LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY MEMBER WORKING
GROUP – 11 AUGUST 2008
4.
HOUSING AREAS IDENTIFIED AS PREFERRED OPTION SITES FOR
FURTHER PUBLIC CONSULTATION
1.
Summary
1.1
To present revised proposals to Members for consideration and report to the
Executive Committee on 1 September 2008.
2.
Details
2.1
Further to the meeting of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy
Member Working Group on 4 June 2008, the issues raised by Members have
been addressed. The results of this are set out below.
3.
For All Housing Sites:
3.1
Two additional criteria have been added to record further Green Belt
objectives and the capacity of the local road network:
3.2
‘Contribution to Green Belt Objectives’ has been assessed according to
the objectives of Green Belt land as set out in Planning Policy Guidance 2:
Once Green Belts have been defined, the use of land in them has a positive
role to play in fulfilling the following objectives:







to provide opportunities for access to the open countryside for the
urban population;
to provide opportunities for outdoor sport and outdoor recreation
near urban areas;
to retain attractive landscapes, and enhance landscapes, near to
where people live;
to improve damaged and derelict land around towns;
to secure nature conservation interest;
to retain land in agricultural, forestry and related uses; and
to prevent coalescence of existing urban development.
Sites which contribute well to Green Belt objectives will score lower. Where a
site does not contribute to Green Belt objectives, it may score a maximum of
10. This criterion has been given a weighting of ‘most important’.
3.3
Road Capacity’ to reflect local highway issues as indicated by comments of
Hertfordshire Highways. Sites which have no road capacity issues may score
a maximum of 10. This criterion has been given a weighting of ‘significant’.
The original ‘road network’ criteria has been renamed ‘traffic congestion’ to
highlight the different issues covered by each criterion.
d:\684077604.doc
-1-
4.
For Individual Housing Sites:
4.1
LEAVESDEN AERODROME (South East Abbots Langley)
Issue Raised
Response
Leavesden Country Park Not currently designated, and no plans in the near
designated as a LNR
future to apply for designation
Noise impacts
Railway 900m from edge of area with planning
permission, score revised to 9
Further education facility
Francis Combe @ 1500m, Parmiter’s @ 1900m, St
Michael’s @ 2000m
Open Space
Leavesden Country Park 400m from area with
planning permission, score revised to 5
4.2
WOODSIDE ROAD (East Abbots Langley)
No dentist at Katherine
Place
Katherine Place local shop
rather than local centre
Community Hall
The Dental Practice, 15 Katherine Place, 01923
681866
Not identified as a local centre in Local Plan, score
adjusted to show it as a local shop rather than centre
Woodside Community Centre, The Brow, Garston @
800m, Henderson Hall, AL @ 1200m, Manor House,
AL @ 1300m, Hillside Hall, AL @ 1700m
Surrounded by protected Some hedge around site protected by TPOs, but not
hedgerow
continuous
Access issues from High Site boundaries reduced, therefore access from High
Elms Lane
Elms Lane no longer an issue
4.3
LOVE LANE (North East Abbots Langley)
Reservoir site only
4.4
ROYAL MASONIC SCHOOL (East Rickmansworth)
TPOs on site
Impact on Green Belt
4.5
Reservoir to be retained, suggest site goes to SHLAA
as not large enough for strategic site
Confirmed with landscape that currently no TPOs on
site
Score reduced to 1
BUCKNALLS LANE (North East Garston)
Access issues
Landowner also owns 67 and 69 Bucknalls Lane
(Current development at 49)
Impact on Green Belt
Score revised to 2
Air quality as AQMA in
700m to Watford’s A405/ Horseshoe Lane AQMA,
Watford
score revised to 7
Community Hall
Woodside Community Centre @ 1300m, Henderson
Hall @ 2700m
Expansion of Waterdale as Smaller site also considered to allow for future
