LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK Document

Core Strategy

Adopted 3 April 2007 S W Quartermain BA(Hons) Dip TP MRTPI Director of Planning and Environmental Services Council, Civic Centre, Stone Cross, DL6 2UU Telephone: 0845 1211 555 Email: [email protected] Foreword

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 The Council has sought genuine participation in brought in major changes to the development plans planning for the future of Hambleton throughout system. The old system of Structure Plans and Local the preparation of this document, as it is doing for Plans is replaced by a Regional Spatial Strategy and all the other LDF documents. This document a Local Development Framework. This Council is should be read together with two other important required to prepare the Local Development documents: the Statement of Consultation, which Framework (or “LDF”) to replace the existing explains how participation has been undertaken, Local Plan. and how views have been taken into account, and the Sustainability Appraisal (including a Hambleton District Council welcomes the new Strategic Environmental Assessment), which system because it will result in quicker, more shows how the sustainability of the Core Strategy flexible and transparent plan preparation, and has been assessed at each stage in the process, because of the potential it offers to plan positively and how these findings have been taken into for the area. The Council is committed to providing account to ensure that the Core Strategy a high quality and responsive planning service that proposed here contributes to achieving a meets the needs of the community, and includes truly sustainable Hambleton. full community involvement and engagement. It recognises that an efficient and effective planning service is central to delivering the Community Plan for Hambleton and the Council’s vision and corporate priorities. Our aim is to produce a Local Development Framework that is distinctive to Hambleton, which is an effective response to local issues and priorities, and which contributes to our corporate vision of “Making Life Better”. This document concerns the strategy at the heart of the new Local Development Framework – the Core Strategy.

i HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Contents

Foreword ...... i.

Contents...... ii.

Schedule of Core Strategy Policies ...... iii.

1. Introduction and Context ...... 1

2. Strategic Vision and Objectives...... 4

3. Spatial Strategy...... 15

4. Strategic Spatial Policies...... 22 4.1 Meeting local development needs sustainably ...... 22 4.2 Developing a balanced housing market...... 30 4.3 Supporting prosperous communities...... 40 4.4 Maintaining quality environments ...... 49 4.5 Creating healthy and safe communities...... 53 Key Diagram...... 56

ANNEXES ...... 57

Annex 1: The New Planning System...... 59 Annex 2: Policies in the Hambleton District Wide Local Plan replaced by Core Strategy Policies...... 65 Annex 3: Community Views...... 67 Annex 4: Integration of Strategies and Conformity...... 77 Annex 5: Monitoring...... 93 Annex 6: Service Centre Hinterlands...... 99 Annex 7: Glossary ...... 103

ii HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Schedule of Core Strategy Policies

Section 4.1 – Meeting local Section 4.4 – Maintaining development needs sustainably quality environments CP1 Sustainable development...... 23 CP16 Protecting and enhancing natural and CP2 Access ...... 24 man-made assets...... 50 CP3 Community assets...... 25 CP17 Promoting high quality design...... 52 CP4 Settlement hierarchy...... 26 CP18 Prudent use of natural resources ...... 52

Section 4.2 – Developing a Section 4.5 – Creating healthy balanced housing market and safe communities CP5 The scale of new housing...... 30 CP19 Recreational facilities and amenity open space...... 54 CP5A The scale of new housing by sub-area ..32 CP20 Design and the reduction of crime...... 54 CP6 Distribution of housing ...... 32 CP21 Safe response to natural CP7 Phasing of housing...... 33 and other forces ...... 55 CP8 Type, size and tenure of housing...... 34 CP9 Affordable housing ...... 37 CP9A Affordable housing exceptions...... 39

Section 4.3 – Supporting prosperous communities CP10 The scale of new employment development...... 41 CP10A The scale of new employment development by sub-area ...... 42 CP11 Distribution of new employment development...... 44 CP12 Priorities for employment development..45 CP13 Market towns regeneration...... 46 CP14 Retail and town centre development ...... 46 CP15 Rural regeneration...... 48

iii HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 iv HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 1. Introduction and Context

1.1 This report represents the first major stage in Consultation and Sustainability Appraisal Hambleton District Council’s work to replace 1.4 This report needs to be considered together the old-style Hambleton District Wide Local with two important documents which Plan with a new Local Development accompany it: the Core Strategy Pre- Framework or LDF. The requirement to Submission Consultation Statement and the produce an LDF was established by the Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, (including the Strategic Environmental which came into force in September 2004. Assessment), both of which can be found on The new LDF system is described in more the Council’s website www.hambleton.gov.uk detail in Annex 1 to this report, which – under the Environment heading and explains its objective of achieving sustainable Planning Policy – Local Development development through a spatial planning Framework. In addition, various technical approach. Annex 2 identifies the policies in supporting documents have been prepared the Hambleton District Wide Local Plan that and taken into account in preparing the are replaced by policies within this Core Core Strategy. These are referred to Strategy. A Glossary of terms is provided throughout the text and summarised in as Annex 7. Annex 1. They are also available from the Council and via the website. 1.2 This document concerns the strategy at the heart of the new Plan – the Core Strategy. 1.5 The Core Strategy Pre-Submission This sets out the long-term spatial vision and Consultation Statement explains how the spatial objectives and strategic policies to community involvement has been undertaken deliver that vision. and how views have been taken into account throughout the stages leading up to the 1.3 The Core Strategy was submitted to the present. This includes the “statement of Government on 17th February 2006 for compliance”, which indicates how this independent examination. 487 representations process has followed the Regulations and the were received by 31st March 2006 from 77 Council’s intentions set out in the Statement organisations and individuals. 111 indicated of Community Involvement (one of the other that the plan was sound and 376 said it was components of the LDF – see Annex 1). unsound. A public examination was held One of the key ingredients of the new LDF between 10th and 20th October 2006 and the system is the recognition of the need for the Inspector’s binding report was received on earliest and fullest public involvement in the 19th February 2007. preparation of the new Plan. The Consultation Statement explains the process which has been undertaken and how comments have influenced the form of the submission Core Strategy, commencing with consultation on key issues in March/April 2003, followed by topic papers in April/May 2005, and culminating in the “Preferred Options” for the Core Strategy which were published for discussion during July/August 2005. A brief summary of these stages and the important issues that were raised are given in Annex 3 of this report.

1 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 1.6 The Core Strategy Sustainability Appraisal was submitted to the Government in December (including the Strategic Environmental 2005, and was subject of public examination at Assessment) or SA/SEA is a formal part of broadly the same time as this Core Strategy. the process, and is intended to ensure that Account has been taken of the policies in the the LDF achieves sustainable development. submitted RSS, although changes may still be At the same time as the main LDF documents made to the RSS as it proceeds, which will in are prepared the Council must undertake a due course need to be reflected in the LDF. The separate and concurrent evaluation of the Council will undertake an early review of the sustainability of the choices considered, and Core Strategy if changes between the draft and the options preferred. An SA/SEA report has approved RSS mean that the Core Strategy is been produced along with the Core Strategy, no longer in general conformity with the RSS the latest version of which – the Final as finally approved, because of significant Sustainability Appraisal – specifically relates changes in the strategy, policies, housing or to this Core Strategy. Recommendations other development requirements, or other from the SA/SEA which have particularly figures or targets. The LDF also provides the influenced the form of the strategy are main means of giving spatial expression to the outlined in boxes at the end of each Hambleton Community Plan (and similarly to relevant section. the North Community Strategy). In addition, there are many other strategies at regional, District and local level that need to be Integration of Strategies and Conformity taken into account and which are described in 1.7 The LDF has a key role in providing a spatial Annex 4. dimension for many other strategies and helping in their co-ordination and delivery throughout the area. Monitoring Annex 4 provides details of all these strategies 1.8 Preparation of the LDF is not a once and for and policy influences, which will both direct the all activity. It is essential to check that the approach taken in the LDF, and which in turn Plan is being implemented correctly, assess the LDF will help to deliver and potentially the outcomes that result and check if these shape. Two strategies are particularly critical: still remain as intended, and as currently the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and the desired. Annex 5 describes this process and Hambleton Community Plan. The LDF needs to provides guidance about the performance be in general conformity with the RSS. The RSS indicators that are proposed to be used.

1 Planning Policy Statement 12 – Local Development Frameworks, ODPM 2004, para. 4.24

2 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Structure of this Document 1.9 The structure of the main part of this USE OF THE is as follows: By its very nature, many if not most of the ingredients of this Core Strategy Section 2: Strategic Vision and Objectives document are inter-related. The - providing an overview of the proposed LDF Strategy needs to be considered, strategy. It contains a summary of the and delivered, as a package. characteristics of Hambleton and of the Individual elements need to be seen issues that need to be addressed, and sets as components of an overall out a concise statement of the LDF’s Vision. approach to the future spatial This is followed by the application of this planning of Hambleton. Vision in the form of a description of Hambleton in 2021, and finally is given more This has one specific practical substance and precision by the identification consequence, which relates to cross- of a set of strategic objectives. referencing. Where they are particularly important, key cross-references are Section 3: Spatial Strategy identified within some policies. But in - sketching out the basic considerations general not all linked policies are which underpin the approach proposed in the stated. Identifying all linked policies is Core Strategy, and defining three spatial not practically possible, because it is principles which are suggested to be the difficult to determine in advance which basis for the strategy. policies might be relevant. In addition, Section 4: Strategic Spatial Policies including detailed cross-references - proposing a number of strategic spatial would not result in a concise and policies: the Core Policies of the Hambleton readable document. LDF. These provide strategic direction and Consequently, when considering any translate the vision and objectives of the particular aspect of the Core Strategy, it proposed strategy into courses of action. may be necessary also to consider all These policies form the basis for the the rest of the document. All policies allocation of specific sites and for more apply wherever relevant, and whether detailed development policies in the or not a specific cross-reference has Allocations or Development Policies DPDs been made. This principle applies also that are being prepared for Hambleton. to the LDF as a whole – all the relevant Where appropriate, Core Policies make documents will need to be read reference to the further details that will be together when considering a specific specified in these documents. proposal or issue.

3 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 2. Strategic Vision and Objectives

2.1 This section provides an overview of the A Spatial Portrait of Hambleton proposed LDF strategy. After a brief summary 2.3 Hambleton District is one of the largest of the characteristics of Hambleton and of the districts in . The area covered by the issues that need to be addressed, a concise Hambleton LDF is shown on the map statement of the LDF’s Vision is set out, to following. Excluding that part of Hambleton define the primary direction of the LDF. This District that lies in the North York Moors is followed by an application of this Vision to National Park, it has an area of 1,095 square the District, illustrating the Vision in the form kilometres (423 square miles) and a of a description of Hambleton in 2021. Finally population of 81,7002. It thus has a very low this is given more substance and precision by population density of only 0.74 persons per the identification of a set of strategic hectare, one of the lowest in England and objectives, which provide more specific Wales. The District is essentially rural, lying direction to the Spatial Strategy, proposed in between the urban areas of the Tees Valley Section 3. conurbation and Darlington to the north, and York and Harrogate, to the south-east and 2.2 This section therefore provides the key to south-west respectively. understanding the Core Strategy: what it means and what lies behind it. It provides the context for everything that follows, in this document and in the other components of the LDF.

Stokesley, thriving market town 2 County Council: Mid Year Estimate 2004.

4 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 5 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 2.4 Hambleton benefits from excellent north- 2.7 Northallerton is the County town of North south road links: the A1 trunk road crosses Yorkshire, and as a consequence is the the west of the District, and the A19 and location for a number of administrative A168 provide links to the Tees Valley, York headquarters (eg. the County Council). It and the A1(M). Connections are far less good includes the District’s main shopping centre, in east-west directions, although the A1(M) containing the largest number of commercial and the A19 provide links with the A66 Trans- premises and national multiple retailers. Pennine trunk road. Hambleton is also served is the second largest shopping centre by the East Coast Main Line, with a number and third. Easingwold and of trains stopping at Northallerton. both serve large rural catchments but have TransPennine services linking with relatively low levels of provision. All market Middlesbrough also stop at Northallerton and towns have a market held at least weekly, Thirsk, and the Esk Valley Line (which runs with the markets at Northallerton and Thirsk between Middlesbrough and Whitby) has a being twice-weekly, and monthly farmers’ station on the edge of the LDF area at Great markets have also recently been established Ayton. There is a high level of car in Northallerton, Easingwold and Stokesley. dependence, though continual efforts are Hambleton’s market towns compete for retail being made to improve public and community expenditure with major centres such as transport provision, and to improve facilities Darlington, Middlesbrough and York, and for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders. there is an ongoing dependence on shops outside the District. 2.5 Reflecting these connections, and its location in relation to the surrounding urban areas, 2.8 Hambleton’s market towns contain a range of the Regional Spatial Strategy identifies the sport, recreation and community facilities. All vast majority of the District as being within towns have their own secondary school and the “Vales and Tees Links” sub-area of the public library. All except Easingwold have Yorkshire and Humber region. leisure centres with swimming pools. Northallerton has a bowling alley, and Thirsk 2.6 The District itself is characterised by a is home to the District’s only cinema and to dispersed settlement pattern of market towns, the World of James Herriot museum. There is villages and hamlets. Northallerton – with a network of community and village halls Romanby (2004 Mid Year Estimate 15,720) throughout Hambleton’s towns and villages, and Thirsk – with Sowerby (8,450) are the providing a valuable focus for social, largest market towns, accommodating 30% of community, cultural and recreational activities. the District’s population; Bedale – with Aiskew (4,530), Stokesley (4,740) and 2.9 In addition to the market towns, there are Easingwold (4,180) are smaller towns. over 130 villages in the District, most of Together the five towns comprised 46% of the which are very small, with 82% having a total District population estimated for 2004. population of less than 500 people. However, The market towns are the traditional service, some 78% of the District population live in the commercial and social centres of the District, 5 market towns and in the 22 parishes of and each has a group of villages that look to more than 500. it for services, facilities and employment. Each market town except Bedale has a well- established employment area that complements the retail and business opportunities in its town centre.

6 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 2.10 House prices in Hambleton are relatively high, 2.12 Opportunities to further strengthen driven by commuting and retirement Hambleton’s economy include investment in relocations, and there is a considerable the A1, the locational advantages of the demand for housing in the District. The ratio A1/A19/East Coast Main Line corridor, the of house prices to incomes is high in regional Renaissance Market Town programmes in terms, and maintaining an adequate and Northallerton and Bedale, the opportunity to suitable supply of affordable housing for build connections with the North East and people on low incomes and first time buyers York, and the food cluster investment at presents a particular challenge. Leeming Bar Industrial Estate. However, the local economy does have weaknesses. There 2.11 In socio-economic terms, Hambleton is is an under-representation of growth relatively prosperous. Unemployment levels industries, and house prices are high. The are currently less than 1%, at less than half agricultural sector is subject to structural the national average and regional figure. Only change (although the Common Agricultural one of the District’s Ward unemployment Policy (CAP) reform is increasing resources levels exceeds the national average. Business for environmental and rural development formation and survival rates are high, the measures), and the food sector is subject to manufacturing sector is successful, and high competitive pressures and is forecast to levels of educational attainment have given decline. There is a continual loss of talent to rise to a well-qualified workforce. Hambleton large urban areas (particularly young people), is fortunate in that it is not overly dependent and the threat of the District becoming more on a few large employers; instead the District reliant on commuting rather than indigenous has a large stock of small businesses as well businesses. Levels of cross-commuting as some medium and large firms, many of between the District and adjacent which reflect Hambleton’s rural nature. There employment centres such as Tees Valley and is a significantly higher proportion of the York are already high. About 13,500 (16%) of District’s workforce employed in agriculture, Hambleton’s residents work outside the forestry and fishing, compared with national District, with a net outflow of 2,600. levels. Conversely, a lower proportion of the workforce is employed in manufacturing, financial services and property services sectors. However, Thirsk has attracted more modern technology based businesses onto its new Industrial Park. There are low levels of deprivation in the District. In national terms, Hambleton is ranked 315 out of 366 districts in terms of indices of deprivation in the UK (with 1 being the most deprived).

Community transport

7 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 2.13 Hambleton’s landscape is predominantly ● the dispersed settlement pattern of rural. About 75% of the District lies within the Hambleton means that ensuring Vales of York and Mowbray (the drainage accessibility to services and determining basins of the Rivers Ouse and Swale), which the best pattern of provision are inevitably comprise low lying, fertile, intensively farmed amongst the most challenging spatial arable land and run the entire length of the issues which the District Council and the District from north to south. As a other service providers need to address. consequence of the intensity of agriculture, Particular problems of accessibility arise for bio-diversity is relatively poor. To the west of those sections of the community without the District are the foothills of the Yorkshire access to a car, such as young and elderly Dales and to the east lie the North York people and those with disabilities and Moors. On this eastern side, the District is particularly those living in villages; framed by the dramatic escarpment of the ● linked to this is determining the best way Cleveland and Hambleton Hills, and to the of achieving sustainable development and south east the escarpment gives way to the what this means for the distribution of more low-lying landscape of the rolling development, particularly between Market Howardian Hills, which is an Area of towns and villages; Outstanding Natural Beauty. The local ● there is a clear consensus on the need to authority boundary includes part of the North sustain the focus on the regeneration of York Moors National Park, but this area is market towns, to enable them to continue subject of another LDF being prepared by the to thrive as service centres to meet the National Park Authority. commercial and community needs of rural 2.14 The market towns and many of the villages areas and to determine how to meet the have historic cores, and there are 48 retail and employment challenges of conservation areas and 1,738 listed buildings centres outside the District; in the LDF area. ● house prices in Hambleton are amongst the highest in the region. Achieving the appropriate scale of new housing will be Issues to be Addressed one the most critical issues to be 2.15 Hambleton clearly benefits from an attractive addressed. Within the context of the scale environment and has an enviable general of provision determined by the RSS, the level of prosperity. Nevertheless, and particular need evident in Hambleton is to reflecting the community views expressed achieve more housing which is affordable to-date, there are a number of specific issues – to provide for first time buyers and that need to be addressed: others with a need to live in the District, but who are currently unable to pay ● sustaining the attractive environment market house prices; and maintaining levels of affluence will remain key objectives in planning for Hambleton’s future;

8 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 ● in line with national trends, Hambleton has Spatial Vision for Hambleton an ageing population. However, in 2.16 The principal Vision for Hambleton expressed Hambleton this is even more pronounced: in the LDF clearly needs to support the vision according to the 2001 Census, 23% of the that has been established by the Hambleton District’s residents are over 60 compared Community Plan (see Annex 4, paras.18-25) to 21% nationally, and conversely 18% of and at the same time, support the North residents are under 16, compared to 20% Yorkshire Community Strategy (see Annex 4, nationally. Meeting the needs of elderly paras, 26-27). Within the context set by these people will be a major challenge, whilst two complementary strategies, and reflecting ensuring that the District remains the priorities and concerns addressed attractive to young people; through the consultation process to-date, the ● a large proportion of Hambleton’s working following concise statement is proposed as population travels to work outside the the guiding or principal aim for the LDF: District. The local economy is characterised by lower wage levels and relatively restricted employment Hambleton’s LDF Vision opportunities. About 60% of businesses in By 2021 Hambleton’s communities will have Hambleton have experienced recruitment become sustainable, prosperous, safe, healthy difficulties. Supporting the local economy and vibrant. The development of vibrant and by increasing the range of higher skilled prosperous market towns and sustainable jobs available locally is an issue to be rural communities will have been supported. addressed, with the aspiration of reducing People from all sections of society will have levels of out-commuting; been provided with access to homes, jobs ● with the changes to the farming industry and services, more of the District’s younger and the 2001 Foot and Mouth crisis there population will have been retained and the has been an increasing recognition of the needs of the elderly will have been better need to diversify the rural economy. met. This will all have been achieved in ways Similarly there is a need to respond to the that reduce the impact of society on the CAP reforms to ensure that the LDF environment, improve the quality of design of enables all aspects of the rural economy the built environment and protect and to receive maximum benefit whilst enhance Hambleton’s environmental assets simultaneously maintaining and improving such as its historic heritage. the natural environment; ● the recent emphasis on safeguarding and 2.17 Based on this vision, the spatial strategy for enhancing the quality of the District’s Hambleton can be developed. The LDF’s Conservation Areas will need to continue. vision has also to support and conform But more recently there has been concern generally to the Yorkshire and Humber to ensure that new development is Regional Spatial Strategy (see Annex 4, paras. designed better and is locally distinctive. 2-17). The developing RSS sets a context for the scale and location of housing and employment development and for the distribution of development between settlements, and gives a further lead on priorities, for example on economic investment, and on other matters such as targets for re-use of brownfield land.

9 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 2.18 Working together with the community 2.21 The aim for the five market towns is to have strategies, the RSS and the wider policy created thriving, vibrant and prosperous context set by national guidance and towns by 2021, which will be the main initiatives, the LDF will seek to achieve this centres of provision of services and vision – and to deliver the following future for employment for their hinterlands. The Hambleton in 2021. prosperity of the towns will be achieved by retaining and developing a range of employment generating uses in town centres, Hambleton in 2021 including retail, commercial, health and 2.19 By 2021, the attractiveness, vitality and leisure uses, by providing good quality prosperity of the countryside, towns and employment sites and by supporting an villages of Hambleton will have been appropriate balance of commercial and maintained, and in many ways improved. The residential development in each town. The expected economic, social and cultural work of initiatives such as Renaissance changes that will emerge during the next Market Towns (and other community-based fifteen years will have been addressed, taking initiatives) will have made a major full account of the views of Hambleton’s contribution in this respect. New employment public and stakeholders. opportunities within growth sectors such as B1 (light industry and offices), distribution, 2.20 The provision of better services and access to hotels, catering and tourism, particularly in them from all those living within the District, these towns, will have increased the range of will have been achieved by a carefully skilled jobs in Hambleton, so that by 2021, a focused strategy which has recognised the much smaller proportion of the District’s distinctive roles of the five main market towns resident population will travel outside and of the District’s villages. Hambleton to work. There will be more opportunities for young people to live and work within the District. 2.22 Retail, leisure and community facilities will have been further developed in the market town centres by 2021. In order that they can serve their wider rural hinterlands emphasis will be placed on ensuring they are as accessible as possible, both through the continued provision of public transport between the market towns and their hinterlands and by guiding new development to the places best served by existing public transport services. Community transport schemes will also be making a greater contribution. This approach will complement work to be undertaken by the County Council through their Service Centre Transportation Strategies, as set out in the North Yorkshire Local Transport Plan for 2006-2011.

