Sustainable Settlements Review: Draft Methodology

June 2017

Contents 1.0 Introduction ...... 3 2.0 Planning Policy Context ...... 5 National Planning Policy Context ...... 5 National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) ...... 5 National Planning Practice Guidance (nPPG) ...... 7 Local Policy Context – Current Policy Position ...... 8 Lancaster District Local Plan Strike-through Edition – September 2008 ...... 8 Core Strategy (2003-2012) – Adopted July 2008 ...... 8 Development Management DPD (2011-2031) ...... 9 3.0 Current Evidence Base...... 10 Report of Village Surveys, Planning Services, September 2009 ...... 10 4.0 Other Useful Supporting Information ...... 11 Transport ...... 11 Draft Lancaster District Local Plan 2011-2031: Part 1: Strategic Policies and Land Allocations DPD ...... 12 2017 Draft Local Plan Consultation ...... 12 5.0 Aims of the Sustainable Settlements Review ...... 13 6.0 Methodology ...... 13 Population ...... 15 Key Services and Facilities ...... 18 Accessibility ...... 25 Employment ...... 28 Landscape/Townscape ...... 29 Key Definitions ...... 31

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Lancaster City Council are seeking to undertake a review of the assessment of the settlements identified as sustainable within the Development Management DPD, policy DM42. The latest piece of formal evidence conducted to underpin the identification of Sustainable Settlements was the ‘Report of Villages Surveys’ which was conducted in 2009. It is understood that a lot of change has taken place since this document was produced, and with the emerging Strategic Policies and Land Allocation DPD and review of the Development Management DPD, it is considered an appropriate time to undertake this review. The results of this assessment will thus be utilised to inform policy SP2 within the Strategic Policies and Land Allocations DPD and policy DM4 within the Development Management DPD.

1.2 Since the adoption of the Development Management DPD in December 2014, it is recognised that there has not been a significant change in national policy and guidance, however due to changes on a more local level, such as bus service provision, it is considered beneficial to undertake this fundamental review. As stated within the NPPF ‘plans and decisions need to take local circumstances into account, so that they respond to the different opportunities for achieving sustainable development in different areas’ (paragraph 10). The roles and functions of each settlement within the district is different and so this study will seek to investigate the local circumstances of each of these areas, providing an insight into the functionality of a settlement, to aid and underpin the emerging Local Plan.

1.3 The way in which the assessment is being carried out, the methodology, is also being reviewed as part of this process. It is being increasingly recognised that accessibility is key to sustainability. Previously the assessment as to whether a settlement should be considered sustainable was based upon the provision of services and facilities within or adjacent to the settlement. However, there has been a noticeable decline in service provision within smaller rural settlements in the district, in particular in relation to bus services. Therefore it is considered important to assess accessibility and the provision of public transport in particular, but also cycling and walking routes.

1.4 Additionally, in October 2015 Turley Economics published the ‘Lancaster Independent Housing Requirements Study 2015’. This study considered the extent of the housing market area in which the Lancaster exists. A housing market area as defined by the National Planning Practice Guidance (paragraph 010) is ‘a geographical area defined by household demand and preferences for all types of housing, reflecting the key functional linkages between places where people live and work.’ The study found that the district overall serves as a self-contained housing market area where the majority of people looking to move will move from one home to another within the district. Important reasons for this include the wide choice of living environments that the district offers from urban locations to rural settlements and also the wide choice of housing on offer including smaller properties which may be considered more affordable at the entry level of the market up to larger properties at the highest end of the market.

1.5 The National Planning Policy Framework (paragraph 47) requires the Local Authority to plan to meet the housing needs of the district across the housing market area i.e. in the case of the Lancaster district, across the whole district. The Turley Report concluded that ‘the identified OAN (Objectively Assessed Need) range of 650 – 700 should be considered as

appropriate for the whole plan period 2011 to 2031 as reflecting the assessed total need for housing against which the emerging Plan should respond in its policy approach’. Over the plan period this equates to 13,000-14,000 new homes, across the whole district. Therefore the Council needs to carefully consider the role each settlement has in addressing and thus contributing towards these district wide needs.

1.6 Changes in service provision affect where people choose to live, this can have particular impacts in rural locations, for example an increase in older people and a decrease in younger people including families in a rural area may affect school roles and sometimes event result in school closures where there is insufficient demand for school places. Impacts on service provision such as this can influence where a family looking to move may choose to buy a new home. Cuts to public services including subsidies on bus services, libraries, health facilities have all had an impact in recent years on the role and function of settlements and Lancaster has not been immune to this. This is another key reason underpinning this review.

