Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Annual Monitoring Report 2010/11 December 2011 Part of the Local Development Framework LDF* www.welhat.gov.uk Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Local Development Framework Annual Monitoring Report 2010/2011 Published December 2011 C.J. Conway Director of Strategy and Development Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council Council Offices The Campus Welwyn Garden City Hertfordshire AL8 6AE Tel. 01707 357532 Fax. 01707 357285 Email: [email protected] If you would like to receive this document in a different language or format please call 01707 357000 or email [email protected] Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 5 Glossary ........................................................................................................................................ 7 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 12 Progress of the Welwyn Hatfield Local Development Framework .......................................... 21 Statement of Community Involvement Monitoring ................................................................... 30 Monitoring and Implementation of District Plan Saved Policies ............................................. 34 The Environment ......................................................................................................................... 39 Safe, Healthy and Strong Communities .................................................................................... 44 Work and Jobs ............................................................................................................................ 48 Town Centres, Shopping and Leisure Facilities ....................................................................... 56 Travel ........................................................................................................................................... 61 New Homes ................................................................................................................................. 65 Homes for All .............................................................................................................................. 78 Appendices ................................................................................................................................. 82 3 | Contents Executive Summary This is the seventh Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) produced by Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council. The Annual Monitoring Report is one of the key components of the Local Development Framework (LDF). Its main purpose is to assess the implementation of the Local Development Scheme (LDS); report on key milestones and the extent to which policies in the Local Development Documents (LDDs) are being successfully implemented. This AMR reports on the period 1st April 2010 to 31st March 2011, which is known as the reporting or monitoring year. Local Development Framework In June and July 2011, the council consulted on a new housing target for Welwyn Hatfield for the next 20 years. The results of the consultation are currently being analysed. Once a housing target has been chosen, it will form part of the emerging Core Strategy which is due to be published for consultation in early 2012. A revised timetable for the production of the LDF is currently in progress and an updated timetable for the Core Strategy and Infrastructure Delivery Plan has been published on the council’s website. General The population of Welwyn Hatfield was estimated to be 114,400 in mid 2010, which is an increase of 1,600 from the mid 2009 estimate of 112,800. The results of the 2011 Census are due to be released in 2012 which may lead to reviews of existing population data and future population projections. New Homes There were 201 net additional dwellings completed in Welwyn Hatfield during the reporting year, which is an increase from the 59 completed last year. However, this is still considerably lower than the average build rate from 2001 to 2011 of 474 dwellings per year. As reported in last year’s AMR, due to the High Court Challenge to the East of England Plan which removed the regional housing target for Welwyn Hatfield and the Government’s subsequent intention to abolish all regional plans, Welwyn Hatfield currently does not have an adopted housing target. The council are in the process of deciding on a new target for the period 2011 to 2031, however until this has been decided the AMR will report on 2 interim targets; The Welwyn Hatfield District Plan 2005 target rolled forward to 2001 to 2021– 5,600 dwellings (280 dwellings per year) and the Interim Housing Target agreed by Welwyn Hatfield Councillors in November 2010 – 5,800 dwellings between 2011 and 2031 (290 dwellings per year) Based on both of the targets mentioned above, Welwyn Hatfield currently has a 5 year housing land supply. 5 | Executive Summary Work and Jobs There has been an overall loss in employment floorspace in the borough during 2010/11. Most of the loss is due to the demolition of part of the Broadwater Road West Site in Welwyn Garden City, which has been counted for the first time in this year’s monitoring data as the redevelopment has commenced. The latest figures available show that there were approximately 78,000 jobs in Welwyn Hatfield in 2009, which represents no change since 2008 According to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, the gross weekly pay of residents in Welwyn Hatfield has fallen from £575.60 per week in 2009 to £566.50 in 2010 The proportion of people in Welwyn Hatfield claiming job seekers allowance in July 2011 was 2.4%, which was the same in July 2010. This is similar to the Hertfordshire rate of 2.5% and is lower than the East of England rate at 3.0% and the UK rate of 3.7%. Despite Welwyn Hatfield having a lower than average unemployment rate, there are some areas of the borough where the unemployment rate is higher than the national average, namely parts of Hatfield Central and Peartree wards. Retail There has been no change in the level of vacant frontage in Hatfield town centre between 2010 and 2011 and it remains at 11%. Welwyn Garden City town centre has experienced a drop in the level of vacant retail frontage from 8% to 2%. This is because several vacant units have now been demolished as part of Sainsburys redevelopment and are therefore no longer included in the calculations. The Environment During 2010/11 there has been one wildlife site lost and one wildlife site gained, keeping the total number of sites in the borough at 201. The de-selected site was Chantry Lane Wood Dene Hole in Hatfield. The new site is a grassland site north of Potterells Wood between Welham Green and Brookmans Park. Safe, Healthy and Strong Communities The Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2010 show that Welwyn Hatfield is ranked 238th out of 326 districts in England and is therefore in the least deprived half of districts in the country. This is an improvement from the IOMD 2007 where it was ranked 231st. The 2010 IMD shows that one LSOA in Welwyn Hatfield remains within the most deprived 20% LSOAs in England. The LSOA is within Hatfield Central ward and covers Hatfield town centre and the area to the north-west. 6 | Executive Summary Glossary Annual Monitoring Report (AMR): A report submitted to the Government by local planning authorities or regional planning bodies assessing progress with, and the effectiveness of a Local Development Framework. Affordable Housing (including intermediate or sub-market housing): Includes social rented and intermediate housing provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Affordable housing should: meet the needs of eligible households including availability at a cost low enough for them to afford, determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices; and include provisions for: the home to be retained for future eligible households; or if these restrictions are lifted, for any subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision (CLG, 2006, Delivering Affordable Housing). Amenity Green Space: Village greens, landscaped green space in and around housing and informal recreation spaces. Given their size and nature they tend to have local catchments, providing opportunities for passive recreation (e.g. reading) and informal children’s play for residents in close proximity. Amenity green spaces do not always need to be used for informal recreation purposes; they can also enhance the character or appearance of an area. Bio-diversity: The whole variety of life encompassing all genetics, species and ecosystem variations, including plants and animals Core Strategy: A Development Plan Document, forming part of the Local Development Framework for an area, which sets out the long-term spatial vision, and strategic policies and proposals to deliver the vision. A key diagram may be used to indicate broad locations for strategic developments. Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO): An order issued by the government or a local authority to acquire land or buildings for public interest purposes. For example, for the construction of a major road or the redevelopment of certain brownfield sites DCLG: Department of Communities and Local Government. Development Plan Documents (DPDs): Statutory planning documents that together with the Regional Spatial Strategy and the Waste and Minerals Development Framework will form