Vision 21 - The Malvern Hills Partnership Our Future. Together Need help with this? Tel: 01905 25121 Contact Us Tel: 01684 862151 Minicom: 01684 862168 Typetalk: 18001 01684 862151 Fax: 01684 574906 A sustainable community strategy for Email: worcestershirehub.malvernhills.gov.uk Malvern Hills District Address: The Council House, Avenue Road, Malvern, Worcs. WR14 3AF 2006 - 2021 www.malvernhills.gov.uk Contents Page Introduction 3 How this Strategy was Developed 5 The Malvern Hills District - The Place And Its People 7 Our Environment and Climate Change 10 Meeting Local Housing Needs 12 Improving Economic Viability 13 Stronger Communities 15 Improving Health and Wellbeing 16 Meeting the Needs of Children and Young People 17 Communities that are Safe and Feel Safe 18 Conclusions 19 How to comment 19 About the Malvern Hills Partnership 20 Malvern Hills Partnership Partners & Contributors 21 The South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy 23 A Sustainable Community Strategy for Malvern Hills District 2006 - 2021 2 A Sustainable Community Strategy for Malvern Hills District 2006 - 2021 Introduction by Guy Weston , Chair of Vision 21 and Serena Croad, Leader of Malvern Hills District Council Our Future. Together defi nes the aspirations of the Malvern Hills Partnership (Vision 21) for the Malvern Hills District up until 2021, building on and remaining consistent with the Community strategy set for 2003 - 2006. It draws on the existing strengths and challenges facing the District, the current conditions that exist locally, regionally and nationally and on the views and desires of the residents and organisations within the District. Our Vision for the future is of: The task is to build on this story to ensure that the District’s communities continue to “A District with a mix of people of all be vibrant and enduring. ages, living in supportive communities, MHP has identifi ed three priorities where people can travel without reliance through which this can best be achieved. on owning a car, where they can live It is considered that these three areas in safety, free from crime and the fear compliment each other in the strategy for of crime, where the rural character and the future and will, by their nature, positively beauty of the area is looked after, where affect all other important issues. they can enjoy a good standard of living and have secure, well paid and fulfi lling These priorities are: jobs and can afford a home that suits their needs.” • Protecting Our Environment and Tackling Climate Change In addition to reaffi rming our Vision for the • Meeting local Housing needs District the strategy explains our priorities • Improving Economic Viability and the cross cutting work that we will focus on. Although three priorities have been identifi ed, there are other areas which are In deciding the key priorities for the District, also central to the wellbeing of the people the Malvern Hills Partnership is aware that who live and work here. These are: residents value the areas’ outstanding • Stronger Communities beauty and the Partnership is conscious • Improving Health and Wellbeing that alongside this, there has been • Meeting the Needs of Children and great creativity and innovation which still Young People continues. Our ‘Story of the District’ aims to • Communities that are Safe and Feel Safe draw a very broad picture of the District so that our priority work can be placed within this context. A Sustainable Community Strategy for Malvern Hills District 2006 - 2021 3 A number of the issues arise from the key priorities and central themes in this Sustainable Community Strategy and these have been identified and included for consideration as part of the South Worcestershire Joint Core Strategy, which will form the basis of the Local Development Framework (a series of Planning policy documents). The Malvern Hills Partnership recognises the sub regional role of the city of Worcester and the significant effect that this will have on development and the demand on infrastructure and services in Malvern Hills District. We will work hard to maximise the positive impact and to limit the negative aspects of any future large scale developments. The broad strategic areas contained in Our Future Together have been and are being followed up with specific action plans in themed and priority areas. These are to be taken forward by local theme groups who will turn our aims into action and more importantly - results. To add value as a strategic partnership, The Malvern Hills Partnership must be able to bring together people and organisations that can make a difference and then make sure they do! We are confident that the commitments we have made in this document are right for the District today and will ensure that our future District remains a first class place to live work and visit. Cllr Serena Croad Guy Weston Leader Chief Executive Malvern Hills District Council Festival Housing Group 4 A Sustainable Community Strategy for Malvern Hills District 2006 - 2021 How this Strategy was developed When the