1.7 Also within the Lancaster District over recent years there has also been a significant change in the provision of high quality communications infrastructure, through the community-led project B4RN (Broadband for Rural North Ltd). As stated within the NPPF ‘ the development of high speed broadband technology and other communications networks also plays a vital role in enhancing the provision of local community facilities and services’ (paragraph 42). The review of this study will therefore seek to investigate the coverage of this service.

1.8 This review therefore seeks to explore further the factors which contribute towards a settlement being considered sustainable. Identifying settlements which are currently considered to be sustainable, and those which have the potential to become sustainable settlements. For example, new development can bring about positive effects through investment in infrastructure. This review will therefore also seek to establish where improvements could be made.

1.9 The outcome of this research will enable Lancaster City Council to identify sustainable settlements which have the capacity and ability to support new development, and provide the focus for growth outside the main urban areas, and also consequently inform the settlement hierarchy for the district.

2.0 Planning Policy Context

2.1 There is no specific guidance in relation to the assessment of the sustainability of settlements. Therefore utilising relevant policy from within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and guidance from the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG), a robust methodology has been drawn up in order to be able to effectively assess the provision of services and facilities within the Lancaster District and their accessibility to the local population. National Planning Policy Context National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Paragraph The purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of paragraph 6 sustainable development There are three dimensions to sustainable development: economic, social paragraph 7 and environmental. These dimensions give rise to the need for the planning system to perform a number of role:  An economic role – contributing to building a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by ensuring that sufficient land of the right type is available in the right places and at the right time to support growth and innovation; and by identifying and coordinating development requirements, including the provision of infrastructure;  A social role – supporting strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by providing the supply of housing required to meet the needs of present and future generations; and by certain a high quality built environment, with accessible local services that reflect the community’s needs and support its health, social and cultural wellbeing; and  An environmental role – contributing to protecting and enhancing our natural, built and historic environment, and as part of this, helping to improve biodiversity, use natural resources prudently, minimise waste and pollution, and mitigate and adapt to climate change including moving to a low carbon economy. To achieve sustainable development, economic, social and environmental paragraph 8 gains should be sought jointly and simultaneously through the planning. Plans need to take local circumstances into account, so that they respond paragraph 10 to different opportunities for achieving sustainable development in different areas. One of the core planning principles is to ‘take account of the different roles paragraph 17 and character of different areas, promoting the vitality of our main urban areas, protecting the Green Belts around them, recognising the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside and supporting thriving rural communities within it’. Another core planning principle is to ‘actively manage patterns of growth paragraph 17 to make the fullest possible use of public transport, walking and cycling, and focus significant development in locations which are or can be made sustainable’. Also: ‘take account of and support local strategies to improve health, social paragraph 17 and cultural wellbeing for all, and deliver sufficient community and cultural facilities and services to meet local needs’.

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Paragraph Planning policies should support economic growth in rural areas in order to paragraph 28 create jobs and prosperity by taking a positive approach to sustainable new development. To promote a strong rural economy, local and neighbourhood plans should…promote the retention and development of local services and community facilities in villages, such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship Transport policies have an important role to play in facilitating sustainable paragraph 29 development but also in contributing to wider sustainability and health objectives. The transport system need to be balanced in favour of sustainable transport modes, giving people a real choice about how they travel. However, the Government recognises that different policies and measures will be required in different communities and opportunities to maximise sustainable transport solutions will vary from urban to rural areas. Encouragement should be given to solutions which support reductions in paragraph 30 greenhouse gas emissions and reduce congestion. In preparing Local Plans, local planning authorities should therefore support a pattern of development which, where reasonable to do so, facilitates the use of sustainable modes of transport. Plans and decisions should ensure developments that generate significant paragraph 34 movement are located where the need to travel will be minimised and the use of sustainable transport modes can be maximised. However this needs to take account of policies set out elsewhere in this Framework, particularly in rural areas. Where practical, particularly within large-scale developments, key facilities paragraph 38 such as primary schools and local shops should be located within walking distance of most properties. Advanced, high quality communications infrastructure is essential for paragraph 42 sustainable economic growth. The development of high speed broadband technology and other communications networks also plays a vital role in enhancing the provision of local community facilities and services. In rural areas, exercising the duty to cooperate with neighbouring paragraph 54 authorities, local planning authorities should be responsive to local circumstances and plan housing development to reflect local needs To promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be paragraph 55 located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities. For example, where there are groups of smaller settlements, development in one village may support services in a village nearby. To deliver the social, recreational and cultural facilities and services the paragraph 70 community needs, planning policies and decisions should:  Plan positively for the provision and use of shared space, community facilities (such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship) and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments;  Guard against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services, particularly where this would reduce the community’s ability to meet its day-to-day needs;

