AREA ACTION PLAN PREFERRED OPTIONS CONSULTATION DRAFT May 2005 Northampton CONTENTS SIXFIELDS
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northampton SIXFIELDS AREA ACTION PLAN PREFERRED OPTIONS CONSULTATION DRAFT May 2005 northampton CONTENTS SIXFIELDS 1. Introduction 3 7. Retail capacity - options for meeting need 44 2. Policy context 7 8. Principles for Sixfields 50 - PPGs and PPSs policy - MKSM Sub-regional framework 9. Policies and proposals 53 - Structure Plan - Local Plan 10. Development Framework/Implementation plan 60 - Urban Design Compendium - Explanation of development framework - Rational for distribution of uses 3. Local Development Framework 11 11. Implementation 67 4. Corporate and strategic policy context 13 - Implementation context - Community Strategy - Advice on phasing - SW District - Joint Initiative 12. Next steps - future stages of consultation 74 - Strategic Flood Risk assessment - Contamination report ANNEX 1: LANDOWNER REQUIREMENTS 5. Property Market Review 19 6. Issues, opportunities and options 26 - Physical analysis - SWOT analysis - Opportunities plan - Orientation options - Initial informal consultation - Options arising from informal consultation SIXFIELDS AREA ACTION PLAN DRAFT AREA ACTION PLAN MAY 2005 2 northampton 1. INTRODUCTION SIXFIELDS INTRODUCTION for developing planning policy for areas Sixfields. These issues and options which will undergo major change, the Area emerged directly from a comprehensive The Sixfields Area Action Plan has been Action Plan. Planning Policy Statement 12 programme of community and stakeholder prepared on behalf of Northampton (PPS12) states that: consultation and engagement as a Borough Council by planning and detailed, comprehensive research base regeneration consultancy Urban Area Action Plans should be used to that is outlined in detail within the Practitioners and property market advisors provide the planning framework for areas supporting document ‘Evidence Base for CB Richard Ellis. where significant change or conservation is the Sixfields Area Action Plan’. needed. A key feature of area action The Sixfields area is strategically located plans will be the focus on implementation. A full written account of this consultation in an area of major change, urban They should: process is set out in a separate document, extension and residential intensification. In the Sixfields Area Action Plan Consultation this context, the Council has decided to i. deliver planned growth areas Report. designate Sixfields as a District Centre, to ii. stimulate regeneration meet the local retail and service needs of iii. protect areas particularly Following consideration of all of the issues the existing and future residential sensitive to change and alternatives, Northampton Borough population of this part of Northampton, iv. resolve conflicting objectives in Council has identified a preferred option. whilst supporting a wide range of areas subject to development The process of consideration and review of additional retail and leisure uses. pressures; or options is outlined in detail throughout the v. focus the delivery of area based Area Action Plan. A hierarchy of centres within the town will regeneration initiatives.' be established, made up of the town centre, district centres and local centres. The process for developing and adopting Sixfields, alongside existing centres at an Area Action Plan is clearly set out in Kingsthorpe, Weston Favell, and Mereway, PPS12, and involves considerable informal will provide district centre level facilities and formal public consultation and serving the south-west sector of the town participation. and act as a public transport node. The Borough Council considers that an AREA ACTION PLAN Area Action Plan represents the most appropriate planning policy vehicle The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act through which a new district centre 2004 establishes a new basis for local designation for Sixfields should be made. authority statutory plan-making, the Local Development Framework. The Act places This document sets out a series of issues an emphasis on public consultation and and alternative options for the engagement, and establishes a new vehicle establishment of a District Centre at SIXFIELDS AREA ACTION PLAN DRAFT AREA ACTION PLAN MAY 2005 3 northampton 1. INTRODUCTION SIXFIELDS KEY OBJECTIVES FOR SIXFIELDS Weston Favell to the east and Mereway to of the centre and the St. James' Road the south of the town. accessing the south. Beyond the town The following key objectives for Sixfields centre Northampton has a good network were set out in the consultation document ACCESSIBILITY of 'A' roads which provide access to all ‘A proposal to designate an area at areas of the town. Despite the obvious Sixfields/Weedon Road as a district The area is readily accessible via the advantages of