Infrastructure & utilities

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section describes proposal COV.2 at Coventry Airport, a 117-hectare site released from the Green Belt for advanced manufacturing and engineering, reflecting its place in the West Midlands Investment Zone. It particularly targets battery manufacturing for electric vehicles. At least 60% of floorspace must be industrial or research uses, warehousing cannot exceed 40%, and very large warehouse units over 32,500 sq m are not supported unless tied to manufacturing. Applications must include a marketing strategy showing how investment in these sectors will be attracted.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy requires all new housing and commercial developments to include underground ducting for telecommunications cabling, and sites for masts where extra mobile capacity is needed, unless developers can justify why this is not feasible. Above-ground equipment must be designed to minimise visual impact, and alternatives such as mast sharing must be considered. In sensitive locations like the Green Belt, National Landscape and conservation areas, the benefits of large masts must outweigh any harm. Equipment must be removed when no longer required.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy supports community food growing by protecting existing community gardens, allotments and orchards and enabling new ones. Developments of 50 to 99 dwellings must include a 150 square metre plot for community food growing, rising to 300 square metres for schemes of 100 dwellings or more. Developers must also provide supporting infrastructure such as a water supply and storage facilities. The council sees these spaces as helping health, social connection and access to affordable food.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy protects community buildings and facilities, such as halls, pubs, shops and places of worship, where there is a demonstrable local need. Change of use will only be allowed if equivalent or better provision replaces the loss, or if the use is shown to be unviable after being marketed for at least 12 months at a realistic price. The loss of a public house must not simply reflect short-term land value pressures. Developments of more than 10 homes must contribute financially to providing or enhancing community facilities.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This policy directs development to areas at the lowest risk of flooding from all sources, taking account of climate change. Inappropriate development in high or medium flood risk areas will not be supported, and the functional floodplain is safeguarded for storing flood water. Site-specific Flood Risk Assessments are required for development in at-risk areas and all sites over 1 hectare, and sites of 50 or more dwellings need a strategic drainage strategy. Building over existing culverts is not allowed, and all developments in Chesham and High Wycombe need a surface water drainage strategy.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section sets out proposal STR.2, a 174-hectare site south-east of Stratford-upon-Avon delivering at least 2,727 homes between 2030/31 and 2048/49. It includes two new primary schools, a six-form entry secondary school, an on-site health facility, a mobility hub and 15 Gypsy and Traveller pitches. A new spine road will connect Shipston Road and Banbury Road. Design must avoid merging Stratford with Clifford Chambers or Tiddington, and a large area of parkland to the east will focus on biodiversity net gain.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section introduces the guidance on developer contributions, the payments and works councils can require to support new development. It explains the two main types: the Community Infrastructure Levy, a fixed charge per square metre, and planning obligations under Section 106 agreements, used for on-site infrastructure or funding elsewhere. Any obligation must be necessary, directly related to the development, and fair in scale and kind. Typical uses include affordable housing, schools, health facilities, open space, transport and drainage.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section gives detailed guidance on how developer contributions work in practice. Councils prefer to agree the terms of any Section 106 obligation before an application is submitted. Developers claiming a scheme is unviable must provide open-book financial evidence, with developer returns typically expected between 15% and 22.5%. Contributions are index-linked to inflation, payments are usually triggered when development starts, and developers pay the councils' legal and monitoring fees. Councils will pursue costs where obligations are not met.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section provides detailed guidance on delivering affordable housing. It explains the Vacant Building Credit, which reduces affordable housing requirements in proportion to the floorspace of vacant buildings being redeveloped, with a worked example. It covers viability negotiations, tenure and size mix, and requires affordable homes to be visually indistinguishable from market homes and dispersed in clusters of generally no more than 8 to 10 units. It also sets out Section 106 delivery arrangements, local connection rules, phasing triggers, off-site contributions, rural exception sites and the four tests for specialised housing.

The human version (we wrote this, not the council)This section explains the guidance for self-build and custom-build housing, where occupiers lead the design or construction of their own homes. The home must be the builder's main residence for at least three years to qualify for exemption from the Community Infrastructure Levy. Councils keep a register of interested people and must permit enough plots to match demand over a rolling three-year period. Plots for sale must be fully serviced, and schemes of 2 to 9 homes are supported. Plots unsold after 12 months of marketing, plus 6 months at a reduced price, may become general market housing.