Puriton Energy Park Supplementary Planning Document (Adopted 28th March 2012) Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Status of Document 1.2 Purpose of the SPD Chapter 2 Strategic and Local Context 2.1 Strategic Context 2.2 Local Context Chapter 3 The Site 3.1 Historic Use 3.2 Scale and Character 3.3 Site Access 3.4 Current Position 3.5 Landscape Context Chapter 4 Planning Policy Context 4.1 Policy Context 4.2 Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West 4.3 Somerset and Exmoor national Park Joint Structure Plan Review (1991-2011) 4.4 Somerset Economic Assessment (March 2011) 4.5 Sedgemoor Economic Masterplan (2008-26) 4.6 Bridgwater Vision 4.7 Sedgemoor Core Strategy (2006-27) Policy S1: Spatial Strategy Policy MIP1: Major Infrastructure Proposals Policy D11: Economic Prosperity Policy P1: Bridgwater Urban Area Policy D2: Promoting High Quality and Inclusive Design Policy D4: Renewable or Low Carbon Energy Generation Other Relevant Policies (S2, S3, S4, MIP 1, D1, D3, D9, D10, D14, D16, D17, D19, D20, D21) 4.8 Sustainable Community Strategy for Sedgemoor (2009) 4.9 Sedgemoor Corporate Strategy (2009-14) 4.10 Sedgemoor Climate Change Strategy (draft 2012) 4.11 Sedgemoor Green Infrastructure Strategy (2011) 4.12 Sedgemoor Landscape Assessment (2003) 4.13 Somerset Waste Core Strategy (draft 2012) Chapter 5 Site Analysis 5.1 Principle of Redevelopment 5.2 Site Benefits and Constraints 5.3 Brownfield and Greenfield 5.4 Flood Risk 5.5 Biodiversity and Ecology 5.6 Transport and Accessibility Chapter 6 The Energy Park Concept 6.1 Defining the Energy Park Concept 6.2 Economic Context 6.3 Key Deliverables 6.4 Potential Energy Related Uses 6.5 Energy Production 6.6 Manufacturing Sector 6.7 Research and Development Sector 6.8 Energy Storage/Research/Other Potential 6.9 Logistics 6.10 Commercial Offices 6.11 Community, recreation and leisure facilities 6.12 New Nuclear (Hinkley Point C) Supply Chain Chapter 7 Phasing and Review 7.1 Phasing and Future Growth Opportunities Phase 1: Major Power Generator and Secondary Power Generation Phase 2: Industry, Manufacture and Research and Development associated with Green Technologies Phase 3: Industry, Logistics, Energy Storage Phasing Flexibility Chapter 8 Design Principles 8.1 Design Principles and Masterplan 8.2 Design Principle 1: Ease of Movement and Legibility 8.3 Design Principle 2: Character, Quality & Continuity 8.4 Design Principle 3: Diversity 8.5 Design Principle 4: Sustainability 8.6 Design Principle 5: Adaptability 8.7 Design Principle 6: Management 8.8 Design Principle 7: Scale and Massing 8.9 Design Principle 8: Landscape Design Chapter 9 Requirement of a Planning Application 9.1 Requirements of a Planning Application 9.2 Other Advisories Appendix CABE Guidance: Better Places to Work ALL MAP DATA IS DERIVED FROM © CROWN COPYRIGHT AND DATABASE RIGHTS 2012 ORDNANCE SURVEY 100024272 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Status of the Document 1.1.1 A local planning authority may prepare Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) to elaborate and provide greater detail on particular policies of development plan documents as part of its Local Development Framework. SPDs provide guidance on local planning matters and are generally either area based (i.e. masterplans and development briefs) or topic based (i.e. dealing with a specific local issue such as design guidance). 1.1.2 Unlike development plan documents, SPDs are not subject to an independent examination process and therefore can be prepared more quickly. However an SPD is still subject to a robust process of consultation and engagement with relevant parties including key stakeholders and the local community. 1.1.3 Following the publication of an original draft of the Puriton Energy Park SPD in March 2011, two separate stages of public consultation were held between March and May and September and October 2011. Copies of the final Consultation Statement and Sustainability Appraisal report that accompany the SPD can be accessed via the Council’s website at www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/ldf. The SPD was formally adopted by the Council on 28th March 2012. 1.1.4 The adopted SPD will be a significant material planning consideration when determining applications for planning permission for the site, setting out the key principles that developers will need to follow and forms part of the Sedgemoor Local Development Framework. In that the SPD elaborates on the policies and proposals of the Council’s Core Strategy, specifically in relation to the allocation of the Former Royal Ordnance Factory at Puriton as an Energy Park, it will also play an important role in demonstrating the deliverability of the project in line with the Council’s priorities and objectives. 