Technical Note

To District Council Cc Steven Bishop, Simon Davies From Fiona Jenkins, Ed Robinson Date 5 December 2017 Project Sedgemoor 2050 Transport Investment Project No. 23165801 Strategy

Overview of policy context: planning, supporting and delivering growth in Sedgemoor Introduction 1. Steer Davies Gleave has been commissioned by Sedgemoor District Council to support the Council in the development of a transport investment strategy which goes beyond the current Local Plan period (to 2032) and up to 2050. 2. The study is currently in its initial stages. The purpose of this technical note is to present a summary of the policy context in which the transport strategy is being developed, including a summary of the spatial, economic and political changes planned or currently in effect. The note is structured as follows:  National policy context  Sub-national policy context  Local policy context  Key themes: PESTLE analysis National policy context National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), 2012) 3. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Government’s planning policies for and how these should be applied. It is centred around a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which is to be seen as a “golden thread” that runs through plan-making and decision- taking. 4. The NPPF emphasises that the transport system needs to be balanced in favour of sustainable transport modes (defined as “any efficient, safe and accessible means of transport with overall low impact on the environment, including walking and cycling, low and ultra low emission vehicles, car sharing and public transport1”), while at the same time recognising that opportunities to maximise sustainable transport solutions will vary from urban to rural areas. 5. The NPFF identifies the requirement to consider how the travel and transport impact of significant new development can be mitigated and minimised.

1 National Planning Policy Framework, Annex 2, page 57, Department for Communities and Local Government, March 2012 London | 28-32 Upper Ground London SE1 9PD 1 of 25 [email protected] | +44 20 7910 5000 www.steerdaviesgleave.com

“Plans and decisions should ensure developments that generate significant movement are located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes can be maximised. However this needs to take account of policies set out elsewhere [in the NPPF], particularly in rural areas.” (NPPF, Section 4, Paragraph 34)

6. The NPPF also recognises the role of planning in contributing to building a strong, responsive and competitive economy by identifying and co-ordinating development requirements, including the provision of infrastructure. ‘Fixing our Broken Housing Market’, Housing White Paper (DCLG, 2017) 7. At the core of the Housing White Paper, published by the Department for Communities and Local Government in 2017, is an understanding that the housing market is fundamentally ‘broken’, and that real progress is required on the supply and affordability of housing. 8. The White Paper outlines a series of proposals that the Government, local authorities, private developers and others will lead in order to increase the supply of homes in the short term, and to tackle some of the inherent challenges in the housing market in the longer term. The proposals are organised into four objectives or ‘steps’.  Step 1: Planning for the right homes in the right places. This step includes proposals to:  ensure that all local authorities have a ‘sufficiently ambitious’ plan for housing development;  simplify the plan-making process;  ensure that plans start from an ‘honest assessment’ of housing need (with all authorities using a standardised approach), and that local authorities co-operate and collaborate on plans and decisions;  maintain existing protections for the Green Belt and allow amendment of the Green Belt boundaries only in exceptional circumstances;  encourage and strengthen neighbourhood planning and design processes;  encourage higher densities of development; and  review space standards for new homes.  Step 2: Building homes faster. This step includes proposals to:  change the way in which land supply for housing is assessed;  ensure infrastructure is delivered in time to support new housing developments through the Housing Infrastructure Fund;  support developers in delivering new homes more quickly by addressing ‘unnecessary delays caused by planning conditions’ (for example, by ensuring that ‘pre-commencement conditions’ can only be used with the agreement of the applicant);  explore a new approach to how developers contribute to infrastructure (review the CIL and Section 106 system);  give local authorities more powers to ensure developments do not stall, and are started and completed on time; and  drive delivery schedules with local authorities by introducing a ‘housing delivery test’, which, if implemented, would mean that local authorities would be required to produce action plans, identify further land for housing and/or automatically approve sustainable developments, depending on the extent to which the delivery target has been missed.

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 Step 3: Diversifying the market. The proposals put forward include:  helping small and medium-sized builders to grow;  supporting housing associations and local authorities to build more homes; and  boosting productivity and innovation by encouraging modern methods of construction in house building.  Step 4: Helping people now. This step includes proposals to:  continue the Help to Buy and Smarter Homes initiatives;  make renting fairer to tenants; and  support areas most affected by second homes, including a potential change to the NPPF to ‘give much stronger support for sites that provide affordable homes for local people’. Proposed changes to the Local Housing Need methodology (DCLG, 2017) 9. The Housing White Paper, published in February 2017, contained a proposal to review the way in which local housing need is calculated, ensuring a consistent and transparent approach across all local authorities. 10. In September 2017 the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government published proposals to amend the method of calculation for assessments of housing need, to have one standardised system applied across local authorities. The method proposed is a three-stage approach:  The baseline would be the annual average from the Office for National Statistics’ projection of household growth over a 10-year period.  This would be multiplied by a calculation on affordability: areas where the median house price is more than four times the median income would have a greater multiplier.  There would be a cap of no more than 40% more than the housing need assessment calculated for the purpose of the area’s Local Plan, if the Local Plan was adopted within the last five years. 11. Were this revised method to be adopted, the number of dwellings per annum until 2026 required to be built in Sedgemoor would be 744, up from the 644 proposed by the latest Strategic Housing Market Assessment and almost 150% of the 505 proposed in the 2011 Local Plan. 12. DCLG hopes this new calculation method will be adopted in the National Planning Policy Framework revision scheduled for Spring 2018, subject to the conclusion of the consultation process. Industrial Strategy: Building a Britain fit for the future, White Paper (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, 2017) 13. The Government’s Industrial Strategy White Paper was published in November 2017 and it outlines the Government’s plans for creating ‘an economy that boosts productivity and earning power throughout the UK.’ 14. The White Paper identifies five ‘foundations of productivity’ upon which the plans to transform the economy will be built. These are:  Ideas: the world’s most innovative economy.  People: good jobs and greater earning power for all.  Infrastructure: a major upgrade to the UK’s infrastructure.  Business environment: the best place to start and grow a business.  Places: prosperous communities across the UK.

