pples eer reeks ocks Bearing Fruits 2031 The Swale Borough Local Plan Adopted July 2017 nterprise light unpowder ops sland avelin ing orries Bearing Fruits 2031: The Swale Borough Local Plan 2017 Contents Foreword Foreword v Bearing Fruits 1 Setting the scene: the context for planning in Swale 1 2 Taking a journey through Swale 7 2.1 Shaped by location, people, products and environment 7 2.2 Facing the future - our strengths, weaknesses and opportunities 13 3 Our vision, objectives and key diagram 19 3.1 The Key Diagram 21 4 Setting out our local plan strategy for Swale 23 4.1 Achieving sustainable development in Swale 23 4.2 Assessing the need for new development 36 4.3 Where future change will take place - the strategy for our towns, villages and countryside 43 5 Core planning policies 75 5.1 Building a strong, competitive economy 75 5.2 Promoting sustainable transport 80 5.3 Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes 90 5.4 Requiring good design 97 5.5 Promoting healthy communities 99 5.6 Conserving and enhancing the natural environment - providing for green infrastructure 104 5.7 Conserving and enhancing the historic environment 109 6 Land allocations for new development 115 6.1 Introduction 115 6.2 Existing committed employment locations 115 6.3 Proposed employment allocations 116 6.4 Existing committed housing location 121 6.5 Proposed housing allocations 122 6.6 Mixed-use allocations 165 6.7 Proposed regeneration areas 196 6.8 Neighbourhood plans 210 Bearing Fruits 2031: The Swale Borough Local Plan 2017 Contents 6.9 Area of Search - The Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road A2 link 212 7 Development management policies 216 7.1 Building a strong, competitive economy 216 7.2 Promoting sustainable transport 224 7.3 Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes 231 7.4 Requiring good design 239 7.5 Promoting healthy communities 241 7.6 Meeting the challenges of climate change, flooding and coastal change 244 7.7 Conserving and enhancing the natural environment 261 7.8 Conserving and enhancing the historic environment 282 8 Implementation and delivery plan and monitoring arrangements 289 8.1 The implementation and delivery plan 289 8.2 Monitoring arrangements 302 Appendices 1 Influences on the Swale natural assets and green infrastructure network and strategy 309 2 Holiday Parks - Conditions for planning permissions 311 3 Glossary 312 Policy Index Policy ST 1 Delivering sustainable development in Swale 35 Policy ST 2 Development targets for jobs and homes 2014-2031 42 Policy ST 3 The Swale settlement strategy 49 Policy ST 4 Meeting the Local Plan development targets 54 Policy ST 5 The Sittingbourne area strategy 62 Policy ST 6 The Isle of Sheppey area strategy 67 Policy ST 7 The Faversham area and Kent Downs strategy 73 Policy CP 1 Building a strong, competitive economy 79 Policy CP 2 Promoting sustainable transport 89 Policy CP 3 Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes 96 Policy CP 4 Requiring good design 98 Policy CP 5 Health and wellbeing 101 Policy CP 6 Community facilities and services to meet local needs 104 Policy CP 7 Conserving and enhancing the natural environment - providing for green infrastructure 109 Policy CP 8 Conserving and enhancing the historic environment 113 Policy A 1 Existing committed employment locations 116 Policy A 2 Land south of Kemsley Mill 117 Bearing Fruits 2031: The Swale Borough Local Plan 2017 Contents Policy A 3 Land at West Minster, Sheerness 118 Policy A 4 Land at Cowstead Corner, Queenborough 119 Policy A 5 Land at Selling Road, Faversham 120 Policy A 6 Land at Graveney Road, east of Faversham 121 Policy A 7 Thistle Hill, Minster 121 Policy A 8 Stones Farm, Canterbury Road, Sittingbourne 124 Policy A 9 Land at Crown Quay Lane, Sittingbourne 127 Policy A 10 Milton Pipes, Mill Way, Sittingbourne 130 Policy A 11 Land at Plover Road, Minster 131 Policy A 12 Land west of Barton Hill Drive, Minster 134 Policy A 13 Land at Belgrave Road, Halfway 136 Policy A 14 Land at the Western Link, Faversham 139 Policy A 15 Land north of Graveney Road, Faversham 141 Policy A 16 Land at Preston Fields, Faversham 144 Policy A 17 Iwade expansion 150 Policy A 18 Land north of High Street, Newington 155 Policy A 19 Land east of Station Road, Teynham 158 Policy A 20 New allocations on sites within existing settlements 160 Policy A 21 Smaller allocations as extensions to settlements 164 Policy MU 1 Land at north-west Sittingbourne 170 Policy MU 2 Land at north-east Sittingbourne 174 Policy MU 3 Land at south-west Sittingbourne 179 Policy MU 4 Land at Frognal Lane, Teynham 183 Policy MU 5 The Oare gravel workings, Oare Road, Faversham 187 Policy MU 6 Land at Lady Dane Farm, east of Love Lane 191 Policy MU 7 Perry Court Farm, Faversham 195 