Mendip Infrastructure Plan

Mendip Infrastructure Plan

Section 2 - Infrastructure Plans and Providers

Transport and Accessibility  Strategic Road Network  Highways Network  Public Transport  Walking and Cycling

Utilities  Flood Risk  Electricity Supply  Gas Supply  Water Supply  Waste Water Treatment/Drainage Infrastructure  Telecommunications/Broadband  Household Waste & Recycling

Community Infrastructure  Education  Health and Wellbeing  Emergency Services

Recreation and Leisure  Built Leisure Facilities  Cemeteries  Public Open Space  Accessible Natural Greenspace

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Transport and Accessibility

Strategic Road Network

Responsible Provider

Highways is responsible for operating, maintaining and improving the Strategic Road Network (SRN). There are no motorways in Mendip but a 10km section of the A36 to the east of forms part of the SRN. In addition, Highways England is responsible for the A303, located to the south of the district.

Response to Local Plan Growth Proposals

Highways England have identified in responses to Local Plan Part 2 that the proposed developments in Frome could cumulatively have an impact on the A36 and the junctions into Frome. In addition, development allocations in Frome and should also be considered in the context of potential impacts on the A303.

These concerns have resulted in a new highways policy for Frome (draft policy DP27) in Local Plan Part 2 Proposed Main Modifications. The policy was agreed with Highways England and other parties at examination. Highway impact assessments for individual sites allocated in the plan, particularly in Frome, and Rode will need to consider the impact on the A36.

Highways England has identified a concept improvement scheme for the A36 Beckington Roundabout in response to traffic flow increases generated by Local Plan allocations and particularly allocated sites in Frome. Further improvements to mitigate Local Plan development impacts are likely to be required at the A36 White Row Roundabout. A study will be undertaken to fully explore opportunities for beneficial improvements to the junction in order to mitigate against forecast traffic flow increases.

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Somerset Highway Network

Responsible Provider

Somerset County Council (SCC) is the Highways Authority with responsibility for main roads, footpaths and cycleways. SCC also advises on project development and delivery of major road projects on the highway network.

Relevant Plans

The current transport strategy for Somerset is set out in the Future Transport Plan (FTP) 2011-2026.

Mendip Council Highways Investment Strategy (March 2020) provides an overview of the Mendip road network, current use and future challenges and opportunities.

District Overview

There are a number of main routes which run through the district: the A37 between Bristol and the south coast, the A39 and the A361. The A371 (linking Wells to Cheddar and the M5) is designated as a County Route.

Strategic Infrastructure

Local Plan Part I identifies a reserved route for a Walton-Ashcott bypass. The proposal has the support of the Highways Authority and remains on a shortlist of schemes in Somerset to be promoted for sub-regional funding as a Large Local Major (LLM) proposal. Further development work is required to prepare an outline business case during 2020 This is being developed by and additional information can be found on the Peninsular Transport website. See weblinks.

The A37, the A39 between the M5 and and the A361 between Glastonbury- Shepton -Frome form parts of the national major road network (MRN).

The pinch point on the A361 (Chilkwell Street) in Glastonbury forms part of the MRN route and is highlighted as an issue in the Local Plan Part 1 . Early feasibility work on a bid for a bypass for Glastonbury /Pilton under MRN road funding was undertaken in 2018/19 but is not being taken forward.

Response to Local Plan Growth Proposals

An indicative response from SCC to the Local Plan Part II allocations indicated that no critical highways infrastructure was likely to be required to address sites allocated in Local Plan Part II. Initial and high level site-specific comments on highways requirements have been included in the draft allocation policies.

There are locations where adjoining development sites are being proposed where traffic impact studies should consider cumulative impacts or take a master planned approach. Key locations are considered to be the sites allocated in SW Frome, land west of Street

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and Frome town centre.

Local highways works for the housing sites will be met by developers and secured through site agreements. The one potential exception is at the strategic site in Street which will require a connecting link from the A39 at Quarry Batch. A potential spine road may not come forward due to environmental constraints.

