MINUTES of the Meeting of the STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKING GROUP  held on Tuesday 10 November 

2015 held in the Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint.  

Working Group Members Present 

Also Present:   

                             Stephen Hoyles – CLERK TO THE COUNCIL 

SP15/021.   Apologies for absence and declarations of interest:  The Working Group received and accepted the following apologies for absence from members of the Working Group:  Matthew Stokes.  There were no declarations of interest in accordance with the Code of Conduct:   

SP15/022.  Minutes of the Meeting of the Strategic Planning Working Group 6 October 2015:   The Minutes of the meeting were received and accepted and signed by the Chairman.   

SP15/023.  Review of information:  The Group noted the following items since the last meeting of the Working 

Group:   

SP15/023.1 Meetings held:   

1. (1) Burgess Hill Town and Parish Advisory Group:  The inaugural meeting of this group took place on 7 October 2015 at MSDC offices, Haywards Heath.  The Parish Council was represented by Chairman Stephen Hand and the Clerk.  

The meeting was updated on the Burgess Hill Town Centre redevelopment by New River Retail in conjunction with MSDC;  

The Northern Arc developers were expected to shortly submit three simultaneous planning applications for the east (Rydon Homes), central (Wates Homes) and west (Rydon/Gleesons).  The west section includes a portion of the parish area and it is expected that the application will include for some housing development south of the A2300, contrary to the N’hood Plan and the draft District Plan.  The meeting was advised of the work of the Northern Arc Development Board (comprising representatives of WSCC, MSDC and the developers) which would be overseeing the coordination of the strategic plan.  The Development Board was also briefed to oversee any potential development proposal along the A2300, including the possible Science and Technology Park (STP).  The Parish Council noted that it would wish to ensure that its views were heard as proposals for the STP were developed.  The Working Group noted that there were concerns that the pending Northern Arc applications might have lower build densities than had been planned, resulting in less housing provision for a given land area.   

1. (2) MSDC Planning  liaison:  A meeting took place at MSDC offices on 22 October 2015 with Cabinet Member Andrew McNaughton and Planning officer Claire Tester.  The Parish Council was represented by Chairman Stephen Hand, Working Group Chairman John Lowman and the Clerk.  The purpose of the meeting was to ensure efficient lines of communication on future planning applications.  The matter was raised of MSDC officers taking due note of the N’hood Plan policies, and it was agreed that where the Parish Council had particular points, then direct contact with the case officer would be appropriate.  The matter of the potential Science  and Technology Park (STP) was discussed and attention drawn to the gathering of evidence.  The Parish Council representatives expressed the view that the STP required a substantial amount of research to ensure that the project was justified, that the right facilities are properly funded, are in the right location, enhance the local community, hopefully enhance the landscape, and bring high quality sustainable employment.   The Working Group considered proposals for a possible meeting with MSDC and Chilmark to discuss the content of the STP studies and agreed that it would be helpful in due course.   

1. (3) MSDC District Plan:  Chairman Stephen Hand, Working Group Chairman John Lowman and the Clerk attended a presentation by MSDC at their offices on 27 October 2015.  The presentation was also attended by representatives of Mid Sussex parish and town councils.  The meeting was advised of the latest position regarding housing targets up to year 2031.  The briefing was in confidence, subject to public announcements which were made on 30 October 2015.  MSDC had reviewed their housing targets, following legal planning advice, and had noted they were making insufficient provision of un-met housing need for neighbouring authorities  in the ‘housing market area’  (Crawley/Horsham/Mid Sussex).  The review had resulted in an increase to 800 houses pa in the period 2014-31, a target total of 13,600.  This was an increase of 2500 from that previously planned target.  MSDC had designated a ‘strategic’ site of 600 at Pease Pottage, but said that the balance of extra houses would be met from within the SHLAA lists for towns and parishes.  MSDC had said that existing made Neighbourhood Plans would be unchanged.   

SP15/023.2  Other information:   

1. (1) Little Park, Hurstpierpoint:  The developer Bovis Homes held a one-day public exhibition on their detailed proposals for 140 houses, at the Village Centre, Hurstpierpoint on 14 October 2015.  A presentation had also been made to the Planning committee on 5 November 2015.   
2. (2) Kingsland Laines, Sayers Common (MSDC  ref:  12/03972):  The Secretary of State (DCLG) decision on the judicial review of the appeal decision was still awaited.  A decision date of 29 September 2015 had been advised, but we are now advised that the decision is still awaited.  It was understood that the applicant had agreed with MSDC to defer a 

