Housing Development at Church Lane
UPDATE 2 APRIL 2024
UPDATE 25 JANUARY 2024
Following the signing of the S106 Agreement in December, Steve Avery from NFNPA attended the January Parish Council meeting to update us the likely timetable of the development. Full minutes are available on the Meetings and Minutes page of this website. The notes relating to Church Lane are extracted here for ease:
UPDATE 31 OCTOBER 2022:
- The S106 agreement is being negotiated.
- The additional conditions added in the NFNPA Planning Committee meeting (increased emphasis on sustainability, as suggested by the Parish Council & EcoSway, and Garages not for habitable use); are being added - see https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/app/uploads/2021/12/PC-Draft-Minutes-August-2022.pdf. This is a substantial list of desirable items to be agreed - particularly the impressive 50% of the number of dwellings that will be affordable housing for those with local connection - the top priority expressed by Sway residents. A lot of the other items mentioned in 11.52 relate to improvements suggested by Sway Parish Council and residents. So, congratulations to the Sway Planning & Trees Committee, the Sway Church Lane Development Working Group, EcoSway and all local residents who submitted their comments and suggestions.
- It is unlikely that this will return to the NFNPA Planning Committee.
- There have been a few teething problems with the new NFNPA planning system that currently make it hard to navigate the documentation but all the documents are there, somewhere; and those issues are being sorted out - and will not be a problem in the future.
UPDATE 23 AUGUST 2022:
At the meeting of the NFNPA Planning Committee on Tuesday 16th August, the amended application was reviewed and considered. Input was given by the Planning Officer, the applicant, Sway Parish Clerk, and two members of the public.
The discussion lasted approximately 90 minutes and the recording can be watched in full online.
Finally, the application was granted permission, by unanimous vote, but subject to conditions - some of which were already drafted in the Planning Officer's report and others to be finalised by the Officers following the discussions in the meeting.
The Working Group awaits the publication of permission and conditions stipulated and hopes to continue engaging with the developer and monitoring progress once the site work commences.
UPDATE 10 AUGUST 2022:
Following our submission in response to the amended application (see below) in early July, a significant number of further amendments, reports and other documentation was added; the Parish Council Working Group has convened again and reviewed everything again, and prepared comments accordingly.
The NFNPA Planning Committee will consider the application at its 16th August meeting, despite being asked to defer to enable everyone to review and respond, but this has been declined. The following documentation has been submitted on behalf of Sway:
- letter to NFNPA expressing concerns at the process and timing of this application
- statement to support the recommendation for refusal of the current (amended) application
UPDATE 7 JULY 2022:
Following the release of the revised application, the Council and Working Group spent an intense three weeks pulling together our formal response to the application, organising and hosting a public consultation and commissioning third party expert reports on specific aspects which were of greatest concern to our residents. We were able to negotiate an extension to the response time in order to give time for a public meeting to review and consider the draft response which we did on 30th June.
Our full and final response was submitted to the Local Planning Authority (NFNPA) on Wednesday 6th July.
UPDATE 29 JUNE 2022:
Revisions to the planning application and supporting documentation were published last week on the NFNPA Portal.
The Parish Council and Church Lane Working Group have been compiling a further formal response, which will be considered at the extra-ordinary meeting on Thursday 30th June from 7pm at Jubilee Field Pavilion. Please review the draft response and bring any further amendments or suggestions to the meeting.
UPDATE 14 JUNE 2022:
Revisions to the planning application and supporting documentation were published last week on the NFNPA Portal.
There will be another residents' drop-in session at the Jubilee Field Pavilion on Saturday 25th June from 1-3pm, to give you all a chance to review the amendments and discuss them with members of the Parish Council. Remember you should submit your comments directly to the planning authority via the portal page using the 'Comments' tab. Those who attend on 25th June will have until the 28th June to submit their comments.
The Parish Council will meet - additionally - on Thursday 30th June to review and approve its formal response to the planning application. This is an important development for Sway and we encourage everyone to make a comment.
UPDATE 18 MAY 2022:
The archeological dig has commenced at the site. You can read details in the report prepared by Cotswold Archeology.
UPDATE 12 MAY 2022:
Another update meeting provided details of the revisions to the planned open space, and further discussion on the housing portfolio within the development. We hope to see amendments to this aspect soon.
