April 2007
Submission Edition
Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Crook o’ Lune With thanks to the Environment Agency Moor Hospital and Lake District Hills Photograph by Nigel Slater With thanks to Lancaster & Morecambe Newspapers
Lancaster City Council Planning and Building Control Service Palatine Hall Dalton Square Lancaster LA1 1PW
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SubmissionDocument/Planning and Building Control Service/April 2007
2 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 CORE STRATEGY KEY DIAGRAM 2 1. INTRODUCTION . 3 2. LANCASTER DISTRICT – PEOPLE AND INFLUENCES. 5 3. SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK . 11 4. BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES . 15 5. REGENERATING THE LOCAL ECONOMY 41 6. IMPROVING THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT . 55 7. CUSTOMER SERVICES . 62 8. MONITORING, REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION 63
1 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 Core Strategy Key Diagram
Silverdale
CARNFORTH ! Carnforth Town Centre Hornby Bolton-le-Sands and Slyne-with-Hest Wray
Halton MORECAMBE Caton and White & HEYSHAM Brookhouse Lund Caton Road Morecambe Centre ! ! and West End ! LANCASTER Luneside! ! ! Lancaster City Centre South Lancaster Heysham University Galgate
KEY Regeneration Environment Employment Transport
International Nature Knowledge Nucleus National and Regional Urban Areas Conservation Site Strategic Highway Network Area of Outstanding Employment Area Natural Beauty
Village with key Green Belt City or Town Centre National and Regional facilities Shopping Area Public Transport Corridor Regeneration Priority Core Greenspace Tourism Opportunities ! Area Network
2 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
1. Introduction .
Background How the Strategy is Structured
1.1 Following Government planning reforms, 1.6 This Core Strategy is in 8 parts. Lancaster District’s spatial and • Part 1 introduces the strategy and development plans will be a series of explains how to comment; documents called a Local Development • Part 2 describes our District and its Framework (LDF). The LDF documents influences; and timetable are set out in a document • Part 3 is our Vision and Spatial called the Local Development Scheme. Development Framework – (our The Core Strategy is a key part of the overall strategy); Local Development Framework. This • document is its submission edition. Part 4 shows how we will build Appendix 1 shows the different LDF Sustainable Communities; • documents and what they do. Part 5 shows how we will regenerate the Local Economy; 1.2 The Strategy outlines a spatial vision of a • Part 6 shows how we will protect and sustainable District whose quality of life enhance the local Environment; and standards of development will lead • Part 7 shows how we will make public the North West, comprising a prosperous and private services more accessible; knowledge-based City, a regenerated • Part 8 shows how we will monitor, Coast and a conserved Countryside progress and review the Strategy;
1.3 The Strategy explains where new homes and jobs will be located, which areas will Additional Documents be regenerated and which areas will be conserved. It also sets out how public 1.7 This Document is accompanied by and private agencies will realise the vision • A Statement of Compliance (dealing in the period up to 2021. with Consultation measures); • Sustainability Appraisal Report and 1.4 The Core Strategy must; Annex on submission document; • have a clear spatial vision from which • Appropriate Assessment plans, policies and strategies will flow; • follow Sustainable Development 1.8 There is also a comprehensive evidence principles; base addressing issues such as; • be linked to the 1Sustainable • Urban Capacity Communities Agenda, and provide for • Housing needs; new housing and jobs in conformity • Employment Land needs; with the North West Regional Spatial • Shopping Floorspace needs; Strategy; • • Flood Risk; not repeat national and regional • policies. Recreation Open Space Needs;
1.5 The Core Strategy cannot allocate sites 1.9 Appendix 2 lists the evidence base. All for development or protection on a map. It documents are on the Council’s website. does however set out broad locations for land-use. Actual sites for development or protection will be identified in a forthcoming Land Allocations document.
1 The Communities Plan is the strategy for new communities and housing development across England. See www.communities.gov.uk for more.
3 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 Soundness How the Strategy has Emerged 1.15 The Inspector’s job is to consider whether the Strategy is ‘sound’. This means that it 1.10 Preparation of the Core Strategy has has; been guided by the Council’s Local • Development Scheme (see Para 1.1) and been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Community Involvement LDS and SCI (See Para 1.10); • (SCI) adopted in June 2006 as well as undergone sustainability appraisal; regulations and guidance produced by • conformity with national and regional Government. planning policies and regard to other relevant plans, policies and strategies 1.11 The Council consulted on Issues and in and adjoining the District; Options for the Core Strategy in Spring • regard to the Community Strategy; 2005. Six options were consulted upon • consistency with any other (see Appendix 3). A ‘preferred option’ of Development Plan Documents in or Urban Concentration was consulted on in adjoining the District; Spring 2006. An additional ‘addendum’ • the most appropriate solution, having consultation was then carried out on the considered relevant alternatives; other options considered. Full details of • a robust and credible evidence base; Community Involvement and consultation • clear mechanisms for implementation are set out in the Statement of and monitoring; and Compliance (see para 1.7). • flexibility to deal with change. 1.12 Sustainability appraisal, incorporating 1.16 These tests of soundness are set out in Strategic Environmental Assessment, has 1 been carried out throughout the Strategy full in Appendix 4. The Inspector will preparation process. Appropriate presume that the Strategy is sound unless Assessment has also been carried out. it is shown to be otherwise by evidence Options for achieving the vision have presented at the examination. Your been tested for their impact on the objection must state why you think the environment (including internationally Core Strategy does not satisfy these important nature conservation sites), the tests. economy and on the community. The Sustainability Appraisal confirmed the 1.17 The documents are available to view at Council’s preferred option of Urban Palatine Hall, Lancaster, Morecambe Concentration as the most sustainable Town Hall, all libraries in the District, option. The Sustainability Appraisal Kirkby Lonsdale Library and on the Report is published separately. Council’s Website www.lancaster.gov.uk.
1.13 The Strategy has now been submitted to 1.18 You can send your objection form by e- the Secretary of State for Independent mail to [email protected] Examination by a Planning Inspector. or send a paper copy to: He/she will consider representations and conduct oral hearings into key issues. Michelle Williams, Forward Planning They will help him/her decide whether to Administrator approve the Strategy as ‘sound’. At the Lancaster City Council end of the Examination, he/she will issue Planning Service a binding report approving, rejecting or Palatine Hall requiring changes to the Strategy. Dalton Square Lancaster LA1 1PW.
How To Make Representations Representations must be received by 5:15 on Friday 8th June 2007. 1.14 If you wish to take part in the Independent Examination, you must make representations now. These must be submitted on an objections form, using a separate form for each objection. Representations must be received by th 5:15pm on Friday 8 June 2007. Comments made at earlier stages will not 1 Planning Policy Guidance Note 12 – Local be considered by the Inspector. Development Frameworks. Annexe D Para D9
4 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
2. Lancaster District – People and Influences.
Lancaster District and its People Milnthorpe 2100 Kirkby Arnside Lonsdale 2500 2300 Burton & Holme 2500 Ingleton 3700 1500 Warton Silverdale 2100Carnforth 4200 Bolton-le-Sands Over Kellet 1200 4100 Hornby 700 Bentham Nether Kellet 600 Slyne-with Hest 3500 Wray 500 4200 Lancaster (North of Lune) Morecambe 13500 2400 2500 32100 Halton Caton & Brookhouse Heysham 16100 33600 Lancaster Middleton 500 (South of Lune) Overton 1000 Galgate 1600
Cockerham 600
Garstang and Pilling Catterall 2100 6900
Figure 2 – 2001 Population of main Settlements (thousands) • High levels of educational 2.1 Lancaster District contains the coastal qualification except in Morecambe, towns of Morecambe and Heysham, the Heysham and North Lancaster. High historic city of Lancaster, the railway town numbers of people with degrees in of Carnforth and an extensive rural area. Silverdale and Central Lancaster. Its population was estimated at 138,000 in 2005. Some distinctive features are; 2.2 The District’s key economic asset is • A high proportion of students (nearly Lancaster’s expanding University. 15,000); Together with the planned Lancaster • High numbers of retired people in Science Park, it will form a regional north Morecambe and Silverdale; ‘knowledge nucleus’ bringing together • Fewer people of non-white ethnic academic research and knowledge based origin than national averages; industries. • Locally significant numbers of people of Indian origin in Central Lancaster. • High levels of disability or limiting long-term illness, particularly in Morecambe and Heysham;
5 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
2.3 Of around 54,000 employee jobs, 85% 2.9 Lancaster District has many rich and are in service industries and only 7% in diverse landscapes. Internationally manufacturing. Unemployment is close to important habitats include Morecambe the national average but parts of both Bay (wading birds), limestone pavements, Morecambe and Lancaster suffer open water and reedbed habitats in the deprivation. Jobs are clustered at the Silverdale area and the Bowland fells University, in Central Lancaster, at the (birds of prey). White Lund industrial estate and Heysham’s port and power stations. 2.10 The District is a major tourism destination. Its countryside including two Areas of 2.4 The District is relatively self-contained. Outstanding Natural Beauty offers many 16% of working age residents commute recreation opportunities. Morecambe’s out whilst around 13% of employees new tourism offer is based on the wildlife commute in. Around 2000 people of its Bay and its ‘crown jewels’ the Art commute between Lancaster and South Deco Midland Hotel and the Victoria Lakeland in either direction. Pavilion (Winter Gardens). Lancaster’s historic, cultural and shopping offer is also 2.5 Lancaster is a shopping and service a major opportunity. centre for the Morecambe Bay area with around 420 town centre businesses.
2.6 Lancaster is on the M6/ West Coast Main Line corridor with fast (2 hr 55 minutes) rail links to London and direct links to Manchester Airport. Heysham Port has links to Ireland (freight) and the Isle of Man (passenger and freight). There is also a port at Glasson Dock.
2.7 Traffic congestion in and around Lancaster City Centre has an adverse impact on the local environment, the economy of the District and the operation of public transport. This is caused mainly by longer distance through traffic combining with local traffic on the one- way gyratory system and the two bridges across the River Lune.
2.8 Two Quality Bus Routes run from Lancaster University to Heysham. Lancaster is a Cycling Demonstration Town and has an excellent off-road cycle network including the Lune Millennium Bridge.
6 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Strategic Linkages
2.11 Key influences on the Core Strategy are shown in Figure 3 and described in full in Appendix 5. The most important internal and community linkages are; • The Lancaster Community Strategy prepared by the Lancaster Local Strategic Partnership which seeks to ensure that development enhances the community, takes place in sustainable locations, meets community needs and safeguards the natural and built heritage. • The Council’s Corporate Strategy; • Lancashire County Council’s Community Strategy (Ambition Lancashire) and Community Strategies in neighbouring councils. • The economic vision prepared by the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board prepared by the Vision Board which envisages a local economy based on knowledge-based industries and environmental technologies and, in the longer term, a radically improved local transport system serving the entire urban area. • Lancashire County Council strategies such as the Local Transport Plan (which proposes a range of transport initiatives for the District including the Heysham/M6 Link Road) , Landscape Strategies, guidance on parking, and planning obligations and Minerals and Waste planning documents; • Existing and emerging Regional Spatial Strategies which sets out the regional spatial development framework, including setting the District’s housing provision targets, and the regional transport strategy. • The Regional Economic Strategy which sets out the strategic economic context including identifying Lancaster as a regionally important economic driver and centre of knowledge-based industries. • National Planning Policies on matters such as housing, shopping development and the Green Belt; • Cross-border issues such as the management of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Development Plans in neighbouring authorities;
7 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
8 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Lancaster Community The Council’s Vision Government PlanningSubmission Core Strategy Strategy Policy Statements April 2007 By promoting City, Coast and Countryside we will achieve lasting Meeting Essential Needs opportunities for all in a safe and healthy district that’s proud of its National National Travel and Access natural and cultural assets Regional Economic Priorities Fun Leisure and Creativity In Morecambe this means a seaside town recognised as vital Strategy
Priorities Priorities and vibrant in an exceptional setting with a sustainable economy and Community Using resources wisely a stable resident community Protecting and enhancing wildlife Regional Spatial In Lancaster this means being recognised as a nationally and Strategy internationally important learning city with an envied quality of life, Regional Regional rich heritage, strong economic opportunity and social cohesion Priorities Vision Board Distinctiveness Ambition Lancashire In the Rural Area this means a sustainable quality of life that Transport/Quality of Life/ desirable to live protects communities and precious landscapes whilst providing the economic opportunity to flourish Knowledge base/University Local Transport Plan Sub- Business Priorities Environment and energy businesses Regional Regional Priorities Priorities National reputation Neighbouring Plans
A SPATIAL VISION FOR LANCASTER DISTRICT Lancaster District will enhance its distinct identity as a sustainable self-contained and varied group of communities comprising Morecambe and Heysham - a confident community with a regenerated living, working and leisure environment; Lancaster - a prosperous historic City with a thriving knowledge economy; Carnforth – successful market town and service centre for North Lancashire and south Cumbria; and a conserved, enhanced and diversified Coast and Countryside with a network of vibrant rural communities; which will lead the North West in its quality of life and environmental and design standards and within which sustainable housing, economic and retail development to meet local needs will be supported
SPATIAL SPATIAL SPATIAL SPATIAL OBJECTIVE; OBJECTIVE; OBJECTIVE; OBJECTIVE; Sustainable Regenerating the Improving the making Services Communities District Environment Accessible
CORE STRATEGY POLICIES, TARGETS AND INDICATORS
Figure 3 – Vision and Strategic Linkages 9 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 Policy Objective Policies to develop Sustainable Communities SC1 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT To ensure that new development proposals are as sustainable as possible. 19 SC2 URBAN CONCENTRATION To build healthy sustainabile communities by focussing development where it will support the vitality of existing settlements, 22 regenerate areas of need and minimise the need for travel. SC3 RURAL COMMUNITIES To build healthy sustainable communities by working with empowered rural communities to develop local vision and identity, 24 meet local needs and manage change in the rural economy and landscape. SC4 MEETING THE DISTRICT’S HOUSING To set out the principles which will ensure that housing needs are met through the determination of Planning Applications. 33 REQUIREMENTS SC5 ACHIEVING QUALITY IN DESIGN To ensure that development proposals, plans and strategies help to lead the North West in terms of Urban design. 35 SC6 CRIME AND COMMUNITY SAFETY To build sustainable communities by using spatial planning to reduce crime and the fear of crime; 37 SC7 DEVELOPMENT AND THE RISK OF FLOODING To build sustainable communities by ensuring that new homes, workplaces and public areas are not exposed to 39 unacceptable levels of flood risk SC8 RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE PROVISION To build sustainable communities by ensuring that existing and future residents and visitors have access to sports facilities, 42 greenspaces and greenspace networks. Policies to Regenerate the Local Economy ER1 HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION To maximise the regeneration benefits of growth at Lancaster University 46 ER2 REGENERATION PRIORITY AREAS To set out a spatial framework for regeneration in Lancaster District 48 ER3 EMPLOYMENT LAND ALLOCATIONS To promote regeneration by ensuring that the right amount of employment land is provided in the right place to meet needs 50 generated by existing businesses, new businesses and inward investment; ER4 TOWN CENTRES AND SHOPPING To promote regeneration by defining and establishing spatial roles for the District’s City, Town and local shopping centres. 52 ER5 NEW RETAIL DEVELOPMENT To focus retail need on regenerating and re-inforcing the vitality and viability of existing centres. 54 ER6 PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM To maximise the potential of tourism to regenerate the local economy 55 ER7 RENEWABLE ENERGY To maximise the proportion of energy generated from renewable sources where compatible with other sustainability 57 objectives; Policies to Improve the Local Environment E1 ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL To improve the quality of the District’s Environment 59 E2 TRANSPORT STRATEGY To minimise the environmental impact of traffic necessary to secure economic regeneration whilst ensuring that regionally 65 important traffic infrastructure is provided Policies to improve Customer Services CS1 IMPROVING CUSTOMER SERVICES To ensure that people have access to services in a location, and delivered by means that are convenient to them. 73
Figure 4 – List of Policies
10 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 3. Spatial Development Framework .
The Vision
3.1 This part of the Core Strategy explains 3.2 Spatial planning means integrating the Vision for 2021 (what the Strategy is traditional planning policies on the use of working towards) and the overall Spatial land and buildings with other policies and Objectives (the means by which the programmes which influence the nature Vision will be achieved). It also sets out of places and how they function. the main changes which the Strategy seeks to achieve in local areas. 3.3 Figure 4 shows how the spatial elements of various influences on the Strategy have been combined into a single spatial vision of Lancaster District as…
A SUSTAINABLE SELF-CONTAINED AND VARIED GROUP OF COMMUNITIES COMPRISING
MORECAMBE AND HEYSHAM - A CONFIDENT COMMUNITY WITH A REGENERATED LIVING, WORKING AND LEISURE ENVIRONMENT; LANCASTER - A PROSPEROUS HISTORIC CITY WITH A THRIVING KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY; CARNFORTH – SUCCESSFUL MARKET TOWN AND KEY SERVICE CENTRE FOR NORTH LANCASHIRE AND SOUTH CUMBRIA; AND A CONSERVED, ENHANCED AND DIVERSIFIED COAST AND COUNTRYSIDE WITH A NETWORK OF VIBRANT RURAL COMMUNITIES;
WHICH WILL LEAD THE NORTH WEST IN ITS QUALITY OF LIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND DESIGN STANDARDS AND WITHIN WHICH SUSTAINABLE HOUSING, ECONOMIC AND RETAIL DEVELOPMENT TO MEET LOCAL NEEDS WILL BE SUPPORTED.
