing development in the parish, based on the responses to the survey.

Subsidised rented housing 4x one bedroom homes (1x bungalow; 1x supported housing) 1x two bedroom home

Shared / Low cost home ownership 2x one bedroom homes 4x two bedroom homes 5x three bedroom homes (1x wheelchair accessible)

This is a total of 16 new affordable homes.

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2.5 Community Engagement

The Steering Group has maintained regular dialogue with our community through a combination of:

Updates in our monthly Parish Magazine (which is delivered to approximately 80% of all dwellings in the parish).

Local meetings with parish groups, clubs, facilities, businesses, landowners etc.

Leaflet and questionnaire deliveries to all dwellings.

Exhibitions in our Village Hall and at public events (Village fetes etc.).

Dedicated NP website (www.winterslow2035.co.uk).

Newsletters by email to approximately 280 people who have requested inclusion on our distribution list.

Public participation at our monthly SG meetings.

Summary of significant events:

Date EventJuly 2013 Parish Council initiate feasibility of NP for WinterslowOct 2013 Meeting with Firsdown PC to discuss a joint NPNov 2013 Firsdown PC withdraw from discussions on NPNov 2013 Parish Council agree to proceed with grant and direct support applicationJan 2014 Public Meeting to ‘launch’ NP, gather data and recruit Steering Group.

Flyers delivered to all dwellingsJan 2014 Informal Steering Group meetingFeb 2014 First Steering Group meeting

Mar-Jul 2014 Steering Group contacts with all village groups, clubs, facilitiesMay-June 2014 Exhibitions at school fete and 2 church fetes

Jun 2014 Started communications and meetings with landownersJul 2014 Leaflet and questionnaire delivered to all dwellings. 52% return rate.

Initial approach built on contents of VDS (2011) and comprehensive Parish Plan (2010)

Aug 2014 Website liveNov 2014 Large exhibition at Celebrate Winterslow Day.

Flyers delivered to all dwellingsJun-July 2015 Exhibitions at school fete and 2 church fetes

July 2015 Large ‘road show’ at Village Hall. 111 attendeesAug 2015 Leaflet and questionnaire delivered to all dwellings. 70% return rateNov 2015 Leaflet and questionnaire delivered to all dwellings. 63% return rateNov 2015 Large exhibition at Village Hall. 147 attendeesJun 2016 Exhibition at Queen’s Birthday village fayre

Nov 2016 Large exhibition at Celebrate Winterslow Day. 160 attendeesDec 2016 Leaflet and questionnaire delivered to all Lopcombe Corner dwellings.

71% return rateJan 2017 Leaflet delivered to all dwellings relating to a specific site. 107 responses

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2.6 Evidence Base Overview

This is a summary of the key evidence that directly relates to the content of this plan.1. From our community

Our initial communications and questionnaire were built on the data and principles established in previous well supported parish wide projects:

Village Design Statement 2011Parish Plan 2010

In November 2014 the findings from direct discussions (residents, groups, clubs, businesses, facilities etc) exhibitions and questionnaire results were summarised as follows:

Based on the evidence seen so far, the Steering Group concludes that future housing development should: Be spread on small sites around the Parish Include affordable homes, for local families, in a position close to village facilities Minimise any impact on woodland and green spaces Include homes for the elderly (including those downsizing) close to village

facilities Provide 2/3 bedroom homes for young families Minimise any increase in traffic issues on our narrow roads Maximise use of our footpath network

This summary has since been consistently validated at subsequent exhibitions, by responses to newsletters and responses to parish magazine updates

2. Housing Needs Survey (Wiltshire Council November 2013)Recommendations:

Subsidised rented: 4x1 bed, 1x2 bedShared/low cost owned: 2x1 bed, 4x 2 bed, 5x 3 bed

3. Household profiles (Wiltshire Council ‘mosaic’)Percentage of households:

Elderly/Retired: Winterslow 29%, Wiltshire 15%No resident children: Winterslow 54%, Wiltshire 26%

4. Planning permissions approved (Wiltshire Council planning data)In the Winterslow parish during 5 years up to August 2016:

73 Total extensions and demolish/rebuild applications5 Total new build dwellings

5. Winterslow Primary School (Wiltshire Council forecast)The school is special as it has one class for each of all 7 year groups. Children are not split up or in 2 year groups put together in the same class.

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019PAN (Pupil Admission Number per year group) 30 30 30 30 30Total capacity (PAN x 7) 210 210 210 210 210Estimated NOR (Number on Roll) 170 171 155 140 137Surplus places: 40 39 55 69 73

Section 3: Our Vision & Objectives

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3.1 Our Vision

The Parishioners recognise that Winterslow is a special place in which to live and aim to retain this status by protecting our rural environment. At the same time there is a desire to meet the future needs of parishioners of all ages and to encourage change that will enhance the appeal of the area.

3.2 Objectives

Our Objectives are:-

1. To deliver a plan tailored to the current and future needs of all ages in our rural and dispersed community.

2. To encourage sustainable small-scale development on dispersed sites.

3. To provide both low-cost and Affordable Homes.

4. To provide Affordable Homes on dispersed development sites (where each development should not total more than approximately 15 dwellings) which have community support in order to secure the provision of 40% Affordable Homes.

5. To limit the number of new dwellings on any site to no more than 5, save for sites envisaged in 4 above.

6. To improve, and expand the use of, high quality community facilities and recreation provision for existing and new residents.

7. To improve access to open spaces and the countryside whilst recognising the need for suitable and sustainable development.

8. To protect biodiversity and improve health and wellbeing.

9. To maximise the opportunities to maintain, improve and expand the footpath and bridleway network.

10. To seek on-going improvements to road transport, walking, and cycling provision.

11. To maintain and protect historical and heritage sites within the parish.

12. To improve the processing of foul water and the land drainage infrastructure.

13. To improve mobile and broadband communications to the benefit of the whole parish.

The objectives above identify how the community sees itself developing over the next twenty years whilst retaining the essential elements that make Winterslow such a vibrant village. All the policies in this document have been produced in order to specifically support these objectives.

Section 4: Planning Policy context

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The Plan must conform to the National Planning Policy Framework and the Local Development Plan (which is the Wiltshire Council Core Strategy 2015).