UPDATE 8 APRIL 2022:
A further meeting of the Church Lane Working Group and Parish Councillors was held yesterday and proved useful. Amendments have been suggested to improve the scheme and to resolve some of the issues raised during feedback. Reports and surveys are still being carried out on the site and those reports will be published as they are received. It was felt to be a positive and productive meeting.
UPDATE 4 MARCH 2022:
Members of the Church Lane Working Group and Sway Parish Council met with the developer to review the plans and application in light of all the responses so far.
UPDATE 14 DECEMBER 2021:
The Parish Council, through the Church Lane Working Group, has taken Sway residents' comments into consideration, and prepared a further submission outlining some more details and further suggestions on the application. The Parish Council will also consider commissioning an independent professional road safety and highways report, at the meeting on Thursday 16th December. See the further detailed response from Sway Parish Council.
UPDATE 5 NOVEMBER 2021:
After consultation with residents, the Parish Council has compiled a comprehensive response to the planning application for the proposed development at Church Lane. We have today submitted it to the NFNPA. See the response from Sway Parish Council here.
UPDATE 5 OCTOBER 2021:
On 30 September we received notification that the application for the development at Church Lane had been submitted to the NFNPA for public consultation (open until 3rd November). The proposal confirms 46 dwellings, ancillary infrastructure, access provisions and associated informal green space and landscaping. There have been some minor adjustments made to the initial proposal which was presented at the public drop-in session on 16th August.
The Planning Committee will be reviewing the application at our next meeting on 11th October. We are pleased that Giles Moir, from the developer, will attend a residents’ drop-in session at the Village Hall from 6:30pm on Monday 25th October. Parish Councillors will also be there. Our final representation to the application will take into account views expressed at this meeting, as well as comments submitted by you directly to the NFNPA portal. It will be discussed at the full Parish council meeting on Thursday 28th October.
This development will have an impact on all residents of Sway and its environs. Please make sure we represent your views by attending the drop-in session on Monday 25th, and/or by submitting your comments to the NFNPA directly, or by contacting the Parish Clerk or any Parish Councillor directly.
UPDATE 27 AUGUST 2021:
Residents were invited to attend a drop-in session at the Jubilee Field Pavilion on Monday 16th August between 4 and 6pm. Over 60 people attended and had the chance to air their views to the developer and architect of the site, and members of the Parish Council. At its meeting on 26th August, the Parish Council resolved to compose a formal response and to seek further information on a number of matters previously raised which remained unanswered.
- The development is going ahead – there have been four years of consultation and it is approved by the government’s Planning Inspectors. This cannot be reversed.
- The latest policy and guidance specifically on this site is on page 74 and the map on page 75 of the NFNPA Local Plan 2016-2036. Appended below are screen grab copies of those Church Lane specific items. Any development must adhere to Policy SP25.
- It would be most helpful if anyone attending the meeting has read the one side of NFNPA guidance and policy appended below.
- The full NFNPA Local Plan is available as a pdf from https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/app/uploads/2019/09/Local-Plan-2016-2036-finalforweb.pdf and there is a consultation copy in Sway Parish Office or the NFNPA Reception. All other policies in the Local Plan must also apply.
- The highest bidder for the site is understood to be a national company who may not know details of the New Forest National Park, so Sway Parish Council plans to contact the winning bidder as soon as details are confirmed, to offer our assistance.
- For such a development the first stage is often an ‘Outline Planning Application’ and this is later followed by a full Planning Application.
- As the planning process continues typically a first full planning application may be overly optimistic and be refused – and might go to appeal. At every stage as many Sway residents as possible should send in any comments so as to improve the chances that Sway can influence the planning officer.
- As full planning permission is granted there will be a number of binding conditions attached to the permission and those will be one of the areas that Sway Parish Council will be considering. Sway Parish Council might, for instance, be looking to/for:
- Ensure design adheres to the Sway Village Design Statement (available here).
- Ensure as much affordable housing for local people (on the waiting list) as possible.
- Providing a pedestrian link from Jubilee Field through to opposite Westbeams Road (for easier access to the school).
- Ensuring the maximum environmental and green credentials for all dwellings.
- Ensuring gardens with native and forest-friendly planting in all dwellings.
- Better pedestrian traffic access from and along the Church Lane, during and after works.
- Sufficient parking space for all dwellings – new and existing.
- Developing the informal green space as forest-friendly and also welcoming to local children.
- Preserving as many mature trees and hedgerows as possible, including those covered by Tree Preservation Orders (TPO map available here)
- Improving utilities in the area for the new housing (such as drainage, sewerage etc.).