In terms of more localised highways infrastructure, key issues identified through planning policy and other consultations include: • traffic congestion hotspots • measures to reduce the impact on villages of HGVs and speeding traffic • localised off-street parking issues in the main towns • availability of town centre car parking for residents, businesses and visitors • works to improve pedestrian movement/traffic flows in the town centre

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Public Transport

Responsible Provider

Somerset County Council (SCC) has responsibility for preparing strategies for public transport. SCC is also a Local Transport Authority which includes duties and powers to secure public transport provision such as improvements to bus services.

Relevant Plans

The current public transport strategy for Somerset is set out in the Passenger Transport Strategy 2018-2026 (this forms part of the Future Transport Plan). A draft consultation strategy was published in May 2018. There are separate strategy documents for bus and rail which form part of the public transport strategy. A bus transport strategy was published in November 2018.

On larger development sites, financial support for bus services and public transport infrastructure may be sought by the County Council in conjunction with developer travel plans. These are secured through a s106 agreement.

4.13 In terms of rural areas, there is some community/voluntary transport within the district but this is limited. The district is covered by a demand responsive service (slinky bus) for senior citizens, people with disabilities and socially excluded people who do not have access to a local bus route or a car. There is also a voluntary run hospital car service. The County Council has indicated that demand for these services exceeds availability and pressure is likely to increase over time.

Walking and Cycling

The Local Plan Part I identifies a number of strategic multi-user paths which provide links through and between towns. The most significant project is the opening up of the former ‘Strawberry Line’ rail route between Cheddar, Wells and Shepton Mallet. Some sections of this route have been implemented with other parts at the feasibility and planning stages. The Local Plan also highlights the need for walking and cycling links from the housing growth areas to town centres and investment to improve local networks.

Community projects are underway, working with Sustrans and Somerset County Council to try to complete a network of cyclepaths utilising the ‘Strawberry Line’ between Cheddar and Wells and extending to Shepton Mallet, and the Colliers Way between Frome and Radstock.

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Utilities

Flood Risk

Flooding is an issue with varying levels of severity across most of Mendip. Approximately 6% of properties within the district are located in areas at risk of flooding or within a short distance of known flooding incidents. A review of sources of flooding and risk is contained in the Council’s Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (2019).

The newly formed Somerset Rivers Authority published the “Somerset Levels and Moors Flood Action Plan” in 2015. The plan aims to reduce the frequency, duration and severity of flooding in the levels and moors. The Authority works with and co-ordinates the actions of numerous different bodies. Within Mendip, responsibilities for watercourses and flood defences are covered by the Environment Agency (for main rivers) and Council (for ordinary watercourses). Developers will be responsible for investment in flood mitigation and drainage measures on individual sites.

There are locations where collective mitigation works may be needed to manage surface water flows to reduce flood risks. This includes Frome, Shepton Mallet, Street and Glastonbury.

Avoiding areas of flood risk will form an important part of the site allocation process. Where development is allocated, Environment Agency advice is that flood risk measures should be identified as part of this process and that infrastructure required should form part of the IDP. The provision of flood risk related infrastructure will be assessed in consultation with the Environment Agency and will be sought through site-specific development contributions.

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Electricity Supply

Responsible Providers

Western Power Distribution (WPD) is responsible for the delivery of electricity in the majority of the District. Frome and some areas to the east and north of Mendip are the responsibility of Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

Western Power Distribution

WPD has advised that it does not plan to reserve capacity for any customer or group of customers. It notes the availability of supply and pressure on the network is most affected by establishment or closure of commercial and industrial concerns.

WPD highlighted that there are potential issues in terms of capacity in Glastonbury, Street and Evercreech.

Electricity Network 2020 - 2040

Further discussions are planned with WPD in 2020 on local infrastructure supply and substation capacity.

