RUSPER NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

VISION NOTE – December 2018 Final

Introduction This note updates the discussions with the Project Steering Group (SG) and other stakeholders at Rusper Village Hall on 15 May 2018. It adds further thoughts on the context and nature of the project since this session based on additional information received including feedback from the Steering Group on the draft note and the response to the community survey.

It sets out an approach for taking the neighbourhood plan forward based on this updated position. The recommendations relate to: • The basis of a Vision statement and land use planning policy scope of the Rusper Neighbourhood Plan (RNP) • Task Group evidence gathering, analysis and testing • The project plan setting out how the project will proceed through to the sub- mission of the RNP to Horsham District Council The recommendations reflect not just the outcome of the workshop but also insights into the national and local planning policy context of the RNP and the implications for recent large allocations to the north of Horsham and the west of Crawley. But specifically, the RNP must meet a series of ‘basic conditions’ relating to its general conformity with that policy context. The examination of the RNP in due course will focus on how those conditions have been met, before the neighbourhood plan goes to referendum.

The Presentation The session started with a short discussion on the purpose of planning policy and the process for making the plan, and questions were answered throughout. A copy of the presentation has been shared with the Steering Group and could be made available on the Neighbourhood Plan website.

Planning Context and changes to National Planning Policy The Horsham District Planning Framework (the adopted Local Plan) defines a built-up area boundary (BUAB) for Rusper village; a ‘smaller village’ in the settlement hierarchy as defined by Policy 3 of the HDPF. The thrust of the spatial strategy is to focus development on the settlement hierarchy and within BUAB’s except where land is allocated in the HDPF or Neighbourhood Plans. Policy 15 of the HDPF establishes the role of neighbourhood planning in assisting housing delivery. Major allocations are proposed in North Horsham and in Ifield that will be part of the Neighbourhood Plan area. It is evident that the pressure of development around Rusper Parish is intense and likely to remain so given the supporting text to Policy 15 confirms that Crawley will reach its capacity to expand within its boundary

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(notwithstanding the Kilnwood Vale allocation and the Ifield developments) within the next 10 years. The Local Plan Review (LPR) Issues and Options consultation proposed minor amendments to the Rusper BUAB and also proposes a ‘secondary settlement’ boundary at Ifield. The LPR also acknowledges the role of rural areas in contributing to the Districts employment strategy by providing small scale local employment opportunities close to where people live. The development of the Rusper Neighbourhood Plan is taking place in a period of significant change in national planning policy. The government published its new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in August 2018 which placed much greater emphasis on the importance of Neighbourhood Planning and provides scope for neighbourhood plan groups to address the following matters that previously did not exist, including:

• Neighbourhood Plans can support the delivery of strategic policies (§13) by defining the key development principles • A clearer definition of ‘Non-Strategic Policies’ that can be dealt with by Neighbourhood Plans (§18) • Neighbourhood Plan policies will take precedence over existing non-strategic policies in the Local Plan (§ 30) and future Local Plans should not address non- strategic matters if better dealt with by Neighbourhood Plans (§ 20) • It places emphasis on the opportunities for allocating small and medium sites suitable for housing where local communities know best (§ 69) and sees Plans having a clear role in design guidance and ‘place-making’ (§ 125) • It allows for first time buyers/renters housing development in rural areas as suit- able extensions to villages, enabling Neighbourhood Plans to identify the right locations and to set out the development principles (§ 71) • It allows for the provision of some open market housing to allow rural excep- tion sites for affordable housing to come forward (§ 77) • Creates an opportunity to shape development to meet local business and community needs in isolated places (§79/§84)

Where a Local Plan is not up to date, paragraphs 65 and 66 also require local planning authorities to provide neighbourhood planning groups with a housing requirement figure for their area, to be used as a starting point in calculating housing need. This of course is set against a back drop of HDC’s requirements that all NP’s in the District are required to be informed by a Parish Housing Needs Assessment (HNA) a draft of which has been prepared by AECOM and issued to the Parish Council. The Parish Council are advised to forward a copy to HDC for their comments. The Steering Group are advised to maintain a watching brief on the implementation of the new NPPF and emerging local planning policy context (both Horsham and Crawley) and where necessary adjust the scope of the plan to address issues that might emerge.