Policy Regen 1 Central Sittingbourne: Regeneration Area 202 Policy Regen 2 Queenborough and Rushenden: Regeneration Area 206 Policy Regen 3 The Port of Sheerness: Regeneration Area 208 Policy Regen 4 Kent Science Park, Sittingbourne: Regeneration Area 209 Policy NP 1 Faversham Creek Neighbourhood Plan 212 Policy AS 1 Safeguarded area of search: Sittingbourne Northern Relief Road - The A2 link 214 Policy DM 1 Maintaining and enhancing the vitality and viability of town centres and other areas 217 Policy DM 2 Proposals for main town centre uses 218 Policy DM 3 The rural economy 220 Policy DM 4 New holiday parks or extensions to existing parks 223 Policy DM 5 The occupancy of holiday parks 224 Policy DM 6 Managing transport demand and impact 228 Policy DM 7 Vehicle parking 230 Policy DM 8 Affordable housing 233 Policy DM 9 Rural exceptions housing 235 Policy DM 10 Gypsy and Traveller sites 236 Policy DM 11 Extensions to, and replacement of, dwellings in the rural area 237 Policy DM 12 Dwellings for rural workers 238 Policy DM 13 Extending the garden of a dwelling in the rural area 239 Policy DM 14 General development criteria 240 Policy DM 15 New shopfronts, signs and advertisements 240 Bearing Fruits 2031: The Swale Borough Local Plan 2017 Contents Policy DM 16 Alterations and extensions 241 Policy DM 17 Open space, sports and recreation provision 242 Policy DM 18 Local green spaces 244 Policy DM 19 Sustainable design and construction 246 Policy DM 20 Renewable and low carbon energy 249 Policy DM 21 Water, flooding and drainage 254 Policy DM 22 The coast 258 Policy DM 23 Coastal change management 260 Policy DM 24 Conserving and enhancing valued landscapes 266 Policy DM 25 The separation of settlements - Important Local Countryside Gaps 268 Policy DM 26 Rural lanes 269 Policy DM 27 The keeping and grazing of horses 270 Policy DM 28 Biodiversity and geological conservation 276 Policy DM 29 Woodlands, trees and hedges 279 Policy DM 30 Enabling development for landscape and biodiversity enhancement 281 Policy DM 31 Agricultural land 282 Policy DM 32 Development involving listed buildings 283 Policy DM 33 Development affecting a conservation area 284 Policy DM 34 Scheduled Monuments and archaeological sites 285 Policy DM 35 Historic parks and gardens 286 Policy DM 36 Area of high townscape value 286 Policy IMP 1 Implementation and Delivery Plan 302 Bearing Fruits 2031: The Swale Borough Local Plan 2017 v Foreword Foreword Bearing Fruits 2031, the Swale Borough Local Plan, is the most important planning document for the Borough, setting out the vision and overall development strategy for the area and how it will be achieved for the period from 2014-2031. It identifies where development will take place and how the natural environment and built heritage of the Borough will be protected and enhanced. It allocates major sites and locations for housing and employment to meet the needs of our growing population and in accordance with national planning policy and practice. The Local Plan has been prepared at a time of change in the national planning policy system and has responded positively to the challenges this context has set. The preparation of the Local Plan has been a long and detailed process, taking into account the preparation of a detailed evidence base, numerous stages of consultation and an Examination in Public chaired by a Government Planning Inspector. The Inspector’s final recommendations have been incorporated into the plan. Councillor Gerry Lewin, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning, Swale Borough Council I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the local residents and businesses, local groups and interested parties, statutory consultees, councillors and others who have contributed to the process and successful adoption of this Local Plan. We now believe we have a Local Plan that will meet development needs and deliver an ambitious vision for the Borough. Councillor Andrew Bowles, Leader, Swale Borough Council vi Bearing Fruits 2031: The Swale Borough Local Plan 2017 Foreword Copyright Restrictions Please note that all maps in this document, together with our Proposals Map, are subject to Ordnance Survey copyright restrictions. (© Crown Copyright and database rights 2017. Ordnance Survey 100018386) Note also that maps have been captured at a scale of 1:2500 and should only be viewed online at this scale. Bearing Fruits 2031: The Swale Borough Local Plan 2017 1 Setting the scene: the context for planning in Swale 1 1 Setting the scene: the context for planning in Swale What is the Development Plan? 1.0.1 Local plans are part of the development plan for an area. The development plan is the system of statutory planning documents against which planning applications will be determined.