Object

Representation ID: 30360

Received: 24/03/2021

Respondent: Mr Alastair Sim

Agent: Clive Brook Planning

The Council’s site specific Green Belt Review for the SHLAA referenced site IL/020B rejects the consideration of this site as a potential residential allocation on the grounds that the site is not attached to the urban area as defined by the land inside the settlement boundary of the main Ilkley urban area. I disagree with the conclusions reached.

While the site is not currently attached to the main urban area it was included within the 500m arc distance from the urban edge in the 2013 Growth Study produced by Broadway Malyan and which is still part of the evidence base for this emerging composite Local Plan. The Growth Study appraisal for this specific strategic parcel IL /SP/ 002 did not dismiss the potential of this site for a future residential allocation and gave much greater and more realistic consideration to the true scale of the housing need and demand for the Principal Town.

The only reason for the dismissal of this site is on the basis of non-attachment to the urban area whereas many sites are dismissed for a combination of two or three reasons. The Council argue in their dismissal of this site that it “could only come forward as part of a larger change to the Green Belt boundary including the release of the adjacent site IL/037 in association with IL/039 which lies to the west of IL/037. I totally disagree with this conclusion as there is a further linkage available involving the future development allocation of the preferred site IL/009 in association with the current residential cell to either side of Ben Rhydding Drive. Removing the current development cell from the Green Belt along with part of IL/020B and IL/009 this would achieve a logical association and an attachment with the urban are at the north western end of site IL/009.

This changed association and linked sites removal would be more logical and have less adverse impact on the five purposes of the Green Belt.

We have established specific exceptional circumstances for greater provision of housing on those sites which have strong sustainable development credentials. In association with the extensive environmental proposals for the total landholding these proposals form a truly sustainable development by meeting all three interlocking objectives (Environmental, Social and Economic -as contained in the NPPF) with enhancements in each case.