Draft response from WHPC to the LDF Public Consultation –final version

Winstred Hundred Parish Council has consulted widely with its parish communities regarding the proposals put forward in the Local Development Framework.  We agree with the conclusions of the Borough Council that none of the sites in Peldon, the Wigboroughs or Salcott cum Virley are suitable for large scale housing developments and are therefore not to be included in the Site Allocations document.

We note the Borough Council’s opinion that our sites are only suitable for affordable housing and we concur with that view.  There was a clear message from our consultations that a small number of suitable houses would be welcomed if they brought families into the community.   The Parish Council established a need for affordable housing several years ago and we know that demand is still present, provided that there can be some priority given to people with local connections.  We have asked local landowners in the past for sites but none have been available.

There is a strong desire to see a shop re-open in a suitable location in one of the villages, probably in Peldon.  There is also an awareness that without such community facilities villages such as ours will become unsustainable and die.  There is a strong opinion that this decline has begun and is probably already irreversible without both policy changes and a positive will on the part of communities to halt the process.

There is a firm view that the village envelopes should not be changed unless at some time in the future to accommodate affordable housing on one of the sites adjacent to a boundary and designated as for affordable housing only.  The residents are adamant that the existing open spaces and woodland in the parish are valued amenities which must be retained.

We support the proposal to restrict the site development at Pantiles Farm in Abberton Road, Peldon (S109) to the area around the existing buildings and to exclude storage and distribution activities.  While we welcome appropriate opportunities for employment in country areas the increase in traffic if the restriction were not imposed would have an undesirable effect on the neighbouring village of Peldon.