Chipping Norton Neighbourhood Plan 2013-2029
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Chipping Norton Neighbourhood Plan 2013-2029 Our vision for the future Draft for consultation October 2014, Chipping Norton Town Council 1 Foreword on the Chipping Norton town appraisal of Like other residents of Chipping Norton I’m 2003. Many of the aspirations identified in justifiably proud of our town. Its combination the 2003 appraisal remain undelivered but of thriving community spirit, attractive built are recognised by the Steering Group as environment, stunning landscape setting, essential long-term goals for ensuring a safe, rich history and active calendar of events sustainable and connected community. makes ‘Chippy’ a highly desirable place to Unlike the 2003 appraisal, if the Chipping live, work and visit. While the town is an Norton Neighbourhood Plan is adopted it will undeniable jewel of the Cotswolds as one of become a statutory document within the its gateways, it’s also a real, working town local development framework; its policies that maintains a sense of independence and would carry legal weight. welcoming spirit increasingly rare in today’s fast-paced world. The Steering Group believes this draft Plan reflects the views of our community. A strong The challenge over the coming years is to message emanating from the consultation meet the needs of development without process was that the residents of Chipping compromising the town’s unique appeal. It’s Norton are proud of their town and have a a formidable challenge but one that the strong desire to retain its unique character. Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group feels is This was key to developing the overarching addressed by this draft Neighbourhood Plan. vision of the Plan from which its objectives and policies have been derived: The primary purpose of this document is to provide guidance to any parties wishing to A working Cotswold town thriving submit planning applications for development economically and socially as a rural hub while within the town. The Plan has been produced maintaining its strong sense of community by the Chipping Norton Neighbourhood Plan spirit and conserving and enhancing its Steering Group after some two years of character, natural environment, local services background research and community and facilities. consultation. All documents relating to the Chipping Norton Neighbourhood We strongly believe that this Plan is robust Plan can be accessed via the Neighbourhood and when formally adopted will provide the Plan pages of town website: necessary policies for determining planning www.chippingnortontown.info applications. It provides clarity to the community, landowners and other interested As the neighbourhood planning process is parties on how the town will evolve for the new and we were awarded Front Runner benefit of the existing and future population status, we have had to learn and adapt up to 2029. It is expected that Chipping throughout, sharing experiences with other Norton will continue to thrive over the period towns embarking on their own plans. We of the plan, maintaining its reputation as a have worked closely with planning officers at welcoming, warm-spirited and beautiful place West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) to live, work and visit. and with Planning Aid, a service provided by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). Chris Butterworth Chairman, Chipping Norton The Steering Group has consulted the Neighbourhood Plan community through open days, surveys, task Steering Group groups, focus groups and the intermediate consultation document ‘Chipping Norton: Looking Back, Stepping Forward’ which built 2 Contents Section 1: Introduction……………………………………………………………….……………………………. 5 What is a Neighbourhood Plan?………………………………………………………………………..….………. 5 Chipping Norton’s Neighbourhood Plan…………………………………………………………….….………. 5 Submitting body…………………………………………………………….….…………………………………………… 5 Plan period and monitoring…………………………………………………………….….…………………………. 5 Purpose of this document…………………………………………………………….….……………………………. 5 Neighbourhood Plan area…………………………………………………………….….……………………..……. 5 The Neighbourhood Planning process…………………………………………………………….….…………. 7 Section 2: National and local planning context………………………………….……………………… 8 Setting the context……………………………………………………………………….……………………………….. 8 National Planning Policy Framework and planning practice guidance…….……………………… 8 National Planning Policy and Neighbourhood Planning……………………..……....................... 9 Status of the West Oxfordshire District Council Local Plan 2029…………………………………… 10 Section 3: Chipping Norton today……………………………………………………..…………………..... 11 The evidence base…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 11 Chipping Norton’s setting……………………………………………………………………………….….………….. 11 The natural environment…………………………..