4.1 National Planning Policy Framework

[Insert here brief summary of relevant NPPF principles]

4.2 Wiltshire Council Core Strategy 2015

4.2.1 Winterslow, a Large Village

The Wiltshire Core Strategy identifies Winterslow as a “Large Village” with a limited range of employment, services and facilities. Within the limits of development (“Settlement Boundary”) there is a presumption in favour of sustainable development.

Development will be restricted to small housing or employment potential sites within the existing (2003) Settlement Boundary. Small housing sites are defined as involving less than 10 dwellings. In all cases the existing Settlement Boundary in the Parish will be enforced and no development, under normal circumstances, will be permitted outside this boundary.

4.2.2 Lopcombe Corner, a Small Village

The Wiltshire Core Strategy identifies Lopcombe Corner (a separate community 2Km NNE of Winterslow village at the A30/A343 junction) as a Small Village having a low level of services and facilities, and few employment opportunities.

Core Policy 2 states that development in Small Villages will be limited to infill within the existing built area. Proposals for development at the Small Villages will be supported where they seek to meet housing needs of settlements or provide employment, services and facilities provided that the development:

Respects the existing character and form of the settlement. Does not elongate the village or impose development in sensitive landscape areas. Does not consolidate an existing sporadic loose knit areas of development related to

the settlement.

4.2.3 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment

Wiltshire Council maintains information on sites where landowners have indicated willingness for development to take place. This information can be updated by landowners (or their representatives) at any time. The Steering Group used the map of SHLAA sites in Winterslow (see Appendix B) as one key building block in evaluating potential sites for Site Allocations.

4.2.4 Site Allocations

The Wiltshire Core Strategy states that new Site Allocations will only be supported if a Neighbourhood Plan is in place or a Development Plan Document (DPD) has been produced. Within the Wiltshire Core Strategy there are no Site Allocations in the Parish of Winterslow. Wiltshire Council is

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producing a Site Allocation and Settlement Boundary DPD which is expected to be completed in 2018.

In 2015 Wiltshire Council sought input from Parish Councils on Site Allocations and Winterslow Parish Council responded with proposals that aligned with progress on the NP at that time.

The Steering Group are aware that the DPD, when finally adopted, may conflict with relevant parts of this plan and therefore take precedence over such parts of the Plan. Wiltshire Council is committed to working closely with Neighbourhood Planning groups and therefore we do not envisage that there will be any material conflict.

Organic growth will not deliver the numbers and types of housing required to meet the aspirations of our community as set out in this plan. The Steering Group has therefore carried out a rigorous appraisal of potential sites to ensure that the selected sites are both available and deliverable whilst also meeting the community criteria relating to location, number of dwellings, Affordable Homes etc.

In response to consultations by the Steering Group parishioners have confirmed support for three ‘primary’ sites, dispersed around Winterslow Village, each suitable for approximately fifteen homes of mixed size, including housing association provision for rental/shared ownership Affordable Homes. Also supported are seven ‘secondary’ sites dispersed around Winterslow village. These sites vary in size and will support between one and four homes.

Although our community would prefer to have all small sites with up to 5 dwellings, the drive to secure Affordable Homes is such that there is clear majority support for the 3 ‘primary’ sites which will deliver 40% affordable housing.

During the period of production of the Plan several of the 10 proposed sites have received planning permission and are therefore no longer Site Allocations.

Details of the 10 originally proposed sites and resulting Site Allocations are in Section 12.

4.2.5 Settlement Boundary

The Wiltshire Core Strategy defines the Settlement Boundary for Winterslow as that shown as H16 in the maps (Winterslow and West Winterslow as retained from the Salisbury District Local Plan 2003) shown in Appendix E. The boundary is very tightly drawn around developments that existed in 2003 in the central part of the village and there are very few opportunities remaining for development within such restricted and outdated boundary. This has led to planning applications being refused by Wiltshire Council, which are demonstrably supported by the community and by the Parish Council, even when such sites are adjacent to the adopted boundary.

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This has also led, in turn, to other landowners not submitting similarly supported applications because they believe they will be refused.

The village of Winterslow consists of several dispersed settlements and this geographic dispersal is highly valued by our community. The community wishes to see this position continue so that the balance of small developments across the whole village is maintained. It is therefore important that all parts of Winterslow village should be treated equally in planning policy terms. Without such equality future development will change the relative structure and character of each settlement as some expand and others are frozen in time.

Prior to the adoption of the Wiltshire Core Strategy in 2015 there were ‘Housing Restraint Areas’ as defined in the Salisbury District Local Plan 2003 and shown as H19 in the maps in Appendix F. These areas, and the associated planning policy, were not carried forward into the Wiltshire Core Strategy with the result that the areas are now designated as ‘Open Countryside’ with what are now regarded as unreasonable restrictions on potential development in the affected parts of Winterslow village.

Lopcombe Corner is a small relatively isolated community with a distinct character at the junction of 2 main roads and therefore it would be inappropriate to assume that the Settlement Boundary policies for Winterslow should also apply to that community. As the planning policy environment, population numbers and physical nature of Lopcombe Corner are very different to those of the much larger Winterslow village, the Steering Group decided to consult Lopcombe Corner residents specifically.

In December 2016 the Steering Group carried out a survey of all 48 Lopcombe Corner households and businesses with the following results:

54% (of the respondents) voted to retain the current Open Countryside designation;

14% voted to return to the previous Housing Boundary H19 designation with no change to the build line;

32% voted to return to the previous Housing Boundary H19 designation and to amend the build line, supplying a map of their proposed new line.

The Plan, therefore, includes the following policy which amends the Winterslow/West Winterslow Settlement Boundary:

Policy SB1: The areas in the Parish of Winterslow (excluding that at Lopcombe Corner) defined previously as H19 Housing Restraint Areas in the Salisbury District Council Local Plan 2011 shall be included in the Winterslow Settlement Boundary. The resulting amended Settlement Boundary is shown in Appendix G.

[Insert here a further narrative to explain this. Sustainable locations / key parts of the village, etc]

The Wiltshire Core Strategy states that changes to the Settlement Boundaries will only be supported if a Neighbourhood Plan is in place or a

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Development Plan Document (DPD) has been produced. Wiltshire Council is producing a Site Allocation and Settlement Boundary DPD which is expected to be completed in 2017. In 2014 Wiltshire Council sought input from Parish Councils on Settlement Boundaries and Winterslow Parish Council responded with proposals that aligned with progress on the NP at that time. For the avoidance of doubt, Policy SB1 above replaces the submission from Winterslow Parish Council in 2014.

