The Draft Liverpool Local Plan September 2016 liverpool.gov.uk Foreword to the Liverpool Local Plan ii The Draft Liverpool Local Plan September 2016 1 Introduction to the Local Plan 1 2 The Policy Context for the Local Plan 11 3 A Spatial Portrait of Liverpool 17 4 The Vision and Strategic Priorities for the Local Plan 29 Delivery: The Policies and Allocations 5 Delivering the Vision and Strategic Priorities 34 6 Liverpool City Centre 44 7 Employment Land and the Economy 82 8 Housing Provision 98 9 Shopping Centres and Community Facilities 172 10 Urban Design 228 11 Heritage 240 12 Green Infrastructure 244 13 Environmental Resources 266 14 Sustainable Transport and Accessibility 282 16 Appendix - Glossary 295 The Draft Liverpool Local Plan September 2016 The Draft Liverpool Local Plan September 2016 1 Introduction to the Local Plan What is a Local Plan? This is a draft of the Liverpool Local Plan. This document is NOT the Publication Version of the Local Plan and it is not a complete initial draft plan. This is because while the evidence of the need for a specific quantity of new homes has been identified there are a number of areas for which the evidence base is still being developed. This includes: Employment land Requirements (quantity and site assessments) Open space - (assessment of future needs and level /quality of existing provision to meet that need This means that the Employment Land and Economy and Green Infrastructure chapters will see further development, including site allocations and site designations, as the evidence above becomes available. The Shopping and Community Facilities chapter takes account of the emerging findings of the Retail and Leisure Study (2016) but may also require some further development. While not having all the evidence available at the same time presents practical issues, due to the fact the Government has stated that all Local Plans must be in place by 2017 it is important to undertake this consultation now, even though some of the sites which may need to be allocated cannot yet be identified. The Government has brought forward legislation through the Housing and Planning Act 2016 which will allow the Secretary of State to move the responsibility of the production of the Local plan from local planning authorities. In part the rationale for this is the national need to boost the delivery of new homes. However, Liverpool is not restricting the supply of new homes by not having a new plan in place. Despite this, it is important to bring the Local Plan forward as quickly as possible so that it reflects local decision-making. In addition this draft does not include a Policies Map or a Delivery and Monitoring Section.These will be developed for the next draft of the Local Plan. This draft Local Plan whilst not complete provides the context for further engagement and plan preparation over the coming months taking account of the available evidence and the need to deliver the sustainable growth of the City. What will be in the Local Plan 1.1 All Local Planning Authorities are required to prepare a local plan to guide the long term, strategic spatial development of their area. 1.2 Once adopted the Local Plan will provide a long-term spatial vision, strategic priorities and policies for future development in the City over the next 15-20 years. In accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) it will provide a long-term spatial vision, strategic priorities and policies for future development in the City specifically with regard to the quantity and location of new homes, employment provision, shops, facilities and other services, transport and other infrastructure provision, climate change mitigation and adaption and the conservation and enhancement of the natural and historic environment. Additionally, it will set out: Development management policies that will guide the delivery of development in the City and will be used to determine planning applications. These policies will provide detailed advice to developers and others on the scale, design, accessibility, sustainability etc. of proposals; Site allocations for residential, employment, retail and other land uses across the City, to be shown on a map; and The Draft Liverpool Local Plan September 2016 1 1 Designations where land is proposed to be safeguarded or where specific policies apply, such as for District and Local Centres. 1.3 The Local Plan will be supported by an Infrastructure Delivery Programme (IDP) which will identify future infrastructure requirements (including physical, social and green infrastructure), to support population change and housing and employment growth.The IDP will confirm, where possible, the type and location of new infrastructure provision required, the reason for its requirement, and the lead agency in its delivery, together with its cost, phasing and sources of funding. 