Site Allocations Plan for Stratford-on-Avon District

Councillors at Stratford-on-Avon District Council, on Monday 15 July, endorsed the Site Allocations Plan for statutory public consultation following a recommendation from The Cabinet earlier in the day.

The Site Allocations Plan (SAP) is a key planning document that identifies a number of development proposals for employment, retail and housing to ensure that enough land is available in appropriate locations to meet the agreed growth targets set out in the Core Strategy.

It includes Reserve Housing Sites designed to provide land in circumstances where sites already allocated in the Core Strategy do not come forward.

The Plan is made up of different elements:

• Reserve Housing sites
• Self-build and custom build housing sites
• Built-up area boundaries for settlements
• Employment Enabling Sites Policy
• Specific site proposals

The plan will now be subject to a 6-week consultation starting on 8 August.

Cllr Daren Pemberton, Deputy Leader says: "As a District Council we are obliged to do this piece of work, which needs a measured approach in line with the Core Strategy framework.

"It is now for local residents and key stakeholders to review our proposals and have their say before our Site Allocations Plan is submitted for public examination. I would encourage people to take part in this consultation to help ensure the range of sites identified in the plan helps us maintain this extra protection level, rather than allow for a developer led approach, to ensure future growth in the district is carried out in a planned and sustainable way for this Core Strategy period."

This statutory consultation is ahead of submitting the plan for independent examination. It's the opportunity for residents and businesses to say why they think the plan is 'unsound' (e.g. not appropriate) and set out what changes should be made to make the plan sound.

More details on the consultation process will be published in due course.