Holwell Turn/Land at Elm Tree Farm
Recently Cala Homes held a consultation event on their proposals and many question were raised about the development and how it relates to the emerging Neighbourhood Plan. Our Chair Diane Burleigh has published some notes which can be read here and further information appears below.
This site has outline planning permission for up to 82 houses. To be clear all they have permission for is the number, i.e. 82 houses, everything else is up for discussion and comment, i.e. road access, layout, housing mix, design etc. etc. The Cala Homes recent consultation does not change this and you should make your comments when the application is made.
The Neighbourhood Plan has not yet been adopted so its influence over whatever planning applications come in from CALA Homes (or anyone else) is limited. However, even at this stage, the Plan in draft is a "material consideration" so any applicant and planner must consider its contents. It will not yet have full power until it has gone through all of its statutory processes, but the further along the process it is, the more influential it will become.
Directly in respect of this application Pirton Parish Council, with assistance from the Pirton Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group referencing the emerging Neighbourhood Plan created a site specific design statement to aid the developer - this can be viewed here.
Many of you will have visited the recent Cala Homes consultation in the village hall and you may wish to read the design statement to compare it with what you read on the boards. It is fair to say that there are some areas where the design does agree with the Design Statement, but also a number of significant areas where the proposed design does not.
At least one of the boards promoting the Cala Homes design mentioned the Neighbourhood Plan " . . . whilst also respecting the emerging Neighbourhood Plan . . .". this statement is misleading insofar as there are significant parts of the proposed design that do not.
One message to take away from this is how critical it now is to progress the Neighbourhood Plan to adoption as soon as possible so that it has the power to influence this design, if at all possible, and to definitely impact on any other designs or sites that emerge. Both the Pirton Parish Council and the Pirton Neighbourhood Steering Group are committed to doing this and we will keep you informed of the progress which we hope now will be rapid.
