Open Decision Item LOCAL PLANS COMMITTEE 3rd February 2015 North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy Review SYNOPSIS This report provides an update to Members on the North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy Review 1.0 Background 1.1 The Joint Core Strategy (the ‘Part 1’, strategic part of the Local Plan) will provide the strategic framework for growth and development in North Northamptonshire. It will deal with cross boundary issues such as strategic development, infrastructure priorities, housing and employment need and improving the environment. It will also provide the context for more local ‘Part 2’ Plans to make further non-strategic land allocations and more detailed policies for implementation and development control, where necessary. 1.2 The Joint Core Strategy is the responsibility of the North Northamptonshire Joint Planning Committee set up by the Secretary of State in 2005. This is made up of three members from each of the partner authorities. The Joint Planning Committee is supported by officers at the Joint Planning Unit who are managed through a Steering Group of the Chief Planning Officers from the councils. These arrangements ensure that the emerging plan reflects local priorities and objectives that contribute to the delivery of the Councils corporate plan. 2.0 Update 2.1 Since the last progress report to members, the Joint Planning Committee at its meeting on the 18th December 2014 agreed the Pre-Submission Draft Joint Core Strategy for consultation, subject to minor amendments and final editing which was delegated to the Head of the Joint Planning Unit in consultation with the CPO Steering Group and the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Planning Committee. Post Joint Planning Committee Amendments 2.2 The differences between the elements of the plan that have previously been reported to members and the version that will be subject to public consultation are tabulated for members in Appendix 1. 2.3 The key differences proposed are: It has been made explicit that measures to improve connectivity between the existing town and the western urban extension must not compromise the function of the A6003 as a primary route, The requirement for the preparation of a bespoke energy strategy for the western urban extension has been added, Greater flexibility has been introduced to the housing mix policy to support aspirations for bigger homes. Cockerell Road policy amended to provide greater adaptability Glossary and mapping added for clarity 1 3.0 Content of the Pre-Submission Joint Core Strategy 3.1 The proposed content of the Joint Core Strategy is attached at Appendix 2 of this report. The Plan is a substantial document, but the following provides a brief summary of each Section and seek to highlight the issues that are likely to be of most interest to Members. However, this is only a summary and Members should check the Plan document for details, particularly as to how it affects their areas of interest. Introduction. This sets the context for the Plan and summarises the consultation process. Vision and Outcomes. This section outlines a spatial portrait of the area and issues to be addressed in the Plan. It sets out the overall vision and outcomes for North Northamptonshire that recognises that smart and innovative regeneration and growth is fundamental to transforming Corby. Core Policies. This section covers policies related to ‘Protecting and enhancing assets’ and ‘Ensuring high quality development’. Policy 1 is an overarching policy on the presumption in favour of sustainable development and what this means in North Northamptonshire. The subsequent policies provide many of the decision making policies on environmental and cultural assets alongside ‘place-shaping’ design principles for North Northamptonshire. Infrastructure provision is also included in this section. Spatial Policies. This section defines the role that settlements will play in delivering the vision and outcomes for North Northamptonshire. It does this through subsequent policies on delivering economic prosperity, delivering homes and an infrastructure strategy. This section establishes the overall level of housing, employment and retail provision, Green Infrastructure policy, and the main transport policies. Development Principles for Strategic Site. This section sets out development principles for the Sustainable Urban Extensions and strategic sites, including West Corby and Cockerell Road. Monitoring and Implementation Framework. This section provides information on the Infrastructure required to deliver the Plan. It also sets out monitoring targets and indicators to measure the effectiveness of the Plan. 4.0 Conclusion and Next Steps 4.1 The draft Joint Core Strategy has been produced over a number of years in conjunction with the development of a considerable evidence base and extensive public consultation involvement. The Plan has been subject to Sustainability Appraisal and various background documents and reports will be published in conjunction with the Plan, including the Sustainability Appraisals, Habitats Regulations Assessment and Consultation Statement including the Duty to Cooperate Statement. 4.2 The Pre-Submission Joint Core Strategy will be published for a six week period of consultation on 26th January 2015. 4.3 The purpose of the consultation is so that representations can be made before it is submitted to the Secretary of State for examination by an inspector. Representations made to the Pre- Submission Draft Joint Core Strategy will be forwarded for consideration by the inspector. Comments on this stage in the plan preparation process therefore have to be made in a more structured way than in previous consultations. Representations will need to relate to whether the legal requirement for producing the local plan has been met, whether the requirements of the Duty to co-operate have been met and whether it is ‘sound’. The tests of soundness are whether the plan has been positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy. 4.4 Following the close of the consultation on 9th March 2015, all comments will be assessed and analysed. A further report update report will then be brought back to members. The timing of submission depends on the amount and extent of representations received. The 2 current programme aims for an examination during the summer/autumn. Subject to the inspector’s findings, this could mean that the new Joint Core Strategy is adopted by the end of the year. 5.0 Options to be considered (if any) The preparation of the Local Plan is a corporate priority. The option not to progress with the preparation of the Joint Core Strategy can therefore be discounted. 6.0 Issues to be taken into account:- Policy Priorities It is essential that the Council secures an up to date Joint Core Strategy to provide a basis for future development control decisions and for the Part 2 Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plans. Financial The Pre-Submission consultation involves costs which will be borne by existing budgets Risk It is essential that the Joint Core Strategy policies are based on sound evidence and reflect national policy, as well as taking account of comments received during previous stages. Following consultation, the document will need to be submitted to the Secretary of State, who will appoint an inspector to examine the soundness of the document. Where policies do not reflect the evidence gathered, or deviate from national policy without adequate justification, there is a risk that the inspector may find the Joint Core Strategy unsound. Legal The Joint Core Strategy forms part of the statutory Development Plan, and its production is therefore a requirement of the planning acts. The ‘Pre-Submission’ stage represents a statutory stage in the preparation of the document. Performance Indicators and Best Value None directly from this report Human Rights and Community Safety None directly from this report Equalities and Sustainability None directly related to this report. The Joint Core Strategy review will be subject to an on- going process of sustainability appraisal and equality impact assessment. 7.0 Recommendation It is recommended that Members note the progress on the Joint Core Strategy and publication of the Pre-Submission Plan for consultation Background Papers North Northamptonshire Joint Planning Committee, 18th December 2014 https://cmis.northamptonshire.gov.uk/cmis5live/MeetingsCalendar/tabid/73/ctl/ViewMeetingP ublic/mid/410/Meeting/2446/Committee/414/Default.aspx Officer to Contact Terry Begley, Local Plan Principal Planner (01536) 463185 3 Appendix 1 Schedule of proposed amendments following 18th December Joint Committee Please note that due to the timing of the Chairs Briefing and the Council’s reporting procedures that the proposed amendments are still very much work in progress and are subject to further editing Page Section Proposed amendment Reason 46 Para 3.32 Add ‘wherever possible to end of second sentence’ The impact on the quality of agricultural land is one of the criteria Soils are an important asset in geodiversity, providing a growing medium for against which strategic sites have many resources including food and non-food crops. Soils should be been assessed. However there is no protected from pollution and the best and most versatile agricultural land1 provision in NPPF or JCS policies to should be safeguarded wherever possible. safeguard most versatile land and in all cases. 48 Para 3.43 Amend para to read: To flag the two SPDs that are being prepared on