Consultation on this proposal has now closed.

Thank you to all those who kindly provided comments, we will be reviewing all of the comments received and together with the findings of the technical assessments, will consider whether further amendments and/or clarifications are required.

The information below remains available to view.

Chapman Lily Planning has been appointed by Aster Group to prepare and submit a planning application for new homes on part of Norbins Road Car Park in Glastonbury.  The proposed development will be informed by:

• Site opportunities and constraints
• A review of relevant Development Plan policies; namely those set out in the Mendip Local Plan adopted in 2014 
• The findings of technical assessments, covering issues such as ecology, trees and drainage
• Feedback from stakeholders and the local community
• Other relevant considerations

The proposals for Norbins Road Car Park are still at an early stage but we are looking to submit a planning application to Mendip District Council in late January 2021.  We would welcome your feedback on our emerging proposals by 22nd January 2021 so that they can shape the form and content of the application.

Aster Group and the Project Team

Aster is a Registered Provider focused on offering customers a choice of new homes and tenures, including shared ownership, affordable and social rent and open market homes for sale.  Aster are an experienced developer delivering everything from small scale community-led developments through to large scale Joint Venture projects with national and regional housebuilders.  In 2018/19, Aster built 1,156 new homes and their ambitious development programme will see them deliver over 10,500 homes during the next seven years.

Aster Group have engaged Chapman Lily Planning to assist with this consultation, as well as the preparation and submission of a planning application.

The site is located within the existing urban area of Glastonbury, just north of the town centre.

The site measures circa 0.14ha and forms the centerpiece of a well-defined perimeter block.  It is currently a 53-space public car park, with a short row of garages positioned alongside the access.   

The northern boundary is delineated by the fence line of residential rear gardens, as are sections of the southern and western boundaries.  A narrow service lane affording access to rear garages delineates the eastern boundary beyond which lie residential gardens. Jumping Johns nursery and St Johns primary school lie to the immediate south.  Several mature trees along the southern boundary, soften the setting.  Access is gained from Norbins Road.    

The prevailing character of the area is presented by residential use, predominantly two-storey detached, semi- detached and hipped roof terraces. A two and a half-storey stone dwellinghouse and a rendered three-storey block of flats frame the entrance.  

A ‘civic quarter’ comprising a library, nursery, school and church lies to the south, beyond which is the high street.   

It is evident that: 

• The site enjoys excellent connectivity and access to the shops, services, employment, education and leisure opportunities in the adjacent civic quarter and High Street, notably:
• on foot with excellent pedestrian access via the path by the library and path alongside the church accessed from the end of Norbins Road (shown by green arrows on the inset plan). 
• cycle - the surrounding network of streets are relatively flat and afford access to locations further afield
• bus - high-frequency bus routes to destinations further afield run along the High Street and Wells Road.
• The site lies within the wider setting of the church tower but is otherwise unencumbered by heritage assets.  
• The mature trees along the southern boundary provide an attractive setting and distract from what is otherwise a hard townscape. The ecological habitats and amenity value they provide will need careful consideration.  
• Access to St John's Nursery is provided from the car park and it will be imperative that a safe pedestrian environment is maintained.
• The layout and orientation of new homes will need to safeguard privacy and avoid overlooking, particularly in relation to established properties fronting Norbins Road (shown by blue arrows on the inset plan).  The building line of properties to the north and west is set well back making privacy and overlooking unlikely.
• There is an opportunity to introduce passive surveillance to help design out crime and demolish the garage block (dashed red outline on the inset plan) which currently lacks active frontage and creates blind spots. 
• There is adequate road access to the site and the proposed dwellings will result in less pressure on adjoining residential roads than its use as a car park.  There will be a loss of town centre parking spaces but two larger car parks St Johns Square and Butts Hill are in close proximity and more readily accessible.  Consideration also needs to be given to pre-school / school drop off and staff parking.  

Planning Policies

Policy CP1 titles ‘Mendip Spatial Strategy’ explains: 

‘The majority of development will be directed towards the five principal settlements of Frome, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Street and Wells to reinforce their roles as market towns serving their wider rural catchments.  Specific proposals for each place are set out in Core Policies 6-10. …’  

It goes on to state: 

‘In identifying land for development the Local Plan’s emphasis is on maximising the re-use of appropriate previously developed sites and other land within existing settlement limits as defined on the Policies Map’. 

Provision of New Housing’ makes provision for 1,000 homes in Glastonbury, equivalent to 11% of the Districts overall needs. Core Policy 7 titled ‘Glastonbury Town Strategy’ recognises that: 

‘Most provision will arise from committed sites or other urban land within the town’s existing Development Limits in a manner which respects and enhances the town’s character which is considered to be under threat from overdevelopment …’.

Glastonbury has also been designated a Neighbourhood Plan area, which significant consultation undertaken 2016-2018.  However, progress appears to have stalled over the past two years.

Technical Assessments

The following technical assessments are underway:

• Topographic survey.
• Phase 1 extended habitats survey.
• Ground condition survey. 
• Utilities survey. 
• Arboricultural survey.
• Drainage assessment.

Other Relevant Considerations

Regrettably, due to the imposition of an increased annual housing target by Government, the Council is currently unable to demonstrate a 5-year Housing Land Supply. The latest position statement dated December 2019 estimates that the Council can only demonstrate a 3.8-year housing land supply.  As such the tilted balance in favour of sustainable development is engaged.

Aster has worked with Mendip District Council to look at parking capacity within the town.   The Council monitored car parking capacity pre-covid for a continuous 5-month period.  The daytime utilisation of Norbins Road car park is typically less than 14%, far below nearby Butts Close and St Johns Square.  By comparison, during the morning peak (9am-1pm) the utilisation of Butts Close and St Johns Square is typically 78% and 41% respectively.  Thus, there is latent capacity within these car parks which are equally convenient for the civic quarter and High Street.  

Our Emerging Proposals

Aster is looking to demolish the existing row of garages and bring forward a development comprising six dwellings. In the absence of a dedicated turning head, the layout makes provision for entry and egress to/from the rear service lane, the retention of parking for the nursery and school, as well as an opportunity for new planting.      

Mendip District Council have committed to work with Aster Homes to maximise the affordable housing delivery on this site. By working with an affordable housing provider from the outset there is scope to secure grant funding to maximise the affordable housing being provided over and above the Council’s policy targets. It is considered that this approach will best meet the objectives of both parties to deliver the much needed 100% affordable housing schemes.  

An indicative layout plan has been prepared, albeit this may change as more information becomes available. 

The majority of the proposed homes will be two bed.  They will take the form of two-2.5 storey terrace houses, each with its own garden and allocated parking.  

Next Steps

We will continue to update this webpage as the project moves forward, but now is the time to have your say and help shape the form and content of the planning application.

Should you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact us via the comments page.

There will of course be a formal opportunity to make your views known to the Council once the application is registered sometime in the new year.  It is envisaged that the application will be accompanied by:

• A full suite of plans and drawings
• A planning, design and access statement.
• A crime prevention statement.
• A resource efficiency statement. 
• A statement of community engagement.
• Draft Heads of Terms pursuant to a S106 agreement and complete the instruction forms. 
• Arboricultural survey, impact assessment and method statement.
• Flood risk and drainage assessment (owing to the size of the site).
• Transport Statement.
• Phase 1 extended habitats survey and biodiversity enhancement strategy.