this accessibility by road, centre’ produced by Northampton Borough town's road network. Journey times from access for pedestrians is compromised by Council in October 2003: Sixfields to the centre of Northampton are the main roads that dissect the area, which in the region of 10 minutes via the have a limited number of safe crossing - To designate Sixfields/Weedon Weedon Road which leads to the A4500 points. Road as a District Centre; (Spencer Bridge Road) accessing the North - To increase permeability of the centre for people on foot and cyclists; - To broaden the range of uses within the centre; - To increase opportunities for people to access the centre by means other than the private car; and - To create a sense of place. LOCATION Sixfields lies on the south-western periphery of Northampton. Currently the Sixfields area accommodates a large number of retail, leisure, and industrial warehouse units. Levels of residential accommodation are low in the Sixfields area itself, although there is an established residential sector in the neighbouring areas of Upton and Duston. However, with the development of the South West District there will be an expanding local catchment area for Sixfields. There are three existing district centres within Northampton; Kingsthorpe to the north, Map 1.1: Location of Sixfields SIXFIELDS AREA ACTION PLAN DRAFT AREA ACTION PLAN MAY 2005 4 northampton 1. INTRODUCTION SIXFIELDS The M1 motorway is situated just to the additional hourly service during peak national average of 49.6% was down south west of Northampton and this places times. Four bus services a day provide from its 1991 level of 67%. Female full- Sixfields in an ideal position from which to direct links between Sixfields and Bicester time employment was also well above the access the national motorway network. The and Oxford. Services in the evening and national average at 34.7% (national A45 and A43 provide fast access to on Sundays are extremely limited. average 19.8%) but again down from its junctions 16 and 15a of the M1, which in 1991 level of 41.1%. turn links Northampton to London (1.5 Northampton has only one mainline train hours) and Birmingham (1 hour). Beyond station, with direct trains to London which Unemployment rates were low in the immediate vicinity, Northampton is can be reached in approximately 50 Northampton at 1.8% in July 2004, the close to the M6, M40 and A14 all of minutes, Birmingham in 50 minutes and lowest level in the past four years. This which increase accessibility and underline Manchester in 2.5 hours (via Birmingham). compares with a national average of Northampton's central location. This makes Northampton an accessible 2.3%. location, and attractive for commuters to A number of bus routes provide public London. transport links between the Sixfields area and the town centre via Northampton Furthermore, journey times have recently Railway Station which is located between fallen due to the introduction of the fast In terms of economic activity, according to the Sixfields area and the town centre. Virgin Train service, thus further enhancing PROMIS 2004*, manufacturing, transport Northampton's accessibility. and distribution employment accounted for Bus services are operated by First Bus and 22.3% of total employment in Stagecoach and all depart from DEMOGRAPHIC AND SOCIO- Northampton, financial and business Northampton Bus Station which is situated ECONOMIC ANALYSIS services accounted for 22.6%, and public on the northern fringe of the town centre services had a 24.9% share. approximately 10 minutes walk from According to the National Statistics Northampton Castle Railway Station and website, Northampton as a whole has a forms part of the Grosvenor Centre population of 194,458 (2001 Census). Shopping Centre complex. This figure is 10,400 higher than 10 years ago which indicates the town has Bus connections between Sixfields and the undergone considerable growth. This can local area run every 20 minutes throughout be seen in the expansion of residential the day. In addition, connections to areas areas such as Wootton Fields and Grange such as Daventry, Land Farm and Nether Park. Heyford are provided three times an hour in the morning and evening peaks and The demographic structure of the town twice an hour in the interim period. An from the 2001 Census indicates that the additional service links Sixfields with Old male full-time employment rate in Duston, Harpole and Bugbrooke every two Northampton in 2001 was 58.2% which hours throughout the day, with an although considerably higher than the Northampton Looking east towards Northampton SIXFIELDS AREA ACTION PLAN DRAFT AREA ACTION PLAN MAY 2005 5 northampton 1. INTRODUCTION SIXFIELDS The level of car ownership in Northampton is significantly above the national average with a particularly high proportion of 2 cars per household.