Chapter 7: LVI Appendix 7.2: Planning Policy

APPENDIX 7.2: PLANNING POLICY

National Planning Policy

National Planning Policy Framework (February 2019)i

7.1 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), revised in July 2018 and with minor clarifications made in February 2019, promotes a presumption in favour of sustainable development, defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”, and providing it is in accordance with the relevant up-to-date Local Plan, and policies set out in the NPPF including those identifying restrictions with regard to designated areas, such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Green Belt.

7.2 Paragraph 9 notes that planning policies and decisions should take local circumstances into account to reflect the character, needs and opportunities of each area.

7.3 Paragraph 38 refers to Decision making and states that:

“Local planning authorities should approach decisions on proposed development in a positive and creative way. They should use the full range of planning tools available, including brownfield registers and permission in principle, and work proactively with applicants to secure developments that will improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area. Decision-makers at every level should seek to approve applications for sustainable development where possible.”

7.4 NPPF Paragraphs 124 – 132 focus on achieving well-designed spaces and seek to promote good design in the built environment. Planning policies and decisions should ensure that developments:

i. will function well and add to the overall quality of the area, not just for the short term but over the lifetime of the development; ii. are visually attractive as a result of good architecture, layout and appropriate and effective landscaping; iii. are sympathetic to local character and history, including the surrounding built environment and landscape setting, while not preventing or discouraging appropriate innovation or change (such as increased densities); iv. establish or maintain a strong sense of place, using the arrangement of streets, spaces, building types and materials to create attractive, welcoming and distinctive places to live, work and visit;

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v. optimise the potential of the site to accommodate and sustain an appropriate amount and mix of development (including green and other public space) and support local facilities and transport networks; and vi. create places that are safe, inclusive and accessible and which promote health and well- being with a high standard of amenity for existing and future users and where crime and disorder, and the fear of crime, do not undermine the quality of life or community cohesion and resilience.”

7.5 Paragraph 130 states that permission should be refused for development of poor design that fails to take the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of an area and the way it functions, taking into account any local design standards or style guides in plans or supplementary planning documents. Conversely, where the design of a development accords with clear expectations in plan policies, design should not be used by the decision maker as a valid reason to object to development.

7.6 Chapter 15 relates to conserving and enhancing the natural environment. Paragraph 170 notes that the planning system and decisions should "contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by”:

vii. protecting and enhancing valued landscapes, sites of biodiversity or geological value and soils (in a manner commensurate with their statutory status or identified quality in the development plan); viii. recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside, and the wider benefits from natural capital and ecosystems services – including the economic and other benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land, and of trees and woodland; ix. maintaining the character of the undeveloped coast, whilst improving public access to it where appropriate; x. minimising impacts on and providing net gains for biodiversity, including by establishing coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures; xi. preventing new and existing development from contributing to, being put at unacceptable risk from, or being adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of soil, air, water or noise pollution or land instability. Development should, wherever possible, help to improve local environmental conditions such as air and water quality, taking into account relevant information such as river basin management plans; and xii. remediating and mitigating despoiled, degraded, derelict, contaminated and unstable land, where appropriate”.

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Planning Practice Guidanceii

7.7 To support the policies of the NPPF, the Government has produced Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) covering a number of topics.

7.8 Under the heading of Natural Environment, sub-heading Landscape, Paragraph 1, the PPG supports the use of landscape character assessment as a tool for understanding the character and local distinctiveness of the landscape and identifying the features that give it a sense of place, to help to inform, plan and manage change. The PPG makes reference to Natural guidance on landscape character assessment.

7.9 Under the heading Design, Paragraph 7, the PPG states that planning should promote local character “by responding to and reinforcing locally distinctive patterns of development, local man-made and natural heritage and culture, while not preventing or discouraging appropriate innovation". The PPG goes on to state:

"The successful integration of all forms of new development with their surrounding context is an important design objective, irrespective of whether a site lies on the urban fringe or at the heart of a town centre.

When thinking about new development the site’s landform should be taken into account. Natural features and local heritage resources can help give shape to a development and integrate it into the wider area, reinforce and sustain local distinctiveness, reduce its impact on nature and contribute to a sense of place. Views into and out of larger sites should also be carefully considered from the start of the design process".

