Agenda item

Appendix 1: Army Basing Programme Masterplan

Appendix 2: Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) summary list of third party consultation responses

Appendix 3: Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) response to comments by EA, NE & WC Ecologist

Appendix 4: Summary of responses from statutory consultees & other stakeholders

Appendix 5: Abbreviations

A presentation was received from Lt Col John Fox and Mr David Alderson for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) on the Army Rebasing Masterplan (ABP), noting the vital strategic importance of the Salisbury Plain areas as a training and housing area for the army for its restructure plans, and the necessary work to assess, prepare for and mitigate the impact of thousands of additional soldiers and service families not just on the military bases in the area, but infrastructure and housing in the immediate and wider areas around those bases, including transport assessments and improvements, education facilities to be constructed and some limited additional employment opportunities. The level of consultation with local communities and stakeholders was noted, and it was emphasised that the most specific concerns relating to individual areas would need to be addressed in detail at the stage when applications were to be submitted, beginning in late 2014.

The Area Development Manager also delivered a presentation, drawing the attention of the Committee to the additional documents and alterations that had been received since the publication of the agenda, and which would also be available on the council’s website. The planning policy considerations were detailed, and it was highlighted that by receiving the Masterplan and encouraging resolution in specific areas, the council would not fetter its discretion when considering future applications in relation to the Masterplan.

Members of the Committee then had the opportunity to ask technical questions of the officers and the team from the DIO. In response to queries it was stated that at the current time details of how many troops and service families would be moved at what stages could not be provided, which was in part a commercial decision and requiring MoD approval, though it was intended that where possible families would be moved during school holiday’s to ensure a simpler transition.

Details were also sought on the continuing work of officers and the DIO with stakeholders such as the NHS to ensure adequate services for the preferred sites. It was also confirmed that the additional housing required for service families did not count towards meeting the housing requirement of the emerging Wiltshire Core Strategy as it was not arising from growth of the Wiltshire population.

Local Unitary Members Councillors Chris Williams, Mark Connolly and Graham Wright then spoke in turn regarding the Masterplan, highlighting the importance of civilian-military integration and meeting the infrastructure needs arising from the plan, as well praising the level of consultation that had taken place, although there would be a need to continue to monitor the situation closely and work with local MPs such as Claire Perry MP to apply pressure where it was needed moving forward.

A debate followed, where members of the Committee discussed the presentations that had been received and the great significance of military ties to Wiltshire’s settlements and people, and recognising the situation was changing rapidly as the DIO continued to resolve remaining issues, as could be seen in the supplement papers.

At the conclusion of debate, it was,

Resolved:

That the Strategic Planning Committee notes the evolving Army Basing Programme Master Plan as foreshadowed by the emerging Wiltshire Core Strategy.

That the Strategic Planning Committee recognises the work done to date and encourages the DIO to reach agreement with the Associate Director for Economic Development and Planning on the following matters of principle before finalising the Master Plan:

·         The outstanding issue relating to the impact of additional water abstraction arising from ABP being addressed to the satisfaction of the Council, in consultation with the Environment Agency and Natural England;

·         The outstanding issue relating to the impact of foul water discharge from ABP on phosphate levels in the River Avon being addressed to the satisfaction of the Council in consultation with the Environment Agency and Natural England;

·         The outstanding issue relating to the potential impact of increased recreational pressure on Salisbury Plain from ABP on protected species being addressed to the satisfaction of the Council;

That the Strategic Planning Committee encourages the DIO to resolve the following matters prior to the submission of planning applications:

·         The outstanding issue relating to the potential need to provide additional STW capacity from ABP at Larkhill being addressed to the satisfaction of the Council in consultation with English Heritage;

·         The outstanding issue relating to the potential impact of the Larkhill SFA on the setting of Stonehenge and the WHS being addressed to the satisfaction of the Council in consultation with English Heritage;

·         The outstanding issue relating to unknown underground archaeology being addressed to the satisfaction of the Council;

·         The outstanding issues relating to the design of the mechanisms required to ensure delivery of essential infrastructure made necessary by ABP being addressed to the satisfaction of the Council. 

·         The Highways Agency raising no material objections;

·         Veolia raising no material objection to water supply and foul water processing capacities at Tidworth and Ludgershall.