Rusper NP Designated Area

Key Points from Discussion • Rusper Parish lies between Crawley and Horsham; the southern boundary forming an edge of the High Weald AONB. • There is great concern that the continued outward expansion of both towns and the expansion of Gatwick will place significant pressure on the parish over the lifetime of the neighbourhood plan. Proximity to these urban areas does however mean that the needs of residents can be met relatively easily. • While Rusper has been the least populated parish in the area, in the next ten years its population is likely to double. Nearly three quarters of survey respondents confirmed they felt there was a strong sense of community in the Parish.

• The Parish Survey indicated 14% of residents live and work in the parish, with Gatwick, Crawley and Horsham forming part of the functional economic area, with additional commuting to London. • There are no railway stations in the parish, but three stations at Ifield, Littlehaven and Faygate provide reasonable commuting options close by. There is a proposal to close Faygate station and for it to be relocated at the major allocations of North Horsham or Kilnwood Vale. • Historically the A264 formed the primary road route between Horsham and Crawley and Gatwick, however this road and the associated network to the A23 is under increasing traffic pressure and the parish is used as a rat run from the north east to the south west and vice versa.

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• The major housing allocations at North Horsham and Kilnwood Vale along the A264, along with a proposed incinerator to the west at the former Wealden Brickworks, Langhurstwood Road, the proposed expansion at Gatwick, and the knowledge that Crawley will reach its capacity to expand in the next 10 years all put a huge strain on the Rusper NP area.

• Rusper village is the focal point of the parish with a shop, two pubs, hotel, recreation ground, a Grade I listed church, sports field and pavilion, children’s playground, school and village hall. • The source of both the River Arun and the River Mole are in the Rusper NP area, so environmental impacts on water are critical. The River Mole is flooding more frequently and mitigation works that have been carried out against flooding from Ifield Brook increase the problem upstream. • Lambs Green and Ifield are separate smaller settlements, however they function as part of Rusper parish. • Ifieldwood, mostly ancient woodland and a local Nature Reserve (not designated) borders the Gatwick flightpath. Parking is an issue in unofficial sites throughout the NP area, although there is some legal parking provision on local farms.

• Lambs Green is a quiet hamlet of approximately 20 homes with a successful pub. • The Parish benefits from a large network of walks (including the Sussex Border Path) and a ‘green walk’ from Rusper through Lambs Green on to Ifield. Sadly, there are few circular walks and few bridleways, which means hikers and horse riders often have to use the local lanes.

• This, and its successful pubs, gives it a rural character that the residents wish to retain

• Traffic is a major issue in Rusper village and throughout the narrow country lanes. The survey confirmed the community’s concerns about road safety and congestion resulting from the ‘Rusper Rat Run’ of cars avoiding the highly congested A264. While it was acknowledged that in land use planning terms there was little that the Neighbourhood Plan can do about this, there is a strong case for ongoing traffic monitoring to be carried out within the parish and to engage with the Highways Authority and the Gatwick Diamond Strategic Management team to maintain a commitment to this and other matters highlighted in the community survey with the aim of securing a solution. • It was recognised that there are future issues in terms of the growth and sustainability of the school, and the village hall adjacent to it. • Secondary school provision is at Horsham or Crawley; however, the North Horsham allocation plans to accommodate a large primary and secondary education school. It is considered that the primary school provision will place local village schools at risk, although the extra 2,750 houses here may result in over-subscription for the Rusper school.

• Reliable broadband connectivity is an issue in certain parts to the west of the Parish.

