Regulation 18 Draft Local Plan

Support

Representation ID: 2438

Received: 25/04/2024

Respondent: Mulberry Land and the Machin Family

Agent: Mulberry Strategic Land

Mulberry Land are supportive of the Vision and Strategic Objectives contained in the draft plan. Maximising the potential of the District, specifically through supporting the delivery of jobs and growing the economy is crucial for a sustainable future for the District.
Identifying Grantham’s role as the Sub-Regional Centre is supported, given its position between Lincoln and Peterborough, being alongside the A1. In addition to the Vision for Grantham specifically, reference should be made to the allocation of significant levels of employment growth to the north of the town, at the Gonerby Moor junction of the A1.

Support

Representation ID: 2439

Received: 25/04/2024

Respondent: Mulberry Land and the Machin Family

Agent: Mulberry Strategic Land

We welcome the Objectives of the draft local plan. In particular, Objective 2, 3 and 8.

Mulberry Land are supportive of the Key Diagram included within the draft Local Plan. This clearly identifies an Employment Growth Location covering land to the north of Grantham at Gonerby Moor, on the east of the A1.

Support

Representation ID: 2440

Received: 25/04/2024

Respondent: Mulberry Land and the Machin Family

Agent: Mulberry Strategic Land

Mulberry Land are supportive of Policy SP1: Spatial Strategy, which sets out that the focus for the majority of growth is in and around the sub-regional centre of Grantham and the three market towns, with Grantham being a particular focal point. For the town to continue to function effectively, we appreciate the importance for growth to be focussed at this location.

Support

Representation ID: 2441

Received: 25/04/2024

Respondent: Mulberry Land and the Machin Family

Agent: Mulberry Strategic Land

Mulberry Land are supportive of Policy SP1: Spatial Strategy, which sets out that the focus for the majority of growth is in and around the sub-regional centre of Grantham and the three market towns, with Grantham being a particular focal point. For the town to continue to function effectively, we appreciate the importance for growth to be focussed at this location.

The same points apply when reviewing Policy SP2: Settlement Hierarchy, whereby the policy sets out that the majority of development will be focused in Grantham in order to support and strengthen its role as a sub-regional centre.

Support

Representation ID: 2442

Received: 25/04/2024

Respondent: Mulberry Land and the Machin Family

Agent: Mulberry Strategic Land

We would suggest this policy should not apply to sites which have been allocated for residential or employment purposes through the Local Plan as the Council should already be considering the need to protect the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land through the land allocations process. As an example, the land at Oakdale, SKPR-182 is grade 3 land (good to moderate), whereas there 4 are pockets of grade 1 and 2 land immediately around Grantham and extensively around Bourne and the Deepings which should be taken into account in allocating land at this stage.

Support

Representation ID: 2443

Received: 25/04/2024

Respondent: Mulberry Land and the Machin Family

Agent: Mulberry Strategic Land

Generally, Mulberry Land are supportive of the proposals and policies set out under Chapter 9 – Employment and Economic Prosperity. The ambitions of both South Kesteven and the GLLEP are welcomed, supporting the capacity of the LEP area to deliver high-quality economic growth. They are clearly aligned with the Corporate Plan for the District, and it is clear the updated Economic Development Strategy for 2024-28 will underpin this focus. The acknowledgement that (paragraph 9.14) the ‘study will set out how South Kesteven’s location at the gateway of significant established and potential economic activity means it is perfectly placed to lead, and drive continued economic growth to mee the needs of incumbent and new businesses for years to come’, is welcomed and should be part of the evidence base going forward to support the Local Plan Review.

Object

Representation ID: 2444

Received: 25/04/2024

Respondent: Mulberry Land and the Machin Family

Agent: Mulberry Strategic Land

Table 7 of the Local Plan Review presents the amount of employment land needed to 2041, split by use class type, as identified in the Employment Land Study 2023. This need amounts to 79.5ha, however, it falls significantly below the amount of employment sites allocated within the Plan, at circa 338ha.

Comments on the Employment Land Study:

- Challenges the “Amber” rating for Accessibility for site SKPR-185.
- Paragraph 6.34 page 100 4th bullet point. The first part of this paragraph refers to the wrong site and should be deleted (as highlighted), however, the remainder of the wording appears to align with the allocation.
- Paragraph 6.35, Page 101: Comments: Penultimate bullet point should include reference to SKPR-182.
- Paragraph 6.42, Page 101/102: This section deals with future supply. In this paragraph, the site Gorse Lane (SKPR-234, to the west of the A1) has been referenced in place of our proposed site SKPR-182 Grantham Oakdale, Gonerby Moor, Grantham. There is further commentary on the site ‘SKPR-234’ in Paragraph 6.44 which we believe has been misplaced, as the site is not a preferred site within the Draft Local Plan.

Object

Representation ID: 2445

Received: 25/04/2024

Respondent: Mulberry Land and the Machin Family

Agent: Mulberry Strategic Land

We would wish to expand on paragraph 9.35 as it is clear that the Employment Land Study used a Labour Demand Scenario to establish the need figure. The implication for using such data and limiting land allocations to that figure is growth will largely follow a historic trend and curve.

Of the existing allocations, to date, none have been delivered. The Council has 339.2ha of allocated employment land, which is a vast amount to be delivered during the plan period. We welcome the ambitions of the authority, however more detail in the Local Plan Review consultation is required to address how this amount will be phased, and how local and strategic infrastructure will deal with the additional requirements on capacity. In the interests of ensuring the plan is soundly and positively prepared each of these sites should be subject to the same scrutiny as new allocations as relying upon sites and evidence which supported the previous plan risks undermining the Local Plan Review and overstating the employment land position. It would be wise to ensure the council has an agreed delivery statement for each of the sites in question.

Object

Representation ID: 2446

Received: 25/04/2024

Respondent: Mulberry Land and the Machin Family

Agent: Mulberry Strategic Land

Welcome the allocation of land at Oakdale, Gonerby Moor, Grantham for 80ha of employment land, under reference SKPR-182. The land at Gonerby Moor is strategic in scale and we consider specific policies should be provided to acknowledge the strategic role of the site and how development should be phased, and infrastructure facilitated.

Criteria C of the policy could come into question and could end up stifling delivery of the allocations if there is a cumulative impact on the local and/or strategic highway network.
Given the above comments in our view, an additional policy should be introduced to the LP Review which deals with phasing of the Gonerby Moor allocations. This would continue to fully support the growth ambitions of the District, and in fact would better aid in reaching its potential, to ensure that each site is genuinely deliverable, albeit in a considered phased manner.

We would also recommend a site-specific policy for land at Oakdale Farm (SKPR-182). In terms of phasing, Mulberry Land recommend land at Oakdale Farm should be considered at the soonest opportunity for delivery, ahead of allocations SKPR-202 and SKPR-100.

Object

Representation ID: 2447

Received: 25/04/2024

Respondent: Mulberry Land and the Machin Family

Agent: Mulberry Strategic Land

In response to Paragraph 10.1 under the Landscape Character heading, Oakdale Farm is not subject to any statutory landscape designations. The land falls partly within the Trent and Belvoir Vale and partly within the Grantham Scarps and Valleys Landscape Character Area2. We do however question if reliance on the 2007 document remains relevant as evidence base, given that the consented solar farm development has and will have an impact on the landscape. The consented solar farm will have a lasting impact on the landscape character around land at Oakdale Farm, introducing an urbanising effect with the future solar proposal effectively ‘wrapping around’ the proposed allocated site.