Proposals for 20 affordable homes in Minchinhampton. The site assessment report has now been finalised - please scroll down to view the report.

THE PUBLIC CONSULATION HAS NOW CLOSED

Next Steps

A final decision on the selected sites will now be made following assessment of the comments received following the November Consultation process.

The Architects will now develop their designs further and Savills will prepare the outline planning application which we expect to submit in early January.

A formal statutory consultation period will follow the submission of the planning application early 2009

Background

In 2005 Stroud District Council undertook a Housing Needs Survey for the parish of Minchinhampton. This survey identified that a total of 20 households in the parish were in housing need of affordable housing. Following this, we embarked on an exercise to identify the most appropriate site(s) on which to develop new affordable housing to meet the housing needs of local people.

Given the size of Minchinhampton and its rural location, we had to consider the development of housing both within and on the edge of the town. In order to review all the potential and financially viable options for the delivery of affordable housing, we appointed Savills, a town planning consultancy, to undertake a site search exercise to identify all land with potential for development to meet housing needs.

The site search exercise has now been completed and the initial review of all potential sites has been undertaken in accordance with Government guidance on housing land assessments. It identified a large number of sites with potential to accommodate some or all of the 20 new homes required to meet the identified housing need.

Savills have assessed a number of considerations which relate to the suitability of each of the potential sites. Factors such as the impact upon landscape character, highways access and the existing use of the land have all been taken into consideration in determining which sites are potentially suitable for affordable housing development. As a result of this assessment each of the potential sites has been rated and those with overriding constraints have been eliminated from the site search exercise altogether.

The Site Assessment Report has now been finalised.

A copy of the final report is available here together with maps showing all the sites considered.

PDF  Site Assessment Report - 06/11/2008 : 162Kb

PDF  Appendix A - 27/10/2008 : 907Kb

PDF  Appendix B - 27/10/2008 : 77Kb

PDF  Appendix C - 27/10/2008 : 28582Kb

PDF  Appendix D - 27/10/2008 : 291Kb

PDF  All Sites Map - 24/10/2008 : 702Kb

PDF  Sites 29 and 30 Map - 24/10/2008 : 183Kb

Public Consultation Reponses

A schedule of the feedback and comments received following the previous site selection consultation in September 2008 has been collated. This is tabulated with the issue raised and an appropriate response. This information has helped to shape the selection of the site considered most suitable for affordable housing development This will be updated with comments from the November consultation in due course.

PDF  Public Consultation Responses - 06/11/2008 : 111Kb

Site Selection

Following the site assessment process, Savills have identified two sites, which are adjacent to one another, as the most suitable, available and achievable for the development of affordable housing. These are sites numbered 13 and 14 in the report which are adjacent to the Bulwarks Site. The selected sites can be seen on the map. This will be updated to show the final site selected in due course.

PDF  Selected Sites Map - 24/10/2008 : 262Kb