CLACKMANNANSHIRE LDP Supporting Statement for Land at Chapelhill,

Clackmannan

1.0 THE SITE AND PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
1.1 The site, circa 0.65 hectares, lies at the southern edge of Clackmannan (refer
location plan) and comprises a house with extended garden. The site is fully contained
within a landscape framework with significant woodland to the east and south and a
substantial attractive hedge along the western roadside boundary (Lookaboutye Brae)
refer Appendix 1 Aerial View. The northern section of the site is occupied by the
existing house with access to this property/the site taken from Chapelhill to the north.

1.2 The site lies close to an array of local amenities/facilities, including the local
Primary School, and is accessible from/to public transport services. The site also sits
adjacent to countryside footpaths giving ready access to the surrounding landscape. As
presently proposed the site lies outwith the defined Clackmannan settlement boundary
and it is unclear, due to the lack of map based information in the LDP, whether it lies
within the proposed Green Belt.

1.3 The development concept favoured is one related to the provision of bespoke
eco-homes, seeking to meet a niche in the market not readily provided for elsewhere in
the local or wider Clackmannanshire area. It is also the intent to meet, at least in part, a
demand for live-work units (in an accessible location) in order to further the
sustainability credentials of the proposals. Utilising the visually contained site
characteristics readily apparent and seeking a genuinely bespoke development
proposal, it is clear that this development would assist in diversifying housing choice
and help meet a requirement, rather than mainstream housing needs (all in accordance
with Scottish Planning Policy) which are addressed by other LDP allocations. It is also
clear that the site is in an accessible location and that development within the site
would be visually contained within the landscape.

1.4 It is envisaged that the existing house would remain with the development zone
to the south/rear for 4 new properties albeit this would be subject to further
assessment and discussion with the Council. As indicated, the concept is based on
applying sustainable building techniques and available technology in order to achieve,
as far as practicable, zero carbon development. This will include:

Houses designed to maximise passive solar gain.
Solid timber construction reducing air leakage coupled with high insulation
standards.
Solar panels.
Ground source heat pumps to provide hot water.
Rain water harvesting and internal plumbing measures to reduce water use.
Locally sourced materials. and

Investigation of eco-utility Sewage System to negate need for public connection.
1.5 As indicated, it is envisaged that the existing house would remain with the
development zone to the south/rear. There is adequate space in the remaining area to
accommodate the nature/scale/quality of development being envisaged. Access to the
site would be by upgrade to the existing site access. The sustainable
design/development approach is at the heart of the proposal as is the inclusion of live-
work arrangement as a viable option for future occupants.

2.0 THE CLACKMANNANSHIRE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
2.1 It is stated that the LDP is driven by a clear vision for the growth and
development of Clackmannanshire to 2035, along with clear strategic objectives to
assist in achieving the vision. The LDP is focused on implementation and delivery.
Promotion of growth and sustainable development is seen as a core requirement in
order to achieve a growing population and related investment in the area. In short, the
underlying Vision is to create a more prosperous and sustainable Clackmannanshire
meeting the aspirations of businesses and local communities including the timeous
provision of new housing to meet the needs of the existing and expanding population.
2.2 The Strategic Objectives set out in the LDP include:
focusing new development in areas where it can fully support our economic,
environmental and social objectives;
ensuring that new neighbourhoods are designed to deliver high environmental
standards and contribute to enhanced quality of life for residents;
protecting and enhancing our environmental assets and heritage for present and
future generations.
ensuring the most efficient use of land in meeting development needs; and.
protecting and enhancing Clackmannanshire's distinctive landscape character.
2.3 Alloa, Clackmannan and Tullibody are identified as the main areas for
employment and services within the Council area, with the highest population and
number of households. These settlements are considered to be large and quite close
together making landscape capacity considerations and Green Belt issues important in
protecting the characters of the individual areas and avoiding urban sprawl and
coalescence. The plan goes on to state that there are limited options for settlement
expansion at Clackmannan due to landscape and existing infrastructure constraints
with the 2 two sites identified within the emerging LDP (H27 and H28) considered the
most logical should there be a need for development at Clackmannan outwith the
settlement boundary. In light of the poor performance of the existing housing land
supply it appears patently clear that additional land allocations through the LDP
process will be essential in order to assist the delivery of the LDP strategy and,
significantly, to meet the identified needs of the area. Indeed, of the presently proposed
allocations in Clackmannan, H27 is a brownfield re-development for 6 units and H28 is
already allocated in the adopted Local Plan for housing development. It is therefore
difficult to see, in light of the scale of the former and the lack of progress with the latter
how, these allocations add anything to the effective housing land supply at this stage.
2.4 Despite the well-established need for new residential development in the local
area and in the Clackmannanshire area generally, house completions have been at
historically low levels. Between 2010 and 2012 only 38 new houses were completed in
the Council area. The LDP also projects relatively low completion levels going forward
thereby further highlighting the need for the allocation of effective residential
allocations in order to reduce any such deficits. The Local Development Plan, through
Policy SC1 Maintaining a Housing Land Supply requires the maintenance of a robust
and deliverable housing land supply, in effect, a minimum five year housing land supply
at all times in accord with the Vision and Spatial Strategy of the Local Development Plan
and Scottish Planning Policy.

