Functional Analysis of Settlements
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South West Regional Assembly FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF SETTLEMENTS Final Report April 2005 This document is formatted for double-sided printing. CONTENTS 1 THE STUDY BRIEF ........................................................................................................1 2 KEY ISSUES...................................................................................................................5 REGIONAL STRATEGY CONTEXT ............................................................................................ 5 THE "FITNESS FOR PURPOSE" REVIEW ................................................................................. 7 3 FUNCTIONS, ROLES AND "SIGNIFICANCE”...............................................................15 ROLES AND FUNCTIONS ........................................................................................................ 15 “SIGNIFICANCE”....................................................................................................................... 16 NOTIONS OF SIGNIFICANCE .................................................................................................. 17 SETTLEMENT GROWTH & PLANNING ................................................................................... 18 CURRENT ROLE & FUTURE POTENTIAL ............................................................................... 19 4 METHODOLOGY..........................................................................................................21 5 SCOPING .....................................................................................................................29 RPG10 AND THE STRUCTURE PLANS................................................................................... 29 POLICY AND THEORY CONTEXT ........................................................................................... 33 CONCLUSIONS FROM SCOPING............................................................................................ 42 6 SETTLEMENTS NEIGHBOURING THE SOUTH WEST REGION.................................46 7 ANALYSIS: TRAVEL TO WORK DATA.........................................................................50 CONCLUDING REMARKS ON TTW DATA............................................................................... 56 SPATIAL MAPPING OF TTW DAY: A SELECT LIST OF SETTLEMENTS ............................... 63 CIRENCESTER, STROUD, TEWKESBURY/ASHCHURCH ..................................................... 64 CINDERFORD, COLEFORD, LYDNEY..................................................................................... 65 CHIPPENHAM, TROWBRIDGE, FROME.................................................................................. 65 BRIDGWATER, SALISBURY, YEOVIL...................................................................................... 66 BARNSTAPLE, BIDEFORD/NORTHAM.................................................................................... 67 BRIDPORT, DORCHESTER, WEYMOUTH .............................................................................. 67 TRURO, CAMBORNE/REDRUTH, FALMOUTH, ST AUSTELL ................................................ 68 8 RETAIL CENTRES .......................................................................................................71 9 CONCLUSIONS FOR SIGNIFICANT SETTLEMENTS..................................................73 LONGER LIST ........................................................................................................................... 73 SETTLEMENTS CURRENTLY DESIGNATED AS PRINCIPAL URBAN AREAS [PUAS] ......... 73 SIEVING OTHER SIGNIFICANT SETTLEMENTS .................................................................... 74 OVERALL LIST OF SIGNIFICANT SETTLEMENTS ................................................................. 78 10 FUTURE ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF SETTLEMENTS ............................................82 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 82 FROM CURRENT TO FUTURE POTENTIAL............................................................................ 82 REGIONAL SECTOR STRATEGIES AND MACRO-LEVEL STUDIES AND PROJECTIONS .....................................................................................................................83 REGIONAL SECTOR STRATEGIES......................................................................................... 83 MACRO-LEVEL STUDIES AND PROJECTIONS...................................................................... 89 ECONOMIC FORECASTS - IMPLICATIONS FOR SETTLEMENTS......................................... 90 THE FUTURE POTENTIAL OF SETTLEMENTS ...................................................................... 94 11 POLICY CONCLUSIONS..............................................................................................96 Annexure Annex 1 Regional Strategies and Econometric Forecasts Annex 2 Maps of Origin and Destination Travel to Work for selected settlements PART ONE 1 Functional Analysis of Settlements Final Report 1 THE STUDY BRIEF 1.1 This report is presented by Roger Tym & Partners and Land-Use Consultants as a final report. It incorporates the interim report findings prepared in January 2005 and includes additional analysis of TTW data sets and other evidence informing the current and future roles of settlements. 1.2 The Brief for the study from the SW Regional Assembly states that the study will assist in the review of the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) by the South West Regional Planning Body (SWRPB). It will also inform the RES review. "In doing this the RPB is looking for a more creative approach to settlement strategy than has commonly been the case in the development of regional strategy in the UK." 1.3 The brief highlights a number of issues to be considered in informing work on the emerging RSS: ! providing a benchmark functional analysis for settlements at all levels ! include settlements of all types ! work in two phases - "regionally significant" settlements to be identified first ! identify settlements below PUA which have a "significant part to play" in delivering regional objectives / "play an important sub-regional role as focal points for future economic, cultural and housing growth" ! to include consideration of key relationships between settlements ! provide observations on how functions and relationships are likely to evolve over 25 years based on understanding of the current position & appropriate evidence ! identify settlements that display positive potential for self-sustaining and relatively self-contained economic growth over the next 20 year ! create a general functional assessment of other settlements of all sizes which when grouped by District or by functional zone may be used in the RSS to guide the general allocation of "local requirement" employment and housing within LDFs ! give guidance on settlement functionality at the local level for use in LDFs ! inform the process as to how development may be appropriately allocated to settlements within Districts and those parts of Districts which lie outside the PUA areas themselves ! develop a robust methodology to analyse current and project future functional characteristics of settlements and relationships between settlements. ! help provide a measure using appropriate criteria identifying "general ingredients for success" of what the general quality of life is like for broad sectors of the population in the region's settlements ! provide a consistent analytical and evidence base to be shared by RSS and RES processes ! provide a GIS dataset covering the above 1.4 A key driver of the study is the view resulting from monitoring of RPG10, consultation on the new Integrated Regional Strategy for the South West and the specially commissioned "fitness" for purpose" review of RPG10 that the urban focused approach of RPG10 is still the correct approach for RSS but that the strategy needs to evolve to better reflect local diversity and variation in the role, function and economic potential of settlements other than PUAs. Roger Tym & Partners March 2005 1 Functional Analysis of Settlements Final Report 1.5 In fact, RPG10 had only partially dealt with settlements below PUA level. RPG10 made provision for "other strategic centres for significant growth" - known as Other Designated Centres for Growth (ODCGs) - which were originally to be identified through Structure Plans. Thus in addition to the 11 PUAs identified in RPG101, RPG10 identified 10 ODCGs 2 . However, the recent review process confirms a view that the approach to ODCGs has not developed as might have been wished, and in any case there is a "lack of clarity" concerning which settlements are appropriate candidates as ODCGs. 1.6 The Brief for the study therefore states that: "the RSS will need to contain sub-regional policy to deal with the strategic implications of growth at the PUAs" (The issue for RSS of PUA growth itself will be dealt with through the process of the Joint Study Areas) and "It will be appropriate for the RSS to identify by name a number of other settlements which, whilst not centres of strong regional significance, nevertheless have a strong sub-regional effect" "A major output from this commission will be a sound evidence base for the identification of the set of other named settlements" 1.7 With these issues in mind, the study objectives may be broadly grouped and simplified, as follows: 1. Developing a methodology (with associated datasets) to identify the functions and functional relationships of settlements.