Blyth Valley LDF Core Strategy
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‘A Future for Blyth Valley’ Core Strategy July 2007 This document is also available in other languages, large print and audio format upon request. ‘A Future for Blyth Valley’ Core Strategy July 2007 ‘A Future for Blyth Valley’ Foreword The existing Blyth Valley Local Plan sets out policies and proposals in the Borough up to 2006. The Council has started to review the Plan under the new style local development framework system in order to take it forward to 2021. The Core Strategy sets out the overall vision and spatial strategy for the Borough and seeks to achieve the regeneration and renaissance of Blyth Valley by 2021. It will provide the overall framework for future development plan documents, such as the Blyth, Cramlington and Seaton Valley Development Plan Documents. The Core Strategy has been prepared following extensive consultation on a set of Alternative Options in July 2005; Preferred Options in September 2005 and; the ‘Submission Draft’ in April 2006. The Core Strategy was considered by an independent inspector at an Examination in Public in February 2007. The inspector who considered the Core Strategy concluded that the Core Strategy was ‘sound’ and set out a series of binding recommendations in his report of 18 June 2007. Those recommendations have been included in the final adopted version of the Core Strategy. The Core Strategy is the first step in the process of achieving the vision set out in the Council’s Community Strategy the ‘People’s Plan’. The People’s Plan Vision ‘To make Blyth Valley a place of involvement, opportunity and prosperity for all’ Councillor Grant Davey Portfolio Holder for Environment and Regeneration Blyth Valley Borough Council 4 Core Strategy Contents Page Chapter 1 Introduction to the New Local Development Framework System 6 Chapter 2 Vision and Objectives 8 Chapter 3 Spatial Strategy 12 Chapter 4 Sustainable Communities – 22 4.1 Introduction 23 4.2 Housing 24 4.3 Employment and Regeneration 30 4.4 Retail and Town Centres 37 4.5 Accessibility 41 4.6 Community Facilities 45 Chapter 5 Environment 50 Appendix A List of Local Shopping Facilities 56 Appendix B Glossary of terms 57 Appendix C List of saved/replaced policies 62 Appendix D Housing Trajectory 64 Appendix E Key Strategy Diagram 66 Separate Appendix – Monitoring and Implementation Framework 5 ‘A Future for Blyth Valley’ 1 Introduction to the new on 5th July 2007, incorporating the Local Development Inspectors binding recommendations. Framework System 1.2 The Development Plan Context 1.1 Background 1.2.1 The local development framework will be prepared in the context of a series of 1.1.1 The existing Blyth Valley Local Plan inter-related plans which together form (adopted 1999) sets out the policies and the statutory ‘Development Plan’. The 1 proposals for using and developing land development plan will continue to be the in the borough. The Council started a starting point for the consideration of review of the plan and released the ‘key planning applications to develop and use issues papers’ as the first stage of the land. The hierarchy of plans is set out review in 2003. In September 2004 the below. Government introduced new legislation which has resulted in major changes to Regional Spatial Strategy the development plan system. 1.2.2 The existing ‘Regional Spatial Strategy’ 1.1.2 The Council is taking the review forward for the North East (RSS) (2002) (formerly under the new legislation. The Regional Planning Guidance (RPG1)) consultation on the Key Issues papers forms the upper tier of the Development was taken into account in the formulation Plan system. The RSS is currently under of ‘A Future for Blyth Valley’ Core review with the submission document Strategy Discussion Paper which was released for consultation June 2005. An released for consultation in July 2005. Examination in Public was held This document set out a range of issues March/April 2006 and the report and potential alternative development published July 2006. Adoption is strategy options to be considered for the anticipated 2008. Core Strategy. Northumberland County and National 1.1.3 The Core Strategy will set out the overall Park Joint Structure Plan (First vision and spatial strategy for the Alteration) borough until 2021. It is the first document to be produced as part of the 1.2.3 The Northumberland County and National review and will provide the overall Park Joint Structure Plan (2005) forms framework for future documents. the basis for sub-regional planning guidance over the next couple of years. 