Object
Solihull Local Plan (Draft Submission) 2020
Representation ID: 14655
Received: 14/12/2020
Respondent: Heyford Developments Ltd (Dorridge Site)
Agent: Barton Willmore
Legally compliant? Not specified
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Not specified
The requirement in point 8 goes beyond the guidance of the NPPF, which encourages developers to provide net gains.
Points 9 and 12 applies net gain to all developments on site, but net gain may not be achievable on all sites in-situ, for example due to site constraints and/or viability. This may
constrain delivery of development land.
Whilst Point 12 allows for the provision to be off-set this is considered a ‘last resort’. The Natural Environment Topic Paper (paragraph 42) refers to a Local Nature Recovery Network evidence base being in production to support implementation of the policy. This should be used to support strategic, plan-level solutions on net gain, rather than potentially less beneficial site by site solutions.
The Policy should be amended to require a net gain without specifying a number; and to refer to the potential for off-site improvements to be considered not as a last resort but as part of the most sustainable solution for individual developments.
See attached documents