Clerk: Mrs. L Rampton

Parish Council Office,

Winscombe Community Centre,

11 Sandford Road, Winscombe,

North Somerset BS25 1JA

Tel: 01934 844257   Fax: 01934 844292

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Affordable Housing Working Party Update

Tuesday 5th May 2009, 9.00 am.

The Weeks Room, Winscombe Community Centre

 

 

Councillors Present:    Steve Bridges (SB), Roy Jones (RJ), Geoff Luckett (GLu), Avril Richmond (AR),

Chris Sampson (CS), Mike Williamson (MW),

Others Present:                        (SC)                                         Independent Planning Consultant appointed by ERHA

                                                Richard Mead (RM)                    Summerfield Developments, developer appointed by ERHA

Clerk:                           Lynne Rampton (LR)     

 

 

Louise Davidson (LD), Regional Development Manager for English Rural Housing Association (ERHA) is now on maternity leave and SC been appointed by ERHA to progress the provision of affordable housing in this Parish.

 

Recent communication from a parishioner & close neighbour to the proposed Well Close site was discussed with RM offering to meet to clarify any planning issues & concerns raised.

 

An approach has been received from ERHA London asking that posters be displayed promoting the development in Churchill that would also advise of contact details for the public to register an interest in any proposed scheme for this parish. It was agreed to display material as supplied by ERHA.

 

Following the NSC South Area Committee Area Forum held at St James Church Hall on 23rd March 2009, it has been agreed to revisit the sequential site search. The search report has previously been accepted by NSC and omitted Sandford for the following reasons:

1.       The housing needs survey carried out early 2008 clearly showed the prime need for affordable housing in this Parish to be in Winscombe.

2.       The ongoing development of the former Sandford Railway site by St Monica Trust will provide affordable housing in Sandford by the provision of 18 care beds at the prevailing adult care rate for those with nursing care dementia needs & 20 extra care housing units.

3.       Of the two villages, Winscombe is considered the most sustainable for an initial affordable housing development.

Councillors present again studied areas of land identified in and around Winscombe & did not wish to add any further land parcels to the search for this area. Availability of the preferred four sites abutting the Winscombe settlement boundary for the provision of affordable housing as identified by NSC was discussed.

Land around Sandford was examined using local maps and although the urban boundary to the south of Sandford was considered undevelopable due to the woodland hill, a number of sites to the north, east & west were identified. SC will update the current ERHA sequential site report with this further information & a revised report submitted to the Parish Council for approval before being prioritized by NSC.

The Parish Council has a stall at the annual May Fair on the Millennium Green on 9th May 2009 where parishioners will be advised that following the Area Forum, a sequential site review is being revised in respect of Winscombe & Sandford and information relating to the provision of Affordable Housing in this Parish would be available..

 

The size of affordable housing developments to be implemented versus available land to meet demand for the parish was debated. In identifying areas of land that could be used for affordable housing, should a number of options exist preference should be that:

*       Land would ideally be situated within settlement boundaries.

*       Use of land should not lead to the loss of employment through use of employment designated land.

*       Use of land should not lead to the loss of designated amenity/sports areas.

*       As much of the parish is surrounded by the AONB, the impact of any affordable housing development on the AONB should be considered whether the proposed development is inside or outside the AONB.

 

Meeting closed at 10.55 am