• The sports club with its football pitch, tennis court and pavilion could be under threat as the lease for the land is ending in the near future, attempts have been made to negotiate a new lease

• In terms of housing, a majority of the community indicate there should be no further housing development given the large allocations that have already been made around the Parish. Should housing development be a consideration however then a preference is for development on brownfield land or infill development of smaller entry level type homes with low environmental impact. The Horsham Development Framework currently places no requirement on housing delivery in the Parish and a Housing Needs Assessment is awaited and may help the Steering Group determine local housing need. The Steering Group should define their housing requirements on their own terms and explore how other community benefits can be delivered from development. The Steering Groups review of their ‘Call for Sites’ will enable such judgements to be made. • Many of the above issues inform the scope of the neighbourhood plan and reflect local concerns that the rural quality of life is under threat.

Defining a Vision and Objectives Before firming up a vision and key objectives, it will be helpful to consider local pressures that may result from the strategic allocations around the periphery of the Parish and the constraints on development that currently apply within the designated area. The constraints are both technical and political. The technical constraints are those imposed by policy designations (e.g. the Rusper Conservation Area), the physical layout and topography of the Parish and the availability of potentially developable land, and these will be tested by the SG and/or HDC, land interests and ultimately the neighbourhood plan examiner. The political constraint is the need to secure a majority support from the local community at the plan referendum. The opportunities are those presented by the availability and ownership of land that may have some development potential to deliver or be linked with other community benefits. The ‘Call for Sites’ indicates land that has been made available for assessment, but other land could become available that might enable the scenario of an ‘entry level’ affordable housing scheme (see later) and a new or improved recreation ground to be delivered in a way that the planning system alone cannot. When taken together, the results of the 2017 community survey and the discussion at the Vision workshop indicate a strong desire to maintain and enhance the rural character of the Parish. To inform the choice of vision and objectives, it is helpful to identify future scenarios to show what might be possible for the community to achieve through its plan or through non-statutory proposals that could form the basis of projects to help deliver

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the vision. Clarity of vision and succinct objectives help to create the ‘golden thread’ from which the policies in the plan can flow.

The Steering Group has sought to capture the views of the community into the following statement:

“Value, protect and promote the unique rural parish of Rusper, by respecting its heritage, appreciating its current community, protecting its environment and being aspirational when planning its future and therefore ensuring Rusper remains safe and sustainable for people, wildlife and the environment gener- ally.”

In terms of housing development, the main view from local people is that they have taken their share of new build for the plan period to 2031 with the major North Hors- ham and Kilnwood Vale developments along with the developments along the Rus- per Road and do not wish to see any more large scale development in the parish. They also want to see Church Glebe Field protected from development and the open views to the north of the village around the Sports Field maintained.

Using the vision statement and the views of local people has helped to define an ini- tial set of principles or plan objectives for delivering our vision. These are the princi- ples that the Rusper community strive towards:

• make the most of its countryside through protecting views, and enhancing recreational access, especially for horse riders, cyclists and ramblers. • preserve, enhance and ensure the enjoyment for all, of our valued green spaces. • foster and promote a thriving community with plentiful opportunities for peo- ple young and old for education, training and enjoyment. • support, encourage and promote the village shop and local businesses and provide an environment for the rural enterprise to flourish. • continue to be an attractive, well ordered and vibrant community in which residents, visitors and businesses can thrive. • continue to be a distinctive, vital and thriving community where its identity, heritage and aspirations for the future are valued, protected and promoted.

Looking at these principles in more detail, achieving the vision means:

Valuing our green spaces Rusper must retain and maintain its open spaces and provide opportunities for them to be enjoyed by all and, if the opportunity arises, to increase the level of open space.

Access to countryside Rusper must seek to increase footways, cycle routes and bridleways. We need to re- duce traffic impact, encourage sustainable transport and reduce the impact of school traffic.

Supporting business and enterprise Rusper needs to retain its village shop and support businesses in the area. Rusper must support opportunities for increased employment both within the rural economy, where these have minimal environmental impact on what is predominantly a rural area. It needs to encourage and support better online connections to help busi- nesses thrive.