first option for site
expansion of Waterdale
d:\684077604.doc
-2-
4.6
TWYCHELLS FARM (North East Bedmond)
Impact on Green Belt
4.7
Score revised to 1
LANGLEYBURY
Site Area
Dwellings
Status
4.8
LITTLE GREEN LANE (North Croxley Green)
Smaller
area
considered
4.9
2.6ha
70 dwellings
To be considered through SHLAA
to
be The area rear of Killingdown Farm has been passed to
the SHLAA consultants for consideration as a separate
site.
EAST LANE (East Bedmond) (ADDITIONAL SITE)
Site Area
Dwellings
Status
9.8ha
Reject
5.
Outstanding Issues
5.1
There remain some issues still requiring consideration by Members:
5.2
Sites at Woodside Road and Bucknalls Lane have been revisited, and smaller
site areas considered, but they still score highly and it is recommended that
only Woodside is taken forward as a preferred site in the period to 2021 due
to the amount of proposed development in the area.
5.3
An additional site has since come forwards at East Lane, Bedmond, however
it does not score highly and it is recommended that the site is rejected.
5.4
The Langleybury School site covers 2.5ha (excluding Langleybury House),
and it is recommended that the site should be considered by the SHLAA for
provision of 70 dwellings
5.5
No further information on the intentions for the East Rickmansworth site have
been received, and it is recommended that the site is excluded from further
consideration
5.6
It is recommended that sites of less than 100 dwelling capacity should be
considered through the SHLAA rather than going forward as preferred sites,
since they can not be considered as strategic sites through the Core Strategy.
5.7
It should be noted that further assessments have been made of these sites in
terms of individual capacity based on site area and anticipated decision. It
must however be stressed that such figures are a broad indication only of
capacity.
d:\684077604.doc
-3-
5.8
An additional site has been added, that known as “the Strip” in South Oxhey
which has been the subject of previous discussion between the Council and
various landowners regarding possible redevelopment.
5.9
The number of dwellings required to 2021 is as follows: Total
4,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------Completed
1,597
Under construction
377
Full planning permission
297
Outline planning permission
56
-----------------------------------------------------------------Total
2327
Outstanding requirement
1673 dwellings
5.10
Capacity is a mid point estimate, therefore, when sites actually come
forwards, they may provide higher or lower dwelling numbers depending on
the scheme. Overall, the numbers should balance as some sites come in at
above midpoint, and some below.
6.
Revised Site Tables
6.1
Based on these recommendations, the site tables have been revised as
follows:
6.2
Preferred Sites for Public Consultation:
Outstanding total dwellings required: - 1,673
Site
Leavesden Aerodrome
Little Furze School
Woodside Road
East Kings Langley
Industrial Areas
Little Oxhey Lane
“The Strip”, South Oxhey
Total
Weighted
Score
880
859
851
Indicative
Capacity
350 dwellings
100 dwellings
100 dwellings
Suggested
Timescale
2014-2018
2015-2017
785
734
180 dwellings
100 dwellings
100 dwellings
930 dwellings
2015-2020
2015-2020
To be confirmed
6.3
It is suggested that the site at Maple Lodge Close is deleted as inappropriate
for residential development and that it should be used entirely for commercial
development on the basis that sites at East Kings Langley Industrial Area and
Delta Gain Carpenders Park be allocated for residential development.
6.4
Sites to be included for consideration through the Strategic Housing
Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)
d:\684077604.doc
-4-
6.4.1 Sites Identified in the Urban Area
Outstanding total dwellings required: - 743
Site
Kings Head PH, High Street, Abbots Langley
Capacity
Working Men’s Club, Trowley Rise, Abbots
Langley
Grapevine PH, Prestwick Road
