To respond to the need for a demographically mixed population, a viable economy, and training, education and employment opportunities within the parish.
To provide appropriate levels of housing and other facilities to meet the needs of the local community.
Key policies:
Projects
|
Housing
5.1 There is no set housing or development target for the parish of Stinsford in the current Local Plan, which was adopted in 2015. This means that, under the policies in the current Local Plan, Stinsford is regarded as a rural parish with no ‘defined development boundaries’. Therefore, in principle, no general market housing development is currently permitted here, except through the conversion of existing buildings. Farm and other rural workers’ dwellings may be permitted where it can be shown that, because of the nature of their work, they need to live on site and there are no other feasible options, and these are typically ‘tied’ to remain with the business. The other exception is for affordable housing, through ‘rural exception sites’, which are dependent on landowners offering their sites for well below market value, with the homes remaining affordable through future sales or re-lettings.
5.2 In a Consultative Draft of the new Dorset Local Plan in January 202113 , a method for calculating the minimum housing need for parishes was proposed. For rural areas, this was based on projecting forward the typical additional “windfall” housing that had taken place previously, together with any existing planning consents. On this basis, Stinsford would be expected to accommodate at least 8 new homes in the period up to 2038. The Draft Plan made clear that this was simply what was expected in a ‘do nothing’ scenario, and would not require the neighbourhood plan to propose housing sites.
5.3 These figures are dwarfed by the additional allocation in the new draft Dorset Local Plan of land for a further 3,500 homes in the parish14 , north of Dorchester (see also paragraph 1.3, above), which impacts the settlements of Frome Whitfield, Cokers Frome, Stinsford, Upper Stinsford, Waterston Ridge and Higher Kingston.
5.4 In the light of the current Local Plan and the policies in the draft Dorset Local Plan, Stinsford Neighbourhood Plan need not allocate land for housing.
5.5 On the other hand, research and local consultation15 , conducted during the preparation of this neighbourhood plan, have indicated some need for new affordable housing in the parish, particularly for local people. The research also indicated possible need and support for some smaller open market homes to be built (but not large houses with 4+ bedrooms). Recent consultation in the parish16 explored how much housing of these types would be welcomed. The results are shown in Table 6 below. The conclusion was that, during the period to 2038, approximately 9 new affordable homes and approximately 7 new open market homes, of smaller size, would be acceptable to most of the people who expressed a view
Table 6. Housing growth options – what local residents said
Weighting |
Affordable homes |
Open market homes |
|||
|
|
Responses |
% |
Responses |
% |
None |
(0) |
26 |
36% |
30 |
40% |
Between 0 to 1 per 5-year period (maximum 3 over 15yrs) |
(2) |
9 |
12% |
14 |
19% |
Between 0 to 1 per year (maximum 15 over 15yrs) |
(9) |
19 |
26% |
16 |
21% |
Between 1 to 2 per year (maximum 30 over 15yrs) |
(23) |
16 |
22% |
13 |
17% |
More than 30 |
(35) |
3 |
4% |
2 |
3% |
Median |
|
up to 1 dwelling p.a. |
up to 1 dwelling / 5yrs |
||
Weighted average |
|
9 |
7 |
||
5.6 During the period when Stinsford Neighbourhood Plan was being prepared, Kingston Maurward College (KMC) prepared a ‘masterplan’ to guide the development of their estate over the next ten years. One of its proposals was for small housing sites giving a total of approximately 17 new homes at three locations, namely:
5.7 KMC’s proposals for 17 new homes over the next 10 years do not align with the results of consultations on Stinsford Neighbourhood Plan, where the majority view was for fewer homes over a longer period.
5.8 KMC have kept Stinsford Parish Council updated about their masterplan, and Stinsford Neighbourhood Planning Group has fed back initial comments on a draft of the masterplan. The College Principal has also given public information talks in the parish. There has however not been a formal public participation process in preparing KMC’s masterplan. The masterplan was adopted by the College’s Board of Governors in 2019.
5.9 In the first draft of the new Local Plan in January 202117 , Dorset Council has included a policy, DOR11, which proposes:
The future development and expansion of Kingston Maurward College within the college estate will be supported in accordance with a masterplan agreed by Historic England and Dorset Council.