7.10 Paragraph 17 of the Natural Environment guidance notes that biodiversity enhancement should seek to include:

 "habitat restoration, re-creation and expansion;  improved links between existing sites;  buffering of existing important sites;  new biodiversity features within development; and  securing management for long term enhancement."

7.11 Under the heading of Natural Environment, sub-heading Green Infrastructure, paragraph 27, PPG supports positive planning for networks of multi-functional green space, both urban and rural, which deliver a range of benefits for local communities.

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Local Planning Policy

Bassetlaw Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Development Plan Document (DPD) (Dec 2011)iii

7.12 The Core Strategy sets out a Vision for Bassetlaw, including the following in relation to :

"Harworth Bircotes, the District’s third largest settlement, will be the focus for a step change in housing growth and linked employment development, which will take advantage of the opportunities offered by the A1 corridor and proximity to Robin Hood Airport ( Sheffield). The regeneration of the Harworth Colliery site, along with greenfield extensions will produce well-integrated development..."

7.13 The Vision further states that:

"Bassetlaw’s diverse landscapes give rise to a rich variety of species and habitats in both urban and rural areas. Opportunities will be sought to protect and enhance biodiversity and to maintain a high quality natural environment by sensitively integrating new development."

7.14 The Core Strategy sets out a number of Strategic Objectives to achieve the Vision.

7.15 Strategic Objective SO2 states the following:

"To provide a range and choice of employment sites in Worksop, Retford, Harworth Bircotes (including the A1 corridor), Carlton- in-Lindrick/Langold and Tuxford."

7.16 Strategic Objective SO7 states the following:

"To ensure that all new development enhances the attractiveness and local distinctiveness of the area and, where appropriate, achieves its full potential against national and local design standards."

7.17 Strategic Objective SO8 states the following:

"To protect Bassetlaw’s natural environment by maintaining, conserving and enhancing its characteristic landscapes, biodiversity, habitats and species and seeking quantitative and qualitative growth in the green infrastructure network across and beyond the District."

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7.18 Strategic Objective SO9 states the following:

"To protect and enhance Bassetlaw’s heritage assets, identify those of local significance, advance characterisation and understanding of heritage asset significance, reduce the number of heritage assets at risk and ensure that development is managed in a way that sustains or enhances the significance of heritage assets and their setting."

7.19 Strategic Objective SO10 states the following:

"To ensure the provision of the essential physical, social and green infrastructure required to support the District’s growth."

7.20 Policy CS1: Settlement Hierarchy, identifies Harworth Bircotes as a 'Main Regeneration Settlement' and states the following with regard to Harworth Bircotes:

"A regeneration opportunity town and a focus for development that will drive a step change in the nature of the settlement (Policy CS4)"

7.21 Policy CS4: Harworth Bircotes, states the following:

"New development [...] will deliver a greater range of local employment opportunities, with facilities that can attract inward investment [...] It will ensure that the strong green character of the settlement is used to reinforce routes to different neighbourhoods and the settlement’s heart. New development will be of a high quality of design, making strong connections with the existing town and surrounding communities (and, as appropriate, employment land to the south)..."

7.22 In terms of Economic Development, Policy CS4 states:

"At least 35% (37 ha) of the District’s employment land needs will be delivered at Harworth Bircotes through existing permissions and allocations (focused on land south of Harworth Bircotes) in the Site Allocations DPD for the plan period 2010- 2028. Economic development proposals will be supported within the Development Boundary, in line with other material considerations and planning policy requirements."

7.23 Policy DM1: Economic Development in the Countryside applies to any area outside a Development Boundary and states that proposals for standalone economic development in rural areas will be supported where they can demonstrate that:

"any necessary built facilities will be provided by the re-use of existing buildings or, where the re-use of existing buildings is not feasible, new buildings are located and designed to minimise their impact upon the character and appearance of the countryside;

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the development requires the specific location proposed and there are no other suitable sites in, or close to, settlements covered by policies CS2-CS8 or on brownfield land;

they are viable as a long-term business;

the scale, design and form of the proposal, in terms of both buildings and operation, will be appropriate for its location and setting and be compatible with surrounding land uses;"

...