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15. The White Paper also sets out ‘Grand Challenges’ which the UK should seek to meet and / or address in order to ‘put the at the forefront of the industries of the future’.  AI and Data Economy: putting the UK at the forefront of the artificial intelligence and data revolution.  Future of Mobility: being a world leader in shaping the power of mobility.  Clean Growth: maximising the advantages for UK industry from the global shift to clean growth.  Ageing Society: harnessing the power of innovation to help meet the needs of an ageing society. 16. Key policies announced in the Industrial Strategy White Paper include:  Raising total research and development investment to 2.4 per cent of GDP by 2027.  Investing an additional £406m in maths, digital and technical education, helping to address the shortage of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills.  Creating a new National Retraining Scheme that supports people to re-skill, beginning with a £64m investment for digital and construction training.  Increasing the National Productivity Investment Fund to £31bn, supporting investments in transport, housing and digital infrastructure.  Supporting electric vehicles through £400m charging infrastructure investment and an extra £100m to extend the plug-in car grant.  Boosting digital infrastructure with more than £1bn of public investment, including money for 5G and the roll out of full-fibre networks.  Launching and rolling-out Sector Deals – partnerships between government and industry aiming to increase sector productivity. The first Sector Deals are in life sciences, construction, artificial intelligence and the automotive sector.  Launching a review of actions to improve the productivity and growth of small and medium-sized businesses.  Agreeing Local Industrial Strategies that build on local strengths and deliver on economic opportunities. 17. Consistent with the Industrial Strategy Green Paper published in January 2017, the White Paper does not suggest or present a top-down strategy. It advocates for sectoral and local economy-led plans and actions that will drive innovation and improve productivity. 18. A Nuclear Sector Deal would clearly be of relevance and of interest to Sedgemoor District Council and partners given the proximity of Hinkley Point C and the Energy Park proposals. It is stated that the nuclear sector is in ‘advanced discussions’ with the government on a range of proposals to increase competitiveness and achieve greater value at national and regional levels. A Nuclear Sector Deal would focus on how cost reductions can be achieved across the UK’s nuclear new build and decommissioning programmes, with the aim of helping deliver a diverse workforce, supporting a potential 100,000 jobs in Cumbria, north Wales, Essex, Suffolk and .

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19. Like City, Growth and Devolution Deals, which give powers to a region to help support economic growth and deliver projects to facilitate growth, Local Industrial Strategies will be locally-led initiatives, principally driven through Local Enterprise Partnerships. Local Industrial Strategies will be long-term and will identify local strengths and challenges, future opportunities and actions needed to increase productivity. Actions could include addressing skills issues or improving infrastructure. It is noted that the first Local Industrial Strategies will be agreed by March 2019, and that the government will prioritise areas with the ‘potential to drive regional growth, focusing on clusters of expertise and centres of economic activity’. In the case of Sedgemoor District Council, if a Local Industrial Strategy was required, this would be developed by the Local Enterprise Partnership (Heart of South West Local Enterprise Partnership). Road Investment Strategy (RIS) 1 2015-2020 (Department for Transport (DfT), 2015) 20. Funding for the Strategic Road Network (SRN) is now determined every five years via a Road Investment Strategy (RIS), which is set by the Secretary of State for Transport. In 2015 the Department for Transport (DfT) published the first RIS for the 2015/16 – 2019/20 period. Subsequent RIS documents will be developed and implemented by Highways England, the government-owned strategic highways company created in 2015. 21. The RIS identifies the programme of investment on the SRN across England’s regions, which is over £15 billion between 2015-2020. There are six SRN regions, and Sedgemoor is located in the South West region. The South West Investment Plan announced five new projects on the SRN in the South West, one of which is in Sedgemoor. The ‘M5 junction’ scheme involves improvement of junction 23 through enhanced slip roads and more capacity on the junction itself; although originally planned for RIS 1, it has been delayed and will now start in 2021 or after. 22. The RIS represents a long-term, strategic planning approach for the SRN. It sets out the aspiration to transform the SRN by 2040, with a network that is smoother, smarter and sustainable, as shown in Table 1.

Table 1: Aspirations for transforming the SRN by 2040

Smoother  The number of people killed or seriously injured on the SRN approaching zero.  More users, more happy with more journeys, leading to road user satisfaction levels of 95%.  A free-flow core network, with mile-a-minute speeds increasingly typical. Smarter  A network that enhances the UK’s global competitiveness, and is recognised as one of the top 10 global road networks by business.  A step change in efficiency, with roads projects and maintenance delivered 30%-50% cheaper than today. Sustainable  A better neighbour to communities, with over 90% fewer people impacted by noise from the SRN.  Zero breaches of air quality regulations and major reductions in carbon emissions across the network.  Improved environmental outcomes, including a net gain in biodiversity from the Company’s [Highways England’s] activities.

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The Road to Growth: our strategic economic growth plan (Highways England, 2017) 23. ‘The Road to Growth’ is Highways England’s (HE’s) plan for optimising the economic impact of the Strategic Road Network (SRN), and the findings and recommendations outlined in this plan will inform the development of the next Road Investment Strategy (RIS2). 24. HE identifies four strategic economic roles that it fulfils: 1. Supporting business productivity and competitiveness, and enabling the performance of SRN-reliant sectors. 2. Providing efficient routes to global markets through international gateways. 3. Stimulating and supporting the sustainable development of homes and employment spaces. 4. Providing employment, skills and business opportunities within our sector. 25. HE commits to embedding an economic awareness in its planning and day-to-day activities. In practical terms, this will include:  extended and strengthened engagement with businesses in sectors that are heavily reliant on the SRN (e.g. logistics, manufacturing);  being a ‘proactive planning partner’ to local authorities and developers, helping them identify the most suitable sustainable locations for new homes and business;  more collaborative working with DCLG and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to understand the role of the SRN and investment in the SRN in accelerating the sustainable delivery of housing and employment development sites (through the Growth and Housing Fund); and  continued engagement with sub-national and regional transport bodies, LEPs and others to understand the role of the SRN and investment in the SRN in economic performance and productivity. Connecting people: a strategic vision for rail (DfT, 2017) 26. The ‘Connecting people’ report outlines the government’s vision for the UK rail industry. The vision is organised into five themes, with proposals and commitments under each: 1. A more reliable railway 2. An expanded network 3. A better deal for passengers 4. A modern workforce 5. A productive and innovative sector 27. The proposals and commitments of greatest significance and relevance to the Sedgemoor context are:  Better co-ordination and joint-working between Network Rail and the Train Operating Company (TOC), referred to as ‘joining up track and train’, in order to improve performance and reliability, and to enhance the customer experience.  The opportunity to develop proposals for ‘the next generation of schemes’ – the opportunity to suggest new routes and an expanded network where there is a sound and compelling case regarding the unlocking of significant housing or economic development regionally.

