APPENDIX 5 Contents Page 1 Introduction 4 2 District Profile 8 3
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APPENDIX 5 Contents Page 1 Introduction 4 2 District Profile 8 3 Vision and Objectives 20 4 Planning for Growth 25 5 Development Strategy 35 6 Planning for Prosperity 43 7 Planning for People 52 8 Planning for Places 73 1 Policies Policy CS1: District Housing Provision Policy CS2: District Employment Provision Policy CS3: East Midlands Airport Policy CS4: Strategic Highway Network Improvements Policy CS5: Rail Infrastructure Policy CS6: Strategic Rail Freight Interchange Policy CS7: Location of Development Policy CS8: Countryside Policy CS9: Development Adjoining Swadlincote Policy CS10: Meeting the Development Needs of Business Policy CS11: Education and Training in Connection with New Developments Policy CS12: Town and Local Centres Policy CS13: Rural Economy Policy CS14: Donington Park Policy CS15: Distribution of Housing Policy CS16: Housing Density Policy CS17: Housing Mix Policy CS18: Affordable Housing Policy CS19: Rural ‘Exception’ Sites for Affordable Housing Policy CS20: Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Policy CS21: Well-Designed Buildings and Places Policy CS22: Infrastructure and Developer Contributions Policy CS23: Transport Policy CS24: Climate Change and New Development Policy CS25: Sustainability and New Development Policy CS26: Flood Risk Policy CS27: Groundwater Protection and Land Instability Policy CS28: Strategic Green Infrastructure Policy CS29: Open Space, Sport and Recreation Policy CS30: The National Forest Policy CS31: Charnwood Forest Regional Park Policy CS32: Natural Environment Policy CS33: River Mease Special Area of Conservation Policy CS34: Conserving and Enhancing the Historic Environment Policy CS35: Coalville Urban Area Policy CS36: Coalville Urban Area Broad Growth Locations Policy CS37: Ashby de la Zouch Policy CS38: Castle Donington Policy CS39: Ibstock Policy CS40: Kegworth Policy CS41: Measham Policy CS42: Rural Area 2 3 1 Introduction 1.1 Planning shapes the places where people live and work. We are responsible for most local planning decisions and also the preparation of the North West Leicestershire Local Plan (previously known as the Local Development Framework (LDF)). North West Leicestershire Local Plan 1.2 The Local Plan plays a vital role in delivering the homes, jobs, infrastructure and thriving towns and villages that the district needs, while protecting and enhancing the natural and historic environment. 1.3 The North West Leicestershire Local Plan is a collection of different documents (Local Development Documents (LDDs)) that we prepare to guide future development in the district. It includes Development Plan Documents (DPDs) that require independent examination in public, and Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) which do not. These documents form the basis of our decisions on applications for planning permission. 1.4 This document, the Core Strategy, is a DPD that sets our broad development strategy for the district and covers the period to 2031. The Core Strategy is the main Local Plan document and all other DPDs and SPDs that we produce will be consistent with it. Our programme for the preparation of the Local Plan is set out in our Local Development Scheme. 1.5 The Core Strategy provides a framework for making clear decisions on planning applications- helping to deliver development that reflects the needs and aspirations of North West Leicestershire. Local organisations, businesses and a wide section of the community have already been, and continue to be, involved in its preparation. 1.6 This document is still not the final plan. It is being published to allow representations to be made within a six week period. The representations received, along with the Core Strategy, will be submitted to the Government. An independent Planning Inspector will conduct an examination to find out whether the document is ‘sound’ (i.e. fit for purpose), and decide the form of the Core Strategy that will be finally be adopted by the District Council. 1.71.6 The Core Strategy will help achieve sustainable development. At the heart of sustainable development is the simple idea of ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for future generations. For planning this means: Planning for prosperity (an economic role): use the planning system to: 4 . support the creation of a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right type, and in the right places, is available to allow growth and innovation; and . identify and coordinate development requirements, including the provision of infrastructure. Planning for people (a social role): use the planning system to: . promote strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by providing an increased supply of housing to meet the needs of present and future generations; and . create a good quality built environment, with accessible local services that reflect the community’s needs and supports its health and well-being. Planning for places (an environmental role): use the planning system to: . protect and enhance our natural, built and historic environment; . use natural resources prudently; and . mitigate and adapt to climate change, including moving to a low-carbon economy. 1.7 Sustainability Appraisal has been integrated into the preparation of the Core Strategy. It considers the social, economic and environmental impacts of the policies and proposals of the document as it has developed. The Sustainability Appraisal has been published with this document. The planning system 1.8 In England there are different levels of guidance and development plans that currently cover national, regional and local planning; they include: . The National Planning Policy Statement; . Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS); . Local Plans; and . Neighbourhood Plans. National level 1.9 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. It has provided a framework for the preparation of this Core Strategy. 1.10 Decisions on national and strategic infrastructure are taken at national level because of their critical importance to economic growth and prosperity for the nation as a whole. Therefore the Core Strategy does not contain specific policies for deciding nationally significant infrastructure projects. These will be determined in accordance with the decision-making framework set out in the 5 Planning Act 2008 and relevant national policy statements for major infrastructure. Regional level 1.11 In England, regional planning bodies produced RSS that set out a region’s planning strategy for a fifteen to twenty year period. The strategies reflected and built on the policies at a national level. 1.12 The RSS for the East Midlands- the East Midlands Regional Plan- was published in March 2009. It provides a broad development strategy for the East Midlands up to 2026. The Regional Plan also contains the Three Cities Sub-Regional Strategy which provides additional advice for the cities of Derby, Leicester and Nottingham and the surrounding districts, including North West Leicestershire. 1.13 Although the Government is proposing to abolish RSSs, the Core Strategy must, at the present time, still be in conformity with the East Midlands Regional Plan. 1.14 In anticipation of the abolition of RSSs, new arrangements for strategic planning have come into effect. The ‘duty to cooperate’ requires us to work with others to tackle the issues that impact on matters that cut across the district boundary and have more than a local impact. In preparing the Core Strategy we have co-operated with other planning authorities and bodies on the preparation of evidence and worked with partners to manage strategic planning and investment priorities. Local level 1.15 The Local Plan will set out the policies and proposals for the development and management of land within the district. When we prepare the documents that make up our Local Plan we will take into account the policies and proposals of the plans and strategies at the higher levels. Therefore, we don’t have a free hand to make decisions on every planning issue; some decisions have already been made for us. 1.16 The 2011 Localism Act introduces a new right for communities to draw up Neighbourhood Plans. These will allow communities to come together through a local parish council or neighbourhood forum to say where they think new houses, businesses and shops should go; and what they should look like. Provided a neighbourhood plan is in line with national planning policy and the Core Strategy, and meets other legal requirements, local people will be able to vote on it in a referendum. If the plan is approved by a majority of those who vote, then the Council will be required to bring it into force. The neighbourhood plan will then be used in the determination of planning applications within the area it covers. 6 1.17 Leicestershire County Council is the minerals and waste planning authority for Leicestershire and is responsible for preparing the Minerals Development Framework and Waste Development Framework. These documents cover the area of North West Leicestershire, we do not prepare them. The Development Plan 1.18 Currently, the statutory Development Plan for an area will consist of the plans prepared at the regional and local level. The Development Plan for North West Leicestershire will consist of: . The East Midlands Regional Plan; . Leicestershire and Leicester Waste Development Framework DPDs; . Leicestershire Minerals Development Framework DPDs; . North West Leicestershire Local Plan