Somerford Keynes Parish Council Neighbourhood Development Plan PARISH PRESENTATION 19 th JANUARY 2015

Housing requirement – The housing aim sets out to improve the demographic balance by some small-scale, planned housing development. The development of some smaller houses is intended to attract younger families and facilitate downsizing, for those that wish to, freeing up larger family homes. Do you agree?

Vistas (SKPOL1) – The NDP seeks to preserve the environment we value by identifying key vistas within the parish that are to be unimpeded and protected. Do you agree? Have we identified the important vistas? Please describe any missing vistas? Settlement Protection Boundary (SKPOL2) Should we include a settlement protection boundary around all the settlements in the parish? If so, where should it be?

Design code for housing (SKPOL3) We have identified a number of design characteristics that we consider important for any new housing. Do you agree? What other design characteristics are important to you? Criteria for housing development (SKPOL3) – The NDP seeks to ensure that any future housing complements and enhances the settlements. Please comment on the criteria

Design Code – Discussion Points The purpose of a Design Code is to ensure that any development is compatible with, and possibly, enhances the existing settlements Will be different for the permanent settlements and Lower Mill Estate Considerations include: Setting Style Harmony Street Scenes Proportion Materials

Design Code – Suggestions A) Construction materials to match the most prevalent material in the settlement i.e. Cotswold (reconstituted) stone (walls and roofs) B) Use of gables to avoid the modern predominantly horizontal look C) Chimney stacks D) Porches E) Houses should be between one and a half and two storeys high

Design Code – Suggestions F) Windows proportioned in the Cotswold style G) Garages, if built, should use the same building materials as house and have similar roof pitches H) Driveways should be laid with Cotswold gravel I) Houses should be set back from the road so that there can be a garden or planting to the front of the house J) Any boundary walls between the road and the property should be constructed like traditional Cotswold stone walls

An option to buy for local people (SKPOL5) Should the NDP include an option to buy for people with connections with the parish? Are our eligibility criteria suitable? The economy (SKPOL7) Should the NDP be encouraging and facilitating small businesses within the parish?

Flood protection (SKPOL9) Is the NDP’s policy to protect the parish from the risk of flooding robust enough? If no, how could the policy be made more robust? Road safety (SKPOL10/11) The NDP includes a policy on speed restrictions and the development of pavements. Do you agree with it? Is it appropriate for our community?

Amenities – green spaces (SKPOL13) The NDP includes a policy on the designation of green spaces that are important to the community. Do you agree and, if so, what green spaces are important to you and should be designated.

Cotswold Water Park lakes Many of the Cotswold Water Park lakes are situated within the Parish (Keynes Country Park, Cokes’ Pit, Neigh Bridge, Lake 99 and Lower Mill Estate lakes) What amenities or development would you like and not like to see around the lakes? How do you envisage the impact of the use of these lakes being controlled?

Other Areas NDP seeks to encourage and facilitate small businesses within the parish. NDP includes policy that seeks to ensure that the flood risk in the parish is reduced following any development. Is this robust enough? NDP includes a policy on the introduction of speed restrictions and pavement. Is this appropriate? NDP supports the designation of green spaces, where appropriate. Do you have any suggestions?