1.1.4 The Council consulted on a set of Under the new planning system the ‘preferred options’ for the Core Strategy structure plan will be replaced with the in September 2005 which have generally revised regional spatial strategy when it been well received. The responses is adopted (anticipated 2007). received to the consultation process have been taken into account in formulating Northumberland Minerals and Waste the ‘submission draft’ document. Development Framework 1.1.5 The submission draft Core Strategy was 1.2.4 Northumberland County Council adopted considered at an Examination in Public in its minerals and waste local plans in February 2007 and was formally adopted 6 Core Strategy 2000. The county is currently reviewing 1.3.2 The Government has introduced its mineral and waste policies through the transitional arrangements in order to new local development framework ease the transition from the old system to system. The county will be preparing a the new. joint minerals and waste development framework which will also form part of the 1.3.3 Under these transitional arrangements, ‘Development plan’ for the Borough. existing local plan policies are automatically saved until 2007. The local Blyth Valley District Local Plan development scheme sets out the policies which are to be saved and the 1 1.2.5 The existing ‘Blyth Valley District Local appendix C shows which policies will be Plan’ was adopted in 1999 and provides replaced by the policies in this document. the immediate planning framework for using and developing land and considering planning applications at a local level. The local plan will gradually be replaced with the Blyth Valley local development framework under the new planning system. 1.3 Local development framework 1.3.1 The local development framework (LDF) is the term given to the range of local development documents (LDD) the council will produce. These documents will together deliver the spatial planning strategy for Blyth Valley. The glossary at appendix B set out a definition of the Blyth Valley local development framework various documents in the LDF. 7 VVisionision andand ObjectivesObjectives Core Strategy 2 Vision and objectives of the natural environment and resources of the borough and does not affect the 2.1 The Core Strategy Vision ability of future generations to meet their own needs (sustainable development). The Community Strategy: The need to achieve sustainable ‘The Peoples’ Plan’ development is therefore at the heart of the Core Strategy. 2.1.1 ‘The Peoples’ Plan’ provides the Core Strategy Vision main strategy in 2 planning for the ‘To achieve the regeneration and future of Blyth renaissance of Blyth Valley by 2021 Valley. It does through the attainment of a long term this by providing sustainable development strategy in order a snapshot of the to make Blyth Valley a place of current situation, involvement, opportunity and prosperity and a vision for for all, whilst safeguarding and enhancing where the the unique qualities of our natural and community wants to be in 20 years time. historic environment.’ ‘The Peoples’ Plan’ Vision 2.1.5 The Core Strategy and local development ‘To make Blyth Valley a place of framework will assist in the delivery of the involvement, opportunity and prosperity six main priority areas identified in the for all’ Peoples’ Plan to create a place of pride and confidence. 2.1.2 As a result, the overall aim of the revised 2.2 Core Strategy Objectives local development framework is to provide a land use framework that 2.2.1 The Core Strategy and other delivers the vision of the Peoples’ Plan. development plan documents will seek to achieve this vision by achieving a set of 2.1.3 In order to achieve this there will need to Core Strategy Objectives by 2021. be a step change in the economic fortunes of the borough. The Core 2.2.2 The table below shows the Core Strategy Strategy will deliver this step change by objectives and how they seek to achieve developing a bold spatial strategy which the objectives of The Peoples’ Plan will shape the future of the borough to through the delivery of the spatial 2021. objectives. Most of the Core Strategy objectives contribute to the achievement 2.1.4 The Core Strategy and settlement based of more than one of The Peoples’ Plan documents will need to make sure that objectives. enough housing, employment and other land is made available to support the overall strategy and deliver the Peoples’ Plan vision. It must make sure that economic progress is not at the expense 9 ‘A Future for Blyth Valley’ Core Strategy Objectives Peoples’ Plan Objectives CHAPTER: SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES/HOUSING 1. To enable the provision of an appropriate mix of housing Young people types, sizes and tenures, including affordable housing, in Improving health order to deliver sustainable communities in locations which Safe and valued surroundings are accessible by a range of means of transport. 2 CHAPTER: SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES/ REGENERATION AND EMPLOYMENT 2. To sustain and strengthen the local economy and Essential skills encourage economic diversification through the provision Entrepreneurial culture of high quality employment land in sustainable locations Safe and valued surroundings and supporting and facilitating appropriate regeneration and tourism initiatives.