Object
South Norfolk Village Clusters Housing Allocations Plan (Reg. 19 Pre-submission Draft)
Representation ID: 2542
Received: 24/02/2023
Respondent: Stoke Holy Cross Parish Council
Legally compliant? Not specified
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Not specified
Stoke Holy Cross is defined as a service village in the JCS. Paragraph 6.61 explains that 20 dwellings may be exceeded where a site will improve local services or help maintain services under threat. The JCS lists the presence of a village hall as an important facility expected in service villages. The PC has consistently pointed out that the existing village hall is now too small and outdated to serve the village. This was brought to SNC’s attention during the determination of major housing development proposals at Broomefield Road/Harrold Place and resulted in a financial contribution which was significantly less than required for a new hall. The PC has since been trying to fundraise and has obtained planning permission and costings for a larger hall. Unfortunately, substantial funds are still needed to realise these plans.
The PC accepts that VCSTO1 is a logical extension to the village but it strongly disagrees with the suitability assessment justifying the allocation of this site, which considers the existing village hall as having a site score of ‘green’, when this is clearly not the case.
The Parish Council considers that there should be an additional requirement in policy ST 01 for a financial contribution to be made towards a new village hall/community facilities that would facilitate replacement of the existing Pavilion that is unsustainable as a village hall serving Stoke Holy Cross.
The Parish Council considers that this request for a financial contribution would not only be in accordance with the adopted policy for service villages in the JCS. It would also meet the planning obligations test set out in paragraph 57 of the National Planning Policy Framework and the need to address community needs. Paragraph 93 of the NPPF states that :
To provide the social, recreational, and cultural facilities and services the community needs, planning policies and decisions should:
a) plan positively for the provision and use of shared spaces, community facilities (such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, open spaces, cultural buildings, public houses, and places of worship), and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments;
b) take into account and support the delivery of local strategies to improve health, social and cultural well-being for all sections of the community;
c) guard against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services, particularly where this would reduce the community’s ability to meet its day-to-day needs;
d) ensure that established shops, facilities, and services are able to develop and modernise, and are retained for the benefit of the community; and
e) ensure an integrated approach to considering the location of housing, economic uses and community facilities and services.in order to promote Healthy and safe communities, planning policies need:
If the Parish Council considers that Policy VC ST01 fails to meet these requirements by not addressing the negative impact that the resultant housing development would have on the existing community facilities in the village. It would therefore not deliver sustainable development and is unsound, unless modified to include a financial contribution to rectify this.