Spatial Objectives Sustainable Communities
3.4 To achieve this spatial vision, there 3.6 The Government describes are four Spatial Objectives which the Sustainable Communities as places Council will seek to achieve by 2021. where people want to live and work. These are: They meet the needs of residents, are • Sustainable Communities sensitive to their environment, and • Regenerating the District provide a high quality of life. They are safe and inclusive, well planned, built • Improving the Local Environment • and run, and offer equality of Making Services Accessible. opportunity and good services for all.
3.5 What measures are proposed in 3.7 Lancaster District’s communities offer support of these objectives and how a wide variety of experiences and these will affect different parts of the services whilst being of a human scale District is explained in the following and of a sustainable size. Together paragraphs. they make up a self-contained District which offers an enviable quality of life.
11 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
3.8 The Strategy seeks to maintain these Enhancing the Environment qualities. It seeks to build and maintain sustainable communities in Lancaster 3.10 The District’s environment, landscape, District through; and built heritage and lifestyle give it • Urban Concentration – siting an enviable quality of life which is a new homes, jobs, shops and key economic asset. The Strategy will community facilities as sustainably seek to maintain and enhance the high as possible. (Policy SC2); quality of our local environment • In Rural Areas, helping to meet through; needs for homes, jobs, services, • Development and stakeholder and facilities (Policy SC3); actions which strengthen the • Sustainable Development, positive qualities of our located, designed, built, operated Environmental Capital and and removed to minimise harmful enhance biodiversity (Policy E1); impacts and energy use, and • Conserving and enhancing the maximise benefits (Policy SC1); natural and built environment • Meeting the District’s housing (Policy E1); needs for new housing in • Providing efficient and attractive Balanced Communities (Policy transport choices as sustainably SC4); as possible (Policy E2); • Achieving Quality in Design (Policy SC5); Accessible Services; • Reducing Crime and the fear of crime (Policy SC6); 3.11 A key part of the vision is bringing • Minimising the number of homes, Government closer to the people. This businesses and public buildings at means providing public and private risk of flooding (Policy SC7); • services in an inclusive way which Meeting needs for sport and meets everyone’s needs. The Strategy recreation (Policy SC8) proposes to improve access to services by; Regenerating the Economy • Reviewing how the Council delivers services (Policy CS1); 3.9 Our local economy is growing. The • Delivering public and other Strategy aims to foster growth, widen services as close as possible to benefits and reduce spatial inequalities where people live (Policy CS1); by; • Maximising accessibility to people • Developing sustainable economies with disabilities (Policy CS1); in Central Morecambe and the District’s other Regeneration Priority Areas – (Policy ER2); What the Core Strategy • Maximising the knowledge based means for your Community economic potential of Higher and Further Education (Policy ER1); 3.12 Maintaining the distinct identity of the different communities in the District is • Developing Environmental at the heart of the Core Strategy. Local Technologies (Policy ER7); • distinctiveness is central to high quality Meeting needs for new design, our quality of life and our employment development (Policy environmental quality and standards. ER3); The following paragraphs explain how • Developing vibrant City and Town the vision will affect different parts of Centres and managing the the District. impacts of retail development (Policies ER4-5); • Developing the District as a tourism destination (Policy ER6); • Improving access to employment locations for people and goods by a choice of means of transport (Policy E2)
12 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Lancaster – A Prosperous Morecambe and Heysham - A Historic City with a Thriving Confident Community With A Knowledge Economy Regenerated Living, Working And Leisure Environment 3.13 The Strategy seeks to develop the Higher Education and Knowledge 3.18 The Strategy seeks to regenerate based sector by expanding the central Morecambe as a visitor University within the built-up part of the destination, with the restoration of the campus and developing the Lancaster Midland Hotel and Victoria Pavilion Science Park for linked knowledge (Winter Gardens) and the creation of a based industries. It seeks to master quality leisure offer. The Town Centre plan the development of other will be the main local comparison and educational institutions in partnership convenience shopping centre for the with local communities. It focuses area north of the River Lune. It will be student housing on campus and in complemented by local centres at places with good public transport links Bare, Heysham, Torrisholme and to HE institutions. Westgate. Retail development to meet regeneration needs may be 3.14 The Strategy sees Lancaster as the appropriate. Morecambe could also main shopping centre for the District develop as an office location with and neighbouring areas, as a historic restored historic townscape and city visitor attraction, as the main office revived housing market. location and as a cultural centre. It aims to conserve historic townscape, 3.19 White Lund will remain the District’s enhance the public realm and to general employment area. Transport develop existing and find new roles for choice will be improved and the the Castle, St George’s Quay and the environment upgraded. Town Hall. It expects development to respect and enhance the sense of 3.20 South Heysham will be regenerated place of the City. with new woodland and habitats as well as renewable energy, 3.15 The Strategy seeks to transform environment and recycling industrial areas around the City technologies and port related Centre. Caton Road will be enhanced development. as a gateway with improved public transport and pedestrian and cycle 3.21 The Strategy seeks a more stable and links. Uses that employ a lot of people balanced community in Central will be focused close to Lancaster City Morecambe and the West End. Centre. The mixed-use regeneration of Development will reduce the impact of Luneside will be completed and local traffic and be of a quality which supporting infrastructure provided. will raise standards and help to deliver a step change in local environmental 3.16 In residential parts of Lancaster, the quality, public realm and sense of Strategy aims to maintain the place. House price convergence with environmental quality of the high Lancaster should be maintained. The density Victorian and Edwardian suburbs can develop as executive areas, focus new residential housing in a regenerated Morecambe. development on previously used land The Mossgate development will deliver and prevent growth of the urban area new community facilities in Heysham. into the Countryside. 3.22 The Strategy seeks better public 3.17 The Strategy seeks to improve public transport links to Lancaster, a transport with more ‘Quality Bus’ completed cycle and walking network services and, after completion of the and investment in the local rail Heysham/M6 link, provide more road network. The Heysham/M6 Link Road space for buses or introduce other will deliver better access to White innovative transport solutions. The City’s cycling and walking network will be completed and there will be integrated management of parking and park and ride.
13 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Lund and south Heysham. Who will Implement the Core Strategy? Carnforth – A successful Market Town And Service 3.28 The Council’s Forward Planning Centre For North Lancashire Service will lead the implementation of And South Cumbria the Core Strategy. Other bodies whose activities will shape the District include Council services such as; 3.23 The Strategy proposes the • Property Services which looks regeneration of Carnforth as a Market after Council land and property; Town and a visitor destination focused • on its railway heritage. It proposes Economic Development and reclaiming derelict sites and relocating Tourism Service which carries poorly located uses. It proposes to out economic and tourism maintain the town’s population and regeneration and promotion; services with attractive new housing • Council Housing Services which on brownfield sites. The impact of lorry manages Council housing estates; traffic will be addressed by • Cultural Services which manages rationalising land uses. The parks and leisure centres; Heysham/M6 link will reduce through • The Health and Strategic traffic in Carnforth. Housing Service which deals with housing needs, private rented housing and environmental health; A Conserved, Enhanced And Diversified Countryside With A 3.29 Other agencies whose activities will Network Of Vibrant Rural play a major role include; Communities • The Lancaster Local Strategic Partnership and Vision Board; 3.24 In the villages and the rural areas, the • Lancashire Economic Partnership. Strategy seeks to retain a population • Individuals, land-owners and which sustains key local services. private developers; Housing will be limited to that which • Parish Councils, Community meets a clear local need and “in- Groups and Amenity Societies; perpetuity” affordable housing • Lancashire County Council; opportunities will be favoured. • North West Development Agency 3.25 The Green Belt will be retained, valued and English Partnerships who fund landscapes protected from most regeneration projects; • inappropriate development and the Government Agencies such as coalescence of larger suburban The Environment Agency, the villages prevented. Caton and Highways Agency, Natural Silverdale will maintain their roles as England and English Heritage; service centres. • Statutory Undertakers (gas, water, sewerage, electricity, telecoms); 3.26 In the countryside, agricultural • Public Transport Operators; diversification will be encouraged to • Health Service Providers for provide quiet recreation and small primary health care and hospitals, scale sensitively designed visitor • Education Institutions. attractions, New walking and cycle routes will be created. The Strategy seeks to support innovative rural transport initiatives such as Carnforth Connect.
3.27 The undeveloped coast will be conserved and managed for recreation and nature conservation having regard to the potential impacts of flood risk.
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4. Building Sustainable Communities .
Sustainable Development
4.1 Sustainable Development is the guiding 4.4 The sustainability tests in Policy SC1 principle of spatial planning. Creating (below) will; Sustainable Communities is a key • Be the key consideration in siting priority of the Core Strategy. All new new allocations and sequencing development must therefore be as residential development in future sustainable as possible. planning documents; • Be incorporated into Development 4.2 This means new homes which are close Control policies for all significant to public transport, shops, doctor’s new development; surgeries, post offices, schools, • As far as possible, inform other recreation facilities, recycling facilities Council functions and, the actions of and open spaces. It also means meeting other stakeholders; needs in a way that minimises harmful environmental impacts. The Strategy 4.5 Development proposals which meet has been subjected to Sustainability local needs in rural areas must be Appraisal to ensure that this is achieved. locally sustainable. This means being well related to any settlement and within 4.3 Whether a location for development is easy reach of village facilities. sustainable will depend on a Particularly strong justification will be combination of all of the factors set out necessary to demonstrate that rural in Policy SC1 . These are intended to sites show a sustainable balance manage the demand for travel, minimise between addressing genuine rural the consumption of natural resources needs and offering a realistic choice of and safeguard environmental capital. means of transport. Table 1 below lists indicative characteristics of a sustainable location
reflected in the Core Targets.
A SUSTAINABLE LOCATION IS NORMALLY… 1. Within the urban area of Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham or Carnforth 2. For housing and B2 and B8 employment, within 400m safe walking distance from a public transport route with a day time service frequency of at least 30 minutes. 3. For retail, leisure and office development within 200m safe walking distance from a public transport route with a day time service frequency of at least 30 minutes. 4. For housing development, less than 1/2 hour by public transport from a GP practise, hospital, employment area, town centre and primary and secondary school; 5. Less than 1km by a safe, direct route, from the District's Strategic Cycle Network. 6. Previously Developed Land; 7. Outside Flood Zone 3b; 8. Not containing significant habitat, archaeological or built heritage interest which would be lost or damaged by development. Note) This is not a definitive list and the criteria should be regarded as minima Table 1; Indicative Criteria for a Sustainable Location
15 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
POLICY SC1 – SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Purpose To ensure that new development proposals are as sustainable as possible; In assessing whether a development proposal or allocation is as sustainable as possible, the Council will apply the following principles; Location Design (Core Strategy and Allocations) (Development Control Policies) • • It is convenient to walk, cycle and It is convenient to walk or cycle around travel by public transport between the site; and the site and homes, workplaces, • The proposal re-uses existing buildings; shops, schools, health centres, • The proposal uses locally-sourced, recreation, leisure and community environmentally friendly or recycled facilities; and construction materials, uses • The site is previously developed; sustainable waste management practices and and minimises construction waste; and • The current use, appearance or • The proposal would clean up condition of the site cause adverse contamination and other environmental environmental impacts; and problems associated with the site; and • The site can be developed without • The proposal uses energy efficient incurring unacceptable flood risk or design and orientation, energy efficiency drainage problems; and and renewable energy technologies; and • The site does not have significant • The proposal has an acceptable impact nature conservation, archaeological on drainage systems and uses or built heritage importance; and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS); • The proposed use would be where appropriate; and compatible with the character of the • The proposal is Integrated with the surrounding landscape. character of the surrounding landscape, and, where appropriate, increases tree- cover, provides for archaeological investigation, and creates publicly accessible habitat. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 1.1a-e) access to Public Transport, Housing Allocations meeting criteria in Table 1; 1.2a-b) access to Cycle Network Employment Allocations meeting criteria in Table 1; 1.3a-e) efficiency in use of land, Retail Allocations meeting criteria in Table 1; 1.7 a-d) Design quality Housing Permissions meeting criteria in Table 1; 2.5 a-c) Renewable Energy Employment Permissions meeting criteria in Table 1; 3.1 a) Flood Risk; Retail Permissions meeting criteria in Table 1; 3.2 a-d), Biodiversity 3.3 a-b). Conservation MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS DC Policies DPD – Preferred Options – Sept 2007; Lancaster City Council Land Use Allocations DC Policies DPD – Submission –May 2008; Private Developers Design Code DC Policies DPD – Adoption – Sept 2009; Environment Agency Development Control Allocations DPD –Preferred Options – Aug 2008; Natural England process Allocations DPD - Submission – Jan 2009; Lancashire County Allocations DPD - Adoption – April 2010; Council Monitoring of Planning Applications through AMR; Local and National Environmental Groups
16 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Silverdale Urban Concentration
4.6 Morecambe, Heysham, Lancaster and Carnforth contain most of the District’s CARNFORTH people, jobs, schools, shops, health, Hornby community and leisure facilities. They Bolton-le-Sands Wray have the best roads, public transport Slyne Halton and cycle routes as well as water, MORECAMBE -with power, telecommunications and gas Hest Caton/Brookhouse networks. They contain most of the District’s ‘brownfield’ sites and regeneration areas. Focusing development in urban areas gives LANCASTER people; Galgate • employment, shops, services and community facilities close to where they live; • the widest choice of transport modes and alternatives to the car; • services such as electricity, water, gas, sewerage, healthcare, Figure 5 – The Urban Concentration Strategy schools, public open space, refuse collection and recycling, provided 4.10 It is anticipated that Lancaster City efficiently and sustainably; Centre will be the focus for most new • the efficient recycling of previously B1 office development whilst the focus used land and the maximum for general industry will be White Lund, regeneration from development; Caton Road and Luneside. • minimum urban sprawl and high quality, accessible Countryside. 4.11 Lancaster is a major centre of sub- regional significance, whereas 4.7 For all of these reasons, the Core Morecambe caters primarily for local Strategy directs most development to and visitor needs. Accordingly 60% of urban areas. Based on a robust new retail development, including most assessment of Urban Capacity, and comparison goods retailing is making an allowance to meet rural anticipated to be completed in needs, the Strategy seeks to Lancaster. 30% - mainly convenience accommodate 90% of new homes, is anticipated in Morecambe. There is 95% of new employment floorspace an allowance of 8% for Carnforth and 98% of new retail floorspace reflecting its market town role. within the urban area during the period 2003-21.
4.8 It is intended that around 40% of new homes will be developed in Lancaster, 40% in Morecambe and Heysham and 10% in Carnforth. These figures are based on existing populations with adjustments for prioritising regeneration in Morecambe and to reflect Carnforth’s role as a service centre for surrounding settlements and countryside where development opportunities are limited.
4.9 95% of employment development will take place in urban areas. It is envisaged that the overall split will be 45% in Lancaster, 45% in Morecambe and Heysham and 5% in Carnforth. These reflect forecast demand adjusted for Morecambe regeneration.
17 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
North Lancashire Green Belt
4.12 The North Lancashire Green Belt is one of England’s newest having been designated in 1991. At 17.3 sq km it is also one of the smallest comprising less than 3% of the District’s rural area. It safeguards a small but strategic area of countryside which prevents the coalescence of six settlements (Lancaster, Morecambe, Carnforth, Slyne, Hest Bank and Bolton-le-Sands). It is less than 900m wide in places. Small scale change can therefore have a significant effect on the purpose of the Green Belt and for this reason, the Green Belt boundary is tight to the urban edge.
4.13 The Regional Spatial Strategy states that there shall be no review of the Green Belt until 2011. The Council is not aware of any strategic development needs which could not be sustainably accommodated outside the Green Belt. There is capacity in rural settlements to meet local needs as well as a significant reserve of previously developed land in Carnforth.
4.14 Unless there is significant and unforeseen change both to strategic development needs and urban and non-Green Belt rural capacity, there will be no need, either for a review, or for changes to the Green Belt during the Strategy period.
18 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
POLICY SC2 – URBAN CONCENTRATION Purpose To build Healthy Sustainable Communities by focusing development where it will support the vitality of existing settlements, regenerate areas of need and minimise the need to travel.
Over the period of the Strategy; 90% of new dwellings 95% of new 1employment floorspace and 98% of new 2retail floorspace Will be accommodated within the existing urban area of Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham and Carnforth3. Development outside these settlements will require exceptional justification.
TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66); INDICATORS 1.4a) Urban Concentration – Residential; Dwelling Completions by location 1.4b) Urban Concentration – Employment; Employment sq m (gross) by location 1.4c) Urban Concentration – Retail; Retail sq m (gross) by location MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Degree to which locational targets met to be assessed Lancaster City Council Land Use Allocations annually through Annual Monitoring Report; Planning Service. Document Private and other Development Control Developers Process
1 Employment means new B1 (office, light and research and development), B2 (general industry) and B8 (storage and distribution) floorspace created either through new build or through changes of use. 2 Retail means new A1 floorspace created either through new build or through changes of use. 3 ‘Urban’ means within the urban areas as defined on the Lancaster District Local Plan proposals map. This includes the Urban areas of Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth as well as Lancaster University and employment sites in South Heysham which are effectively detached portions of the urban area;
19 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Rural Communities
4.15 More than 90% of Lancaster District’s 4.20 Opportunities in the rural area include area is rural and around 34,000 people rural tourism (large areas of the Forest live in villages and the Countryside (602 of Bowland are now open to walkers for sq km). Around half of these live in large the first time), renewable energy and suburban villages such as Bolton-le- biofuels, and high quality local foods. Sands, Halton and Galgate. The rest are Home working in villages can also help in the District’s sparse rural hinterland. village shops and post offices and the wider vitality of village communities. 4.16 The Strategy proposes that most new residential and employment 4.21 The Council seeks to help to build development in the rural area be sustainable rural communities through focused in sustainable locations. This working with parish councils to; means villages which retain services • Identify and provide for affordable such as basic shopping, schools, and local needs housing; medical care and public transport. • Re-use redundant farm buildings to Outside the urban areas, the only retail provide employment premises; development likely to be acceptable are • Provide village halls, playgrounds village shops and farm shops. and sports facilities; • Protect, and encourage community 4.17 Parish Councils provide many rural involvement in the running of, key communities with representation. Our facilities such as village shops; rural areas have the lowest deprivation, • the best health and education and the Support sensitive proposals for highest incomes. Many communities, agricultural diversification; however, lack employment, basic • Develop town and country links like services and public transport. This farmers markets and local foods; means that deprived people in rural • Encourage tourism, develop walking areas are particularly isolated. and cycling routes and associated accommodation and catering. 4.18 Key issues for rural communities • Encourage home working and include; develop and safeguard the • Meeting local needs for affordable telecommunications and post office and key-worker housing in the network to support it; context of the impact of second • Promote innovative public transport, homes, affluent commuters and the including ‘Carnforth Connects’ and well-off retired on house prices; the Lancaster-Leeds community • The loss of local facilities such as railway, and encourage leisure use; schools, village shops, pubs and • Allow sustainable Low Impact rural employment opportunities; housing in appropriate locations. • Ongoing change in agriculture and rural industries and the impacts of 4.22 Some measures may be controversial changes to farm subsidies; and community involvement is essential. • A limited supply of business Local needs and low impact housing premises and access to technology; must be brought forward with a degree • Poor and expensive public transport of consensus. Parish Councils are an and isolation for people who do not invaluable source of local expertise. have access to a car. Parish Plans can identify local needs and build community cohesion in • Growing demands for recreation developing solutions. The Council will and alternative lifestyles. provide help and guidance to Parishes preparing parish plans. Needs and 4.19 These issues are particularly important issues identified in Parish plans will feed in remote areas such as the Upper Lune into the Councils own policy framework. Valley, Wyresdale, and the Cockerham and Glasson areas.
20 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
POLICY SC3 – RURAL COMMUNITIES Purpose To build healthy sustainable communities by empowering rural communities to develop local vision and identity, identify and meet local needs and manage change in the rural economy and landscape
10% of new homes and 5% of new employment development is made to accommodate development to meet local needs in villages. This will be focused in villages that have 1five basic services. At present these are;
• Bolton-le-Sands • Hornby • Silverdale • Caton and • Wray • Galgate Brookhouse • Slyne-with-Hest • Halton Development outside these settlements will require exceptional justification.
In Rural Areas and in smaller, more remote villages in particular, the Council will work with the Local Strategic Partnership, Parish Councils and other local stakeholders to;
• Help Parish Councils to develop as local community leaders and engage in spatial planning and Local Strategic Partnership processes; • Protect, conserve and enhance important rural landscapes including the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the distinctive characteristics of rural settlements; • Identify housing needs and opportunities for meeting them and ensuring that any housing permitted is directly related to those needs; • Identify local employment needs and opportunities for meeting them; • Encourage local involvement in the provision and management of essential rural facilities and resist development proposals which would result in their loss; • Encourage appropriate employment development within villages including home- working, particularly by supporting increased broadband availability; • Promote and market sensitive tourist attractions, accommodation and catering with particular emphasis on the potential of farm diversification; • Encourage sympathetic agricultural diversification; • Encourage sensitive countryside recreationand develop walking and cycle networks. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 1.4a) Urban Concentration – Residential; Parish Plans prepared 1.4b) Urban Concentration – Employment; Affordable Housing completed 1.4c) Urban Concentration – Retail; Local Needs Housing completed 1.5a) Parish Plans; Rural Employment Premises delivered 1.5b) Affordable Housing; Facilities available in villages 1.3c) Rural employment premises; 4.1 a) Access to services - general 4.1 b) Access to services – large villages 4.1 c) Access to services – smaller villages MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Annual Housing Land Monitoring Parish Councils Development Control Annual Monitoring Report Lancaster City Council Parish Plans Timetable for preparation of Parish Plans set by Parishes Countryside Agency Rights of Way Local Strategic Partnership Improvement Plan Lancashire County Council
1 The five key services defined by the Lancashire Structure Plan at paragraph 4.6 are: A General Practitioner, Primary School, a food shop, Post Office and Bus Stop.
21 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Balanced Communities in Lancaster District
4.27 In Morecambe and Heysham, the Background Council will seek to maintain the recent alignment of house prices with those of 4.23 Lancaster District is a largely self- Lancaster without increasing exclusion contained housing market with housing due to affordability. In Central demand mainly generated by existing Morecambe, it will diversify the range of residents. There is limited interaction household types and improve with neighbouring areas with most community stability. Morecambe’s movements confined to existing suburbs will develop a role as desirable households. The Ecotec Housing residential areas serving a regenerated Market Areas in the North West Report centre. In Heysham, the Mossgate confirms the status of Lancaster District development will be completed and new as a single housing market. community facilities provided.
Spatial Objectives for Housing 4.28 In Carnforth, the Council will continue to support the redevelopment of brownfield sites for housing and the 4.24 The City Council’s overall spatial relocation of poorly located industries objective is to deliver strong, stable, and improvement of the amenity of sustainable communities with decent existing residential areas. Residential homes for everyone. This spatial development providing affordable objective accords with the Community housing can help improve the viability of Strategy’s intention that the essential the town as a local service centre for the needs of the district’s residents will be surrounding rural area by providing met and a sufficient and appropriate housing opportunities for people who stock of housing will be achieved. struggle to buy or rent housing at open market rates. 4.25 The Council owns around 3,900 homes of which around two thirds are in 4.29 Bolton-le-Sands, Slyne and Hest Lancaster and the majority of the Bank will remain attractive alternative remainder are in Morecambe and locations to suburban Lancaster and Heysham. The Council works with Morecambe. Green Belt boundaries will residents to maintain sustainable be retained. communities, in good quality homes and within a living environment that provides 4.30 In the rural areas, a viable population an attractive alternative to private will be retained to maintain essential renting or owner-occupancy for many local services. Development will be types of household. restricted to that which meets local needs and encourages a more 4.26 In Lancaster, the Council will normalised age and income profile. “In- endeavour to maintain the perpetuity” affordable housing environmental quality and vitality of the opportunities will help new-forming Victorian and Edwardian terraces and households whilst outside villages, new other residential suburbs which makes housing will generally be limited to that them consistently desirable places to required for workers in agriculture or live. Elsewhere, the Council will other activity requiring a rural location. minimise the expansion of the urban area into adjacent countryside.
22 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Communities with Special Needs Students
4.31 As a responsible and tolerant 4.36 Student numbers at both Lancaster community, Lancaster District will University and St. Martins College address the needs of groups with (University of Cumbria) have shown a legitimate special requirements where steady increase over recent years. At these are clearly evidenced and locally Lancaster University total student generated. These include the travelling numbers for the academic year community, the elderly, students, 2005/2006 were 9,607 students and vulnerable people, ethnic and cultural 6,331 rooms. This represents an minorities and people with disabilities. exceptionally high ratio of students to rooms of 1 to 1.5. Following the completion of the current phase of hall Gypsies and Travellers of residence construction on the university campus this ratio will increase 4.32 Healthy sustainable communities further to 1:1.4. provide for gypsies and travelling people. They have a long-established 4.37 Total student numbers at St. Martins presence in Lancaster District. Many College for the period 2005/2006 were families live on sites in Heaton-with– 5,187. In total St. Martins have 401 on Oxcliffe and South Heysham. campus rooms and 91 off-campus (Mill Hall, Lancaster). This represents a ratio 4.33 Gypsy and Travellers needs have been of students to rooms of 1:11 rooms. investigated in the Lancashire Sub- Regional Gypsy and Traveller 4.38 While recent development at Lancaster Accommodation and Related Service University has increased the capacity to Assessment (2007). It shows that house students on campus, existing provision is broadly meeting accommodation will continue to be local needs. It identifies a need for required for a significant number of around 16 additional pitches by 2011 students in off-campus housing. and a further 7 or 8 by 2016. Students therefore represent an important component of the Lancaster 4.34 The Assessment findings will inform any Housing Market and the City Council is necessary allocations in the forthcoming committed to ensuring that their needs land allocations document. Provision will are addressed through the overall be made by protecting existing sites and housing strategy. The City Council will approving small scale extensions or continue to work with both universities in additional small sites. The Council will addressing student needs and also ensure through its development monitoring student numbers. control policies that new sites have an acceptable impact on the landscape, provide acceptable amenities for both site residents and neighbouring properties, have access to essential services and make the most of existing infrastructure.
4.35 To ensure that the concerns and aspirations of the Gypsy and Traveller communities are addressed, the Council will continue to work with the Gypsy and Traveller Community and bodies such as the Education Authority to review provision. Issues could include the implications of a concentration of sites in small areas and access to preferred schools.
23 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
4.42 The housing needs of Lancaster Meeting the District’s Housing District’s residents are identified in the Requirements Local Housing Needs Study (2005).
4.39 This part of the Strategy describes the 4.43 A full explanation of how the detailed Council’s overall approach to the new requirements of PPS3 have been met, housing delivery as required by the together with detailed housing Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and trajectories is set out in Appendix 6. Planning Policy Statement 3 on Housing (PPS3). Establishing the Requirement for 4.40 Policy SC5 sets out how the Council will the Core Strategy Period identify and manage a housing land supply to meet the (draft) RSS. 4.44 Both the Core Strategy and RSS cover housing requirement. The other the same time period i.e. 2003/04 to objectives of the policy are: 2020/21. RSS requires the Council to • To achieve the orderly release of plan for 7,200 dwellings over this period, land for housing in sustainable equal to an annual mean requirement of locations (Policy SC1) that 400. To allow for demolitions and prioritises development on changes of use, the Council has added previously developed sites (Policy at total of 90 dwellings to this total. SDF4) and contributes to regeneration aims (Policy SDF3); 4.45 PPS3 also requires the Council to set • To balance local housing markets out how housing will be delivered for by increasing the variety of stock, in least 15 years from the date of adoption terms of house type and tenure of the Strategy (in this case from around within the district’s neighbourhoods December 2008). This requires planning in accordance with the Housing for the period 2009/10 to 2023/24 Needs Study and Council’s Housing (beyond the Core Strategy period). Strategy; and • To consistently, dependably and 4.46 PPS3 contains several tests of housing transparently achieve an supply and deliverability (see Table 2 appropriate contribution to the below). In the absence of any detailed District’s stock of held-in-perpetuity national guidance, the Council has affordable housing. determined its own local definitions, of these tests. These definitions are 4.41 PPS3 requires Councils to plan for the described in detail within the Strategic delivery of new housing that is Housing Market Assessments, demonstrably appropriate to the specific described in the next section. needs, characteristics and requirements of their local communities.
Sub-divisions of PPS3 15-Year Continuous Delivery Strategy Period PPS3 Sub Core Strategy Paragraph 54 Test Period Financial Years First 5 years 2009/10 to 2013/14 Deliverable, Available, Suitable, Achievable Second 5 years 2014/15 to 2018/19 Specific, Developable Sites Third 5 years 2019/20 to 2023/24 Where possible specific, developable sites. Where not possible then broad locations for future growth. Table 2; PPS3 Tests for Delivery of New Housing
24 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Strategic Housing Land Housing Evidence Base Availability Assessment
4.47 PPS3 advises that Local Development 4.52 A Strategic Housing Land Availability Documents should be informed by a Assessment (SHLAA) investigates the robust, shared evidence base, in availability of the full range of housing particular, of housing need and demand opportunities and tests and validates the and recommends the production of deliverability of the proposed housing Strategic Housing Market land supply. In undertaking this task, the Assessments (SHMA) and Strategic Council first produced a series of local Housing Land Availability Urban Potential Studies followed by a Assessments (SHLAA). Annex C of rigorous process of assessing PPS3 anticipates the contents of these deliverability, including consultation with documents. developers, agents and landowners.
4.48 This Core Strategy has been prepared 4.53 A detailed appraisal of each site, with the benefit of the following robust including a description of the evidence and up-to-date evidence base sources is reported in the Housing Land documents envisaged by PPS3: Portfolio of January 2007 (IBP2a). This was prepared to conduct a validation • Urban Potential Study (UPS) • exercise in compliance with advice on Annual Housing Land Monitoring SHLAA, and in doing so clearly Reports (HLMR) demonstrates the soundness of the • Housing Land Portfolio Core Strategy’s assumptions on housing • Housing Needs Study land supply.
4.49 Details of these documents and how to access them is also contained in Housing Land Commitment Appendix 2. Position at Submission
4.54 At the point of Submission of this Core Strategic Housing Market Strategy the dwelling commitment Assessment (unimplemented planning permissions) was 2,410 dwellings (HLM Report for 1 4.50 A Strategic Housing Market Assessment April 2006). This is the equivalent of six considers issues of housing need and years of the emerging (gross) RSS affordability. The City Council has dwelling requirement (2410/405). already addressed these issues in its Housing Needs Study (IBP3), the Gypsies and Travellers study (IBP15) Housing Land Supply Position at and its Housing Strategy. The Council is Submission also prioritising the preparation of an Affordable Housing SPD. 4.55 The Core Strategy’s housing strategy is based on (Draft) RSS figures - with a 4.51 The City Council is therefore satisfied commitment base date of 1 April 2006, that this Core Strategy, supplemented and a delivery assessment base date of by forthcoming additional Local 1 Jan 2007. In line with PPS3, the Development Documents, has had full Council has made no allowance for regard to the matters required to be windfalls or “unplanned sites” in the addressed by a Strategic Housing housing land supply. At the point of Market Assessment. Lancaster City submission, the City Council can Council will publish an SHMA that demonstrate: formalises its consideration of housing • A “conventional” 5-year supply of market assessment issues following the housing land that is in net surplus by publication of detailed practice guidance 832 dwellings; and by the DCLG.
25 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
• A “conventional” 10-year supply of housing land release policy. This housing land that is in net surplus by activity includes: 224 dwellings; and • Maintaining currency on • A “PPS3 LDD Definition” 5-year development opportunities by supply of housing land that is in net making annual returns to the surplus by 873 dwellings from the National Land Use Database first financial year following adoption (NLUD) and preparing successive i.e. from 2009/10 to 2013/14. Urban Capacity/Urban Potential Studies, from the mid-1990s; 4.56 At the end of the second five-year PPS3 • Publishing annual Housing Land period(2014/15 to 2018/19), a net deficit Monitoring Reports (HLMRs); and of 946 dwellings emerges which • Since 2003, implementing increases to be 2,971 dwellings at the Supplementary Planning Guidance end of the third five-year period (from Note 16 “The Phasing of New 2019/20 to 2023/24) i.e. beyond the end Residential Development”, a policy of this Core Strategy period . of constraining residential approvals.
