Ashington Neighbourhood Plan 2019-2031
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Ashington Neighbourhood Plan 2019-2031 Referendum Version March 2021 Ashington Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Version CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................. 1 2 LOCAL CONTEXT .................................................................................. 5 History of Ashington .............................................................................................5 Profile of Ashington today .....................................................................................6 Local infrastructure............................................................................................. 10 Local Plan Policy................................................................................................. 13 3 OBJECTIVES OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN .................................. 14 Challenges for Ashington .................................................................................... 14 Ashington Neighbourhood Plan Objectives ............................................................ 15 4 OVERALL SPATIAL STRATEGY ........................................................... 16 5 TRANSPORT AND MOVEMENT ........................................................... 18 Parking ............................................................................................................. 20 Community transport .......................................................................................... 22 6 ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................. 23 Local heritage assets .......................................................................................... 23 Landscaping and links into the countryside ........................................................... 25 Noise ................................................................................................................ 27 Flooding ............................................................................................................ 27 7 COMMUNITY AND ECONOMY ............................................................ 29 The Ashington Community Cluster ....................................................................... 29 Ashington’s economy .......................................................................................... 34 8 SITE ALLOCATIONS ........................................................................... 36 Chanctonbury Nursery ........................................................................................ 37 Land west of Ashington School ............................................................................ 39 9 MONITORING AND REVIEW .............................................................. 44 10 POLICIES MAPS ................................................................................. 45 Ashington Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Version 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Ashington Neighbourhood Plan (ANP) represents one part of the development plan for the parish over the period 2019 to 2031, the other part being the Horsham District Planning Framework (HDPF). The ANP is required to be in general conformity with the strategic policies in the HDPF. 1.2 Horsham District Council, as the local planning authority, designated a Neighbourhood Area for the whole of Ashington parish in February 2014 to enable Ashington Parish Council to prepare the ANP. The ANP has been prepared by the community through the ANP Steering Group, comprised of three Parish Council members and six members of the public. All members of the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group (NPSG) are from Ashington. 1.3 The ANP is being prepared in accordance with the Town & Country Planning Act 1990, the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the Localism Act 2011 and the Neighbourhood Planning Regulations 2012. The NPSG has prepared the plan to establish a vision for the future of the parish and to set out how that vision will be realised through planning and controlling land use and development change over the plan period 2019 to 2031. 1.4 The map in Figure 1.1 shows the boundary of the ANP area, which is contiguous with the boundary of Ashington parish. 1.5 The purpose of the ANP is to guide development within the parish and provide guidance to any interested parties wishing to submit planning applications for development within the parish. The process of producing a plan has sought to involve the community as widely as possible and the different topic areas are reflective of matters that are of considerable importance to Ashington, its residents, businesses and community groups. 1.6 Each section of the plan covers a different topic. Under each heading there is the justification for the policies presented which provides the necessary understanding of the policy and what it is seeking to achieve. The policies themselves are presented in the blue boxes. It is these policies against which planning applications will be assessed. It is advisable that, in order to understand the full context for any individual policy, it is read in conjunction with the supporting text. National Policy 1.7 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states: “Neighbourhood planning gives communities the power to develop a shared vision for their area. Neighbourhood plans can shape, direct and help to deliver sustainable development, by influencing local planning decisions as part of the statutory development plan. Neighbourhood plans should not promote less development than set out in the strategic policies for the area, or undermine those strategic policies (para 29). Once a neighbourhood plan has been brought into force, the policies it contains take precedence over existing non-strategic policies in a local plan covering the neighbourhood area, where they are in conflict; unless they are superseded by strategic or non-strategic policies that are adopted subsequently (para 30). Neighbourhood plans can play an important role in identifying the special qualities of each area and explaining how this should be reflected in development (para.125).”. 1 Ashington Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Version Figure 1.1: Ashington Neighbourhood Plan Area 1.8 The Local Plan for Horsham District consists of the Horsham District Planning Framework (2015), the West Sussex Waste Local Plan (2014) and the West Sussex Joint Minerals Local Plan (2018). These are up-to-date plans and therefore provide the strategic framework for growth in Ashington. It should be noted that the Horsham District Planning Framework is at an early stage of review. 2 Ashington Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Version 1.9 The HDPF covers the period to 2031. In its settlement hierarchy, the HDPF identifies Ashington as a ’Medium Village’, having a moderate level of services and facilities but, outside of some day- to-day needs, relies on larger nearby settlements to meet some of its needs (see HDPF Policy 3 – Strategic Policy: Development Hierarchy). It is expected to make a contribution towards growth in line with its role in the settlement hierarchy. It is one of the roles of the ANP to provide a spatial framework for the delivery of this growth. Consultation 1.10 The process of preparing and seeking final adoption of ANP is in accordance with the Neighbourhood Plan Regulations 2015 (as amended) and has been agreed by Ashington Parish Council. Details of the approach taken towards consultation are included in the published Consultation Statement (May 2020). 1.11 Ashington Parish Council approved the preparation of the ANP in October 2013 and, after some initial groundwork, rearranged its resources and appointed a neighbourhood plan lead in October 2015 to provide the necessary administrative/management skills to move it through the steps to completion. 1.12 The ANP Steering Group has developed the ANP through extensive engagement with the community. The Steering Group provided opportunity for everyone in the NP designated area to be involved, even those who were unable or unwilling to attend meetings or events. 1.13 The Ashington Community Action Plan 2010 was review by the Steering Group and, although quite dated, contained some useful information under the following themes: • A Better Place to Live • Opportunities for All • Better Health for All • Staying and Feeling Safe. 1.14 This information was used to inform the Steering Group consultation activities. 1.15 As part of the process of consulting with residents over the development of the ANP, the Steering Group developed and undertook a number of surveys between May 2016 and March 2017 in order to gather opinions and views on the issues that the document should prioritise. A summary of the key findings is included in the Ashington State of the Parish report. 1.16 Surveys included a business survey conducted in December 2016, sent to 22 businesses with 12 completing a response (a rate of 54%). Responses were received from retail units, horticulture nurseries, motor trades, hairdressers, estate agents and animal welfare units. Of the responses gathered, a large proportion had operated for long periods of time (over 11 years). Most employees at these businesses were local residents. Businesses identified improvements to infrastructure, including parking, public transport and better broadband, as things that would most benefit their businesses. Whilst many considered their current premises suitable, there were some businesses looking to improve their premises or move to new locations (of which most wished to move within Ashington). 1.17 A Young Persons