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 The announcement of the beginning of public consultation on future arrangements and priorities for the next franchise period, which will begin in 2020. One of the key questions asked in the consultation is whether Great Western should be retained as a single franchise, or whether it should be split into two or more smaller franchises. One option for a franchise split is that one franchise covers inter-city markets between London and Bristol, South Wales and the Cotswolds, and another provides mostly regional and local services across the central and south-western parts of the franchise area. Under this split arrangement, rail services to Bridgwater and Highbridge & Burnham would be operated by the regional and local services franchisee. One of the potential advantages of moving to two or more smaller franchises is the potential for smaller franchises to give more attention and tailor services to the needs and wants of local markets. National Infrastructure Delivery Plan, 2016-2021 (HM Treasury, Infrastructure and Projects Authority, 2016) 28. The National Infrastructure Delivery Plan joins together Government’s priorities and plans for economic infrastructure over the next five years with those to support delivery of housing and social infrastructure. The announcements in 2016 on infrastructure relevant to Sedgemoor were as follows:  Roads Investment Strategy 2: the Government is launching the process for setting the Second Roads Investment Strategy, to determine the road investment plans for the period from 2020-21 to 2024- 25.  Highways England Innovation Strategy: the Government and Highways England will:  Carry-out trials of driverless cars on the Strategic Road Network by 2017  Launch a consultation on reducing regulatory barriers to innovation in summer 2016;  Trial truck-platooning on strategic roads  Start trials of comparative fuel price signs on the M5 between Bristol and Exeter by spring 2016  Small Modular Reactors: the Government is launching the first stage of a competition to identify a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) to be built in the UK, and will publish an SMR delivery roadmap. It will allocate at least £30 million of funding for R&D in advanced nuclear manufacturing.  Flood defence package: flood defence and resilience funding will be increased by more than £700 million by 2020-21. Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (DfT, 2017) 29. In April 2017 the Department for Transport (DfT) published the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. The strategy outlines Government’s ambition to make cycling and walking a natural choice for shorter journeys, or as part of longer journeys by 2040. 30. It sets out a long-term ambition to deliver better safety, better mobility and better streets by 2040.

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Table 2: Cycling and walking investment strategy ambition

BETTER SAFETY: A safe and reliable way to travel for short journeys  Streets where cyclists and walkers feel they belong, and are safe  Better connected communities  Safer traffic speeds, with lower speed limits where appropriate to the local area  Cycle training opportunities for all children BETTER MOBILITY: More people walking and cycling – easy, normal and enjoyable  More high quality cycling facilities  More urban areas that are considered walkable  Rural roads which provide improved safety for walking and cycling  More networks of routes around public transport hubs and town centres, with safe paths along busy roads  Better links to schools and workplaces  Technological innovations that can promote more and safer walking and cycling  Behaviour change opportunities to support increased walking and cycling  Better integrated routes for those with disabilities or health conditions BETTER STREETS: Places that have cycling and walking at their heart  Places designed for people of all abilities and ages so they can choose to walk or cycle with ease  Improved public realm  Better planning for walking and cycling  More community-based activities such as led rides and play streets where local places want them  A wider green network of paths, routes and open spaces

31. The strategy also includes two aims and one target, to 2025:  Aim to double cycling, where cycling activity is measured as the estimated total number of cycle stages made each year, from 0.8 billion stages in 2013 to 1.6 billion stages in 2025, and work towards developing the evidence base over the next year.  Aim to increase walking activity, where walking activity is measured as the total number of walking stages per person per year, to 300 stages per person per year in 2025, and work towards developing the evidence base over the next year.  Increase the percentage of children aged 5 to 10 that usually walk to school from 49% in 2014 to 55% in 2025. 32. At the same time as the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy was published, DfT announced that local authorities would be able to access support to prepare a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). The intention of LCWIPs is to help local authorities identify cycling and walking infrastructure improvements for future investment in the short, medium and long term; ensure that consideration is given to cycling and walking within both local planning and transport policies and strategies; and make the case for future funding for walking and cycling infrastructure. The preparation of an LCWIP by a local authority is not mandatory, but local authorities with plans will be “well placed to make the case for future investment”. intend to develop an LCWIP for Bridgwater in 2018. Bus Services Bill, 2017 33. In April 2017 the Bus Services Act 2017 received Royal Assent, making the Bus Services Bill an Act of Parliament. The main points of the Bus Services Bill are:  to strengthen arrangements for partnership working, introducing ‘enhanced partnerships’;  to introduce new franchising powers with decision making at a local level; and  to radically improve information available to bus passengers.

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Sub-national policy context Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership and Growth Deal 34. Sedgemoor District Council operates in a national political context of devolution of powers: since 2011, a key element of central government policy has been to devolve powers to local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). Sedgemoor is in the north of the Heart of the South West LEP, which includes the administrative areas of Plymouth, Torbay, Somerset and Devon, and the area’s District Councils. 35. In 2014, the coalition Government agreed a series of Growth Deals which brought together funding for housing, infrastructure and economic development. The funding deals are devolved from central government into the hands of local authorities, businesses and education institutions with the intention of facilitating transport improvements to unlock and / or accelerate local economic growth. The Growth Deals build on the previous coalition Government’s plan of building a stronger economy and a more balanced society. 36. The Growth Deal agreed with the Heart of the South West LEP is focused on three key priority areas as identified in the LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan:  enhancing transport connectivity across the area;  building on Hinkley C opportunities; and  maximising productivity, innovation and employment. 37. The Heart of the South West LEP originally secured £130.3m from the Government’s Local Growth Fund to support economic growth in the area, with £49.2m of new funding confirmed for 2015/16 and £42.8m for 2016/17 to 2021 (Growth Deal 1, 2014). The LEP has committed to creating at least 13,000 jobs and allowing 8,000 homes to be built by 2021. 38. Awards from the third round of the Growth Deal were announced in February 2017. The Heart of the South West LEP was awarded a further £43.6m, of which £16.9m is allocated for projects in Somerset, including the following in Sedgemoor:  Phase 3 of the Somerset Innovation Centre in Bridgwater – 2,000 sqm of office, meeting and additional collaborative innovation work space (also allocated funding in Growth Deal 1 and 2).  Connecting Devon and Somerset Phase 2 – superfast broadband targeting premises within the ‘final 5%’ not currently served or likely to get served via the private sector, over the next four years. This will increase superfast coverage in the LEP area to 100% by 2020.  Huntspill Energy Park in Bridgwater – new highway link to major brownfield employment site which has consent for 91 hectares of mixed employment and energy generation uses.