Addressing the Housing Land 4.60 As the RSS figure has yet to be Shortfall within the Core Strategy finalised, the Strategy must contain Period sufficient flexibility to account for possible changes to the housing 4.57 Appendix 6 demonstrates that requirement. As supply in the early completions on presently “planned sites” years of the strategy period exceeds will provide 5,300 dwellings. Once RSS requirements by around 40%, the account has been taken of the over- Council is confident that the housing completions achieved in the year prior to land supply position is sufficiently robust the commencement of the RSS Period, to accommodate possible increases in then the Trajectory reveals that sites for the housing requirement. In the event of a further 1,756 dwelling completions are a significant increase, the Council will needed to meet the RSS Target. This make any necessary adjustments to its will be addressed, in part, by housing and previously developed land completions achieved on windfall sites trajectories. in the longer term (in the last 5 years of the 15-year PPS3 Period). 4.61 Given that anticipating dwelling completions is subject to the vagaries of 4.58 The medium to long term housing land the development industry, the Council shortfall will be addressed in the will monitor its housing trajectory to forthcoming Land Allocations Local check for significant under or over- Development Document. This will achievement. In the context of achieving identify any necessary additional a five-year housing requirement, a components of the housing land supply. variance of more than 10% will trigger a Additional housing land supply sites will consideration of the need to review the be identified in accordance with the planned housing delivery programme. Core Strategy’s principles and will be To ensure that it has the best and most subject to Sustainability Appraisal. up-to-date information, the Council will continue to engage with house builders and other key stakeholders and The Approach to Implementation maintain a voluntary forum that can be called upon to respond to emerging 4.59 The Core Strategy must contain a housing policy issues and monitoring housing implementation strategy that information. Regular reviews of the describes how the Council will manage “Housing Land Portfolio” and Housing the delivery of its housing and Land Monitoring Report will also involve previously-developed land targets and developers and key stakeholders. trajectories. This, in effect, represents a continuation of many years of successfully managing housing land delivery through a combination of development plan preparation, robust monitoring, and regular review of
26 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Dwelling Delivery Mechanisms development will appear in the Development Control Policies LDD. 4.62 Private developers will deliver most of the district’s housing requirement. The The Location and Distribution of the rest will be delivered by Registered Social Landlords (RSLs). Developers Residential Development should deliver homes that address specific local housing needs. 4.64 The location and distribution of new Information concerning the housing residential development must accord needs of the residents of Lancaster with the main principles of the Core District is robust, current and both Strategy and must be capable of readily and freely available. The implementation without prejudicing forthcoming Development Control policy objective (e.g. maintaining green Policies DPD will describe how planning belt). applications for residential development must be accompanied by a description 4.65 The Urban Concentration Strategy of how the proposal will address local assumes that around 90% of new housing needs and assist in achieving a dwellings will be accommodated within more balanced local housing market. the existing urban area of Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham and Carnforth with the remaining 10% meeting local Dwelling Densities needs in villages. These figures are based on past take-up rates, capacity in 4.63 Lancaster City Council has an excellent the settlements concerned and the record of promoting the efficient use of distribution of the planned sites within land. It fully supports the national the housing trajectory (see Table *). indicative minimum of 30 dwellings per This shows a close alignment with the hectare and will continue to promote policy. The high figure for Morecambe densities in excess of 30 dwellings per and Heysham is due to the current hectare where appropriate. The urban policy of promoting regeneration concentration strategy, which directs schemes in this area. The City Council development to previously developed will continue to monitor the sub-district land will help ensure that high-density distribution of sites and review its development continue to be achieved. trajectory if proportions vary significantly A more detailed policy on appropriate from those assumed in the strategy. local densities for residential
Sub-Area Dwellings Percentage Lancaster 1,572 38% Morecambe & 1,940 47% Heysham Carnforth 259 6% Rural 372 9% District Totals 4,143 100% Table 3 - Distribution of the Planned Sites listed with within the Housing Delivery Trajectory
27 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
4.66 Taking into account the housing trajectory and urban capacity studies, Previously Developed Land the Council is also confident that Trajectory dwelling requirements and locational assumptions can be met without 4.70 Lancaster City Council has a long prejudicing the following policy record of achieving a high proportion of objectives: dwelling completions on previously • Retaining existing Green Belt Developed Land (PDL), typically boundaries; achieving around 69% in recent years. • Minimising the need for additional Policy SC5 contains an indicative greenfield sites; Previously Developed Land target (Minimum) of 70% (significantly higher • Promoting vibrant rural settlements; • than the RSS 50% minimum Avoiding areas at risk of flooding; requirement.) The Council is confident and that it can achieve this figure given the • Maintaining the quality and quantity overall strategy of urban concentration of open space and recreation and the composition of the existing and provision. planned housing land supply, virtually all of which is made up of PDL. The City Housing Trajectory Council consistently monitors the proportion of sites achieved on PDL land: this monitoring is reported in the 4.67 PPS3 requires Council’s to prepare Housing Land Monitoring Reports and “Housing Trajectories” setting out how Annual Monitoring Reports. the District’s housing requirement will be met. The Council has prepared two 4.71 Appendix 6 sets out the details of how trajectories; one covering the RSS the Council intends to achieve its (PDL) requirement and the other covering the Targets in a PDL Trajectory, including a PPS3 “15 year” requirement. Both description of the Trajectory trajectories adopt the same base-line Methodology. The PDL Trajectory is monitoring date of 1 April 2006, utilise supplemented by two illustrative bar the assumptions about approvals and graphs that show the projected completions contained in the Housing achievement against the draft RSS Land Portfolio 2007 and carry forward annualised average dwelling the dwelling surplus achieved in the requirement and the projected period 2001 to 2003. cumulative achievement against the overall draft RSS dwelling requirement. 4.68 The first trajectory, Appendix 6 describes how the current housing land 4.72 The PDL Trajectory does not make any supply will contribute to meeting the assumptions about how much of the RSS Housing Requirement. As future housing land supply which will be previously stated, additional sites identified through the Land Allocations identified in the forthcoming Allocation Document will be on PDL. However in Document will supplement the land the context of the findings of the Urban supply. This Trajectory is illustrated by Capacity Study and the Core Strategy’s a bar graph. Urban Concentration approach, it is reasonable to assume that much of the 4.69 The second trajectory, Appendix 6 additional land supply will also be on addresses the requirement described in PDL. In the unlikely event that future paragraph 53 of PPS3 that Local monitoring indicates that the PDL target Development Documents should plan will not be achieved, then the City for the delivery of dwelling completions Council will have plenty of time to adjust over a fifteen year period from adoption. the PDL trajectory for the later stages of The Trajectory is divided into three five- the Core Strategy period. year periods, the first five year period commence in the first full financial year following the assumed Core Strategy adoption date of the December 2008.
28 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Affordable Housing 4.75 Policy SC5 sets the Core Strategy Target for Affordable Housing. This 4.73 Providing a sufficient supply of target is informed by reference to both affordable housing is a key local priority. the extent of the draft RSS Housing The Council has considerable Requirement and the consultant’s experience in negotiating Affordable advice in the 2005 Housing Needs Housing contributions via Section 106 Study, hence on schemes above the Agreements based on its threshold levels, the Council will seek a Supplementary Planning Guidance Note 30% contribution of the dwellings as (SPG10), prepared in 2001. Given the Affordable Housing. This equates to a changes to the housing market since target of negotiating 70 Affordable 2001, and the emergence of new Homes each year and delivering 60 evidence in the Housing Needs Study Affordable Homes completions each and new guidance in PPS3, the Council year during the RSS period. The Core has prioritised preparation of an Strategy’s Targets are therefore subject Affordable Housing SPD. This will to potential revision. provide up-to-date guidance on definitions and site thresholds and set 4.76 The Core Strategy’s approach to targets for tenure-types. delivering affordable housing will be expanded upon in both the forthcoming 4.74 The Council’s approach to Affordable formal Strategic Housing Market Housing is informed by the 2005 Assessment and Affordable Housing Housing Needs Study and addressed in SPDs. The Housing SPD will establish the Council’s Housing Strategy. The site threshold levels for both urban and Housing Needs Study revealed an rural areas. Given the limited annual overall shortfall of 216 Affordable opportunities available for negotiating Dwellings and recommends that the affordable housing in the district’s rural Council should aim to achieve a mix of areas (few sites and smaller sites) it is types but mainly small units, particularly anticipated that the threshold level in flats, to meet the needs of single adults rural areas, currently set at 10 dwellings and couples. The Study also will continue to be less than that in recommends that the City Council urban areas. The preparation of these should negotiate with prospective documents will provide detailed developers towards achieving up to 30% consideration of the recent new advice subsidised affordable homes from the and updated background information. total of all suitable sites coming forward The forthcoming Affordable Housing for planning consent. The study SPD is therefore the appropriate LDD recommends that the major requirement document to provide the City Council’s is dwellings for rent. detailed approach on achieving the delivery of the Core Strategy’s Affordable Housing Targets.
29 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
POLICY SC5 – MEETING THE DISTRICT’S HOUSING REQUIREMENTS Purpose To set out the principles which will ensure that housing needs are met, through housing allocations and through determining planning applications, in a way which builds sustainable communities The Council will: • Identify a housing land supply sufficient to meet the Housing Requirement of 7,200 dwellings (net of clearance replacement) [as currently anticipated] in the period 2003-2021 as established by Policy L4 (Table 7.1) of the Regional Spatial Strategy; • Manage the phased release of housing land such that the number of recorded dwelling completions is closely aligned to the Annual Average Dwelling Requirement of 400 dwellings [as currently anticipated] as established by Policy L4 (Table 7.1) of the Regional Spatial Strategy; The Council will both identify a housing land supply and release sites via the granting of planning consent in accordance with the Core Strategy principles of: • Urban Concentration, as described in Policy SC2; • Sustainable Development, as described in Policy SC1; and • Supporting regeneration within the Regeneration Priority Areas identified in Policy ER2. The Council will aim to maximise the opportunities offered by the development of new dwellings to: • Redress imbalances in the local housing market; • Achieve housing that genuinely addresses identified local housing need; and • Secure units of “in-perpetuity” affordable housing.
TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 1.1a-b) e-f) Access to Public Transport; Dwelling Completions 1.2a-b) Access to Strategic Cycle Network; Affordable Housing Permissions 1.3a) Previously Developed Land; Affordable Housing Completions 1.3d-e) Density; 1.4a) Urban Concentration; 1.5b) Rural Affordable Housing; 1.6a) Housing Completions; 1.6b) Affordable Housing Negotiated; 1.6c) Affordable Housing Completions; 1.6d) Previously Developed Land Target;
MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Allocations DPD –Preferred Options – Aug 2008; Lancaster City Council Land Use Allocations Allocations DPD - Submission – Jan 2009; Housebuilders Development Control Allocations DPD - Adoption – April 2010; Registered Social Landlords Development Monitoring Managed Release of Housing Land
30 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Achieving Quality in Design
4.77 Many of the District’s townscapes and 4.79 The Council will draw on this energy and natural landscapes are of exceptional expertise by engaging and building quality. The environmental quality of the consensus with local amenity societies District is a key economic asset. The and national design and heritage Council, through its spatial planning and agencies. place shaping role has a key role both in protecting and enhancing existing 4.80 In recognition of the importance that the environments and making sure that new Council attaches to Urban Design, the development enhances the quality of life Council has prioritised the preparation of in the District. a Supplementary Planning Document on Design issues. 4.78 Local people take pride in the District’s natural and built heritage and there is 4.81 Some areas are less sensitive than great local interest and expertise in others. Examples include development architecture and urban design. within employment areas. Some of these areas are proposed as Business Development Zones (Policy ER2).
31 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
POLICY SC5 – ACHIEVING QUALITY IN DESIGN Purpose To ensure that development proposals, plans and strategies achieve the Core Strategy vision of leading the North West in terms of Urban Design The Council will work with developers, local and national stakeholders and communities to maintain and improve the quality of development by; Seeking to ensure that, particularly, within the following areas; • Lancaster City Centre and its approaches; • Morecambe Town Centre, Seafront and approaches; • Lancaster University and Lancaster Science Park; • Conservation Areas; • Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty; • The North Lancashire Green Belt; • Regional and Local Regeneration Priority Areas (see Policy ER2); • Other rural areas. New development is of a quality which reflects and enhances the positive characteristics of its surroundings including the quality of the landscape, results in an improved appearance where conditions are unsatisfactory, complements and enhances the public realm and, in high profile locations, creates landmark buildings of genuine and lasting architectural merit. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 1.7a) National Recognition; entries for Lancaster Design Awards; 1.7b) Design Panel; Developments receiving Civic Trust awards; 1.7c) Design Award Scheme; Developments receiving BURA awards; 1.4d) Energy Efficiency Targets; Developments receiving RTPI awards; Applications referred to CABE; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS DC Policies DPD – Preferred Options – Sept 2007; Lancaster City Council Development Control Policies DC Policies DPD – Submission – May 2008; CABE Design Code DC Policies DPD – Adoption – Sept 2009; Lancaster Civic Society Development Control decisions Design Panel established; LAWSA Design competitions Design SPD adopted - December 2007; Local award schemes awards monitored through AMR; Random sampling of applications;
32 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Crime Reduction and Community Safety
4.82 In a sustainable community people feel do not create environments that make safe from crime. They are confident to people unduly fearful. use community facilities, parks, open spaces and public transport and to go 4.83 As well as crime, other community out at night. We need communities in safety issues are pollution, fire safety Lancaster District in which crime of all and road safety, particularly for children, kinds is low. There is also a need to pedestrians and cyclists. ensure that; • Apparent neglect such as 4.84 Through the Community Safety dereliction, litter and vandalism; Partnership, the Council is bringing a • Poor lighting and surveillance; holistic approach to reducing crime and • The apparent toleration of the fear of crime. As Spatial planning aggressive or rowdy behaviour; and authority, the Council can seek to ensure that development and • Excessive or security measures like management of the public realm razor wire, steel roller shutters and contributes to enhancing community blank walls at street level; safety.
33 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
POLICY SC6 – CRIME AND COMMUNITY SAFETY
Purpose To build sustainable communities by using spatial planning to reduce crime and the fear of crime The Council will use spatial planning to enhance community safety by; • Throughout the District, encouraging high quality, pedestrian friendly designs and incorporating “Secure by Design” principles and attention to personal safety issues in all new development; • Throughout the District, avoiding car dominated environments and reducing the impact of traffic; • Managing Lancaster City Centre and Morecambe and Carnforth Town Centres to promote vitality and viability and deliver safe high quality public realm; • Co-ordinating planning and licensing policies to tackle disorder in Lancaster and Morecambe centres; • Attracting older people and families into Lancaster and Morecambe Centres during the evening with leisure and cultural attractions, events and increasing their residential population; • Using development to remove dereliction and eyesore sites particularly in Regeneration Priority Areas identified in Policy ER2; • Achieving greater use of pedestrian and cycle networks, parks and open spaces in particular the key greenspace systems identified in Policy SC8. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 1.7 a-d) Design Quality; Recorded Crime (BCS Compactor) per 1000 population; 1.8a) Reported Crime; Incidences of disorder; 1.8b) Road Accidents; Reported violent crime in Lancaster City Centre; 2.1 a-h) Regeneration Priority Areas; Reported violent crime in Central Morecambe; 2.3 a-c) Town Centre Vitality MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS DC Policies DPD – Preferred Options – Sept 2007; Lancaster City Council Community Safety Strategy DC Policies DPD – Submission – May 2008; Lancaster Community Development Control Policies, DC Policies DPD – Adoption – Sept 2009; Safety Partnership Local Spatial Strategies SPD for all Regeneration Areas by 2021; Parks and Open Spaces Strategy Local Transport Plan
34 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Flood Risk
4.85 Large parts of the District are defined by the Environment Agency as being at risk of flooding. There are areas of low lying coast and estuary, three river systems (Wyre/Conder, Lune and Keer) all with extensive flood plains and much lumpy glacial topography which can create local flood risk. Major flood defence schemes are nearing completion at Morecambe and Luneside. Ensuring that new homes, businesses and public areas are not exposed to unacceptable flood risk is essential to building sustainable communities.
4.86 The Council has commissioned a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment to identify degrees of flood risk having regard to the effectiveness of existing and proposed flood defences. It will inform decisions on site allocations and provide guidance for applicants on how to produce site specific flood risk assessments.
4.87 Government Planning Policy Statement 25 sets out a sequential test which seeks to locate vulnerable activities in areas of low risk.
4.88 PPS25 also limits development in functional flood plains to water- compatible uses. It seeks to restrict vulnerable development in high or medium risk areas where lower risk sites exist.
4.89 An exceptions test allows for exceptions to the sequential test where; • The benefits to sustainable communities outweigh the flood risk; and • The development is on brown-field land and there are no reasonable alternatives on brown field land; • The development will be safe and where possible makes a positive contribution to managing flood risk.
4.90 The Core Strategy anticipates that land- use needs can be met in Lancaster District without the need for exceptional development.
35 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
4.91
POLICY SC7 – DEVELOPMENT AND THE RISK OF FLOODING
Purpose To build sustainable communities by ensuring that new homes, workplaces and public areas are not exposed to unacceptable levels of flood risk. Flood Defence Schemes will be completed for the Luneside and Central Morecambe Regeneration Priority Areas; The Council will prepare a Strategic Flood Risk assessment defining areas of high risk and low to medium risk of flooding. Development proposals and allocations will be assessed in line with the search sequence set out in Planning Policy Statement 25 on Development and Flood Risk; TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 3.1 a) Strategic Flood Risk Assessment; Planning permissions granted contrary to the advice of the 3.2 b) Environment Agency objections; Environment Agency on either flood risk or water quality grounds Area of Land within Flood Zone 3; Serious flooding incidents involving damage to property; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS SFRA completed – July 2007 Lancaster City Council Strategic Flood Risk Allocations DPD –Preferred Options – Aug 2008; Environment Agency Assessment; Allocations DPD - Submission – Jan 2009; Allocations document; Allocations DPD - Adoption – April 2010; Development Control Lower Lune Flood Alleviation Complete Dec 07; Process, Morecambe Coast Protection Works Complete Dec 08;
36 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Figure 6 – Recreation Issues
Recreation and Leisure
Key Greenspace Open Space Deficiency Areas Systems
Allotments Willow Lane/ Coronation Field Opportunity Area
University, Lancaster and Morecambe 4.92 High quality recreation opportunities are College and St Martin’s College. essential to help people stay healthy. They also contribute to the District’s exceptional quality of life which is its key economic asset.