Scottish and Southern Electrcity (Frome) The Council provided information on strategic sites to SSEN in autumn 2018

Gas Supply

Wales and West Utilities is responsible for gas distribution in Mendip district. They have advised that there are no particular strategic issues in the County and that there is some capacity in most areas of the district. The only area within the district highlighted for network re-enforcement would be to the east of Glastonbury. This would only be necessary if there was significant housing growth in the area. It should also be noted that some villages and smaller settlements in Mendip do not have mains gas supply.

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Water Supply

Responsible Provider

Water supply for most of the district is provided by Bristol Water. Supply comes from a number of sources including the River Severn, reservoirs in the Mendips and small wells and springs.

Relevant Plans

Bristol Water published a Resource Management Plan in March 2014 which outlines a long term investment programme for the next 30 years. Long term resilience will be maintained by a number of interventions which may include the extension of the Cheddar reservoir and supplies of water from the Wessex Water area. In addition, there are medium scale projects within Mendip District which will support existing and future growth.

Overall, Bristol Water has advised that growth proposals are not considered to require increased abstractions or new supply development within the Local Authority area over the plan period.

Bristol Water will continue to charge developers for site connection and for supply infrastructure. Specific developer contributions may also be required if upgrade works are needed as a result of new development. These costs may be reduced where there are opportunities to re-enforce the wider network.

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Waste Water Treatment/Drainage Infrastructure

Responsible Provider

Wessex Water is responsible for the provision of foul sewerage and sewage treatment in Mendip.

Relevant Plans

Wessex Water Business Plan 2020-2025. https://www.wessexwater.co.uk/corporate/strategy-and-reports/business-plan-2020

Utility planning is undertaken on five year capital investment and delivery periods – currently AMP7 (2020-2025. Investment plans reflect the requirements of the Water Framework Directive and Wessex Water’s own plans for rationalising the network, including phasing out smaller sewage treatment works. Capital investment plans are subject to scrutiny by the industry regulator which determines the extent to which costs are met by shareholders rather than customers. The recent review of utility plans have generally not approved investment based on increasing consumer bills. This may have implications for proposals in villages where Wessex Water is not able to prioritise additional capacity.

District Overview

Wessex Water have confirmed that there are no high level constraints to accommodating the growth proposed in the Local Plan but investment in treatment works and connections will be required, particularly in locations of housing growth. Over the last 20 years, there has been increased treatment capacity in the towns with the loss of traditional manufacturing industries.

A need for additional infrastructure has been identified for the cluster of sites around the southern edge of Frome, where it may be necessary to pump foul water flows to the sewage works and downstream improvements will be needed.

The Environment Agency (EA) has highlighted that there are a number of particularly sensitive locations where the expansion of sewage treatment is constrained by limits to discharge into the local watercourse. This particularly affects the River Sheppey at Shepton Mallet and the Glastonbury Mill Stream. Wessex Water have been working on schemes to improve treatment standards and reduce nutrient levels in Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet. The scheme at Shepton Mallet was completed in 2014. Designs for the scheme in Glastonbury were completed in 2016 and are awaiting implementation.

The position in Glastonbury is also critical as the Glastonbury sewage works also serves Street. It is noted that the EA consider investigation and investment in this facility represents critical infrastructure which will need to be programmed before substantial development takes place.

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Sewage Treatment capacity for villages is a specific issue of concern where they fall within Groundwater Source Protection Zones. This becomes an issue where there is off-mains drainage. These constraints would affect development proposals in the following Primary Villages: Westbury sub-Mendip, Mells, , and /Gurney Slade. Binegar & Gurney Slade are particularly affected as potential infiltration of groundwater is an issue here. Additional investment in local sewage infrastructure would be needed in these areas and it will be incumbent on developers to explore this at an early stage.

Development schemes must demonstrate satisfactory proposals for foul and surface water drainage. Larger scale developments on peripheral sites will involve a significant financial contribution from the developer for connecting infrastructure and pumping stations if needed. This is normally secured through a requirement for a drainage strategy as part of an application or developed during masterplanning.