The market town of Thirsk

10 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 2.23 The pre-eminent role of Northallerton in the 2.27 As a complementary part of this strategy, an District (and as the County town for North appropriate scale of housing reflecting local Yorkshire) will have further developed, by needs and the level of services available will additional retail and employment have been achieved in each town and across development. The roles of the other market the villages. Elsewhere more limited housing towns will similarly have been developed. In development will have taken place. But addition to better serving their hinterlands, wherever throughout the District there has the locational advantages of Thirsk and been new housing, a high priority will have Bedale will have led to expansion in their been given to the provision of housing which local economic bases, with development is affordable and which matches in type, capitalising on their good regional tenure and size the needs of existing accessibility. Easingwold and Stokesley will residents. Although the scale of new housing similarly have benefited from being within the in the District by 2021 will have reflected the sphere of influence of York and the Tees economic prosperity of the District (as Valley respectively. recognised by the Regional Spatial Strategy), a much higher proportion than in the past will 2.24 In Hambleton’s villages, planned and carefully have been to meet the needs of existing managed development will have taken place, residents. Indeed, the proportion of new to ensure that sufficient jobs and homes are housing taken by those moving into provided for local people. The rural economy Hambleton, seeking retirement homes or to in the villages (and also in rural areas commute back to work in the neighbouring outside) will also be more diverse. city regions will be greatly reduced. New 2.25 Communities will be provided with new and homes will be available for all those in the improved social, health, and educational local community wishing to buy or rent, facilities. The needs of elderly, young and within a price range that is affordable. Also, lower-paid local people will receive special of key importance to supporting the attention. Much more will have been achieved attractiveness of the District, a ‘design-led’ to help disadvantaged sectors of the approach to all new housing developments community – and in particular a step-change will have ensured that the distinctive will have occurred in the provision of character of the towns and villages has been affordable housing. maintained and enhanced. 2.26 Assisted by the LDF process, all the key 2.28 The diversity and environmental quality of partners, especially the District Council, Hambleton’s natural resources, countryside health and education authorities, will and built heritage will all have improved have agreed to combine efforts in the compared to the present day. At the same location and operation of services in order time, sustainable access to the countryside to ensure that by 2021, the accessibility of and greenspaces will have been achieved, all residents to good quality facilities and allowing communities to enjoy their natural services, whether in the market towns or resources. The character and appearance of villages, will be at a high standard. the District’s Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings will have improved through better-designed developments, enhancement schemes and management.

11 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 2.29 The quality of life across the whole of the protect and enhance the physical and natural District will have been improved by a environment and use resources and energy programme of environmental enhancements, as efficiently as possible”; skills training schemes, educational and leisure projects, healthcare schemes 2. To reduce the need for travel and make it and other initiatives by the District safer and easier for the community to Council working with a wide range of travel to jobs and key services by other organisations. sustainable forms of transport such as public transport, walking and cycling; - Hambleton is a largely rural area, which will Strategic Objectives never have the high levels of accessibility of 2.30 Delivery of the vision will need to be co- major urban areas. Whilst this will mean that ordinated as a package, to ensure that car ownership and usage will continue to be synergies between economic, social and relatively high, not everyone owns a car and environmental objectives are maximised. In substantially more people do not have access some cases trade-offs will be necessary to a car all the time. For these reasons, and to between objectives, to make progress – or in support the achievement of a more other words, to secure an appropriate sustainable District and help address climate balance. For example, the objectives that seek change, the two components of this to secure intensification of development in important objective will be firstly to work in the most sustainable locations will need to conjunction with the Local Transport Plan to ensure that this does not result in an promote better forms of public and unacceptable loss of open space, facilities or community transport accessible to the whole local character. The first requirement is a community with improved links between clear statement of the objectives that should settlements (and to support other alternatives be addressed, individually or in combination, to the use of the car such as cycling or if the LDF’s Vision is to be implemented and walking). Secondly, to direct future delivered. The following set of Strategic developments as far as possible to the most Objectives has been identified. These provide accessible locations; more specific direction to the Spatial Strategy 3. To support thriving and sustainable and Core Policies, which are developed in communities by locating development Sections 3 and 4 following. where it will enable people to access 1. To ensure that all development is jobs and key services, such as education, sustainable, enabling people to satisfy training, healthcare, recreation and their basic needs and enjoy a better other facilities; quality of life, without compromising the - priority will be given to ensuring the quality of life of future generations; development of more sustainable - in the terms of the latest Government communities, supporting the Government’s guidance (“Securing the Future”, March Sustainable Communities agenda. The whole 2005), this objective will need to be “pursued community including disabled people should in an integrated way through a sustainable, have good access to services and facilities innovative and productive economy that (and better public transport links to other delivers high levels of employment and a just settlements), whether in the largest market society that promotes social inclusion, town or the smallest hamlet. The LDF will sustainable communities and personal work to assist the Community Plan (and the wellbeing. This will be done in ways that local Community Action Plans) and the

12 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 strategies and plans of partners such as 5. To meet the housing needs of all the North Yorkshire County Council in delivering community by providing an adequate local needs and aspirations; amount and range of housing including affordable and special needs housing; 4. To accommodate future population and - these needs will include making appropriate employment growth in line with the provision in line with the requirements of the requirements of the Yorkshire and RSS (Objective 4), but also ensuring that the Humber Regional Spatial Strategy; housing meets local needs in terms of size - the new RSS provides the regional context and type, and of particular importance, for the scale of growth for which provision affordability. The need to provide for young should be made in Hambleton. At the and older people and first time buyers and to regional level, it balances potential conflicts provide housing for life will be given a high between the accommodation of growth and level of importance; the maintenance of the environment. The RSS clarifies sub-regional roles, in particular by 6. To support the growth of the local the identification of a “Vales and Tees Links” economy and rural regeneration in ways sub-area that includes most of the area which are compatible with environmental subject of the Hambleton LDF, together with objectives, and which deliver increased the “York” sub-area (which covers the prosperity for the whole community; southern area around Easingwold), and a - seeking to encourage the appropriate type small part within the “Remoter Rural” sub- of employment development that will provide area (in the south east of the LDF area). The the jobs needed throughout the whole of the strategy for the Vales and Tees area (see District and to support the policies and Annex 4, paras. 10-11) is to support a scale of initiatives of the Regional Economic Strategy. development that reflects the good This will involve capitalising on the strengths accessibility of the area, north and south, but of the District, in terms of location and which is complementary to efforts to accessibility and in terms of economic regenerate the Tees Valley area to the north, strengths, including the skills of the and also respects the high environmental workforce – such as the potential to support quality of the District. The strategy for the the food industries cluster. It will also involve York area (Annex 4, para.12) is similarly seeking to provide better skilled jobs locally designed to respect the local environment, to reduce the scale of out-commuting to work and respond to the pressures for by Hambleton residents. These principles development associated with York (and the may have environmental implications, which Leeds City region) to the south. These may need to be mitigated and in part development pressures will need to be addressed through supporting creative addressed and reconciled in the LDF, approaches to economic development and including by mitigating the effects of growth rural regeneration that encompass all through a strong focus on the prudent use of aspects of sustainable development; natural resources;

13 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 7. To develop vibrant and prosperous market 10. To reduce the adverse impact of society towns by encouraging development that on the environment, and respond to the supports their function as service centres implications of climate change; with a range of good quality jobs, - ensuring the prudent use of resources, businesses, shops and services that meet reducing society’s impact on the environment the needs of local people; and responding to the implications of climate - recognising and developing the key roles change are important and inter-linked that the market towns play in providing for cornerstones of achieving a more sustainable the needs of the District, supporting the District. This will involve efforts to reduce market town initiatives which are helping waste, encourage recycling, reduce pollution their regeneration such as Yorkshire and energy consumption, promote the use of Forward’s Renaissance Market Towns, and renewable energy and the conservation of helping the market towns fulfil their roles as water supplies and respond to increased risks capitals of their hinterlands, with improved of flooding; public transport links with their surrounding settlements and to other towns; 11. To provide accessible and varied opportunities for leisure and 8. To protect and enhance the historic recreational activities in order to heritage and the unique character and promote healthy lifestyles; identity of the towns and villages by - the LDF can make a significant contribution ensuring that new developments are in support of Community Plan aspirations to appropriate in terms of scale and improved levels of health, through supporting location in the context of settlement the location and provision of suitable facilities form and character; and of lifestyles which can take advantage of - careful planning for and design of the opportunities for exercise; nature and type of development will help to secure the sustainability of the District and 12. To promote high quality design of maintain and enhance the distinctive new developments in order to create character of Hambleton, a main contributor to attractive and safe places in which to a high quality of life for its communities; live, work and play. - good design is a key element in achieving 9. To protect and improve the countryside sustainable development. Design should and the diversity of wildlife and habitats; enhance and protect local distinctiveness and - Hambleton has an attractive landscape but visual quality, and enhance the quality of life, there is significant scope to improve the not least by ensuring public safety which is diversity of the landscape and of habitats. clearly a major public priority reflected in the Maintaining and enhancing these assets will Community Plan. be an important LDF responsibility, which can assist the delivery of the Hambleton Biodiversity Action Plan;

14 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 3. Spatial Strategy

3.1 The preceding Section of this document has ● the LDF must ensure that local needs explained the proposed vision for the future are met and local issues are and the suggested key objectives. But how addressed. Locally expressed needs will they be achieved? This Section begins the (particularly defined within the Community explanation of the means proposed, by Plan or emanating from consultation on sketching out the basic spatial principles, the LDF) will help to set the LDF’s agenda which are then developed into policies in and priorities. The need to provide suitable Section 4 following. housing that meets the needs of the residents of the District (and in particular 3.2 At a general level, four considerations is affordable) is a clear priority in underpin all of the proposed LDF strategy: Hambleton. Similarly, a focus should be on ● the LDF must seek to achieve securing more quality skilled jobs within development which is sustainable, or in the District, to provide opportunities to other words, to ensure a better quality of retain young people and those currently life for everyone, now and for future commuting to work outside the District; generations. This is perhaps the most ● bearing these three concerns in mind, the important aspiration that runs through all scale of development and change in the proposals of the LDF and the main test Hambleton also needs to take account of their suitability. This is consistent with of the pressures and opportunities that community views that have result from its regional and sub- been expressed; regional context. The accessibility of the ● Hambleton’s existing high quality District in the north-south direction is a environment must be protected. This is major asset, and means that the a major part of the LDF’s vision and relationship of the District to the major city subject of several of the proposed regions to the north and south will need to strategic objectives. This will be a be addressed in the LDF’s strategy. The significant concern in all proposals for the overall scale of housing and employment location of development and for in the District will need to reflect the RSS. determining the best patterns of provision In particular, RSS provides guidance on of services. Overall, the LDF must meet the the scope and desirability of development local needs of Hambleton in ways that in the Vales and Tees Links sub-area (the protect and sustain the environment. majority of the LDF area, north of These local needs will require a careful Easingwold), which recognises the balance of growth and change (to meet potential benefits and pressures resulting needs, or improve existing provision), from the ease of access to the Tees Valley and of restraint, to secure city region, and to York and the Leeds city environmental protection; region, and the need to be compatible with policies for those areas by exercising restraint on market demand. The RSS strategy for the LDF area within the York sub-region (ie. the area around Easingwold) similarly responds to development pressures from the growing York economy, by promoting small-scale affordable housing and employment providing for local job opportunities.

15 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 3.3. In the light of these considerations, two 3.4 From these general concerns and principles, general principles are proposed to guide the an approach to the development of scale of development for housing and for Hambleton is proposed which is based on employment-related development: three spatial principles. These provide local expression to the housing and employment ● housing – two objectives are proposed principles just expressed and ensure that the relating to the scale of new development two sets of considerations are linked – in the District. The LDF will seek to: housing and employment developments need i. increase significantly the proportion of to be matched within an overall approach to new houses that are lower priced, sustainable development. The spatial securing affordable opportunities principles are illustrated on the Key Diagram particularly for local first-time buyers; at the end of the main part of this document. The Key Diagram is a device to depict the ii. reduce the rate of in-migration into the concepts rather than show precise locations District from those seeking retirement and boundaries (these will be identified on homes or more attractive locations to the Proposals Map which will accompany the live, whilst working outside the District Allocations and Development Policies DPDs). to north or south. ● employment – the strategy for the scale Spatial Principle 1 and location of development also reflects An area of opportunity is defined, comprising the locational attributes of the District and the Thirsk area, the southern part of the the potential of the local workforce. The Northallerton area and the eastern part of the total scale of new development proposed is Bedale area. Reflecting the scope for based on a local study of likely demands development, in particular based on its and opportunities, and reflects RSS accessibility, scale of existing facilities and guidance that a local review of needs relative lack of development constraints, and should be undertaken. In locational terms, consistent with the RSS strategy, this is the development needs to maximise area where most housing and employment opportunities in the most sustainable and related development will take place; accessible locations and thus provision will be focused in or close to the main towns Spatial Principle 2 and main transport routes, with the most Areas of restraint from external influences are significant amount in Northallerton, Bedale defined covering the Stokesley area with the and Thirsk. However, opportunities must northern part of the Northallerton area, in the also be taken to secure development that north, and the Easingwold area in the south. In relates to the pressures and links arising these areas the effects of the two neighbouring from the adjacent metropolitan areas of metropolitan areas are most strongly felt. Tees Valley to the north, in the case of the Consistent with the RSS strategy, the LDF Stokesley area, and York to the south, in response is to reduce the scale of new housing the case of Easingwold. New employment development in these areas to resist further development will be supported in these in-migration from the adjacent parts of Tees areas where it provides high quality skilled Valley and York (whilst securing a high level of jobs and helps to provide alternative job affordable housing to meet identified local choices that do not encourage needs); and also to support more limited employment-led migration, or employment development, in order to reduce unsustainable patterns of commuting. cross-boundary commuting;

16 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Spatial Principle 1 Spatial Principle 2 (extract from Key Diagram) (extract from Key Diagram)

17 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Spatial Principle 3 Service Centres A sustainable hierarchy of settlements is The five market towns, designated as “Service proposed as the organising basis for Centres”, will play the leading role in the development and service provision within the future development and provision of services District. The Sustainability Appraisal has within Hambleton. Most new development will demonstrated that organising and focusing be focused in these towns, with more development and services in this hierarchical development being in the main towns of way is the most efficient. It is consistent with Northallerton (including Romanby) and Thirsk the RSS strategy for the region, and (including Sowerby), which are designated as continues the RSS principles to a lower “Principal Service Centres” (the same hierarchy of settlements, which reflects the designation given by the RSS), and a lower rural context of Hambleton. This approach level of development in the smaller Service provides the most beneficial way to allocate Centres of Bedale (including Aiskew), limited resources and ensure the best Easingwold and Stokesley (identified with the possible access to facilities for all. It also equivalent status of Local Service Centres in allows wider sustainability considerations to the RSS)3. be taken into account, such as the need to maximise the amount of development on brownfield sites, to address climate change Service Centre hinterlands through minimising journeys (and through the The role of each Service Centre in providing a choice of settlements and the location of service function for their hinterlands will be development within them), and to take flood sustained and further developed, in risk issues into account. partnership with all the key service providers. The approach taken in the LDF is based on The hinterlands correspond to the Community giving priority to the market towns, which are Plan Areas (for which Community Action defined as “Principal Service Centres” and Plans are prepared), and are illustrated on “Service Centres”, reflecting the approach the Key Diagram and on the map opposite. adopted at the regional level. These are They are based on groupings of parishes: supported by a number of designated Annex 6 lists the parishes that comprise “Service Villages” and supplemented by an each hinterland. approach to appropriate development in designated “Secondary Villages” and elsewhere. The levels and ingredients of the hierarchy are as follows:

3 was also identified by the submitted RSS as a Local Service Centre (reflecting the statistical based Settlement Study of region-wide provision of services by settlements undertaken for the RSS). However, that settlement has a substantially more limited range of facilities than the other Service Centres in Hambleton, and accordingly is designated as a Service Village in this Core Strategy (see Policy CP4). 18 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Secondary Villages In the designated “Secondary Villages”, limited development may be acceptable where it clearly supports a local need and contributes to the sustainability of the local community. Other Areas In other settlements and in the countryside (ie. outside the Service Centres, the designated Service Villages and Secondary Villages), development will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances. One such exception will be where development would provide affordable housing in smaller settlements, meeting a local need which cannot be met in a more sustainable location. In the case of military bases (Leeming, Linton-on-Ouse and Alanbrooke near Topcliffe), which are important in Hambleton in terms of supporting the local economy, whilst there are no expectations of major changes during the Plan period, proposals for development resulting from the needs of these defence establishments will be considered on their merits, outside the Service Villages principles of the hierarchy of settlements Service Villages are designated outside the established here. Service Centres and within the hinterland of each. These are promoted as the main location of services to supplement those provided by the Service Centres, to help meet the needs of the rural communities throughout the hinterland. Limited development in these villages will be supported subject to local considerations, as will the focusing of new or maintenance of existing levels of services, in partnership with other service providers.

19 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 3.5 The designation of specific settlements, and the extent of their boundaries (their “Development Limits”) is considered in Section 4 (Policy CP4) following. The choice of settlements as Service Villages has been made on the following principles: i. the primary basis for the designation of these Service Villages is that they currently have the best range of services and public transport to their Service Centre, based on an audit of services. In a nutshell, these villages have a school, a food shop, a community hall, sports and recreation facilities and a bus to a Service Centre arriving before 9 am and returning after 5 pm (thus allowing for journeys to work); ii. in addition, in determining the precise list of settlements for inclusion, account has been taken of their location throughout the District. The final proposed list of Service Villages thus shows some variation from the list of the settlements audited as Spatial Principle 3 having the best services in order to ensure good coverage of the hinterland of each (extract from Key Diagram) Service Centre, such that all the hinterland is within good reach of either the Service Centre or a Service Village. 3.6 The designated “Secondary Villages” have a more limited scope for development and are not proposed as a focus for service delivery. Some limited development in these villages may however support their sustainability and the maintenance of existing services such as village schools and also help meet rural needs.

20 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Spatial Principles, advice from the SA/SEA The SA/SEA shows that the Spatial Principles will contribute towards sustainable development by: ● helping to improve access to a range of services and facilities by directing development according to the existing and potential service provision of settlements; ● focusing development in the five market towns which should help to improve access to a range of services and facilities; ● directing development away from the most sensitive landscapes by focusing employment development on the five market towns. This should help to ensure designated sites of nature conservation value are protected; ● focusing development in the five market towns which gives strong support to their service centre functions. This will help in achieving the renaissance of the market towns; ● acknowledging the influences of surrounding urban and rural areas and encouraging development in the central Area of Opportunity. This should help to support local businesses, rather than those linked to neighbouring metropolitan areas; ● directing development to settlements where there is likely to be future demand and capacity for increased employment activity. This should achieve a better balance between homes and jobs.

Stokesley Market Place

21 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4. Strategic Spatial Policies

4.0.1 Taking forward the Spatial Strategy identified 4.1 MEETING LOCAL DEVELOPMENT above, this section proposes a number of NEEDS SUSTAINABLY strategic spatial policies – the Core Policies of the Hambleton LDF. These provide strategic Sustainable Development direction, and translate the vision and 4.1.1 Strategic Objective 1 seeks to ensure that objectives of the proposed strategy into development is sustainable and that it does courses of action. These policies form the not harm the area’s natural and man-made basis for the allocation of sites and for more features. It seeks to maximize the detailed development policies, which are conservation of land, energy and resources proposed in the separate development plan and minimise adverse impacts upon the documents (DPDs). Where appropriate, the economy, society and the environment. This Core Policies make reference to the further reflects the fundamental principles of details that will be specified within the Government guidance on achieving Allocations or Development Policies DPDs. sustainable development (see Annex 1, paras. 13-14). Developments must be located, 4.0.2 The Core Policies are organised under the designed, serviced and accessed in ways that following five headings: contribute to the overall appearance and distinctiveness of the area and help promote ● meeting local development sustainable communities. The role of local needs sustainably; communities themselves in these respects will ● developing a balanced housing market; be crucial – through the development and ● supporting prosperous communities; delivery of the Community Plan, particularly at ● maintaining quality environments; the local level, through encouragement of ● creating healthy and safe communities. community-based initiatives and also through efforts to increase the involvement of the 4.0.3 These represent themes relevant to the LDF. public in the planning process, reflected in the They do not match exactly those of the Statement of Community Involvement, which Hambleton Community Plan, because of the is part of the LDF (see Annex 1, para. 4). differing roles and responsibilities of the two strategies, but there is a close 4.1.2 The Council will carry out regular monitoring correspondence. The Policies relate also to of key indicators to ensure that the LDF is the Council’s corporate vision (see Annex 4 successfully managing change in the area para. 33), and in particular to the twelve and that implementation of the plan is Strategic Objectives (para. 2.30). producing sustainable development (see Annex 5). Reviews of the LDF will be undertaken when necessary to enable the Council and its partners to respond to changing circumstances in the area with an up-to-date spatial plan. 4.1.3 The following Policy will underpin the whole Plan, and provides a fundamental set of criteria that will be applied as a starting point to all development proposals:

22 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 x. the distinctiveness, character, CP1 The use and development of land will be townscape and setting assessed against the community’s of settlements; housing, economic and social requirements, protection and xi. the historic and cultural features of enhancement of the natural and built acknowledged importance; environment and minimisation of energy xii. the provision of essential services to consumption and the need to travel. the public. Development that would significantly Development should utilise previously harm the natural or built environment, or developed land (“brownfield”land), that would generate an adverse traffic where that land is in a sustainable impact, will not be permitted. Proposals location, in preference to greenfield sites. will be supported if they promote and encourage or protect and enhance:

i. the efficient use of land and Access infrastructure, including 4.1.4 As the commentary on Strategic Objective 2 developments which include a acknowledges, the largely rural nature of sustainable and complementary Hambleton means that car usage will mix of uses; continue to be very important as the means ii. the conservation of scarce resources of accessing many services, at least until and reduction of their use, and significant improvements can be achieved to encouragement to the use of public transport. Nonetheless, a particularly sustainable resources; important element of planning for a more iii. the health, economic and social sustainable future for Hambleton is to ensure well-being, amenity and safety of the that all developments and service activities population; wherever possible reduce the need to travel, improve the general level of accessibility to iv. a reduction in social inequalities facilities of all types, and help to reduce and disadvantages within disadvantages and inequalities in access to the community; services. This includes ensuring access is v. the quality of natural resources available to disabled people. At the same including water, air, land time, the Community Plan and the strategy of and biodiversity; the local health authorities both seek to vi. the natural drainage of promote the use of walking and cycling as surface water; alternatives to the private car for short trips, vii. the vitality of the area; and thereby promote a more active and healthy lifestyle. viii. a high quality and adaptability of development; ix. the character and quality of local landscapes and the wider countryside;

23 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.1.5 In a rural area, the viability of high frequency 4.1.7 Transport and accessibility are crucial issues and extensive public transport services will for Hambleton, with its dispersed pattern of inevitably be problematical, and thus making settlements – which means that a policy the best decisions about the location of within the Core Strategy is essential, to reflect facilities can make a major contribution to the local importance, and state the LDF’s improving their accessibility for all. Similarly, it intentions as part of its comprehensive will be important to ensure that preference is approach. All proposals for development will given to using more sustainable means of be assessed against the following policy, and transport to access any new development, for similarly the service plans of the Council and example through ensuring that developers partners will seek to take these matters implement green travel plans and support into account: public transport initiatives – and at the same time encouraging developments which involve less travel in their activities, such as CP2 Development and the provision of those which support local sourcing of services should be located so as to materials and local supply chains. minimise the need to travel. Convenient 4.1.6 Carefully designed and targeted transport access via footways, cycle paths and schemes can make a major contribution to public transport should exist or be improving accessibility in rural areas. provided, thereby encouraging the use Particularly important in this respect will be of these modes of travel for local achieving improved provision of public and journeys and reducing the need to travel community transport between Service Centres by private car and improving the and their hinterlands – a priority which is also accessibility of services to those with established by the RSS for both the Vales and poor availability of transport. Tees Links and York sub areas. These are Transport schemes that lead to issues which are being addressed through improvements in accessibility will be the draft North Yorkshire Local Transport Plan supported. In considering development Service Centre transportation strategies. As proposals, the potential for more another example, the draft LTP proposes the sustainable means of transport related to investigation of potential additions to the the uses and users of the development National Cycle Network such as links from must be addressed, including through Hambleton to Richmond, from Shipton to the preparation of travel plans and Beningbrough and between Bedale and the consideration of the scope to utilise Harrogate via Ripon. Feasibility studies for local sourcing of materials and local providing new cycle links between Great supply chains. Ayton and Stokesley and between Bedale and Northallerton have now been completed.

