2018 October: Planning Inspector Hearings
In Response to the further information provided during the Planning Inspectors ‘Matters and Issues’ and responses given by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC),
Cheadle Unite (CU) raised the following Matters in support and addition to the CU Representation to SMDC submitted 11th April 2018 and forwarded by SMDC to the Inspector:
Please Read the Full Document HERE
Our Objective is a significant reduction in housing allocation for Cheadle (& the Moorlands) & to draw focus on Sustainable Brownfield site regeneration with cross authority co-operation with Stoke-on-Trent, the Potteries.
Cheadle Unite Committee
23rd September 2018
www.cheadleunite.co.uk
Session 1 – 09.30 Tuesday 9 October 2018 Matter 1
Legal Compliance, Procedural Requirements and the Duty to Cooperate
1. Compliance with procedural requirements including consultation/participation procedures
Issues:
CU wish to raise the following for inspection:
1) By what mechanism and evidence base have the Views of the local community been effectively considered as part of the SCI?
2) How are the significant (5000+ Representations 2015 on) used to influence the chosen level of housing provision for Cheadle and the Moorlands in the context that almost all figures used are near the maximum levels of all metrics.
3) Evidence that SMDC as per Cllr Sybil Ralphs statement on Radio Stoke [9] and in line with community involvement made significant effort to convince the Planning Inspector that a level of over 6000 houses is ‘neither wanted, nor needed.‘
2. Compliance with the DtC, particularly in relation to consideration of housing needs
Issues:
Regarding 2.1 ‘evidence the council has co-operated effectively’ CU request for Inspection:
1) The evidence base of SMDC’s Duty to Cooperate successes with S-o-T Councils during the formation of the published Core Strategy and before it’s submission to planning inspection (Feb 2018). This means detailed minutes meetings etc where detailed strategy is discussed implemented and produced a successful (effective) outcome.
CU are concerned that as per 2013 (when some token gesture of co-operation was stated to the press), that there may be no substantive engagement. The history of co-operation between 2013 and Jan 2018 will be a key indicator of how the Core Strategy has been informed and the spirit with which it will be taken forward.
We understand the DtC is a constant, as is clarified in item [8] by the Secretary of State C&LG.
Session 2 – 13.30 Tuesday 9 October 2018 Matter 2 Strategy and Strategic Policies
Issue:
SMDC Propose excessive and unsubstantiated levels of development for Cheadle, despite being fully aware of Infrastructure issues not least with our Roads. Matter 3 of the Planning Inspection deals with Housing OAN needs however, SMDC’s draw on a Nathaniel Lichfield Partners (2016) Report Commissioned to justify retention of excessive housing requirements, sitting against the wishes of Moorlands residents, it makes unreasonable and unsustainable case for inflated housing needs based on a flawed Oxford economics Model. We believe this model plays a significant role in inappropriately inflating the figures proposed for Cheadle. Please reserve us the right to come back on this matter.
Session 3 – 09.30 Wednesday 10 October 2018 Matter 3
Housing and Employment Objectively Assessed Needs (OAN) and Requirements
Issue:
SMDC draw on a Nathaniel Lichfield Partners (2016) Report Commissioned to justify retention of excessive housing requirements, sitting against the wishes of Moorlands residents it makes a ridiculous and unsustainable case for inflated housing need based on an Oxford economics. Stating a net migration of 7,697 people is required to 2031 to provide a net increase of 85 Jobs. This model as already stated in our representation is seriously flawed not least on long term sustainability and a highly likely demographic of elderly migrants, it is likely to make the situation worse and fails to recognise the existing communities ability to adapt (e.g. optional longer working). We would like to also highlight :
Secretary of State for Housing C&LG Sajid Javid MP
Regarding Housing need Assessments:
‘ The existing system simply isn’t good enough, it relies on assessments commissioned by individual authorities according to their own requirements carried out by expensive consultants using their own methodologies. The Result is an opaque mish-mash of different figures that are consistent only in their complexity. This piecemeal approach simply does not give an accurate picture of housing need across the country. Nor does it impress Local People who see their area taking on a huge number of new homes while a town on the other side of a local authority boundary barely expands at all.’
Speech on ‘Planning for the right Houses in the right places’ 14th Sept 2017
For clarity in our case our neighbouring local authority S-o-T, have vast areas of Brownfield Derelict sites struggling to attract development. The policy threatens the whole of the Moorlands including Towns, villages and hamlets with unsustainable and unnecessary over development and undermines our City.
To that end Cheadle Unite Request the Nathaniel report is struck off the evidence base for SMDC’s justification of over 6000 houses across the Moorlands significantly lowering the OAN range from 250-440 dpa to 100-195 dpa, (2572 over the period) In line with removal of the Oxford Model.
Session 4 – 13.30 Wednesday 10 October 2018
Matter 4 Housing Land Supply
Issue:
Residents have been living under a prolonged and constant cloud of inappropriate development under a claim of lack of 5 years housing supply for many years now. Not least with a very significant number of consultations over nearly a decade (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017) apparently having no significant impact on policy.
While the Lack of 5 year supply should focus any Council on producing an effective Core Strategy to make sure all housing is appropriate, this clearly has not been the case in the Moorlands, Instead it has generally been used to ward off changes to their plan, claiming that if changes are made, the Planning Inspector will simply reject those plans (2nd March 2016 Council Assembly) and allow developers to build anywhere.
It clearly isn’t appropriate that if residents highlight failings in an aggressive policy, that they should then suffer with a lack of 5 year supply claim.
We would like the Inspector to indicate that developments will no longer be considered outside of Local Brownfield and regional Regeneration sites.
Session 5 – 09.30 Thursday 11 October 2018 Matter 5
Specific Housing Needs and Generic Housing Policies
Issue:
Without further details of Cross Authority collaboration it is not possible to define an effective affordable housing needs policy.
This is a very complex issue, however, taken in Isolation, SMDC are clearly failing and not compliant in providing a percentage of affordable housing distributed around the Moorlands.
Session 10 – 09.30 Wednesday 17 October 2018
Matter 8 – Allocations - Cheadle
Issues:
The Housing Levels proposed for Cheadle are excessive.
The Planning Inspectors consideration on Matters 1, 2 & 3 has the potential to have significant impact on the Sites detailed below. Cheadle unite believes that:
Brownfield Sites around S-o-T and Newcastle Councils must be a priority over any Greenfield Developments around Cheadle.
Any Brownfield site developments around Cheadle must engage and consult with any affected parties
Cheadle Unite is opposed to Greenfield and Agricultural site development in anything other than exceptional circumstances and where there is established genuine need.
Infrastructure and road improvements must be compulsory not desirable and fully funded before any significant developments.
Where there is any significant impact compensation must be offered to affected residents.
CU Would like to support the above positions on the day.
