ASHAAP Issues and Options
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ASHAAP Issues and Options Introduction 1 Welcome to this Area Action Plan 4 2 What is the Area Action Plan 5 3 How to Comment 7 4 What are the Next Stages of the AAP 8 Context 5 Location and Boundary 9 6 Overview of the AAP Area 12 7 Core Strategy Requirements 15 8 Key Issues for the AAP to Address 20 Vision and Objectives 9 Vision 23 10 Spatial Objectives 25 Attleborough: Housing 11 Meeting Attleborough's Housing Requirement 27 12 Principles of New Housing 33 13 Providing a permanent Gypsy & Traveller Site 35 Attleborough: Economy 14 Meeting Attleborough's Employment Needs 38 15 Diversifying Employment Opportunities 45 16 Determining the Approach to the Former Gaymers Site 47 17 Determining the Approach to the Hamilton-Acorn Brush Factory Site 49 18 Meeting Attleborough's Retail Requirements 51 ASHAAP Issues and Options Attleborough: Transport 19 Transport 56 20 Routing Options for a New Distributor Road from the A11 to the B1077 64 Attleborough: Infrastructure 21 Upgrading the Water Infrastructure 71 22 Enhancing the Energy Supply Network (electricity) 77 23 Expanding Education Provision 81 24 Providing new Health and Social Care Facilities 83 Attleborough: Natural Environment 25 Protecting and Enhancing Sites of Local & Strategic Environmental Importance 84 26 Minimising Flood Risk 92 27 Increasing the Provision of Green Spaces 97 Attleborough: Built & Historic Environment 28 Requiring High Standards of Design 108 29 Protecting Areas of Particular Historic Importance 109 Snetterton Heath: Economy 30 Meeting Snetterton Heath's Reqirements for Employment Land Expansion 113 Snetterton Heath: Transport 31 Improving Public Transport Connetions from Snetterton Heath to Attleborough 117 32 Improving Sustainable Freight Movement 120 ASHAAP Issues and Options Snetterton Heath: Infrastructure (Physical) 33 Overcoming Contraints in the Electricity Supply Network 121 Snetterton Heath: Natural Environment 34 Protecting and Enhancing Sites of Local & Strategic Importance 123 35 Built and Historic Environment 126 Snetterton Heath: Developer Contributions 36 Tariff Approach or Community Infrastructure Levy 128 Besthorpe Settlement Boundary 37 Besthorpe Settlement Boundary 133 Snetterton Settlement Boundary 38 Snetterton Settlement Boundary 135 Eccles Road (Quidenham) Settlement Boundary 39 Eccles Road (Quidenham) Settlement Boundary 137 Appendices 40 Glossary 139 41 Evidence Base List 149 ASHAAP Issues and Options 1 Welcome to this Area Action Plan 1.1 This document has been prepared by Breckland Council, which is the Local Planning Authority for Attleborough and Snetterton Heath, to set out how development will be managed over the forth coming years. The scale of growth is significant and it is understandable that there will be local concerns and anxieties as the detail on where and how the growth is delivered are identified. Consultation will be important to ensure the right choices are made in the long term interest of the area; that Attleborough and Snetterton Heath continue to flourish and existing and new communities benefit; that long needed infrastructure improvements are secured; and that the quality of new development respects the character and vibrancy of the area. 1.2 The document has not been prepared by Breckland Council in isolation. Important partners at the Town Council and Norfolk County Council have shaped this document through the Attleborough Task Force Forum. We have also received evidence from Attleborough Community Team and responded to the ideas and issues raised when the Core Strategy was debated through the examination in 2009. This document is also a bridging point between the dialogue, meetings and events since 2005 when Attleborough was first identified for growth and the extensive consultation and debate that now needs to take place on the sites and their delivery. 1.3 Much has changed since the Core Strategy was examined and there is much debate over growth and housebuilding. However, at a local level this document needs to recognise: i. The good economic potential of Attleborough and Snetterton Heath; ii. The strong housing need and the demand to improve access to a decent home; iii. The opportunity to deliver infrastructure and service improvements; and, iv. The potential to maintain Attleborough as a hub for its rural hinterland. 4 ASHAAP Issues and Options 2 What is the Area Action Plan 2.1 The Attleborough and Snetterton Heath Area Action Plan (ASHAAP) will be used to provide a clear framework for the development of Attleborough and Snetterton Heath to make sure growth is delivered in a planned, sustainable way. 2.2 The ASHAAP is one of the series of documents that will form the Breckland Local Development Framework (LDF). The LDF sets out planning policies and strategies for Breckland and is a framework for determining planning applications. 