16-18 Water Lane, Kings Langley
Delta Gain, Carpenders Park
Ferry Car Park, Lower Road, Chorleywood
50-52 New Road, Croxley Green
Curries Motors, Watford Road, Croxley Green
Citroen Van Centre, Watford Road, Croxley
Green
Gade View Gardens, Langleybury
Bridlington Road/ Henbury Way
The Fairway, Green Lane, Oxhey Hall
Happy Man, Tudor Way, Rickmansworth
Mill End Community Centre, Church Lane
The Queens Drive, Mill End
Langwood House, High Street,
Rickmansworth
Long Island, Victoria Close, Rickmansworth
Royal British Legion, Ebury Road,
Rickmansworth
Depot, Harefield Road, Rickmansworth
Police/ Fire station, Rickmansworth
Total
7
Source
Previously agreed Urban
Capacity Study 2005 (UCS) site
SHLAA
26
7
54
13
13
25
10
SHLAA
Previously agreed UCS site
SHLAA
Previously agreed UCS site
Previously agreed UCS site
SHLAA
SHLAA
7 (net)
63
23
12
28
60
11
Previously agreed UCS site
Previously agreed UCS site
SHLAA
Previously agreed UCS site
Previously agreed UCS site
Previously agreed UCS site
Previously agreed UCS site
65
5
SHLAA
Previously agreed UCS site
23
39
500
Previously agreed UCS site
SHLAA
9
Outstanding total dwellings required: 243
6.4.2
Sites Identified in the Green Belt on PDL
Site
Langleybury School/ House
Branksome Lodge, Loudwater Lane
Depot, Stockers Farm Road, Rickmansworth
Royal British Legion, Sarratt
Heysham Drive Playing Fields, South Oxhey
Love Lane, Abbots Langley
Total
Capacity
75
10
61
7
67
55
275
Outstanding total dwellings required: (- 32)
6.5
Windfall Allowance for post ten years
38 dwellings per year
114
Total
114
Outstanding total dwellings required: (-146)
d:\684077604.doc
-5-
Source
SHLAA/ agreed at working party
SHLAA/ agreed at working party
SHLAA/ agreed at working party
SHLAA/ previous planning brief
SHLAA/ agreed at working party
SHLAA/ agreed at working party
6.6
Total Identified sites: 1,831
Enough supply to meet requirement 2001-2021, though this assumes that
every identified site will come forward, and at roughly the capacities identified.
To 2026, an additional eight hundred dwellings need to be identified.
6.7
Sites for 2021 – 2026
Outstanding total dwellings required to 2021 – 2026 = 650
Between 2021 and 2026 sites for an additional 800 dwellings will need to be
identified.
To 2026 we are allowed to take windfalls into account towards the end of the
trajectory, we do not need to identify the full 1,000 that will be required,
assuming that the 200 dwellings per annum target is rolled forward.
In addition to the 158 dwellings surplus above and sites at Bucknalls Lane
and Croxley Station, some completely new sites will need to be identified or
the inclusion in supply of sites previously rejected by Members.
6.8
Sites rejected as preferred sites, due to low scores against the criteria
and for the reasons expressed by Members as set out below:

Croxley Green Business Park – A flood zone and loss of good quality
employment stock

Twychells Farm – impact on the Green Belt

Stud Cottage – impact on the Green Belt and urbanisation of open land
separating Bedmond from Abbots Langley

The Retreat – impact on the Green Belt and proximity to a traffic
congestion zone

Hill Farm – impact on the Green Belt

North Abbots Langley – impact on Green Belt and potential
development adjacent to a motorway

Vivian Gardens – very small site

The Roughs – impact on the Green Belt and its status as woodland

Egg Farm – impact on the Green Belt

South Toms Lane – impact on the Green Belt

Green Street – Impact on the Green Belt

Griggs Field – Impact on the Green Belt

East Lane – Impact on the Green Belt
d:\684077604.doc
-6-
6.9
Site to be excluded from further consideration

Royal Masonic School Grounds- it is understood that the long-term
intentions of the owners are to extend existing school facilities on the
site rather than promote housing development.
Report prepared by: Renato Messere, Planning Policy Manager.
d:\684077604.doc
-7-