7.24 Policy DM4: Design and Character states, in relation to Major Development Principles:

"All major development proposals will need to demonstrate that they:

i. "make clear functional and physical links with the existing settlement and surrounding area and have not been designed as ‘standalone’ additions. Where physical links cannot be made (e.g. for reasons of third party land ownership) provision must be made such that they can be provided in future should the opportunity arise; ii. complement and enhance the character of the built, historic and natural environment; iii. are of a scale appropriate to the existing settlement and surrounding area and in line with the levels of proposed growth for that settlement as set out in policies CS1-CS9; and iv. provide a qualitative improvement to the existing range of houses, services, facilities, open space and economic development opportunities."

7.25 In terms of Local Character and Distinctiveness, Policy DM 4 states:

"New development [...] should respect its wider surroundings, in relation to historic development patterns or building/plot sizes and forms; density; and landscape character."

7.26 Policy DM8: The Historic Environment, states:

"Support will be given to development proposals or regeneration schemes [...] that protect and enhance the historic environment"

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7.27 Regarding the setting of heritage assets, Policy DM8 states:

"The setting of an asset is an important aspect of its special architectural or historic interest and proposals that fail to preserve or enhance the setting of a heritage asset will not be supported."

7.28 Policy DM8 further notes that development proposals within the setting of a heritage asset will be expected to consider, inter alia, "views away from and towards the heritage asset."

7.29 Policy DM9: Green Infrastructure, states that development proposals will be expected to support the Council’s strategic approach to the delivery, protection and enhancement of multi- functional Green Infrastructure, and furthermore development proposals will be expected to demonstrate the following:

i. "they protect and enhance green infrastructure assets affected by the development and take opportunities to improve linkages between green corridors; ii. where they overlap with or will affect existing green infrastructure nodes or corridors, such assets are protected and enhanced to improve public access and use; iii. where opportunities exist, development proposals provide improvements to the green infrastructure network that benefit biodiversity through the incorporation of retained habitats and by the creation of new areas of habitat; and iv. they provide robust delivery mechanisms for, and means of ensuring the long-term management of, green infrastructure."

7.30 In terms of Landscape Character. Policy DM9 states:

"New development proposals in and adjoining the countryside will be expected to be designed so as to be sensitive to their landscape setting. They will be expected to enhance the distinctive qualities of the landscape character policy zone in which they would be situated, as identified in the Bassetlaw Landscape Character Assessment. Proposals will be expected to respond to the local recommendations made in the Assessment by conserving, restoring, reinforcing or creating landscape forms and features accordingly."

7.31 Policy DM12: Flood Risk, Sewerage and Drainage states that:

"All new development (other than minor extensions) will be required to incorporate Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and provide details of adoption, ongoing maintenance and management. [...] Preference will be given to systems that contribute to the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity and green infrastructure in the District."

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Site Allocations DPD

7.32 The Bassetlaw Site Allocations Preferred Options Consultation Paper (Feb 2014)iv identified the Site as Employment Site E2: Land South of Harworth (former ref: H4). Policy E2: Land South of Harworth states that:

“Land to the south of Harworth Bircotes, as shown on the proposals map and illustrated above, is allocated for 80ha of employment development. The principle of economic development on this site will be supported, in line with other material considerations and planning policy requirements, where it delivers the following:

i. A link road across the site from Blyth Road to Bawtry Road (A614) as illustrated above, along with any additional access points demonstrated to be necessary to service the site; and ii. A comprehensive boundary treatment and landscaping approach to the design of the site including an ecology buffer between the site and the neighbouring Local Wildlife Site to the North East.”

7.33 In December 2014, the Council withdrew the Site Allocations DPD. The withdrawal notification notes that “while the sites identified in the SADPD Preferred Options paper will not be formally allocated, it remains possible that some of these, and other sites in sustainable locations, may nevertheless come forward as planning applications”. The site benefits from planning permission (REF 15/00971/OUT ).

Harworth and Bircotes Neighbourhood Plan (Dec 2015)v

7.34 Harworth Bircotes Neighbourhood Plan was made Dec 2015 and provides detailed policies for the town of Harworth Bircotes, to the north of the site, including the redevelopment of the former colliery site. The Neighbourhood Development Plan should be read as a whole and in conjunction with national policies and adopted local policies.

i CLG (February 2019) National Planning Policy Framework ii CLG (March 2014-19) Planning Practice Guidance iii Council (2011) Bassetlaw Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Development Plan Document iv Bassetlaw District Council (2014) Site Allocations Preferred Options Consultation Paper v Bassetlaw District Council (2015) Harworth and Bircotes Neighbourhood Plan

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