The Steering Group are aware that the DPD, when finally adopted, may conflict with relevant parts of this plan and therefore take precedence over such parts of the NP. Wiltshire Council is committed to working closely with Neighbourhood Planning groups and therefore we do not envisage that there will be any material conflict.

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4.2.6 Housing Numbers and Land Supply

In the Wiltshire Core Strategy, Winterslow is one of 15 parishes in the South Wiltshire Community Area. Also in the area is the larger community of Downton.

Wiltshire Council’s Housing Land Supply Statement 2016 demonstrates that each housing market area in Wiltshire, including South Wiltshire, has a 5 year housing land supply, plus a 5% buffer.

The Core Strategy 2016 to 2026 has an indicative housing requirement of 425 for the 15 parishes in the South Wiltshire Community Area (excluding Downton). The data updated at March 2016 shows 361 completions and 88 developable giving a total of 449. There is therefore a projected ‘over supply’ of 24 dwellings and a remaining policy requirement of zero new dwellings.

With this background it is clear that current planning policy does not require any further housing in the Parish of Winterslow for at least 10 years. Parishioners, however, do not support such a potential moratorium on further development.

The community wishes to act positively and deliver further controlled and sustainable development that meets the objectives set out in the Plan. When all 56 new homes are built, as originally envisaged in production of the Plan, they will deliver growth of approximately 7% in dwellings in the Parish.

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Section 5: Housing and the Built Environment

5.1 Principles

1. There is a need for ‘first time buyer’ family homes for purchase, rent and shared ownership.

2. New housing developments shall be located on site allocations as set out in section 13 of this plan.

3. Where practicable additional housing should be permitted to develop organically, diversely and naturally.

4. There should be provision for those with a strong local connection to have preferential access to new housing.

5. Winterslow needs more young people and families for the community to regain and retain its age balance.

6. The village needs smaller homes which are suitable for the elderly and appropriately located, for those wishing to downsize and to remain in the parish.

7. There is an established need for Affordable Housing and this need is increasing.

8. To maintain the village character multiple buildings of the same design should be avoided.

9. The refurbishment of existing and disused properties will be encouraged.

10. The design of ‘first time buyer’ buildings and gardens should discourage future extensions where practicable.

The housing policies in this plan are directed towards improving the sustainability of Winterslow as a demographically mixed and balanced community. Parishioners recognise that increasingly over the last three decades there has been too much emphasis on the construction of large expensive dwellings, loft conversions and large extensions. This has produced an imbalance in the housing stock to the detriment of the community. In common with many villages, young families are priced out of the market and retired/elderly residents who wish to downsize have to move away from the village because of the shortage of small properties, bungalows and purpose built accommodation.

The aim of the Plan is therefore to address the issue of housing numbers, property size, mixes of provision on any given site and a balance in terms of tenancy, in particular the provision of Affordable rented property and shared ownership.

The Plan supports the development of Affordable Housing in Winterslow for rent, shared-ownership and starter homes for sale to local people. Residents have consistently expressed a desire that Affordable Housing should meet the needs of local people with strong local connection to Winterslow. The sustainability and balance of the community is threatened because young people brought up in Winterslow are forced to

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move away because the village is unable to meet their housing needs. Starter homes and family homes with adequate gardens or shared green space are priorities for a community that needs to retain its young families.

[Insert text to define Affordable v low cost]

5.2 Location of New Homes

Policy H1: Development within the Settlement Boundary

Development will be allowed within the Settlement Boundary subject to the following conditions:

(a) there is no loss of an important open space which contributes to the special character of the

local area.

(b) the loss of features such as trees, hedges and walls, which contribute to the character of the

local area, shall be kept to a minimum and replaced wherever practicable.

(c) the development should be sympathetic to the character of the locality (see Winterslow VDS

for relevant guidance).

Policy H2: Affordable and Starter Homes outside the Settlement Boundary

Planning applications for developments of Affordable and/or Starter homes and/or homes

for the elderly outside the Settlement Boundary will be supported provided there is

reasonable access to relavant key village facilities (shop, school, pre school, surgery).

5.3 Affordable Housing

Affordable Housing comprises rented and shared ownership housing being built for eligible households, whose needs are not met in the open market. In the context of the Plan, unless there are exceptional circumstances, Affordable Homes allocation priority should be given to eligible households which are:

1. those who have lived in the Parish for 5 of the last 8 years

2. those who have previously lived in the Parish for at least 5 years and whose parents or children are currently living in the Parish and have at least 10 years continuous residency there

3. those who can demonstrate another strong form of justification for a home in the parish

Policy H3: Affordable Housing.

Proposals for developments that result in a net gain of 10 or more dwellings will be required

to provide a minimum of 40% Affordable Housing dwellings on the site and which fully

integrate into the development.

Policy H4: Allocation of Affordable Housing.

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All Affordable Housing should be allocated, where possible, to applicants meeting the local

eligibility criteria.

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5.4 New Homes Type and Size

There have been serious concerns raised by the community about the potential impact of developments in excess of 15 homes which will damage the rural aspect of the Parish and the construction of a disproportionate number of large houses, which are not in keeping with the mixed design and character of existing properties. It is felt that these types of property push up house prices across the whole village which further reduces the ability of local residents to remain in the village.

Policy H5 reflects the priorities of our community and addresses the imbalance between the growing number of 4/5 bedroom properties and the reducing 2/3-bedroom range. It will result in smaller and therefore lower priced homes.

Parishioners recognise that there remains a small requirement for larger homes to meet demand for local large families or for those moving into the area for employment opportunities. Exceptions to Policy H5 will, therefore, be supported where, for example, the applicant can demonstrate that the site is particularly suitable for a large ‘executive’ dwelling.

Policy H5: Size of Homes.

On developments of 10 or more new homes there should be an approximate distribution of:

10% with 1 bedroom.

40% with 2 bedrooms.

40% with 3 bedrooms.

10% (maximum) with 4 or more bedrooms.

unless the viability of the development or any other material considerations, show a robust

justification for a different mix.

