CONTENTS Spatial Strategy Policies for South Worcestershire
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CONTENTS 1. Introduction 3 2. Characteristics and Challenges facing South Worcestershire 6 3. Vision and Objectives 8 4. Location of Development and Sustainable Development Principles (Key Diagram) 13 Spatial Strategy Policies for South Worcestershire Settlements 5. Spatial Strategy for Worcester and Spatial Diagram 35 6. Spatial Strategy for Malvern and Spatial Diagram 46 7. Spatial Strategy for Droitwich and Spatial Diagram 54 8. Spatial Strategy for Evesham and Spatial Diagram 59 9. Spatial Strategy for Tenbury Wells and Spatial Diagram 63 10. Spatial Strategy for Upton-upon-Severn and Spatial Diagram 68 11. Spatial Strategy for Pershore and Spatial Diagram 72 12. Spatial Strategy for the Villages 78 Core Strategic Policies 13. Infrastructure Delivery 82 14. Moving Around South Worcestershire 85 15. Mix of Housing 87 16. Affordable Housing 89 17. Gypsies,Travellers and Travelling Showpeople 92 18. Employment protection and generation 94 19. Shopping and Leisure 98 20. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 101 21. Managing Flood Risk 104 22. Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity 106 23. Open Space 108 Appendices 1. Evidence Base 2. Implementation Plan 3. Climate Change and Sustainable Development 4. Key Facts about South Worcestershire 5. Glossary 1 1. INTRODUCTION The Purpose of this Preferred Options Document 1.1. This document sets out the emerging Spatial 1.4 The Preferred Option of the West Midlands Planning framework for the long-term development Regional Spatial Strategy Phase Two Revision1, of South Worcestershire. It seeks to ensure that which has been submitted to the Secretary of State, future investment is made in a properly requires a maximum of 24,500 homes and 183 co-ordinated manner to ensure the delivery of hectares of employment land to be provided in sustainable development and good quality design. South Worcestershire between 2006 and 2026. It has been prepared taking into account the views This Joint Core Strategy Preferred Options of a wide section of the community and other responds to these requirements and considers interested parties, as well as maintaining the implications of possible changes to regional consistency with national and emerging regional guidance. policy. The document provides a spatial expression of the Community Strategies for the three districts 1.5 This Joint Core Strategy does not set out and Local Strategic Partnerships covering South specific proposals or allocations. Neither does it Worcestershire. include detailed policies relating to Development Control matters. These will be the subject of 1.2 The three local authorities of Malvern Hills, subsequent Local Development Documents which Worcester City, and Wychavon are working will need to be in conformity with the Joint Core together to produce a Joint Core Strategy because Strategy. Further, it does not duplicate, but builds many planning issues cross district boundaries. on national and/or regional planning policy. 1.3 This Joint Core Strategy will be a strategic document providing broad guidance 1 Where this paper refers to the Regional Spatial on the scale, distribution and quality of Strategy, it is this version of the document that reference Image left: Looking at part of Malvern from Hills. development together with the provision should be made, unless otherwise stated. of supporting infrastructure. It contains: • Strategic policies for delivering the spatial vision and guiding broad patterns of urban and rural development. • The directions of strategic housing and employment growth centred upon Worcester and the six towns of Droitwich Spa, Malvern, Evesham, Tenbury Wells, Upton-upon-Severn and Pershore. • Policies setting out the issues to be taken into account when considering development proposals. 2 3 The Production of Preferred Options What Happens Next? 1.6 This document has been published in the light of the responses we 1.12 The overall timetable for the South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy received to our ‘Issues and Options’ consultation carried out in November/ along with other related Development Plan Documents can be found in the December 2007. Local Development Schemes for the respective Districts (available at Customer Service Centres and on the website at www.swjcs.org) but the key stages are 1.7 Although we were pleased with the number of responses received (over set out below: 2200), it is important to emphasise that the production of Joint Core Strategy policies is not necessarily based on the most popular options. Whilst the views we received rightly become a very important consideration, there Key Stages Dates are other issues that equally need to be taken into account. For example Issues and options Consultation November/December 2007 alignment with national and regional policy, technical evidence, sustainability appraisal and the way in which the plan will be implemented. Preferred Options Consultation September/October 2008 1.8 We have also reviewed an enormous amount of other information, Publication