5.10 The KMC masterplan is yet to be agreed by Dorset Council, and this policy will only come into effect if it remains in the new Local Plan when it is adopted (2023/4).
5.11 In order to safeguard the wishes of Stinsford residents that any new housing in the parish should emphasise affordable housing for local people, and that any open market housing should provide smaller, entry-level homes, a policy reflecting those wishes is proposed: SNP9, below. This policy should not be seen as endorsing any of the proposals in the KMC masterplan. As a statutory consultee, the Parish Council will scrutinise and respond to all individual planning applications as they come forward.
Policy SNP9. Supporting the provision of affordable housing in the parish The provision of rural exception sites for affordable housing, potentially including a limited amount of open market housing, may be permitted within or well-related to the main settlements of Stinsford and Lower Bockhampton provided that all of the following criteria are met: i) the proposal is capable of meeting an identified, current, local need arising from within the parish (including social and affordable rented homes, entry-level market rent and shared ownership options), which cannot otherwise be met; |
5.12 The KMC Masterplan may also need to be revised due a change in circumstances to the Studio School, as the existing school building was only designed for 300 pupils aged from 14-19 years, but the school has since become a standard secondary school intake of students aged 11-16 years. As a result, a permanent solution to resolve the accommodation needs of the school is required.
5.13 Stinsford Parish Council will liaise actively with KMC, Dorset Studio School and Dorset Council, with a view to securing a good fit between the development needs of the College, the Studio School and the views and needs of local residents.
Project P4. Developing the Kingston Maurward Masterplan The Parish Council will engage and liaise with Kingston Maurward College, Dorset Studio School and Dorset Council in the development of a masterplan to secure the long term future of the College. |
5.14 Kingston Maurward College is the largest employer based in the parish. It employs over 300 members of staff (140 full time, 195 part time), most of whom reside within the Dorchester – Weymouth area. At least 50 other local businesses were also identified as part of the Neighbourhood Plan’s research, which would add considerable to this total. Whilst some businesses operate from home, there are three distinct employment clusters in the parish: Stinsford Business Centre, Hampton Business Park and also Mellstock Business Park. The developed area of the three business parks is shown in Figure 7.
5.15 The College has indicated that it wishes to create additional business incubation units for small businesses to support local entrepreneurial development and links with college syllabus at Stinsford Enterprise Park, and this proposal is included in their draft masterplan. The adopted Local Plan policy allows the conversion or replacement of the existing buildings for business use, and as such this development should be possible (in principle) under existing policies.
5.16 The adopted Local Plan does not support the creation of new business premises extending into open countryside (as evidenced by the refusal of an additional unit at Hampton Business Park in 202018 ). Our consultation in late 2020 indicated that any significant expansion of the business parks is unlikely to be supported by the community, and that there are widespread concerns about the impact of increased traffic (and particularly larger vehicles) on the local lanes that could arise from further business growth. The proposals for business incubation units for small businesses at Stinsford Farm was generally considered possible on the basis that this had reasonably direct access onto the A35 and the small scale nature of the units would be less likely to result in a significant increase in traffic movements.
5.17 The following policy has therefore been drafted, to reflect the opportunities that redevelopment of the existing buildings and employment areas may provide, and to enable limited development within the existing footprint of the business parks (but not extending further into open countryside) where this would improve the environmental performance of the businesses and ideally reduce traffic impacts. Developers are encouraged to consider whether they can go further than the minimum Building Regulations, and may wish to consider achieving targets such as BREEAM “good” or higher for UK new non-domestic buildings (which basically shows that the building would be in the top 50% of all such buildings in terms of energy efficiency).
Figure 7. Maps showing the developed area of the business parks in Stinsford Parish
Policy SNP10. Supporting local employment opportunities The re-use or replacement of existing business premises for employment uses, and proposals for additional new buildings within the existing developed area of the business parks, will be supported, provided that all of the following criteria are met: i) the proposals would be of a character, scale and design appropriate to its location, including landscaping to ensure any building or use of land is not unduly prominent in the landscape; Proposals that would result in a reduction in motor vehicle traffic levels (particularly lorry movements) to achieve a safer highway network are encouraged. |
5.18 Perhaps because of the proximity of Dorchester, two miles away, there are currently no shops, pubs, or village halls in the Parish. The beer-shop at Lower Bockhampton closed in the 1860s, the primary school in 1961 and the Post Office closed some ten years later. The church of St Michael, in the village of Stinsford itself, continues to provide a place of worship in the parish. And Kingston Maurward College (together with the Studio School), not only provides locally-based education and training, but also runs a number of facilities that are available for community use, including room hire for functions and events. There are also a number of eating establishments in the area, such as Yalbury Cottage, Pine Lodge Farm, the Greenwood Tree Café and the café at the Kingston Maurward Animal Park & Gardens. The lack of facilities is certainly an issue that the local community ‘dislike’ and would want to change. A community hall / meeting place was the top suggestion, followed by a shop and a pub.