5.5 Retirement Housing Provision

Demographics indicate that there will be an increasing need for housing provision for the elderly in Winterslow. Many residents wish to continue into retirement in their current homes. Others seek alternative housing in the village suitable for those couples who wish to downsize and for surviving partners.

The stock of smaller houses has been reduced over the last thirty years, as many have been extended, and new builds have tended to be three or four bedroom properties. There is a need for two-bedroom high specification dwellings with modest gardens. There is also an identified demand for sheltered housing, for those capable of independent living with limited support, such as the bungalows situated in Witt Road.

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Policy H6: Retirement Housing

Planning Applications, for an appropriate location near to village facilities, which will provide accommodation specific for retirement provision (for downsizing, assisted support, and purpose built bungalows etc, for purchase or rent) shall be supported. Planning conditions shall include a requirement that sole residents must be at least 60 and couples must be at least 60/55.

5.6 Scale of development

The community has expressed concern (based on previous developments in the village) that, in order to facilitate a large scale development, an attempt may be made to undertake “creeping development”. This occurs when a developer subdivides a particular piece of land that they wish to develop and submits successive planning applications as each sub-development is completed over an extended time-scale. The community would not wish this to happen again.

Policy H7: Scale of development on primary site allocations

Approximately 15 new homes will be supported on each of the Plan’s primary allocated sites

unless the viability of the development, or any other material considerations (community

support for example), provides a robust justification for additional homes.

Policy H8: Progressive Development

(a) Proposals that could be part of a potential “Phased Development”, where future

development is not declared or indicated will only be considered on the basis of the effect

the whole development would have on the community.

(b) Applications for extensions of a development not declared at the time of the original

approval and not included in the Plan will only be supported if (a) the requirement such

additional dwellings is confirmed by the Wiltshire Core Strategy and (b) the application has

community support.

5.7 Infill

The Wiltshire Core Strategy Core Policy 2 allows for infill (within the Settlement Boundary) in “Large Villages”, but does specify that development should conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area. It suggests that only suitably designed and located development at an appropriate scale will

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be supported and only if such development facilitates the economic and social well being of the area. The Plan draws attention to this part of the policy in order to reflect the strong views of local residents. Winterslow has an open, rural character, with wooded areas and open spaces, which make an important contribution to its loose-knit character. It is important to parishioners that infill development does not destroy this essentially open character and does not adversely affect the natural beauty and landscape of the Parish.

As described in Section 4.2.5, the Settlement Boundary is drawn very tightly around buildings as they were in 2003 leaving very little open land remaining for potential infill. This shortage of sites combined with the CP2 policy conditions above means that very few dwellings will be delivered from infill. This situation adds to the justification for the Site Allocations in Section 12 particularly the 7 Secondary sites that provide opportunities for small developments by local trades and those on a ‘self-build’ basis.

5.8 Future Housing Numbers

The Plan positively responds to the need for additional dwellings (both open market and Affordable Homes) in order to sustain our rural community during the Plan period. There is, therefore, no intention to impose a cap on future development. The Plan will deliver significantly more dwellings than the indicative numbers set out in the WCS. The community recognises, however, that the requirement for additional dwellings may increase significantly during the Plan period. It is possible, for instance, that development at a site allocation does not actually take place or that future Housing Need Surveys confirm the need for additional Affordable Homes. It is important, therefore, that the principles of and objectives of the Plan are maintained throughout the Plan period and that new dwellings are actually delivered to meet changing requirements during that period.

Policy H9: Future Housing Numbers

Planning applications that reasonably demonstrate that the Development Plan will not

deliver new dwellings that meet either the Development Plan indicative numbers or the

then current housing requirements for the Parish will be supported for new sites outside the

Settlement Boundary, subject to the following conditions:

1. The application should conform in all other respects to the Plan.

2. The number of dwellings on any site will be limited to 4 unless there is a

requirement for additional Affordable Homes in the Parish in which case the site

must deliver between 12 and 18 homes in order to secure 40% Affordable Homes.

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Section 6 Building Design

The plan seeks to apply a consistent approach throughout the Parish, in order to preserve and/or improve the physical qualities of the built environment by promoting sustainability, good quality architectural and landscape design.

Much of the recent housing in Winterslow is not in keeping with the earlier more recognisable designs inherent within the Parish and therefore does not reflect the character of the village.

The construction of large housing developments in the 60s and 70s was in sharp contrast to the open nature of the Winterslows, which were originally independent hamlets that have organically grown closer together over the decades. The community regards these developments as an example of unacceptable large-scale urban type development in an unsuitable rural location. See aerial photo of the Saxon Leas development at Appendix H.

Policy D1: Building and Road design

Planning Applications for development should include:-

(a) proposals which demonstrate the integration of new homes, and their gardens, into

the existing neighbourhood.

(b) roads designed in a way that:

a. encourages low vehicle speeds

b. supports safe use by all road users and pedestrians

c. discourages on road parking

(c) off-street parking for the projected number of residents and their visitors.

(d) sufficient parking without the need to rely on large parking courts.

(e) the provision of adequate storage space for refuse and recycling in a position not

visible from the road.

Policy D2: Conformity with Village Design Statement

All planning applications should demonstrate conformity with the guidance set out in the

Winterslow Village Design Statement 2011.

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Section 7: Transport & Access

7.1 Background

1. Roads in the Parish:

1.1. are generally narrow and vehicles must pass with care or reverse for busses or lorries.

1.2. have several ‘pinch points’ and blind bends.

1.3. have very few pavements.

1.4. often have hedgerows right up to, or overlapping, the edge of the road.

1.5. have very little space for ‘on road’ parking.

2. School start and finish times cause severe road congestion due to parents transporting children by car.

3. Vehicles are often parked on grass verges or in ‘anti social’ locations.

4. Only the bus route is planned to be gritted. All other roads are subject to ice and snow.

5. Access to the large Saxon Leas development in ice and snow conditions is often impossible resulting in parishioners parking at the village hall.

6. Gunville Road (part of our bus route) has major parking issues because of limited off road parking availability. There is no pavement and therefore this causes safety issues for vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists.

7. Families often have more than 2 cars and garages are very rarely used for parking cars.

8. Lopcombe Corner has specific local safety concerns as homes are accessed directly from two very busy main roads with fast moving traffic.

Parishioners have continually expressed concerns that any new developments will obviously add to the issues highlighted above.

