Overall Levels of Growth

SP1- Overall Levels of Growth 1) Provision is made for the delivery of 468 dwellings per annum, equating to at least 7,017 dwellings over the 15-year plan period. 2) Housing development will be delivered in accordance with the spatial strategy, directing growth to the most sustainable locations and reflecting the capacity of the district’s infrastructure and environment. 3) Existing employment uses on allocated employment sites will be safeguarded unless their loss is robustly justified. 4) The council will monitor housing delivery and infrastructure capacity and will consider an early review of the Local Plan where evidence indicates that additional growth could be accommodated sustainably without resulting in unacceptable harm to the Green Belt. Reasoned Justification: 4.12 Policy SP1 is underpinned by an extensive and proportionate evidence base, prepared to ensure the Local Plan is justified, effective and consistent with national policy. This evidence has been used to assess development needs, identify constraints, test reasonable a lternatives and determine a realistic and deliverable level of growth 4.13 The standard method identifies a local housing need of 832 dwellings per annum, equating to 12,480 dwellings over the plan period. The Local Housing Needs Assessment demonstrates an acute need for affordable housing across the district, alongside a growing requirement for specialist and adaptable accommodation, particularly for older persons. 4.14 While the council has sought to respond positively to these needs, the evidence demonstrates that it is not possible to accommodate the full standard method figure without causing significant and demonstrable harm. The plan therefore provides for 7,017 dwellings, representing the maximum level of growth that can be delivered sustainably within the district’s constraints. 4.15 In preparing the Plan, the council has undertaken an extensive assessment of development opportunities. This includes the consideration of over 350 housing sites through the Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA), alongside additional capacity considered through an Urban Capacity Study. Brownfield and urban sites were prioritised; however, these opportunities are limited and can only deliver a small proportion of overall housing needs. 4.16 The majority of assessed sites were discounted due to a range of constraints. Many were found to be located in unsustainable rural locations, typically accessed by single-track roads with no footways, limited public transport provision and poor opportunities for walking and cycling. Development in these locations would necessitate a high level of private car use and would conflict with sustainable development objectives. 4.17 The district’s rural road network is constrained in nature, with frequent congestion and long waiting times, particularly where drivers divert from congested main routes. Accommodating higher levels of growth could result in severe residual impacts, which could not be mitigated through proportionate or deliverable highway improvements within the rural network. 4.18 The Infrastructure Delivery Plan further confirms that there are limits to the capacity of existing infrastructure, and that the scale of development required to meet the full standard method housing need would stretch infrastructure capacity beyond current limits. Additionally, future development will struggle to bridge the ever -increasing infrastructure funding gap. 4.19 A new settlement option was considered as a reasonable alternative; however, the evidence demonstrates that no suitable location exists where such a settlement could be delivered at a scale sufficient to fund the necessary infrastructure without overwhelming the rural road network or causing unacceptable environmental and Green Belt impacts. Fragmented land ownership was also an issue resulting in no site being put forward for a potential new settlement. As such, the council would have had to pursue CPOs as its delivery route which was not considered appropriate at this time. 4.20 The district is extensively covered by Green Belt, which represents a significant constraint on growth. The Green Belt Review identifies strategic areas of fundamental importance where overdevelopment could be considered to fundamentally undermine the purposes of the Green Belt as a whole. 4.21 While limited Green Belt release is proposed and exceptional circumstances have been demonstrated, the evidence clearly shows that accommodating the full standard method housing need would result in unacceptable harm to the Green Belt. The overall level of growth has therefore been curtailed to ensure t hat the plan remains environmentally responsible and consistent with national policy. 4.22 The Economic Study identifies a limited quantitative need for new employment land, reflecting the district’s economic profile and constraints. However, it highlights the strategic importance of protecting existing employment sites to support economic resilience, local jobs and sustainable travel patterns. Policy SP1 reflects this evidence by supporting housing growth while ensuring that employment land is safeguarded unless robust justification for its loss is provided. 4.23 The housing requirement set out in Policy SP1reflects a balanced and evidence-led approach, which seeks to maximise delivery while recognising the district’s environmental, transport and infrastructure constraints. The policy aligns with the spatial strategy, addresses identified housing and economic needs as far as possible, and ensures that development remains deliverable and sustainable. 4.24 The council recognises that circumstances may change over the plan period, including changes to national policy, infrastructure delivery, housing delivery rates or the availability of additional land. Housing delivery, infrastructure capacity and environmental impacts will be actively monitored through the council’s Annual Monitoring Report. 4.25 Where evidence demonstrates that additional sustainable development opportunities have emerged, the council will consider an early review of the Local Plan to reassess the overall level of growth and spatial strategy. This approach ensures that the plan remains flexible, responsive and effective, while providing certainty for residents and developers. Overarching Policy on Sustainable Development 4.26 The council is committed to promoting sustainable development which the National Planning Policy Framework summarises “as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. 4.27 The National Planning Policy Framework also emphasises that Local Plans should be based upon and reflect the presumption in favour of sustainable development and the principle informs both the policies and site allocations within the Local Plan. This will enable