The Council agreed on 16 May 2019 to launch the preparation of an updated Local Plan.

The purpose of the Local Plan is to provide a planning policy framework to direct growth and change to appropriate locations and therefore achieve sustainable development to create places people want to live, work and locate their businesses. The plan covers all types of development, from housing to employment, schools, roads, parks, shops and community facilities, The Local Plan also includes a range of planning polices to inform the location, scale and appearance of developments. When adopted it will form part of the Development Plan for the area.

Please refer to the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council Local Plan Update at: https://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/lpu

On 15th February 2020, Bramley Parish Council held an open day in the Bramley Room, Bramley Village Hall.

A PDF file containing the presentation from the open day can be found at the bottom of the page.

The purpose of the open day was to discuss the Local Plan Update with specific reference to the SHELAA (Strategic House and Economic Land Availability Assessment)

• The SHELAA seeks to identify and assess available land with housing or economic development potential.
  
  
• SHELAAs are a central part of the evidence base for Local Plans and also for establishing an area's housing land supply position.
  
  
• The SHELAA only assesses sites for their development potential it does not allocate sites.
  
  
• The SHELAA is based on the most up to date information available at the time of the documents preparation. Some of these assumptions may change, such as site boundaries, constraints which could be mitigated/overcome, development timescales, site capacity, densities and the availability of the site. New sites will continue to be promoted to the council and these will be considered in future updates.
  
  
• The inclusion of a site within this document does not preclude it from being developed for other uses. Similarly it does not imply that the council would grant planning permission for residential or employment use. 

Contact the Local Plan Team at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council in order to submit comments.

Local Plan team

In May 2019, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council agreed to launch an update to the Local Plan which runs until 2029.  In order to keep residents and other interested parties informed of the progress and updates, they will be issuing newsletters and briefing notes at key stages.

The first newsletter is available now and be viewed on the Bramley Neighbourhood Plan website

“AT LEAST” remains

The recommendation of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is that the wording “AT LEAST” remains in policy SS5 which is the policy associated with Neighbourhood Planning allocation of housing developments.

The response to the Consultation was high from the residents of Bramley. To the consultation on the whole plan there were 384 comments with 209 comments on modification 141 which refers to the change in the wording to “at least” in policy SS5, Neighbourhood Planning. There were 198 objections made to this change.

To the proposed modification 141, which refers to the change in the wording to “at least”, there were 183 objections from the community of Bramley alone pointing out that:-

“The  change reference PM141 on policy SS5 which refers to changing 'approximately' to 'at least' is  not restrictive and allows developers more allowance and believes wording should remain as 'approximate “

That is 183 objections from Bramley from a total of 198 against this change, 92%. Bramley Parish Council objected as did Overton and Oakley Parish Councils who are also allocated housing developments in Policy SS5.

For a large number of replies there was text explaining that changing the wording would make it difficult for Neighbourhood planning because “at Least” meant “AD INFINITUM” as regards housing development, that in the case of Bramley the change in the wording from “200 approximately” to “200 at Least” would give developers an argument to have an open door to development, that Bramley has not the infrastructure to cope with such expansion, that Bramley has had extraordinary growth over recent years etc.

The response from Jill Fisher, Policy Manager (Planning and Infrastructure) to Mr Mike Fox HA (Hons) DipTR MRTPI, the Inspector for the local plan,as regards the change can be seen at

http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/rte.aspx?id=1215.

• PS/06 Documents relating to Public Consultation on Proposed Modifications Dec 2015 - Feb 2016 and beyond

The paragraph in the letter ref Policy SS5 (Neighbourhood Planning) stated:-

“Approximately 65% of representations on the proposed main modifications related to policy SS5 (Neighbourhood Planning) with a particularly high level of interest from residents in Bramley parish. Comments primarily related to the change of wording from ‘approximately’ to ‘at least’ for the levels of development identified for the 5 named settlements in the policy.
The proposed modifications reflect discussions held during the examination and the views of the Inspector. As outlined in council document MF15, the change to ‘at least’ has been made to promote flexibility and ensure that the neighbourhood planning figures are not considered as a ceiling for development. The use of 'at least' is common practice in Local Plans and should not equate to an unlimited amount of further development.
Consequently, whilst the council is sympathetic to the concern that ‘at least’ does not represent clear guidance on housing numbers, it considers that the proposed wording is a suitable response to the need for flexibility.”