7.2 Traffic in the Parish

The main Winterslow village amenities comprising the school, recreation ground, village hall, shop, The Lord Nelson Arms and The Lions Head are all sited on the same main traffic route through the heart of the village (Gunville Road, The Common, Middleton Road and Middleton). It is very common for a bus, lorry or delivery van to cause a traffic jam at pinch points, bends or where cars are parked on this route. The car park opposite the school is used by school staff leaving only a few places for parents and/or users of the recreation ground. At the start and end of the school day cars are parked over a long distance on this route which reduces the road to a single narrow lane with vehicles trying to pass in both directions.

A speed limit of 30mph is in place in the majority of the built up areas of Winterslow village but speed monitoring has shown that drivers regularly exceed this limit. The more serious problem though is that speeds of less

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than 30mph can still be wholly inappropriate on winding narrow roads in the village.

The Village Hall has a substantial car park, but the village shop, Lions Head and Lord Nelson Public Houses and all places of worship have very limited parking which leads to regular congestion on the roads outside the venues.

The residents of Lopcombe Corner are very concerned about safety fears relating to their location at the very busy A30/A343 main road junction. There are regular accidents and ‘near misses’ at, or close to, the junction. Access to homes is typically by narrow drives with insufficient ‘sight lines’ for traffic travelling at, or in excess of, the 50mph speed limit.

A bus route from Salisbury to Andover passes through Winterslow (from Firsdown via West Winterslow and then past the shop, school, village hall to Gunville Hill and then to Lopcombe Corner). There are very few lay-bys for bus stops and this leads to congestion and safety risks to passengers, pedestrians and other road users in our narrow roads with very few pavements. The community recognises that it is not practicable (or desirable in a rural environment) to provide pavements where road widths are limited by hedgerows, property boundaries but safety risks must be mitigated wherever practicable.

Policy T1 Existing Road Network and parking

Planning applications for any new development must, wherever practicable, improve road

safety and reduce accident risk to all road users including pedestrians.

Policy T2 Car parking

Planning applications must provide sufficient off road parking to avoid on-road parking for

projected car use by residents and their visitors. The provision of a garage(s) will not be

regarded as parking space when calculating the number of required off road parking spaces.

Policy T3 Pavements & Road Signs

a) All roads within new developments must be provided with pavements linking to the

existing road and, where practicable, the footpath networks.

b) Road signs shall be provided only where there is a legal requirement or specifically

identified safety issue.

Policy T4 Bus Stops

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Planning applications for sites on a bus route which could reasonably provide an additional

or repositioned bus stop should, where practicable, provide a designated bus lay-by.

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7.3 Footpaths and Bridle WaysThe Parish has a network of 30 miles of footpaths and bridleways

which are used on a very frequent basis by walkers, dog walkers, horse riders and cyclists. The most notable of these is the Clarendon Way, which links Salisbury to Winchester. See footpath map at Appendix J.

This extensive matrix of rights of way is seen as an important asset to the community and visitors alike. Proposals for development should be designed to maximise their use in order to reduce car journeys and promote outdoor activities. In addition land owners and developers should consult with the Parish Council in order to, wherever possible, enhance the provision of new footpaths and provide links to enhance the existing network.

Policy T5 Footpaths and Bridleways

Existing footpaths and bridleways must be preserved.

Policy T6 New footpaths and bridleways

Wherever practicable developments shall provide new footpaths, bridleways or permissive

paths that

(f) will link up with existing paths or bridleways, and

(g) will reduce pedestrian and/or equestrian movements on roads.

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Section 8 Infrastructure

8.1 Flood Risk Management

Appendix K shows the local area flood risk map. There is no flood risk from surface rivers or streams in the Parish but an underground spring runs through Middle Winterslow which currently makes three areas susceptible to surface water run-off when the water table rises. The first is the land surrounding and the section of Middleton Road in front of The Old Pumping Station. The second is The Common/Common Vale area and the land and properties opposite to The Lions Head where Weston Lane, Gunville Road, Middleton Road and The Shripple meet. The final area is the field adjacent to the Village Hall behind the tennis courts, which is the lowest point in a large agricultural clay topped field, which under normal circumstance acts as a natural catchment area to allow surface water to drain back into the chalk. At times of extreme rainfall, however, because of the clay topsoil the surface water is directed straight to the Hall and the gardens beyond the Hall.

Because of regular incidents in the past the risk of flooding is a serious concern to all Winterslow residents. Planning applications in the relevant areas will have to demonstrably address these concerns. Any new development must also be designed to minimize surface water run-off to prevent an increased flooding risk.

Policy In1: Surface Water

All developments should be designed to consider all flood risk areas and:

(a) reduce surface water run-off from the site

(b) incorporate appropriate Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to manage surface

water run-off as close to its source as possible

(c) ensure there is no adverse impact resulting from either the construction work or

from the completed development

8.2 Waste Water Management

Wessex Water supplies water to the Parish and Southern Water provides sewerage services to the Parish including the pumping station situated at the end of Witt Road. This facility has been in place for a number of decades and there have been several historical incidents of failure or of over capacity particularly at times of heavy persistent rainfall.

The current arrangements rely on a combination of factors to control the existing flow of sewage. The size of pipe feeding the station reduces just prior to the facility to ensure any surge in volume is controlled. As a back up there is a storage tank, which operates automatically in the event of high

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volume filling until sensors activate the emergency pumps. In the event of the tank being overwhelmed the effluent overflows into a neighbouring field.

Parishioners need reassurance that the facility has not reached its planned capacity. The community requires relevant planning applications to provide an assurance that sufficient sewerage system infrastructure capacity exists, both on and off the site, and that the station can process the additional volume without increased risk of environmental problems.

Policy In2: Waste Water Management

Developers should carry out appropriate studies, and consult with the utility companies, to

confirm that the proposed development will not lead to an overloading of existing sewerage

infrastructure. If it cannot be demonstrated that the existing infrastructure, specifically the

pumping station at Witt Road, can support the new development, then, if the development

will not fund the required upgrade, planning approval should be refused.

8.3 Street Lighting

Local residents value the dark skies above the Parish and enjoy the spectacle of the star light skies from their gardens and drives as a result of the lack of light pollution. Historically the Parish has not been provided with street lighting, other than in one relatively recent small development. Parishioners are accustomed to dressing appropriately and carrying mobile lighting devices. There is no inherent fear of crime or evidence to support the lack of lights being responsible for criminal activity. On that basis the parishioners feel it is paramount to maintain the status quo and resist any attempt to introduce additional lighting.