3.0 THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL ALLOCATIONS
3.1 The housing requirement figures set out in the LDP are unclear and need to be
clarified. The National Records of Scotland (NRS) 2010 projections appear to be used as
the basis of assessment albeit the HNDA for the area is also referenced. Based on the
NRS figures, the LDP states the need for 257 units/annum completions in the period
from 2010 to 2035 (25 years) amounting to 6425 units (6420 in the NRS figures). In
addition to this, the LDP accepts that a generous supply of housing land is important to
support the LDPs primary objective to create the conditions within which sustainable
economic and population growth can take place. The LDP goes on to state It is
anticipated that this lower level of construction activity will continue for some time. An
important aim of this Plan is to ensure that future housing demand in Clackmannanshire
can be fully met and that the conditions are in place to enable increased housing
development as the economy recovers during the Plan period.
3.2 It is difficult to comprehend, based on the patent failure of the present allocated
residential land supply, how anything approaching a 5 year effective supply is being
provided through the LDP. In effect, the Council appear to be setting out a plan, largely
based on the existing allocated land supply with some new allocations, which it is
content will fail to deliver the required housing output at least in the short/medium
term, most likely throughout the plan period. It is noted that completions in the LDP
area during the 3 year period from 2010 to 2013 amounted to 183 units (based on the
LDP figures and the draft 2013 Housing Land Audit), less than 24% of the identified
771 (257 x 3) units required within that timescale. This, and future failures, as
postulated in the LDP, will compound the failure in delivery (add to the overall supply
failures), the impacts of which will threaten to undermine the LDP strategy for the area
and will certainly not provide anything approaching a continuous 5 year land supply or,
significantly, meet the underlying social, community and economic
requirements/benefits arising from new residential development. Restraining the
effective land supply, as presently being proposed in the LDP, will deliver a self-fulfilling
prophesy of failure which will fundamentally undermine the LDP, and be contrary to
Scottish Planning Policy.
3.3 The present/future difficulties with the residential land supply can be observed
in the Draft Housing Land Audit 2013/14. Here there are a significant number of sites
unlikely to be truly effective as many:
Are only seen as effective from year 4 or 5 with no indication of what occurs to
make them effective;
Have no current planning status;
Are not supported by any evidence demonstrating deliverability within the 5-7
year period (no paragraph 55 assessments);
Comprise a relatively large number of constrained Brownfield sites; and
Include large sites such as Sauchie West 700 units: No detailed planning
permission albeit first completions by 2016 are suggested.

3.4 The land supply being relied upon to meet housing needs in the LDP period has
significant constraints/deliverability issues therefore leading to a restricted supply of
effective sites on any reasonable assessment. This comprises land in the present Local
Plan carried into the LDP with some new allocations. Restricting effective supply in this
manner makes output failures a self-fulfilling outcome and is contrary to the LDP
requirements. Additional effective land allocations are clearly required.

4.0 CONCLUSIONS
4.1 Residential development of appropriate scale/form in accessible locations,
meeting defined needs and protecting the landscape setting of settlements are fully
supported by the aims, objectives, and strategy of the emerging Local Development
Plan. Such development, in order to support the Vision and Spatial Strategy of the
emerging Local Development Plan, requires to be deliverable and to respect the
underlying character of the settlement and its landscape setting.

4.2 It is patently clear that the subject site is well related to Clackmannan and its
facilities, that the development would have no material impact on the existing landscape
framework/setting, and it would meet a bespoke housing need in a wholly sustainable
manner (location/design/construction). The emerging LDP clearly highlights
Clackmannan as one of the main settlements albeit it raises landscape capacity
considerations as a rationale for restricting new releases in the town. It is clearly
demonstrated that no such issues would arise in respect of the current proposals, nor
would urban sprawl and coalescence be reasons to reject such a well-integrated
development.

4.3 Indeed, the allocation of the site should be seen in a positive light. In addition to
addressing a market niche (Scottish Planning Policy requires the full range of housing
needs to be provided for), the site would, for the reasons set out, positively contribute
to the emerging LDPs Strategic Objectives by: -

fully supporting economic, environmental and social objectives, including the
delivery of bespoke housing not otherwise planned for;
being designed to deliver high environmental standards and contribute to
enhanced quality of life for residents;
suitably protecting environmental assets;
ensuring the most efficient (and innovative) use of land in meeting development
needs; and.
Protecting/maintaining Clackmannanshire's distinctive landscape character
4.4 In conclusion, there is clearly a requirement in the emerging LDP to provide
additional effective housing land, particularly sites in sustainable/accessible locations
that would support the delivery of the plan. The site at Chapelhill, Clackmannan clearly
meets the sustainability/locational criteria required, would be fully integrated with
built development, set into a significant landscape envelope and accessible to the
countryside. For all the reasons set out above, it is considered that this site should be
allocated for residential development in the LDP. If the planning system is serious
about the delivery of sustainable development and the benefits arising from that,
then this is a prime example of a site that should be allocated in order to deliver
sustainable housing development.












APPENDIX 1 AERIAL VIEW