REDEPOSIT VERSION of LOCAL PLAN.Doc 314
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APPENDIX 5 Foreword This Re-Deposit Draft Local Plan marks a step change in the delivery of Planning Policies for the District of West Lancashire. Planning in Britain is undergoing fundamental changes at national, regional and local levels. West Lancashire is one of the first Districts nationally to produce a Draft Local Plan incorporating the new principles that are emerging. This Plan is very much written in the style of the new Local Development Frameworks that will be required in coming months. The Re-Deposit Draft version of this Plan is extremely important for the future of the District. We have included many of the comments and ideas emerging from the Issues consultation in late 2001 and early 2002. The community's views are therefore very important and I would encourage everybody to consider the Draft Plan's contents and participate in the consultation exercise. Clearly, we cannot incorporate everybody's views working within national, regional and sub-regional policy but we will carefully consider each and every response. This document has only been made possible through the hard work of Council Officers, under the direction of Steve Byron, Executive Manager Planning and Development Services. I would also like to thank all Members of the Council involved in formulating this Draft Plan particularly the work of the Local Plan Commission. If you require any assistance or further information please do not hesitate to contact the Planning Policy Team who will be pleased to help and whose details are provided on the next page. Councillor Ian Grant Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning Policy, Contacts Contact and Position Direct Line and Email Address Peter Bradford 01695 585166 Planning Policy Manager [email protected] Ian Gill 01695 585192 Assistant Planning Policy [email protected] Manager Jonathan Noad 01695 585194 Principal Planning Officer [email protected] Paul Hatch 01695 585284 Senior Planning Officer [email protected] Janine Argent Trainee Planning Assistant Contact Centre: 01695 577177 Out of Hours Answer phone: 01695 585284 Email: [email protected] Website: www.westlancsdc.gov.uk/localplan Planning and Development Services West Lancashire District Council PO Box 16 Address: 52 Derby Street Ormskirk Lancashire L39 2DF West Lancashire Replacement Local Plan Written Statement Deposit Draft April 2004 Contents Foreword Contacts Chapter 1: Purpose of the Local Plan Format of the Local Plan Planning Context Your Chance to Comment Relationship to Other Development Plans Other Relevant Strategies and Plans Part 1 - Core Strategy Chapter 2: Development Strategy Policies A Vision for West Lancashire DS1 Location of Development DS2 Protecting the Green Belt DS3 Safeguarded Land DS4 Open Land on the Urban Fringe Chapter 3: General Development Policies GD1 Design of Development GD2 Developer Contributions to Infrastructure GD3 Development of Contaminated Land Part 2 - Policies and Proposals Chapter 4: Policies for Protecting the Environment EN1 Biodiversity EN2 Protection of Agricultural Land EN3 Coastal Zone EN4 Conservation Areas EN5 Buildings of Historic Importance EN6 Archaeological Heritage EN7 Protection of Historic Parks and Gardens EN8 Green Spaces EN9 Protection of Trees and Woodlands EN10 Flood Risk EN11 Protection of Groundwater Resources Chapter 5: Development & Economy Policies DE1 Residential Development DE2 Whalleys, Skelmersdale DE3 Affordable Housing Development DE4 Caravan Sites for Gypsies and Travelling Show People DE5 Employment Development DE6 The Rural Economy DE7 Agricultural Produce Packing Facilities DE8 Temporary Accommodation for Seasonal Agricultural/Horticultural Workers DE9 Removal of Agricultural Workers Dwelling Conditions DE10 Retail and Other Town Centre Development DE11 Skelmersdale Town Centre DE12 Ormskirk Town Centre DE13 Business and Office Development DE14 Development Opportunity Sites DE15 Tourism Development DE16 Advertisements Chapter 6: Social & Community Policies SC1 Sports, Recreational, Leisure and Cultural Facilities SC2 Proposed Informal Recreation Facilities SC3 Linear Parks SC4 Educational Facilities SC5 Health Facilities SC6 Roads SC7 Public Transport SC8 Cycling and Walking Facilities SC9 Infrastructure, Services and Utilities SC10 Telecommunications SC11 Renewable Energy SC12 Cemeteries and Crematoria Part 3 - Appendices and Action Plans Appendix A: Monitoring and Targets Back to top Chapter 1: Introduction West Lancashire 2001 - 2016 Purpose of the Local Plan 1.1 Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004) West Lancashire District Council is required to produce and maintain an up to date District Wide Development Plan. The Plan will direct and control development within West Lancashire between the years of 2001 and 2016. This document provides a version of the Plan which is produced specifically for public consultation. The document is put out to consultation (placed on deposit) for a statutory period of six weeks during which time people are welcome to comment on its contents. Format of the Local Plan 1.2 Over the past two years there have been wide ranging changes proposed to the Planning system with significant effects on Development Plans. Current Structure Plans, Local Plans, and Unitary Development Plans are to be abolished and replaced by a single tier Local Development Framework (LDF). Guidance on the format of the new LDFs is only emerging as we produce this replacement Local Plan. This replacement Local Plan has been prepared along the lines of what is proposed for the new LDFs. There has been a clear aim in the production of this Plan to reduce the number of policies and make the Plan more succinct and user friendly. 