and representations invited June/July 2009 including statistical data, and other plans and strategies. However, it Submission to the Secretary of State September 2009 is not the purpose of this document to record in detail how this has been Examination December 2009 achieved. All the published material can be viewed at the website dedicated to the Joint Core Strategy www.swjcs.org and is available in hard Inspectors Independent Report May 2010 copies at all Customer Service Centres in South Worcestershire. Adoption July 2010 1.9 We have analysed all the responses and published a Consultation The ‘publication stage’ and subsequent stages may be subject to change. Statement that you are invited to read via www.swjcs.org and at Customer Service Centres. We have progressed this through an on going debate with Councillors, Parish/Town Councils and other interested parties, and are now How to Make Your Views Known publishing what we consider to be the Preferred Options. This Preferred Options 1.13 Throughout this document you will find Preferred Option policies that document represents an opportunity for you to comment. Accompanying this will be central to our Joint Core Strategy. These are the most important document is a Sustainability Appraisal report upon which we would also sections and upon which we want your views to continue the on-going debate welcome your views. that started with our Issues and Options consultation. To be part of this debate 1.10 This document is not a draft plan but includes introductory text on the please: background and context to each proposed policy, an outline of the consultation responses received so far and the preferred approach along with alternative • Let us know your views on the preferred options put forward in this options that have been considered. document, by completing the response form (also on the website www.swjcs.org); and/or 1.11 The new planning system is complicated and we have tried to minimise the use of jargon. However, we have also included a glossary in Appendix 5 • Come along to the Preferred Options events detailed in your local library, to assist in the reading of this document. All words which are defined in the Customer Service Centre, your local paper, residents magazine or on the glossary are underlined in the text. website www.swjcs.org during September/October 2008. 1.14 The period of consultation will start on Friday 19th September 2008 and finish on Friday 31st October 2008. We will then analyse your comments and additional evidence that we are continuing to gather with the aim of having a final document ready for submission to the Secretary of State in 2009. 1.15 The document raises many key issues, some of which are complex. Whilst this document tries to keep matters as simple as possible there may still be issues that need clarification. If that is the case please contact us: • By Post: South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy Office, Orchard House, Farrier Street, Worcester, WR1 3BB; • By Telephone: South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy Office - Telephone hotline 01905 722233 • By Email [email protected] 4 5 2. CHARACTERISTICS AND CHALLENGES FACING SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE 2.1 South Worcestershire covers the largely 2.4 The area has a reputation of being a rural districts of Malvern Hills and Wychavon, and desirable place to live, work and visit, based on the predominantly urban area of Worcester City. a number of factors including its high quality Outside the cathedral and university city of environment. As a consequence of its environment, Worcester, there are six main towns: Malvern, location, and transport links it is the focus of Droitwich Spa, Evesham, Tenbury Wells, development pressure and significant levels of Upton-upon-Severn and Pershore. Each of these in-migration from the rest of the UK. The challenge towns has a rich history exemplified by a wide is to develop a spatial planning approach which range of historic buildings and settlement patterns. ensures the most efficient use of land. This can be The remainder of the rural landscape consists of achieved by balancing social, environmental a combination of fields, orchards, woodlands, pressures and economic growth within the context meadows and rivers - primarily the Severn, Avon, of high quality design and sustainable development. and Teme - and over 200 villages, all with their own identity. There are two Areas of Outstanding 2.5 South Worcestershire has a close relationship Natural Beauty: the Cotswolds (that includes Bredon with the West Midlands conurbation and the Hill) to the east and Malvern Hills to the west. remainder of Worcestershire. In particular the The combined population is approximately 283,600 town of Droitwich Spa has a strategic role with (ONS mid 2006 estimate). its position close to the M5 and its good rail connections to Birmingham. This has led to 2.2 The M5 runs the full length of the area significant recent growth. The Joint Core Strategy north to south, providing good connections to the has to address the difficult issue of meeting the West Midlands and the South West.