Darlington Borough Local Plan 2016-2036 Proposed Submission Local Plan August 2020
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Darlington Borough Local Plan 2016-2036 Proposed Submission Local Plan August 2020 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION 5 Context 9 Overview of Darlington Borough 9 National Planning Policy Context 10 Local Context 10 Other Policies, Plans, Strategies and Studies 11 Duty to Co-operate 11 Sustainable Economic Growth 12 Health and Wellbeing 12 Neighbourhood Planning 13 Viability and Deliverability 14 Sustainability Appraisal and Habitats Regulations 14 Assessment 2. VISIONS, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 16 Local Plan Vision 16 Overarching Aims 16 Specific Aims and Objectives 16 3. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 19 Presumption in Favour of Sustainable 19 Development 4. THE SETTLEMENT HIERARCHY 20 5. DESIGN, CLIMATE CHANGE AND 24 CONSTRUCTION Sustainable Design Principles and Climate Change 24 Flood Risk and Water Management 27 Health and Wellbeing 30 Safeguarding Amenity 32 Employment and Training 34 6. HOUSING 36 Overall Housing Requirements 36 Housing Land Supply 38 Development Limits 44 Housing Mix 44 Affordable Housing 46 Rural Exception Sites 49 Residential Development in the Countryside 49 Housing Intensification 51 Accommodating Travelling Groups 53 Skerningham Strategic Allocation 55 Darlington Borough Council Darlington Borough Local Plan 2016-2036 Proposed Submission Local Plan August 2020 Contents Greater Faverdale Strategic Allocation 60 7. EMPLOYMENT FOR ECONOMIC 64 GROWTH Promoting New and Retaining Employment 64 Opportunities Economic Development in the Rural Area 68 8. TOWN CENTRE AND RETAIL 71 Darlington Town Centre 71 District and Local Centres 74 Darlington - Town Centre Fringe 75 9. ENVIRONMENT 77 Safeguarding the Historic Environment 77 Protecting, Enhancing and Promoting the Stockton 83 and Darlington Railway Local Landscape Character 84 Green and Blue Infrastructure 86 Local Green Spaces 92 Protecting and Enhancing Biodiversity and 93 Geodiversity Outdoor Sports Facilities 99 10. TRANSPORT AND 102 INFRASTRUCTURE Delivering a Sustainable Transport Network 102 Regional and Local Context 104 Walking and Cycling 107 Rail Network 109 Road Network 110 Improving Access and Accessibility 113 Transport Assessments and Travel Plans 115 Parking Provision including Electric Vehicle 116 Charging Airport Safety 117 Physical Infrastructure 119 Community and Social Infrastructure 123 11. MONITORING FRAMEWORK 128 12. GLOSSARY 136 Darlington Borough Council Darlington Borough Local Plan 2016-2036 Proposed Submission Local Plan August 2020 Contents Appendices A. HOUSING TRAJECTORY 138 B. HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT 143 ALLOCATION STATEMENTS C. DARLINGTON'S HERITAGE ASSETS 153 D. CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY 160 SAFEGUARDING E. APPENDIX E AFFORDABLE 161 HOUSING REQUIREMENTS Policies Policy SD 1 Presumption in Favour of Sustainable 19 Development (Strategic Policy) Policy SH 1 Settlement Hierarchy (Strategic Policy) 20 Policy DC 1 Sustainable Design Principles and Climate 24 Change (Strategic Policy) Policy DC 2 Flood Risk & Water Management 27 (Strategic Policy) Policy DC 3 Health and Wellbeing 31 Policy DC 4 Safeguarding Amenity 33 Policy DC 5 Skills and Training 34 Policy H 1 Housing Requirement (Strategic Policy) 36 Policy H 2 Housing Allocations (Strategic Policy) 40 Policy H 3 Development Limits (Strategic Policy) 44 Policy H 4 Housing Mix 44 Policy H 5 Affordable Housing (Strategic Policy) 46 Policy H 6 Rural Exceptions (Strategic Policy) 49 Policy H 7 Residential Development in the Countryside 49 (Strategic Policy) Policy H 8 Housing Intensification 51 Policy H 9 Gypsy and Travellers Accommodation 54 Policy H 10 Skerningham - Strategic Site Allocation 55 (Strategic Policy) Policy H 11 Greater Faverdale - Strategic Site 60 Allocation (Strategic Policy) Policy E 1 Safeguarding Existing Employment 65 Opportunities Policy E 2 Employment Allocations (Strategic Policy) 67 Policy E 3 Darlington Farmers Auction Mart Relocation 68 (Strategic Policy) Darlington Borough Council Darlington Borough Local Plan 2016-2036 Proposed Submission Local Plan August 2020 Contents Policy E 4 Economic Development in the Open 69 Countryside (Strategic Policy) Policy TC 1 Darlington Town Centre 72 Policy TC 2 Primary Shopping Area 72 Policy TC 3 Additional Site for Town Centre Uses 73 Policy TC 4 District and Local Centres 74 Policy TC 5 Retail Impact Assessment Threshold 75 Policy TC 6 Darlington - Town Centre Fringe 76 Policy ENV 1 Protecting, Enhancing and Promoting 79 Darlington's Historic Environment (Strategic Policy) Policy ENV 2 Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR) 84 (Strategic Policy) Policy ENV 3 Local Landscape Character (Strategic 84 Policy) Policy ENV 4 Green and Blue Infrastructure (Strategic 89 Policy) Policy