Devolution aspiration 39. The Heart of the South West Partnership (HotSW, comprising all of the Councils in Devon and Somerset, along with the Local Enterprise Partnership, two National Park Authorities and three Clinical Commissioning Groups) has an aspiration to form a Combined Authority without a mayor. HotSW submitted a Statement of Intent to Government in September 2015 to achieve Combined Authority status, though full public consultation on any proposal is required before an Order can be made in Parliament to establish the authority.

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Heart of the South West Partnership Productivity Strategy – for discussion and consultation (Heart of the South West Partnership, 2017) 40. A draft Productivity Strategy for the Heart of the Southwest has been published for public consultation. The strategy sets out the ambition to double the area’s annual economy from almost £35 billion to £70 million by 2036, and identifies a high-level outline of how productivity will be raised. Following conclusion of the public consultation exercise on the draft Productivity Strategy, the Productivity Strategy will be finalised and published, and a Delivery Plan will be produced. The Delivery Plan will provide detail as to the actions that will be taken forward, and who is responsible for driving those, in order to realise the productivity and prosperity ambitions set out in the Productivity Strategy. 41. Productivity is a particular issue for the Heart of the South West economy as it lags behind productivity levels in the UK, which in turn lag behind other G7 countries including , the US, France and . 42. The draft Productivity Strategy identifies five ‘golden opportunities’ which provide a ‘springboard for productivity growth’ in those sectors, supply chains for those sectors and across the area. For Sedgemoor, nuclear and rural productivity are recognised as ‘golden opportunities’. 43. There are four cross-cutting principles outlined that will help to guide the identification and implementation of actions to drive productivity. These are:  Inclusive growth for all our communities and places.  Building on our golden opportunities.  Valuing our natural capital.  Maximising the potential from digital technologies. 44. There are three strategic objectives: connectivity and infrastructure; leadership and knowledge; and working and learning. Actions will be aligned to those strategic objectives in the associated Delivery Plan, but there is some definition of action themes at this stage – the draft Productivity Strategy identifies a series of opportunities and assets that have to be maximised in order to meet the strategic objectives. Those of particular relevance to Sedgemoor are:  Maximise opportunities from areas of world-class potential: nuclear, aerospace and advanced engineering, marine, data analytics, rural productivity, health and care.  Maximise the potential of communications infrastructure: ensuring that our road, rail and broadband networks are as resilient and efficient as possible and ready for future demands  Maximise the opportunity provided by the area’s natural capital: preserving and enhancing what makes the HotSW a special place to live and work and finding new ways to create value from those natural assets. Greater Connected: Transforming Strategic Connectivity in (Heart of the South West LEP, 2014) 45. Produced by the Heart of the South West LEP, this document is designed to encourage the Government to invest more in key connectivity infrastructure within the LEP: road, rail and broadband. It asks the Government to commit to:  East / West and North / South trunk roads fit for a 21st century economy;  a new holistic approach to rail transport resilience and quality of product; and  the extension of electrification from the Midlands and London into the South West.

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Western Route Study (Network Rail, 2015) 46. The Western Route Study is one aspect of Network Rail’s Long Term Planning Process (LTPP), which seeks to define the future capacity and capability requirements of the railway over the next 30 years. The planning horizon for the LTPP is from 2013 to 2043, and the Western Route Study sets out the strategy for the ‘Western Route’, which includes the Great Western Main Line (GWML) and associated radial, branch and freight lines. Bridgwater and Highbridge & Burnham rail stations are included in the Western Route and considered as part of the ‘Greater Bristol area’ for planning purposes. 47. The Western Route Study outlines a strategy for Control Period 6 (CP6), the plan for spending on rail improvements between 2019-2024, and sets out the longer-term choices. For the Greater Bristol area, including Bridgwater and Highbridge & Burnham, the constraints, CP6 choices and longer-term choices are as shown in Table 3.

Table 3: Constraints, CP6 choices and longer-term choices for the Greater Bristol area

Constraints  Bristol Temple Meads capacity  Bristol East Junction CP6 choices  Bristol East Junction  Bristol Temple Meads station capacity improvements  Review Bath Spa station capacity impacts  Review demand impact from MetroWest Longer-term choices  Trade-offs between journey time, service frequency and performance  Capacity enhancements between Westerleigh Junction and Stoke Gifford Junction

Closing the gap; the South West Peninsula strategic rail blueprint (Peninsula Rail Task Force (PRTF), 2016) 48. The Peninsula Rail Task Force’s (PRTF’s) is a partnership of local authorities, LEPs and stakeholders with a remit to develop and seek funding for a strategic plan for the rail network in the south west. The PRTF has three headline priorities for the South West Peninsula network:  to improve the resilience and reliability of the rail network;  to deliver reduced journey times and improvements to connectivity; and  to increase capacity across the rail network. 49. The projects and ‘key asks’ of relevance to Sedgemoor residents are:  completion of flood resilience works at Cowley Bridge, and Hele & Bradninch – a ‘key ask’ up to 2019;  a ‘key ask’ for Government to invest in a detailed study into economic and service capacity options between Exeter and Bristol to inform future rail industry investment programmes and franchise specifications; and  resignalling and speed enhancements between Bridgwater and Bristol – between 2019 and 2024. 50. Sedgemoor District Council actively supports Somerset County Council in continuing to seek the rail capacity and connectivity improvements at Bridgwater that are set out in the PRTF strategy.

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Somerset’s Future Transport Plan (Somerset County Council, 2011) 51. Somerset’s Future Transport Plan outlines the key transport objectives for the residents of the county that the County Council support. These are: community and partnership involvement; smarter choices; school travel; road safety; active travel, and access to healthcare. The County Council will help by providing rights of way, considering the potential impacts of electric vehicles, ensuring sustainable development, promoting the use of ICT to reduce the need to travel, improving parking facilities, helping hauliers choose the most appropriate routes, and maintaining the network to the best of their ability. Local policy context Sedgemoor Proposed Submission Local Plan (Sedgemoor District Council, 2017) 52. This document sets out the future policy agenda for the development of Sedgemoor until 2032. It is expected to be adopted in 2018, superseding all pre-existing policies in the Council’s Core Strategy 2011- 2027.