Policy In3: Street Lighting

Developments shall not incorporate street lighting unless there is a specific and locally

relevant reason which has community support to provide it.

8.4 Utilities

There are many areas of the Parish where properties are connected to power and telecommunications by overhead cables. This is very unsightly, detracts from the village environment and has produced much adverse comment. Services have been interrupted by storm damage. To maintain the rural feel of the Parish all services should be underground.

Policy In4: Utilities

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The provision of utilities including electrical and telephone services should, wherever

practicable, be provided underground.

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8.5: Mobile Phone Coverage

Because of the topography of the village and positioning of the nearest communications masts Winterslow has very poor mobile coverage. With the exception of the project described below, the majority of the village has little mobile signal. Residents, businesses, visitors, delivery drivers cannot, therefore, operate as safely, productively and efficiently as they need to.

An attempt has been made by Vodafone to improve their coverage in the village by installing a Rural Open Sure Signal "ROSS 100" system on the roof of the Village Hall, The Lions Head public house, The Lord Nelson public house and a private dwelling in Witt Road. This provides limited coverage for limited areas of the village and is only available to Vodafone users.

There have been initial discussions regarding a potential mast at the Barry’s Fields Pavilion site in Weston Lane. This site is an ideal high point in the village topography. The Parish Council, who own the site, support the installation of a mast on the site.

Policy In5: Mobile Phone coverage

An application for the provision of a mobile phone mast at Barry’s Fields will be supported,

subject to the design taking into account the need to minimise the visual impact.

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Section 9: Community Facilities

9.1 Background

Winterslow village is well served with community and recreational facilities.

These facilities support our Parish community of 2,200 residents and also the residents of surrounding areas particularly the neighbouring parish of Firsdown.

1. There is strong community support for the safeguarding of important village assets and developing them to meet future needs.

2. There are a large number of groups, clubs, associations and organisations which use the Village Hall.

3. There is a large new sports pavilion at Barry’s Fields where there is a high quality cricket pitch and several football pitches. This pavilion is also the home of the Youth Club.

4. The Parish has retained the original recreation ground and small pavilion (opposite the school). This pavilion has a meeting room and modern kitchen but the changing and shower rooms have had little use since Barry’s Fields opened.

5. There is a very modern and successful village shop that includes a post office.

6. The Church of England village primary school has increasing attendance, is well supported by the community and has a very active parents association.

7. The village Pre School is a major user of the Village Hall.

8. The Parish is served by five Christian faith places of worship.

9. The Lions Head and The Lord Nelson public houses are located in the village.

10. There is a doctors’ surgery and pharmacy (part of a Salisbury practice) adjacent to the Village Hall.

NOTE: There are no community facilities at Lopcombe Corner.

9.2 Village School

The Village Primary School provides education for preschool to year six children, currently 170 pupils, and has 21 teaching staff and five support staff. The school has always had a reputation for the high standard of education it provides; including support for those with learning difficulties. The school is supported by a thriving, energetic ‘Friends’ PTA association, which organizes fundraising events throughout the year. The school has capacity for 210 pupils and there is concern over the projected reduced numbers attending the school. Changing demographics within the community are a key factor.

The school operates in old buildings and on a relatively small site, with no dedicated parking, in the centre of Winterslow. There is, however, a very strong feeling amongst staff, governors and parents that this environment has both history and character that provide many benefits for the school. There are, therefore, no plans (and certainly no funds) to explore any potential

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change to school provision. Our community, however, does wish to ensure that, should this position change during the period of the Plan, then plans acceptable to the community will be supported.

Policy CF1: New Primary School

(a): A planning application which has majority community support for a new primary school

will be supported subject to compliance with all relevant education and planning policy.

(b): Where a planning application in accordance with CF1 (a) above relies on re development

of the existing school site then such redevelopment of that site will be supported subject to

the application meeting all other planning policy requirements.

9.3 Village Hall and Pre School

The Village Hall has modern facilities, a main hall, an activities room, a stage and a committee room. Regular activities include drama, concerts, film shows, badminton, table tennis, a daily coffee morning, yoga, Jujitsu, Whist, and Scrabble and many others. The hall has a large car park and a full size outside tennis court.

In order to continue to thrive in the future the hall needs to evolve and therefore plans are being drawn up to broaden services to the community and reconfigure/extend the hall to meet those needs. Discussions are also taking place with Wiltshire Council and various service/support providers about the establishment of a “Community Hub”.

Such an expansion of the Village Hall could provide flexible space for the Parish Council, the Pre-School, Neighbourhood Policing, District Nurses/Health Visitors, charity support providers and other core community support activities in purpose built accommodation.

Policy CF2: Village Hall

A Planning Application with demonstrable community support for an extension(s) to the

current Village Hall will be supported.

The Pre-School is locally managed by a small charity and meets in the main hall of Village Hall every weekday. The operating environment, customer expectations and legislative requirements for Pre Schools are changing rapidly. The current operation faces key challenges, including:

Hours are restricted by use of the hall by other organizations. All equipment has to be packed away and unpacked on a daily basis. Shared facilities (kitchen, toilets etc) are not ideal safeguarding arrangements.

These challenges directly impact the ability of the Pre School to attract and retain children in the face of competition from providers in neighbouring villages. The Pre-School is, therefore, working with the Village Hall on a plan

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to secure funding to enable the provision of dedicated premises for the sole use of the Pre-School.

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Policy CF3: Pre-School

A Planning Application with demonstrable community support for a new Pre School facility

will be supported, subject to compliance with all relevant education and planning policy.

9.4 Recreation and Open space

Winterslow has the benefit of several established recreation areas (see Recreation and Open Space Map at Appendix L), all of which are well used by residents. The community wishes to ensure that such areas continue to be protected from development.