1.2 Purpose of the SPD 1.2.1 The Council has prepared this Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) to guide and inform development of the brownfield site of the former Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF) located at Puriton to the north of Bridgwater in Somerset to support the allocation in the Core Strategy of the former Royal Ordnance Factory site as an Energy Park, with priority for renewable and low carbon energy generation and other energy related or complimentary uses. The SPD elaborates on policies in the Council’s Core Strategy and is closely aligned to current and emerging corporate policy, including: Sedgemoor District Council Sustainable Community Strategy; Sedgemoor District Council Corporate Strategy; Sedgemoor District Council Economic Masterplan; Sedgemoor Climate Change Strategy The Bridgwater Vision The Green Infrastructure Strategy 1.2.2 Whilst the above policy documentation, including this SPD, uses the name ‘Puriton Energy Park’, it should be noted that the owners of the site (BAE Systems) as part of their marketing strategy have recently renamed the site as ‘Huntspill Energy Park’. 1 1.2.3 Following the decommissioning of the factory in 2008 BAE Systems, discussions on the future for the site have been on-going and, as a former employment site, the Council and its partners have focused on retaining the site for employment purposes. The Bridgwater Vision published in 2009 identified that the concept of the Puriton Energy Park could provide significant employment opportunities through business and industrial development linked to low carbon energy sources. 1.2.3 This SPD and the Core Strategy allocation has been informed by the Council’s Economic Masterplan (2008-2026) which identified Sedgemoor’s opportunity to become a centre for energy related business, employment and skills, building on the experience of new nuclear build at Hinkley Point, and other initiatives based on renewable energy and technologies. The Masterplan identified the former Royal Ordnance Factory site as having the potential for being a focus for renewable and low carbon energy development and contributing to the ambitions of the Somerset Low Carbon Business Cluster. 1.2.4 In addition to supporting the allocation of the former ROF site in the Council’s Core Strategy, demonstrating that it is broadly deliverable within the Plan period to 2027, the SPD also has a key role in providing a framework for assessing subsequent planning applications for the site. 1.2.5 The adopted SPD therefore focuses on the main development objectives required to deliver the Energy Park, and has been informed by technical studies to gain a robust understanding of site constraints and opportunities. It should be stressed that the SPD does not set out full details of how the site will be redeveloped, for example detailed building plans, road layouts and known end users. Instead it sets out high level parameters against which detailed schemes submitted to the Council as planning applications will need to be assessed. It should therefore be seen as high level planning tool that sets out the important requirements and considerations that should be borne in mind when preparing planning applications. It does not set out what the site will ultimately look like or who will occupy it which is the role of subsequent planning applications. 1.2.6 The SPD defines, through development principles, the role, function and character of the proposed Energy Park with the objective to achieve sustainable high quality development and considers a range of matters including: Layout and masterplanning, including the siting of development within the site; Landscape design, open space and patterns of movement; Development densities and gross floor space; Building heights and massing; Quality of design and materials; Uses and activities; Traffic and access arrangements, including for public transport, pedestrian and cycle access, and parking; Phasing, the pattern of expansion and key infrastructure requirements; The approach to planning control at the site, particularly with regard to permissible uses, and quality of design; The requirements of planning applications for development, including the scope of the Environmental Impact Assessment; Development constraints and the balance of ‘critical mass’ to achieve viable development: The potential for creating attractive working environments and drawing on CABE guidance ‘Better Places to Work’; and Visibility and profile. 2 Chapter 2 Strategic and Local Context 2.1 Strategic Context 2.1.1 The former ROF site is located approximately 3 miles to the north east of Bridgwater in open countryside between the villages of Puriton and Woolavington, close to Junction 23 of the M5. Bridgwater itself is an historic town in a prime strategic location with a strong trading and manufacturing tradition. It is the administrative and commercial centre of Sedgemoor District and the focus for significant inward investment, regeneration and development. Figure 1 – Strategic and Local Context ALL MAP DATA IS DERIVED FROM © CROWN COPYRIGHT AND DATABASE RIGHTS 2012 ORDNANCE SURVEY 100024272 2.1.2 Bridgwater is however constrained by the M5 motorway to the east creating a physical barrier to development as well as being threatened by flood risk with significant areas of low lying land.