4.93 Key formal sports facilities are the Salt Ayre leisure centre which contains a swimming pool, athletics track and grass and all weather pitches. There are also formal sports facilities at Lancaster
37 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
• The Burrow Beck valley from 4.94 The District’s urban area has 112 ha of Lancaster Moor to Scotforth formal playing space and 39 ha of informal recreational open space for • The Lancaster Canal through both 95,000 people, well below NPFA. Lancaster and Carnforth. minimum standards. The deficiency applies across the whole urban area. • Lancaster University Campus and Much of the stock, is of poor quality. the eastern fringes of Lancaster; This situation justifies a general approach of resisting development • which would result in the loss of playing The Lancaster-Morecambe cycle pitches including school playing fields. track and the large area of open An Open Space and Recreation Study is space in Central Morecambe; currently in preparation and will inform future policy on sport and recreation in 4.98 These greenspace systems form the the District. basis of a network of open spaces for recreation, the movement of wildlife and 4.95 Opportunities for improvement include the development of the District’s walking the Willow Lane/Coronation Field area and cycling networks. in Lancaster where qualitative and quantitative improvements could allow 4.99 The District has around 15 ha of for the rationalisation of sports provision. allotments with around 530 pitches. A feasibility study has been carried out mainly located in south Lancaster. The into rationalising sports club provision in Council will safeguard the existing stock Carnforth. and monitor demand.
4.96 In terms of informal leisure The District 4.100 Given the shortage of recreational has a number of high quality parks and facilities of all types in Lancaster District, open spaces such as Williamson Park in it is essential that development Lancaster and Morecambe Promenade. proposals provide for recreational In some areas, notably the West End needs that it creates. This will be and Westgate areas of Morecambe, and particularly important in identified areas Central Lancaster, public open spaces of deficiency. The Council’s are either small or non-existent. Many Development Control policies will properties in these areas are flatted or address this issue. terraced with no gardens. Morecambe has a particular need for a large park. Within these areas, opportunities for new open space use of existing spaces should be maximised.
4.97 There are a number of greenspace networks and recreational open space systems. These are chains of parks, school playing fields, allotments and private open spaces. The main greenspace systems are;
• Morecambe and Heysham Promenade and Coastline
• The chain of open spaces surrounding Lancaster City Centre (Lancaster Castle and Quay - Ryelands Park- Giant Axe - Fairfield- Ripley St Thomas School – Greaves Park, St Martin’s College – Williamson Park – Lancaster Moor)
• The River Lune Corridor from Glasson Dock to Brookhouse
38 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
POLICY SC8 – RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE
Purpose To build sustainable communities by ensuring that existing and future residents and visitors have access to sports facilities and green spaces and greenspace networks. Existing sports facilities and green spaces will be retained unless identified as no longer capable of meeting identified needs through the Open Space and Recreation Study; New residential development will make appropriate provision for formal and informal sports provision in line with needs identified in the Open Space and Recreation Study.
Through future Local Development Documents, the Council will identify, protect and enhance a greenspace and informal recreation network based around the following greenspace systems; • Morecambe and Heysham Promenade and Coastline; • The chain of open spaces surrounding Lancaster City Centre; • The River Lune Corridor from Crook o’ Lune to Glasson Dock; • The chain of open spaces along the Burrow Beck valley; • The Lancaster Canal through both Lancaster and Carnforth; • Lancaster University Campus and the eastern fringes of Lancaster; • The Lancaster-Morecambe cycle track and the Morecambe railway triangle; Through future Local Development Documents, the Council will investigate the potential to provide significant new or improved open space in the following areas of deficiency; • Central Morecambe; • Central Lancaster; • The West End of Morecambe; • The Westgate area; • The Marsh area of Lancaster; • Carnforth; The Council will seek to maximise the involvement of communities in the design and layout of new recreational open space. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 1.9a) Open Space and Recreation study completed; Sports Pitches to acceptable standards; 1.8b) Sports Pitch provision; Children’s playspaces; 1.8c) Informal Open Space in areas of deficiency; Public Open Space per 1000 population; 1.8d) Open spaces with Green Flag status; New public open space delivered annually; Children’s playspace delivered annually; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Open Space & Recreation Study Completed – Nov 07 Lancaster City Council - Open Space and Recreation Allocations DPD –Preferred Options – Aug 2008; Planning Study Allocations DPD - Submission – Jan 2009; Lancaster City Centre – Parks and Open Spaces Allocations DPD - Adoption – April 2010; Leisure Services Strategy Environment Agency Allocations document; Development Control Process,
39 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
40 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
5. Regenerating the Local Economy
Carnforth (1,800)
MORECAMBE TOWN CENTRE (4500) Caton Road (900) White Luneside (900) Lund White Cross South (4,900) LANCASTER (1000) Heysham (2,200) CITY CENTRE
(14,000) Lancaster University (4,000)
Figure 7 – Spatial Distribution of Employment in Lancaster District Planning for Growth Kings Sturge etc etc The Core Strategy 5.1 Lancaster District added an estimated proposes the long term transformation £1.7bn to the economy in 2005. The of the local economy, based on the economy has grown rapidly driven by growth of key sectors. The potential has service and knowledge based been identified to generate 8,300 jobs industries. Employment growth has between 2003 and 2015. been outstanding and unemployment has fallen. Key specialisms are 5.4 Economic growth is essential to; education, energy, and health. Higher • deliver high quality jobs, Education provides 8% of jobs directly • retain graduates and skilled people, and has major economic potential. • fund the provision of local services, Other key growth areas are ICT, new • media and creative industries, regenerate declining areas and environmental technologies, health and generate the investment necessary tourism. Manufacturing makes up only to maintain the District’s 7.6% of jobs and is in long-term decline. environmental quality; • reduce national spatial inequalities 5.2 27% of the District’s jobs are located in between the North West and the central Lancaster. Other major South East. concentrations illustrated in Figure 7 above, are White Lund, Central 5.5 The following measures are proposed to Morecambe, the University, South generate economic growth; Heysham, Caton Road and Luneside. • Developing Higher Education as a regionally important nucleus for 5.3 In line with the Regional Economic Strategy, the Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Board, and the findings of the Lancaster Employment Land Study
41 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Knowledge Based industries working, renewable energy, farm including Information and diversification and local foods whilst Communications Technologies and managing landscape change (Policy Research and Development (Policy SC3); ER1); • Developing the potential of • Developing Lancaster City Centre Renewable Energy technologies, as a major centre for shopping, particularly in the South Heysham leisure, culture, tourism, offices, area (Policy ER7); creative industries, financial and • Allocating land for new business professional services (Policy ER2); and industrial development (Policy • In Morecambe Town Centre, ER3); refining and developing its visitor • Reducing the impact of congestion offer, regenerating its built heritage and improving access to the and developing its role as an office Heysham peninsula (Policy E2. centre (Policy ER2);. • Maintaining White Lund, Caton 5.6 The Regulatory Burden will be reduced Road and Luneside as key with clear, simple policies. Business locations for general employment Development Zones with simplified (Policy ER2); planning procedures for employment • Developing the Port of Heysham development will be identified and as a gateway to Ireland and the Isle established in the White Lund and of Man with improved surface Caton Road areas. transport links (Policy ER2); • Developing a role for the Rural Area for sustainable tourism, home-
42 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Maximising the Benefit of the Higher Education Sector
5.7 Lancaster University is the District’s 5.8 The demands of University expansion most important economic asset and it’s must however be tempered with the continued growth is important both to need to manage demands for travel and the District and to the Region. Current student accommodation and the need to expansion includes projects such as accommodate development within a Infolab21, the Lancaster Environment prominent, high profile landscaped site Centre, the establishment of a medical in a sensitive location. One option may school, stronger business links and be to develop university facilities in enhanced IT infrastructure. Future central Lancaster or Morecambe. developments such as the Lancaster Science Park will re-inforce the 5.9 St Martin’s College is also an important development of a nucleus for knowledge higher education institution whilst based industries in south Lancaster. Lancaster and Morecambe College and the Adult College are also important further education providers.
POLICY ER 1 – HIGHER AND FURTHER EDUCATION Purpose To maximise the regeneration benefits of growth in higher education Through the preparation of Local Development Documents, the Council will seek to maximise the economic benefits of the Higher Education sector and seek to spread its impacts to areas of deprivation by; • Supporting the continued expansion of Lancaster University within the existing built-up part of the campus; • Developing the Lancaster Science Park as a high quality location for knowledge based industries and with functional and physical linkages between the Park and the University; • Introducing a master planned approach to the campuses of the proposed University of Cumbria at St Martin’s College and Lancaster and Morecambe College involving local communities; • Developing travel plans for Higher and Further Education Institutions; • Concentrating new student accommodation on campus where possible and failing that in locations with good public transport, walking and cycling links to the institution they are intended to serve; • Bringing the benefits of University expansion to target communities through better transport links, outreach work and encouraging a higher education presence in Morecambe. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 2.1a) Morecambe Spatial Strategy; Student Numbers 2.2a) Development of Lancaster Science Park; Sq m teaching accommodation completed; Sq m research and development floorspace completed; Student accommodation completed on-campus; Student accommodation completed off campus; Knowledge-based jobs created; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Work on Lancaster Science Park begins – Dec 2008; Lancaster City Council Land Use Allocations; Lancaster University Travel Plan completed – (LU); NWDA Regional Economic Strategy St Martin’s College Travel Plan completed – (SMC); Lancaster and Morecambe Development Control Lancaster University Master Plan completed – (LU); Vision Spatial Strategies St Martin’s College Master Plan completed – (SMC); Higher Education Institutions
43 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Regeneration Priority Areas
5.10 Regenerating areas of need within the 5.14 Caton Road will be regenerated as the District is a key priority. It includes main gateway to the Lancaster and Physical Regeneration - reclaiming Morecambe area from the M6. The derelict land and buildings and Lancaster Business Park will be environmental improvements, completed. Public transport, pedestrian Economic Regeneration – providing and cycle links will be improved jobs and the training and skills for including Park and Ride. A Business people to access them, Social Development Zone will be investigated. Regeneration – improving health, education and community facilities, and 5.15 The mixed-use development of the reducing disadvantage and Luneside area for waterfront housing Environmental Regeneration – and employment will continue. Flood creating and enhancing habitats, alleviation works are well advanced. In reducing pollution and increasing bio- the longer term, a link to the new diversity. Spatial Regeneration means Heysham-M6 Link Road could reduce combining all these elements to create access constraints. better places and to narrow the gap between struggling and successful 5.16 In North East Lancaster, the former areas. Rendering Plant and Lancaster Moor North sites present a major regeneration Morecambe Regional Regeneration challenge. Redevelopment here must Priority Area result in a balanced community, provide an attractive setting for the City and the 5.11 The regeneration of Morecambe is a major listed buildings in the area and regional priority. Central Morecambe improve sustainable transport links to remains an important visitor destination the wider locality. and its regeneration seeks to develop a modern visitor offer based on its 5.17 White Lund will remain the District’s outstanding Promenade, its built main area for general industry. heritage, its natural surroundings and its Employment intensive and office based iconic seafront buildings. A re-positioned industries will be focused at the north visitor offer will complement housing east of the estate, close to shops, bus development and employment provision and cycle routes and residential areas. and will be boosted by the improved Further south and west there will be a accessibility which will be delivered by greater focus on storage, distribution the Heysham-M6 Link Road. and heavy manufacturing. A Business Development Zone will be investigated; Local Regeneration Priority Areas 5.18 South Heysham can accommodate 5.12 The Core Strategy also identifies local recycling-based industries and has regeneration priority areas and sets the significant potential for renewable Council’s priority for those areas as energy. The completion of the follows. Heysham-M6 Link Road will increase the accessibility of the area and could 5.13 The design and heritage led stimulate further growth. Expansion of regeneration of Central Lancaster will The Port of Heysham and development focus on its role as a major shopping associated with the Power Station may centre (see Policy ER4), a historic City also generate land needs. with major tourism potential (see Policy ER6) and an important cultural centre. 5.19 In Carnforth, poor access draws heavy The City Centre is also the District’s vehicles along the main shopping street. largest centre of employment. New The mixed-use redevelopment of the offices at the former Reebok Building, Warton Road area for housing and Gateway House and Luneside East will develop this role.
44 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 offices would offer substantial Road would also reduce through traffic environmental and employment gains. in Carnforth. The completion of the Heysham-M6 Link
POLICY ER 2 – REGENERATION PRIORITY AREAS Purpose To set out a strategic spatial framework for regeneration in Lancaster District CENTRAL MORECAMBE is identified as a Regeneration Priority Area of Regional importance. Through tourism, housing renewal and heritage led regeneration, central Morecambe will be re-invented as a visitor destination drawing on its natural and built heritage, and as an office and service centre with restored historic townscape and a revived housing market; The following are identified as Regeneration Priority Areas of local importance; • CENTRAL LANCASTER through Design-led Regeneration will be strengthened as a shopping destination, enhanced as a historic city visitor attraction with a restored and enhanced historic environment, as the District’s main centre for office based employment and as a cultural centre. • CATON ROAD: Gateway and Transport Corridor Regeneration will be enhanced. A transport strategy will improve public transport and pedestrian and cycle links. A Business Development Zone will be identified. Areas close to the M6 will accommodate industries with a demonstrated need for direct motorway access. Uses that employ a lot of people will be focused close to Lancaster City Centre. COULD WE MENTION PARK AND RIDE AND M6 LINK? • LUNESIDE: Mixed-use Waterfront Regeneration will receive flood defences, remediation, development and enhancement. In the longer term, a river crossing providing cycle, pedestrian and public transport links and local road access could assist the westward extension of the mixed-use regeneration of Luneside East. Measures to manage the heavy goods vehicle movements generated by development will continue to be a major factor. • NORTH EAST LANCASTER; Urban Edge Regeneration Redevelopment of the Lancaster Moor Hospital area which reflects the District’s ambitions on sustainable development, balanced communities and design quality and reflects the importance of this area in shaping perceptions of the District. • WHITE LUND Employment Regeneration. employment intensive- uses will be located on the main public transport axis of Northgate and linkages with the District cycle network will be encouraged. Transport choice will be improved and environmental quality upgraded. A Business Development Zone will be identified. • SOUTH HEYSHAM: Green Regeneration will be upgraded with woodland and habitat creation, renewable energy, environment and recycling technologies. Provision will be made for port related development. Employment-intensive development in this area will be concentrated at the Port Industrial Estate. • CARNFORTH Market Town Regeneration will be developed as a rural service centre with the development of large derelict sites, relocation of poorly located uses and new pedestrian links. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 2.1a) Morecambe Spatial Strategy; 2.1e) City Centre Strategy; Spatial Strategies in Place; 2.1b) Midland Hotel; 2.1f-g) Luneside; Luneside East commenced 2.1c) Central Promenade Master Plan; 2.1h) Canal Corridor; Central Canal Corridor commenced; 2.1d) Other Spatial Strategies; Central Promenade area commenced;
45 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Midland Hotel restored – Dec 2007; NWDA Land Use Allocations Luneside East remediation completed by Mar 2008; Environment Agency Area Strategies Central Promenade Area Planning Application – English Partnerships; Regional Economic August 2007; Lancaster City Council Strategy Carnforth Action Plan fully implemented – July 2016; Lancaster and Morecambe Vision Development Control All Spatial Strategies in place - 2021; Chamber of Commerce Carnforth Project Urban Splash; Private Sector developers;
Business Land and Property
Employment Land Supply (March 06)
Lancaster Science Park ; 9.7 ha knowledge-based only - not part of general land supply. Lancaster Business Park; 4.9 ha 0.8 ha currently under construction. Mellishaw North; 7.0 ha Unserviced Mellishaw South; 22.3 ha Recommended for deletion by Lancaster Employment Land Study. Carnforth Business Park; 8.0 ha Outline permission for development of Business Park. vacant land in employment areas; 65.0 ha 6.4 ha immediately available (Lancaster Employment Land Study) Table 4; Employment Land Supply
5.20 The Lancaster Employment Land Study 5.24 The Council envisages that over the (ref) estimates that for the Strategy period, around be 45% of new transformational scenario, 18 ha of employment floorspace will be provided employment land will be needed by in Lancaster, 45% in Morecambe and 2016 comprising 20 ha for B1 (offices, Heysham and 5% in Carnforth. These light industry, R&D) 6 ha for B8 (storage ratios reflect forecast demand with an and distribution) and a reduction of 8 adjustment to support the regeneration ha for B2 (general). A further 6 ha will of Morecambe. be needed by 2021. 5.25 It is anticipated that Lancaster City 5.21 There are (currently/in 2005) 52 ha of Centre will be the focus for most new B1 existing allocations and 65 ha of unused office development whilst the focus for land within employment areas (Table 4). general industry will be White Lund, Much is constrained by service costs, Caton Road and Luneside. and poor environmental quality. Only a small portion is immediately available for 5.26 Specific sites and premises needs within development. The existing 22 hectare the District are likely to include; green field allocation at Mellishaw south • knowledge based industries; has no prospect of implementation and • city and town centre office locations; its continued allocation will be examined • the expansion needs of local firms; in the Land Allocations document. • port related needs; • 5.22 Between 2001 and 2005 an average of environmental technologies; 3.35 ha per annum of land was taken up • rural employment sites; for B1, B2 and B8 industry. Of this, an average of 0.15 ha was taken up on 5.27 Sites employing large numbers of allocations whilst a further 2.4 ha took people should in general be located place within identified employment within existing urban areas to minimise areas. Around 1.1 ha per year of commuting distances and offer a choice employment land is lost to other uses. of means of transport.
5.23 The Council is confident that needs for 5.28 For low intensity storage and distribution employment land in Lancaster District or heavily mechanised manufacturing can be met within existing urban areas uses that occupy large sites but employ and existing employment land few people, HGV access may be the allocations without the need for additional green-field allocations and without land at Mellishaw south.
