Page 264 - MJC submissions

51 LOCAL DISTRINCTIVNESS
Local Distinctiveness – Local distinctiveness is the physical, environmental, economic or social
factors that characterise an area (and most likely a combination of all four), as well as how an
area interacts with others

52 SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL
Sustainability Appraisal – Sustainability Appraisal is a tool for appraising policies to ensure that
they reflect sustainable development objectives (i.e. social, economic and environmental
factors). It is required under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act to be carried out on
all Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents.

53 NEED
2. Under the NPPF, neighbourhood plans are required to demonstrate that a proposed
development responds to a local and legitimate need; that dwellings are built in the right
place, of the right type and size, and are supported by a commensurate infra-structure.

3. The Steering Group – responsible for preparing the AWNP - concluded that there were 27
qualifying households on council house waiting lists; only 8 of which made the village
their first choice. There is not, as hyperbolised, a critical shortage of housing and since the
plan was prepared a number of windfall sites have emerged which confirm that targets
will be easily achieved.

54 DISAGREEMENT AECOM
4. Whilst the steering group decided to publish the AECOM report alongside the pre-
submission version of the neighbourhood plan, MSDC raised a number of queries-----
which included the need to assess each site----- against sustainability objectives----together
with a brief explanation of why the selected option had been chosen--- the district council
raise concerns about the clarity of the report and presentation----and as a result of these
queries the steering group decided the more work on the contents and presentation of the
SA/SEA would be needed

55 VISION
the scoping survey and early consultation resulted in the following vision for the
neighbourhood plan

“to preserve and protect Ashurst Woods characteristics as a rural village, while at the same
time ensuring that it remains a vibrant, safe and welcoming community and and attractive
location for people to live

56 TAYLOR AND CAPACITY
7. Mr Taylor had no justification – other than wishful thinking - for interpreting the term
“approximate capacity” as the basis for increasing the number of dwellings by 40%: from
50+ to 71 by adding 21 units of affordable housing. He is a town planning expert and
must have known that figures in Sustainability Reports and associated plans are usually
Page28
inclusive of affordable housing.

E:\Cobasco\Personal, House and computer instructions\EDF and WH Development\MJC Plans theories and
Objectives\CONSOLIDATED SUBMISSIONS\5 Response to disclosures of 8th December.docx