The list of the 183 responses from Bramley Residents can be seen under

PS/06/09 - Summary Schedule of Representations and Council Responses to Issues Raised (PDF, 579 kb)

on the page referenced above. There you will see the response to all the Objections is:-

“Noted and no change proposed. The council has sympathy with this argument and the change reflects discussions held during the examination and the views of the Inspector. As outlined in council document MF15, the change to ‘at least’ has been made to promote flexibility and ensure that the neighbourhood planning figures are not considered as a ceiling for development levels by Neighbourhood Planning Groups. The use of 'at least' is common practice in Local Plans and should not equate to an unlimited amount of further development. The level of development set out for Bramley specifically reflects a number of factors including level of services/facilities in the area, housing need etc. and any development will need to meet draft Policy CN6 which requires development to provide towards additional infrastructure at a rate, scale and pace to meet the needs and requirements arising from developments”

Recent planning applications that have been agreed by BDBC for Bramley, now standing at 325 not counting Razors Farm, have not, with the exception of the 200 houses on Minchens Lane, contributed towards additional infrastructure required to give the residents the quality of life that they deserve and have a right to, with the infrastructure improvements lacking from previous developments.
They are contributing to the housing shortage of the BOROUGH and its lack of 5 year sustainable land availability, but of no benefit to Bramley.

So, it is obvious that the knowledge of residents who live in Bramley and have objected to the wording “AT LEAST” has had no influence on BDBC as to the undeserved damage that is being imposed on Bramley Parish.
With 325 houses already agreed against an original figure of “200 approximately”, has Bramley been flexible enough to have met “200 at least” when the housing shortage for Bramley was originally 72, this having been reduced on the housing register since the original allocation.

Is “200 at least” met with 325 housing? WHAT, WHERE IS THE FLEXIBLE END POINT?

The Parish Council will continue to fight for the rights of the residents of Bramley to give you the quality of life you deserve, have a right to, and which BDBC state within the Local Plan is there VISION:-

Paragraph 2.4

Basingstoke and Deane’s people, communities will be flourishing, enjoying an excellent quality of life and environment, which has been improved through well planned growth that draws on our strengths and secures vital improvements. It enriches the character and vitality of our villages and outstanding countryside.

Paragraph 2.8:-

Ensure that infrastructure is planned prior to development and delivered alongside development to meet the changing needs of our residents and employers.

Somewhere along the line this appears to have been bypassed, forgotten.

Malcolm Bell
Bramley Parish Councillor

As a result of the public consultation period on the Proposed Modifications to the Local Plan that closed on 8th February 2016, the comments are now available.

You can find all the public comments here:  ^{(opens in a new window/tab)}

http://basingstoke-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/fpt/localplan/pmc/mods?page=1&pageSize=250&status=&tab=list&sortMode=response_date&q:sortMode=

You can also download a PDF of all the comments below:

COMMENTS ON THE CHANGES TO THE LOCAL PLAN

ON BEHALF OF BRAMLEY PARISH COUNCIL

February 2016

This is concerning Change Reference PM141, Policy SS5, on Page 50:-

The change in the levels of development in and around defined settlement boundaries for the 5 settlements in the Neighbourhood Planning Policy SS5 from “APPROXIMATELY” to “AT LEAST” is completely unacceptable. It destroys completely the concept of Neighbourhood Planning and the supposed support that Basingstoke and Deane gives to Neighbourhood Planning. 

Definition of Approximately: - “close to, around, roughly in the region of”
Definition of At Least             : - “at minimum, no less than, not less than” giving an open end, ad infinitum

This change gives developers a complete Open Door for housing numbers in the Parishes developing Neighbourhood Plans. No plan can cope with an open end, ad infinitum and therefore you destroy with this single change (considered by Basingstoke and Deane to be a minor change) the possibility of Parishes developing Neighbourhood plans to influence housing developments, growth in their parishes.

