Local Development Framework Consultation

Levens

10 Levens

Support

suggest for specific type of housing instead of employment

Support

My original response seems to be missing so this is a repeat as far as I can remember!

I would like to suggest that this site is considered for housing.

The land is partly a brownfield site which is a little separate from the main community of Levens and yet still connected in planning terms by the houses to the east (page 13 Levens fact file) and I would therefore like to put forward a proposal for housing which is a little more adventurous.

I understand from a local resident and from your Levens fact file that this site was put forward by the Parish Council and that residents have been anxious for many years to have something done with this site which appears to be disused and is partly designated 'brown field'. I note from your fact file on Levens that on page 6 the prefix RN indicates residential, on page 7 RN121M 'employment' has been added in brackets and on page 13 it has been put forward for employment. Seemingly there is some room for debate on the use of this site.

I note from the Levens fact file page 62 to 65 that the sustainability appraisal is generally dark green or light green apart from an orange designation for the biodiversity because of the great crested newt and wildlife in the hedges. Cumbria Wild Life Trust have said that the site is feasible and the people who are interested in the environmental proposal I am about to make will naturally take an interest in ensuring that this biodiversity is protected and the necessary protection could be specified in any planning application. United Utilities have noted the lack of infrastructure but also that gravity should make connection possible (page 13) There are no known flooding problems. The Highways have said that access is feasible, and there is already good access onto a road. I am not sure what the yellow energy efficiency means (page 67) but my proposal is for ultra low energy houses . The only other orange designation is for air quality? (p65)

From a separate conversation with a planning control officer it seems that all of the land allocations are going to be interpreted as being only for developers with high density housing. There is to be no "piecemeal" development and no consideration for environmental sustainability. Planning seems to have no policy for environmental sustainability in building construction or orientation. The land allocations team has done a wonderful job in finding sites which are south facing slopes ideal for taking us into more sustainable housing and more importantly, being south facing, housing which will enhance the lives of people living in them. It would be a missed opportunity to end up with another 400 unsustainable homes in South Lakeland by 2025.

The core strategy does talk about sustainability and in my reading this is not just economic sustainability, important as that is. Although not ideal in being a west facing site, this site could be an opportunity to make the land allocations a little more in line with the intentions of the Core Strategy and begin to find ways of meeting the requirements for zero carbon homes by 2025 which is subject to so much debate because no one seems to know how to do it! Individuals keen to find ways of building zero carbon/low energy/environmentally friendly/eco building/ solar housing, call it what you will, can begin to find ways of doing this which many developers will not put resources into. This site has the advantages of being partly brown field and part of a small community without being close enough to other houses to cause any disturbance during the building work and it is also at a lower level than the houses to the east. (page 38 Levens fact file)

If Inverness in the far north can manage to build 19 different types of sustainable housing, completed last year, let us show them that the Lake District can also do it.

http://www.scotlandshousingexpo.com/
http://www.e-architect.co.uk/scotland/highland_housing_fair.htm