Examination of Rural Housing Allocations (RA1 & RA2)

There was much discussion on Wednesday 18^th February about the 5,300 homes to be built in rural areas in the period 2011-2031.

Many parishes and local residents challenged how such growth could be deliverable when it was 3-5 times the level of growth previously experienced in the county. Developers queried whether the level of housing proposed was enough and requested that growth in rural areas should not be “capped” by any policies.

The discussions highlighted the following problems with Herefordshire Council’s policies:-

1. That the housing allocation had come out of a “desk top” survey in 2009 using an Ordinance Survey map. Development constraints such as sewage capacity or agricultural land classification did not appear to have been considered.
2. There was no clear definition what a “village” was. It was highlighted that some “villages” in the lists for development had no “main built up area” and so were hamlets across open countryside.
3. Housing allocations did not match proposed housing in Neighbourhood Development plans which are being prepared at a “Parish Council” level. Therefore some parishes had housing allocations twice in the lists as Herefordshire Council had taken more than one village from a parish area (E.g. Burghill and Tillington are both in the Burghill Parish Council area; Stretton Sugwas and Swainshill are both in the Stretton Sugwas Parish Council area).
4. Infrastructure to support development in rural areas had not been identified and might be costly if there was little or no infrastructure, in particular water treatment works for sewerage. This could make such development undeliverable.

It was agreed that the wording in policy RA2 had to be changed, and the Council was asked to review the village lists; define what a “village” would be and how it would be differentiated from “Open Countryside”.

The Planning Inspector also asked Herefordshire Council to consider the impact of housing allocations on Neighbourhood Development Plans as it seems parishes could receive housing through the rural housing allocation and also in the higher tier plans such as the Hereford Area Plan or the Market Town Plans (for which the areas for allocating urban housing development has not yet been agreed). This could mean that emerging Neighbourhood Development Plans which have based development on the rural housing allocation figures could be found by the Council not “in conformity” with the Core Strategy if Herefordshire Council determine that the Parish should be part of a city or market development plan area with a higher level of housing allocation.