Infrastructure Delivery Plan (Feb 2013) - Runnymede Borough Council

Local Plan
The exception to this was Timber Hill where a slight decrease in visitor numbers was
found since it was surveyed since 2006. The majority of visitors to the site were found
to either arrive on foot or by car.
10.31 The Local Plan confirms in Location Policy 2 (LP02) that the Local Plan will aim to
deliver on average 161 units per annum between the years of 2011 and 2026, including
1500 units at the former DERA site. A number of these new dwellings will be within
5km of the TBHSPA.
10.32 Local Plan Core Strategy policy SP07 is concerned with the Thames Basin Heath
Special Protection Area. The policy replicates DF advice approved by Natural England
and currently being followed by the Council that permits the approval of new residential
development between 400m and 5km of the Thames Basin Heath SPA. Development
at the former DERA site is however singled out by the policy as ‘exceptional’, in that it
requires a bespoke solution. The Local Plan's SA/SEA also triggered the requirement
for a HRA assessment in relation to policy LP01, LP02 and LP08.
Future Provision
10.33 The Council will continue to require, as part of an agreement for the development of
new dwellings within the 5 km zone, contributions to enable enhancements to be
Borough’s SANGS over the plan period to be funded. In addition, it will be necessary to
ensure that existing SANGS are maintained and, as such, a contribution to
maintenance will be required. Finally, in recognition of the ability to develop sites,
previously constrained by the SPA designation, the Council will require a financial
contribution to recognise the value unlocked by allowing development to proceed. At
the current time, a flat rate tariff of £1000 per unit in this regard.
10.34 As noted elsewhere in this report, it is forecasted that over the plan period, a maximum
of 4512 units could be delivered in the Borough. 3009 of these units would be in the
400m-5km zone of influence for the TBHSPA (zone B). Of these 3009 units, DERA
(1500 units) and Franklands Drive (350 units) will provide their own on site SANGS and
hence 1850 units need to be deducted. This leaves a possible 1159 units which could
potentially be delivered in zone B. A number of these units have already been granted
planning permission (although they may not have been erected), and have already paid
the necessary financial contributions to safeguard the integrity of the TBHSPA. When
these units are also deducted from the total, it is estimated that 699 units could come
forward in zone B over the plan period.
10.35 RBC has produced a capital works programme and maintenance schedule for the
Borough’s SANGS for the next 5 years. These works will principally involve improving
the overall quality of the sites via habitat creation and improvement, and management
works. The works planned are detailed in Appendix 4.
10.36 Generally, the quality and amount of the SANGS within the Borough will need to be
assessed at regular intervals over the course of the Local Plan to identify whether
additional capacity is required to be provided to support increases in the number of
residential units within zone B (over and above that amount of development forecasted
above), or whether further works are required to ensure the quality of the SANGS is
maintained.
10.37 In addition, any development at the former DERA site will provide its own SANG. This
is to meet with Natural England’s requirements.
Page | 107
Runnymede IDP DRAFT – February 2013