Comment

Draft Black Country Plan

Representation ID: 23059

Received: 11/10/2021

Respondent: St Philips

Agent: Savills

Representation Summary:

Policy HW2 – Healthcare Infrastructure

The policy requires that major developments must be assessed against the capacity of existing healthcare facilities and where the development would have unacceptable impacts upon capacity then developers will be required to contribute to the provision or improvement of such facilities. Policy WSA9 states that appropriate local facilities, including local health facilities, should be delivered to support new residents and the existing area. Further clarity is required to confirm capacity of local facilities and whether existing facilities can be expanded or a new centre is required. If it is the latter, then further clarity if required to confirm the impact of providing a healthcare facility on site WSA9 to the net developable area.
The wider implications of reducing the developable area of strategic sites will inevitably result in more housing being required to meet the needs of the BC. Larger scale strategic allocations may be more appropriate to deliver education and health facilities. St Phillips have worked collaboratively with Taylor Wimpey (adjacent landowner to the south) to produce a combined masterplan to show the potential for community infrastructure delivery across a wider strategic development site, including the land to the west of Site WSA9 (Illustrative Masterplan attached with this submission). This site has the potential to deliver circa 800 dwellings, land for a new school, local centre/health facility and significant public open space including a country park. This wider proposal may also be of a scale that could support a new/improved bus service on Chester Road which would enhance the sustainability credentials of the existing settlement. The scale of the combined proposals gives rise to a more comprehensive opportunity than the constrained and fragmented proposition contained in the draft plan at present and would allow for the inclusion of significant community infrastructure.