Policy CF4: Recreational and Open Spaces

Recreational and open spaces identified on local map in Appendix L shall be protected from

development unless:

(a) sports and recreation facilities can be best retained and enhanced through the

redevelopment of a small part of the site; or

(b) alternative equivalent provision is made available in the the locality; or

(c) there is an excess of sports pitch provision and public open space in the area, taking

account of the recreation and amenity value of such provision

9.5 Sport and Recreation Facilities

There is a recreation ground including a small pavilion opposite the school which, until the completion of Barry’s Fields, was used regularly for many years by local football and cricket teams. The area is now used by the school (which has no other playing field provision) in addition to informal use of the play equipment and open field by local children. Since the opening of Barry’s Fields the pavilion has had very little use beyond a few children’s parties, the annual school fair, and as a polling station. The building contains a small meeting room, kitchen and, now redundant, changing rooms and toilets. The Parish Council is seeking a new productive use for the building and reviewing potential reconfiguration of the internal space.

Policy CF5: Pavilion at the recreation ground

A Planning Application with demonstrable community support for change of use and/or re-

development of the pavilion will be supported.

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The sports facilities of the Parish were significantly enhanced in 2003, with the addition of the Barry’s Fields new cricket ground, football pitches and a large pavilion on Weston Lane. The funds to purchase the land and building came from a major donation from a local family and from extensive community fund-raising activities. The facility is principally used for cricket, football and a weekly ‘Youth Zone’. These activities attract people from other local villages.

Unfortunately the Barry’s Fields facility is not, however, used for the wide range of activities as envisaged when it was built. A combination of restricted hours of operation and restricted type of use has resulted in a facility that is not used to its full potential. This also means that income barely covers basic running costs. Funds are not available to plan for future maintenance requirements or to invest in activities increasingly sought by the population at large. This denies our residents (and those in surrounding communities) opportunities for increased sports, health, exercise and wellbeing activities that would benefit all ages but particularly the young and the elderly. Our community, supported by the Parish Council, wishes to secure Barry’s Fields future success in providing, and maintaining, a wide range of excellent sports and leisure capabilities for people of all ages.

Policy CF6: Barry’s Fields Sports and Recreation facilities

CF6.1: A planning application to vary, in the following manner, the current planning conditions will be supported:

a. Extended pavilion permitted hours

Public use to 22.00 on Sundays to Thursdays, with a further 30 minute clear up time.

Public use to 23.30 on Fridays and Saturdays with a further 30 minute clear up time

b. Improved utilisation of facilities

Permitted use to include local clubs, societies, committee meetings, small family parties, wedding receptions and funeral wakes etc

CF6.2: Improved storage facilities

A planning application for the installation of a suitably designed secure storage facility, for storage of sports equipment and general supplies will be supported. Such facility is to be positioned to reduce sight lines from public areas whilst maintaining reasonable visibility to deter thefts.

CF6.3: Multi Use Games Area

A planning application for the installation of a Multi Use Games Area facility with supporting infrastructure including flood lights for evening use will be supported.

Such use to cease at 21.00 (with flood lights off no later than 21.15).

CF6.4: New facilities

Planning Applications for new sports, health or wellbeing facilities at Barry’s Field will be supported unless there is a material reason for refusal with substantially more weight than

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the increased health and wellbeing benefit to our whole Parish and surrounding communities.

Section 10 Farming and Agricultural Land

The National Farmers Union states “Winterslow Parish is a sustainable rural community that is underpinned by an innovative rural economy and thriving farming and food industry, which is profitable and supports viable livelihoods, underpins sustainability and healthier communities and enhances the environmental assets that are vital to the country’s prosperity”.

The farming community has to meet continual challenges with ever-increasing legislation, unpredictable markets and fluctuating income levels. In order to meet these challenges farmers must be continually reviewing their resources and assessing ways in which to respond and develop their businesses and remain competitive. This may require the modernisation of buildings to address new regulations, make changes of use or incorporate new facilities in order to sustain our essential rural economy.

A key part of resident’s appreciation of the Parish is its rural environment. In order for that to continue farmers must address a variety of challenges including:

The ability for the next generation of farmers to take on management of farms The provision of affordable housing to support succession and local employment. Development of farming practices that can meet the challenges of food security

through modernisation. Diversification of farming enterprises to meet new opportunities such as

incorporating business units, increasing tourism and leisure activities.

The Wiltshire Core Strategy Policy 48 addresses these challenges and this Plan seeks to re-emphasise the importance of agriculture to our rural community by including the following policies.

Policy F1: Agricultural Land

To minimise the loss of productive agricultural land, planning applications for non-

agricultural use on agricultural land should demonstrate that the local farming community

had been consulted in order to identify any implications for agricultural activity.

Policy F2: Conversion of Existing Agricultural Buildings

Planning applications for conversion of agricultural buildings into accommodation, or for

expansion of existing activities, or for diversification of use to support sustainability, will be

supported.

Policy F3: New Agricultural use buildings on Agricultural Land

Planning Applications for new agricultural buildings on agricultural sites, whether as an

expansion of existing activities to allow for diversification or maintain sustainability of the

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business practice, will be supported subject to the application meeting all other planning

policy requirements.

Section 11: Heritage Assets

Records show that the Winterslow area is steeped in history with burial grounds dating from 2000BC. There is no Conservation Area in the Parish but it still has locations of historic importance with 18 listed buildings and structures as shown in Appendix M. It is important that special care is taken when applications involving Listed Buildings come forward, to ensure that the building in question is protected from proposals that would detract from its importance or setting, as well as in design and materials. Applications that are within the vicinity of a Listed Building must also be carefully considered as to how they affect the appreciation of or setting of the Building. If of modern concept they must be of exceptional design.

The general building style, pre 1900, is of workers cottages usually cob with lime wash finish. More recently properties were rendered and painted under slate roofs. Styles can also be found of brick under thatch and brick and flint under tiles.

There are several ecclesiastical buildings in the Parish the earliest dated to C12 through to the C19 mission halls and reading rooms, all of which are in use today. The significance of a heritage asset is the sum of its archaeological, architectural, historic, and artistic interest. Any development in the Parish will be expected to avoid or minimise, as appropriate, the conflict between any heritage or archaeological assets and any aspect of the proposed development.

As part of the NP process, the Steering Group identified the known local archaeological and heritage sites in order to eliminate any possibility of causing damage resulting from an inappropriate site allocation. Based on current records no potential conflict was found in respect of the Site Allocations in the Plan.

Tree groups and woodlands are also considered as important as buildings in forming the heritage and setting of the Parish and should be retained wherever practicable or appropriate replacement planting should be implemented.