46 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
key consideration. Finally for uses with Development will be driven by unavoidable major adverse knowledge based-industries originating environmental impacts such as light, from outside the District or from within noise, smell or frequent HGV the University. The highly specialised movements, a key consideration will be nature and location of this proposal minimising impacts on residential areas. make it unsuitable for meeting general employment land needs. It therefore 5.29 The Lancaster Science Park is a forms no part of the employment land regionally important proposal aimed at target set out in Policy ER 3 below. meeting strategic regional needs.
POLICY ER 3 – EMPLOYMENT LAND ALLOCATIONS Purpose To promote regeneration by ensuring that employment land is provided, in the right place to meet the needs required to achieve the transformational scenario Between 2006 and 2021, at least 24 ha will be developed for new B1, B2 and B8 employment use within the District in accordance with the following principles; • located within the main urban areas of Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth; • attractive to target sectors and with a reasonable prospect of being developed; • located on previously used land as far as possible; • served by a realistic choice of means of transport; • accessible to shops and community facilities; • connected to the M6 via suitable roads that do not pass through residential areas. The Council will promote mixed-use development in sustainable locations where such development would not prejudice the District’s need for business and industrial premises. Land developed at the Lancaster Science Park shall not be included within the general employment land targets set out above. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 1.1c,e) Public Transport Access; Ha developed for B1 1.2b) Cycle access; Ha developed for B2 1.4b) Urban Concentration; Ha developed for B8 1.7a) Design Quality; B1 floorspace completed 2.2a) Lancaster Science Park; B2 floorspace completed 2.2b) B1 floorspace completed; B8 floorspace completed 2.2c) B8 floorspace completed; Jobs created in environmental technologies; 2.2d) Development in regeneration priority areas Jobs created in knowledge based industries; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Allocations DPD –Preferred Options – Aug 2008; Lancaster City Council Land Use Allocations; Allocations DPD - Submission – Jan 2009; North West Development Regional Economic Strategy Allocations DPD - Adoption – April 2010; Agency Development Control Annual Monitoring of take-up; - March 2006-21 Lancaster and Morecambe Spatial Strategies Vision Lancaster Chamber of Commerce
47 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Town Centres and New Retail Development
Strategy defines roles for the District’s centres. It identifies how retail, leisure and other town centre development CARNFORTH E H Booth TOWN CENTRE needs will be met, looks at deficiencies in provision and identifies centres where Tesco decline needs to be managed. Office needs are addressed in Policies ER2 and ER3. Tourism and Commercial MORECAMBE Focus Do-It-All TOWN CENTRE Leisure needs are addressed in Policy Tesco Kingsway ER5. Morrison Retail Park Asda Bulk Road WEST END 5.33 The Lancaster Retail Study identifies Retail Park Local Centre Sainsbury needs for both comparison and Lancaster convenience retailing in Lancaster Retail Park B&Q District for the period to 2016. The Core LANCASTER E H Booth Strategy seeks to direct retail CITY CENTRE investment to enhance the vitality of Lancaster and to help to regenerate Morecambe. The Strategy seeks to 40000 accommodate 60% of new retail development, including most 25000 20000 Comparison comparison goods retailing in Lancaster 10000 Shopping and 30% (mainly convenience) in Destination Morecambe. There is an allowance of 15000 Supermarket 8% for Carnforth reflecting its market town role. (Sq m)Gross 5.34 Lancaster is a major sub-regional centre for most comparison goods. Its Figure 8 - Shopping in Lancaster District catchment covers Lancaster District and adjoining parts of Wyre, Cumbria and 5.30 The District’s Town Centres are places Yorkshire. It is stable and successful to shop, visit, work, eat and drink, enjoy with low vacancy rates. It attracts leisure activities and increasingly to live. investment. Managing growth whilst They are also key economic assets. enhancing its historic fabric is the key 14,000 people work in central Lancaster issue. Because there are few City Centre and 4,500 in central development opportunities, retail and Morecambe. The retail economy other town centre development needs underpins both centres. Retailing is one will need to be met in a planned of the District’s largest employers. 6,200 extension to the primary shopping area. people work in retailing and a further This will require strong links and 4000 work in catering, food and drink. measures to avoid an unbalanced pattern of retailing in the City. 5.31 The District’s City and Town Centres face increasing competition from; 5.35 Morecambe is a large but under- performing centre. It has a smaller • Other centres such as Preston, catchment than Lancaster and sells Kendal and Manchester; • convenience and some comparison Out of centre Retail Parks; goods including clothes and shoes. The • Supermarket comparison (non-food) challenge for Morecambe is to develop sales; its offer to visitors whilst maintaining and • On-line shopping. developing its role as a general shopping centre for residents of the 5.32 The Regional Spatial Strategy identifies Lancaster as a centre within which comparison retailing facilities will be enhanced and encouraged. The Core
48 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
District north of the River Lune and 5.37 A number of local centres offer basic manage the transition of peripheral local shops including post offices, shopping areas to other uses. general stores, chemists and other specialist shops. These are important 5.36 Carnforth is a small but important sustainable local facilities for local centre providing convenience and some communities and their continued vitality comparison goods to the rural north is important. Morecambe’s West End is Lancashire and neighbouring parts of an under-performing centre where, Cumbria. Carnforth is adjusting to the through the transformational ‘Winning impact of a new Tesco store. It is also Back the West End’ project, the retail becoming a visitor destination with core will be consolidated and enhanced. tourist related shops in the restored Carnforth Station buildings;
POLICY ER 4 – TOWN CENTRES AND SHOPPING Purpose To promote regeneration by defining and establishing spatial roles for the District’s city town and local shopping centres. In order to maintain the vitality and viability of its town centres, provide services as locally as possible and minimise the need to shop by car, the Council proposes the following retail hierarchy • LANCASTER CITY CENTRE will be a sub-regional City Centre - the main comparison shopping destination for Lancaster District attracting significant numbers of shopping trips from adjoining parts of Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Central Lancashire as well as developing a role as a tourist destination; • MORECAMBE TOWN CENTRE will continue to develop as a Town Centre providing local comparison and convenience goods for the District north of the River Lune and retaining an important role as a visitor destination; • CARNFORTH TOWN CENTRE will develop a District centre role as a Key Service Centre, Market Town and visitor destination; • BARE (PRINCES CRESCENT), CATON, HEYSHAM ROAD, HEYSHAM, LANCASTER UNIVERSITY, SILVERDALE, TORRISHOLME, WEST END and WESTGATE will develop as local service centres providing key services to local communities.
TARGETS (2003-2021) (List p66) INDICATORS 2.3a) Vacancy - Lancaster; Gross Convenience and Comparison retail Floorspace in 2.3b) Vacancy -Morecambe; Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth Centres; 2.3c) Zone A rental Growth; Retailer Representation in Lancaster, Morecambe and 2.3f) Town Centre Management; Carnforth Centres; Mix of uses in Lancaster, Morecambe Carnforth and Local Centres; Primary and overall vacancy by unit and by gross floorspace in Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth Centres; Zone A Rents in Lancaster and Morecambe; Pedestrian Flows in Lancaster and Morecambe; Retail Yields in Lancaster City Centre; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Shopping Floorspace Survey (Annual); Lancaster City Council Land Use Allocations; Shopping Monitoring Report (Annual); North West Development Regional Economic Agency Strategy Lancaster Vision Board Development Control Chamber of Commerce Spatial Strategies Carnforth Market Town Project
49 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
New Retail Development
5.38 The District’s key retail development 5.41 Out of centre retail development can opportunity is the Canal Corridor site in only be permitted where a clear need is Central Lancaster. If sound linkages demonstrated and where no suitable in- with the City Centre are accompanied centre or edge-of-centre sites exist. by measures to reinforce the vitality of the existing centre, then the Corridor 5.42 Some parts of the District are remote offers the opportunity to combine its from convenience shopping. Here, current role as a cultural centre with an pedestrian and cycle friendly local extension to the City’s primary shopping shopping at the right scale, in locations area, with new homes, workspaces and with large walk-in catchments, can public realm. reduce the need to travel to shop.
5.39 There is also scope for some retail 5.43 The Council does not foresee needs for development to enable the regeneration out-of-centre comparison floorspace of Morecambe Town Centre. which would outweigh the national presumption against such development. 5.40 Government planning policy (PPS6) states that retail development should be 5.44 Existing out-of-centre outlets developed focused in existing centres. Needs in the 1980s and early 1990s such as which cannot be accommodated in Lancaster Retail Park and the Asda existing centres should be in edge of store on Ovangle Road, are remote from town locations with good pedestrian walk-in trade and have a restricted links and public transport. choice of means of transport. Extensions to these are not considered sustainable.
POLICY ER 5 – NEW RETAIL DEVELOPMENT Purpose To focus retail need on regenerating and re-inforcing the vitality and viability of existing centres Between 2008 and 2021, new comparison retailing will be focused on a planned expansion of Lancaster’s Primary Shopping Area and to meet regeneration needs in Morecambe Town Centre. In order to address existing and future needs and to ensure that day-to-day shopping needs are met locally, the Council proposes that, between 2008 and 2021, new local food retailing be provided in town or local centres or, at an appropriate scale in sustainable locations in areas of deficiency. TARGETS (2003-2021) (p66) INDICATORS 1.7a) Design quality; Town Centre Comparison Floorspace Completed; 2.3d) Location of new retail floorspace; Town Centre Convenience Floorspace Completed; 2.3e) Location of Trip Generating Development; Edge of Centre Comparison Floorspace Completed; Edge of Centre Convenience Floorspace Completed; Out of Centre Comparison Floorspace Completed; Out of Centre Convenience Floorspace Completed; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Allocations DPD –Preferred Options – Aug 2008; Developers/Retailers Land Use Allocations; Allocations DPD - Submission – Jan 2009; Lancaster City Council Development Control Allocations DPD - Adoption – April 2010; Lancaster Vision Board Spatial Strategies Chamber of Commerce
50 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Sustainable Tourism
5.45 Lancaster’s Economic Vision identifies 5.48 A better tourism, including more city significant growth potential in tourism. centre hotels, will enhance the vitality The District has many tourism assets and viability of the City Centre. and a comprehensive range of cultural and commercial leisure attractions. It is 5.49 Carnforth is developing a tourism role also well located for the Lake District, based on its regenerated Station and Yorkshire Dales and Blackpool. leisure complexes north of the town. Other opportunities are as the ‘gateway’ 5.46 The regeneration of Morecambe is a to the Arnside-Silverdale AONB, the cornerstone of the Core Strategy and canal and railway heritage, the offers the main opportunity to meet Carnforth-Leeds Community Railway commercial leisure needs. Morecambe and the Lancashire Coastal Footpath; and Heysham are developing new roles based on world class natural 5.50 The District’s countryside abounds in setting (Morecambe Bay) and built opportunities for quiet recreation. The heritage (the Midland Hotel and other two AONBs, the Crook o’Lune and resort heritage). Green regeneration in Clougha Pike and guided walks across South Heysham may also create Morecambe Bay all offer unique opportunities for environmental tourism. experiences. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act has opened large 5.47 Historic Lancaster has many areas of the Bowland Fells. Potential attractions some of which, such as the improvements include recreational Castle (currently used as a prison), routes using the Lancaster Canal and Lancaster Town Hall and the historic St Lancaster- Wennington former rail route. George’s Quay are under-used.
POLICY ER 6 – DEVELOPING TOURISM Purpose To maximise the potential of tourism to regenerate the local economy The Council will promote and enhance tourism development in the District by; • Supporting the restoration of the Midland Hotel and Victoria Pavilion (Winter Gardens) and the creation of a quality leisure offer in Central MORECAMBE; • Creating a high quality historic environment in LANCASTER CITY CENTRE, developing the potential of the Castle and Town Hall and, through regeneration and new development, create new environments of a quality which enhance the City; • Regenerating CARNFORTH’s railway, canal and industrial heritage; • In the COUNTRYSIDE, encouraging quiet recreation and small scale sensitive visitor attractions and accommodation, and promoting new recreational routes. • Monitoring the availability and quality of the District’s stock of visitor accommodation and making provision for new accommodation where necessary. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 2.1 a) Morecambe Spatial Strategy; Progress on major projects; 2.1 b) Midland Hotel; Destination Benchmarking; 2.1 c) Central Promenade Master Plan TIC inquiries; 2.4 a) Lancaster Castle; Quantity and quality of accommodation; 2.4 b) Hotel Provision; Parish Plans – rural tourism opportunities identified; 2.3 c) Tourist Information Centre; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Midland Hotel restored – Dec 2007; City Council Planning Tourism Strategy Central Promenade Area Planning Application – Aug City Council Tourism Development Control 2007; Lancaster Vision Board Spatial Strategies Urban Splash Rights of Way Lancashire County Council Improvement Plan
51 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Renewable Energy and Environmental Technologies
5.51 Energy generation is a major element of 5.54 Other considerations will include Lancaster District’s Economy due to the • the local transport network; two nuclear power stations at Heysham. • connections to the electricity Renewable capacity is being expanded distribution network; with the repowered Caton Moor wind • integration with existing or new farm and major offshore schemes in development; and Morecambe Bay. Establishing the • District as a centre of Environmental for wood-fuel biomass plants, technologies is part of the District’s proximity to a fuel source. economic vision and a study of renewable energy potential has been 5.55 The Renewable Energy and Recycling undertaken. Technologies study identifies the Heysham peninsula and the area 5.52 The North West Sustainable Energy around Glasson Dock as having Strategy and the emerging Regional particular potential for wind energy. In Spatial Strategy set out targets for South Heysham, there are synergies renewable energy capacity. (Table 5). with other renewable and environmental Local authorities are asked to prepare technologies such as biomass. sub-regional studies of renewable energy potential. 5.56 A major area of potential is micro renewables including domestic wind and 5.53 The need for renewable energy must be water turbines, solar panels and balanced against landscape impacts geothermal heating. The Council (particularly in and around AONBs and supports such measures subject to National Parks). Schemes need to acceptable impacts on important consider individual and cumulative townscape, landscape and residential impact on; amenity. It will seek through its Development Control policies to ensure • local amenity, landscape character the integration of renewable energy and the Green Belt; within new development. The Design • habitats and species; Code will provide more detailed • farming and land based industries. guidance on how this can be achieved, particularly in sensitive townscapes. Scheme Type Number of Schemes North West Total (cumulative total – Lancashire excluding unitary authorities) 2010 2015 2020 2010 2015 2020 Offshore Wind farms 3 4 5 Onshore Wind farms and Wind Clusters 9-13 11-17 11-17 37-51 44-62 44-62 Single Large Wind Turbines 6 10 10 30 50 50 Small Stand Alone Wind Turbines 8 12 12 50 75 75 Building Mounted Turbines 205 2050 4100 1000 10000 20000 Biomass CHP/Electricity 1 2 3 7 12 15 Biomass Co-Firing Anaeirobic Digestion of Farm biogas 1 2 4 5 10 15 Hydro Power 2 2 2 12 12 12 Solar Photovoltaics 205 5125 10250 1000 25000 50000 Tidal Energy 2 2 Wave Energy 1 Landfill Gas 13 6 0 52 19 0 Sewerage Gas 4 4 4 16 16 16 Waste Incineration 0 0 1 1 3 6 Table 5 - Indicative Regional and Sub-Regional Renewable Energy Target
52 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
5.57 Measures to maximise renewable 5.59 Lancashire County Council are the energy generation must be matched by Minerals and Waste Planning Authority measures to improve energy efficiency and are proposing a major recycling in buildings. This is addressed in Policy centre in South Heysham. The Minerals SC1 and will be amplified in the and Waste Disposal Local Development Development Control policies and the Framework is the main vehicle for Design Code. Building Control will also developing planning policies for play a major role. recycling.
5.58 Together with Lancaster and 5.60 The Lancaster Science Park may offer Morecambe Vision Board, the Council is opportunities for knowledge based also seeking to establish the District as environmental technology enterprises a centre for environmental technologies. spinning out from Lancaster University. Recycling is one area which the Council is actively promoting.