24 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Community Assets 4.1.8 As Strategic Objective 3 indicates, a critically CP3 Support will be given to proposals and important aspect of achieving a sustainable activities that protect, retain or enhance future for Hambleton is the need to existing community assets, or lead to the encourage more sustainable settlements and provision of additional assets that communities, with a rich and diverse improve community well-being. community life. Facilities such as village/community halls, schools, nurseries, Proposals involving the loss of places of worship, public houses, post offices community assets including land in and convenience stores play an important community use, for example relating to role in the social and cultural infrastructure of facilities such as community/village a settlement. Such facilities can add vibrancy halls, village shops and post offices, to communities and can often provide a focus schools, colleges, nurseries, places of for activities and foster community spirit, and worship, health services, care homes, indeed represent essential ingredients convenience stores, libraries and public contributing to the quality of life for many houses will not be supported. residents. They can also provide an essential service to communities and their potential loss can have adverse consequences in the form of unsustainable travel patterns. Such Settlement Hierarchy loss will not be supported, unless an 4.1.9 One of the main ways in which the LDF can alternative facility to meet local needs is contribute to a more sustainable future for available, or can be provided, at an equally the District and secure the benefits sought accessible location, or all options for under Policies CP1, CP2 and CP3, is by continued use have been fully explored and providing a distinct spatial guide to the none remain that would be financially viable. location of development and activities. This is Details of the approach that will need to be intended to help deliver Strategic Objective 3 adopted in relation to the addition or potential and secure communities that are truly loss of community facilities will be addressed sustainable. The LDF will work with partners within the Development Policies DPD. The to build sustainable communities, which have approach must include the close involvement the housing, facilities and access to jobs of the local community itself and be informed necessary to thrive and the social and cultural by the context and priorities set by the infrastructure to support and enrich Community Plan and Community Action community life. Spatial Principle 3 set out in Plans. As general principles: Section 3 (para. 3.4) identifies the strategy that is considered to provide the most sustainable pattern of change and service provision, which is elaborated and given practical expression in the following Policy. Details of the approach to securing the appropriate form of sustainable development in each settlement are provided in the other Core Policies.

25 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 CP4 Development or activities of a scale and vi. it would support the social nature appropriate to secure the and economic regeneration of sustainability of each settlement, as rural areas. identified in Spatial Principle 3 and in In all cases, development should not the Core Strategy policies, will be conflict with the environmental supported within the Development Limits protection and nature conservation of the settlements in the hierarchy policies of the LDF and should provide designated in the following table. any necessary mitigating or compensatory measures to address Development in other locations (in harmful implications. settlements or in countryside) will only be supported when an exceptional case can be made for the proposals in terms of Policies CP1 and CP2, and where:

i. it is necessary to meet the needs of farming, forestry, recreation, tourism and other enterprises with an essential requirement to locate in a smaller village or the countryside and will help to support a sustainable rural economy; or ii. it is necessary to secure a significant improvement to the environment or the conservation of a feature of acknowledged importance; or iii. it would provide affordable housing or community facilities which meet a local need, where that need cannot be met in a settlement within the hierarchy; or iv. it would re-use existing buildings without substantial alteration or reconstruction, and would help to support a sustainable rural economy or help to meet a locally identified need for affordable housing; or v. it would make provision for renewable energy generation, of a scale and design appropriate to its location; or

Bedale

26 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Hambleton Settlement Hierarchy Service Centres Northallerton Thirsk Bedale Easingwold Stokesley (with Romanby) (with Sowerby) (with Aiskew) (Service Centre) (Service Centre) (Principal Service Centre) (Principal Service Centre) (Service Centre) Service Centre Hinterlands Northallerton Thirsk Bedale Easingwold Stokesley Service Villages Brompton Carlton Miniott Brafferton/Helperby Great Ayton Topcliffe Leeming Bar Great Broughton Morton-on-Swale Snape Shipton Hutton Rudby West Tanfield Stillington Secondary Villages Borrowby Burneston Alne Ingleby Arncliffe Appleton Wiske Dalton Hackforth Brandsby Kirkby-in-Cleveland Great Smeaton Knayton Kirkby Fleetham Crayke Seamer Leeming Huby Sessay Scruton Linton-on-Ouse South Kilvington Thornton Watlass Raskelf Well Sutton-on-the-Forest Sutton-under- Tholthorpe Whitestonecliffe Tollerton

Easingwold

27 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.1.10 The definition of the limits of each of the 4.1.12 The distribution of the settlements relevant to settlements in the hierarchy will be addressed Policy CP4 is shown on the plan that follows. through detailed policies and proposals The list of settlements will be one of the many within the Development Policies and matters in the LDF that will be kept under Allocations DPDs. Reflecting these proposals, review, to ensure that each settlement is individual Development Limits will be defined fulfilling its role in the hierarchy, and the for each of the named settlements on the selection of settlements (both those identified, Proposals Map. and those not) and their location in the hierarchy remains relevant. This will involve 4.1.11 The approach of the LDF, through this Policy continuing research, which will consider and the other Policies that help deliver it, is provision of services and movement patterns, intended to be very much in line with the including addressing the relationships of Government’s initiative to create sustainable where people live and work and the locations communities. Current guidance indicates that of services used. Other policies in this DPD “sustainable communities are places where provide further guidance on the scale, nature people want to live and work, now and in the and type of development envisaged at future. They meet the diverse needs of settlements at each level in the hierarchy, existing and future residents, are sensitive to including Policy CP6 (housing), Policies CP9 their environment, and contribute to a high & CP9A (affordable housing), Policy CP11 quality of life. They are safe and inclusive, (employment) and Policies CP13 & CP14 well planned, built and run, and offer equality (market towns regeneration/retail and town 4 of opportunity and good services for all” . centre development). In terms of criteria, these sustainable communities should be: active, inclusive and safe; well run; environmentally sensitive; well designed and built; well connected; thriving; well served and fair for everyone. The LDF’s Policy approach therefore focuses development, and gives priority to the delivery of services within settlements where it will help to support the use of local infrastructure and facilities, and can be developed in accordance with settlement character. This is fully consistent with the approach required by the RSS (core policies YH3, YH6 and YH8). This approach also helps to reduce the need to travel by car, and in this respect it seeks to address directly the implications of climate change. The settlements chosen, and the scope for development within them that will be considered in detail within the Allocations DPD, also take full account of the implications of potential future increased risks of flooding.

Stokesley 4 “Sustainable Communities: People, Places and Prosperity”, ODPM January 2005

28 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Settlement Hierarchy

29 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.2 DEVELOPING A BALANCED Meeting local development needs HOUSING MARKET sustainably, advice from SA/SEA 4.2.1 The scale, distribution and types of housing The SA/SEA shows that these policies that are to be provided in Hambleton in the will contribute towards sustainable period to 2021 are amongst the most development by: significant issues that the LDF must address. Through the allocation of land, and the ● Policy CP1 encouraging mixed use granting of planning permission (with development which will help to conditions and legal agreements), the LDF encourage sustainable local has a major role to play. But in wider spatial communities and reduce the need planning terms, the LDF Core Strategy must to travel; contribute through its proposals for housing ● Policy CP1 supporting development that to developing a better relationship between promotes and encourages local homes and jobs and to the achievement of distinctiveness and character and sustainable communities. protecting townscape, the setting of The Scale of New Housing settlements, and historic and cultural features. This will deliver development 4.2.2 As Strategic Objective 4 indicates, the scale that is sustainable and does not harm of housing in Hambleton District needs to Hambleton’s valuable man-made assets; reflect the guidance contained within the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Spatial ● Policy CP1 encouraging development to Strategy (RSS), which establishes the amount protect and enhance local environmental of housing for which provision should be assets. This will deliver development that made at the District level. The housing figures is sustainable and does not damage in Policy CP5 are based on those in the Hambleton’s natural features; submitted draft RSS. Should the final figures ● Policy CP3 helping to retain and in the approved RSS be significantly different, enhance community assets and local such that this DPD is no longer in general retailing and access to community conformity with the RSS, the Council will facilities. This will help local communities undertake an early review of the Core to thrive and become more sustainable; Strategy. The submitted RSS identifies the ● Policy CP4 promoting sustainable amount of housing that should be developed development through the use of in three time periods, which form the basis brownfield land and the re-use of for the following Core Policy: existing buildings. This will direct development to the most CP5 The Council, housing providers and sustainable sites; service providers together will seek to ● Policy CP4 defining a settlement achieve the completion of the net hierarchy that gives strong support to additional dwellings required by the the Service Centres. This should help to Regional Spatial Strategy, as follows: improve access to a range of services and facilities as it will direct development 2004-2011 2011-2016 2016-2021 according to their existing potential 320 pa 290 pa 260 pa service provision.

30 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.2.3 The scale proposed5 in Policy CP5 for the 4.2.5 At the strategic level of this Core Strategy, it current period of 2004 – 2011 represents an is proposed that the future distribution of the increase of about 10% over the average new housing identified in Policy CP5 should building achieved during the last 6 years reflect Strategic Objectives 2, 3 and 4 and the since 1999 (292 dwellings per annum). LDF Spatial Principles set out in Section 3 Development has been set at this level, in (which in turn are consistent with the discussion with the Regional Assembly, approach of RSS). In addition it should specifically in order to provide scope to recognise the need to allow scope (in the achieve the greater quantities of affordable scale of building proposed) to secure the housing that are now needed (see Policy CP9, necessary quantity of affordable housing paras. 4.2.14-22 overleaf). After this first identified (see paras. 4.2.14-22). In terms of phase, the RSS intends that the level of the LDF Spatial Principles, this means that: development should decline to match commensurate increases elsewhere in the i. a proportionately greater scale of main conurbations of the region (where development is proposed within the “area progressing regeneration strategies should of opportunity” (Spatial Principle 1). This make greater development both more reflects the sustainability of the area, in desirable and more feasible). Over the period terms in particular of the adequacy of from now to the end of the RSS period in facilities and the strength of the local 2021 (ie. 15 years), the level of development economy and the capacity of the local proposed in Policy CP5 will amount to a net environment; additional 4,350 homes to be completed in ii. a proportionately lower scale of Hambleton. RSS also establishes gross development is proposed in the “areas of housing requirements, anticipating that in this restraint” (Spatial Principle 2), where the District it will also be necessary to allow for intention is to resist development 10 cleared dwellings per annum in each of pressures from metropolitan areas to the the first two periods (2004-11 and 2011- north and south, which in the past have 2016). No guidance is included for the resulted in significant in-migration of final period. residents, who then commute back to The Distribution of New Housing work outside the area. 4.2.4 Over the last 6 years (1999/2000 – 4.2.6 Taking account of the principles set out in 2004/2005), the annual average net rates of para. 4.2.5, and in relation to the current rates new homes completed by the Service Centres of building in each area (para. 4.2.4), it is with their sub-areas has been as follows: proposed that for the LDF period to 2021, the Northallerton and Thirsk areas should have Bedale 34 greater levels of provision (reflecting in Easingwold 72 particular Spatial Principle 1); Easingwold and Northallerton 63 Stokesley in contrast should have lower rates Stokesley 64 of provision (reflecting Spatial Principle 2); Thirsk 59 and Bedale should have a small increase in Hambleton Total 292 its current low level of building (reflecting the influence of Spatial Principle 1, and allowing scope for achieving the necessary scale of affordable housing), as follows:

5 These totals, and the figures included in subsequent Policies CP5A and CP9 (with Table 1) currently include provision for the area of Hambleton within the North York Moors National Park, separate figures for which will need to be determined in conjunction with the Park Authority, when the NYMNP LDF is advanced. However, recent past construction has only amounted to some 5 dwellings per annum in the whole area of the Park within Hambleton (although the Housing Needs Study (see para.4.2.12) estimates a need for 10 affordable dwellings per annum over the next five years). 31 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.2.8 Based on the scale indicated in Policy CP5A, the distribution within each Service Centre CP5A In order to achieve the scale of new hinterland should reflect the LDF Spatial housing identified in Policy CP5, the annual Principle 3 and Policy CP4, in order to achieve targets for the completion of net additional a sustainable distribution of housing. This housing between the Service Centres, approach is also consistent with that required together with their hinterlands, are: by RSS (core policy YH8 – see Annex 4, 2004 2011 2016 para. 8). Allocations and the acceptability of -2011 -2016 -2021 housing proposals generally should thus reflect the principles below. In accordance Bedale area 16% 14% 15% with Policy CP4, Development Limits will be Easingwold area 16% 14% 11% established for each identified settlement by Northallerton area 31% 34% 35% the Development Policies and Allocations Stokesley area 12% 10% 11% DPDs, taking account of the housing needs Thirsk area 25% 28% 28% established through this Policy.

4.2.7 The scale and distribution set by Policies CP5 and CP5A will guide in making the allocations contained within the Allocations DPD and CP6 In order to achieve the targets also in assessing acceptability of proposals established in Policy CP5A for each for housing on land not specifically identified Service Centre and its hinterland, land in the LDF (ie. on so-called “windfall” sites). will be allocated for housing and support Monitoring of the completion of housing and given to proposals for housing the achievement of Policies CP5 and CP5A is development on unallocated land, in considered in Annex 5. In line with accordance with the principles below: Government requirements, housing 1. at least 51% of overall housing trajectories will be included within the development will occur in the Development Policies DPD. These will show Principal Service Centres of on a year-by-year basis the amount of Northallerton and Thirsk, and in housing proposed in the District and by sub- each sub-area at least two-thirds of area, and the contribution to be made from new housing development will be existing and new planning permissions and concentrated in the Service Centre; allocations. Linked to evidence of actual completions, it will provide a firm basis for 2. outside the Service Centre, new monitoring the extent to which the LDF is housing will be supported in the delivering the required scale and distribution designated Service Villages of housing. identified in Policy CP4, at a level appropriate to the needs of the local communities and within the defined Development Limits. Development outside but adjacent to the Development Limits may be supported where it constitutes an exception to achieve affordable housing, in accordance with Policy CP9A;

32 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Phasing of Housing

3. within the designated Secondary 4.2.9 The need to manage the release of housing Villages identified in Policy CP4, land will land was firmly established with the not be allocated for housing, unless publication of the revised Planning Policy there are exceptional circumstances, but Guidance note 3 – Housing in March 2000. proposals for housing will be supported Although this PPG is replaced by new PPS3, within the defined Development Limits the principles established clearly remain where it constitutes infill or other major considerations in determining the development that is small in scale, or manner in which land is released for housing redevelopment, or the conversion of in the District. PPG3 established a new policy buildings. Development outside but direction for the delivery of housing through adjacent to the Development Limits may the planning system on a “plan, monitor and be supported where it constitutes an manage” basis. A main feature of the exception to achieve affordable housing, approach is the managed release of housing in accordance with Policy CP9A; sites in order to control the pattern and speed of urban growth (and to reduce the take-up 4. in other settlements and the open of greenfield sites). Pending the preparation countryside, new housing development, of the LDF, the Council adopted an interim including the conversion of buildings, policy, which is replaced by the approach will be permitted only in exceptional contained within the LDF. The RSS has also circumstances to meet a specific local adopted an approach that incorporates need, where such development is in phases, which need to be taken into account accordance with Policy CP4. Such in the LDF. Accordingly: exceptional circumstances will include the provision of affordable housing in CP7 The release of land for housing will be accordance with Policy CP9A, which phased, to ensure that the levels of meets a local need and where that need development remain close to the targets cannot be met in a settlement within the established in Policies CP5 and CP5A, and hierarchy identified by Policy CP4. to meet targets established for the use of brownfield land before greenfield sites. The phases (and their timing) and brownfield targets will be established within the Development Policies and Allocations Development Plan Documents.

4.2.10 The Development Policies DPD will detail the approach towards phasing, including the principles behind the phases and the mechanisms for release. It will also cover the achievement of targets for securing the development of brownfield land in preference over greenfield sites, where the brownfield land is in sustainable locations. This will enable the approach to reflect the actual sites advanced by the Allocations DPD and will be kept under regular review. The Craft Yard, Bedale Station

33 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Type, Size and Tenure of Housing 4.2.12 To inform this approach, a comprehensive Housing Needs Study was commissioned by 4.2.11 Comments received in preparing the LDF, and the Council and completed in 2004. Over expressed through Community Plan 25,000 households were surveyed and more consultations at District and local levels have than 7,000 responses were received. In raised the nature of the housing that is addition, key stakeholders were consulted, available as a major concern. This is reflected such as Registered Social Landlords, Estate in Strategic Objective 5. RSS (Policy H4) also Agents and Parish Councils. The study’s main seeks to ensure that the mix of housing objectives were to help achieve a better provided (in terms of size, type and tenure) understanding of the necessary match should support the creation of more between housing which is planned and sustainable communities. Views have been housing which is needed, identify future expressed that there is a need to provide a needs in terms of house type, size, tenure range of house types in terms of size of and affordability and inform the production dwellings, dwellings to rent and to buy and of policies to meet future needs. The main lifetime housing (which is designed to be findings of the Housing Needs Study were flexible in use and capable of meeting as follows: differing household needs over time), reflecting the differing requirements of ● the dwelling stock is predominantly households, income levels and individual owner-occupied; mobility. Appropriate provision is also recognised to be needed for gypsies, ● several market towns and some rural travellers and travelling show people, which areas have relatively self-contained in part reflects the major transport routes that housing markets; run through the District. The general ● there are strong influences from the Tees consensus in both the LDF and Community Valley, Harrogate and York; Plan consultations is that the greatest need is for affordable housing (see below), dwellings ● the District’s popularity and accessibility for small households, in particular housing for results in a buoyant housing market and young single people and elderly people, and high property prices; housing for “key workers” such as those in the care sector. Accordingly: ● there are shortfalls of general housing stock across all areas but this varies throughout the District by tenure, size CP8 Proposals for housing must take and type. appropriate account of local housing needs in terms of size, type and tenure of dwellings. These needs will include appropriate provision for all sectors of the community, for example including the needs of elderly people and also for the particular needs of gypsies and travellers.

34 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.2.13 Taking account of the information contained 4.2.15 The Housing Needs Study 2004 looked at in this study, it is proposed to guide the affordable housing throughout Hambleton provision of housing throughout the District District, and its findings for the LDF area are in terms of its size, type and tenure, by as follows: including detailed guidance within the ● Development Policies and Allocations there is a shortfall of 520 dwellings DPDs. This guidance will also address the (104 units per year) for 2005 – 2010, particular needs of gypsies, travellers and chiefly for 1 and 2 bedroom general travelling show people. The implementation needs properties; of this approach, together with that on ● there is good capacity within older affordable housing which follows, will be people’s housing stock; undertaken in close co-operation with Registered Social Landlords in the District, ● a variety of accommodation is required, and also linked closely to the development but mainly houses; and implementation of the Council’s ● Housing Strategy. a 50:50 split between social rent and shared equity provision, is recommended. Affordable Housing In terms of the distribution of affordable 4.2.14 Response to the LDF consultation has housing need the study broke the District indicated that the affordability of local housing down into 11 sub-areas identifying the scale is one of the most important issues that of the need for affordable housing in each should be addressed in the LDF. “Affordable” Market Town and its hinterland for the period housing is defined as housing which meets 2005 to 2010. the present and future needs of households unable to secure adequate housing at prices 4.2.16 The Housing Needs Study provides a good determined by the market. Government guide to the general level of affordable guidance suggests that in practice such housing in the District. Although the scale of housing should be defined as a relationship need will be kept under review as the Plan between local household incomes and housing progresses, and the time period will be rolled costs. Basically, a property is affordable if total forward, the conclusions of the Study provide housing costs do not exceed 30% of lower a reasonable starting point for identifying an quartile household incomes. Guidance on the affordable housing programme for the LDF, nature of affordable housing, including the and for contributing to the setting of targets. definition of local affordability, and appropriate The Study identified the scale of affordable arrangements for securing long-term housing needs for the Hambleton LDF area affordability, will be provided in the as shown on the following table. This table Development Policies DPD. That DPD will also also identifies the approximate target address the importance of securing access to proportions of the total housing proposed in affordable housing for particular groups with a each sub-area under Policy CP5A in the need to live locally, such as “key workers” – period to 2011 which would be necessary to workers who support the sustainability of the achieve that scale, assuming all housing local community (eg. workers in the care proposals contributed appropriate levels of sectors, teachers and police officers). affordable housing.

