The proposal would be located within, and next to, a town identified within an emerging strategy as one of several local growth centres in the area. The place was intended to serve as a focal point for additional affordable and market housing; the scheme would provide additional affordable and market housing and, in so doing, meet current requirement for the former. It would utilise land specifically safeguarded to accommodate a longer term need for new housing, and would address local deficiencies in public transport links and recreational open space.
The access arrangements proposed entailed the creation of a single priority T junction on a straight, though rising, section of road. The inspector found that this section of road ought to be capable of accommodating traffic turning into, or emerging from, residential side streets satisfactorily and safely. Pedestrian facilities around the site were also found to be reasonable. The latest assessment indicated that an identifiable supply of deliverable housing sites would provide sufficient dwellings to meet the requirement for barely two years. The proposal would make an important contribution to meeting the identified needs for market and affordable housing and do so in a reasonably sustainable way.
Inspector: David Cullingford; Written representations