first Community Strategy Community Strategy, which set out the was devised in 2002, extensive public agreed key priorities and central themes consultation was carried out to identify the for the District, was produced and was issues which people thought were most endorsed at Vision 21’s annual Conference important for the District. Our approach was on 28th February 2007. to use this information as the basis for this reviewed Strategy. This document is the full Sustainable Community Strategy which develops those The Strategic Board also examined key priorities and themes, and explains how statistical data about the District from a wide they will be achieved. range of sources, including data published by Government, various local organisations, the Primary Care Trust and Police, and local environmental data from bodies like British Gas and the World Wildlife Fund. Surveys carried out by Malvern Hills District Council and Worcestershire County Council on the views and concerns of local residents and their priorities for improvement were also examined. Vision 21 also recognised the value of Parish Plans. Preparing these plans had involved significant consultation within parishes and they provided useful information about local issues. Vision 21 was able to identify the issues being raised in Parish Plans across the District and took these into account. The Strategic Board then embarked on a lengthy visioning process to determine what issues were the key priorities for ensuring the future well being of the District. The Strategic Board consulted all Vision 21 Partners on their views and a series of consultation meetings were held throughout the District. This consultation was also open to Parish and Town Councils and the public. As a result a draft short form Sustainable A Sustainable Community Strategy for Malvern Hills District 2006 - 2021 5 Actions by Malvern Hills Partnership and its partners Details of the priorities and central themes and the actions being taken or proposed by the Malvern Hills Partnership and its partners are set out in this document. • We will do all we can to influence and encourage its partners and other organisations to address these issues in their strategies and plans and ensure that they are aligned in their approach. • We will be working to ensure that County wide strategies and the Local Area Agreement assist us in achieving our aims, and will also seek to positively influence new and emerging regional and national plans where ever possible. • We will also work with local communities to support actions relating to these issues and to play their part in making improvements. • We are conscious of the distinct geography of the area and the problems that ensue with cross boundary issues. • We will work in conjunction with neighbours in Worcestershire, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire for the mutual benefit of the people who live and work here. 6 A Sustainable Community Strategy for Malvern Hills District 2006 - 2021 The Malvern Hills District - The Place and its People Malvern Hills is located in the West Midlands on the outskirts of Worcestershire. It is one of the least densely populated districts in Worcestershire with a population of around 73, 900 residents sparsely covering an area of 577 km2. The principal towns in the district are Malvern, Upton upon Severn and Tenbury Wells. The area is largely rural with the Malvern Hills, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, providing a spectacular centre point to the district. The hills boast unique panoramic views and attract over 1.5 million tourists every year. As well as the natural environment, Malvern Hills is also rich in heritage and the arts and the area offers a variety of attractions such as the Three Counties Show, the Upton Jazz Festival and the Mistletoe Festival in Tenbury. Because and despite of its largely rural nature the Malvern Hills is presented with many issues and opportunities ranging from having some of the most nationally sparsely populated rural areas to growth, economic nearly 21% of Malvern Hills residents over development and community issues related 65, well above the regional average. On to a range of towns and urban areas which the whole, the younger age groups make are essentially typical of urban areas up less of the population with those aged elsewhere in the South Worcestershire the between 20-29 being the smallest. Migration county and the region. from the district amongst the younger working groups is high. Demographics The population of Malvern Hills has The Regional Spatial Strategy will increased in recent years, with a 4.57% rise significantly impact on these figures. since 2001. Also, 2.4% of the population are from the black or minority ethnic The Economy & Enterprise (BME) community, rising to 5.9% with the There are over 3,500 businesses in inclusion of Gypsies and Travellers, which is Malvern Hills and unemployment is, at significantly lower than other districts within 1.5%, significantly below the national and the Worcestershire County.