Frequently Asked Questions
Below you will find a summary of the most frequently asked questions in relation to the St George’s project.
Further information can also be found on our Freedom of Information (FOI) page, where you will find FOI requests and responses relating to the project.
What is the St George’s Project?
Why is St George’s Barracks closing?
The army will continue to be an important part of the local community and options for the relocation of units currently occupying St George’s Barracks remain subject to assessment. These include potential relocation to the Defence Animal Centre at Melton Mowbray and Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore.
What is the basis for the partnership between the Council and MOD?” _builder_version=”3.2.2″]As a large brownfield site, St George’s Barracks is expected to be redeveloped in line with national policies around the creation of new homes and the use of redundant MOD land once the army leaves.
The UK government has a target to release enough public land for a potential 160,000 new homes by 2020. The intention is that MOD sites will be utilised for housing and other development, with money from land sales invested back into the Armed Forces.
The partnership between Rutland County Council and the MOD aims to make sure that any future development on the site is controlled, sustainable and meets local needs.
We want to ensure the site is taken forward in a way which looks to balance the UK government’s ambitious housing agenda with the needs of existing local communities and the Rutland environment.
Who is involved?
What is being proposed?
Our goal is the creation of a new ‘Garden Village’ with the right mix of housing, enterprise, leisure and recreation. This would be a long-term project with phased development of the site over a period of 10-15 years. Plans will focus on the quality of development, rather than quantity, with appropriate housing density, detailed plans for each phase/area of the site and ensuring the right infrastructure is put in place well before the site is occupied.
Consultation around the High Level Master Plan for St George’s is due to take place in May 2018.
What is a ‘Garden Village’?
With regards to St George’s, the homes we hope to create would be at a density that is appropriate for the location, with a mix of house sizes to suit the widest possible range of housing needs.
The community would include affordable housing, social housing, retirement living, custom build and starter homes. As appropriate, the homes would aim to provide a non-estate environment and would include gardens, garages and sufficient off-street parking provision.
Designs would also aim to feature all aspects of a rural village such as a community hub, a pub, a post office, a village shop and a village green. It will be supported by sustainable public transport, schools, superfast broadband, appropriate road infrastructure, leisure facilities and access to employment.
How many new homes would be provided?
What is meant by ‘appropriate’ housing density?
How does St George’s fit in with the Local Plan?
However, provisions are currently being made with respect to the Local Plan process which will ensure the next iteration of the plan is able to take full account of St George’s.
Will there be new health and education facilities to support the growth in population?
As a result, the St George’s project will be frontloaded to ensure infrastructure needs are identified and met prior to the site being occupied. This includes physical infrastructure like roads, public transport and utilities – all of which have already been engaged in the early stages of the project. It also includes social infrastructure such as healthcare, education, local amenities and community facilities.
How will improvements and enhancements to local infrastructure be funded?
It was confirmed 21st March 2018 that our bid for HIF funding will go forward to the second stage of a two-stage process, meaning we remain in contention to receive a proportion of this money.
Stage two of the HIF bidding process involves the development of a business case to support the proposal for funding before a final decision on the allocation of funding is made in summer 2018.
When will the development start and finish?
The development of St George’s will be a long-term project and is expected to take place over 10-15 years, following the closure. An area of the site is also safeguarded for minerals extraction and will need to be managed over a much longer period.
How would the minerals extraction work?
It may be 20 years before minerals extraction would need to begin and a further 10 years to complete the process. The master planning process will help to show how safeguarded areas might be utilised, both before and after extraction.
Has the environmental impact of any future development been considered?
We will continue to involve these groups and others throughout the master planning process.
Will the development be part of Edith Weston or North Luffenham?
The Officers’ Mess which serves St George’s Barracks but sits apart from the main base would likely be developed as an extension to the existing village of Edith Weston.
What is being proposed for the Officers’ Mess?
How can members of the community get involved?
Having launched our partnership in September 2017, some community engagement has already taken place around St George’s in order to understand the aspirations and concerns of local communities, businesses, schools, Parish representatives and anyone else who has expressed an interest in the project.
Work to develop a High Level Masterplan for the St George’s site has been ongoing, helped by feedback that we have already received from local people and groups.
A consultation on around how the potential redevelopment of St George’s Barracks might impact policies and proposals set out in Rutland’s 2017 Consultation Draft Local Plan is due to get underway in August 2018 and all comments are welcome. See our Local Plan page for details.
If you have any comments or questions, you can also contact us by emailing: stgeorges@rutland.gov.uk
What was the outcome of the St George’s consultation which took place in spring 2018?
All of the comments we received as part of the informal consultation have now been published and can be viewed here.
This feedback will be used to help shape a more detailed set of plans for St George’s, which will be put to residents again in the autumn. The views expressed are also being incorporated into Rutland’s new Draft Local Plan, consultation around which is due to begin in August 2018.
What is the Local Plan?
The Local Plan sets out the future development of a local area and is drawn up by the Local Planning Authority, in this case Rutland County Council. Ultimately, the Local Plan guides decisions on whether or not planning permission can be granted.
Why do we need a Local Plan?
Local Planning Authorities like Rutland County Council must have an up-to-date Local Plan which sets out planning policies and guides future development within their area.
The aim of the Local Plan is to protect Rutland’s unique character while guiding future sustainable growth and development in our county.
Why is the Local Plan being updated?
The Local Plan has to be reviewed on a regular basis and continually updated as local housing and employment needs change. This is something that Local Planning Authorities are required to do by law. Rutland’s existing Local Plan is currently being reviewed because it is due to expire in 2026 and needs to take account of recent national planning policy. The new plan, once complete and adopted by the Council, will cover the period up to 2036.
Why is the Council consulting people on the Local Plan now?
Community engagement around Rutland’s latest Consultation Draft Local Plan began in July 2017 as part of the process of reviewing and renewing the Local Plan.
While it was known in 2017 that St George’s Barracks was earmarked for closure, there was no certainty about the nature, timing or amount of development proposed for the site. As a result, it wasn’t possible to include a detailed consideration of St George’s within the Draft Local Plan.
Now there is greater clarity around St George’s Barracks we must consider the redevelopment potential of this large brownfield site through the Local Plan. This also presents an opportunity to reduce the amount of housing development currently proposed in other parts of the County.
A further extra round of public consultation is therefore being undertaken and will focus specifically on the potential redevelopment of St George’s and its impact on the relevant policies and proposals set out in the 2017 Consultation Draft Local Plan.
How can people take part?
The St George’s-focussed Local Plan consultation will take place from 13 August to 24 September 2018, with information on display in local libraries, at the Council’s offices in Oakham and online at www.rutland.gov.uk/localplanreview.
Feedback can be submitted online at: www.rutland.gov.uk/localplanreview from Monday 13 August, by emailing: localplan@rutland.gov.uk or by writing to: The Planning Policy Manager, Rutland County Council, Council Offices, Catmose, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6HP.
What happens to the Local Plan next?
Will there be another chance to comment on the Local Plan?
The Council and the Ministry of Defence have recently consulted a High-Level Masterplan for the St George’s site. How does this consultation differ?
Will there be another chance to comment on the Masterplan for St George’s?
Who can I contact if I have a question?
If you have a question regarding the Local Plan or Local Plan review, please email: localplan@rutland.gov.uk or call: 01572 722 577.