1.4 The Local Plan should be consistent with national planning policy and take into account policies and strategies produced locally. It will: Contain policies that will guide how the presumption in favour of sustainable development embodied in the NPPF should be applied locally Provide the strategic policy framework for Neighbourhood Plans in the City Be based on co-operation with neighbouring authorities, public, voluntary and private sector organisations 1.5 Compliance with European regulations on sustainability appraisal and habitat protection is also an essential requirement. Further details of the policy context for the Local Plan are provided in the next Section. How the Local Plan relates to the Liverpool Unitary Development Plan 1.6 Liverpool's current planning policy is set out in "A Plan for Liverpool", the City's Unitary Development Plan (UDP), adopted in November 2002. Once adopted, the Local Plan will replace the UDP. It will address all relevant issues to provide the up-to-date, strategic planning policy framework for Liverpool. Until then the UDP policies that have been saved or not been superseded will remain in operation. The following policies from the UDP have already been replaced by the Joint Liverpool City Region Waste Local Plan: EP3 – Landfill Gas EP4 – Landfill EP5 – Waste Related Uses EP6 – Waste Reception Centres EP7 – Recycling EP8 – Fly Tipping EP9 – Waste Storage The Structure of this Document 1.7 This informal draft Local Plan is structured as follows: Chapter Content Chapter 1: How the Local Plan This includes history of the Local Plan to date, the evidence has been prepared base, appraisals, duty to cooperate and consultation arrangements Chapter 2:The Policy Context National, Local and Sub-Regional Policy context Chapter 3: Spatial Portrait of A profile of Liverpool and the issues and challenges the City Liverpool Faces 2 The Draft Liverpool Local Plan September 2016 Chapter Content Chapter 4: The Vision and The City wide vision and strategic priorities for housing, Strategic Priorities for the Local employment, shops and services, green infrastructure, design, Plan historic environment, accessibility and resources. Chapter 5: The Spatial Strategy The broad spatial strategy for the City is set out along with key and Sustainable Development sustainable development principles. Principles Chapter 6: Liverpool City Centre Sets out the overall vision and objectives for Liverpool City Centre and specific planning issues and policies (both area and thematic based) which are unique to the City Centre. Chapter 7: Strengthen the City’s Sets out the preferred policies for economic growth in the City Economy and the next version of the Local Plan will include a schedule of proposed allocations. Chapter 8:Meet Housing Needs Sets out the preferred policies for meeting the City’s housing needs including a schedule of allocations. Chapter 9: Shops, Services and Sets out the preferred policies for meeting the City’s retail and Facilities leisure needs including community facilities and includes maps showing the boundaries of centres and development opportunities Chapter 10: Urban Design & Sets out the preferred policies to ensure high quality design. Place-making Chapter 11: The Historic Sets out the preferred policies for the City’s heritage including Environment conservation areas and listed buildings. Chapter 12: Green Infrastructure Sets out the preferred policies for open space and biodiversity including a schedule of Local Wildlife Sites, Local Nature Reserves and Regionally Important Geological/ Geomorphological Sites.The next version of the Local Plan will include a schedule of other open spaces including parks. Chapter 13: Environmental Sets out the preferred policies to ensure sustainable growth Resources including for energy, pollution and flood risk. Chapter 14: Transport and Sets out the preferred policies for transport in the City including Accessibility public transport, walking, cycling and car parking provision. Appendices Glossary Table 1 The Draft Liverpool Local Plan September 2016 3 1 How is the Local Plan Prepared 1.8 In response to changes in Government guidance and policy, in February 2013 the City Council determined that work on the strategic development planning document that it had previously been progressing - Local Development Framework: Core Strategy - should not be submitted to Government. Instead, the City Council resolved to prepare a Local Plan for Liverpool. 1.9 The Local Plan will be a single document which sets out both strategic objectives for the development of the City over the next 15-20 years, and more detailed guidance to manage the type, location and scale of this development, including allocation of specific sites.The previous work involved in preparing and consulting upon the Core Strategy will be retained and updated to become the central strategy of the Local Plan. 1.10 The Local Plan has been prepared in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. This consultation document supplements the City Council's previous statutory consultation under Regulation 18 - which notified key stakeholders, and all interested parties, of the Council’s intention to prepare a Local Plan, and encouraged representations on what it should contain.