Draft Plan 2021-2031, Roman Road Bow Neighbourhood Forum
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ROMAN ROAD BOW NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN 2021 - 2031 #1 >> CONTENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY LIST OF POLICIES 4 FOR ROMAN ROAD BOW 6.2 Policy to enhance public realm OBJECTIVE 1: THRIVING spaces 48 OBJECTIVE 6: RESILIENT AND NON-POLICY ACTIONS 5 HIGH STREET AND LOCAL WELL-NETWORKED COMMUNITY 6.3 Policy to designate Local ECONOMY 28 INFRASTRUCTURE 72 Green Spaces 51 WELCOME FROM THE CHAIR OF ROMAN ROAD 4.1 Summary of current issues 32 9.1 Summary of current Issues 72 OBJECTIVE 4: NEW LIFE FOR OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM 6 4.2 Policy encouraging flexible use 33 LOCAL HERITAGE 56 9.2 Action to form a consortium of of premises community groups 72 INTRODUCTION 8 7.1 Summary of current Issues 56 4.3 Site specific action: Bow House 9.3 Action to encourage 1.1 Purpose of the plan 8 Business Centre 35 7.2 Policy for public houses to Community Asset Transfer 74 become locally designated 1.2 Structure of the plan 8 4.4 Action for support to heritage assets 56 9.4 Policy to create additional and job seekers and local businesses 37 improved sports and play facilities 75 1.3 Preparation of the plan 9 7.3 Action supporting opportunities 4.5 Action for local cross-sector for new types of Public House 61 9.5 Policy for new and improved 1.4 Wider policy context 10 collaboration 38 youth facilities 77 7.4 Action for an updated Bow 1.5 Monitoring the Plan 11 OBJECTIVE 2: GREEN STREETS Heritage Trail 62 9.6 Policy to improve existing THAT ENCOURAGE WALKING community centres 79 7.5 Policy for Bow Wharf waterway 1.6 Roman Road Bow AND CYCLING 40 Neighbourhood infrastructure conservation and 9.7 Action to improve accessibility to Plan area boundary 12 enhancement 63 health and social care facilities 80 5.1 Summary of current issues 40 LOCAL CONTEXT 12 OBJECTIVE 5: HIGH QUALITY References 83 5.2 Improving safe walking and AFFORDABLE HOUSING 66 cycling routes 40 2.1 History of Bow 13 8.1 Summary of current issues 66 5.3 Actions to improve walking and 2.2 Profile of the community 16 cycling provision 46 today 8.2 Policy on site allocations 66 OBJECTIVE 3: BEAUTIFUL PUBLIC 2.3 Opportunities and 8.3. Policy supporting challenges in Roman SPACES 48 Community-led housing 69 Road Bow 18 6.1 Summary of current Issues 48 2 VISION AND PLAN OBJECTIVES 3 LIST OF POLICIES LIST OF POLICIES New life for our local heritage LIST OF NON-POLICY ACTIONS New life for our local heritage Thriving high street and local Policy HE1: Designating public houses The following table summarises issues Action HE1: Opportunities for new economy as local heritage assets referred to in the neighbourhood types of Public House Policy HE2: Conserving and enhancing plan which aren’t directly related Action HE2: Wayfinding and Bow Policy LE1: Encouraging flexible use of Bow Wharf to land use. Tackling them has the Heritage Trail premises potential to contribute to sustainable High quality affordable housing economic, social and environmental Resilient and well-networked Green streets that encourage walking development in the neighbourhood community infrastructure and cycling Policy H1: Allocating sites for housing area. Action CF1: Forming a consortium of Policy GS1: Improving safe walking Policy H2: Community led housing Non-land use issues to be addressed community groups and cycling routes Thriving high street and local economy Resilient and well-networked Action CF2: Community Asset Transfer Beautiful public spaces community infrastructure Site specific action LE1: Bow House and Business Centre, 153-159 Bow Road E3 Policy PS1: Enhancing public realm Policy CF1: Developing new and 2SE Assets of Community Value spaces improved sports and play facilities Action LE2: Sustained support for job Policy PS2: Designating Local Green seekers and local businesses Action CF3: Improving access to Spaces Policy CF2: Developing new and Action LE3: Local cross-sector health and social care facilities improved youth facilities and support collaboration Policy CF3: Improving existing Green streets that encourage walking community centres and cycling Action GS1: to improve safe walking and cycling 4 5 >> INTRODUCTION Welcome from the Chair of Roman Road Bow Neighbourhood Forum In February 2016 when Roman Road Trust first tabled the idea for preparing a neighbourhood plan at a public meeting, it wasn’t the threat of large scale development that brought us together, but the opportunities that we all saw for engaging in a neighbourhood planning process that would create the means to bring new life to our high street and green spaces; to raise awareness about what is valuable about the community we live in - its ethnic diversity, its history of championing social change and the heritage of some of its architecture - public buildings, bridges, houses and pubs. We also recognised that the neighbourhood has some challenges: the impacts of traffic on air quality are making walking and cycling less appealing; a shortage of genuinely