Richborough Estates consider that density of a development is a matter for master planning to address and support the general approach included in Policy P5. Prescriptive minimum density targets have not led to high quality developments and this is manifested by excessive on-street car parking. Richborough Estates recognises that the White Paper Fixing our broken housing market does refer to optimising the proposed density of development but this can be done within the context of a master planning approach. Indeed, the White Paper also says that the density and form of development should reflect the character, accessibility and infrastructure capacity of an area and the nature of local housing need which are all matters considered as part of a master planning approach.

However, Richborough Estates caution against prescriptive phasing of development without good or sound reasons for doing so. The starting point for this caution is the requirement in the National Planning Policy Framework to significantly boosting housing supply and this objective has the potential to be materially compromised by the artificial phasing of development. The fundamental objective of Government planning policy remains the delivery of housing which is needed now.

There may well be circumstances where phasing of a site could be justified but these would be linked to triggers for the delivery of the associated infrastructure rather than the artificial constraint on when planning permission might be issued.