5.19 Recreational opportunities are more widely available, mainly through access to the countryside via the public rights of way network, and the Local Nature Reserve at Thorncombe Woods. St Michael's Churchyard and the Cecil Hanbury Memorial Garden in Stinsford provide places for quiet reflection. There is also a playground in Lower Bockhampton that is held in trust by the National Playing Fields Association and managed by the Parish Council, and an indoor play barn at the Kingston Maurward Animal Park & Gardens. The Equestrian Centre in the College (at the Manor Stables) runs riding lessons for children and adults of all abilities.
5.20 It is clear that any new facilities need to be economically viable, which is linked to having a sufficiently large catchment population that will use their services. At the current time there is no obvious commercial interest in running a shop or pub. However, as part of the College Plans, there is a proposal to create a new multi-purpose hall to the south side of (and to replace) the Outdoor Activities Centre. In 2020 the College were awarded a £3.5 million grant by the Dorset LEP to build a University Centre & Rural Business Development Hub, which would also support wider business use. The building on the Outdoor Activities Centre would be around 400m² comprising a large hall and a small number of separate meeting rooms, and would be available for hire for community uses. In order to be able to provide for social / recreational activities arising from within the community, it will be important that the rates are, and remain, affordable to local groups.
Policy SNP11. Protecting and enhancing our community facilities Development proposals to sustain and improve the provision of community facilities in a manner in keeping with the character of the area and supporting opportunities for social interaction for all age groups and sectors of the parish, are encouraged. New facilities should be well-located to avoid increased motor vehicle trips adversely impacting on the safe use of the rural lanes by all users (including pedestrians, cyclist and equestrians). A traffic impact statement must accompany proposals, quantifying the predicted traffic impact of the development on the road network in Stinsford parish, and indicating what will be done to avoid adverse impacts on the safe use of the rural lanes by all users (including pedestrians, cyclist and equestrians). |
5.21 As explained in the introduction to this Plan, whether the suggestion for major growth in the form of a whole new ‘neighbourhood; north of Dorchester goes ahead or not, is a strategic decision which cannot be decided through a Neighbourhood Plan. We realise that many local residents are vehemently opposed to this idea, and their concerns have been voiced, and will continue to be voiced, by Stinsford Parish Council in the responses to the Local Plan consultations.
13 Draft Dorset Local Plan - Volume 1, page 57 https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/documents/35024/285538/DCLP-Jan-2021-DorsetCouncilLocalPlan-vol1.pdf/7e0ff0f0-426f-523d-bd45-cc1fe4d60fac, and Appendix 2 https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/documents/35024/285538/DCLP-Jan-2021-appendices-1-5.pdf/50747301-c2cd-2667-aece-e91248c2bb0d, retrieved 1 Sept 2021
14 Dorset Council Local Plan Options Consultation document - Volume 2 - Central Dorset https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/documents/35024/285538/DCLP-jan-2021-vol-2-central-dorset.pdf/e80498e5-b868-3b20-2882-8d00ddbb46e1 Policy DOR13, page 168, retrieved 1 Sept
15 See Stinsford Housing Needs Assessment, 2019, AECOM; and reports on public consultation in Stinsford, at http://www.stinsfordnplan.org.uk/evidence-base.html
16 See reports on public consultation in Stinsford, at http://www.stinsfordnplan.org.uk/evidence-base.html
17 Dorset Council Local Plan Options Consultation document - Volume 2 - Central Dorset https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/documents/35024/285538/DCLP-jan-2021-vol-2-central-dorset.pdf/e80498e5-b868-3b20-2882-8d00ddbb46e1 Policy DOR11, page 156, retrieved 1 Sept 2021
18 WD/D/19/001982
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