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Telecommunications/Broadband

Strategic Infrastructure

Provision of high speed broadband is a key strategic infrastructure issue for Mendip. It also directly affects communities and individual households.

Since the 2013 Infrastructure Plan, there has been significant improvement in high speed broadband coverage through the Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) Project. Somerset County Council is the lead authority for Connecting Devon and Somerset.

The phase 1 rollout focused on towns outside the main BT commercial programme and larger villages. Provision has been through connecting street cabinets to the fibre optic network and upgrading exchanges. Phase 2 of the programme is in development and focuses on ultra-fast broadband solutions and connections to individual premises. This has been contracted to Gigaclear. Phase 2 will involve solutions for small villages, hamlets and more isolated properties.

CDS provides a basic level of higher speed broadband across the district, but the availability of ultra-speed broadband to support business and economic growth is more limited. In addition, some settlements have insufficient cabinet capacity to meet local household demand for broadband.

Further investment is also likely to be needed in the mobile network to improve quality, speed and coverage. Telecommunications facilities will also be needed by infrastructure providers (e.g. water supply and transport providers to support their network).

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Household Waste and Recycling

Responsible Providers

Somerset Waste Partnership manages the contract for recycling and waste services. This includes household and other waste collections. SWP also manages a network of recycling sites. Somerset County Council is responsible for future land use planning and development management in connection with waste.

Relevant Plans

The Somerset Waste Core Strategy (2013) is the current adopted development plan document. A review of the Plan is underway with a number of waste topic papers published and in preparation. A site allocations document may come forward in due course. No specific implications for waste planning from proposals in Local Plan Part II was highlighted through the consultation process. Somerset Waste Partnership Business Plan (2018-2023).

District Overview

There are no specific implications from the growth proposals in this plan for the management of waste capacity. Changes to household waste collections will come into effect next year under the ‘recycle more strategy’ involving three weekly collections to boost a reduction in residual waste. From April 2020 residual waste will be sent to Viridor’s Energy from Waste (at Avonmouth) Plant rather than landfill.

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Community Infrastructure

Education

Responsible Providers

Somerset County Council (SCC) is the Local Education Authority (LEA) covering Mendip District. It has the responsibility to ensure sufficient capacity for school places, provide funding to community schools and oversee the maintenance of school buildings. SCC also has an enabling role in the provision of new schools.

Academy schools are responsible for investment to increase accommodation and staff capacity. Many primary educational establishments in the district are community schools although a significant number have converted to academy status. All the secondary schools in the district have academy status. In Mendip these include The Blue School (Wells), (Street), St Dunstan’s School (Glastonbury), (Shepton Mallet) and . The County Council as the commissioner of school places will be able to recommend the need for developer contributions for school places. Mendip also has a number of nationally recognised private schools which have an important role in the local economy and some influence in attracting households into the Mendip area. The main senior schools of note are (at Street and Glastonbury), the and Downside (Stratton on the Fosse).

What is the role of Mendip Council?

The policy team maintain a regular dialogue with SCC officers responsible for school infrastructure planning and provide updates of housing growth. For major housing development, the planning officers will consult with SCC and/or raise the potential need for education contributions at pre-application discussions.

Relevant Plans and Research

Existing school capacity and demand forecasts are published by SCC within their school place planning infrastructure growth plan which is updated annually. This takes into account the Mendip Housing Trajectory and is one of the few strategic plans to consider unplanned and potential housing commitments.

The latest published plan is 2017 but will be updated to take account of new research on pupil forecasts for new housing. This is likely to affect the long term pupil forecasts.

Updated forecasts for the number of children likely to be associated with new housing development in Somerset (the pupil product ratio or PPR) were published in August 2018. These are significantly higher than current estimates and have already started to

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be used in the calculation of developer contributions for planning applications.