35 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 TABLE 1 Affordable housing: scale of need in relation to new building

Service new building target Housing Needs proportion of all estimated yield Centre & (Policy CP5A) first Study 2004 housing proposed of affordable hinterland period 2004-2011 Affordable housing in CP5A, required housing - applying (per annum) need (per annum) to achieve proportions 2005 – 2010 identified need (per annum) Bedale 50 18 40% 20 Easingwold 50 23 50% 25 Northallerton 100 19 20% 20 Stokesley 40 21 50% 20 Thirsk 80 23 30% 24 Hambleton total 320 104 34% (derived) 109

4.2.17 One of the main objectives for the LDF is to too small to be able to make a practical secure an appropriate scale and distribution of contribution to affordable housing, affordable housing that meets the general level particularly in rural areas. Conversely, in the of need identified by the Study. This is also a larger settlements, there will be greater requirement of the RSS (Policy H3), which scope to bring forward larger sites, which establishes the need to ensure that in areas are able to provide affordable housing; identified as of high need (which includes Hambleton) over 40% of all new housing iv. the fact that many housing schemes will be provided over a defined threshold size (see too small to provide a source of affordable para. 4.2.19 below) is affordable. However, in housing means that higher targets will need setting the appropriate targets that are specific to be set for those schemes which are to Hambleton in this LDF, both practical and capable of making a contribution, if the other policy considerations need to be taken required overall scale of affordable housing into account. Thus the approach of the LDF is is to be achieved. to establish affordable housing targets by sub- 4.2.18 The following targets in the first LDF will be area based on the following four principles: subject of review as the Housing Needs Study i. affordable housing should be provided as is itself reviewed. Although based largely on the near as possible to the areas where need proportions identified in Table 1 (ie, on principle has been identified in the Housing Needs i. in the previous paragraph), reflecting the Study 2004, and reflecting the scale of need differential opportunities which will exist for identified; affordable housing provision across the District (principles iii and iv), slightly higher targets are ii. the scale of affordable housing provided proposed in Northallerton and Thirsk, where should also reflect the sustainability there will be greater scope for provision in principles of the settlement hierarchy comparison with the areas where less housing established in Policy CP4. Thus a greater is proposed. The targets will guide the proportion of provision should be made in requirement for affordable housing both on the higher order settlements, where access allocated sites and on other sites that come to services and facilities is greatest; forward. However, the actual provision will be determined through negotiation, taking into iii. targets for affordable housing should also account factors such as the economics of site recognise the realities of the likely scope for development. provision. Many housing schemes will be

36 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.2.19 Policy CP9 sets thresholds for the CP9 Housing development of 15 or more requirement of affordable housing in a dwellings (or sites of 0.5ha or more) in specific development. National guidance on the Service Centres and 2 or more affordable housing is set out in PPS3, which dwellings (or sites of 0.1ha or more) indicates that Local Development Documents elsewhere must make provision for an should set targets for the amount of element of housing which is accessible affordable housing to be provided and set out and affordable to those unable to the range of circumstances in which compete in the general housing market. affordable housing will be required. It sets a The LDF seeks to achieve the following national indicative minimum site size proportion of affordable housing specific threshold of 15 dwellings, but allows lower to each Service Centre and hinterland: minimum thresholds to be set where viable and practicable, including in rural areas, Bedale 40% where “Rural Exception Sites” solely for Easingwold 50% affordable housing may be allocated and Northallerton 40% released. RSS (Policy H3 – see para.4.2.17) Stokesley 50% also supports the identification of lower Thirsk 40% thresholds where the opportunities for Reflecting these targets as a guide, the provision are generally likely to be below the proportion of affordable housing required 15 dwelling threshold. will, where appropriate, be indicated for each site proposed in the Allocations Development Plan Document. Proposals for development not on allocated sites, including rural building conversions, will be considered against the targets for each sub-area of the District. The actual provision on individual sites will be determined through negotiations, taking into account viability and the economics of provision. The Council will work with the private sector and Registered Social Landlords to achieve the required level of affordable housing. Affordable housing, Romanby

37 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.2.20 In Hambleton, the evidence described above 4.2.21 Developments below the threshold set in suggests that there is a compelling Policy CP9 may still contribute affordable requirement, based on the amount of housing, although they will not be required to affordable housing need established, and the do so. Against this potential loss of likely scale of total housing provision and contribution to the overall provision of sites likely to come forward, to set very low affordable housing, the Council can allocate thresholds in the rural area. Policy CP9 sites or grant planning permission for small therefore proposes a single threshold of 2 or sites comprising affordable housing only, as more dwellings, or 0.1 hectares or more in an exception to normal policies. Government size in the rural areas. In the rural areas, guidance (also supported by RSS Policy H3) reducing the threshold from 3 to 2 dwellings indicates that such a “rural exceptions” would have included a further 7% of all approach can relate to small rural settlements dwellings. Thus in total, if future development – which in Hambleton includes all settlements mirrored that experienced during the last 5 except Northallerton, Thirsk, Stokesley and years, an extra 24% of all dwellings would be Great Ayton. With the high priority given to caught by the Policy. achieving affordable housing, it is proposed that this exceptions policy should also operate outside the hierarchy established by Policy CP4, provided however that a specific local need can be identified, and it can be demonstrated that no better alternative site exists within one of the settlements in the hierarchy. In line with Policy CP6, allocation of sites adjacent to the Service Centres and Service Villages that meet the Government definition of small rural settlements will be considered in the Allocations DPD. Consequently the following approach is proposed to help ensure that locally expressed needs for affordable housing can be realised:

Easingwold Market Place

38 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.2.22 It can be seen that the proportion of affordable housing required by the LDF is in CP9A Housing schemes outside but adjacent many areas substantial, and will be to the Development Limits of the Service challenging to the house building industry, Centres of Bedale and Easingwold, the particularly in the rural areas. However, it Service Villages (with the exception of represents an appropriate response to a well- Great Ayton) and the Secondary Villages, established need, and is a major community will be supported where 100% affordable priority that has been clearly expressed housing is to be provided to meet an throughout the preparation of the LDF and in identified local need, and where any the Community Plan. The overall proportion development is small in scale. In sought, based on the individual targets set in addition, sites related to small Policy CP9, is 43% affordable, which is settlements elsewhere in the District will consistent with the requirement of RSS Policy be supported for 100% affordable H3 to achieve over 40% in this area, and housing, where the development meets a compares with 25% currently sought by the local need and where that need cannot Council. However, as para. 4.2.3 indicates, the be met in a settlement within the reasoning behind the scale of new housing hierarchy identified by Policy CP4. proposed for the housing period 2004-2011 in Where appropriate, specific sites may be the different parts of the District under Policy allocated in the Allocations Development CP5A is significantly influenced by the basic Plan Document for 100% affordable intention to meet the clearly identified need housing adjacent to the Development for affordable housing. The application of Limits of the Service Centres of Bedale these targets, and the yield of affordable and Easingwold and the Service Villages housing which results, will be key elements (except Great Ayton). reviewed in the Annual Monitoring Report.

Reflecting Policy CP4, in all cases development should not conflict with the environmental protection and nature conservation policies of the LDF and should provide any necessary mitigating or compensatory measures to address harmful implications.

Our Community Plan

39 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.3.2 The scale of economic growth planned for in the LDF is influenced by the guidance of RSS, Developing a balanced housing market, particularly in terms of the role of Hambleton advice from SA/SEA in relation to its neighbouring metropolitan The SA/SEA shows that these policies areas to north and south, both supporting will contribute towards sustainable their regeneration but benefiting from good development by: access to their economies. Section 3 explained the locational strategy – which ● the sustainable delivery of housing involves maximising opportunities in the most being supported through Policies CP5 to sustainable and accessible locations, CP9A which all support the spatial particularly the Area of Opportunity identified principles, including a high proportion of under Spatial Principle 1, and also supporting affordable housing where need and the the hierarchy of settlements and in particular ability to accommodate development has the Service Centres as the main locations of been identified; growth and economic activity. In terms of the ● the affordable housing Policies CP8 to type of economic activity, the emphasis of the CP9A which should help to provide key strategy is on meeting local needs, including workers in essential services with providing for local relocations, helping local access to affordable homes. This will small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) strengthen the provision of support to become established and grow, and services within communities; supporting the representation of growth ● Policies CP9 and CP9A supporting sectors. Policies are presented in this section sustainable communities which should that address the scale and distribution of help to strengthen community identity economic growth, reflecting the LDF’s and networks and reduce stress with locational principles and supporting the respect to housing availability/conditions. development of the sustainable hierarchy of settlements; linked to the latter, the role of the Service Centres as market towns and as 4.3 SUPPORTING PROSPEROUS retail centres; and the priorities needed to COMMUNITIES sustain the local economy and address rural 4.3.1 The economic sustainability of Hambleton regeneration. As with all components of the requires that efforts are directed towards LDF, these economic policies must be seen securing prosperous communities. This is as part of an integrated package that seeks also a key theme of the Community Plan, to achieve a future for Hambleton based on and reflected in Strategic Objective 6. The sustainable communities. LDF’s economic strategy is based on capitalising on the locational, accessibility and economic strengths of the District, in order to meet local needs, and in particular seeks to provide better skilled jobs locally to reduce the scale of out-commuting to work by Hambleton residents.

40 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 The Scale and Distribution of New 4.3.4 The Study concluded that the high growth Employment Development rate was over-ambitious and could not be 4.3.3 Reflecting Strategic Objective 4, the overall sustained in the long term. On the other scale of employment development in hand, it considered that low growth was Hambleton District must take account of the unlikely because of the pent up demand that guidance contained in the Yorkshire and has been identified within Hambleton. The Humber Regional Spatial Strategy. RSS medium growth option was therefore (Policy E3) indicates that the scale of considered to be the most appropriate, provision of allocated employment land dependant on certain actions being achieved should be determined by a local employment such as increasing labour supply and land review, taking account of the information encouraging new businesses. General provided on the regional context. In support for these conclusions was received Hambleton, consistent with this approach, we from consultation during the preparation of have the benefit of a study of Economic this Core Strategy. Consequently, the LDF sets Development prospects, commissioned by the this scale as a target for development, to be District Council and completed in June 2005, achieved through working with developers which establishes details not only of the and partners, and facilitated by the allocation extent of existing employment land provision, of land for development to be made within but also of the scale of likely demand. The the Allocations DPD: Economic Development Study looked at 3 scenarios for the provision of employment CP10 The Council, its partners and service land up to 2021: providers will ensure that 75 hectares of land for employment development ● high growth – up to 6 hectares of land are brought forward in the period 2005 each year (96 hectares in total). This to 2021. assumes a high demand from relocating businesses; funding will be available for sites; an ample labour supply will exist; a 4.3.5 In reaching a view about the appropriate shift will occur to more small businesses; distribution of land within the District, the and more firms will continue to be attracted Economic Development Study collated from York and Tees Valley; evidence of existing land available (including land with permission) and the economic ● medium growth – up to 4.5 hectares of land prospects of each part of the District. When each year (75 hectares in total). This account is taken also of the Strategic assumes high levels of new businesses; Principles (1 and 2) set out in Section 3 funding is available for sites; transport links (para. 3.4), a forecast can be derived of the will be exploited; the economy will continue likely and desirable forecast rates by sub- to diversify; and labour shortages will be area, summarised in the following table: addressed, including reducing out- commuting by residents of Hambleton; ● low growth – up to 2 hectares of land per year (32 hectares in total). This assumes a relative economic slump and a low economic growth rate, which would not meet the needs of local firms nor significantly reduce out-commuting.

41 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 TABLE 2 Employment land by sub-area (Economic Development Study 2005)

annual take-up rates forecast, anticipated land requirements based on Spatial Principles and to 2021 (hectares) economic prospects6 (hectares) Bedale 1.25 20 Easingwold 0.5 8 Northallerton 1.25 20 Stokesley 0.5 9 Thirsk 1 18 Hambleton 4.5 75

4.3.6 Based on this analysis, the distribution 4.3.7 The scale and distribution set by Policies of land between the five market towns CP10 and CP10A reflects the market and their hinterlands is proposed to be feasibility analysis from the Economic as follows: Development Study, but also the intention to incorporate Spatial Principles 1 and 2 in the CP10A In order to achieve the scale of new strategy for employment development. It also employment identified in Policy CP10, reflects the direction required by RSS in its the target levels of provision in the sub-area strategies (see Annex 4, paras.10- period 2005 to 2021 for employment 13). The scale proposed therefore reflects the development are (in hectares): Area of Opportunity (Spatial Principle 1), defined around the central parts of the Bedale area 20 District – Northallerton, Thirsk and Bedale – Easingwold area 8 where the scope for development proposed Northallerton area 20 reflects its accessibility, scale of existing Stokesley area 9 facilities and in most cases a relative lack of Thirsk area 18 development constraints. Conversely, the Areas of Restraint (Spatial Principle 2) are reflected in the scale of development proposed to the north (Stokesley) and south (Easingwold), where the intention is to support more limited employment development, in order to reduce cross- boundary commuting. These targets will be taken into account in making the allocations contained within the Allocations DPD, and also in assessing acceptability of proposals for employment on land not specifically identified in the LDF (ie. on so-called “windfall” sites).

Thirsk Market Place 6 Spatial Principles 1 and 2 (para. 3.4); Economic Development Study Medium Growth scenario.

42 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.3.8 Taking account of the current supply of 4.3.10 These considerations will be taken into employment land available and with account in making the site allocations permission, the following scale of additional contained within the Allocations DPD, and allocations in hectares will be necessary also in assessing the acceptability of within each Service Centre and its hinterland, proposals for employment uses on land not through sites to be identified in the specifically identified in the LDF. As with all Allocations DPD or assumptions about developments, it will be important to ensure windfall development: that the form and design of the development meets the requirements of all the policies and Bedale area 3 proposals of the LDF, particularly those Easingwold area 7 concerned with achieving sustainable Northallerton area 8 development. This includes using brownfield Stokesley area 8 land (where this is available in a sustainable Thirsk area 13 location) before greenfield land, addressing However, whilst these quantities represent and providing any necessary mitigation tasks for the Allocations DPD, securing the measures in relation to impacts on natural intentions of Spatial Principles 1 and 2 resources, and addressing the need to take requires that overall priority is accorded to account of flood risks. bringing forward development within Northallerton and also in Bedale (mostly on existing allocations or land with permission), and in identifying additional land for development in Thirsk. 4.3.9 The scope for development (and its potential type) revealed by the Economic Development Study, together with the application of Spatial Principles 1 and 2, support the sustainability based strategy for the location of development set out in Spatial Principle 3 (para. 3.4) in Section 3. It is intended therefore that the distribution of new employment within each market town and hinterland should in general reflect the overall approach of Spatial Principle 3, which is consistent with the RSS (Policy YH8). Two exceptions are identified to this principle, firstly at Leeming Bar in relation to Bedale, reflecting the strategic accessibility of the location in relation to the A1. Secondly, if no suitable sites can be found at Thirsk, then the less sustainable location of Dalton Airfield should be considered.

Springboard incubator units, Stokesley

43 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Priorities for Employment Development

CP11 Most employment development will be 4.3.11 Policies CP10, CP10A and CP11 give a encouraged to locate within the strategic direction to the distribution and development limits of the Service scale of new economic development. Within Centres of the District. As exceptions to this context, priorities should also be set for this principle, in the Bedale area most the nature and type of development and for development will be encouraged to activities supporting such development (eg. locate in Leeming Bar rather than the for training and marketing). One of the key Bedale Service Centre. In the Thirsk aspirations should be to help the District’s area, most development will be economy to grow new sectors by utilising and encouraged to locate in the Thirsk developing its skills base. Developing and Service Centre, but if land cannot be retaining a high skills base should assist in identified in Thirsk, some development achieving more sustainable commuting will also be supported at Dalton Airfield patterns. Business success will depend on a as will development to meet the needs of range of factors and will be influenced by the existing businesses. overall approach of the LDF, considered as a package. For example, provision of affordable Opportunities for small-scale housing (see Policy CP9) will be essential if development to meet local needs will be all the workforce needed by the local supported within Service Villages. economy is to be attracted, with opportunities to live locally. Transport investment will also Outside the Service Centres and be an important component in the measures Service Villages, small-scale needed to support the local economy. In line development meeting local needs may with Policy CP2, support will be given to be acceptable if it is in accord with sustainable transport investment, particularly Policies CP4 and CP15. in public transport, but recognising its limited In all cases, development must comply capabilities in this largely rural area. with the other Policies of the LDF and in 4.3.12 The Regional Economic Strategy at sub- particular should be sustainable in regional level has produced a plan for its York design, in conformity with Policies CP1, and North Yorkshire Sub-Region, which CP17, and address the objectives of includes Hambleton District largely within the Policy CP18 in relation to protecting and A1/A19 area of opportunity (see Annex 4, box minimising the loss of natural resources. following para. 29). This equates very much in area and intent to the Vales and Tees Links sub-area within the RSS (see Annex 4, paras. 10-11). These intentions will also need to be reflected in the LDF.

44 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Market Towns Regeneration

CP12 Support will be given to developing and 4.3.14 The LDF identifies the core role of the Market sustaining the economy of Hambleton, Towns in the sustainable future of Hambleton. through measures that are consistent with This is reflected in Strategic Objective 7, in the the proposals of the Regional Economic main focus for development expressed in the Strategy. Particular priority will be given to Spatial Principle 3, and in the distribution of sustaining the development of key both housing and employment development economic sectors or clusters; providing proposed in the Core Policies. Support for the conditions and support for Small and each Market Town, defined as “Service Medium Sized Enterprises to become Centres” in the LDF, and in particular for the established and grow; developing the regeneration of their town centres, must District’s skills base; supporting the therefore be a major thrust of the LDF development of growth sectors; and strategy. It is consistent with the approach of supporting transport investment that will the RSS, particularly Policy YH6, which seeks aid economic development. support for the key roles of market towns as “hubs” for rural areas. Regeneration initiatives have been underway for some time, 4.3.13 The details of measures consistent with Policy particularly related to heritage issues (eg. the CP12 will be contained in the Development Heritage Economic Regeneration Schemes in Policies DPD (with allocations as appropriate Thirsk and Bedale). The Market Town in the Allocations DPD). These would include Initiative at Thirsk and latterly the further support for incubator units (such as Renaissance Market Towns initiatives for for the food industry at Leeming Bar); further Northallerton and Bedale (in partnership with targeted training initiatives or land allocations the Regional Development Agency, Yorkshire to support particular industries, and research Forward) have been significant contributors to into capacity to develop better economic links this process, leading to Action Plans that are with the city regions to the north and south. currently being implemented. Similarly the These measures will also be consistent with other community-based plans linked to the the RSS (Policy E3) which seeks to ensure Community Plan are also developing support for priority sectors and clusters. As strategies and action plans. an example of a scheme that will further enhance the accessibility of the District and its economy, the Highways Agency has announced plans to upgrade the A1 to a 3 lane motorway from Dishforth to Barton. Construction is due to take place between 2008 and 2011.

45 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.3.15 The details of measures under this strategic Retail and Town Centre Development approach will be contained in the 4.3.17 Retailing and other town centre uses such as Development Policies DPD (with allocations leisure are important elements of the strategy as appropriate in the Allocations DPD). It will for the Service Centres. The scope and be important for the LDF, through its Core benefits of further retail development in Strategy, and through its Allocations and Hambleton has been subject of a specific Development Policies DPDs, to give sustained study commissioned by the Council as part of and expanded support for the market towns a review of town centres, completed in initiatives work – covering each Service December 2004. This study concluded that Centre as appropriate, and also for other capacity exists for limited additional proposals that will support the regeneration development, which should most beneficially and role of these towns. Examples will also be located within the Service Centres. include transport schemes that provide Following the guidance in PPS6 (Planning for environmental benefits, reduction of Town Centres), reflecting Strategic congestion and better links between the Objective 3 (which identifies the need to market towns and their hinterlands. Thus the support sustainable communities with Local Transport Plan proposes an A684 relief accessible facilities), and consistent with the road to divert traffic from Bedale, Aiskew and RSS support for town centres (RSS Policy Leeming Bar (construction will coincide with E2), a hierarchy of centres has been identified the A1 upgrade). to form a structured basis for retail and service provision. 4.3.16 The main principles of this approach (together with the proposals in Policies CP4, CP6, CP11 and CP12) are: CP14 Support will be given to maintaining and enhancing the vitality and viability of the following hierarchy of town and CP13 Development and the provision of district centres: services will be supported which leads to the regeneration, maintenance and Northallerton Main Town Centre enhancement of the Service Centre - serving the District functions of Northallerton, Thirsk, Easingwold, Stokesley and Bedale. Thirsk Town Centre Particular support will be given through - serving a wide assistance to the implementation of rural catchment community-led regeneration plans. Stokesley, District Centres Easingwold, - meeting day to Bedale day needs of their rural catchments

Retail and other town centre development of a scale appropriate to these roles will be supported in each Principal Service Centre or Service Centre, provided that development respects the character of the environment of the centre, including its special architectural and historic interest and assists in maintaining its existing retail function.

46 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.3.18 National government policies in PPS6 Rural Regeneration indicate that site selection for most retail 4.3.19 Outside the Service Centres, the importance and other town centre functions should of providing for the social and economic follow a sequential process, where needs of rural communities and of supporting possible locating within identified town the rural economy are key considerations, centres, in preference firstly to peripheral reflected in the priorities of the Community sites or finally to sites outside centres. As Plan, in the RSS (Policy E7 and the sub-area far as possible, sites that meet the scale strategies), and in the regional Rural of likely demand will be identified within Framework (see Annex 4, para. 29). Many the Allocations DPD, to ensure that the aspects of the LDF strategy influence the vitality and viability of these centres is sustainability of the rural economy, including maintained. Only in exceptional the scale, location and type of housing circumstances, reflecting the guidance in (addressed in section 4.2) and environmental PPS6, will retail or other town centre uses considerations (see section 4.4). A careful be permitted outside these centres. Other balance will need to be achieved in elements of the strategies to support town supporting proposals that assist the economic centre strategies will include the definition sustainability of local communities, whilst of town centre Primary Retail Areas and addressing any potential environmental shopping frontages (within the consequences. The LDF through this and its Development Policies DPD); support for other policies will develop a co-ordinated the continuing market town initiatives and approach, providing a framework for the their implementation; the promotion of delivery of all the ingredients of rural better sustainable transport links between regeneration – including for example the centres and their hinterlands, affordable housing, rural services, consistent with Policy CP2; and the environmental management and economic designation and management of car activity. Support through the hierarchy of parking. A study of car parking needs and sustainable settlements proposed by Policy opportunities in the District was CP4 will be a main component in ensuring completed in January 2002 and formed that communities throughout the rural areas the basis of the Council’s car parking have good access to services and that the strategy, adopted in April 2004. Consistent level of support services in these areas meets with Policies CP13 and CP14, outstanding local needs, for example of elderly and young proposals for sites and management will people or those in employment. be reviewed for inclusion in the Allocations DPD. 4.3.20 There is a clear link between the economic stability of rural areas, and the likely success in achieving a well-managed countryside. Reflecting this, it will be particularly important to encourage environmentally sensitive schemes which capitalise on the tourism potential of the rural parts of the District. As one particular example of a scheme that could make a major contribution to the tourism sector, the Wensleydale Railway has been reopened between Leeming Bar and Redmire (and with plans to extend the service to Northallerton).

