Bersted Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2029 Bersted Neighbourhood Plan 2014-29 Submission Plan with Examination Modifcations 1 Bersted Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2029 Content Foreword 3 Introduction 4 Section 1 - Bersted Today 8 Issues that have infuenced the vision 9 Housing types and location 9 Flooding 12 Environment and Habitats Agricultural Land 12 Bersted Brooks Local Nature Reserve 12 The Willow Pond 13 The Spinney 13 Character and Heritage 13 Getting Around Trafc/Road systems 14 Public Transport Links 15 Rail 15 Bus 15 Cycling 15 Footways and Footpaths 15 Community Leisure and Wellbeing 16 Play and Sports Provision 16 Schools 16 Medical Services 17 Shops, services and tourism 18 Enterprise and Employment 19 Vision Statement and Core Objectives 20 Section 2 - Neighbourhood Plan Policies 25 Introduction to Policies 26 Environment and Sustainability 27 Getting Around 31 Employment and Enterprise 33 Community, Leisure and Wellbeing 35 Housing and Design Quality 38 Proposals Maps 42 Appendix A - Assets of Community Value 44 Appendix B - Local Green Spaces 45 Appendix C - Local Open Spaces 47 Appendix D - Strategic Gap 49 Appendix E - Listed Building Descriptions 50 Appendix F - Built up Area Boundary 52 Appendix G - Commercial areas 55 Appendix H - Local Shopping Facilities 56 Glossary 57 2 Bersted Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2029 Foreword The Parish of Bersted is one of the largest in the district and wraps around the northwestern sides of the town of Bognor Regis. It includes a mixture of housing types, out of town shops and business parks. The character of the Parish is a mixture of suburban and semi-rural. In 2012, the Localism Act gave powers to town and parish councils to give their communities a far greater say in planning matters through the preparation of Neighbourhood Development Plans (NDPs). From the start, Bersted Parish Council (BPC) was keen to take up this right and a Steering Group was formed to draw up a draft plan. The Bersted Neighbourhood Development Plan (BNDP) aims to allow the residents of Bersted to have a say in all aspects of the future of the diverse areas that make up the Parish, but more importantly wanted local people to decide what changes should occur, rather than leaving such decisions to Arun District Council (ADC). The Plan sets out a vision for the area over a ffteen year period and beyond that refects the thoughts and feelings of local people with a real interest in their community. The Plan sets objectives on key identifed themes such as getting around, business, tourism, community, leisure, well-being, the natural environment and the design quality of physical structures. The intention is that, through consultation, future planning can be by consensus and thus avoid confict. However, investment in the Parish, and change in future years, will only be worthwhile if these make a real diference to the lives of local people and the future of their community. A vision for the Parish is set out at Section 1. 3 Bersted Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2029 Introduction The Bersted Neighbourhood Development Plan (also known as the Plan) is a new type of planning document. It is part of the Government’s new approach to planning, which gives communities the power to shape the neighbourhoods in which they live. This is set out in the Localism Act that came into efect in April 2012. How the Neighbourhood Plan fts into the Planning System Although the Government’s intention is for local people to decide what goes on in their villages/towns, the Localism Act sets out some important guidance. One of these is that all Neighbourhood Plans must be in line with higher level planning policy. That is that Plans must be in line with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and local policy, in our case the ADC Local Plan. Neighbourhood Plans must be in line with European Regulations on strategic environmental assessment and habitat regulations. A Screening Opinion submitted to ADC confrmed that a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the Plan was not required. The Basic Conditions Statement does however assess each policy for sustainability. The Plan gives local people a say in determining where new housing should go and how they would like the Parish to change. Without the Plan, ADC would make these decisions on behalf of the people of Bersted. The Plan provides a vision for the future of the Parish, and sets out clear policies and objectives to realise these visions. These policies accord with higher level planning policy, principally the NPPF, the West Sussex Structure Plan and the Arun District Council (ADC) Local Plan 2003, as required by the Localism Act. The Plan has been developed through consultation with the people of Bersted and others with an interest in the Parish. Details of the consultation have been recorded on the Parish Council web site www.bersted-pc.gov.uk