The spatial strategy 53. The spatial vision for Sedgemoor is set out in the Proposed Submission Local Plan and the vision statement is replicated here.

“By 2032 Sedgemoor will have progressed towards becoming a truly sustainable community consisting of a revitalised Bridgwater that acts as the focal point for the District, supported by thriving and prosperous towns and rural settlements where local people can access affordable housing, local employment, and community services. This will be complemented by a living and working countryside that contributes to the overall prosperity and well-being of the District and conserves and enhances its natural beauty. Where growth has occurred, essential infrastructure will have been delivered at the right time and right place to support this.”

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54. The latest Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA2) for Sedgemoor District identified an overall housing need for 13,530 new dwellings over the Local Plan period (2011-2032), which equates to 644 per annum (see Department for Communities and Local Government: Local Housing Need above). Three- quarters of the District’s housing growth is envisaged in Sedgemoor’s towns, with Bridgwater accommodating approximately 60% of overall housing growth within the plan period, and Burnham-on- Sea and Highbridge accommodating 15%. The number of new homes to be delivered and the proportion of the total growth delivered is shown by Sedgemoor’s settlement categories in Table 4.

Table 4: Proposed housing sites identified in Proposed Submission Local Plan

Percentage of No. of homes housing growth accommodated Settlement category accommodated in in Local Plan Local Plan period period Principal Town: Bridgwater 60% 8,118 Market Towns: Burnham-on-Sea & Highbridge 15% 2,030 Cheddar 5% 662 Tier 1 2% 285 Tier 2 6% 816 , Cannington, , , , Tier 3 , Berrow, , , Combwich, & Rooksbridge, East 7% 947 Huntspill, Edington, , Mark, , , , , , , Tier 4 , Blackford, , , Chilton, Polden, Cossington, North 3% 396 Newton, , Shapwick, Weare / Lower Weare Tier 5 and Countryside , Biddisham, , Chapel Allerton, , , Downend, Edithmead, Enmore, , , , Lyng, 2% 276 , Stawell, , Stone Allerton, Theale, , Watchfield Total 100% 13,530

2 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) placed a clear obligation on local planning authorities to objectively assess the need for new housing in their area. 13 of 25

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55. Taking into account completions since the beginning of the Local Plan period (2011-2015), the residual requirement for houses remaining from 2015-2032 is 6,850 dwellings, distributed between the different settlements and settlement categories as shown in Table 5.

Table 5: Residual requirements for housing 2015-2032

Housing Commitments Residual Completions Settlement category requirement as of 1st April requirement 2011-2015 2011-2032 2015 2015-2032 Principal Town: Bridgwater 8,118 1,523 2,875 3,720 Market Towns: Burnham-on-Sea & Highbridge 2,030 262 918 850 Cheddar 662 126 21 515 Tier 1 North Petherton 285 23 5 257 Tier 2 Axbridge, Cannington, Nether Stowey, Puriton, Wedmore, 816 73 167 576 Woolavington Tier 3 Ashcott, Berrow, Brean, Brent Knoll, Combwich, East Brent & Rooksbridge, , Edington, Lympsham, Mark, 947 141 157 649 Middlezoy, Pawlett, Shipham, Spaxton, Wembdon, West Huntspill, Westonzoyland Tier 4 Bawdrip, Blackford, Catcott, Chedzoy, Chilton, Polden, 396 95 20 281 Cossington, North Newton, Othery, Shapwick, Weare / Lower Weare Tier 5 and Countryside Badgworth, Biddisham, Burtle, Chapel Allerton, Chilton Trinity, Compton Bishop, Downend, Edithmead, Enmore, 276 129 147 0 Fiddington, Goathurst, Greinton, Lyng, Moorlinch, Stawell, Stockland Bristol, Stone Allerton, Theale, Thurloxton, Watchfield Total 13,530 2,372 4,310 6,848

56. Sedgemoor’s Employment Land Review (developed by Sedgemoor District Council in collaboration with the Heart of the South West LEP and Somerset County Council) has identified a need to plan for up to 9,795 new jobs in the district up to 2032. This requires 75 hectares of B class employment land between 2011 and 2032, with a net additional need of 33 hectares. Consistent with the spatial strategy for housing, the strategy for employment growth is to focus large-scale employment growth on sites at Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, and the Tier 1 settlements (Cheddar and North Petherton).

Transport challenges, implications and infrastructure requirements 57. Three key transport challenges are highlighted in the document:  The impact of Hinkley Point C, which at its peak will be Europe’s largest construction scheme;  Seasonal long peak road congestion linked to holiday traffic, as well as increasingly acute peak-hour congestion around Bridgwater; and  The rural nature of the district and limited public transport resulting in a considerable reliance on the car. 58. Various highway improvements are listed, focussed on Bridgwater, Cheddar and North Petherton. Aside from highway improvements, an improved public transport interchange at Bridgwater Train Station and an extension of the Strawberry Line long distance Sustrans network are mentioned.

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59. Hinkley Point C is the most important Major Infrastructure Project relevant to Sedgemoor. At its peak it is expected to involve 5,600 construction workers and generate significant HGV movements, particularly on the A39 and from Cannington to the main station. When operational it will employ 900 people. The Proposed Submission Local Plan advocates for transport services associated with Hinkley to be inclusive and accessible to the community where practicable and proposals from the developer to make an appropriate positive contribution to local transport policy. 60. Other than transport, the largest threat to the district is the risk of flooding. The Council will support development proposals which contribute to reducing adverse environmental issues, or include appropriate mitigation such as tree planting along road corridors for shade, amenity and air quality. 61. Policy B17 outlines the key transport improvements prioritised for Bridgwater. It states that the reinstatement of the rail head at Huntspill Energy Park will be supported, alongside improvements to Bridgwater Train Station to facilitate an improved public transport interchange. Road improvement priorities include:  improvements between the A327 Westonzoyland Road and A39 Bath Road;  Colley Lane Southern Access Road;  Leggar link;  improvements to Cross Rifles roundabout;  improvements to the Wylds Road and The Drove junction;  improvements to the junction of The Drove and Wylds Road with Bristol Road;  improvements to Dunball roundabout; and  a new access road to Huntspill Energy Park. 62. Policy BH8 introduces the transport priorities for Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge. The following schemes will be prioritised subject to available funding:  proposals to improve pedestrian linkages between Burnham town centre and the sea front;  enhancement and improving the accessibility and use of Highbridge railway station;  proposals for additional car parking within or adjacent to Highbridge railway station;  provision of a new footpath / cycle path crossing the river Brue linking Brue Farm and Market Street; and  improvements identified in the strategic transport plan at Edithmead roundabout / J22 of the M5. 63. There is localised traffic congestion in Cheddar as a result of specific junction issues and the inherent nature of the A371 – it is narrow and goes through the centre of the village. Additional pressures come from tourist traffic visiting the gorge and local quarry traffic (some of which is delivering aggregate to the Hinkley Point C site). The following transport schemes for Cheddar will be prioritised subject to funding:  improvements to the junction of A371 / B3135 / Shipham Road;  improvements to the pedestrian footpaths and crossings on A371 Upper New Road;  improvements and extension to the Strawberry Line (a traffic-free walking and cycling route across Somerset); and  improvements and extension to existing pedestrian links. 64. At North Petherton a new junction is planned on to the A38 and a through road to Newton Road is under consideration. The through road would divert existing traffic from the current junction of Newton Road and the A38. Additional off-street parking in the centre of North Petherton will be supported.