47 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.3.21 The following strategic approach is proposed to be adopted consistent with the overall Supporting prosperous communities, spatial principles of the LDF, and the advice from SA/SEA requirements of other Policies in the LDF, in The SA/SEA shows that these policies particular giving appropriate consideration to will contribute towards sustainable the delivery of sustainable development and development by: to addressing environmental implications for the countryside and landscape: ● Policy CP12 supporting a range of economic activity which is either CP15 Support will be given to the social and inherent to the District, aiming to make economic needs of rural communities the most of economic strengths of by encouraging: surrounding areas, or pursuing higher skilled new business sectors. This will i. retention or expansion of appropriate enable Hambleton’s economy to grow businesses outside of the Service in a sustainable manner; Centres and Service Villages; ● Policy CP12 supporting skills ii. re-use or replacement of suitable rural development alongside encouragement buildings for employment generating uses; for priority business sectors. This will iii. provision of live-work units; allow Hambleton’s economy to grow iv. diversification of the and develop the skills base of the local agricultural economy; population and create more sustainable v. appropriate tourism related initiatives, travel to work patterns with less in and including schemes which improve the out commuting within the District; accessibility of tourist assets both ● Policy CP13 which encourages within and outside the District; provision of new employment uses vi. recreation uses appropriate to a through a variety of means eg. re-use countryside location; of vacant sites and floor space and vii. small scale renewable energy projects redevelopment of underused sites. This and businesses to serve the industry; will address the need to provide premises that are sustainable and also viii. arts and crafts based industries; support the economy; ix. technological developments needed to ● Policy CP15 which sets out a range of facilitate employment development in objectives for making the most efficient rural areas; use of land resources eg. re-using x. improvement of public transport links to vacant and underused land and Service Centres and employment areas. existing employment floor space. This In all cases development should be will enable the most sustainable sites to designed to be sustainable, consistent be used in catering for business use with requirements of Policy CP1 and CP17; and also addresses potential should not conflict with the environmental countryside and landscape implications. protection and nature conservation policies of the LDF but should seek to enhance the environment; and should provide any necessary mitigating or compensatory measures to address harmful implications.

48 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.4 MAINTAINING QUALITY Protecting and Enhancing Natural ENVIRONMENTS and Man-made Assets 4.4.1 Ensuring that the environmental quality of 4.4.2 Hambleton’s assets are considerable. Their Hambleton is maintained and where possible importance is recognised in Strategic improved is a major concern for the LDF, and Objectives 8 and 9. They make a major reflects a similar priority indicated by the contribution to the District in many ways, for Community Plan within its sustainable example in terms of their cultural value; their communities theme. Three issues require significance for providing a local identity to strategic consideration in the LDF: the District; their value for tourism; and their general contribution to the quality of life. A ● protecting and enhancing diverse range exists, the main elements of environmental assets; which can be identified as: ● promoting high quality design; ● the Howardian Hills and the Nidderdale ● ensuring prudent use of natural resources. Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and the setting of the North York Moors National Park; ● the open countryside – its landscape, character and appearance; and the best and most versatile agricultural land; ● the York Green Belt; ● statutory and local areas of wildlife and ecological value, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC); ● the character of settlements and their immediate environments; ● air quality and water supplies; ● buildings, structures and areas of townscape, historic and architectural merit – listed buildings, conservation areas; ● parks and gardens of historic interest and historic battlefields; ● sites or structures of archaeological importance – Scheduled Monuments, sites shown on the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR); ● land of recreational and amenity value; and ● the public rights of way network.

49 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.4.3 Supporting, enhancing and protecting these assets will require the maintenance of strong partnerships with many bodies (including CP16 Development or other initiatives will be potentially the use of grants), such as English supported where they preserve and Heritage, the Environment Agency and enhance the District’s natural and man- Natural England. Detailed policies concerning made assets, where appropriate defined the control of development, encouragement in the Development Policies towards enhancement and design matters will Development Plan Document and be contained in the Development Policies identified on the Proposals Map. DPD, and the designation of specific areas, Particular support will be given to such as the AONBs, the York Green Belt, initiatives to improve the natural Conservation Areas and nature conservation environment where it is poor and lacking sites will be covered by means of the in diversity. Development Policies DPD and shown on the Development or activities will not be Proposals Map. supported which:

4.4.4 In terms of strategic guidance, the principles i. has a detrimental impact upon of the LDF in relation to these assets reflects the interests of a natural or Government Policy and Guidance (for man-made asset; example PPS7 – Sustainable Development in ii. is inconsistent with the principles of Rural Areas, PPS9 – Biodiversity and an asset’s proper management; Geological Conservation, and PPG2 – Green Belts), and the policies of the RSS (YH3 and iii. is contrary to the necessary control Env8-10). The LDF will also make a major of development within nationally or contribution towards achieving the objectives locally designated areas. of the Hambleton Biodiversity Action Plan Any necessary mitigating or (BAP). The current BAP, approved in 2002, compensatory measures must be provides specific guidance on 11 habitats provided to address potential harmful and 2 species, and will be kept under implications of development. review. Accordingly:

Enjoying natural assets

50 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Promoting High Quality Design 4.4.7 More detailed guidance on design 4.4.5 Good design is a key element in sustainable requirements will be contained in the development, so the LDF, reflecting Strategic Development Policies DPD. This will include Objectives 8 and 12 (and RSS Policy YH7), requirements relating to the achievement of will promote a high standard of urban design, high standards in relation to sustainable both in terms of built development, including design, addressing for example energy the standard of architecture, and in securing efficiency, sustainable drainage and waste the best environment through landscape management. In addition, all those proposing design. It is a strongly held aspiration of the development will be strongly advised to Council to raise the standard of design in all consult the Government guidance document proposals. Supported by the strong ‘By Design’ (the companion to PPS1) and commitment in the LDF to apply the policies supplementary planning documents (SPDs) that protect environmental assets, the LDF which will be produced by the Council. These will seek to ensure that development in the will provide more detailed guidance on area enhances and protects its local aspects of policies such as achieving distinctiveness and visual quality and sustainable development and on particular enhances the quality of life. At the level of localities (which would include Village Design individual developments the LDF will promote Statements, Conservation Area Appraisals buildings that are sustainable in construction and landscape character assessments). In and also in use (including for example appropriate circumstances the Council will, in lifetime homes). Good design is essential in accordance with PPS1 and Circular 01/06, achieving truly sustainable development. It require the submission of a Design Statement need not result in additional costs (for when making planning applications, which example it should not render housing must show how the proposal’s design has unaffordable) and in the longer term will pay evolved and how it responds to the context dividends. At a wider scale, the LDF will of its surroundings. As a statement of encourage proposals that are designed to general principles: assist vitality and create a definable ‘sense of place’ in communities and neighbourhoods. 4.4.6 All new buildings and spaces must enhance and respect their surroundings and contribute towards the local identity. Developments must be of the appropriate scale, design and materials for their location and conform to the design principles set out in the policy below. Public art may make a significant contribution in enhancing local character and identity and will be supported wherever appropriate.

51 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.4.9 Much national planning policy and guidance exists on these issues which is supplemented CP17 The requirement to achieve a high by specific policies within the RSS (in quality of design of both buildings and particular Policies YH2 and Env2-3, 5 and 12- landscaping is a priority in the case of all 14). The draft RSS includes regional targets to development proposals. Support will be reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least given for proposals that are consistent 20% below 1990 levels by 2010 and 25% by with the LDF’s detailed design policies 2015, and to improve energy efficiency and and meet all the following requirements: increase renewable energy capacity, including i. provide an attractive, functional, an indicative renewable energy potential target accessible, safe and low for Hambleton of 40.2MW to 2010. The details maintenance development; of the LDF’s approach will be contained in the Development Policies DPD, which will address ii. respect and enhance the local specific issues in a Hambleton context – context and its special qualities, including for example elaborating the LDF’s including its urban design, commitment to deliver RSS renewable energy landscape, social activities targets, and explaining the approach towards and historic environment, delivering proposals for dealing with waste, in and incorporate public art accordance with the waste hierarchy. As a where appropriate; general principle, reflecting Strategic Objective iii. optimise the potential of the site; 10, and in accordance with national and iv. minimise the use of regional guidance: scarce resources; v. adopt sustainable CP18 Development and service provision must construction principles; seek to ensure that impact on natural vi. facilitate access through resources is minimised and the potential sustainable forms of transport; use of renewable resources maximised. vii. secure improvements to Proposals must take all potential public spaces. opportunities to: i. minimise energy demand, improve Prudent Use of Natural Resources energy efficiency and promote renewable energy technologies; 4.4.8 The LDF can potentially make a significant contribution to: ii. maximise the re-use and recycling of waste materials and minimise the ● securing the prudent use of environmental consequences of natural resources; waste production. ● achieving greater or more efficient use In all cases, development should not of resources; conflict with the environmental ● preventing the misuse of protection and nature conservation natural resources. policies of the LDF, and the requirements of Policy CP16 that seek to protect and enhance the District’s natural and man- made assets. Any necessary mitigating or compensatory measures should be provided to address harmful implications.

52 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.5.2 In Section 4.1, the principles of sustainable development were identified, together with Maintaining quality environments, the requirements for development and the advice from SA/SEA provision of services to locate accessibly, The SA/SEA shows that these policies whilst maximising the opportunity for will contribute towards sustainable healthier forms of travel than the use of the development by: car (Strategic Objectives 1, 2 and 3, and Core Policies CP1, CP2 and CP4). The location of ● Policy CP16 requiring development to facilities for sport and recreation, and the protect, enhance and maintain provision of health facilities and services, environmental and man-made assets, should reflect this general approach. which include areas and buildings of historical interest; 4.5.3 Three additional aspects require a strategic ● Policy CP17 promoting sustainable lead from the LDF: the provision of development through high quality recreational facilities and amenity open design that enhances landscape space, design issues relating to reducing and townscape character. Good crime and the fear of crime; and securing an design is key in the delivery of appropriate and safe response to natural and sustainable development; other forces. ● Policy CP18 which aims to minimise Recreation Facilities the use of natural resources and and Amenity Open Space maximise the potential for renewable 4.5.4 As Strategic Objective 11 indicates, existing resource use. This reiterates the recreational facilities and amenity open Council’s response to contributing to spaces are critically important resources for international commitments on the District, in terms of promoting healthy climate change. lifestyles and supporting the amenity of sustainable communities. As a matter of 4.5 CREATING HEALTHY AND principle, there is not sufficient of these SAFE COMMUNITIES resources, available and accessible to 4.5.1 Two of the main themes of the Community residents throughout the District, to justify Plan are to achieve a safe community and a any loss, and any scope to add to existing healthy community. In a number of ways the resources should be favourably considered. LDF can contribute to the achievement of Consequently the LDF will support proposals these aspirations, and support the efforts of and activities that protect, retain or enhance partners such as the police, Crime and existing recreational and amenity assets, or Safety Partnership, the Primary Care Trust lead to the provision of new assets. and the Environment Agency. This is particularly the case in relation to encouraging the appropriate form, location and design of development.

53 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4.5.5 There is a need to provide sufficient Design and the Reduction of Crime recreational and amenity open space to meet 4.5.6 The Community Plan identifies that crime, and the needs of existing residents, and a as important, fear of crime, are amongst the particular requirement that can be met top concerns of local communities. National through the LDF to ensure that open space legislation (Section 17 of the Crime and needs arising from future developments are Disorder Act 1998) requires all local met. New housing development must provide authorities to exercise their functions with the required amount of open space within the due regard to their likely effect on crime and site boundary, unless the Council has approved disorder, and to do all they reasonably can to offsite provision or funding in lieu of provision. prevent crime and disorder. These concerns Detailed local standards will be defined and are fully recognised as priorities to be included within the Development Policies DPD, addressed by the Community Plan, and by the taking account of the recommendations of LDF in Strategic Objective 12. The LDF PPG17 – Planning for Open Space, Sport and recognises that the design of buildings and Recreation, and the guidance of the National spaces can make a significant contribution Playing Fields Association. Design, layout, towards reducing the scope for crime, and arrangements for public access, long-term create more pleasant and reassuring retention and future maintenance of areas of environments in which to live. For example, open space on development sites and sites to open spaces are green lungs in settlements be protected will similarly be covered by the and can be used for children’s play, walking Development Policies DPD, and proposals for and sport, as well as having general amenity new provision identified in the Allocations value – provided that they are safe, and DPD. Consideration will be given also to believed to be safe. Care must be taken with developing greenspace networks, which link the design and layout of new developments, existing and proposed public open spaces by for example by following the national footpaths and cycleways. ‘Secured by Design’ guidance. Good design can allow public spaces to be overlooked by CP19 Support will be given to proposals and neighbours and potential escape routes can activities that protect, retain or enhance be addressed. Designing out crime is possible existing recreational and amenity assets, in all public areas, including housing estates, lead to the provision of additional assets, town centres and industrial areas. or improve access to facilities, particularly by non-car modes of transport. This will CP20 Design of all developments (including include support for greater access to and transport schemes) must take account of enjoyment of the countryside. the need to reduce the opportunities for crime and the fear of crime, disorder and Development of existing recreational anti-social behaviour, and promote safe land and buildings and amenity open space living environments. will not be supported, unless the asset is no longer required or development secures satisfactory replacement or improvement of the use or amenity of existing spaces that outweighs its loss. Where appropriate, all development will be expected to make provision, or a contribution towards provision, of open space.

54 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 A Safe Response to Natural and Other Forces Creating safe and healthy 4.5.7 The LDF can potentially make a significant communities, advice from SA/SEA contribution to protecting the people and the environment of Hambleton from the The SA/SEA shows that these policies consequences of natural or other forces, such will contribute towards sustainable as flooding, hazardous activities, pollution or development by: noise. Many issues raised by these ● Policy CP19 which aims to maintain and considerations are matters of clear public improve open space provision and concern, raised through the consultation on which will avoid excessive the LDF and the Community Plan. This is intensification of town centres. This will particularly the case with issues associated support the amenity of sustainable with flooding, particularly giving rise to communities; concern since recent major events, such ● Policy CP20 encouraging crime as the floods of 2000 and 2001 within the sensitive design as part of new Plan area. development which may also have 4.5.8 Much national planning guidance exists on associated benefits in relation to anti- these issues and is also supplemented by social behaviour. This will be an specific policies within the RSS (YH2 and important part of creating safe, Env1). Detailed policies contained in the sustainable communities; Development Policies DPD will address ● Policy CP21 aiming to protect the specific issues where this is necessary in a population from flooding and protect Hambleton context, and the issues will also the population from the effects of be taken into account elsewhere in the LDF climate change. This will be an through policies which control the location important part of creating safe of development, particularly for housing sustainable communities. and employment uses. As a general principle, reflecting Strategic Objective 10, and in accordance with national and regional guidance:

CP21 Development and service provision must seek to ensure that communities and the environment are not adversely affected by the actions of natural or other forces. Proposals must take particular account of the need to:

i. ensure protection from, and not worsen the potential for, flooding; ii. mitigate development from the consequences of pollution, noise or hazardous activities.

55 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 56 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 CORE STRATEGY ANNEXES

57 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 58 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 ANNEX 1 THE NEW PLANNING SYSTEM

The Local Development Framework 3. The new system will take over from the 1. The complexity of the new planning system former set of Regional Planning Guidance can be daunting, at least at first glance. (now replaced by the RSS), the County However, each element has a clear purpose, Structure Plan (prepared by North Yorkshire and once the initial structure is understood, County Council) and the Hambleton District- the new system offers much more potential Wide Local Plan. For the time being, until than the old, not least in flexibility and speed adoption of the new LDF (or September 2007, of production of plans, and in greater and whichever comes first), the old style Structure earlier community involvement. A brief review Plan and the Hambleton Local Plan will is presented here, in order to explain the role continue in force. of the Core Strategy document, and set it in 4. The Local Development Framework can best context. A Glossary is also provided as be viewed as a folder, which contains a Annex 7. number of documents, which will briefly be 2. Under the new planning system, two explained. The Council has already produced elements will contribute to the new a Local Development Scheme (LDS), “Development Plan”: which will be reviewed at least annually. This sets out the documents that will be contained ● the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), within the LDF, their broad contents and the prepared by the Regional Planning Body. timetable for their preparation. The LDS is In Hambleton’s case, a new RSS for available on the web-site: is being www.hambleton.gov.uk, as will be all the prepared by the Yorkshire and Humber other documents. The main documents Assembly – the draft has been submitted currently proposed to be in the Hambleton to the Secretary of State, and was subject LDF are as follows (each of which is a Local of an examination in the autumn 2006. The Development Document, or LDD): RSS will set the context for the local level of plans, and in particular may also set a ● the Core Strategy – sets out the spatial sub-regional level of guidance. The vision for the area over the whole plan submitted RSS, and its sub-regional period, together with key spatial objectives proposals which effect Hambleton, are and strategic policies. All other LDF considered further in Annex 4 documents must be in conformity with the (paras. 5-17); Core Strategy. ● the Local Development Framework ● Development Policies – a set of policies (LDF), prepared by the District Council, and some designations that will guide the which covers all the Hambleton Local granting of planning permission and apply Planning Authority area (ie. the area of across the whole Local Planning Authority Hambleton District outside the North area. Implementing these policies will be York Moors National Park – for which one of the main ways of achieving the a separate LDF is being prepared). The Core Strategy; LDF must be in general conformity with ● Allocations – which will detail some the RSS. designations and all site-specific proposals for new development, relating to the Core Strategy and Development Policies, and will be organised on a sub-area basis;

59 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 ● Proposals Map – which will show the 6. In addition, Supplementary Planning location of the site-specific allocations, Documents (or SPDs) will be produced, and other designations and constraints, on to go into the LDF folder. These will be the an Ordnance Survey map base (with large successors to Supplementary Planning scale inset maps); Guidance, and will provide additional ● Statement of Community Involvement guidance relating to the policies identified (or SCI) – the proposals for the in Development Plan Documents. The involvement of all interested parties, Council intends to produce these once all including the general public, which the the preceding documents are completed Council establishes both for the making of (or well underway). Examinations are not the LDF documents, and for consultations held into SPDs, but they will be subject to about individual planning applications. detailed public consultation (as identified in the Statement of Community 5. Except for the SCI, all the above Involvement). documents are termed Development Plan Documents (or DPDs), as they 7. Finally, and also to be part of the LDF, the constitute part of the Development Plan Council will produce an Annual Monitoring (with the RSS) – and each is subject to Report (AMR), which will consider progress formal processes of preparation, which on plan production, and the effectiveness of include examination by an independent plan proposals. inspector, whose report will be binding 8. The relationship between all the on the Council. components in the “folder” is illustrated in the diagram below:

Local Annual Development Monitoring Scheme Report Hambleton Local Development Statement Framework Supplementary of Community Planning Involvement Documents

Proposals Development Core Allocations Strategy Map Policies

DEVELOPMENT PLAN DOCUMENTS

60 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Spatial Planning 11. Hambleton District Council, reflecting the 9. If the structure of the new plans is different, Government’s intentions7, is seeking to then the approach and purpose of the plan establish through the new LDF an approach itself is also radically new. The concept of to spatial planning which is: spatial planning is intended to be at the heart ● visionary – setting out a clear, distinctive of the new planning system. Previously, as in and realistic vision of how Hambleton the case of the Hambleton District-Wide should develop and change to 2021; Local Plan, the focus of the planning system ● wide-ranging – providing a means of was narrow and regulatory. The Government’s delivering sustainable development aim is that the new spatial planning system of objectives by addressing social, RSS and LDF should be much wider and environmental and economic issues, and more inclusive. Spatial planning concerns relating them to the use of land; itself with places, how they function and ● participative – based on strengthened relate together – and its objectives are to community involvement, considering the manage change to secure the best achievable needs, issues and aspirations of quality of life for all in the community, communities and stakeholders within the without wasting scarce resources or spoiling District, to provide a basis for making the environment. difficult choices and to build commitment 10. The new process will require the local to delivery; authority and other agencies to work much ● integrating – an integrated approach more closely together, and to co-ordinate which informs, takes account of and helps their activities to achieve agreed objectives. deliver other strategies and policies; For example, the LDF needs to take account ● responsive – a flexible approach, of the intentions of agencies concerned with informed by monitoring, that can respond education, transport and health – and the to developments in wider policy, to the LDF provides a major opportunity, in degree of success in implementation, and conjunction with these agencies, to co- to development pressures and changes on ordinate all these activities as they effect the the ground; different parts of Hambleton. One of the key ● deliverable – focusing on implementation, purposes of the new LDF will be to give a setting out delivery mechanisms, including spatial dimension to the Hambleton development control, and identifying how Community Plan. This is considered further the plan will be delivered with and through in Annex 4. other organisations with the powers and resources to make a difference.

7 “Creating Local Development Frameworks – a companion guide to PPS12” (ODPM 2004, para. 2.3).

61 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Plan-Led Development 14. As a key part of ensuring that the LDF 12. Although the wider spatial remit of the LDF is achieves sustainable development, at the very important, the “Development Plan” same time as the main LDF documents are function of the RSS and LDF will continue to prepared the Council must undertake a be very significant. The new planning system separate and concurrent evaluation of the is described as being “plan-led” because choices considered, and the options Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory preferred. This evaluation, called a Purchase Act 2004 requires development Sustainability Appraisal (SA) (and control decisions to be made in accordance including a Strategic Environmental with the Development Plan, unless material Assessment: SEA) provides an important considerations indicate otherwise. context for considering the approach taken, determining whether the choices taken are Sustainable Development the most sustainable, and thus influencing 13. Whilst the format and context of planning has the nature of the LDF’s proposals. For the changed, the Government is clear that the Core Strategy the Council has commissioned purpose should remain focused on the consultants to undertake this work. Their achievement of sustainable development, as report is available from the Council and is the core principle underpinning planning. As published on the web site and should be read PPS1 advises, “at the heart of sustainable in conjunction with this report. development is the simple idea of ensuring a The Evidence Base better quality of life for everyone, now and for future generations”. In other words, the 15. In order to plan anything properly, it is objective is to achieve “development that essential to have up-to-date and reliable meets the needs of the present without information about what is happening now. compromising the ability of future generations Preparing the Local Development Framework to meet their own needs.”9 Achieving is just the same. The Council needed sustainable development is also at the heart information about important aspects of living of the Hambleton Community Plan, described and working in Hambleton such as housing; in Annex 4. the local economy; community facilities including schools, shopping and sports facilities; and transportation and the environment which also figure very prominently in people’s daily lives. The main technical studies (all available from the Council web-site) relevant to the Core Strategy are: ● Urban Potential; ● Village Services; ● Housing Needs; ● Flood Risk; ● Town Centres; ● Economic Development; ● Spatial Study of the Hambleton Community Plan & Area Group Action Plans; ● Town Centre Parking.

