Agenda item

Draft Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance (copy enclosed).

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance presenting the draft Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan (the Plan) and comments received.

 

Councillor Mrs M E Thompson declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item of business as she was a member of Tolleshunt Knights Parish Council.

 

It was noted that Tiptree Parish Council were currently consulting on the draft Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan and as a neighbouring Authority Maldon District Council had been consulted.  The report provided a summary of the contents of the Plan along with Maldon District Council’s proposed response to the consultation.

 

In response to a Member raising concern regarding the impact of the proposed additional housing to Tiptree on this District, particularly in respect of traffic and accessing the A12, the Chairman suggested that this could be incorporated into the Council’s consultation response.

 

In response to questions and comments, the Specialist – Local Plan provided Members with the following additional information:

 

·                 Improved access to the A12 and the junctions on the A12 itself were outside the remit of the Neighbourhood Plan.

 

·                 The Draft Colchester Local Plan showed indicative locations of the proposed Tiptree additional housing allocation

 

·                 The Appleford bridge, Great Braxted and Grey Mills bridge, Kelvedon were included in respect of routes via them onto the A12.

 

·                 A Community Forum on the A12 was scheduled for 24 July and following a Member / Officer forum the Officer provided Members with information regarding the A12 preferred routes including surveys and design work to be undertaken.

 

It was agreed that Members’ comments would be incorporated into the consultation response and the wording of this would be agreed in consultation with the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance.

 

RESOLVED

 

(i)              that the following additional comments from Members, agreed in consultation with the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance, be included as part of the Council’s consultation response to the draft Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan:

 

Maldon District Council is concerned that despite the Neighbourhood Plan’s approach to mitigating the impact of vehicular traffic through Tiptree village, the scale of additional housing in the village will nevertheless impact on traffic flows, through and around the village, especially the routes to the A12, including the routes via the historic Appleford and Grey Mills bridges at Great Braxted and Kelvedon respectively.  Maldon District Council does, however, recognise that improvements to the access roads to the A12 and to the junctions on the A12 itself are outside the remit of the Neighbourhood Plan.

 

(ii)            that subject to (i) above, the draft consultation responses to the draft Tiptree Neighbourhood Plan, as detailed below be approved and submitted to Tiptree Parish Council.

 

Section

Draft consultation response

POLICY TIP01: Tiptree Settlement Boundaries

The approach taken on the settlement boundary and restricting development in the countryside is supported.

POLICY TIP02: Good Quality Design

This policy is supported, as it endeavours to protect the character of the village.

POLICY TIP03: Residential Car Parking

This policy is supported, as it recognises the role private cars have in enabling access to employment and everyday services, and the subsequent need to ensure that sufficient off-street parking is provided in new developments.

POLICY TIP04: Building For Life

The ambition of this policy to improve design of the built environment is supported.  However, as this policy only ‘encourages’ developers to design to Building for Life standards it is unenforceable, and therefore is of limited value.

POLICY TIP05: Dwelling Mix

Sections A and B are rather generic.

 

Section C which requires a percentage of homes to be built to accessible and adaptable standards or wheelchair accessibility standards is a commendable aspiration.  However, the requirement for all affordable housing to meet one or other of these standards may be disproportionate in comparison to the requirements placed on market housing in the policy.

POLICY TIP06: Cycling, Walking and Disability Access Routes

This policy is supported.  This policy is consistent with the draft Essex Walking Strategy. 

POLICY TIP07: Mitigating the impact of vehicular traffic through Tiptree village:

Maldon District Council supports the Plan’s overall approach to mitigating the impact of vehicular traffic through the village.

POLICY TIP07: Mitigating the impact of vehicular traffic through Tiptree village:

 

D (i). the new ‘primary street’ meets the necessary specifications as given in the Essex Design Guide (2018), in particular ensuring it is sufficient to support a bus route; and…

It is understood that ‘primary street’ is the term used by the Highways Authority to describe a road that is sufficient to accommodate a public bus route. However, the Street Type table in the Essex Design Guide (EDG) does not use the term ‘primary street.’  Therefore, in this policy, which street type the term ‘primary street’ relates to needs clarifying.

POLICY TIP08: Tiptree village centre: existing businesses

Although the aims of the policy is supported, the restrictions on change of use may not be enforceable due to permitted development rights.

POLICY TIP09: Tiptree Village Centre: New Developments

This policy is supported.  The aim to provide older persons’ housing in the heart of the village, within easy reach of services and facilities is supported.

POLICY TIP10: Business Development

The allocation of new employment land in the Plan is supported.

POLICY TIP11: Community Infrastructure Provision

This policy is supported

POLICY TIP12: Comprehensive Development

This policy is supported as it will ensure that the new developments will integrate with one another and the village.

POLICY TIP13: Tower End

 

(iii) … A ‘primary street’ is provided…No dwellings should front directly onto this road…

 

 

 

This element of the policy is open to interpretation in terms of the type of development layout required.  What is intended is that dwellings have front gardens and are set back from the street.   However, as drafted, it could be read as meaning that no dwellings should face the road, resulting in a canyon effect as the road would be lined with back garden fences.

 

It is recommended that this element of the policy is re-worded to ensure that it has the intended outcome.

POLICY TIP14: Highland Nursery and Elms Farm

 

(vii). A ‘primary street’ is provided … No dwellings should front directly onto this road…

This element of the policy is open to interpretation in terms of the type of development layout required.  What is intended is that dwellings have front gardens and are set back from the street.  However, as drafted, it could be read as meaning that no dwellings should face the road, resulting in a canyon effect as the road would be lined with back garden fences.

 

It is recommended that this element of the policy is re-worded to ensure that it has the intended outcome.

POLICY TIP15: Countryside and Green Spaces

The policy is supported, although the Parish Council will need to ensure that it has sufficient long-term resources to manage and maintain the open spaces it gains from development in the village.

POLICY TIP16: Recreational disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation

The inclusion of this policy is supported.

 

Supporting documents: