Contents Page 1.0 Introduction to the Planning Process 3 2.0 Policies for the Environment 9 2.1 Introduction 9 2.2 Green Belt 10 2.3 The Countryside 12 2.4 The Built Environment 22 2.5 Open Spaces and Recreation 38 2.6 Canals 48 3.0 Policies for Development 51 3.1 Introduction 51 3.2 Housing 51 3.3 Employment 87 3.4 Transport 96 3.5 Town Centres and Shopping 106 3.6 Tourism 115 3.7 Community Facilities and Services 118 3.8 Utilities and Consumer Services 124 4.0 Resources and Implementation 129 Glossary 137 Appendices 142 Prepared by: Planning Policy and Conservation West Wiltshire District Council Council Offices Bradley Road TROWBRIDGE BA14 0RD Tel: 01225 776655 Fax: 01225 770314 1.0 Introduction to the Planning Process 1.1 Introduction 1.1.1 The 1st Alteration to the West Wiltshire District Local Plan has been prepared by West Wiltshire District Council in accordance with the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and other government advice. The Plan guides development in the District up to the year 2011. It outlines the Council‟s policies for the use of land and related matters and the reasoned justification for them. The Plan is consistent with national planning guidance, as expressed in Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPGs) with Regional Planning Guidance (RPG10), with the planning policies of neighbouring authorities and is in general conformity with the Wiltshire County Structure Plan. 1.1.2 The Plan encourages appropriate development on specific sites, indicates where the Council intends to prepare more detailed supplementary planning guidance in the form of development briefs and helps to co-ordinate public and private investment decisions. The plan also sets the scene for the Council‟s environmental enhancement initiatives. Context 1.1.3 Located in the southwest of England, in the County of Wiltshire, east of Bath and northwest of Salisbury, West Wiltshire has an administrative area of about 518 square kilometres (200 square miles) and is centred on the five towns of Bradford on Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury. The District borders Somerset and the district of Bath and North East Somerset in the west and the Wiltshire districts of Salisbury, Kennet and North Wiltshire to the south, east and north respectively. 1.1.4 It is a district of great character, distinction and variety with a diverse landscape of natural beauty, and many picturesque historic towns and villages. In the northwest of the district lie the southern fringes of the Cotswolds and the impressive Limpley Stoke valley. The River Avon and its tributaries flow through the low lying central part of the District typified by mixed agricultural use. To the southeast stands Westbury escarpment with the famous White Horse and Salisbury Plain beyond. To the south lie the chalk river system of the River Wylye, the Deverills and Great Ridge. The District contains two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB); the Cotswolds AONB and the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs AONB. In addition there are several areas identified as being of special landscape importance. The diverse landscape contains a wealth of natural habitats and many features of ecological, scientific and archaeological interest, some of which are of national and international importance. 1.1.5 Trowbridge with a population of approximately 27,000 is the principal town in the District, an important administrative and service centre and the county town of Wiltshire. Warminster, in the south of the District, is an important military and local employment and service centre with a population of approximately 17,000. Melksham in the north of the District serves as an important employment and local service centre with a population of about 17,000. Westbury, south of Trowbridge is an employment centre with good rail communications and a population of about 10,000. Bradford on Avon has a population 3 of about 9,000 and is an historic mill town of special architectural character with an attractive landscape setting located in the Western Wiltshire Green Belt. 1.1.6 The main communications links through the District are the A36 trunk road from Southampton to Bath and the A350, an important north/south route from Poole to the M4. The A361 provides the main east/west link through the District. The District has good rail links connecting to the London (Paddington) to Penzance, Cardiff to Southampton and Bristol to Weymouth lines. 1.2 Existing Development Plans The Structure Plan 1.2.1 The Development Plan system comprises two levels of planning; Structure Plans and Local Plans. The Structure Plan, which is prepared by the County Council, establishes the strategic planning policy framework for the whole county. Local Plans elaborate on this framework. They provide the detailed development policies and proposals for districts. 1.2.2 In July 1994, the Government published the first Regional Planning Guidance for the South West (RPG10) for the period to 2011. In order to update the Structure Plan in accordance with RPG10 Wiltshire County Council published a revised Draft Wiltshire County Structure Plan in January 1996 and a Deposit Draft in August 1996. An Examination In Public (EIP) was held in early 1997 and the Report of the EIP Panel was received in August 1997. Modifications to the Structure Plan were published in February 1999. A Second EIP was held in November 1999 and the Report of the EIP Panel was received in March 2000. Further Modifications to the Structure Plan were published in June 2000. The Wiltshire Structure Plan 2011 is the approved Structure Plan applicable to this District for the period to 2011 and was adopted in January 2001. Local Plans 1.2.3 The District Council adopted its first District Wide Local Plan in March 1996. This Plan was prepared in accordance with the Western Wiltshire Structure Plan, incorporating Alterations Nos 1 and 2 for the period to 2001. 1.2.4 The County Council is responsible for preparing and reviewing Mineral and Waste Disposal Local Plans in Wiltshire. 1.2.5 In preparing this 1st Alteration to the District Wide Local Plan the District Council took the opportunity to review and rationalise the existing adopted plan policies to reflect changes in National Guidance (to accord with new and revised PPGs) and the Wiltshire Structure Plan 2011. 1.3 Scope and Purpose of the 1st Alteration to the District Plan 1.3.1 Whilst the main purpose of the Plan is to put forward proposals for the development and use of land, it also fulfils several other important functions which can be summarised as follows:- (i) to interpret the strategic planning policies of the Wiltshire Structure Plan 2011 through local plan policies and proposals for West Wiltshire; (ii) to examine local issues or problems which warrant consideration but may not have been considered in the Structure Plan; 4 (iii) to identify sufficient land to meet the development needs of the Plan area for the period up to 2011; (iv) to provide a satisfactory basis for development control decisions; and (v) to provide, together with the Structure Plan, a means of co-ordinating the investment and development programmes of private and public organisations. Community Planning During the life of the District Plan 1st Alteration, the Council with partners and the wider community in West Wiltshire will be working together to develop a more joined up and sustainable approach to community development. This will reflect the needs and aspirations of our local communities. The outcomes of this work and the Council‟s proposals for taking them forward will be contained within a Community Strategy. Government guidance is clear that development plans and community strategies need to be complementary. In preparing community strategies, local authorities need to take into account the policies contained in the adopted development plan. Once a community strategy has been established, the development plan provides the means of implementing those elements of its vision and priorities that concern the physical development and use of land in an authority's area. Within West Wiltshire the District Plan 1st Alteration will play a key role in delivering the Council‟s Community Strategy. Its implementation will be consistent with the Council‟s approach to community planning. The Council will also have regard to its other corporate strategies and policy documents where appropriate, as material considerations in its development control decisions. The Council recognises that the development plan remains the primary basis for the consideration of applications for planning permission to develop or change the use of land. The Council will consider the need to adopt any land use related elements of its Community Strategy as Supplementary Planing Guidance, prepared in accordance with the advice of PPG12. 1.4 Main Stages 1.4.1 The main stages undertaken in the preparation of the 1st Alteration to the District Plan are summarised below:- 1 Consultation with the public and others on Issues and Options - including „Planning for Real‟ Workshops (Autumn 1996). 2 Consideration by the Planning Policy Working Group and the Planning and Development Committee of the wide range of comments and representations received during the Issues and Options stage (winter/spring 1996/7). 3 Consultation with town and parish councils on „ The Way Forward‟ (summer 1997). 4 Consideration by the Planning Policy Working Group and the Planning and Development Committee of comments received on The Way Forward report and the preparation of a consensus housing strategy to 2011 to meet the concerns of town and parish councils (winter/spring 1997/8). 5 5 Pre-deposit consultations with town and parish councils, the public and others (late summer/autumn 1998). 6 Draft 1st Alteration placed on deposit (October 1998).