2.3 The Breckland Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Development Plan Document (Core Strategy) is the strategic LDF document which covers the whole of the District and sets the vision and framework for the other LDF documents. The Core Strategy identifies Attleborough as a focus for substantial housing and employment growth and Snetterton Heath Employment Area as a focus for employment land expansion. The Attleborough and Snetterton Heath AAP will contribute toward the achievement of the vision set out in the Core Strategy. 2.4 Area Action Plans are used when there is a need to provide the planning framework for areas where significant change is needed and to help deliver planned growth areas. This ASHAAP will provide a spatial planning framework and set out detailed proposals to ensure that the growth in Attleborough and Snetterton Heath is delivered in a comprehensive and co-ordinated way, in order to guide investment and support planning decisions. What is the Attleborough and Snetterton Heath Area Action Plan Issues and Options Report? 2.5 It is important that everyone who has an interest in the future development of Attleborough and Snetterton Heath has a chance to be involved in the preparation of the AAP. 2.6 This Issues and Options Report is the first formal consultation stage in the process of preparation of the AAP. It considers the main issues facing Attleborough and Snetterton Heath and for each issue, a series of options are set out as alternative ways of tackling the problems. Throughout the document there are a series of questions which seek to obtain your views on the vision, objectives and options. 2.7 This report is set out in 6 main sections including: 1. Introduction – This section explains what the Attleborough and Snetterton Heath AAP is and more specifically what this Issues and Options Report is. It explains how you can comment and obtain additional information and outlines the next steps in the AAP process. 2. Context – This section sets out the location and boundary of the AAP, it provides an overview of Attleborough and Snetterton Heath, the requirements for the area as set out in the Core Strategy and the main issues that the AAP needs to address. 3. Vision and Objectives – A draft vision has been drawn up of how Attleborough and Snetterton Heath will look by 2026. This vision aims to tackle the main issues that have been identified in the area and a series of objectives have been developed to fulfil the vision. 4. Attleborough – Thematic Issues – This section discusses the more detailed issues facing Attleborough and suggests various options for addressing these. 5. Snetterton Heath – Thematic Issues - This section discusses the more detailed issues facing Snetterton Heath and suggests various options for addressing these. 6. Developer Obligations – This section considers how the infrastructure requirements to facilitate the growth of Attleborough and Snetterton Heath can be funded. A number of the infrastructure requirements associated with growth at Attleborough and Snetterton are already known and a number of proposed solutions have been identified with indicative costs. The Core Strategy sets out the over-arching approach to developer contributions recognising that established sources of funding (public sector, utility companies etc) will not cover the total cost of infrastructure. This document will set out broad options for developer contributions including whether the most appropriate option is to establish a development levy for Attleborough and 5 ASHAAP Issues and Options Snetterton in a separate document or whether it is more appropriate to present a tariff in this Area Action Plan. Relationship to other Documents, Plans and Strategies 2.8 When preparing this report we have had regard to various documents and strategies. These include national Planning Policy Statements, and at a local level the Breckland Sustainable Community Strategy and the recently adopted Breckland Core Strategy and Development Control Policies document. 2.9 The Area Action Plan (AAP) will link into the preparation of an Attleborough Masterplan. The Masterplan will help to inform the strategic framework for the growth of the town, and in particular, how best to integrate the scale of housing development with the existing community and infrastructure . The Attleborough Masterplan is being funded by the Homes and Community Agency (HCA) who are working with Breckland Council to oversee the project. Consultants Scott-Wilson have been appointed to undertake the Masterplan work and this is currently expected to be completed in February 2011. Future iterations of the ASHAAP will have regard to the findings of the Scott-Wilson Masterplan document which will form a key part of the supporting evidence base. 2.10 The AAP is accompanied by a Sustainability Appraisal. The Sustainability Appraisal highlights any significant environmental, social or economic effects of the plan, assessing it against a number of sustainability objectives. The appraisal will be fully integrated into the plan process, so that it can inform and influence the plan as it develops, it can be accessed on the Council’s website at www.breckland.gov.uk/ldf. Habitats Regulations Assessment 2.11 The AAP will also be informed by a Habitats Regulation Assessment.