Developers or land owners wishing to undertake a development should carry out all necessary investigations to confirm that there are no archaeological or heritage assets on the site or in the vicinity which would be put at risk. Such investigation should include the main local, county and national records, and the relevant Historic Environment Record. Prior to work commencing an on-site evaluation should be undertaken to confirm that there are no archaeological or heritage assets present.

Policy HA1: Heritage

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Planning applications for a site which can reasonably be considered to be in a sensitive area

should include an appropriate evaluation in order to locate any archaeological or heritage

assets which are not identified in existing records.

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Section 12: Site Allocation

12.1 Site Selection Process

Very early in the community consultation process it became evident that the main issue of concern to parishioners was the provision of homes for young families (starter homes) and elderly residents who wanted to downsize, but remain in the Parish. It was also an expressed wish that a balance was required in terms of affordable, private let, part buy/part rent and open market homes. In response to this the Steering Group’s priority task was to identify locations for future housing provision.

The first task was to refer to the consultation and outcomes identified by the VDS Group in 2011. 30 sites (see Appendix A) had been identified and listed in order of preference by the community. This list was then supplemented by the existing Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) register (see map at Appendix B) and then further enhanced by a more recent community consultation, resulting in a total of 35 potential sites being identified. Contact was then made with all the landowners to confirm their support for utilising their land for development. Information was also gathered in respect of such matters as brown-field sites, heritage sites and farm buildings/sites with potential for development.

Initially these 35 sites were then assessed against the Wiltshire Core Strategy, Planning Policies and environmental considerations (see Appendix N (a)). External bodies such as the National Farmers Union, utility providers, Wiltshire Council Spatial Planning Department, Ecology and Highways Departments were consulted. This reduced the sites under consideration from the 35 to 18.

The next phase was to assess the sites against local issues (see Appendix N (b)) such as impact on road traffic, access to the school and shop, public transport, visual impact and potential numbers of dwellings. Although the community wished to see developments dispersed and limited to a maximum of 5 dwellings it was clear that in order to provide Affordable Homes in line with current and projected requirements it would be necessary to identify some sites with the potential to accommodate in excess of ten homes in line with Government policy at the time. Community feedback continues to demonstrate a clear preference for dispersed sites rather than a single site for the following reasons:

Development needs to be appropriate to the size and scale of Winterslow. Development should be appropriate to the way in which the village has historically

evolved. Need to protect the ‘sense of space’ derived from the open character of Winterslow

over a large area. Smaller sites mean reduced impact on local infrastructure (roads, site access,

parking, drainage etc). More opportunity for infill style developments. Opportunities for local businesses, professions and trades people to provide

development products and services.

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Less impact on the environment. A single site would noticeably extend the built form in one area of the extended

village. There is no policy requirement, or other justification, for a single development of all the

dwellings envisaged in the Plan.

Taking all these factors into account the preferred sites were reduced to ten, generating three primary sites and seven secondary sites.

Having consulted on all aspects of the process over 18 months, in August 2015 the community was further consulted to confirm majority support that the NP should be focused on new homes and based on the 10 proposed site allocations. This consisted of three Primary Sites, providing approximately 15 homes on each site (in order to deliver the required number of Affordable Homes) and 7 Secondary Sites.

The 7 Secondary sites were included to provide small dispersed sites that will support local trades (or self build) and small builders, and that will balance the involvement of larger developers. These sites are limited to between one and four homes and they provide an element of organic growth bearing in mind that opportunities for new home development within the Settlement Boundary are severely limited.

A map of the originally proposed 10 Site Allocations can be found at Appendix O.

12.2 Site Allocations

At the date of this draft, Planning Permission has already been granted for four sites (numbers 1, 6, 8, 9 as shown in Appendix O) and construction is in progress on Site 1.

The Plan makes the following 6 Site Allocations (shown on the map at Appendix P, with site details in Appendix Q):

1. NP2 Beechwood, Middleton

2. NP3 Weston Lane, adjacent Beechcroft

3. NP4 Weston Lane, adjacent Wynlyn

4. NP5 Red House, Middleton

5. NP7 Tytherley Road, adjacent Pandora

6. NP10 Kings Farm, Back Drove

12.3 Requirements for site allocations:

The details of Site Allocations in Appendix Q contain specific requirements for each site.

In addition, the following requirements apply to all 6 site allocations:

1. Planning Applications shall be in accordance with the policies in this Plan.

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2. The development should not increase flood risk.3. Any detention or attenuation ponds included in the development are not to be in

public areas.4. No surface water is to discharge onto the highway.5. The development will be limited to occupying the red shaded area shown on the

individual site allocation maps.Section 13: Site Proposals

The Site Selection Process described above produced two sites that would definitely have become site allocations but there is no landowner support for the proposed allocations. These sites (shown on the map in Appendix R) are part of a large area of open land in Middle Winterslow. In recent years there have been several development proposals for new housing on this land. The latest proposal (December 2016) is for 46 dwellings including 18 Affordable Homes. The evidence gathered by the Steering Group (and by the Parish Council) has consistently shown that there is no majority community support for this size of development anywhere in the Parish. There have also been three community consultations (August 2015, October 2015 and January 2017) relating to potential development on this specific site. All three consultations have confirmed that a significant majority of parishioners do not support the proposed developments. There are also planning issues with the site including flood risk, highways safety and ecology that would need careful investigation if, in future, there was demonstrable majority support in principle for the proposed development.

The community does, however, recognise that the land concerned is in a central position near to the village hall, school, shop and surgery and therefore it is particularly suitable for limited development of:

1. Affordable Homes (potentially a Rural Exception site) and/or low cost starter homes

2. Homes designed for retired persons and/or the elderly.

The Village Hall is working with local charities and the Wiltshire Council Area Board to develop local projects to support the elderly on priorities including Alzheimer’s disease. The vision is to establish a ‘hub’ at the Village Hall that would provide a central point for carer services, support from charities and access to medical services from the adjacent surgery. At a time of dramatic increases in need, such a ‘hub’ would increase the volume and quality of services to the elderly whilst reducing the costs of care and medical services. The proposed housing for the retired/elderly adjacent to the village hall would become a key part of delivering this vision of integrated services and also provide an opportunity for residents to remain in their local community, and in their own homes, rather than move into suitable accommodation or residential homes distant from the village.

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