26/01/12…AMENDMENT ( para 7) Minister visits Thame despite illness

INCLUDES CORE STRATEGY LATEST: DESPITE being taken ill during an afternoon ministerial visit elsewhere, Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Minister of State for Communities and Local Government, dropped into Thame last night to see how Thame’s Neighbourhood Plan was progressing.

Mr Clark, accompanied by Thame’s MP, John Howell, met some of the key contributors to Thame?s Neighbourhood Plan project, including councillors of various levels and representatives from local community and residents’ groups. The evening included short presentations and a chance for guests to ask questions.

Unfortunately Mr Clark did not feel up to a press call after the meeting, which was only open to an invited audience.

John Howell is Greg Clark’s Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) and was involved in the production of the policy document ?Open Source Planning?, much of which became the foundation for the Localism Bill.

Thame Town Council said: “Thame is one of a few towns selected as a front runner for Neighbourhood Planning and this visit gave the Minister an opportunity to observe Neighbourhood Planning in action and to engage with, and learn from, the people involved at grass roots level.”

LATEST: Thame Neighbourhood Plan and the Core Strategy

THE Core Strategy Examiner (due to announce his full conclusions in February) has indicated his intention to rule that site allocations for proposed housing development in Thame should be determined by the people of Thame through the Neighbourhood Plan. His latest report states:

“The Neighbourhood Plan for Thame will allocate land for 775 new homes on land selected through that process as the most appropriate and sustainable. If Thame Neighbourhood Plan (TNP) has not been adopted by April 01, 2014, the reserve site (site F) would be released for 400 homes and the balance of Thame?s allocation of 775 homes would then be identified either through the Neighbourhood Plan or a Site Allocations DPD.

“The reserve site referred to above is intended only as a contingency measure to ensure a 5-year housing supply if the TNP is not adopted by April 01, 2014. Unless it becomes necessary to invoke this provision TNP will be free to distribute the required number
of allocations at Thame among such selected sites as may be deemed most appropriate and sustainable.

** ED. The above section of the Inspector’s report as been amended (28/01) following a challenge to its legality from those with interests in Site D. This section now reads:

“According to the current programme and expectations, Thame Neighbourhood Plan (TNP) should be adopted in plenty of time to avoid a hiatus in land supply even if adoption were to be delayed considerably beyond its original programmed date.

“Although I was previously inclined to agree with SODC that inclusion of a contingency/reserve allocation could mitigate any negative effects arising from failure to adopt TNP by April 2014, any such action needs to be proportionate to the degree of risk. The NP process appears to have been widely welcomed and there is no evidence to suggest that TNP will not succeed in reaching timely adoption. Nor has there been any opportunity to discuss the need for, or the form and scope of, any contingency measure. I therefore reach the revised conclusion that, in relation to the risk, it is unnecessary and inappropriate to include the requested contingency
measure: in short, the CS (Core Strategy) would not be unsound without one. The District Council will be closely engaged at all stages of the NP process and would have the opportunity, in accordance with policy CSC1, to consider the implications for land supply and the way that any likely future shortfall should be addressed in the (currently unlikely) event that the TNP did not make progress as reasonably expected.” ** END OF AMENDMENT

“Provision of additional housing will help to support the town centre?s attraction in relation to nearby centres and maintain Thame?s services and facilities.

The overall strategy is to provide 775 additional houses to 2027 on sites selected by a neighbourhood plan.

“The selected sites will need to have a form and character which meet identified needs and be planned comprehensively in accordance with agreed design briefs reflecting policies CSQ1-4 and other relevant policies in the Local Development Framework. The developments should avoid building on areas of land within flood zones 2 and 3, provide safe pedestrian and cycle links to the town centre, and make provision (or provide contributions towards) such necessary supporting infrastructure as is set out in the infrastructure delivery plan.”

PHOTO: The Minister (left) with Thame’s Mayor David Bretherton (centre) and John Howell MP