8 Probably the best known definition of sustainability, provided by the Brundtland Report: World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) Our Common Future; OUP

62 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 The Core Strategy Document 16. The Core Strategy document has been prepared at a key stage in the LDF process. The views expressed through the previous consultation stages (considered in Annex 3), the technical studies which have been undertaken, and the outcome of the Sustainability Appraisal, together with the other important strategic considerations, particularly from the Hambleton Community Plan and the RSS (considered in Annex 4), have all been taken into account. This document provides the Council’s response, in the form of the proposed strategy that should be followed. 17. It is intended that this Core Strategy document, which provides the broad strategic principles and directions for the future spatial development of the District, should aim to remain valid for some ten years before needing to be reviewed – longer therefore than the other LDF components, which will either be reviewed annually (the LDS and AMR), or perhaps every 3-5 years (the Allocations and Development Policies Documents). Nevertheless, it may be that a selective review of parts of the Core Strategy will be necessary on a more frequent timescale (eg. relating to those Core Policies which address specific quantities and phases of development).

Local landmark, Roseberry Topping

63 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 64 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 ANNEX 2 POLICIES IN THE HAMBLETON DISTRICT WIDE LOCAL PLAN REPLACED BY CORE STRATEGY POLICIES

Hambleton District Wide Local Plan Policies: Replaced by Core Strategy Policies:

BD1 general policy on design CP17 high quality design H1 the housing requirement CP5 scale of housing H20 affordable housing CP9 affordable housing H23 new residential development outside CP4 settlement hierarchy Development Limits EM1 the employment land requirement CP10 scale of employment land EM12 major employment development on CP11 distribution of new employment exception sites development EM13 large scale warehousing, storage and CP11 distribution of new employment distribution developments development EM14 protection of agricultural land CP11 distribution of new employment development S1 general policy on retailing in CP14 town centres Northallerton & Thirsk S2 general policy on retailing in Bedale, CP14 town centres Easingwold & Stokesley

65 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 66 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 ANNEX 3 COMMUNITY VIEWS

1. A key requirement of the new planning Key Issues Consultation: system is that local planning authorities March – April 2003 should involve the community from an early 6. The Key Issues Report asked the community stage in preparing Local Development what they thought about 38 questions Frameworks, in order to achieve local concerning life in Hambleton. The Report was ownership of and legitimacy for the policies; circulated to over 600 organisations, including this is known as “front loading”. Authorities all town and parish councils, service should thereafter involve the community providers, amenity organisations and interest continuously, using techniques appropriate to groups, consultants and developers, a cross the various parts of the community. How section of local businesses and residents who consultation is to be undertaken by expressed an interest in the review. A Hambleton is set out in the Statement of questionnaire was available to download from Community Involvement. the Council’s website: 275 were returned, together with 45 letters. The main issues 2. The Council is committed to involving all raised are set out below. the District’s communities, including hard-to-reach groups, in preparing the 7. What vision should guide development in new Framework. Hambleton for the next 15 years? 3. By front loading the communities’ Respondents considered that the most engagement it is hoped to achieve consensus important objectives to be included in the on essential issues early on. Where achieving vision were to build sustainable communities, consensus is difficult, front loading still allows to develop vibrant and prosperous market participants to understand early on each towns, to reduce the impact of society on the other’s positions and to try to negotiate environment, and to improve the quality of agreed solutions. It is accepted though that the design of the built environment. some issues may well have to be resolved 8. What strategy for future development through an independent examination. should be adopted? 4. Extensive consultation has been undertaken (a) concentrating development in the by the Council on several occasions during market towns the development of the Core Strategy – the (b) dispersing it more evenly between towns Key Issues (March/April 2003), the Core and villages Strategy Issues and Options (April/May 2005) and the Core Strategy Preferred Options Council Members had no clear preference (July/August 2005). whereas half of the stakeholders preferred (b) – that is, dispersing developments more 5. This Annex summarises the main responses evenly between towns and villages. to these consultations, all of which have contributed in various ways to the Core Strategy Submission Document. A brief outline is given of the methodology used in each case as well. Full reports on each of these consultations are available from the Council and may also be found on the Council’s web site: www.hambleton.gov.uk

67 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 9. What factors should be used to select 12. What criteria should be used to those villages to be identified for determine which sites are suitable for future development? new housing development? Overall, the most important considerations Respondents felt that liability to flooding; were thought to be: possible adverse effects on the setting of ● a good range of community facilities; settlements; closeness to jobs, schools and services; whether the land had previously ● good public transport to a market town; been developed and the effect on historic ● where the community wished to see character were particularly important criteria growth; in selecting sites. ● availability of local employment opportunities. 13. What size and type of new housing should be built in the future? In addition to these considerations, a further Respondents felt that there was a need to factor was suggested by some Council provide a range of house types in terms of Members: “where development would help to size of dwellings, dwellings to rent and to buy, maintain the viability of village services.” and lifetime housing, reflecting the differing 10. Where should new housing be located? requirements of households, income levels and individual mobility. Views on the merits of different locational strategies were canvassed, including focusing 14. What proportion of new housing should be housing development on the market towns; provided as affordable housing both to rent having the majority of housing development and to purchase through Registered Social in the market towns with some development Landlords/Housing Associations? in 3 – 5 larger villages; promoting housing The stakeholders thought that the greatest development mainly in the market towns with need was for affordable housing, small development in 10 – 15 villages with services; dwellings for small households and housing and providing for a more even distribution of for the elderly. The Community Plan housing development between the market consultations also revealed issues to do with towns and a larger number of villages. starter homes and affordable housing. Council Members had no clear preference, whereas half of the stakeholders preferred dispersing developments more evenly between towns and villages. 11. How many homes should be built in each area? Consultation responses indicated that over two-thirds of new dwellings should be built in the market towns leaving up to one-third to be built in the villages.

68 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 15. Where should new employment development 18. What type of new visitor accommodation (in be directed? terms of hotels, guest houses and holiday flats) Views on the merits of different locational should be developed in the District? Is a new strategies were canvassed, including large hotel needed? If so, where should it be concentrating in and around the market located? Is there a need for more small-scale towns; mainly in and around the market visitor attractions in the District? If so, what towns with some development in a small type of attraction? number of other well-established locations Stakeholders were very supportive of such as Dalton; mainly in and around the planning policies to encourage more small- market towns with the expansion of several scale tourism. In addition, there was some rural employment areas; and mainly in and support for the need for a large new hotel. around the market towns with a wider range of opportunities in villages and on farms. Half Issues and Options Consultation: of the stakeholders preferred spreading April – May 2005 employment development more evenly 19. Following the Key Issues consultation in 2003, amongst the market towns and villages and delays in the approval of the new planning rural areas. A number of stakeholder system, and associated delays in clarification comments favoured employment development of its operational details, contributed in turn close to sustainable transport links. to slower than intended progress on the Hambleton LDF. However, equally important 16. How can the prosperity and vibrancy of the was the need to conclude the many technical market towns be developed to improve studies providing a solid evidence base for retailing, business and industry? the Framework. Commencement of the new Stakeholders felt strongly that each market system was finally achieved in September town should be provided with a good 2004, and preparation of the Hambleton LDF employment site and that emphasis should be gathered pace in late 2004, with the put on providing opportunities for local firms publication of the Local Development Scheme to develop. (adopted in March 2005) and the draft SCI (published in April 2005). 17. How can the rural economy be supported and developed? Is the development of small-scale 20. The next major stage was consultation on a businesses in villages desirable? If so, where? series of Topic Papers on the Core Strategy Stakeholders had mixed views about during April and May 2005. The Papers development in the countryside. However, a summarised what the Council had learned majority felt that planning policies should be from the earlier Key Issues consultation more flexible about providing workspace in and then progressed to discuss options the countryside. that the LDF could include in response. The Topic Papers covered the Vision, Spatial Strategy, Housing, Economy, Community Facilities, Transport and Accessibility, and the Environment.

69 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 21. The consultation methods used were a Draft Spatial Vision combination of prepared documents (the 24. Respondents were asked to consider the Topic Papers), letters to statutory bodies following “draft Spatial Vision” and then including Parish Councils, press notices, whether to retain it, expand it or start afresh: displays and exhibitions, posters, face to face meetings, area meetings and surgeries, and “To build sustainable, safe, healthy and topic meetings. In addition, a special feature prosperous communities in Hambleton by including a questionnaire was published in supporting the development of vibrant the Council’s newspaper, Hambleton News. and prosperous market towns in ways Finally, copies of all the relevant documents that take account of the needs of all were available on the Council’s website. sections of the community, reduce the impact of society on the environment and 22. The Topic Papers were circulated for improve the quality of design of the built comment to approximately 700 organisations environment whilst protecting and and individuals who were on the Hambleton enhancing the environmental assets of LDF consultation data base and more than 70 the District.” organisations responded either by completing question forms included in the Topic Papers 25. Of all respondents, 51% felt that the Draft or by submitting individual letters. The Vision should be expanded, 28% wanted to Hambleton News feature Questionnaire was retain it, and 21% thought that a completely returned by over 800 individuals. new vision should be devised. Whilst the importance of market towns was recognised, 23. The results of this consultation had clear the significance of villages was stressed too. implications for the development of the LDF strategy, and thus had a major influence on 26. Underpinning the Draft Spatial Vision was a the selection of the Preferred Options and the series of objectives which respondents were rejection of those excluded. A summary of the asked to put in order of importance from 1 to main conclusions expressed is presented 10. There was considerable support for those below and is an abstract from the full Report relating to environment, community safety, on Issues and Options Consultation, which transport and community facilities (health, should be referred to for further details. That leisure and culture). While important, housing report contains an explanation of how the was not given quite so much weight as the Preferred Options were developed in other objectives, never rising above 4 on the response to the comments received. scale of 10.

70 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Draft Spatial Strategy Housing 27. The following “draft spatial strategy” was put 30. Housing remained a key quality of life issue to respondents for their view: even if respondents did not rank it quite as highly as the environment, community “Focussing most new developments in or facilities, transport and community safety. near to the market towns with more With regard to how much housing development being in the main towns of development should be permitted, 61% of Northallerton and Thirsk and a lower level respondents felt that up to 250 dwellings per of development in the smaller towns of year should be provided while 27% thought Bedale (including Aiskew), Easingwold 300 or more should be built. and Stokesley. Outside of these towns more limited developments in or close to 31. Affordable housing attracted much attention: “sustainable service villages” to be when asked how many affordable homes promoted to meet the needs of the local should be provided, 94% of respondents said communities. In the many other villages 113 per year as recommended in the only very limited scope for development Council’s Housing Needs Study. A question and in the countryside development to be about what proportion of new housing should very restricted.” be affordable attracted a response of 37% in favour of a target of 30% or less, while 43% 28. Of the respondents, 51% supported the draft of replies thought the target should be 50% spatial strategy or a variation of it, while 27% or more. As to where the affordable housing favoured a spread of development across all should be located, nearly 50% of respondents settlements. Development in only the five backed the proposals in the Study report for market towns was preferred by 22% of a spread around the market towns and rural respondents. There was little support for areas based on local needs. allowing development in just the villages. Employment 29. A significant element of the draft spatial 32. Always a fundamental issue, various strategy on which views were canvassed questions were asked about the Hambleton was the concept of “Sustainable Service economy, starting with high, medium and low Villages”, that have a reasonable range of growth scenarios. More than 60% of replies services and good public transport links with agreed with the Council’s consultants’ the local market town. Over 51% of the “medium” growth option – that up to 4.5 respondents agreed such villages were a hectares of employment land should be good idea. Another question asked about provided each year until 2021. Respondents grouping villages together to make accepted their argument that this option sustainable communities; 42% of replies is achievable, provides for a high level of supported this possibility. new businesses, supports diversification of the economy and exploits Hambleton’s transport links.

71 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 33. The location of employment land is just as Transport and Accessibility important as the amount. Of the 4 35. A broad spread of questions was put to employment strategy options offered, 43% of respondents covering such issues as how to respondents preferred either a market towns decrease the need to travel, promoting public focused solution or market towns and transport and reducing car journeys and selected villages. Complete dispersal was promoting walking. Nearly 70% of favoured by 19% of the responses. Regarding respondents wanted to encourage rural employment, there was widespread alternatives to car travel, improve public support for small scale initiatives with little transport and up-grade cycling and environmental impact such as craft pedestrian facilities. However, when it came workshops, small offices, farm shops and to measures to encourage developers to fund tourist accommodation in order to regenerate public transport or Green Travel Plans, the the countryside. A specific question was support dropped below 50%. Car parking was asked about further development at the also strongly defended, not surprisingly, by former Dalton Airfield, and nearly 50% of over 60% of respondents. Even the notion of respondents were in agreement locating development where it is more accessible by public transport, attracted only Community Facilities 50% in support. Preference for traffic 34. Respondents answered a range of questions management rather than bypasses attracted to do with health, education and leisure roughly 36% response from both supporters facilities. Over 54% preferred locally and opponents alike. accessible facilities to larger but fewer ones. Dual use and co-location of services were Environment supported by 60% of replies. More than 40% 36. Encompassing a variety of issues, of respondents wanted to prioritise facilities environment questions dealt with heritage, for young people. Finally, in order to retain design of buildings and landscapes, public vulnerable village services such as schools art, sustainable construction, bio-diversity and and post offices, 62% of people replying so on. Over 85% of respondents wanted to favoured positive support by the Local protect landscapes; nearly 70% wished to Development Framework, such as allowing promote high quality design; and a cautious some residential development. approach to flood risk was taken by over 50% who wanted to develop only sites free from flooding problems. Public Art was almost equally proposed and opposed. Finally, Secured by Design was supported by nearly 40% of replies, but 54% gave no answer at all.

72 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Conclusions 39. A Schedule of Representations has been 37. In many respects, the results of this compiled, listing each representation made in consultation stage confirmed those received response to the 29 questions in the in the previous Key Issues stage. Clearly there Questionnaire. The Schedule also includes a were some conflicts, and differences of brief analysis of the representations and emphasis, for example concerning the details the Council’s response including any appropriate scale of new housing, and the action which the Council has agreed to take relative importance which should be given to to address the issues raised, as required by the levels of settlement hierarchy, such as the the Local Development Regulations. Market towns in comparison with the villages. 40. The following paragraphs are a simple It was the task of the Preferred Options stage analysis of the Questionnaire responses in to provide a balanced package of measures terms of agreement and disagreement with which best addressed all the views expressed, the various aspects of the Core Strategy. and reconciled conflict as far as possible. Overall, the aspects with which there was widest agreement were the Vision and the Preferred Options Consultation: policies for Supporting Prosperous July – August 2005 Communities (Policies CP10 – CP15) and the ones for Maintaining a Quality Environment 38. Consultation on the Core Strategy Preferred (CP16 – CP18). Options took place during July and August 2005. The methods used were a combination The Vision of prepared documents (Core Strategy 41. There was substantial support for the Vision; Preferred Options Report, Summary and 60% of respondents agreed with the Vision Questionnaire); letters to statutory bodies, and only 4% disagreed, while the remaining including Parish Councils; press notices; 36% made no response at all. displays and exhibitions; posters; area meetings and surgeries; face-to-face Objectives meetings and leaflets. Finally, all the relevant 42. There was rather less support for the documents were available on the Hambleton Objectives with 46% being in agreement, Council website. Of the 250 or so over 17% disagreeing and, again, 36% organisations and individuals contacted, 132 not responding. responded by completing and returning questionnaires and/or by submitting letters. Spatial Principles As in the previous consultations, the Council 43. Spatial Principle 1 – Area of Opportunity. This was keen to put different options to the attracted the support of over half the community but there seemed to be little respondents with only 6% disagreeing. A interest in or support for the alternatives. similar degree of support was given for Spatial Principle 2 – Areas of Restraint and Spatial Principle 3 – Settlement Hierarchy. Meeting Local Development Needs Sustainably 44. CP1 – Sustainability. This also attracted support from over half the respondents with only 12% disagreeing.

73 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 CP2 – Minimising Travel and Alternatives to CP8 – Meeting Housing Needs – Type, Size the Car. This was supported by nearly half of and Tenure. Once more there was strong the respondents although 16% were not in support for the Council’s Preferred Option favour, largely because of the rural nature of although half the respondents made no reply Hambleton District and the existing to this question. dependence on the car. CP9 – Meeting Housing Needs – Affordability. CP3 – Community Facilities. Although nearly There was opposition to the Council’s half the respondents did not answer this approach from 17% of all respondents and question, those who did were strongly in only 36% were in favour. favour of protecting community facilities. CP9A – Affordable Housing Exceptions. CP4 – Locational Principles. Again, most Although only 9% were in opposition to the respondents who answered agreed with the Council’s proposals, they included important hierarchy of settlements based on the Market stakeholders such as Broadacres Housing Towns, Service Villages and Secondary Association who wanted to see more Villages. However, a number of replies exception sites coming forward for wanted the classification of certain development than the Council’s policy individual settlements to be changed from, would permit. say, a service village to a secondary village or vice versa. In total, 23 settlements were Supporting Prosperous Communities regarded as being in the wrong classification 46. CP10 – Scale of New Employment by respondents. Development. Surprisingly, over half the replies did not address this policy at all, Developing a Balanced Housing Market despite the importance of employment issues 45. CP5 – Scale of New Housing. Nearly half of to the community. However, of the the respondents did not reply to this respondents who did answer the question, a question. While 39% endorsed the Council’s significant majority supported the Council’s proposals for the scale of new housing, approach of providing 75 hectares of 14% objected. employment land up to 2021. CP5A – Distribution of New Housing. There CP10A – Sub-area Scale of New Employment. was again significant disagreement with the Only 5% of the respondents answered Council’s position – 14% as opposed to 33% this question at all so there is little to in favour. comment upon. CP6 – Distribution of New Housing – CP11 – Distribution of New Employment. Principles. Of the respondents who Although only half the respondents replied to answered the question, there was a this question, a large majority of those who substantial majority in support of the did were in favour of the Council’s proposal Council’s distribution of new housing; in that most employment development should other words, they wanted to see most new be in the Market Towns. housing located in the Market Towns with fewer houses in the Service Villages. CP12 – Priorities for Employment. Again, most replies were in favour of the Council’s CP7 – Phasing of Housing. Nearly half of the priorities for the type of employment that replies did not mention the phasing of should be encouraged in the District. housing but those which did very strongly favoured the Council’s approach.

74 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 CP13 – Market Towns’ Regeneration. CP20 – Design and the Reduction of Crime. Regenerating the Market Towns was very There was no opposition to this policy from popular; those in favour outnumbered those the respondents who replied to the question, against by 10:1. Again though, half of the which is hardly surprising. respondents had not replied to the question. CP21 – Safe Response to Natural and CP14 – Town Centres. This policy similarly Other Forces. This policy too seemed to be attracted substantial support – about 8:1 in incontrovertible; in other words, it is taken for favour of maintaining the vitality and viability granted developments must address the of the Market Towns. effects of natural and other forces such as flooding and noise. CP15 – Rural Regeneration. Hardly surprising in a rural area such as Hambleton, a large Conclusions majority favoured the Council’s approach to 49. The results of the consultation on the Core Rural Regeneration which proposed a series Strategy Preferred Options are broadly in line of measures and types of development to with those received during the previous Key help the changing rural economy. Issues and Issues and Options stages; for example, the majority supported the Vision Maintaining a Quality Environment and Spatial Strategy if with some amendment. 47. CP16 – Protecting and Enhancing Natural and On the other hand, there were clearly some Man-made Assets. Surprisingly, nearly half of conflicting views between the different the replies did not address this question but respondents, reflecting their particular of those who did, almost all were in favour of interests and responsibilities; for instance, the Council’s policy. where agents and land owners wished to see CP17 – Promoting High Quality Design. more development than local residents. It is Similarly, only a tiny minority opposed the very much in the nature of the Local Council’s policy for promoting high quality Development Framework process that such design, which seems to be almost taken conflicts are identified as early as possible for granted. and attempts are then made by the Local Planning Authority and the interested parties CP18 – Prudent Use of Natural Resources. to reconcile the differences. Likewise, there was overwhelming support for the Council’s policy of minimising the use of 50. In preparing the Core Strategy Submission natural resources and encouraging renewable Document, the Council has to demonstrate energy sources subject to serious that not only has it undertaken appropriate reservations about the visual impact of wind consultation with the community in its energy. There was also keen interest in widest sense, but that it has considered promoting recycling. representations received and has taken them into account. The Core Strategy Pre – Creating Healthy and Safe Communities Submission Consultation Statement provides 48. CP19 – Recreational Assets. Yet again, there details of how that has been done and was wide support for the Council’s policy the action taken by the Council in given by the respondents who answered the response, as required under the Local question, although half of the respondents Development Regulations. did not reply.

75 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 76 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 ANNEX 4 INTEGRATION OF STRATEGIES AND CONFORMITY

1. The Introduction and Annex 1 explain the key The Current Regional Spatial Strategy role that the LDF will play in providing a 3. On the commencement of the new system in spatial dimension for many other strategies, September 2004, where possible (and this and helping in their co-ordination and included the Yorkshire and the Humber delivery throughout the Local Planning region), existing RPG was redefined as RSS. Authority area. This Annex elaborates briefly Thus the Revised Regional Planning Guidance on the main strategies and policy influences, for Yorkshire and the Humber (amended which both direct the approach taken in the following a selective review), published in LDF, and which in turn the LDF will help to December 2004 as RPG12, has been deliver and potentially shape. Two strategies redefined as the first Regional Spatial are particularly critical, and are Strategy for our region. Until replaced considered first: formally by the revision of RSS now being advanced (see below), this constitutes the ● the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), which formal RSS covering Hambleton. The first RSS together with the LDF forms the (2004) is based on the Vision for the whole Development Plan (see Annex 1 para. 2); region contained in the integrated framework ● the Community Plan. The Hambleton prepared by the Regional Assembly, Community Plan, prepared by the “Advancing Together”: Hambleton Local Strategic Partnership has major implications for the LDF, as do the “Yorkshire and the Humber will be a related Community Area Plans for recognisably world class and international Northallerton, Thirsk, Easingwold, region where the economic, environmental Stokesley and Bedale, with their respective and social well-being of all our region and its villages. Also relevant is the North people advances rapidly and sustainably.” Yorkshire Community Strategy, prepared by the North Yorkshire 4. The RSS Vision is based on the achievement Strategic Partnership. of sustainable development, and the achievement of four strategic themes that THE REGIONAL give priority and direction to the RSS: SPATIAL STRATEGY ● economic regeneration and growth; 2. The Hambleton LDF must be in general ● conformity with the RSS. In less formal terms, promoting social inclusion; this means that the LDF has to be consistent ● urban and rural renaissance; with the principles of the RSS, and it provides ● conserving and enhancing one of the main means of delivering the natural resources. regional strategy. In practice also it means that the direction of the LDF is strongly In terms of the spatial strategy, the RSS influenced by the RSS. advises that within rural areas the market towns should be developed as the main focus for local services, housing and employment. Small scale housing provision can also be made around smaller towns and larger villages but this should only be the case where it will contribute to meeting local needs, such as affordable housing and supporting local services. Sites for new housing should not give rise to a need for long distance commuting.

