HDA prepared a Landscape Capacity study for potential development sites within the Vale of White Horse District, which were considered as part of the Local Plan Part 2. The study provided the foundation to HDA’s Green Belt study and forms part of the evidence base used in the site selection process for the Local Plan.
The capacity of each site was looked at individually and in combination with other permitted development sites, in order to assess potential cumulative effects.
The study was informed by HDA’s Landscape Character Assessment for the Vale of White Horse, and completed in two stages. The first stage involved the provision of a high level assessment of initial site options, which was circulated to the Council in 2016. The second stage was to carry out a more detailed assessment of a refined list of sites.
HDA subsequently carried out a Green Belt assessment on behalf of the council, to test potential Local Plan part 2 allocations located within the Green Belt with regards to their contribution towards the aims and purposes of the Green Belt and the potential harm that could arise to the Green Belt, should the allocations be removed from the Green Belt. An additional Exceptional Circumstances report was produced in support of one of the strategic allocations, Dalton Barracks, which was located within the Green Belt.
HDA represented the Vale of White Horse at EIP in support of our evidence base. Our Methodology and results for both the Capacity study and Green Belt study were both found sound at examination and Local Plan Part 2 has since been adopted by the Vale of White Horse District Council.