POLICY ER 7 – RENEWABLE ENERGY Purpose To maximise the proportion of energy generated in the District from renewable sources where compatible with other sustainability objectives The Council will promote renewable energy in the District by; • Promoting South Heysham as a key focus for renewable energy generation including wind and biomass technology and protecting areas with renewable energy potential; • Promoting micro-renewables through its Development Control policies; • Promoting energy efficiency through Building Control; • Participating in a study of the economic potential of environmental technologies in the District; TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 2.5 a) Areas of Renewable Energy potential identified; On-shore wind turbine capacity installed; 2.5 b) Micro-renewables targets; Biomass capacity installed; 2.5 c) Electricity Generation; Micro-renewables approved (where known); MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS
Environmental Technologies Study – August 2006; City Council Planning Development Control DC Policies DPD – Preferred Options – Sept 2007; City Council Property Policies DC Policies DPD – Submission – May 2008; Services Design Code DC Policies DPD – Adoption – Sept 2009; City Council Building Control Environmental Design SPD guidance - December 2007; Lancaster and Morecambe Technologies Study South Heysham SPD – timetable set by future LDS; Vision Generators Development Industry
53 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
54 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
6. Improving the Local Environment .
Lancaster District: An Environment of Quality and Variety upgrading. Morecambe’s buildings need 6.1 Lancaster District has environments of investment. Low grade development which the community can be justifiably and sprawl, traffic, modern agriculture proud. Natural assets include two and land-management, habitat loss and AONBs, Morecambe Bay, the settings of damage and air, water, ground and light Lancaster and Morecambe including the pollution all erode environmental quality. North Lancashire Green Belt and the Lune Valley. Rural landscapes range 6.6 In the last thirty years Lancaster has from Silverdale limestone to Bowland advanced from being down at heel and gritstone, from lush valleys to expansive under-invested in to today’s valued and coastal and estuarine lands. It has a regenerated historic city. variety of rich semi-natural habitats, particularly woodland and moorland. A 6.7 Older parts of Morecambe have suffered comprehensive landscape assessment from neglect and low grade alterations. has been carried out by Lancashire Many buildings are in disrepair and of County Council. Our built heritage poor appearance. Quality however includes 1300 listed buildings, 37 remains and is retrievable with Conservation Areas, 38 Ancient substantial investment linked to with Monuments and 2 Historic Parks and careful control of development. Gardens. Collectively, the natural and built ‘Environmental Capital’ is a major 6.8 Some streets and spaces are economic asset. unappealing due to litter, clutter, bad design, poor management, congestion 6.2 Lancaster is one of the North West’s and pollution. There is scope for a major most important historic cities. Visually upgrade of the District’s public realm. coherent, it is little damaged by inappropriate development. Its unique 6.9 In contrast, much of the countryside strong historic legacy mixes Roman and appears attractive. Much is accessible Medieval elements such as the Castle via the Rights of Way Network or with with, strongly Georgian and Victorian open access. There is however little inner areas and more recent suburbs. accessible woodland close to the urban areas. In much of the countryside there 6.3 Morecambe grew from the fishing village is little room for wildlife and some areas of Poulton. The centre is late are devoid of significant wildlife interest. Victorian/Edwardian in character. Inland are inter-war, post war and modern 6.10 The Core Strategy must safeguard and estates lie inland. Views across the Bay enhance environmental capital, protect from the seafront are outstanding. finite resources; manage threats such as climate change and flooding; prevent 6.4 The North Lancashire Green Belt erosion of environmental quality through separates Lancaster, Morecambe and low grade development and sprawl, Carnforth. The Council will continue to poor land management and pollution. protect the North Lancashire Green Belt Real improvements in environmental by meeting most development needs quality, requires a focus on minimising within the existing urban area, by any adverse development affects and, meeting rural development needs in securing gains for the environment. rural areas outside the Green Belt. Strategic Green Belt issues are 6.11 There are gains to be made in; considered in Paragraphs 4.12-4.14. • Working with communities to address local needs; • Threats to the Environment Improving the public realm and creating more liveable places; • 6.5 Much of the District’s environment is Clearing dereliction; under threat. Urban fringe areas need • Conserving the built heritage;
55 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
• Reducing energy consumption; • Diversifying land use, creating more • Facilitating renewable energy and better habitats for wildlife and generation; enhancing landscapes.
POLICY E1 – ENVIRONMENTAL CAPITAL Purpose To improve the District’s Environment The Council will safeguard and enhance the District’s Environmental Capital by; • Protecting nature conservation sites, urban greenspaces, allotments, landscapes of national importance, listed buildings, conservation areas, archaeological sites and areas of renewable energy potential; • Protecting the North Lancashire Green Belt; • Encouraging development which makes the minimum and most efficient use of finite natural resources including land, buildings, soil, non-renewable energy, water and raw materials; • Resisting development in places where environmental risks, including from flooding, cannot be properly managed; • Taking full account of the needs and wishes of communities and, in particular, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups such as the elderly, young people and people with disabilities; • Using all practicable means to make places more pleasant and liveable with safer, cleaner, more legible and more attractive streets and spaces; • Resisting development which would have a detrimental effect on environmental quality and public amenity; • Ensuring that development in the city of Lancaster and other historic areas conserves and enhances their sense of place; • In areas where environmental quality is unsatisfactory such as Poulton and the West End of Morecambe, seeking development of a quality which will raise standards and help to deliver a step change in their environmental quality and sense of place; • Encouraging renewable energy generation in appropriate locations and on the coast in particular; • Identifying how semi-natural habitats in urban and rural areas will be protected and, where possible, enhanced in extent and in their diversity of wildlife species; • Directing development to locations, where previously developed land can be recycled and re-used, dereliction cleared and contamination remediated; • Protecting valued landscapes from inappropriate development.
TARGETS (2003-2021) (p66) INDICATORS 3.1 a) Strategic Flood Risk assessment completed; Biodiversity; 3.2 a) Condition of SSSIs; Listed Buildings at Risk; 3.2 b) Loss of Heritage Assets; Renewable Energy capacity installed; 3.2 c) Biodiversity Action Plans; Habitats created; 3.2 d) Native Woodland coverage; AONB Management Plans in place; 3.3 a) National Listed Buildings at Risk; 3.3 b) Local Listed Buildings at Risk; 3.3 c) Conservation Area Appraisals; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS
Biodiversity Indicators monitored through Annual Lancaster City Council Land Use Allocations; Monitoring Report; Lancashire County Council Development Control Spatial Strategies for Regeneration Priority Areas English Nature Policies; English Heritage Spatial Strategies Environment Agency Conservation Area Woodland Trust Strategies
56 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Transport
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Lancaster City
Quality Bus Route Rail Route with at least 30 minute daytime frequency
Other Bus Route with at least 30 Rail Route with at least 1 minute daytime frequency hour daytime frequency
Other Bus Route with at least 1 Strategic Cycle Route (off hour daytime frequency road and on road)
Figure 9 – Urban Public Transport and main Cycle Routes in Lancaster District
6.13 The problem is compounded as port Background traffic tends to coincide with peak hour traffic in Lancaster City Centre. 6.12 The impacts of traffic and transport on the environment, on mobility and on the The Community Strategy identifies local economy are key issues for the transport as its key priority whilst the Core Strategy. Morecambe and Vision Board’s number one Heysham have particular accessibility “transformational” project focuses upon problems in that the main road access finding a long term integrated solution to from these areas to the M6 passes the congestion between Lancaster and through the congested gyratory systems Morecambe. Both the LSP and Vision to the north of Lancaster City Centre. Board support the Heysham/M6 link road.
57 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Existing Transport economical form of transport. The Infrastructure Cycling Demonstration Town Project is building on the existing cycling infrastructure and Personalised Travel 6.14 The District’s main transportation Planning is promoting the use of the network is shown in Figures 9-10. The growing infrastructure.. Lancaster’s strategic routes are the M6 motorway, compact urban form means that, which runs north-south to the east of proportionally more people walk to work, Lancaster City, and the West Coast than anywhere else in Lancashire. main railway line. 6.20 Car dependence is high in rural areas 6.15 The Primary Road Network includes the; and in some housing estates where walking distances are long and public • A6 running north south through transport opportunities limited. Lancaster City
• A589 linking Lancaster to Heysham Usage and Issues via Morecambe 6.21 The District’s transport networks for • A5105 linking Morecambe to Bolton- pedestrians, cycles, road vehicles and le-Sands, and trains are well used at all times of the day, with peak periods extending • A683 linking Lancaster to the M6 at beyond the traditional peak hours. The Junction 34. highway network is highly used for local movements with the majority of journeys Other A roads and a number of B, C and to work being intra-district. The high unclassified roads complete the highway proportion of local movements has network. influenced modal choice, with the proportion of private car users being 6.16 Lancaster is served by West Coast Main lower than other Districts and cycling Line services with a local service to and walking being popular. Other factors Bare Lane, Morecambe and Heysham that impact on modal choice are the Harbour. From Carnforth, trains go west proximity of residential areas to centres to Silverdale and Barrow and east to and the high number of students in the Wennington and Leeds. Lancaster has District. slightly higher patronage levels than Lancashire as a whole. 6.22 Many roads in the District, particularly those in and surrounding Lancaster City, 6.17 There are Rail freight facilities at have high levels of traffic. In the city Heysham’s port and power station. Rail centre, for example, the A6 has an connected sites in Carnforth have poor average daily flow of over 20,000 road links. vehicles per day northbound and over 24,000 southbound. A high proportion of 6.18 Despite being affected by congestion, vehicle movements are across the District is well served by buses, Lancaster City Centre bringing particularly in the main urban area which congestion to the local network. has three Quality Bus services. These link Heysham to the University via 6.23 The high volume of vehicles using the Morecambe and Lancaster City Centre. constrained and sensitive network of the In 2004, passenger numbers grew by city centre results in excessive queuing 12% on the Lancaster and Morecambe and high levels of congestion, leading to network. Further Quality Bus poor air quality. In 2004, the City improvements are currently being Council declared an Air Quality implemented between Middleton and Management Area in the city centre. the University. Bus routes also link Lancaster with Preston, Carnforth, and 6.24 The City and County Councils are the Lune Valley. working closely together to ensure that suitable measures are provided on this 6.19 The District has an exelleant and sensitive network to alleviate the growing network of off road cycleways problem of air quality. which are also open to pedestrians. Walking and cycling offer a practical and
58 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
• reduce road casualties and improve air quality The Strategy • allow reallocation of highway space to walking, cycling, public transport 6.25 Chapter 5 sets out the Council’s key and the public realm. objectives for growing the local economy and furthering its regeneration 6.28 The City Council supports the link road objectives. Substantial investment in the subject to the following issues being District’s transport infrastructure is addressed: needed to help achieve these aims. This • investment ranges from that needed to The scheme should be delivered in meet regionally important infrastructure connection with a full range of needs (such as the Heysham/M6 link sustainable traffic initiatives to avoid road) to more locally based measures to the released road space being filled facilitate continued regeneration in by private vehicular traffic. Morecambe, Luneside and other • The scheme should also include regeneration priority areas. provision for park and ride facilities to the north of the City 6.26 The key means of improving transport in • Consideration be given to measures the District is the Lancashire Local to reduce construction noise Transport Plan. The key schemes for • All HGV’s should be routed along Lancaster District in the period up to the link once it is constructed. 2011 are; • the Heysham to M6 Link Road 6.29 If approved, the road will not been • Lancaster City Centre Air Quality completed until 2012. This means that Zone the road’s potential to contribute to • Cycling Demonstration Project alleviating congestion will not be realised until later in the plan period. • Personalised Travel Planning • Morecambe West End Neighbourhood Schemes.
Other schemes under development include Park & Ride and Intelligent Transport Systems including Variable Message Signs to improve network management.
Heysham/M6 Link Road
6.27 This new road will complete the link between the Port of Heysham and the M6 motorway at Junction 34 and will run to the north of Lancaster and Morecambe. The County Council submitted a Major Scheme Business Case in July 2005 and resolved to grant planning permission in November 2006. This application has been “called-in” by the Government and a decision is not due until later in 2007.The scheme has been included in the Regional Funding Allocation Programme. The new road is intended to; • reduce delay on journeys to the Port of Heysham • support the local economy • improve access to business areas north of River Lune • take through traffic out of residential and commercial areas
59 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
The Short-Term (2003-2012) The Long Term (2012-2021)
6.30 Until then, the Council and its partners 6.32 The Lancaster and Morecambe Vision, will continue to implement measures to in conjunction with the City and County minimise the environmental impact of councils, is undertaking a major study traffic, maximise use of non-car modes of Transport in the district. This will including public transport, bike and examine the potential offered by the pedestrian networks and to manage car Heysham-M6 Link, make radical parking. changes to the local road network to transform movement within the urban 6.31 It will also ensure that the transport area. This study document will be a impacts of development are mitigated by major element in developing transport the negotiation of appropriate planning strategy long-term for the District agreements. through the Local Transport Plan process and will be picked up in a future review of the Core Strategy.
A65 A6
A687
35
A6 M6 A5105 A683
34 A589
A683
A6 Motorway
33 Primary Route Network
Other A or B Road
Proposed Heysham-M6 Link Road
Figure 10 - Lancaster District – Main Road Network
60 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
POLICY E2 – TRANSPORTATION MEASURES
Purpose To support the District’s regeneration, improve residents quality of life and minimise the environmental impacts of traffic. The Council will minimise the need to travel by car by; • Focusing development on town centres and locations which offer a choice of modes of transport and resisting major development in car dependent locations; • Improving walking and cycle networks, creating links and removing barriers and ensuring that development is integrated with pedestrian and cycle networks; • Protecting land for strategic transport improvements such as the Heysham-M6 Link; • Monitoring vehicle technological change and providing for low-emission vehicles; • Reducing local traffic impacts through the Lancaster Air Quality Management Plan; • Ensuring all major development proposals are accompanied by enforceable measures to minimise the the transport impacts of development, including Business Travel Plans and contributions to appropriate off-site measures. The Council will work with partners to promote the following transportation measures: • Better access to White Lund, South Heysham and its Port via the Heysham/M6 link; • Better public transport between Heysham, Morecambe, Lancaster City Centre and University, more ‘Quality Bus’ services and, after completion of the Heysham/M6 link, more road space for buses, and other innovative solutions; • Innovative rural transport initiatives such as Carnforth Connect; • Integrating the provision and management of car parking and park and ride in Lancaster and Morecambe and managing parking (including disabled parking) in association with development; • Innovative traffic management solutions such as Intelligent Transport Systems; • Addressing the problems of lorry traffic in Carnforth by rationalising land uses and using road capacity freed up by the Heysham/M6 link; • Investment in local freight and passenger rail services and additional halts, TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 1.1 a-e) Public Transport Accessibility; Progress on Heysham-M6 Link proposals; 1.2 a-b) Cycle accessibility; Quality Bus Routes; 1.4 a-c) Urban Concentration; Quality Bus Patronage; 3.4 a) Integrated Transport Study; Local Rail Patronage; 3.4 b) Heysham-M6 Link Road; Business Travel Plans approved; 3.4 c) Cycling and Walking Networks; Cycle route length; 3.4 d) Travel to work by bicycle; 3.4 e) Travel to work by foot; 3.4 f) Traffic flows in central Lancaster; 4.1 a-c) Access to services; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS LMV Transport Study Completed Autumn 2007 Lancashire County Council Local Transport Plan Local Transport Plan Approved January 2007 Private/Public partnership Cycle Strategy Cycling Strategy Reviewed 2009 Lancaster City Council Walking Strategy City Centre Cycle Strategy completed Autumn 2007 Lancaster and Morecambe Planning obligations Heysham-M6 Link – Permission Granted Spring 2008; Vision Parking Strategy Heysham-M6 Link – Work Commences Spring 2010; Rail and Bus Operators Heysham-M6 Link – Completed – Summer 2012; Cycling and Walking Groups One Vision
61 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
7. Customer Services .
7.1 The Council is reforming service 7.3 The Council’s Statement of Community provision to become more responsive to Involvement sets out how people can customer and community needs. get involved in preparing planning policy Customers for spatial planning include; documents and considering planning • Local people - as applicants, as applications. affected parties, and as people interested in the future of the 7.4 Spatial planning is about more than District; Council services, it includes ensuring • Developers who require fast that people have convenient access to planning decisions to maximise other services that they need. Measures income and minimise costs; to widen access to service include; • • Local interest groups and amenity maintaining town centres and local societies with specific interests; shopping provision; • • Disadvantaged groups who may be protecting rural services; excluded from decision making; • providing new development, and • Government Bodies and agencies public realm which is accessible to implementing national policies. people with disabilities; • ensuring that major new 7.2 Everyone should receive efficient, developments provide shops, convenient and impartial services. A community facilities and public major review of access to services is transport through Travel Plans; under way with the introduction of • removing barriers in the pedestrian Customer Service centres in Lancaster and cycle network and making local and Morecambe. The Strategy provides services accessible on foot. the spatial framework for the review. •
POLICY CS1 – IMPROVING CUSTOMER SERVICES Purpose To ensure that people have access to services in a location and delivered by means that are convenient to them. The Council will • Establish face-to-face customer service centres in Lancaster and Morecambe; • Seek to maintain and develop the quality and range of services offered in the District’s Town Centres; • Seek to ensure that people have access to basic services close to where they live by focusing and seeking to maintain local services in local centres and key villages in rural areas. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 4.1 a-c) Access to services; Face-to-Face Customer Service Centres established; 4.2 a-b) Access to Council Services; Diversity of uses in Town Centres; 4.3 a-e) Disabled Access Availability of basic services; Accessibility of commercial premises; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Access to Services milestones; Lancaster City Council Access to Services Review Town Centre Floorspace Survey – Annual; Lancashire County Council Development Control Accessibility Audits of Town Centres; Lancaster City Council Cycling and Walking Strategies
62 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
8. Monitoring, Review and Implementation
8.1 The Core Strategy is the Council’s first 8.6 The Annual Monitoring Report will be spatial planning document. It has been subject to consultation, offering the prepared through a new, unproven and opportunity for outside bodies to evolving Development Plan system. The comment on the monitoring and review system is in its infancy and good process. Each year following adoption, practise will take time to become the Core Strategy will be evaluated and established. The Council sees spatial if a partial or total review is necessary, it planning as an iterative process and will will be undertaken. In spite of these constantly strive to improve. It will qualifications, the Council expects that monitor and pay heed to best practise most of the principles of the Strategy will advice and monitor the way spatial remain sound and will help achieve the planning is being developed in other Spatial Vision for Lancaster District. local authorities to see if there are lessons to be learnt. Planning Obligations; 8.2 Planning strategies inevitably become dated. The most soundly based plan 8.7 Planning Obligations are a key delivery can be undermined or lose relevance as tool. Sustainable development relies on a result of a changing economic climate, the provision of infrastructure, services changes in public opinion and attitudes and facilities. All development, large or and consequent changes in political and small, will place additional demands on government priorities. Global issues services impacting on their ability to such as energy supply, factors such as meet community needs. climate change giving rise to changing patterns of flood risk, all of these may 8.8 Planning obligations provide the necessitate changes to the plan. opportunity to overcome this by ensuring that developers contribute 8.3 The District’s Communities in 2026 will towards any necessary improvements be different to today with younger required to make the development generations growing up and people acceptable in planning terms, and moving in and moving out. The further address those needs that will arise from one plans into the future, the less the development. reliable one’s predictions and assumptions become. 8.9 They also provide the opportunity to enhance the quality of proposals on the 8.4 Every attempt has been made to surrounding environment. produce a Core Strategy that is durable enough to withstand foreseeable 8.10 Lancashire County Council guidance on changes. Nonetheless it is entirely planning obligations in Lancashire forms possible that the plan will require the basis of the Council’s approach. A modification well before the end of the Supplementary Planning Document will plan period in 2021. provide detailed guidance on the scope, scale and thresholds for Planning 8.5 The Council produces an Annual Obligations. Monitoring Report that reviews the progress of the Core Strategy and other Local Development Framework documents. The Annual Monitoring Report identifies progress on the preparation and implementation of the LDF Documents, identifies resource constraints and considers the implications of any important contextual changes.