ENV 5 Green Infrastructure Standards 91 Policy ENV 6 Local Green Space 92 Policy ENV 7 Biodiversity and Geodiversity and 94 Development (Strategic Policy) Policy ENV 8 Assessing a Development's Impact on 97 Biodiversity Policy ENV 9 Outdoor Sports Facilities 99 Policy IN 1 Delivering a Sustainable Transport Network 103 (Strategic Policy) Policy IN 2 Improving Access and Accessibility 113 (Strategic Policy) Policy IN 3 Transport Assessments and Travel Plans 115 Policy IN 4 Parking Provision including Electric Vehicle 116 Charging Policy IN 5 Airport Safety 118 Policy IN 6 Utilities Infrastructure (Strategic Policy) 120 Policy IN 7 Telecommunication Masts 120 Policy IN 8 Broadband Infrastructure 121 Policy IN 9 Renewable Energy Infrastructure (Strategic 122 Policy) Policy IN 10 Supporting the Delivery of Community 123 and Social Infrastructure (Strategic Policy) Darlington Borough Council Darlington Borough Local Plan 2016-2036 Proposed Submission Local Plan August 2020 5 INTRODUCTION 1 1 INTRODUCTION 1.0.1 This document contains policies and proposals for using and developing land throughout the Borough of Darlington. When finalised and adopted it will replace the Darlington Local Development Framework (LDF) Core Strategy (May 2011) and the saved policies of the Borough of Darlington Local Plan (1997, including adopted alterations 2001), and will provide an up to date statutory development plan for the Borough. 1.0.2 All applications for development must, by law, be determined in accordance with the statutory development plan, unless there are material considerations that indicate otherwise. Figure 1.1 shows the documents that will make up the statutory development plan for Darlington when this document is adopted. Figure 1.1 Relationship of the Local Plan to other planning policy documents covering Darlington Borough 1.0.3 All the policies, proposals and site allocations are designed to address a range of specific issues, problems or challenges. Successful implementation of the policies and proposals in this document will contribute towards economic growth in Darlington and achieving sustainable development. There have been a number of preparation stages leading up to this Local Plan and these are indicated in Figure 1.2 Darlington Borough Council 6 Darlington Borough Local Plan 2016-2036 Proposed Submission Local Plan August 2020 1 INTRODUCTION Figure 1.2 Stages of Preparation of of the Local Plan Darlington Borough Council Darlington Borough Local Plan 2016-2036 Proposed Submission Local Plan August 2020 7 INTRODUCTION 1 Proposed Submission Local Plan (Regulation 19) 1.0.4 The next phase of plan preparation is the publication of the Proposed Submission Local Plan for a statutory six-week period to allow comments and representations under Regulation 19 of the Town and Country Planning Act (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012 to be received prior to submission for independent examination. 1.0.5 A Policies Map accompanies this document. It shows, on an OS base map, where each site allocation is, and where each policy or proposal applies. The Policies Map can be accessed online via www.darlington.gov.uk/localplan. 1.0.6 This allows local communities, businesses and other interested stakeholders the opportunity to comment on the policy content on the Council’s final version of the draft Local Plan, within a specific remit. The remit of representations under this public consultation is limited and relates to the ‘Tests of Soundness’ and also includes legal compliance, as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework. The Proposed Submission Local Plan has been refined and amended following feedback received at each of the several consultation stages during its preparation (Figure 1.2). 1.0.7 Once the Regulation 19 representation period is complete, the Proposed Submission Local Plan and a Schedule of any Proposed Modifications based on comments received is then submitted to the Secretary of State for the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. They will then appoint an independent Planning Inspector from the Planning Inspectorate to undertake a ‘public examination’ of the Local Plan. 1.0.8 During the examination process, the Planning Inspector will use the National Planning Policy Framework and the comments and representations submitted during the Regulation 19 consultation to determine whether a Local Plan is sound and legally compliant. 1.0.9 The Inspector, in examining the plan and taking account of representations made, may conclude that modifications are required to make it sound and capable of adoption. It is proposed that the Director of Economic Growth and Neighbourhood Services, in consultation with the Portfolio holder for Economy and Regeneration, be the delegated authority to recommend to the Inspector such modifications to the draft Local Plan submission documents as may be necessary to satisfy the requirements as to