    & 

  HURSTPIERPOINT           SAYERS COMMON 

                        PARISH COUNCIL 

decision on the 40-house application until the New Year.  (Ref:  Planning Inspectorate ref:  APP/D3830/A/12/2189451/NWF) 

1. (3) WSCC Minerals Local Plan:  WSCC and SDNPA are working jointly to produce a new Local Plan, replacing that of 2003.  A Minerals Sites Study is being prepared, together with evidence gathering.  There are no proposed sites in or adjacent to the Parish area.  (Ref:  WSCC/SDNPA  letter 1 October 2015)   
2. (4) Horsham District Plan:  The Planning Inspector has reported on the enquiry on the Plan.  The main issue is a requirement to review the Plan within three years, to take account of any possible consequences of the London Airport expansion.  (Ref:  Horsham District Plan – Report On The Examination Into Horsham District Planning Framework – September 2015)   
3. (5) WSCC Primary Schools provision:  WSCC have published a consultation, but the schools nearest to the Parish scheduled for expansion are in Haywards Heath.  (Ref:  WSCC The proposed building and expansion of primary schools in the Crawley and Mid Sussex areas.  November 2015)   

SP15/024.  Sayers Common – Housing Sites Appraisal:  The public consultation ran from 21 July to 28 

September 2015 on the long-list of 9 possible development sites.   40 responses were received and are shown in the summary schedule.  The Working Group considered the current position regarding the Kingsland Laines application for 120 houses, and the unresolved appeal decision.  Depending on the choice of preferred site(s) the Working Group could foresee a situation when other sites are promoted by the Parish Council, but the appeal decision still finds in favour of Kingsland Laines.  In that scenario Sayers Common could have a surfeit of ‘acceptable’ sites, which could place it in a vulnerable situation to further aggressive applications.   

The Working Group agreed that it was appropriate to proceed with a selection of site(s), as follows:   a) Noting the Methodology produced by Planning consultants Dowsett Mayhew (May 2015)  

1. b) Noting the Schedule of Sites (long-list) (13 May 2015 rev3)  
2. c) Reviewing the Consultation responses (28 October 2015)  
3. d) Noting the following PARISH 2031 Neighbourhood Plan  policies   

Housing Hurst H3: Sayers Common Housing Sites:   

Subject to existing water drainage issues being resolved, to remove the incidence of localised flooding, new housing will be permitted at Sayers Common. It is anticipated that the village will accommodate around 30-40 dwellings during the Plan period. A review and appraisal of deliverable housing sites will be undertaken at an early stage in the Plan period. 

Countryside HurstC3 Local Gaps and Preventing Coalescence: 

Development will be permitted in the countryside provided that it does not individually or cumulatively result in coalescence and loss of separate identity of neighbouring settlements, and provided that it does not conflict with other Countryside policies in this Plan. Local Gaps between the following settlements define those areas covered by this policy: Hurstpierpoint and Hassocks; 

Sayers Common and Albourne; 

Hurstpierpoint and Albourne; 

Hurstpierpoint and Burgess Hill. 

The Working Group noted that the following sites are within the area defined as Local Gap in Policy C3, but also acknowledged that a site might be acceptable in a Local Gap if it did not materially contribute to coalescence:    HP33 (Land south of Furzeland Way),  HP28 (Coombe Downe),  HP32 (Coombe Farm)  

e) The Working Group considered all the sites and concluded that the following would be taken forward for further assessment.  The Council’s Planning Consultant would be asked to mark each site against the criteria, to propose the preferred site or sites to offer 30 to 40  houses:   

HP28  Land north of Coombe Down 

HP30  Kingsland Laines 

HP34 Kings business Centre 

HP35 Land north of Kings business Centre 

RECOMMENDATION to Council :  The following sites are to be further assessed against the appraisal criteria, to provide the 30 to 40 houses required by the Neighbourhood Plan: 

HP28  Land north of Coombe Down 

HP30  Kingsland Laines 

HP34 Kings Business Centre 

HP35 Land north of Kings business Centre 

The Council’s Planning consultant is asked to prepare the assessment 

SP15/025:  DCLG Neighbourhood Plan  ‘Champion’ role:  The Working Group was advised of an invitation from the Minister for Housing (DCLG)  for the Council to offer a Neighbourhood Plan ‘champion’ to join the national team (of about 50) to share experiences and offer views to the Department.  It was estimated that the commitment would be for about 3 days a year.  The Working Group agreed that the Clerk would undertake this role, to be substituted by the Working Group  or Council Chairman as necessary.  (Ref:  DCLG email 9 November 2015) 

There being no other business the Chairman closed the Meeting at  9.10  pm.   Chairman