63 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
• Biodiversity including habitat 8.11 Matters appropriate for Planning creation and local environmental Obligation contributions include; improvements (Policy E1) • Affordable Housing (Policy SC5) • Open Space, Sport and Recreation, • Countryside Access (Policy SC3) including allotments (Policy SC8); • Cultural Heritage, built heritage and • Regeneration Initiatives (Policy conservation (Policy E1) ER2) • Flood Defences (Policy SC7) • Town Centre, Public Realm and • Inland Waterways (Policy E1) Public Art (Policy E1) • Landscape Character (Policy E1) • Transport including Park and Ride (Policy E2)
POLICY MR1 – PLANNING OBLIGATIONS Purpose To ensure that development contributes to the needs of local communities and the delivery of sustainable development. The Council will work with developers to ensure that the long-term implications of development on existing infrastructure, services and facilities are addressed. Where a development would create a need for additional or improved infrastructure, services or facilities or exacerbate an existing deficiency, contributions will be sought to ensure that the appropriate improvements are completed in advance of completion. Exceptionally, where provision on site is not appropriate, the Council will seek the delivery of equivalent community benefits off site, or a financial contribution in lieu. TARGETS (2003-2021) (See p66) INDICATORS 1.5 b) Rural Affordable Housing; Number of schemes with S106 Contributions; 1.6 b) Affordable Housing; Contributions secured for infrastructure; 1.9 a-d) Recreational Open Space; Contributions secured for open space; 2.1a-h) Regeneration Priority Areas; Contributions secured for biodiversity; 3.1a-b) Flood Risk; 3.2 a-d) Biodiversity; 3.4 a-d) Transport; MILESTONES IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS Draft SPD prepared; Lancaster City Council SPD adopted; Lancashire County Council
Core Target List
8.12 The table below sets out the targets which the Council is attempting to achieve through the Core Strategy. The Annual Monitoring Report will report on progress towards achieving these.
64 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Core Targets 1 Sustainable Communities 1.1; Access to Public Transport Monitoring 1.1a) Between 2003 and 2021, all site allocations which include residential development Through Planning within the Urban Areas of Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth, shall be within Allocations Document 400m safe walking distance of a bus stop or other public transport route with a day time service frequency of at least 30 minutes. 1.1b) Between 2003 and 2021, all site allocations which include residential development Through Planning within the Urban Areas of Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth, shall be within 1/2 Allocations Document hour by public transport of a GP practise and a hospital and an employment area and a town centre and a primary school and a secondary school 1.1c) Between 2003 and 2021, all site allocations which include retail, leisure or office Through Planning development shall be located within 200m safe walking distance of a bus stop or Allocations Document other public transport route with a day time service frequency of at least 30 minutes. 1.1d) Between 2003 and 2021, all sites allocated for industrial development within the Through Planning Urban Areas of Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth, shall be within 400m safe Allocations Document walking distance of a bus stop or other public transport route with a day time service frequency of at least 1 hour. 1.1e) Between 2003 and 2021, 95% of new dwellings completed within the Urban Areas of Through completions Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth, shall be within 400m safe walking distance of monitoring and annual a bus stop or other public transport route with a day time service frequency of at monitoring report least 30 minutes. 1.1f) Between 2003 and 2021, 95% of dwellings completed within the Urban Areas of Through completions Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth, shall be within 1/2 hour by public transport of monitoring and annual a GP practise and a hospital and an employment area and a town centre and a monitoring report primary school and a secondary school 1.1e) Between 2003 and 2021, all development proposals completed which incorporate Through completions more than 500 sq m gross of retail and/or leisure and/or office development shall be monitoring and annual located within 200m safe walking distance of a bus stop or other public transport monitoring report route with a day time service frequency of at least 30 minutes. 1.2: Access to Cycle Network 1.2a) Between 2003 and 2021, all site allocations which include residential, retail, leisure, Through Planning office or industrial development within the Urban Areas of Lancaster, Morecambe Allocations document and Carnforth, shall be within 1km by a safe, direct route, of the District's Strategic Cycle Network as defined in the Council's cycle strategy. 1.2b) Within the Urban Areas of Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth, between 2003 and Through completions 2021, 95% of new dwellings and 95% of development proposals completed which monitoring and annual incorporate more than 500 sq m gross of retail and/or leisure and/or office monitoring report development of completed shall be within 1km by a safe, direct route, of the District's Strategic Cycle Network as defined in the Council's cycle strategy. 1.3: Efficiency in the Use of Land 1.3a) Between 2003 and 2021, at least 70% of all dwelling completions to be delivered Through Completions through conversions of existing buildings or on Previously Developed Land monitoring 1.3b) Between 2003 and 2021, at least 95 % of development proposals completed which Through Completions incorporate more than 500 sq m gross of retail and/or leisure development to be monitoring completed on Previously Developed Land. 1.3c) Between 2003 and 2021, at least 70 % of development proposals completed which Through Completions incorporate more than 500 sq m gross of office and industrial development to be monitoring completed on Previously Developed Land. 1.3d) At least 95% of residential development proposals of 5 dwellings or more completed Through Completions between 2003 and 2021, shall be completed at a density of more than 30 dwellings monitoring per hectare. 1.3e) At least 30% of residential development proposals of 5 dwellings or more completed Through Completions between 2003 and 2021, shall be completed at a density of more than 50 dwellings monitoring per hectare.
65 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
1.4: Urban Concentration 1.4a) Between 2003 and 2021, 40% of dwellings completed shall be located within the Through Completions Urban Area of Lancaster, 40% shall be located within the Urban Area of Morecambe monitoring and Heysham, 10% shall be located within the Urban area of Carnforth and 7% of dwellings shall be located in villages which contain a GP practise and a Primary School and a Food Shop, and a Post Office and a Bus Stop 1.4b) Between 2003 and 2021, 45% of new B1 (business),B2 (industrial) and B8 (storage Through Completions and distribution) floorspace completed shall be located within the Urban Area of monitoring Lancaster, 45% shall be located within the Urban Area of Morecambe and Heysham, 5% shall be located within the Urban area of Carnforth and 3% shall be located in villages which contain a GP practise and a Primary School and a Food Shop, and a Post Office and a Bus Stop. 1.4c) Between 2003 and 2021, 60% of new A1 retail floorspace completed shall be located Through Completions within the Urban Area of Lancaster, 30% shall be located within the Urban Area of monitoring Morecambe and Heysham, 8% shall be located within the Urban area of Carnforth and 1.5 % shall be located in villages containing GP, Primary School, Food Shop, Post Office and Bus Stop 1.5: Rural Communities 1.5a) All rural communities to have completed Parish plans by 2021 Through liaison with Parish and Town Councils 1.5b) Affordable or local needs housing to be provided in accordance with needs identified Through liaison with Parish in Parish Plans and Town Councils 1.5c) Rural employment premises to be delivered in accordance with needs identified in Through liaison with Parish Parish Plans and Town Councils 1.6; Meeting Housing Needs 1.6a) Between 2003 and 2021, sufficient dwellings will be completed to meet the targets Through Completions set out in the Regional Spatial Strategy.(This is currently anticipated to be 400 per Monitoring annum. (Source Draft RSS Policy L4) 1.6b) Between 2003 and 2021, 70 affordable dwellings will be negotiated per annum (This Through Completions assumes that 2/3 of dwellings will be achieved on sites above the threshold Monitoring minimum. The Council anticipates that 30% of completions will be affordable. An allowance is made for sites where other factors mean that less than 30% can be achieved. 1.6c) Between 2003 and 2021, 60 affordable dwellings will be completed per annum (This Through Completions assumes that not all proposals will be implemented). Monitoring 1.6b) Between 2003 and 2021, at least 70% of dwellings will be completed on Previously Through Completions Developed Land (Source RSS Policy L4); Monitoring 1.7 Design Quality 1.7a) Between 2003 and 2021, 10 development proposals will achieve national recognition Through Development and for design best practice media monitoring 1.7b) Major development within the District will be subject to consideration by a design Through Development panel including external bodies with design expertise monitoring 1.7c) The Lancaster District Design Award scheme will be continued in partnership with Through Development Lancaster Civic Society; monitoring 1.7d) Develop targets for energy efficiency in new buildings through the Development Through Development Control process Control Policy document 1.8 Community Safety 1.8 a) Reported Crime in the District will be reduced by 16% by 2008 (This target will be Through Community Safety reviewed in future Community Safety strategies) Strategy Monitoring 1.8 b) A 45% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents Through Local Transport by 2021 compared with 1994-1998 average. Plan Monitoring 1.9 Recreational Open Space 1.9 a) Recreational Open Space Study to be completed by 2007 Though internal liaison 1.9 b) Between 2003 and 2021 to increase the number and area of sports pitches of Through Parks and Open acceptable quality in accordance with needs indentified in the Recreation study. Spaces Strategy monitoring 1.9 c) Between 2003 and 2021 to increase the area of informal recreational open space in Through Parks and Open areas of deficiency in accordance with needs indentified in the Recreation study. Spaces Strategy monitoring 1.9 d) By March 2008, to increase the number of open spaces with Green Flag status by Through Parks and Open 50% Spaces Strategy monitoring
66 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Core Targets 2 Regeneration 2.1 Regeneration Priority Areas 2.1 a) Spatial Strategy completed for Central Morecambe by September 2008; Through Local Development Scheme monitoring 2.4 b) Midland Hotel in Morecambe to be brought back to use by December Through Morecambe Central 2007; Promenade - Project Monitoring 2.4 c) Master Plan for Morecambe Central Promenade Area to be completed by Through Morecambe Central December 2007; Promenade - Project Monitoring 2.1 d) Spatial Strategies prepared for Local Regeneration Priority Areas by 2021; Through Local Development Scheme monitoring 2.1 e) Spatial Strategy completed for Lancaster City Centre by September 2007; Through Local Development Scheme monitoring 2.1 f) Remediation of Luneside East site completed by December 2007; Luneside East Project monitoring
2.1 g) office element of Luneside East completed by 2008 and res by end 2010; Luneside East Project monitoring
2.1 h) indicative masterplan for the Lancaster Canal Corridor site by Dec 2006 Corporate Plan monitoring
2.2 Employment Development 2.2 a) Development of Lancaster Science Park to be commenced by Dec 2008; Through RES monitoring 2.2 b) Between 2003 and 2021, 54,000 sq m (internal) of B1 and A2 floorspace to Through completions monitoring be completed; 2.2 c) Between 2003 and 2021, 4 ha to be developed for B8 use; Through allocations document 2.2 d) A 25% increase in the rate of development of business and industrial land Through completions monitoring in the Regeneration Priority Areas 2001-2021, compared with 1991-2000. 2.3 Shopping Development 2.3 a) Vacant ground floor floorspace in Primary Shopping Area of Lancaster Through annual shopping City Centre to be maintained at less than 5% by 2021 floorspace survey 2.3 b) Vacant ground floor floorspace in Primary Shopping Area of Morecambe Through annual shopping Town Centre to be maintained at less than 10% by 2021 floorspace survey 2.3 c) Growth in Zone A rentals to equal or exceed annual average Regional Through shopping vitality and change 2003-2021. viability monitoring 2.3 d) At least 80% of new A1 floorspace to be located in identified town centres Through completions monitoring by 2021 2.3 e) At least 80% of major trip generating development to be located in Through completions monitoring identified town centres by 2021 2.3 f) That a Town Centre Management Scheme be established in Lancaster by Through Corporate Strategy December 2008 Monitoring; 2.4 Tourism Development 2.4 a) Develop the potential of Lancaster Castle as a significant visitor attraction Through Lancaster Vision Board by 2021 Monitoring 2.4 b) Hotel to be developed in Lancaster City Centre; Tourism Strategy Monitoring 2.4 c) new hub tourist information centre in Lancaster City Centre by 2008 Tourism Strategy Monitoring 2.5 Renewable Energy 2.5 a) Areas of renewable energy potential to be identified in allocations Through Allocations Document document 2.5 b) Development Control policy document to incorporate guidance on micro- Through Development Control renewables, including targets for new development Document 2.5 c) 100% of electricity generation from non-fossil fuel sources; Through RSS monitoring
67 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007
Core Targets 3 Environmental Capital 3.1 Flood Risk 3.1a) Strategic Flood Risk Assessment to be completed by December 2006; 3.1b) Between 2003 and 2021, Maintain number of planning permissions Through development control permitted contrary to Environment Agency advice where the objection was monitoring made on flood defence grounds below 3% 3.2 Biodiversity 3.2 a) 95% of SSSI units in Lancaster District in favourable condition by 2021 Through English Nature monitoring processes 3.2 b) No net loss of heritage assets, networks or settings, 2001-2021. Through Lancashire Structure Plan monitoring 3.2 c) Deliver the Regional Biodiversity Targets and Targets outlined in Local Through English Nature monitoring Biodiversity Action Plans by 2020 processes 3.2 d) Increasing the coverage of native woodland by 15% by 2021; Through Lancashire Structure Plan monitoring 3.3 Conservation 3.3 a) By 2021 the future of 3 Nationally identified Listed Buildings at risk to be Through Conservation service secured; monitoring 3.3 b) By 2021 the future of 12 locally identified Listed Buildings at risk to be Through Conservation service secured; monitoring 3.3 c) By 2021 all Conservation Areas appraisals to be completed; Through Conservation service monitoring 3.4 Transport 3.4 a) Completion of Lancaster and Morecambe Integrated Transport Study by Through Lancaster Vision Board December 2008; Monitoring; 3.4 b) Completion of Heysham-M6 Link Road by 2011 Through Local Transport Plan monitoring; 3.4 c) Completion of Cycling and Walking Network by 2021 Through Local Transport Plan monitoring; 3.4 d) 7.6% of working population travelling to work by cycle (baseline 3.8% Through Cycle Demonstration (2001)) Town Monitoring; 3.4 e) 15% of working population travelling to work on foot (baseline 14.3% Through Local Transport Plan (2001)) monitoring; 3.4 f) Reduce traffic flows to and from central Lancaster by 5% for 2021 Through Local Transport Plan compared to 2001 monitoring;
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Core Targets 4: Access to Services 4.1 Access to basic Services 4.1a) Between 2003 and 2021, the proportion of the population of Lancaster Through Annual Monitoring Report District within 1km of 5 basic services (GP, primary school, food shop, post office, bus stop) to be maintained to at least the 2004 level of 73.01%, 4.1b) All settlements with a population of 500 or more to be within 1km of a GP, Through Annual Monitoring Report Primary School, Food Shop, Post office, Public House and Public Transport of at least 2 hour frequency 4.1c) All settlements with a population of 300 or more to be within 1km of at least Through Annual Monitoring Report 3 of the following (GP, Primary School, Food Shop, Post office, Public House and Public Transport of at least 2 hour frequency) and that any such existing facilities be retained within these settlements 4.2 Access to Council Services 4.2 a) Face to Face Customer Contact Centre to be established in Morecambe by Through Corporate Plan December 2011; monitoring 4.2 b) Face to Face Customer Contact Centre to be established in Lancaster by Through Corporate Plan December 2011; monitoring 4.3 Disabled Access 4.3 a) All Council buildings open to the public to be fully accessible to the Through Corporate Plan disabled by 2021 monitoring 4.3 b) 90% of retail and commercial premises in Lancaster City Centre Primary Through accessibility audits Shopping Area to be fully accessible by 2021 4.3 c) 60% of retail and commercial premises in the rest of Lancaster City Centre Through accessibility audits to be fully accessible by 2021 4.3 d) 70% of retail and commercial premises in Morecambe Town Centre Through accessibility audits Primary Shopping Area to be fully accessible by 2021 4.3 e) 50% of retail and commercial premises in the rest of Morecambe Town Through accessibility audits Centre to be fully accessible by 2021
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