National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) Paragraph  Ensure that established shops, facilities and services are able to develop and modernise in a way that is sustainable, and retained for the benefit of the community; and  Ensure an integrated approach to considering the location of housing, economic uses and community facilities and services. (paragraph 70)

National Planning Practice Guidance (nPPG) Rural Housing: How should local authorities support sustainable rural communities?  Important to recognise the particular issues facing rural areas in terms of housing supply and affordability, and the role of housing in supporting the broader sustainability of villages and smaller settlements  A thriving rural community in a living, working countryside depends, in part, on retaining local services and community facilities (such as schools, local shops, cultural venues, public houses and places of worship)  All settlements can play a role in delivering sustainable development in rural areas – and so blanket policies restricting housing development in some settlements and preventing other settlements from expanding should be avoided unless their use can be supported by robust evidence.  The NNPF also recognises that different sustainable transport policies and measures will be required in different communities and opportunities to maximise sustainable transport solutions will vary from urban to rural areas

Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes To promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities (for example, where there area groups of smaller settlements, development in one village may support services in a village nearby)

Local Plans: What is the role of a Local Plan? National planning policy places Local Plans at the heart of the planning system, so it is essential that they are in place and kept up to date. Local Plans set out a vision and a framework for the future development of the area, addressing need and opportunities in relation to housing, the economy, community facilities and infrastructure – as well as a basis for safeguarding the environment, adapting to climate change and securing good design.

Local Plans: How should a Local Plan reflect the presumption in favour of sustainable development? Paragraphs 14 and 15 of the National Planning Policy Framework indicates that Local Plans should be based upon and reflect the presumption in favour of sustainable development. This should be done by identifying and providing for objectively assessed needs and by indicating how the presumption will be applied locally.

Local Policy Context – Current Policy Position Lancaster District Local Plan Strike-through Edition – September 2008 Policy H7 (Housing in Rural Villages) This policy states that within the following rural settlements, the development of suitable small sites for housing will be permitted provided that the development;  Is appropriate in terms of design, density, and open space standards to its surroundings;  Would not have a significant adverse effect on the character of the settlement, surrounding landscape, or the amenities of nearby residents;  Would not result in the loss of an important open area;  Makes satisfactory arrangements for access, servicing, cycle and car parking; and  Makes adequate provision for the disposal of sewage or waste water.

The following settlements are listed:  Middleton  Arkholme  Millhead  Borwick  Nether Kellet  Bolton-le-Sands (outside Green  Over Kellet Belt)  Overton  Brookhouse  Priest Hutton  Caton  Slyne (outside green belt)  Cowan Bridge  Silverdale  Dolphinholme  Tunstall  Galgate  Warton  Glasson Dock  Wennington  Gressingham  Whittington  Halton  Wray  Hest Bank (outside Green Belt)  Yealand Conyers  Hornby  Yealand Redmayne  Melling The policy also specifically notes that priority will be given to suitable small schemes designed specifically to meet rural housing needs.

Core Strategy (2003-2012) – Adopted July 2008 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.

This policy identified the following villages  Wray as having the five basic services:  Slyne-with-Hest  Bolton-le-Sands  Silverdale  Caton and Brookhouse  Galgate  Halton  Hornby The five basic services (defined by the Lancashire Structure Plan) are: a general practitioner, primary school, food shop, post office and a bus stop. The policy also states that the Council will work with the Local Strategic Partnership, Parish Councils and other local stakeholders to achieve a number of key aims. Some of which are:

 Protect, conserve and enhance rural landscapes and the distinctive characteristics of rural settlements;  Identify local employment needs and opportunities for meeting them;  Encourage local involvement in the provision and management of essential rural facilities and resist proposals that would result in their loss;  Encourage appropriate employment development within villages, including home- working, particularly by supporting increased broadband availability; and  Enhance sensitive recreation and develop walking and cycling networks.

Development Management DPD (2011-2031) Policy DM42: Managing Rural Housing  Galgate Growth  Halton This policy identifies the following as  Hest Bank Sustainable Rural Settlements, where  Hornby proposals for new housing will be  Middleton supported:  Nether Kellet  Arkholme  Overton  Bolton-le-Sands  Over Kellet  Brookhouse  Silverdale  Cockerham  Slyne  Caton  Warton  Dolphinholme  Wray ‘The council will support proposals for new housing development in rural settlements that contain, or have good access to, an appropriate range of local services that contribute to the vitality of these settlements. These services are local shops, education and health facilities, access to public transport and other valued community facilities.’ It is also noted that ‘The council will support proposals for new housing development in smaller rural settlements if it can be demonstrated that the development will enhance or maintain the vitality of the local community’.