Promote and support education and training opportunities Rusper needs to support its local Primary School and ensure that all forms of educa- tion and training can flourish in the area. This should especially focus on those areas relating to the rural economy and management of the countryside.

Fostering a well ordered and vibrant community The parish should retain its feeling of being well ordered and maintained and not cramped. The open aspect and countryside views should be protected. Rusper must retain its distinctive heritage and rural identity. Rusper has a heart and heritage in the main village, which is a community hub for residents. We also need to identify the distinct nature of other hamlets and settlement area and protect their character; Lambs Green is a special area as the other key area within the parish.

This vision statement will be refined as the objectives and policies of the Rusper NP emerge in the months ahead.

Housing

The housing provision within the Rusper Neighbourhood Plan area will more than double over the next twenty years based on already identified and developments. Given that the Housing Needs Assessment is met more than 5 times over by these al- ready permitted developments, any further housing development should only be permitted if it meets some clear community need. This may include improvements to brown field sites and where there is a specific benefit to the Parish.

Policy Ideas Resulting from the workshop discussion there is potential for the Rusper NP to include some or all of the following policies types:

1. A settlement boundary policy to redefine the built-up area boundary of the village (accommodating any new site allocations), to define where and how proposals in the village and in the countryside will be judged.

2. Site-specific policy(s) – either allocating or reserving land for development for one or more uses and which sets out the key development principles to guide future planning applications. The policy(s) will be determined by deciding which direction(s), if any, the village should grow based on a set of simple criteria (see Next Steps below)

3. Depending on how advanced the various strategic allocations are in the parish there may be an opportunity to influence the masterplanning of these

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schemes and therefore policies regarding these sites in terms of connectivity / infrastructure etc.

4. A policy that supports rural diversification that manages development of rural business locations and stating what it will be more permissive about enabling positive change to the rural economy

5. One or more design policies based on the Conservation Area, the remainder of the village and the rest of the countryside of the Parish, to guide the detailed design of development proposals

6. A local heritage assets policy (ditto 4)

7. A policy defining the network of green infrastructure assets in and around the village and wider parish – landscape features, footpaths/bridleways, water bodies, ecological areas, formal/informal public spaces etc – to enable their protection from harmful development and to support proposals that will improve and create new assets

8. A Local Green Space policy that protects valued local spaces in line with NPPF para 99-101 if there are any identified

9. A policy identifying community facilities to enable their protection from unnecessary loss and to support their improvement/extension so they are capable of meeting new demands – this could include the school, village hall and recreation facilities and may allocate new land for these purposes if viable and justified 10. A local gap policy to provide additional protection to open land that may be subject to development pressures

11. A dark skies policy to encourage good design that limits light pollution

Recommended Tasks It was agreed that the Steering Group should be advised of specific tasks that it could pursue to inform the policies in the Rusper NP. In relation to non-statutory proposals and projects the group should agree the timing of this work. The SG may choose to do so either itself or as is often the case by forming smaller task groups for that purpose, but it is important that all group members engage in these tasks.

The following tasks are recommended to inform policy development:

Housing Task Group

Site Assessment sub group

• Review the neighbourhood plan site assessment methodology available on ‘Yammer’, the HDC neighbourhood planning resource;

• Review the AECOM Housing Needs Assessment and comments by HDC to determine the quantum of housing and housing type that the NP may seek to allocate.

