Cabinet is asked to agree Proposed Changes (also known as ‘modifications’) following an assessment of responses to consultation on the Pre-submission Plan held in Jan/Feb 2018. Subject to Cabinet approval, a resolution will be sought from full Council on 17th December 2018 for the draft plan, modifications and supporting documents to be submitted the Secretary of State for the purposes of public examination. This is expected to take place in Spring 2019.

’17.Land at Innox Hill (off Packsaddle). While promoted in the plan as a self-build exception site and office hub, significant objections have been raised on whether the site is developable and the environmental sensitivity of the location. A speculative planning application (now withdrawn) has re-enforced this view. It is proposed this allocation is deleted through modifications – although this does mean there is no major self-build site being promoted through the draft plan. This does not rule-out a smaller-scale development on an exception basis in future. There are no recommendations for alternative self-build sites proposed in the draft plan – although suitable opportunities could come through future plan review.’

Report 11B proposes to ‘delete FR6 – Land at Innox Hill – through proposed modifications…  The draft allocation promotes this site for an ‘exemplar’ self and custom build development which was judged to outweigh against the poor sustainability assessment of the location. However the site is subject to an in principle objection from Wessex Water relating to nuisance from the sewage treatment works which cannot be overcome. In addition, the extent to which the ‘exemplar’ scheme can be achieved is compromised by the sensitivity of the site in terms of landscape, biodiversity impacts and site characteristics. Although self and custom build is strongly supported by the Town Council, they have objected the suitability of this site. Deletion of this site would also accord with the sustainability appraisal assessment.’

Subject to this being approved by Cabinet, and to any last minute lobbying by the landowner and their consultants, this is a victory for the residents’ campaign, which I supported, to have the site allocation removed from the Local Plan pre-submission. Any planning application that comes forward without an allocation would be rejected as not in accordance with the Local Plan (unless other material considerations dictated otherwise). My objection to the allocation of the site can be found here. A related planning application for 96 homes on the site, which I objected to, was also recently withdrawn earlier this year – see here. Frome Town Council and dozens of residents also objected to the application. There were too many problems with these proposals to let it pass.