Comment

Representation ID: 661

Received: 02/07/2007

Respondent: Trinity College

Agent: Bidwells

It is noted that this Section makes no reference to the background of supporting documents to inform the Core Strategy Options. It is critical that the absence of an Urban Capacity Study, Strategic Housing Market Assessment, Housing Needs, Housing Strategy and Housing Land Availability Assessment, which are of course key documents necessary to underpin the Core Strategy, do not appear to have been undertaken or made available. All the material that will be relied upon by the Council as the Core Strategy proceeds to submission should be made available. The Planning Inspectorate and PPS12 confirms that options should be informed by the evidence base and that this should have been completed at this preferred option stage ("Development Plan Examinations - A Guide to Assessing the Soundness of Development Plan Documents").Of further concern is the lack of a sustainability appraisal. Whilst an appraisal was undertaken at Regulation 25 pre-submission stage PPS12 confirms at 3.18 that, "in accordance with Regulation 26, local planning authorities must undertake a sustainability appraisal of the preferred options and prepare a final sustainability report for consultation alongside the preferred options document".Against this background it is submitted that the Preferred Options Draft document is fundamentally flawed. Consideration should be given to withdrawing the Document until the appraisal and the evidence is completed to ensure that preferred options have been properly examined and consultation has taken place.The implications of the lack of the evidence base suggests that any future publication will be produced retrospectively to justify the content of the Core Strategy. This is considered unacceptable and contrary to the core principles for the Local Development Framework process.