3.0 IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY TLR9

3.1 Policy TLR9 will apply to for residential developments of 5 or more dwellings, unless:

• the development is within the river loop in Shrewsbury where developers will not be required to make provision for open space; or
• the development comprises hotels/hostels, residential institutions or sheltered housing (Use Classes C1 & C2).where it would be inappropriate to expect a developer to provide the range of open space as set out below. In these instances each case will be given careful consideration, taking into account both the type of residents expected and visitors expected to the development, to ensure that the type of open space provided is suitable.

3.2   Below 5 dwellings, it is considered inappropriate to require open space provision as this is likely to result in a large number of very small spaces of limited recreational value that would have unacceptable maintenance costs.

3.3   Where a full planning application is submitted for more than 5 dwellings the Borough Council will expect the developer to submit plans showing the area that is to be laid out as open space. The area that the Borough Council will expect a developer to provide should be based upon the number of dwellings included within the application - taking an average occupancy rate of 2.47 persons per household, to estimate the resident population of the development. The area of open space to be provided can then be calculated based upon 2.43 hectares (Ha) per 1000 people.

For Example:

Development of 80 dwellings

80 x 2.47 = 197.6 people

197.6 / 1000 = 0.1976

0.1976 x 2.43 = 0.48ha (1.2 acres)

3.4   Where outline planning permission is being sought, (i.e exact number of dwellings is not yet known), the Borough Council will assume that the site will be developed at a minimum density of 30 dwellings per hectare (12 per acre), which is the historical average density in the Borough (this may increase in future due to the promotion by central government of high density development). The amount of open space to be provided will then be calculated on a sliding scale in accordance with the standard, taking into account the fact that the yield of the site would be reduced by the open space requirement within the site.

3.5   In such cases the Borough Council will usually seek to specify the amount of open space to be provided. In the case of larger sites (more than 150 dwellings) the Borough Council may wish to enter into a legal agreement and include planning conditions that specify the minimum area of land that is to be laid out as recreational open space in order to ensure properly planned provision of recreational open space, this is particularly important where development is likely to be phased.

3.6 It is accepted that for developments of between 5-20 dwellings, it may not always be possible or appropriate for a developer to meet the standard for recreational open space within the development. In these cases the Borough Council will be seeking a commuted payment. Money raised in this way would then be used by the Borough Council to improve existing facilities which are easily accessible from the new development.