• Identify potential directions of growth of the village (‘spatial options’) taking account of any physical barriers, environmental constraints and landscape sensitivity (e.g. HDC Landscape Capacity Assessment for Rusper – RS1 to 4 and map)

• In terms of land supply, review the SHELAA 2016 (Housing) and SHELAA 2017 (Employment) and Rusper Call for Sites 2017 to identify land that may be available for development

• For other sites that may be available but are not in either SHELAA or were not submitted for the Call for Sites 2017, contact the land owner to confirm the land may be made available for allocation in the Rusper NP and to allow them the opportunity to consider your assessment and key development principles (in writing or by meeting)

• Use local knowledge to identify other sites that are underused/vacant etc • Show all sites on a plan and use a simple table to list them (Update ‘Call for Sites Plan’ May 2018)

• Describe and assess each site using the criteria required by HDC in their Site Assessment Guidance (available on Yammer) • Determine which spatial option(s) is preferred that strikes the right balance between securing community benefits, avoiding harmful locations and delivering sufficient new homes to deliver these benefits

• Meet with landowners to discuss potential housing sites

• Undertake a simple site capacity assessment of preferred site(s) to determine housing numbers, suitability of access and development principles (OH can provide advice on key development principles of each preferred site)

• Prepare a Site Assessment Report capturing the above with policy recommendations. If required undertake targeted consultation to inform site selection

• Arrange meetings, one with OH and meetings with landowners

Design/Heritage/local gaps sub group • Contact HDC to ascertain the timetable for undertaking the Conservation Area Appraisal for Rusper and the possibility of a joint approach. If not proposed in the short term and should resources allow produce a concise village design statement which describes the visual character of the village, key views and important local assets and demonstrates how local character and distinctiveness can be protected and enhanced in new development (Refer also to HDC Landscape Capacity Assessment).

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• Are there any candidates for identifying as a Local Listed Building by way of its local historic/architectural character (including important position in the street scene) that make it more special than the norm but not special enough to warrant proper listing?

• Are any settlements in the parish, such as Ifield, where major development in the future may result in settlement coalescence and where a local gap policy may protect such areas.

• Review HDC Landscape Capacity Study 2014 and maps, and the section on Capacity Assessment for large scale development to determine areas that maybe under pressure for future development such as around Ifield. Draw on a map of the parish the area where a local gap policy might apply.

• Prepare a report capturing all the above including policy recommendations.

Business (Including agriculture) and Economic Development

• Review the Horsham Local Plan Review Issues and Options (April 2018) and HDC evidence base documents related to economic development such as HDC Settlement Sustainability Review summary; The Horsham District Economic Profile Report.

• Review recent farm-based planning applications in the parish. • Contact commercial property agents operating in the area to ascertain opportunities and market demand for local economic policy refinement and/or support for a more diverse local economy (e.g. demand for start-up and flexible workspace etc)

• Meet local rural landowners to understand their future plans

• Prepare a short report capturing all the above including policy recommendations.

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife (including equestrian)

• Review HDC Green Infrastructure Strategy and Sussex Wildllife Trusts Living Landscapes initiative.

• Contact Surrey Wildlife Trust to find out resources available to the group.

• Mark up a plan of the parish all existing green infrastructure assets (open spaces, amenity land, allotments, play spaces, recreation areas, sports pitches, woodlands, nature areas.

• Identify and map opportunities to connect them with new green infrastructure features. • Can improved links between the village and neighbouring settlements such as footpaths, cycleways and bridleways be practically achieved (is land

available?) These could link up with other green areas such as local green space designations. For equestrian review the ‘Binfield Bridle Circuit’.

• Investigate existing public rights of way or possible new routes, including circular routes that are currently not available, if permissible by landowners (potential development sites put forward by Rusper NP may enable this).

• Prepare a short report capturing all the above including policy recommendations.

• Identify small areas of land of community value that could benefit from protection by designating a Local Green Space (LGS) (criteria to be found in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF Paras 76-77). Areas already designated as Open spaces may also be considered as an LGS as this designation provides more protection (in line with Green Belt protection). • A Local Green Spaces study should be prepared by this task group to support a Rusper NP Local Green Spaces policy (OH can provide a worked example)

Community Facilities, Health and Leisure (including Education) • Identify all buildings and associated land of community benefit (not open spaces as covered above), describe their value to the community, take a photo and show on a plan • Meet with the owners of community assets in the area to understand their future plans

• Assess options to extend community assets to maintain viability at some point in the future plan period, and what it might incorporate in terms of uses and need for additional space/car parking etc.