There is also the change Ref PM143, Paragraph 4.52, Page 51 where it states “at least 750 homes will be delivered at the five named settlements through the policy, reflecting the size, characteristics, needs and sustainability credentials of these settlements”. This is the support for Policy SS5, but it again is completely wrong, giving no support to Neighbourhood Planning.

The previous wording “approximately” gave parishes a chance to influence housing developments, growth in the parishes in keeping with the views of the community and in accordance with the Local Plan, but this change destroys that possibility.

Within the plan there are no changes to the Paragraphs 4.18-4.36, the evidence base supporting the numbers allocated to the Parishes:- 

Bramley paragraph 4.28 and 4.29:-

4.28:- Bramley has some local facilities including a railway station providing access to Basingstoke and Reading and bus connections to Basingstoke. It has a primary school, local shop, public house and community facilities. Residents of surrounding villages may rely on these local services for day to day needs whilst the residents of Bramley may be dependent on Basingstoke for higher order services, including main food shopping. There are around 1,300 employee jobs in Bramley and Sherfield Ward. Unemployment is low (1% of the working age population compared to the borough average of 1.9% (2013). 

4.29:- Given the size of the village, the level of facilities and services available, and the level of local housing need (in 2013 there were 72 households in housing need in the parish) an allocation of 200 homes has been made to meet the needs of the village through Policy SS5 (Neighbourhood Planning). This approach recognises the strength of local discontent with recent development in the village and allows the local community to identify a locally supported approach to accommodating growth rather than allocating a specific site. Homes will therefore be delivered through mechanisms such as Neighbourhood Planning, and Bramley Parish became a designated area for Neighbourhood Planning purposes in 2013. 

Whitchurch 4.21 and 4.22:-

4.21:- Given the size of the town, the level of facilities and services available and its links to higher order services, in addition to the level of local housing need, a Greenfield allocation (set out in Policy SS3.6) is made to deliver approximately 150 new homes. A further allocation of 200 homes has been made to meet the longer term needs of the town through Policy SS5. These homes will be delivered through mechanisms such as Neighbourhood Planning, in response to the ambitions of the local community which are reflected in Whitchurch Parish becoming a designated area for Neighbourhood Planning purposes in 2013. The Local Plan also allocates a 1 ha site for a station car park to the north of the town (Policy SS11) 

4.22:- General infrastructure constraints including education, the historic road infrastructure which leads to local congestion and sewage treatment will be addressed, where possible, in the site specific policies and through the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP). 

For Overton, Paragraphs 4.25 and 4.26; Kingsclere Paragraph 4.33; Oakley Paragraph 4.36 

Where is the supporting evidence to give Basingstoke and Deane the right to subject these parishes to an open ended book for development when the numbers allocated to these parishes is based on the information in the paragraphs listed above for all the parishes, recognizing the infrastructure constraints and in the case of Bramley, the extraordinary growth seen over recent years. 

For Bramley, in paragraph 4.29 it states that Basingstoke and Deane recognizes “the strength of local discontent with recent development in the village and allows the local community to identify a locally supported approach to accommodating growth rather than allocating a specific site.” The allocation of 200 houses meets the needs of the Local Housing need based on the 2013 figures( which has reduced since that time”).

On the 2013 figures, 40% of 200 equals 80 houses affordable/social meeting the 72 household need in the Parish. 

With “AT LEAST” 200, where does the growth of Bramley end? It is a parish that Basingstoke and Deane recognizes as being discontented with recent developments in the village, and a village that is struggling to give to its residents a “happy, healthy lifestyle” because of the lack of infrastructure improvements that has not materialised with growth? 

The Parish Council has emphasised this throughout consultation. With this single change to the local plan you are going one step closer to destroying village life in Bramley completely, and likewise for the other Parishes allocated housing under the policy SS5, “NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING” 

Bramley Parish Council is COMPLETELY OPPOSED to the change in the wording from “APPROXIMATELY” to” AT LEAST”, and as can be seen through the Neighbourhood Plan for Bramley that is at the Pre-Submission stage, has the support of the community of Bramley Parish who have expressed their views as to how growth of Bramley will continue within the plan period. 

Written on Behalf of Bramley Parish Council

Malcolm Bell, Parish Councillor

The Bramley NDP team have posted an article that presents the recent modifications to the Local Plan as a result of the recent independent inspections.