A Consultation Statement provides an overview of the consultation, demonstrating that it fully accords with the requirements of the Localism Act. This consultation has included meeting the requirements of Regulation 14 of the Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012. The Plan has been amended where appropriate in response to consultation comments. The map overleaf shows Bersted Parish boundary edged in blue. 4 Bersted Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2029 Bersted CP Date: 22-4-2014 Scale: 1:21776 Map Centre - easting / northing: © Crown copyright and database right. All rights 493627 / 101826 reserved (100052565) 2014 © Contains Ordnance Survey Data : Crown copyright and database right 2014 5 Bersted Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2029 What is the Neighbourhood Plan? Although deciding where possible future housing could go is an important part of the Plan, it is about much more than this. The Plan is for the Parish as a whole looking at a wider range of issues, including: • how the Parish can meet its housing allocation whilst protecting the character of the area • how the heritage assets of Bersted can be preserved and maintained • how the retail and business areas could be developed • what open spaces, play and community facilities are required • how travel around the Parish should be improved • how education will be provided for a growing community, both young and old • how health and wellbeing facilities will meet the changing demand for their services How this Plan is organised This Plan is divided into two sections: Section 1: A Vision for Bersted, which sets out • a brief description of Bersted today • the issues that have infuenced the vision • the vision statement and core objectives Section 2: Neighbourhood Plan Policies, which sets out policies to support the overall vision The entire document forms the Neighbourhood Development Plan for Bersted. This document should be read in conjunction with: The Evidence Base, The Basic Conditions Statement, The Consultation Statement and The Site Appraisal Report. The full list of evidence used in the production of the NDP is available in detail on the Parish Council website www.bersted-pc.gov.uk Pictures: Retail Park, Shripney Road; The Rife; Homing Cottage, North Bersted Street; Deanery Square 6 Bersted Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2029 Section 1 - A Vision for Bersted 7 Bersted Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2029 1 Bersted today 1.1 Understanding Bersted is the starting point for producing a good Plan. This is because the Bersted NDP presents a valuable opportunity to plan the future of the Parish. What are the problems that the Plan could address? What are the opportunities that the Plan could make the most of? 1.2 Bersted is one of the largest parishes in the County in terms of population. The 2011 Census shows the population as 8,495 people living in 3,630 households. In fact the growth in population numbers masks the real growth since, as a result of boundary changes, areas of the Parish were lost to Bognor Regis and Aldwick. The last few years has seen the commencement of work to erect over 700 new homes which will increase the population of Bersted by around 20%. Although the Parish has been identifed as Bersted since its formation in 1894, the area within the Parish boundary is primarily the village known as North Bersted, thus preserving the name by which it was referred to in the Archbishop’s manor in 1397 and also distinguishing it from South Bersted which now lies within the urban boundary of Bognor Regis. Bersted Parish also includes the hamlet of Shripney to the north. Visually the Parish is one of marked contrasts, with dense housing development, suburban in character, in its southern part and open countryside in its northern and western areas. The eastern section bordering the A29, provides Bognor Regis with its industrial estates and out of town retail areas. The Parish contains two conservation areas and a mixture of statutory and locally listed historical buildings, and those with special character. 8 Bersted Neighbourhood Plan 2014-2029 2 Issues that have infuenced the vision 2.1 Housing types and location 2.1.1 Due to its proximity to the town of Bognor Regis, the Parish of Bersted has sufered badly from post war suburban sprawl such that the open areas between it and Bognor Regis have been covered in a piecemeal fashion by large housing estates. The result is a Parish without a clearly defned centre. 2.1.2 Bersted has sufered from poorly designed estates and housing in the past with inadequate open spaces/leisure areas and limited local shopping. 2.1.3 Local Characteristics Bersted Park & Willows Edge These are the two new large developments on the edge of Bersted which comprise modern attractive mixed housing. At the time of writing, both estates are only partially built/occupied and there is considerable construction still to be done.