• Review the West Sussex Planning School Places 2018 document and meet with the Local Education Authority to determine proposals for how future school capacity may be accommodated in the parish and the extent to which future development will place pressure on the existing school or place the existing school at risk.

• Prepare a short report capturing all the above with policy recommendations

Infrastructure

• Review the latest Horsham Infrastructure Delivery Plan (2016) to determine any proposals in the parish and as an aid to the group to understand the way in which planning contributions are normally secured.

• Review the HDC (CIL) Infrastructure Delivery Plan (May 2014) and its ‘123’ list to determine whether there are any utility proposals/shortfalls in the parish

• Contact utility providers for an update on any future plans in the parish since the 2014 publication.

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• Prepare a short report capturing all the above with recommendations for projects (non-statutory) that may be included in the non-statutory section of the plan.

Other tasks (optional) • Discuss with HDC/land promoters of the major allocations that extend into the Parish whether it appropriate for the neighbourhood plan to influence the masterplanning of these sites • Review the Gatwick Diamond Initiative and Strategic Plan which references Rusper’s sport and recreation ground and one of the themes of the plan is ‘Improving parishes and supporting communities”. Review the Statement and evidence base as it relates to Rusper and contact the relevant bodies to discuss opportunities for co-funding project proposals.

If task groups are to be set up, then the following advice may be useful:

• They should seek consensus but not at all costs • They should complete their work with a short summary report bringing together all the above outputs

• The Steering Group should oversee the work of the task groups and identify any overlapping ideas or information or possible policy gaps. • Task groups may be requested to reconvene later in the plan making process if further analysis is required on their subjects

Community Engagement The parish survey carried out in 2017 has contributed helpful ideas for the scope of the Neighbourhood Plan. These matters have been discussed as part of the Visioning Workshop and will inform the subsequent engagement, planned towards the latter part of this year/early 2019. This second engagement should test policy ideas/options to include in the plan that emerge from the task group work. At this point, other stakeholders can also be consulted to seek their feedback prior to the Pre-Submission Plan, the formal Regulation 14 consultation period. Once this formal consultation takes place a Regulation 14 report is produced that contain advice on changes to be made to the plan ready for its formal Submission to Horsham District Council. Throughout this process, a record of consultation and updates (updates can be provided at the Parish Council meetings or the Parish News) needs to be kept and collated in the final Consultation Statement that will be submitted with the Submission Plan, along with the SEA (see below), and the Basic Conditions Statement (prepared by OH). OH can provide worked examples of a Consultation Statement to the SG.

Horsham District Council will then administer the Submission Plan consultation process prior to examination and if successful in examination the Rusper NP referendum. The SG needs to formulate an engagement plan to keep the community updated throughout the process.

Strategic Environmental Assessment/Habitat Regulations Screening Once the vision note is agreed and the scope of the plan defined, including whether the neighbourhood plan intends to allocate/reserve site/s, then a Screening opinion should be sought from Horsham District Council. OH will be able to advise how to initiate this. Should the resulting opinion confirm that a SEA/HRA is required this this can be funded at no cost to RPC through Locality Technical Support with some oversight support from OH needed to advise this process.

Next Steps

• Once the Vision Note is agreed, the project timetable can be updated. The group may, if it wishes, share the note with Horsham District Council, Crawley Borough Council, the Gatwick Diamond Initiative and neighbouring parishes to inform them of Rusper NP actions and timetable and to invite views • Agree a timeframe with task groups for completion of their draft reports, keeping OH up to date with progress

• Agree a Community Engagement Plan and a timeline when consultation will be undertaken and update OH.

• Seek feedback from HDC on the conclusions of the AECOM Housing Needs Study, and their recommendations for the neighbourhood plan.

• Submit a formal SEA/HRA screening request to Horsham District Council

December 2018

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