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Sedgemoor Adopted Core Strategy (Sedgemoor District Council, 2013) 65. The Government consolidated the local planning process through the Localism Act 2011. Core Strategy documents, which previously formed a major part of the ‘Local Development Framework’, are now usually incorporated within Local Plans. 66. Sedgemoor District Council adopted their Core Strategy document for the period 2011-2027 in 2011. The current Core Strategy sets out the future policy agenda for the long-term development of Sedgemoor up to 2027. Once the Local Plan is adopted (a target adoption date of 2018 is assumed), the policies in the Local Plan (as identified above) will supersede the policies in the Core Strategy. Sedgemoor Economic Development Strategy 2015-2032 (Sedgemoor District Council, 2015) 67. The Sedgemoor Economic Development Strategy outlines the broad shape of the local economy, the District Council’s priorities and the preferred approach for the future. To achieve the right balance of economic development, Sustainable Development and Equality and Diversity are cross-cutting themes embedded within the strategy. 68. The key primary partners for Sedgemoor’s economic growth are the District Council, Somerset County Council, Parish and Town Councils, the LEP, Bridgwater College and wider training providers and the business community and its representative bodies. 69. A one-size-fits-all solution will not meet the economic needs of Sedgemoor’s diverse economy, so the strategy contains tailored interventions and approaches to meet a range of needs. These tailored interventions and approaches are presented in Table 6.

Table 6: Themes, objectives, actions and outcomes of Economic Development Strategy

Theme Objective Outcome

District’s economic priorities to feature strongly in plans of partners, and Providing economic Leadership District to be considered an exemplar of how to take forward and lead leadership and vision economic development.

Steady improvement of enterprise levels, increasing number and value of Supporting and enabling small businesses created towards national average, sustaining self- enterprise employment levels. Business Improve contribution to GVA in real terms over lifetime of strategy. Inward Competitive business investors generating additional 10% of GVA by 2030.

>55% NVQ Level 3 or above; number of local residents holding a degree Skilled people increased by 50%. People Connecting local people Reduce level of long term worklessness and benefit dependency, keeping to quality employment number of economically active and in employment above national average.

Enhance transport links, Have fit for purpose transport infrastructure, with capacity increases at road economic infrastructure junctions, enhanced rail connectivity secured or achieved and appropriate and environment broadband. High quality housing and commercial capacity increased.

Place Supporting towns, Maximised economic growth for Sedgemoor’s residents regardless of where villages and rural they live. communities

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Sedgemoor Employment Land Review (Sedgemoor District Council, 2016) 70. The Employment Land Review was undertaken to inform the production of the Local Plan, providing an overview of land availability and potential challenges to development. 71. The Review includes a recognition that market demand in Sedgemoor comes from two distinct sources: existing businesses seeking to consolidate and grow within the District and one-off external investors seeking to relocate. There is a loyal local business base; the majority of Sedgemoor firms have been in operation for over 10 years. Those who relocate are looking for improved connectivity, digital connectivity or proximity to their workforce, suppliers or customers. Inward investment is attracted by Sedgemoor’s strategic location on the M5; a strong manufacturing base and workforce; and competitive property prices. 72. A headline assessment of additional employment land likely to be required proposed between 64 and 75 hectares by 2032. Opportunities identified include sector growth, particularly in transport and logistics, manufacturing, health, retail, office and energy driven by Hinkley Point C. Challenges include utilities constraints, with co-operation between suppliers limited and with transmission capacity extremely fragmented and variable; highways constraints particularly at Bridgwater town centre, Road Bridgwater Southern Access, Junction 22 and access to Cheddar Village; and flood risks. 73. In terms of land to be allocated:  Bridgwater is relatively well served for employment land but the proposed site at J24 is well placed for bringing forward significant B8 and smaller B1 and B1 activity. Remaining growth could be accommodated at Huntspill Energy Park, Gateway and EDF’s Park and Ride locations as they become available.  Burnham and Highbridge will be able to meet its need at Isleport and the likely synergy with existing business stock makes this a pragmatic focus for forward employment land development  Cheddar will require 7.5ha which could be provided to the north east and south of the village. Bridgwater Vision (Sedgemoor District Council, 2015) 74. This document is an update of the previous Vision, published in 2009. It aims to provide a guide to development in Bridgwater for the next 45 years to 2060. The updated Vision takes account of and builds on changes which have occurred since the publication of the previous Vision, including considerable investment in the area; the successful delivery of sustainable development with new homes, jobs, schools, a hospital and state of the art community facilities; changes to central government and central government policy; changes to investment vehicles guiding and encouraging development; and changes to the Local Planning Framework. 75. The location of major Bridgwater projects is shown in Figure 1. 76. After flood risk management, improvements to transport infrastructure and the travel experience is deemed the most critical task. It is recognised that challenges around safety, accessibility, congestion and pollution can only be addressed with a strategic rather than piecemeal approach. Although highways improvements linked to Hinkley Point C’s Development Consent Order are planned, with the likely impact of Hinkley and projected future growth beyond 2032 these are unlikely to be sufficient. 77. Additionally, efforts must be made to alter perceptions of public transport, walking and cycling which are currently seen as unattractive and / or not viable, through creating high quality, inclusive pedestrian- orientated environments with easy access for all through the town centre and improving the train frequencies and bus provision between Bridgwater, Taunton and Wellington. The Vision also calls for greater understanding of the effects of demand management and pedestrianising town centres.

