ABSOLUTELYFINALPLAN1stJune09 AW.pdf - Biddestone Village

Questionnaire Results: Housing and PlanningThe North Wiltshire Adopted Local Plan 2011 was produced inresponse to the Government requiring authorities to carry outan environmental appraisal as part of their overall LocalDevelopment Framework Plan. The vision of this document isto improve North Wiltshire through sustainable development,and achieve a balance between economy, environment andsocial factors.Biddestone has a defined framework boundary, whileSlaughterford does not. Within the Biddestone zone inplanning terms, building is looked upon more favourably.Although building outside of this framework is far more strictlyregulated, agricultural, forestry worker or other rural basedoccupations including equestrian applications are howeverconsidered.There was also concern that the site is in a flood plain and itsdevelopment would have been detrimental to this uniquevalley. However, the PC and residents are very aware thatfuture applications to develop the site are likely.The recent population boom in the parish will inevitably putincreasing pressure on the existing housing stock. As familiesgrow and require more space, the older type of small cottagecommon in the parish may simply not meet their needs.Current planning restrictions and lack of available property orland also mitigate against the desire of the community to openshops, tea rooms etc.Prior to this questionnaire, a housing survey was carried outby the Parish Council in December 2004 and concluded that afew rented units of social housing were necessary. Theresponse rate to this questionnaire was 26.5%.Since the beginning of 2008, planning consent has been givenfor seven dwellings in Biddestone village of which three arenew and the remainder are conversions. Out of these, two willmeet social housing needs.Slaughterford successfully appealed against a proposedresidential development of the nearby site of the old PaperMills. Access to the hamlet is via steep, single track, lanesunable to cope with the volume of tourist traffic visiting the ByBrook Valley and the problems caused by satellite navigation.New home in BiddestoneBiddestone & Slaughterford Parish Plan22