Delivery of Schools

Mendip Council does not determine when new schools are actually built. This will depend on SCC school infrastructure plan, which is the key document in medium and long-term resource planning of new build schools. SCC generally have around 10 years to take up the option of using a school site identified as part of a development allocation or offered by a developer. SCC also keeps under review the extent to which existing schools can be extended to meet demand before commissioning a new school.

All new schools must be academies and can be delivered through Free School bids (funded by government) or locally commissioned by inviting bids to run schools from existing or new academies. The selection of an academy is not made by SCC but by the regional schools commissioner.

Somerset County Council agreed a £140 million capital programme in May 2018 to deliver new schools in Somerset. This includes the primary schools identified in Local Plan Part I. Although schools in the immediate building programme have been delayed due to budget cuts, this does not affect schools in Mendip.

District Overview

The proposed housing requirements for the five main towns in Mendip will generate a need for additional and/or replacement schools over the plan period. The main requirements of the LEA are summarised below and in the infrastructure schedule in Appendix 1. However medium to long term impacts will need to be reviewed in the light of the updated PPR.

FROME: The current school infrastructure plan shows net capacity is above pupil forecasts. There is a potential deficit in capacity in the longer term (post 2025). Core Policy 6 identifies a requirement for a primary/first school to be provided as part of the Southfield Farm strategic site and a site has been provided in the planning permission for the site (currently under construction). The LEA has yet to deliver the school, and there is no immanent prospect of this given current capacity. However, SCC will seek contributions (via s106 or CIL) from development to allow for additional new-build primary provision.

The establishment of an all-through non-mainstream Steiner Free School appears to have made a significant contribution to local school capacity – also increasing the demand for housing from families moving to the town. The school will have an eventual capacity of over 620.

The LEA have indicated that there is no short/medium term need to plan for a second

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new-build primary school. However local communities have highlighted that the best location for additional provision would be a greenfield land purchased by Somerset County Council for this purpose in the 1980s at Packsaddle. The logic of this is that first/primary school provision is concentrated to the south of the town with only one school (Hayesdown) serving the area where most of the growth of the town has been accommodated since the 1980s. Comments made through the plan making process highlight the number of car borne school run trips arising from this pattern of school provision. Further dialogue on the most appropriate site for the next new school will continue between county, district and town councils with input from other schools and local residents.

SHEPTON MALLET: An additional new primary school will be needed in the town to meet planned and any additional housing growth. A site has been included as part of a masterplan for the Cannards Grave development. The inclusion of the site follows feasibility studies by SCC to confirm that existing schools cannot be expanded. In terms of secondary provision, Whitstone School is a constrained site and has some unsuitable accommodation. However its accessible location means there is no desire from the school to relocate. Funding for improvements may be available from its Academy status. The LEA have concluded that the site lying within the Tadley Acres development – previously set aside for a school will not be required.

WELLS: The current position is that pupil demand now matches existing capacity. However current and forecast housing growth means there will be a need for a new primary school in the short term – and this is likely to be a priority for development. SCC have indicated that existing schools may need to be expanded where feasible while a new school comes forward. A site is included in proposals on allocated land (in Local Plan Part I) off Hole Road. SCC have indicated developer contributions will be required to support this development.

Demand for secondary places also now exceeds capacity. However the Blue School in Wells (one of the largest in Somerset) has a significant proportion of out of catchment pupils. Over time, it is expected that the proportion of out-of-catchment pupils (mainly from Shepton Mallet) will fall in response to meeting demand generated within the catchment.

GLASTONBURY & STREET: Demand for both primary and secondary places from housing growth is within overall school capacity in the short and medium term. In the long term, Core Policy 8 (Street Parish Strategy) identifies the need for a new primary school on a strategic greenfield site to the south of the town.