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78. The Vision details the aspiration to transition Bridgwater from a vehicle-orientated environment to a pedestrian friendly town. This aspiration will be delivered through:  reprioritising space and flows to provide a pedestrian friendly environment suitable for cycles and people away from historical focus on vehicles;  adopting a sympathetic approach to river corridors including active uses, street retailers and better design; and  encouraging modal shift by promoting cycling and public transport. 79. Within the Local Plan, Bridgwater has been assigned over 8,000 homes. The Vision mentions the locations and in the quantities shown in Table 7. The document also provides a timeline for major infrastructure projects. This is reproduced here as Figure 2.

Table 7: Location of additional Bridgwater homes to 2032

Site Number of homes South Bridgwater 481 North East Bridgwater 2000 Federal Mogul 126 Other Brownfield 1,700 Other Greenfield (including south of Road and Cokerhurst Farm, Wembdon) 1,200

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Figure 1: Bridgwater major projects

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Figure 2: Timeline of key infrastructure projects in Bridgwater Vision 2050

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Bridgwater, Taunton and Wellington Future Transport Strategy (Somerset County Council, 2011) 80. The Bridgwater, Taunton and Wellington Future Transport Strategy is a Somerset County Council document, produced in partnership with the District Councils covering the strategy’s reach. It is a long- term action plan to address transport issues on the A38 corridor between and including Bridgwater, Taunton and Wellington. 81. The strategy has four key objectives:  supporting the economy (which includes more public transport, walking and cycling trips to work; and easier access to the strategic road network as success measures);  strengthening communities;  protecting the environment; and  making travel safer. 82. The study tested four transport scenarios and measured each scenario’s ability to meet the key objectives. All four of the transport scenarios included measures to reduce car use, which if unmitigated would increase by 63% between 2011 and 2026. 83. Table 8 outlines each scenario and the conclusion reached in the study.

Table 8: Summary of scenarios and conclusions in Bridgwater, Taunton and Wellington Future Transport Strategy (2011)

Scenario Description Conclusion Marketing and information to Likely to have a small positive impact Smarter choices encourage more sustainable travel on objectives, particularly workplace choices. and school travel plans. Works on existing roads, bus priority No significant impact on strategy Minor highways and public transport and technological measures. objectives. Park and ride, bus priority, investment Sensible option for the future. Further Public transport and major highways in new buses, new roads and junctions. work required. Pedestrianised and restricted zones High delivery risk but would make Managing demand for travel and parking restraint. significant reductions in congestion.

84. With regard to Bridgwater specifically, the possible ways of managing demand for travel included better off street parking, park and ride sites on the edges of town, improving sustainable links to the railway station and increasing the attractiveness and viability of walking and cycling by addressing severance caused by the highway network. Other local planning policy documents

East of the A38, Bristol Road, Bridgwater, Development Brief and Design Principles (Sedgemoor District Council, 2014) 85. This Development Brief and Design Principles document relates to land to the east of the A38 Bristol Road and to the north of Union Street and the A39 Bath Road, in Bridgwater. It sets out expectations regarding access arrangements to be protected and / or enhanced during the development of and operation of the new development.

Bristol Road North, Bridgwater, Development Brief and Design Principles (Sedgemoor District Council, 2014 and 2015) 86. The land known as ‘Bristol Road North’ has been earmarked for extensive redevelopment and Sedgemoor District Council welcomes applications from developers for proposals which accommodate future employment need, specifically for those businesses that support the nuclear supply chain.

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87. The Council’s expected outcomes for this site include:  comprehensive transport solutions;  the creation of permeable networks including the creation of direct cycle paths linking the River Parrett, Bridgwater and the wider area;  infrastructure investment;  leading edge sustainable technologies; and  successful travel planning and transport management. Planned and committed major transport and infrastructure schemes Hinkley Point C (HPC) 88. Hinkley Point C is a new nuclear power station in West Somerset. It is being built on a site to the west of the existing Hinkley Point A and B power stations. HPC will comprise two European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) units producing 3,260MW. While HPC is located in West Somerset, the majority of access to HPC for construction and operational purposes will be through Sedgemoor. 89. Construction of the new nuclear power station is likely to take place over 8 years, involving 5,600 construction workers at its peak and 900 full-time employees once completed. 90. Significant HGV movements will be focussed on the A39 and from Cannington to the main station. There will be a significant increase in traffic on the A39 Quantock Road during the construction period of Hinkley Point C, as it is the main construction traffic route. The project will also involve the construction of a 400kV Electricity Transmission Circuit between Hinkley Point and Seabank, though this is a National Grid project with a separate DCO. 91. The Sedgemoor Proposed Submission Local Plan suggests that some phasing of development or temporary mitigation will be required and states the ambition that transport services should be inclusive and accessible to the community where practicable and proposals should make an appropriate positive contribution towards the delivery of Somerset’s Future Transport Plan 2011-26, the Future Transport Strategy for Bridgwater, Taunton and Wellington, the Sedgemoor Infrastructure Delivery Strategy and the Bridgwater Vision.

Hinkley Point C Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (West Somerset Council and Sedgemoor District Council, 2011) 92. A Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) is in place for Hinkley Point C. An SPD provides supplementary advice and planning guidance and, in this context, sets out West Somerset and Sedgemoor District Councils’ interpretation of national and local policy in the context of HPC. 93. The definition of the ‘HPC project’ includes the construction of the power station and on-site associated nuclear waste storage facility, as well as any associated development, including construction worker accommodation and Park and Ride sites.