BDBC Local Plan – December 2015 Modifications

HOW CAN PEOPLE RESPOND?

You can comment online by completing the representation form (BDBC website) or by downloading the form below.

Alternatively, representations can be made in writing and sent either by email tolocal.plan@basingstoke.gov.ukor by post to the Local Plan Team at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Civic Offices, London Road, Basingstoke, RG21 4AH by 4pm on 8 February 2016. Any representations received after 4pm on Monday 8 February cannot be accepted.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council have updated the Local Plan pages to reflect the upcoming hearings taking place from Monday October 12th.

They have published a full programme which you can find at the following link:

Revised Hearings Programme 

At the above link, you will find the dates when questions raised by Bramley Parish Council are to be discussed.  Please check the programme for the current date/times.

How to find representations made by participants

You can view any hearing statements submitted by these participants via the Examination Library http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/rte.aspx?id=1215 (scroll down the page). The original representations made by these participants over the three consultation periods (2013, 2014 & 2015) may be viewed via the Council’s Consultation Portal. Please contact the Programme Officer if you experience any difficulty in accessing these documents.

Full details on the local plan can be found at:  http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/localplanexamination

Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan submission documents

View a complete set of the Examination documents, including those published after submission.

Further Information

Planning Inspectorate Website

Examining Local Plans – Procedural Practice (Dec 2013)

National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012)

Current Planning Legislation – Acts of Parliament (including Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and Localism Act 2011)

Current Planning Legislation- Statutory Instruments (including 2012 Planning Regulations SI 2012 767)

Below you will see various excerpts from Basingstoke and Dean Local Plan submission to the Planning Inspector.
The letters from the Planning inspector and a table of the initial concerns raised by the Inspector can also been found below.

The main page for the Basingstoke and Dean Emerging Local Plan can be found at:

http://www.basingstoke.gov.uk/browse/environment-and-planning/planning/emerging-local-plan/

What does this mean for Bramley?

At the moment, until the meeting to be held on Thursday 11 December, no one knows for certain.
As the Inspector states in his letters, he may have missed the detail in the extensive Local Plan Submission that answers some of his concerns, and Basingstoke and Dean Borough Council will have a chance to explain it's position at this meeting.    The reason for the meeting on the 11th December is to make sure the Local Plan meets the current guidelines and does not involve a possible costly 'rejection' of the plan at a later stage.  

We will keep you updated on the progress of the Local Plan submission but please do contact us if you have any questions. 

Excerpts from the Inspectors Notes

Update on Progress

The Inspector has written to the Council outlining some initial concerns and giving notice that he intends to hold an Exploratory Meeting to discuss these at 10.00am on Thursday, 11 December 2014 at the Civic Offices, Basingstoke. The meeting is open to the public to observe. Further details may be found in the following documents:

(The above is from: http://bit.ly/BDBCLP241014 - opens in a new window/tab)

The Inspector has now carried out an initial assessment of the Plan and supporting documents submitted by the Council and he has written to the Council setting out some initial concerns. He has asked for a response from the Council by 28th November. The Inspector’s concerns and the Council’s response will form the basis for discussion at an Exploratory Meeting between the Council and the Inspector at 10.00am on Thursday 11th December 2014 in Committee Room 1, the Civic Offices, Basingstoke.
The meeting will finish by no later than 4.00pm and will be open to the public to observe . Other parties will be permitted to speak but only in relation to one or more of the Inspector’s concerns. Please note that if you do wish to speak at the meeting,it is essential that you contact me by 28th November, giving your name, organisation represented (if applicable) and the issue(s) that you wish to raise. Those who have not contacted me in advance will not be permitted to speak at the meeting on 11th December.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Local Plan

Exploratory Items: Initial Issues identified by the Inspector

The Parish Council met on 16th September 2013, and discussed a draft response to the Local Plan consultation. You can find the final response on the attached documents. Members of the public are also able to respond to this consultation, which is open until 4th October 2013. The process is quite complicated but you may use some of our wording in your own response if you feel your views are similarly reflected. Alternatively, the Borough Council will accept an email summarising your views about the Local Plan.