affordable and good quality homes; a narrow range of shops, empty retail units and a struggling market. A neighbourhood plan could help to direct funding to address some of these challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on fissures that were already present in our neighbourhood’s fabric - more retail units are under threat, there is less funding available to improve open spaces and community facilities, at a time when these have become more valued. At the same time, wider issues of climate change create local consequences that the plan can help to address. This final draft of the Roman Road Bow Neighbourhood Plan is an opportunity to test with the community whether the policies and actions proposed here can withstand the added pressures facing our neighbourhood, and still shape and safeguard its physical fabric. We welcome your comments and feedback on the policies and actions we have set out, that are drawn from what you have told us is important over the last three years. Thank you for your support and engagement so far. Alex Holmes Chair Roman Road Neighbourhood Forum Committee 6 7 INTRODUCTION 1.3 Preparation of the plan Neighbourhood Planning Forum, (the body responsible for developing the The Plan has been prepared by the plan), in August 2017. community through the Roman Road Bow Neighbourhood Forum (RRBNF) The different topic areas in the Plan 1.1 Purpose of the plan Committee, formed in February 2016 reflect matters that are important The planning policies are in green after the first Neighbourhood Forum to the NPA’s residents, businesses This is the Neighbourhood Plan for the boxes. Some of the Neighbourhood meeting, where the proposal to and community groups. The Forum Roman Road Bow Neighbourhood Plan policies are general and apply prepare a neighbourhood plan was Committee has sought to engage Area over the period from 2021 throughout the Plan area, whilst others put forward and discussed. the local community at each stage to 2031. The principal purpose are site or area-specific. In considering of the preparation of the plan. See of the Neighbourhood Plan is to proposals for development, Tower Tower Hamlets Council, as the local the accompanying Roman Road Bow guide development within the Hamlets Council will apply all relevant planning authority, designated the Neighbourhood Plan Engagement Neighbourhood Plan Area (NPA) and policies in the Plan. It is therefore Roman Road Bow Neighbourhood Report, prepared by Public Works, provide guidance to anyone wishing assumed that the Plan will be read Planning Area (NPA) in February 2017 that forms part of the evidence base to submit a planning application for as a whole, although some cross- and designated the Roman Road Bow supporting the Plan’s proposals and development in the NPA. The plan referencing between Plan policies has policies. defines a vision for the NPA focussing been provided. on the local economy, connectivity, open space, heritage, housing and The process of producing the community infrastructure, and sets out Neighbourhood Plan has identified how that vision will be realised through a number of aspirations and actions planning and controlling land use and which have not been included in the development change over the plan policies’ sections. This is because these period. are not specifically related to land use matters and therefore sit outside the The Covid-19 pandemic has seriously jurisdiction of a Neighbourhood Plan. impacted Bow and the local These aspirations and actions will be economy, whilst also demonstrating addressed outside the Neighbourhood the resilience and cohesion of Plan process and are shown in yellow our local community. We believe boxes. the neighbourhood plan offers a framework that will help shape a sustainable future for Bow, whilst Green box = Planning policies respecting our rich heritage. 1.2 Structure of the plan Yellow box = aspirations and actions The Plan comprises a vision for the area, and a set of objectives in thematic chapters. Each of the objectives presents a summary of issues followed by the different policies, actions and aspirations. These are respectively accompanied by their conformity with other policies and RRBNF General Meeting 2017 in The Common Room 8 a justification. 9 INTRODUCTION 1.4 Wider policy context The NPPF outlines the purpose of 1.4.3 Tower Hamlets Local Plan 2031 The Central Area Good Growth SPD neighbourhood planning: “[it] gives provides guidance to help the council This Neighbourhood Plan has been communities the power to develop Tower Hamlets Local Plan 2031 deliver this housing growth, focusing prepared in accordance with the a shared vision for their area. (p198, para 17.9) concerning specifically on design guidance to Town & Country Planning Act 1990, the Neighbourhood plans can shape, sustainable places acknowledges ensure that new developments respect Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act direct and help to deliver sustainable the contribution of neighbourhood and enhance the well-established 2004, the Localism Act 2011 and the development...” (p10, para.