77 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Review of the Regional Spatial Strategy 8. The submitted RSS retains the vision of the 5. The first RSS is now in the process of full- region based on “Advancing Together” (para. scale review. The draft revised RSS has been 3 above). However, it adopts the specific prepared by the Regional Assembly and was intention of “achieving a more sustainable submitted to the Secretary of State at the end pattern and form of development, investment of 2005, and subject of public examination in and activity in the Yorkshire and Humber autumn 2006, with the final version expected region – giving a greater emphasis on to be issued by the Secretary of State by the matching needs across the region with end of 2007. opportunities and managing the environment as a key resource”. The “Core Approach” is 6. The slippage in the submission of the draft set out in a series of high-level policies, of RSS which has taken place has caused some which the following have the most significant difficulty and uncertainty for the preparation implications for Hambleton: of the Hambleton LDF Core Strategy, which remains on the timetable originally agreed YH1 sets the overall approach, indicating the with the Government. It means that the RSS intention to reverse the long term trend and this Core Strategy were subject of of population dispersal away from the examination at broadly the same time, and cities and major towns by transforming consequently that amendments may need to them into attractive places where people be made to this Core Strategy (and other LDF want to live; and amongst other documents) as the RSS is finalised and objectives to raise environmental quality, approved. In the interim, pending approval of and diversify urban and rural economies; the new RSS, the Core Strategy (and the rest YH2 sets the priorities for addressing of the LDF) have, as far as possible, been climate change; prepared to take account of both the existing RSS (2004), and also the draft policies of the YH3 establishes key spatial priorities, submitted RSS. including supporting towns as hubs for the rural economy and as service 7. A brief review of the draft RSS is presented centres, and enhancing the here, and relevant policies and proposals are environmental character and qualities cross-referenced throughout the Core of the countryside; Strategy in Sections 3 and 4. The submitted RSS is however a lengthy document, all of YH4 sets objectives for working together, which potentially may need to be taken into including with adjoining authorities, account, since as Annex 1 para. 2 indicates, and in particular supporting urban both the RSS and the LDF together constitute regeneration and housing market the statutory development plan for renewal in the Tees Valley; Hambleton. Further information can be obtained from the Regional Assembly’s YH6 identifies “Principal Service Centres” as website at: www.yhassembly.gov.uk the main local focus (outside the regional and sub-regional centres) for housing, employment and other services and activities. It also sets objectives that include improving their accessibility from surrounding areas, ensuring that they provide the main focus for employment development, and enhancing the vitality and viability of their town centres;

78 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 YH7 defines the importance of achieving Vales and Tees Links Sub-area vibrant rural (and coastal) areas, by 10. The RSS establishes a context for the Vales measures that include securing a high and Tees Links sub-area as an area that has standard of design, better management a good quality of life, but suffers from strong of land and river catchments, and by pressures for new housing, largely related to retaining and improving local services high levels of car commuting, because local and facilities particularly in “Local job opportunities are few. Much of the sub- Service Centres”; area has strong links with the Tees Valley area to the north, and the York/Leeds City YH8 sets the principles which should guide region, to the south – and has generally good the location of development, which north-south transport links. Northallerton and include providing for sufficient Thirsk are defined as Principal Service development at Principal Service Centres, and Easingwold, Bedale, Stokesley Centres to enable them to fulfil their and Great Ayton are identified as Local service roles, and allowing limited Service Centres. Four priorities for action development to take place in Local are identified: Service Centres, with a focus on meeting local needs for affordable ● controlling growth pressures to ensure housing and economic diversification. urban regeneration of the adjoining The policy also establishes the city regions; sequential approach that should be ● safeguarding quality of life and adopted towards site selection, based environmental values; on these principles, and in order to ● better meeting local needs; achieve sustainable development. ● creating a more robust and diverse 9. The RSS is then articulated in two ways: by local economy. guidance on a sub-regional basis, and by In spatial terms, the RSS indicates that most policy theme (housing, employment, new development should be focused in the environment and transport). A major feature Principal Service Centres. Elsewhere, in the of the new RSS is the identification of sub- smaller settlements, the emphasis should be areas within the region for which a policy on meeting affordable housing needs and context is established. In the case of supporting relatively small scale commercial Hambleton, most of the District covered by uses to diversify the local economy and the LDF is included within the “Vales and Tees provide local employment. There is a clear Links” sub-area. However, the southern part, similarity and complementarity between the basically comprising Easingwold and its submitted RSS and the RES Sub-Regional hinterland, is included within the York sub- Investment Plan strategic intentions for this area (which in turn is largely included within area (see box following para. 29). the Leeds City Region). A small part, in the south east of the District (largely the Howardian Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) is included in the “Remoter Rural” sub-area.

79 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 11. More specifically, the strategy requires that The York Sub-area efforts be made to: 12. The York sub-area, in contrast, is the area ● develop the complementary roles of where the economy is dominated by York, Northallerton and Thirsk as Principal and where the RSS strategy is designed to Service Centres, ensuring their address the likely strong future growth of effectiveness and sustainability; York as a sub-regional centre. This sub-area ● diversify the sub-area economy to lessen is defined to include Easingwold and its dependence on the agricultural sector and hinterland. Easingwold is identified as a Local reduce out-commuting; Service Centre serving a rural catchment, where some small-scale employment ● protect and enhance the historic character development would help to promote more of the area’s market towns; local job opportunities. The area experiences ● safeguard and improve the strong housing pressures, resulting in high landscape character; house prices, and the importance is ● reduce the risk of flooding, and control recognised of addressing locally generated development in “at risk” areas; affordable housing needs, and fostering ● investigate the scope for renewable sustainable communities. York itself is energy generation; expected to be the focus of most of the sub- ● improve public transport connections area’s new housing (together with Selby). In between the sub-area’s Principal Service Easingwold and its hinterland, a policy of Centres and smaller settlements and development restraint is proposed. Given its rural areas, and encourage a shift to small size and proximity to York, it is not non-car commuting; proposed to be a focus of growth, but development should be limited mainly to ● support ongoing improvements to the meeting small scale affordable housing needs A1(M), A19 and East Coast Main Line; and commercial development to foster ● restrain market housing to support diversification and small scale job creation. regeneration in the city regions to The more detailed proposals for the area that the north and south and reduce have particular relevance to the Hambleton out-commuting; LDF seek to: ● spread the benefits of York’s economic success to other parts of the sub-area; ● safeguard and enhance the particular biodiversity, landscape character and environmental quality of the sub-area; ● implement improvements to the A1, A19 and East Coast Main Line; ● improve public transport links between the sub-area’s Local Service Centres and other rural communities and York.

80 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 The Remoter Rural Sub-area Thematic Policies 13. To the west and east of the Vales and Tees 14. The submitted RSS determines for housing, Links sub-area, the RSS defines two the net and gross additions to the housing “Remoter Rural” areas, respectively centred stock for which the LDF should make on the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors provision, in the period to 2021, and a target National Parks, with adjacent areas. The RSS for the proportion of development that should intends that the strategy for these areas be provided on brownfield land. The scale of (which include the south-eastern part of the provision for Hambleton (see para. 4.2.2 for LDF area) should continue to be based on a details) is described as seeking to achieve conservation-led approach to safeguarding strategic restraint in the rural areas (to and enhancing outstanding environmental support urban regeneration), reflecting the and built assets, whilst seeking to manage need for the District to meet affordable the transition of the local economy from housing needs and supporting the roles of largely agriculture to a wider base with small the Principal Service Centres of Northallerton scale enterprises, including sustainable and Thirsk. In terms of affordable housing, tourism and conservation. Strengthening the Hambleton is defined as a high demand area, role of Local Service Centres which provide in which over 40% of all new housing for the needs of these areas is also part of provided should be affordable. Recognising the approach, and this will include improving this issue, the overall scale of housing links to Service Centres outside but provision proposed for Hambleton in the RSS nonetheless serving the Remoter Rural areas. for the first housing period (2004-2011) is In the case of the eastern Remoter Rural area, intended to give immediate scope to address this includes the service role of Northallerton, current affordable housing needs. The RSS Thirsk and Easingwold. also encourages the setting of low thresholds for sizes of development to which this approach should apply, where this is supported by local needs and circumstances. The RSS also requires that new housing schemes should provide an appropriate mix of housing, reflecting local needs in terms of size, type and tenure – and indicates that a local assessment should be carried out of any need for sites for travellers and gypsies, and sites brought forward if a need is demonstrated.

81 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 15. For the economy, the RSS provides guidance 17. On transport, the RSS incorporates the on creating a successful regional economy, Regional Transport Strategy. The proposals including strengthening the role and which are particularly relevant to Hambleton performance of town centres. The RSS include: seeking to reduce travel wherever proposes that the supply of land for economic possible (in part by improving public development should be determined following transport); achieving a consistent approach to a local employment land review, taking parking strategies across the region (and account of contextual information provided by including maximum car parking standards the RSS itself. In the case of Hambleton, the and accessibility standards for use in RSS expresses the view that provision should selecting appropriate sites for development); concentrate on developing portfolios based on encouraging access to tourist destinations by small-medium high quality specialist sites, and public transport; improving access to services that there should be an investigation of the in rural areas by better transport provision need to provide a limited range of quality (including supporting innovative measures); general employment sites to meet local and identifying the range of transport expansions and relocations that may investment priorities necessary to support the otherwise be drawn into the Tees Valley RSS strategy, which includes improving conurbation to the north. Guidance is also strategic north-south links and their given on the need to support regional priority management, and improving links to the sectors and clusters (including for example market towns and to the Tees Valley, the food and drink cluster); the potential need particularly by public transport, in the Vales to safeguard employment land; supporting the and Tees Links sub-area. sustainable tourism sector; and assisting the rural economy (including supporting towns as hubs, promoting farm diversification and protecting the high quality rural environment). 16. On the environment, the RSS provides guidance on a wide range of topics, dealing with flooding and flood risk, protecting water resources and quality, forestry, agriculture, biodiversity, cultural heritage, landscape, health and recreation, minerals and waste disposal, and promoting energy efficiency and achieving greater renewable energy capacity. The last topic includes setting sub-regional and indicative District-specific renewable energy targets.

A buoyant local economy

82 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 THE HAMBLETON COMMUNITY PLAN “A Hambleton of sustainable, safe, healthy 18. The Hambleton Community Plan was and prosperous communities where published in June 2003 by the Hambleton people feel part of their communities and Strategic Partnership (a partnership of over work together to improve quality of life 40 public and private organisations and for all and participate in decisions that community groups). The LDF must have affect them, which is welcoming, values regard to the Community Plan, and the diversity and supports the disadvantaged.” Government states that: “the LDF should be a This vision provides an important context for key component in the delivery of the the development of the “spatial vision” of the community strategy, setting out its spatial LDF, considered in Section 2 of the main body aspects where appropriate, and providing a of the document. long term spatial vision”9. Linkages between the Community Plan and the LDF are 20. The Community Plan vision is broken down important for a number of reasons. They will further into five strategic themes, covering help to ensure that the LDF is based on a issues which represent community priorities, greater understanding of the community’s as follows: needs, as identified through the Community ● prosperous community Planning process. As previously mentioned, ● vibrant community the LDF process is required to demonstrate community involvement from the early stages ● sustainable community of the work, and throughout the whole ● safe community process. The Government is clear that an ● healthy community effective relationship between the two strategies will have many benefits, including 21. These themes reflect the priorities expressed establishing an integrated approach towards by local people, and which together will help future development; recognition of the LDF as achieve the vision. They provide a focus for a key delivery mechanism for the Community action and are explored in depth in the Plan; economies of scale in preparing both Community Plan. An analysis of these has strategies; and the potential to resolve been undertaken to assess their implications conflicts between local community aspirations for the spatial strategy to be included in and national and regional policy objectives. the LDF. 19. The main underlying principle of the 22. The key spatial implications of the Community Community Plan is that it should deal with the Plan identified in the report are summarised issues that the local community feel are in the table overleaf: important to their economic, social and environmental well being. The Community Plan sets out a long-term community vision for Hambleton, and is based on the principles of community involvement, sustainable development and promoting diversity. It defines the shared vision of the Hambleton Strategic Partnership as:

9 PPS12 – “Local Development Frameworks”, para. 1.10

83 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Community Plan Theme Spatial Issues

Prosperous Community business ● supporting local businesses through the farming provision of serviced employment land and the tourism identification of sites for employment, skills in the workforce particularly in the market towns; market town regeneration ● supporting the development of opportunities for transport farm diversification; ● supporting the development of new tourist attractions and products; ● supporting environmental enhancements in the market towns; ● supporting the development of market towns as service centres for the surrounding rural areas; ● supporting increased access to training and employment, particularly by young people; ● supporting the development of integrated transport systems and associated infrastructure and improving access for people with disabilities; ● supporting the provision of sustainable transport through the development and improvement of footpaths and cycleways; ● improving public/community transport links between villages and market towns; Vibrant Community access to services ● protecting and supporting the development of community development village shops and post offices; education ● developing and improving new and existing older people and young people’s issues library and information centres; ● supporting access to education and training; ● supporting the development of new and improving existing services for older people and young people;

84 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Community Plan Theme Spatial Issues

Sustainable Community ● supporting the protection and enhancement natural and historic heritage of biodiversity; sustainable development ● air quality supporting the reduction of contributions to waste management climate change – and thereby lessening its housing impact (including the promotion of renewable energy); ● assisting in reducing flood risks; ● developing a supplementary planning document on sustainable development; ● assisting in the promotion of sustainable lifestyles by supporting community recycling sites; ● improving housing provision for all sectors of the community; ● providing affordable housing, supported housing and starter homes;

Safe Community ● promoting community safety and reducing the fear of crime through support for crime (and fear of crime) CCTV, designing out crime and improving road and fire safety highway safety; youth-related matters

Healthy Community ● supporting the development of primary care services and facilities, including extra health care care housing schemes, GP surgeries and culture health centres; leisure ● supporting the provision of improved leisure sport and recreation facilities and access for people with disabilities; ● supporting achievement of developer contributions towards arts and other community initiatives.

85 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 23. Clearly there are a number of spatial issues Bedale relating to the objectives of the Community ● develop a pedestrian-friendly quality Plan that can be addressed by the LDF. The environment in the centre of town; relationship of the strategy and proposals of ● improve pedestrian links around Bedale; the LDF to each of the Community Plan ● themes is considered in Section 4 of the preserve, enhance and promote the main report – where the contribution of the architectural quality of the town; LDF to each theme is addressed. But in ● create spaces for business expansion and general, the aims of the Community Plan start-ups and managed workspace; clearly need to be central also to the LDF ● promote and improve Bedale as a and its vision, namely: retail centre; ● reflecting the principles of ● provide coach parking and additional car community involvement parking (a gateway car park linked to the - a key ingredient in the new planned relief road); planning system; ● improve the quality and provision of visitor ● achieving sustainable development accommodation in Bedale and its hinterland; - a fundamental theme running through ● improve connections with the Dales; the LDF, and reflected in its main strategy ● improve community facilities; and objectives; ● improve access to quality education ● promoting diversity and training; - maintaining and supporting the widest ● strengthen linkages with hinterland villages, possible social, economic and including cycle links, and improve environmental variety within the District. accessibility to facilities, particularly health, 24. In addition to the District-wide Community sports and recreation; Plan, a key component of the Community Easingwold Plan process has been the preparation of ● individual plans for the five market towns and develop tourism projects to encourage more their hinterlands, through the development of people to visit and stay; Community based Action Plans, which form ● support the provision of coach parking local “building blocks” for the Community facilities in Easingwold; Plan. Closely linked to these are the Market ● encourage new business development; Town Initiatives and Renaissance Market ● improve community and sports facilities; Town strategies covering Thirsk, Northallerton ● provide and protect recreational land; and Bedale (which form Community Action Plans under the Community Plan). ● support better facilities for cycling and walking; 25. The LDF has a major role to play not only in ● achieve more affordable housing, and delivering significant elements of the overall housing for special needs; Community Plan, but also in achieving the ● improve accessibility of public buildings; specific local priorities identified by the communities in each market town and ● support nature conservation and hinterland. The following are the major issues conservation of the built environment; from the local Action Plans that the LDF can ● strengthen linkages with hinterland villages seek to address (within the Core Strategy, but and achieve better accessibility, particularly also within the Allocations and Development by public and community transport, to Policies DPDs): locally-based facilities, particularly shops, health, sports and recreation;

86 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Northallerton Stokesley ● protect the heritage of the town and ● improve community, youth and sports enhance its unique character, especially of facilities and protect open space; the High Street; ● provide more affordable housing; ● improve physical access to town ● support farmers’ markets and new centre buildings; local businesses; ● enhance the natural environment; ● increase accessibility and integration of ● grow local businesses within a more the transport system within the hinterland, diverse economy; including better cycle facilities; ● support functional markets and a vibrant ● improve provision and access to local retail heart; or mobile facilities in Stokesley and ● achieve more quality jobs and increase the the villages; skills base; ● improve community and road safety; ● accept housing growth, in order to achieve ● improve the availability of car parking more affordable housing, encourage young for residents; people to stay in the area, and support business expansion; Thirsk ● ● improve accessibility and circulation in the develop the quality and range of service town and to the town including by the provision in the town; Wensleydale Railway; ● develop community and youth facilities; ● promote a higher quality of life, within a ● support better training facilities; safe and secure environment; ● support job creation through the ● improve access to quality education development of new businesses and and training; provision of employment land and ● improve community and youth facilities; retail expansion; ● ● strengthen linkages with support and enhance the tourism potential hinterland villages; of the area, and encourage longer stays; ● ● provide better facilities for cycling; improve the image of the town through environmental improvements and concern ● address flooding issues; for community safety; ● improve the pedestrian environment; ● promote provision of culture and arts facilities; ● develop cycle routes and links; ● improve Thirsk train station; ● strengthen linkages with hinterland villages, improving access from the hinterland to facilities in the town centre.

87 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 THE NORTH YORKSHIRE OTHER RELEVANT STRATEGIES COMMUNITY STRATEGY AND GUIDANCE 26. The North Yorkshire Community Strategy 28. Government national planning policies will (“North Yorkshire Together – A Strategy for also be major considerations in shaping the Local Communities 2005-08”) has been LDF’s Core Strategy. In addition to PPS1 prepared by the North Yorkshire Strategic (Sustainable Development) and PPS12 – Partnership (NYSP). It sits above the Local Development Frameworks, which have Community Plan for Hambleton and focuses already been mentioned, there are a large on those quality of life issues that need to be number of other Planning Policy Statements addressed at a county-wide level. The vision (PPSs) or Planning Policy Guidance notes and themes reflect those of the 7 District (PPGs). Relevant guidance, depending on the Local Strategic Partnerships across North topic, is identified throughout this document. Yorkshire. The Hambleton LDF will also have However, in the interests of achieving a a contribution to make to their achievement. concise statement of local policies, it is a The Community Strategy vision is as follows: principle of the new RSS/LDF system that such guidance should be cross-referenced “North Yorkshire – a place of opportunity but not restated in these documents. where all can develop their full potential, 29. At the regional level, the LDF will need to participate in a flourishing economy, live take account, most commonly through the and thrive in secure communities, see provisions of the RSS, of a number of major their high quality environment protected strategies, of which the following are the and receive effective support when they most important: need it.” ● the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) is 27. The key themes within the Community produced by the Regional Development Strategy are to: Agency (Yorkshire Forward) and includes ● secure a thriving economy; Sub-Regional Investment Plans (see ● provide everyone with the opportunity box following); to develop to their full potential; ● the RES, and the RSS, are both ● help people in need; significantly influenced by the “Northern ● promote socially inclusive, safe and Way” Strategy, the production of which has sustainable communities; been led by the three northern Regional ● take care of the heritage, landscape Development Agencies, and which is and environment; focused on promoting a narrowing of the gap between the north and the south of ● ensure that peoples’ needs for access to England. It is based in particular on jobs and services of all kinds are met as stimulating the economies of the affectively as possible; north’s city regions (such as Leeds ● plan for and deal with emergencies and and Tees Valley); cope with their aftermath. ● the Regional Sustainable Development Within these themes the Community Strategy Framework (RSDF) provides key objectives focuses on five priorities for action: health for ensuring that all plans and proposals inequalities, affordable housing, crime and are sustainable; disorder, access for inclusion and action for the environment.

88 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 ● the Regional Housing Strategy (RHS) has funding and delivery of services for rural particular significance for the approach areas of the region. It involved the towards the provision of affordable development of regional rural priorities, housing. A sub-regional investment supported by a regional rural evidence programme is being developed for the base. Rural issues and priorities are Regional Housing Strategy, with priorities considered which include enterprise and which include support for rural schemes, innovation; housing; functional landscape; for mixed tenure developments, and for rural biodiversity; CAP reform; social affordable housing schemes related to the cohesion; resource use; climate change; effects of the Leeds city region; sustainable tourism; learning opportunities ● the Rural Framework (published in April and workforce development; market 2006) has been developed by partners in towns; promotion of countryside the region in response to the recreation; inclusion and access to Government’s Rural Strategy 2004. This services; rural deprivation; mental health seeks to prioritise and co-ordinate activity, and fuel poverty.