…………………………………………………………………… 11 Built environment….…………………………………………………………….….…………………………………….. 13 Population…….…………………………………………………………….….……………………………………………… 13 Local economy….…………………………………………………………….….………………………………………… 14 Transport………………………………………………………………….….………………………………………………… 14 Housing………………………………………………………………….….…………………………………………………… 14 Health and wellbeing………………………………………………………………….….………………………………. 14 Section 4: Community engagement………………………….…………………………………..………….. 15 Methods of engagement………………………………………………………………….….………..………………. 15 Key issues raised………………………………………………………………….….…………………………………….. 15 Section 5: Vision and objectives………………………….……………………………………….…………… 16 Our vision………………………………………………………………….….…………………………………………….... 16 Objectives……………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………..….. 16 Section 6: Masterplanning…….…………………………………………………………….…………………… 17 Employment policies….…………………………………………………………………..………………..…………… 17 Town centre policies…………………………………………………………….….………………………………….… 18 Play and green space provision policies…………………………………………………………………………. 19 Previously developed (brownfield) land policy………………………………………………………………. 23 Natural environment and landscape protection policies……………………………………………….. 25 Section 7: Transport and movement….……………………….………………………………………….... 27 Impact on highways network policy……………………………………………………………………………….. 27 Public transport policies……………………………………………………………………………………………….... 28 Parking policies………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 30 Walking, cycling and accessibility policies……………………………………………………………………... 31 3 Contents cont… Section 8: Building design and use.…………………………………..…………………………………….… 33 Historic built environment…….………………………………………………..……………………………………… 33 High street character and viability policies…………………………………………………………………….. 35 Housing typology policies………………………………………………………………………………………………. 37 Self-build policies…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 39 Bicycle and bin storage policy………………………………………………………………………………………… 40 Energy and water efficiency policies……………………………………………………………………………… 41 Appendix A: WODC Draft Local Plan Core Objectives…………..……………………………………. 43 Appendix B: Public rights of way assessment……………………………………………………………. 44 Appendix C: Summary of policies……………………………………………………………………………… 51 Appendix D: Suggested projects……………………………………………………………………………….. 55 Appendix E: Steering Group members………………………………………………………………………. 56 4 Section 1: Introduction What is a Neighbourhood Plan? Plan which this Plan will sit alongside. As 1.1 A Neighbourhood Plan sets out the vision the Neighbourhood Plan authority, for an area and planning policies for use Chipping Norton Town Council will hold and development of land. It will become primary responsible for delivery and part of the statutory local development monitoring of the Plan and, as required, framework for the area, which means its review over the course of the Plan that the policies and proposals contained period. within the Neighbourhood Plan will be used to help determine planning Purpose of this document applications, including appeals. The 1.5 This document builds on previous public policies within a Neighbourhood Plan engagement exercises and draws on cannot block the strategic development comments from statutory consultees to needs of the wider area as outlined in produce a series of policies for suggested the local development framework. What inclusion in the final Neighbourhood they can do, however, is shape and Plan. It therefore forms the draft influence where that development will document for public consultation prior to go and what it will look like. submission of the final Plan to the local planning authority, West Oxfordshire Chipping Norton’s Neighbourhood Plan District Council. 1.2 In 2012 the imminent publication of West Oxfordshire District Council’s Draft Neighbourhood Plan area Local Plan 2029 was recognised as an 1.6 The Plan relates to the Parish of Chipping opportunity for the residents of Chipping Norton in West Oxfordshire, as outlined Norton to contribute a local perspective on the map in Figure 1.1 on the next to the statutory planning framework for page. the area. The town enjoys a rich history and distinctive character, something the 1.7 The area of the Plan was decided in Town Council wants to conserve and consultation with WODC. The Plan area enhance through its own Neighbourhood was formally designated by the District Plan (hence forth ‘the Plan’). Council on 12 December 2012. The parish boundary forms a logically defined Submitting body area, incorporating the entirety of the 1.3 This Neighbourhood Plan is submitted by town and its immediate surrounding Chipping Norton Town Council, a countryside. qualifying body as defined by the Localism Act 2011. The preparation of 1.8 Chipping Norton Town Council confirms the Plan has been delegated to the that the Plan relates