The adopted Development Plan for the Site comprises the Stratford-on-Avon Core Strategy (adopted July 2016), Long Itchington Bascote & Bascote Heath Neighbourhood Plan (made May 2023) and the Warwickshire Minerals Local Plan (adopted July 2022). All planning applications must be determined in accordance with the adopted Development Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
The site is currently outside of the Long Itchington settlement boundary. Long Itchington is identified within the Core Strategy as a Category 1 Local Service Village.
Stratford-on-Avon District Council can currently only demonstrate a 2.74 year supply of housing. The presumption in favour of sustainable development should therefore be triggered and policies which are most important for determining planning applications are out-of-date. This means that development proposals which are not currently identified in the adopted Development Plan could come forward if the proposals are in a sustainable location and the proposed benefits of the scheme outweigh any identified harm.
Stratford-on-Avon District Council is in the process of producing a new Local Plan with Warwick District Council, the ‘South Warwickshire Local Plan’. This plan is in its early stage and is not expected to be adopted until March 2028 at the earliest. The new Local Plan should there only be given limited weight in the determination of planning applications.