RURAL SCHOOLS: Many villages in the district have a primary or infants school, with some of these schools attracting pupils from other catchment areas. The LEA have indicated that a number of village schools (see table below, which includes villages within the catchment of schools in neighbouring villages) are already at capacity and that education contributions will be needed to support extensions or enhancements.

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Primary Villages Secondary Villages Coleford Binegar/Gurney Slade Evercreech Chewton Mendip Rode . South Horrington Oakhill Walton

In each case the LEA will consider roll numbers in each village reflecting the known demographic issues facing many villages. Development contributions or streams of CIL funding may need to be focused on these schools.

SCC have advised that new development in settlements with a deficit of primary school places cannot be mitigated by a reliance on capacity in schools in the wider locality. This creates additional costs in providing school transport – and there is a duty to provide this where places are more than three miles away.

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Health and Wellbeing

Responsible Providers

Since 2013, clinical strategy, budgets and commissioning responsibilities have been devolved to groups of primary care practices (clinical commissioning groups or CCG). Mendip is part of the Somerset CCG.

Until recently, NHS England has retained a responsibility for the management of GP premises and health estate. However, there have been almost continuous rounds of ‘transition’ in the NHS and lines of responsibility have not always been clear in the period of preparing Local Plan Parts 1 and 2.

As at January 2020, the Council is working with the CCG to develop the evidence and a mechanism to seek financial contributions from new development for the expansion of health facilities.

Existing provision

There are 3 Community Hospitals in Mendip where healthcare is provided by the Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and a Treatment Centre at Shepton Mallet, run under contract from the Somerset CCG by Care UK

There are 12 GP practices located in the district which are grouped into three collaborative networks (known as primary care networks or PCNs). Future provision and investment planning therefore needs to be considered in terms of PCNs rather than the impact on individual GP practices. A number of villages in north Mendip fall within GP catchments which form part if the Bath and NE Somerset CCG.

Relevant Plans

The key strategies are the Somerset Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) and the Draft Primary Care Plan for Somerset (2016)

The primary care plan sets out a programme of change for the sector for the next 5 years. The plan emphasizes the need for changes in the way that primary care providers work and emphasis on the need for prevention of ill health and “patient centered care”. It also suggests that there will be a need for significant investment in primary health care to achieve these objectives.

Somerset County Council is responsible for the Improving Lives in Somerset Strategy 2019-2028. Alongside this Mendip District Council has published a local programme to support the Somerset wide strategy. This strategy sets out 3 priorities which are;

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• People, families and communities take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing • Families and communities are thriving and resilient • Somerset people are able to live independently

The Health and Wellbeing Strategy envisages a role for the planning system in ensuring that the impact of the environment on encouraging healthy lifestyle choices is positive. This will relate particularly to the provision of open space, sporting facilities and vibrant communities.

Of all the infrastructure areas covered in this Plan, primary care is probably the greatest issue of community concern and has the greatest complexity. In common with most of the UK, there is significant pressure on primary and secondary health provision. In addition, there are particular issues in Somerset with retention and retirement in the GP workforce.

The challenge for the Local Plan is that there are limited prospects for expanding capacity by traditional means (i.e. more health staff / extending surgery premises). It must also be recognised that while planned housing growth – and increases in patient registrations – are potentially significant in adding to these pressures, they are not the main driver of demand for primary care services. The increasing pressure on practices reflects the ageing population, growth in more complex care needs, increased demand from existing households and how responsibilities for care are shared between hospitals, community care and local practices.

District Overview

Mendip is relatively fortunate in having a legacy from the previous Primary Care Trust of relatively modern health centres and primary care premises. The one exception is in Shepton Mallet where feasibility work for investment in the treatment centre and community hospital. There have also been discussions to relocate the GP surgery (Grove House) to more modern premises on this site. However, this may not be a viable solution for the Local Practice and the NHS and alternatives will need to be considered.

Further investment (both from the NHS and elsewhere) will be needed to support the changes in delivery envisaged in the STP. Close liaison with the CCG and other partners will be needed to identify opportunities where land use and development planning can play a positive role.