1.3 The Plan is divided into three key sections taking on board the principles of Local Development Frameworks. Part One the "Core Strategy" provides the overall vision for the Plan based on Regional Planning Guidance, the emerging Lancashire Structure Plan and other key documents such as the West Lancashire Community Strategy. This provides the Plan's aims and objectives and will guide all development in the District. Part Two provides the detailed "Policies and Proposals" which deal with specific forms and types of development as well as allocating land for certain types of development such as housing or employment uses. NB. The policies in the Plan are not mutually exclusive and any planning application will be judged against all relevant policies. Finally, Part Three contains background information in more detail in the form of Appendices, including targets. Planning Context 1.4 West Lancashire is the southern most District of the County of Lancashire bordering the conurbations of Greater Manchester and Merseyside. The population of the District in 1991 was 107,978. This rose slightly to 108,377 by 2001. Approximately one third of the population lives in Skelmersdale (2001 population 34,550) but the District also contains the towns of Ormskirk/Aughton (2001 population 26,785 includes Downholland and Great Altcar) and Burscough (2001 population 8,668) as well as many villages. The District covers an area of 34,688 hectares containing a large proportion of the best and most versatile agricultural land.1a Lancashire. It is bordered by the Ribble Estuary to the north and the Borough of Sefton to the west. The Metropolitan Boroughs of Knowsley and St. Helens lie to the south with Wigan, Chorley and South Ribble to the east. 1.5 This Plan is based upon two important strategic planning documents for the area. These are the Regional Planning Guidance for the North West and the Deposit Draft Lancashire Structure Plan. Both documents' strategies aim to strongly resist the past trend of people moving out of the Greater Manchester and Merseyside Metropolitan Areas into Lancashire. 1.6 The regional context for the Plan is contained in Regional Planning Guidance for the North West (RPG) published in March 2003. The overriding aim is to promote sustainable patterns of development and physical change. The Spatial Development Framework of the RPG focuses new development and urban renaissance resources in the North West Metropolitan Area stretching from Merseyside to Greater Manchester and including Skelmersdale but excluding the rest of West Lancashire. 1.7 At the sub-regional level the Lancashire Structure Plan 2001-2016 provides the context for the Local Plan. This Structure Plan provides strategic guidance for the years up to 2016. The Local Plan must conform to the Structure Plan which seeks to restrain development in most parts of West Lancashire apart from the main settlements where varying levels of development will be allowed. Skelmersdale is identified as a regeneration priority area where development should be provided at a level which would support it's role as a key centre for public transport, employment and services as well as supporting regeneration of the town. Ormskirk and Burscough are identified as market towns where development should be allowed to support and enhance their roles as service centres and public transport hubs for the surrounding villages and rural areas. Your Chance to Comment 1.8 The Council put a great amount of effort into involving all interested people and organisations in the discussion of the issues which need to be taken into account in the preparation of the development framework for the District. A Statement of Community Involvement has been prepared and accompanies this Plan. This details the standards we have set ourselves for consultation. 1.9 The policies in this Plan set out how the Council believes the vision will be achieved over the next decade or so. They have been formulated to follow Government Guidance, Regional Planning Guidance for the North West, and the Deposit Draft Lancashire Structure Plan. The Plan at this stage is in draft form to enable everyone to make their views known before it is finally adopted. You are invited to submit your comments on the forms provided to the Planning Policy Section of West Lancashire District Council before 5pm on Thursday 24th February 2004.