Yorkshire pride

89 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Regional Economic Strategy In addition the North Yorkshire and York The Regional Economic Strategy (RES) is SRIP is sub-divided on a geographic basis. prepared by the Regional Development The strategy for York (zone A) and its Agency, Yorkshire Forward, as one of the hinterland (zone B), and for the so-called key mechanisms for meeting the “Bradford and Leeds city region” (zone C) Government’s target of achieving will all have relevance to Hambleton. sustainable economic growth across the Zone E includes some of the upland areas country. The RES has three strategic aims: of Hambleton, to the east in particular, and its strategy “seeks to utilise the heritage ● releasing and enhancing the potential of and natural cultural assets of the upland all Yorkshire and Humber’s people to areas and their market towns as economic achieve a healthy learning region and drivers”. However, the majority of social inclusion; Hambleton lies within zone D, the A1/A19 ● growing existing and new businesses to corridor that correlates well with the RSS achieve high and stable levels of sub-area of Vales and Tees links. For this economic growth and jobs; zone, the strategy is to build on the ● utilising the full potential of Yorkshire economic opportunities of the northern and Humber’s physical and cultural market towns. The aims and vision for this assets and conserving and enhancing area is “to have a successful economy its environment to achieve an based on highly productive manufacturing integrated, sustainable economy and vibrant market towns”. Priority actions are identified, which aim to RES Sub-Regional Investment Plan: build on the strengths of the northern North Yorkshire and York market towns – and in particular to: Within the regional strategy, a sub-regional ● grow the food cluster on the investment plan structure is adopted. The A1 corridor; Sub-Regional Investment Plan (SRIP) for the North Yorkshire and York Sub-Area, ● support the renaissance of the lowland which includes Hambleton, is based on a Market Towns; number of general themes concerned with ● increase productivity in the business support, culture, inward manufacturing sector; investment, tourism, skills, social inclusion, ● develop institutional and commercial renaissance, broadband access and links to Tees Valley and the North East. environmental enhancement.

90 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 30. Above the District level, a number of 33. In Hambleton itself, there are also a significant strategies produced by North Yorkshire number of relevant strategies to take into County Council will have important spatial account. The Council’s New Vision Making Life implications which will need to be addressed Better has only recently been adopted, and by the Hambleton LDF: in particular the Local the LDF will contribute to its objectives of Transport Plan (LTP) and the School “improving the quality of life for all, Organisation Plan. providing high quality services to our communities and helping to deliver 31. The County Council consulted on a draft community needs.” second LTP earlier in 2005. A key component of this is the intention to develop “Service 34. Also relevant at the District level will be Centre Transportation Strategies”, which will the following: consider all the transport related issues for ● towns, and as an important new development, LA21 Strategy; for their hinterlands. The five Market Towns of ● Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP); Northallerton, Thirsk, Easingwold, Stokesley ● District Housing Strategy; (and Great Ayton) and Bedale are all proposed ● Tourism Strategy; to be Service Centres in this approach. ● Leisure Strategy; 32. Under the new planning system, the County ● Community Safety Strategy; Council is responsible for preparing Local ● Strategy for Young People; Development Documents that cover county ● Strategy for Older People. planning matters – ie. relating to minerals and waste. These will also form part of the 35. Of particular relevance if a truly spatial Development Plan for Hambleton, and strategy is to be achieved, will be the appropriate cross-references will need to be aspirations of the Primary Care and made (and a response made from the Hospital Trusts with regard to the location Hambleton perspective) when these of health facilities; and the police, the fire, Documents are developed. The County ambulance and library services, and the Council is preparing Minerals and Waste Core Highways Agency, with regard to their Strategies and Minerals and Waste Site respective functions. Allocations and Policies Development Plan Documents as part of its Minerals and Waste Development Framework. These are expected to be completed by the end of 2008. The Proposals Map for the Hambleton LDF will need to show safeguarding areas and minerals and waste site allocations in the plan area when the County Council adopts its Developmenet Plan Documents.

91 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 92 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 ANNEX 5 MONITORING

Monitoring Arrangements Performance Indicators 1. Preparation of any plan should never be seen 3. Progress towards any plan’s vision should be as a once and for all activity. It is essential to measured against a number of “Performance check that the plan is being implemented Indicators”. The Government has recently correctly, assess the outcomes that result, and issued guidance on monitoring LDFs10, which check if these still remain as intended, and as advises that a structured approach to currently desired. This requires a process of developing indicators is necessary, continual monitoring, and the potential to recognising their different types and purposes. review the plan’s policies and proposals as This reflects the recommended approach of and when necessary. establishing objectives, defining policies, setting targets and measuring indicators. 2. The new planning system places great Contextual indicators should be monitored to importance on the process of continual plan describe the social, environmental and review. The separation of the components of economic background of the LDF, and provide the LDF means that each part can be a basis for checking the continued relevance reviewed and amended individually – leading of the LDF and its approach. These will be to a more rapid and responsive planning included within the Annual Monitoring Report. system. A key component of this process is Output indicators should be identified to the requirement to produce an Annual measure the performance of policies, by Monitoring Report (AMR). Each year this will measuring quantifiable physical activities that need to be submitted to the Government by are directly related to, and are a consequence the end of December, and relate to of, the implementation of planning policies. information up to the end of March of that Their selection needs to be guided by the key year. This document will be similar to the spatial and sustainability objectives of the LDF. regular annual monitoring reports prepared They are of three types: Core output indicators for the Hambleton District Wide Local Plan, – which are identified by the Government, and but in addition to assessing the extent to must be collected, in order to provide a which policies in local development comprehensive regional and national data set; documents are being achieved, it will need to local output indicators – which address matters assess progress in preparing the plan not covered by the core indicators, but which documents themselves, in other words are important locally; and significant effects monitor the achievement of the Local indicators – which assess the significant Development Scheme (see Annex 1, para. 4). social, environmental and economic effects of policies, and are linked to the sustainability appraisal of the LDF, and will be developed through that analysis (see Annex 1, paras. 13-14).

10 “Local Development Framework Monitoring: A Good Practice Guide”, ODPM March 2005.

93 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 4. As the Government’s guidance indicates, the overall Core Strategy – they do not include development of a monitoring framework will reference to site specific or other detailed be gradual and evolutionary, as the plan is put proposals. In many cases the elaboration of into place, and as the spatial approach to the principles established in the Core Strategy, planning is developed. The set of indicators whether through site allocations or detailed collected, with associated targets, should be policies, will be the place to monitor the kept short, to enable collection to be achieved, overall progress of the LDF. This is particularly and to provide a simple but robust set of the case with housing trajectories (see para. measures of the plan’s performance. A set of 4.2.7 in the main body of the report). Each core output and local output indicators in Development Plan Document, and in the case relation to this Core Strategy is shown in the of Hambleton the proposed Allocations and Table opposite. The Table also indicates the Development Policies DPDs, will be monitored main (but not exclusive) agents who will be individually, and the results brought together involved in delivering the policies, and whose in the Annual Monitoring Report. The assistance in collecting and measuring involvement of partner organisations will be performance will be crucial. Targets to sought wherever appropriate. A close measure performance against such indicators relationship will be maintained with the are also defined. monitoring process being undertaken at the regional level, since there will also be an 5. The indicators shown in the table are intended annual monitor of the RSS, which will utilise to measure the key outcomes sought, and the core output indicators in particular. provide a brief guide to overall progress. As indicators for monitoring this document – the

Hambleton District Council’s ‘One Stop Shop’, Stokesley

94 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Table 3 Core Strategy – Performance Indicators CORE STRATEGY INDICATOR MAIN TARGETS POLICY (& TYPE) AGENCIES

CP1 - 1. Proportion of dwellings Developers, partners, 1. 55% housing on sustainability on brownfield land District Council, brownfield (current RSS (core output – 2b) Allocations DPD target)

2. Proportion of economic 2. Target to be identified development on following Allocations brownfield land DPD work (core output – 1c)

CP2 - 1. Proportion of new Housebuilders, partners, Targets to be identified minimisation of travel housing within 30 Allocations DPD and set in the and alternatives to car minutes by public Development Policies transport from key DPD facilities (core output – 3b)

2. Proportion of development within 800metres/13 minutes walk from hourly bus service (local output)

CP3 – Proportion of community Operating agencies, 75% of threatened community facilities facilities where Developers closures pa. averted, or threatened closure has alternatives provided been prevented (local output)

CP4 – Number of service All service providers 75% main service locational principles programmes reflecting providers using hierarchy LDF settlement hierarchy by 2011 in scale, type and location of provision (local output)

CP5 – Net additional dwellings Housebuilders, RSLs, Post adoption housing scale of new housing for current year other partners, trajectory target (in (core output – 2aii) Allocations DPD Development Policies DPD) to be met

95 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Table 3 (cont.) Core Strategy – Performance Indicators CORE STRATEGY INDICATOR MAIN TARGETS POLICY (& TYPE) AGENCIES

CP5A – Net additional dwellings Housebuilders, partners, Post adoption housing distribution of new for current year by sub Allocations DPD trajectory target (in housing by sub-area area (local output) Development Policies DPD) to be met

CP6 - Indicator to be set Development Policies and Target to be set distribution of new within Development Allocations DPDs in Development housing Policies DPD and Policies DPD and Allocations DPD Allocations DPD

CP7 – Indicator to be set Development Policies and Target to be set phasing of housing within Development Allocations DPDs in Development Policies DPD and Policies DPD and Allocations DPD Allocations DPD

CP8 – Indicator to be set Development Policies and Target to be set meeting housing needs: within Development Allocations DPDs in Development size and type Policies DPD and Policies DPD and Allocations DPD Allocations DPD

CP9 – 1. Affordable houses Housebuilders, RSLs, 1. Overall 43% pa. meeting housing needs: completed local partners level met affordability (core output – 2d)

2. Proportion of 2. 100% of affordable housing sub-area target met achieved by sub-area (local output)

CP9A – Numbers of affordable Housebuilders, RSLs, 15 units completed pa. affordable housing houses completed local partners post adoption exceptions through exceptions schemes (local output)

CP10 – Amount of land Allocations DPD, Average of 4.5ha pa. over scale of new developed for developers, plan period employment employment, by type economic partners development (core output – 1a)

96 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Table 3 (cont.) Core Strategy – Performance Indicators CORE STRATEGY INDICATOR MAIN TARGETS POLICY (& TYPE) AGENCIES

CP10A – Amount of land Developers, economic Target to be set in sub-area scale of developed for current partners Allocations DPD employment development year by sub area for employment (local output)

CP11 – Indicator to be set Development Policies and Target to be set distribution of new within Allocations DPD. Allocations DPDs in Development employment development Policies DPD and Allocations DPD

CP12 – Number of completed Developers, Target to be set in priorities for employment developments addressing Yorkshire Forward Development Policies development identified priorities economic partners, DPD and Allocations (local output) Allocations DPD DPD

CP13 – Number of completed Yorkshire Forward, Target to be defined market towns initiatives within town various agencies in Development regeneration action plans and partners, Policies DPD (local output) Allocations DPD

CP14 – Amount of completed Developers, partners, Target to be town centres retail, office and leisure local initiative groups defined/specified in development Development Policies (core output – 4a) DPD and Allocations DPD

CP15 – Number of rural Developers, partners, Target to be rural regeneration regeneration schemes local initiative groups defined/specified in supported under policy Development Policies initiative (local output) DPD and Allocations DPD

CP16 – Change in areas and Landowners, developers, Target to be derived from protecting and enhancing populations of voluntary and local BAP (to be elaborated natural and man-made biodiversity importance groups, partners in SPD) assets (core output – 8)

97 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Table 3 (cont.) Core Strategy – Performance Indicators CORE STRATEGY INDICATOR MAIN TARGETS POLICY (& TYPE) AGENCIES Target to be set in CP17 – Indicator to be set within All promoters of Development Policies promoting high Development Policies development, partners, DPD. quality design DPD, based on detailed local communities policies (eg. in relation to application of design checklists)

CP18 – Renewable energy District Council, working Target to be set in prudent use of capacity installed by type with partners and Development Policies natural resources (core output – 9) developers DPD.

CP19 – 1. Proportion of eligible District Council, Parish 1. Target to be set in recreational assets open spaces maintained Councils, local initiative Development Policies to “green flag” standard groups, developers DPD. (core output – 4c)

2. Proportion of residents 2. 69% of residents satisfied with quantity satisfied. and quality of open space (local output)

CP20 – Proportion of relevant Developers, local 90% of all housing design and reduction schemes incorporating initiative groups, Parish schemes > 10 dwellings. of crime “secured by design” Councils principles (local output)

CP21 – Number of planning District Council 0% approvals a safe response to permissions granted (working with developers, without Environment natural and other forces contrary to the advice of Environment Agency) Agency support. the Environment Agency (relates specifically to flood protection and water quality) (core output – 7)

RSL = Registered Social Landlord

98 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 ANNEX 6 SERVICE CENTRE HINTERLANDS

See map in para. 3.4 of the main document. Service Centre Hinterlands (Spatial Principle 3) are based on groupings of parishes, as follows:

Bedale Ainderby Mires with Holtby Kirkby Fleetham with Fencote Aiskew Kirklington-cum-Upsland Bedale Langthorne Burneston Rand Grange Burrill-with-Cowling Scruton Clifton-on-Yore Snape with Thorp Crakehall Sutton with Howgrave East Tanfield with Allerthorpe Exelby, Leeming and Newton Theakston Firby Thirn Gatenby Thornton Watlass Hackforth Well Howgrave West Tanfield Killerby

Easingwold Aldwark Marton-cum-Moxby Alne Myton-on-Swale Beningbrough Newburgh (part outside National Park) Newton-on-Ouse Brafferton Oulston Brandsby-cum-Stearsby Overton (part outside National Park) Raskelf Crayke Shipton Dalby-cum-Skewsby Stillington Easingwold Sutton-on-the-Forest Farlington Tholthorpe Fawdington Flawith Thornton-on-the-Hill Helperby Tollerton Huby Whenby Husthwaite Yearsley Linton-on-Ouse Youlton

99 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Northallerton Little Langton Ainderby Steeple Little Smeaton Appleton Wiske Birkby Morton-on-Swale Brompton Nether Silton (part outside National Park) Danby Wiske with Lazenby North Otterington Deighton Northallerton East Cowton Osmotherley (part outside National Park) East Harlsey (part outside National Park) East Rounton (part outside National Park) Ellerbeck Romanby Girsby South Cowton Sowerby-under-Cotcliffe Great Smeaton Thimbleby (part outside National Park) High Worsall Hornby Warlaby Hutton Bonville Welbury (part outside National Park) Kiplin West Rounton Kirby Sigston Whitwell Landmoth-cum-Catto Winton, Stank and Hallikeld Yafforth

Stokesley Carlton (part outside National Park) Kirkby (part outside National Park) Crathorne Little Ayton Easby (part outside National Park) Faceby (part outside National Park) Middleton-on-Leven Great and Little Broughton Newby (part outside National Park) Picton Great Ayton Potto (part outside National Park) Rudby Hutton Rudby Seamer Ingleby Arncliffe Sexhow (part outside National Park) Skutterskelfe Ingleby Greenhow Stokesley (part outside National Park) Whorlton (part outside National Park)

100 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 Thirsk Ainderby Quernhow Maunby Angram Grange Newby Wiske Bagby Newsham with Breckenbrough Balk Boltby (part outside National Park) Pickhill with Roxby Borrowby Sandhutton Carlton Husthwaite Sessay Carlton Miniott Sinderby Catton Skipton-on-Swale Cotcliffe South Kilvington Cowesby (part outside National Park) South Otterington Crosby Sowerby Dalton Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe Eldmire with Crakehill (part outside National Park) Thirkleby High and Low with Osgodby Holme Thirlby (part outside National Park) Hood Grange (part outside National Park) Thirsk Howe Hutton Sessay Thornton-le-Beans Kilburn High and Low (part outside National Park) Thornton-le-Moor Kirby Knowle (part outside National Park) Thornton-le-Street Kirby Wiske Topcliffe Knayton with Brawith Leake Wildon Grange

Stokesley

101 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 102 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 ANNEX 7 GLOSSARY

List of acronyms and technical terms used in this report. Items in italics each have a definition. - accessibility The ability of everybody to go conveniently where they want. - adoption The final confirmation of a Local Development Document as having statutory status by a Local Planning Authority. - affordable housing Housing which meets the present and future needs of households unable to secure adequate housing at prices determined by the market. - Allocations DPD The document within the Hambleton Local Development Framework that will contain site specific allocations. It will have the status of a Development Plan Document. AMR Annual Monitoring Annual report on the progress of preparing the Local Development Framework Reportand the extent to which policies are being achieved. BAP Biodiversity Action A strategy prepared for a local area aimed at conserving biological Plan diversity. The Hambleton BAP was approved in 2002, and provides specific action plan guidance on 11 habitats and 2 species. - brownfield land brownfield land (also known as Previously Developed Land) is that which is or was occupied by a permanent structure (excluding agricultural or forestry buildings), and associated fixed surface infrastructure. The definition covers the curtilage of the development. Planning Policy Statement 3 “Housing” has a detailed definition. Opposite to greenfield land. CAP Common Agricultural European Union policy concerned with support for agriculture. Policy - Conservation Area Areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character, appearance or setting of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. - Core Strategy The Local Development Framework document which sets out the long- term spatial vision for the local planning authority area, and the spatial objectives and strategic policies to deliver that vision. The Core Strategy will have the status of a Development Plan Document. CIP Community Action Community-led processes for identifying local needs and priorities, Plan prepared within the context of the Community Plan. CP Community Plan The long term vision and action plan for Hambleton articulating the aspirations, needs and priorities of the local community – prepared by the Local Strategic Partnership. - Development Limits Development Limits identify the area within which development proposals would be acceptable, subject to complying with other policies contained in the Development Plan. They seek to prevent development from gradually extending into the surrounding countryside. - Development Plan The statutory Development Plan comprises the Regional Spatial Strategy and the Development Plan Documents contained in the Local Development Framework.

103 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 DPD Development Plan A Local Development Document in the Local Development Framework Document that forms part of the Statutory Development Plan. - Development Policies The document within the Hambleton LDF which will contain DPD detailed policies guiding particular forms of development. It will have the status of a Development Plan Document. - general conformity The process by which the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly (as Regional (assessing) Planning Body) considers whether a Development Plan Document is in “general conformity” with the Regional Spatial Strategy. Also, all other DPDs must conform to a Core Strategy DPD. - Green Belt An area of open land where strict planning controls apply in order, in particular, to check the further growth of a large built-up area. Designated in a Development Plan. In Hambleton, there is a small area of Green Belt in the south of the District, designed to check the growth of York and protect its historic form. - greenfield land Land (or a defined site) which has never been built on before or where the remains of any structure or activity have blended into the landscape over time (opposite of brownfield land). Applies to most land outside the Development Limits. - Housing Needs Study A study which assesses the future housing needs of the District, in terms of the size, type and affordability of dwellings. The Hambleton Housing Needs Study was published in April 2004. - issues and options Document(s) produced during the early production stage of the preparation of Development Plan Documents and issued for consultation. - Key Diagram A diagram which illustrates the main strategic principles of the spatial strategy of the LDF. It is not site specific, unlike the Proposals Map. LDD Local Development The various individual documents (DPD, SCI, SPD) in the LDF. Document LDF Local Development The overall name for the folder or portfolio of Local Development Framework Documents and the LDS and AMR. LDS Local Development A public statement setting out which documents will make up the LDF, Scheme and when they will be produced over a three year period. - Local Plan The plan produced under the former planning system by District Councils. The Hambleton District Wide Local Plan (and the North Yorkshire Structure Plan) will be replaced by the RSS and LDF. LSP Local Strategic The Hambleton LSP is a partnership of over 40 public and private Partnership organisations and community groups. One of its main tasks is to prepare and implement the Community Plan. LTP Local Transport Plan The transport strategy prepared by the local transport authority, ie. North Yorkshire County Council.

104 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 PPG Planning Policy Guidance produced by the Government on planning matters Guidance Notes (being replaced by PPSs). PPS Planning Policy Statements of National Planning Policy issued by the Government Statement (to replace PPGs). - Preferred Options Document(s) produced as part of the preparation of Development Plan Documents, and issued for formal public participation. It shows the preferred “direction” of a Development Plan Document. - Proposals Map The adopted Proposals Map illustrates on a base map (reproduced from an Ordnance Survey map to a registered scale) all the policies contained in Development Plan Documents. It is thus site and location specific, unlike the Key Diagram. The Proposals Map will be revised each time a new Development Plan Document is prepared which has site specific policies or proposals, and will always reflect the up-to-date planning strategy for the area. RPG Regional Planning The strategic plan for the region prepared under the former planning Guidance system, now replaced by the Regional Spatial Strategy. RSS Regional Spatial The broad spatial strategy for the region prepared by the Yorkshire and Strategy Humber Regional Assembly, and forming part of the statutory Development Plan. SA Sustainability Identifies and evaluates the effects of the strategy or plan on social, Appraisal environmental and economic conditions. SCI Statement of Document setting out how and when stakeholders and other Community interested parties will be consulted and involved in the preparation Involvement of the LDF (and in the consideration of individual planning applications). SEA Strategic An assessment of the environmental effects of a plan or programme Environmental required by EU Directive 2001/42/EC. Combined with the Assessment Sustainability Appraisal. - site specific Allocations of sites for specific or mixed uses or development, to be allocations contained in the Allocations DPD. Policies will identify any specific requirements for individual proposals. The sites themselves will be shown on the Proposals Map. - spatial planning The concept of spatial planning is intended to be at the heart of the new planning system. Previously, the focus of the planning system was narrow and regulatory. The new spatial planning system of RSS and LDF is much wider and more inclusive. Spatial planning concerns itself with places, how they function and relate together – and its objectives are to manage change to secure the best achievable quality of life for all in the community, without wasting scarce resources or spoiling the environment. It will include policies which can impact on land use, for example by influencing the demands on, or needs for, development, but which are not capable of being delivered solely or mainly through the granting or refusal of planning permission, and which may be implemented by other means.

105 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 SPD Supplementary Elaborates on policies or proposals in DPDs, Planning Document and gives additional guidance. SPG Supplementary Provides guidance or development briefs to supplement policies and Planning Guidance proposals in a Local Plan (being replaced by SPD). - Structure Plan The strategic plan produced under the former planning system by County Councils. The North Yorkshire Structure Plan (and the Hambleton District Wide Local Plan) will be replaced by the RSS and LDF. The Act Planning and Puts in place the new statutory framework for preparing Compulsory RSS and LDFs. Purchase Act 2004 The Regu- Town and Country The formal Government regulations that define how the lations Planning (Local LDF is produced. Development) (England) Regulations 2004 - urban potential A study produced (and kept under review) to assess the amount of study land available for housing on brownfield land (previously developed land). The latest Hambleton Urban Potential Study was published in November 2004.

Building on the future

106 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007 107 HAMBLETON LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY April 2007

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