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Emergency Services

Emergency Infrastructure includes the requirements of police, fire brigade and ambulance services. These services are provided by Somerset and Avon Constabulary, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service and the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

None of the emergency services have identified any specific requirements or facilities resulting from Local Plan proposals. Accommodation requirements for the police are in transition with a move to more local stations supported by centralised specialist facilities. The police have a contact point in the new public sector hub at the Mendip Council Offices. Going forward, Mendip has an enabling role in exploring additional opportunities for shared sites and services under the One Public Estate programme (OPE).

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Recreation and Leisure

Built Leisure Facilities

Since the adoption of Local Plan Part 1, Mendip has let a long-term contract to Fusion Lifestyle (an independent charity) for the operation and investment into the major built leisure facilities in the District. Fusion’s investment programme, which is due to be completed by 1st April 2018, is:

 Frome Leisure Centre - £2million  Wells Leisure Centre - £550,000  Strode Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre - £100,000  Tor Sports and Leisure Centre - £75,000  Shepton Mallet Lido - £75,000

Other facilities are provided through private clubs, trusts, leased sports grounds and on school premises.

Sport England have indicated that an assessment of sporting needs and opportunities is required alongside the preparation of the Local Plan. Work will commence on this in 2019.

Cemeteries

Mendip District Council is the burial authority for three cemeteries: Street, Shepton Mallet and Frome. Glastonbury and Wells cemeteries are the responsibility of their respective Town and City Councils. No specific infrastructure requirements have been identified at this stage for inclusion in the Plan. The Future Growth Area at Elm Close in Wells will require consideration of the need for additional provision if and when it comes forward. A private Crematorium opened near Shepton Mallet in 2011 serves Wells, Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet.

Public Open Space

Provision of public open space for sport, leisure, recreation and wildlife will make up an important part of the infrastructure requirements in the Local an. Local Plan Part I recognises that housing growth will create a need for additional open spaces and there will also be pressure on the existing facilities.

The policy approach of the Local Plan has a number of strands:

(a) identification and protection of existing facilities and open spaces;

(b) setting guideline levels of future open space provision in the main settlements and villages;

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(c) support for a strategic approach to provision and addressing local priorities through the development and use of Green Infrastructure Strategies. Such strategies will be drawn up as a collaborative exercise between district and town councils involving local amenity groups and other landowners; and

(d) recognition of the need to plan for additional open space to mitigate visitor impacts on designated wildlife areas as emerging from the Habitat Regulations Assessments

Policy DP16 (Public Open Space and Green Infrastructure) requires all new development to make a contribution to open space, including Accessible Natural Greenspace, through on-site provision or a financial contribution. It also states that expenditure of development contributions will be prioritised through Green Infrastructure Strategies. Developer contributions are currently sought in lieu of on- site provision. Guideline figures for additional open space (across all types) have been included in Local Plan policies and the infrastructure schedule.

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Accessible Natural Greenspace

The Habitat Regulations Assessment for Local Plan Part 1 identifies potential secondary impacts of growth on the Somerset Levels & Moors SPA as a consequence of planned development at Glastonbury and Street. These impacts are likely to arise through increased disturbance as a result of informal recreation. There is a requirement for mitigation measures which could include providing alternative recreation areas to reduce visitor pressure, e.g. a country park. Site allocations that might contribute to this pressure have been identified and developers will be required to make provision for open space on or close to development sites. At a local level, there will be opportunities through Green Infrastructure (GI) plans to improve and enhance biodiversity and wildlife habitats (see below).

To help plan and coordinate future provision, the Council will seek to develop GI Strategies in partnership with the town councils. These strategies will build on existing surveys and studies but with an emphasis on developing networks of spaces and enhancing their multi-functional nature. Some of the open space required will be met by developers through on-site provision, with opportunities coming through the master planning of strategic sites and Future Housing Growth Areas.

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