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94. The SPD contains 36 ‘boxes’, each of which identify how national or local policy translates to the HPC project context, and the Councils’ expectations of the HPC project promoters associated with those policies. The ‘boxes’ and policy statements most relevant to the context of the Sedgemoor Transport Investment Strategy are replicated here as follows:  Box 1, Construction Phase Carbon Emissions Approach. Transport: wherever possible, low carbon transport modes for both people and goods movements in the construction phase should be promoted, such as use of rail and bus transport and measures to encourage walking and cycling… Site selection criteria and a presumption in favour of local procurement of materials should be applied where possible by the promoter to help minimise travel requirements.  Box 6, Spatial Planning Approach for Employment, Logistics and Transport Uses. In general, employment, logistics and transport proposals relating to HPC, its supply chain, and the implementation of the low carbon cluster, will be supported in principle where they comply with national and local policy on flood risk, employment and transport.  Box 8, FTP Policy HIN 1 – Transport Requirements for New Nuclear Development. The County Council and District Councils will require the developer of new nuclear power stations in Somerset to (note that this list is not exhaustive):  Minimise the volume of road traffic associated with the development of the new power station especially at peak hours and during the peak season between the months of June, July and August.  Provide sustainable transport solutions for access to the site that workers and visitors will be required to use.  Provide necessary improvements to the transport network and public rights of way network to mitigate against any adverse impacts on the community, including but not limited to congestion, air quality and road safety impacts.  Provide long-term, sustainable legacy benefits for the local community. Cheddar Reservoir Extension 95. Bristol Water plc was granted outline permission in 2014 to develop a 9,400 megalitre additional water storage and supply reservoir located to the west of Cheddar Village and south of the existing Cheddar Reservoir (CRI). Energy Generation at Puriton Energy Park 96. The former Royal Ordnance Factory brownfield site in Bridgwater has been earmarked as an Energy Park, with priority given to renewable and low carbon energy generation and other energy related or complementary uses. Sedgemoor District Council produced a Supplementary Planning Document for the site in 2012. Bridgwater Tidal Lagoon 97. Tidal Lagoon PLC have undertaken extensive stakeholder consultation with a view to harnessing the energy potential of the 8.47m tidal range in Bridgwater Bay. There is interest in the lagoon’s potential to complement the visitor economy, enhance local business opportunities and help defend the coast against storm surges and tidal surge flooding.

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Bristol Airport Expansion 98. Bristol airport is a key generator of demand on the A38, which is the main access route for the 39% of passengers starting or finishing journeys in the South West. A potential route from Exeter to the airport via Taunton up the M5 previously has been deemed too risky for operators, though the last surface access strategy included a commitment to review this feasibility. 99. In 2016 Bristol airport handled over 7m passengers for the first time, having passed the 6m mark in 2008. Planning permission granted in 2011 allows the airport to expand to up to 10m passengers. The airport’s Surface Access Strategy aims for 15% of all passengers (up to 10m) to travel to the airport by public transport, as well as to improve access for passengers travelling to the South West. Key themes: PESTLE analysis 100. ‘Drivers of change’ such as Political, Economic and Technological changes can be both challenges and opportunities, depending on the context and how they are addressed. Table 9 on the following page shows the key themes emerging from the context review, grouped according to Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legislative and Environmental drivers of change. The key considerations shown here will be the subject of further discussion during the development of the transport strategy.

Table 9: PESTLE analysis for Sedgemoor

Drivers of change Key considerations for Sedgemoor  The Council is a pro- growth, pro-business authority with an ambitious economic agenda, seeking to attract inward investment into Sedgemoor and taking pro-active steps to drive- up productivity within the district. Sedgemoor District Council will showcase the delivery of the Industrial Strategy in the south west.  The potential for the formation of a Combined Authority without a mayor and associated devolution of power could have negative consequences for Sedgemoor through slowed- down decision-making.  Discrepancy between transport networks, functional economic areas, local authority, Local Political Enterprise Partnership, and political boundaries meaning the formulation of a coordinated and coherent transport policy can be more difficult.  Possible reduction in the attractiveness of the UK as a place to invest and do business from any tightening of controls or reduced access to business and consumer markets could have negative effects on funding for infrastructure schemes.  Funding and funding cycles are typically aligned with political aims and electoral cycles and, therefore, do not necessarily reflect local needs in their entirety. For example, the Local Growth Fund is well-suited for walking and cycling schemes but not for larger public transport or highway schemes.  Implementation of Sedgemoor’s Economic Development Strategy and realisation of opportunities arising from this, and opportunities arising from the government’s Industrial Strategy (i.e. sectoral deal for nuclear industry).  Additional high-productivity jobs and development of a nuclear education facility to increase skills associated with Hinkley Point C.  The Huntspill Enterprise Zone represents a significant opportunity to drive higher-value job Economic opportunities within Sedgemoor.  Reliance on manufacturing (16.5% of GVA in 2015) and distribution, transport, accommodation and food (23.9%) means Sedgemoor’s economy is more affected on fuel prices and reliant on the local and strategic road network than many other local authorities’ economies. These industries are also less likely to adopt working from home practices.  Opportunity to tap into larger and growing local economies of equidistant Bristol and Exeter.

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 Sedgemoor has a significantly higher proportion of the population over the age of 60 years compared to the national average (28% over 60 compared to 22% in England and Wales at the 2011 UK Census) and this proportion is growing. This will not only affect Sedgemoor residents’ mobility requirements, but also travel patterns, modal preferences, and Social influences the propensity for adoption of new digital and ‘disruptive’ technologies.  New and expanded education facilities with a Centre for Nuclear Excellencethe southern arm of the National College for Nuclear at Cannington.  Mobility is also likely to be affected by higher than average obesity rates. These can be tackled in part by better provision of active travel.  Sedgemoor’s key industries, distribution and manufacturing, are likely to experience the effects of the advance of robotics replacing human labour sooner than other industries. Investment in robotics and Artificial Intelligence is being supported by government policy such as the Industrial Strategy White Paper. Technological  The scale and rate of technological change is fast but unpredictable. Ensuring infrastructure’s compatibility with emerging technologies will be a challenge. For example, the increase in on-demand transport may reduce reliance on the private car. Connected and autonomous vehicles may reduce demand for public transport (if not multiple occupancy) as well as lower demand for cycling and walking.  Continued protection for the Green Belt except in exceptional circumstances and Sedgemoor’s protected environmental assets (including two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)) could conflict with increasing pressure to deliver new homes in the district.  The potential designation of the A38 corridor as a Strategic National Corridor for the Legislative M5/A38, an aim of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Deal, could reverse successive underinvestment by local government in the area’s transport infrastructure.  The designation of Huntspill Energy Park as an Enterprise Zone brings considerable opportunity in socio-economic terms.  Sedgemoor has two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) – the Mendip Hills and , and the Somerset Levels are an additional environmental asset. The challenge is in managing tourism and development (i.e. housing) associated with those assets, and protecting and conserving the assets for the future.  The area is at great risk of flooding, particularly if climate change causes further sea level Environmental rises and more extreme flood events. The Severn estuary has one of the largest tidal ranges in the world.  As seen with the floods of 2014, the transport network is not sufficiently resilient to extreme flood events. A strategic flood defence solution is being developed (the Parrett Barrier).

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