News Update - Autumn 2019

1) Neighbourhood Development Plan

Work on the Neighbourhood Development Plan for Ombersley and Doverdale parish has been continuing through the summer. The draft plan is currently being written with professional help using the evidence provided by yourselves in surveys, reports from the volunteers on economy, social, environmental and transport issues, and from technical reports received on design and housing need and demand. Once completed the draft plan will be available for 6 weeks public consultation and comment. This is likely to be early next year.

2) Housing Site Update

Regarding the housing site preferred by yourselves for future housing needs and to fulfil our indicative housing requirements under the South Worcestershire development Plan (SWDP), we met with a representative agent for the landowners. With their assistance further independent feasibility studies have been commissioned with regard to noise and traffic implications on the land north of Racks Lane (behind the medical centre), and also your 2nd and 3rd choices. The results of these studies are awaited.

As a reminder, the result of the site survey showed your preference was in line with the numerical order of the sites shown on the right, the 'weighted points' totals being : Site 1: 670, Site 2: 580, Site 3: 535, Site 4: 459 and Site 5: 407. Click here to see the report.

3) SWDP Review - Latest News on 19th October 2019

Worcestershire Council were expected to announce their preferred site allocations imminently, and they have just done so.

Some of you may have read or seen details about 14,000 new homes for Worcestershire in the media. Full details of the proposals are available on the Wychavon website under the SWDP review, preferred options. They include new towns at Parkway (initial 5000 homes), and at Throckmorton airfield (2,000 homes) and an expanded settlement at Rushwick (1,000 homes). An additional 900 homes are allocated to villages throughout Wychavon. The proposals will be considered on 23rd October by Wychavon Council, and if approved there will follow a 6 week public consultation period commencing 4th November 2019.

Ombersley has been allocated 28 new homes which is in line with the indicative housing calculations we had made in our own housing site report, but on our second choice of site, namely off Sandys road. Looking positively at this allocation, it is a relatively low allocation compared with a number of other surrounding villages. The report has also recommended re-categorising Uphampton, Sytchampton and Oldfield as being ‘in open countryside’ which makes sense.

We will await the report commissioned with co-operation of the landowners on our top 3 choices of site, namely the land behind the medical centre, the land off Sandys Road and the land behind the Cross keys. If the SWDP review allocated site is considered suitable we really do have to go along with this (or risk ending up with 2 sites for development).

Our Neighbourhood Development Plan will then focus on ensuring that the site reflects the type of housing you desired and need, good landscaping and infrastructure. The landscaping is important given that it is a large site for just 28 homes. If, however, the report on the site suggests problems then we have the option to challenge the allocation during the public consultation period. Meantime, the remainder of the draft plan, not dealing with a proposed site, is progressing well.

Sue Collier We will keep you updated on developments both with our draft plan and the SWDP review.