3.0 Current Evidence Base

Report of Village Surveys, Planning Services, September 2009

3.1 Village surveys were carried out for a number of key villages across the district. The village surveys were carried out to provide up-to-date information on service provision in the eight named villages, as well as information on service provision in the eight named villages, as well as information on service provision across a number of larger non named villages in the district.

The following villages were surveyed:

 Bolton-le-Sands*  Arkholme  Caton and Brookhouse*  Glasson Dock  Halton*  Middleton  Hornby*  Nether Kellet  Wray*  Over Kellet  Slyne-with-Hest*  Warton  Silverdale*  Yealand Conyers; and  Galgate*  Yealand Redmayne.

(* = eight named villages)

3.2 The report found that seven of the eight named villages have all five key services (as outlined in the Core Strategy). These villages are; Bolton-le-Sands, Caton and Brookhouse, Halton, Hornby, Wray, Silverdale and Galgate.Slyne-with-Hest, was found to not have a doctor’s surgery or GP service in the village. The closest doctors surgery was located in Bolton-le-Sands, 1.4 miles away.

3.3 None of the non-named villages were found to have all five key services. The report also states that several of the non-named villages have doctor’s surgeries located a similar, or lesser distance away from the village than Slyne-with-Hest is from Bolton-le-Sands.

3.4 Following the results of this study it was proposed that Over Kellet and Warton should be assessed for named village status. This would be consistent with the current assessment for Slyne-with-Hest.

4.0 Other Useful Supporting Information Transport

4.1 Building upon the importance of accessibility to services and facilities, as stated within the NPPF, Lancashire County Council have recently consulted upon a draft ‘Lancashire Cycling and Walking Strategy 2016-2026 part 2’1. The vision; ‘more people walking and cycling for every day and leisure journeys in Lancashire’.

4.2 The strategy recognises that there are gaps in the walking and cycling network and that there is a need to strengthen, expand and maintain Centres of Excellence. ‘To achieve a step change in the levels of people walking and cycling, a comprehensive and joined up network which provides connectivity is needed. This network will provide safe routes between homes, schools, workplaces, transport interchanges, services and attractions for leisure and everyday journeys’.

4.3 Additionally, Lancashire City Council published the ‘District of Lancaster Highways and Transport Masterplan’ in October 20162.

4.4 In the Masterplan it is recognised that ‘where people lives determines where many journeys start and end, so the more people in an area, the greater the demand on the network. This is particularly true of commuting, which currently places by far the biggest strain on our transport systems as many workers try to travel in a relatively short period of a few hours in the morning and early evening’.

4.5 It is also stated that ‘the car is the dominant travel choice for most people for most journeys for many reasons’.

4.6 With regards to ‘Rural Lancaster’ the Masterplan recognises that ‘by their nature, the rural areas of Lancaster tend to be very dependent on the car, which can not only lead to local problems on the highways network, but makes life very difficult for those who, for whatever reason, do not have their own transport’. These include:

 “Rural isolation and ageing population both present health and wellbeing issues for the health sector;  Young people who don’t have access to a car can find it very challenging to reach education and employment; and  Car dependence is unlikely to be sustainable in the longer term.”

1 Lancashire County Council, Lancashire Cycling and Walking Strategy 92016-2026) Part 2, http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/consultation/responses/response.asp?ID=327 2 Lancashire County Council, Lancaster District Highways and Transport Masterplan, http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/council/strategies-policies-plans/roads-parking-and-travel/highways-and- transport-masterplans/lancaster-district-highways-and-transport-masterplan.aspx

Additional Information

4.7 Whilst conducting the Sustainable Settlements Review it will also be beneficial to keep the services provided by Lancashire County Council under review, as they are subject to regular change and alteration3. Draft Lancaster District Local Plan 2011-2031: Part 1: Strategic Policies and Land Allocations DPD

“The local plan contains and is built on five overriding objectives, supported by a series of more detailed sub-objectives which together provide a link between the vision and the development strategy itself”. Strategic Objective 1: Delivery of a thriving local economy which fosters investment and growth and supports the opportunities to deliver the economic potential of the district. Strategic Objective 2: Provision of a sufficient supply, quality and mix of housing to meet the changing needs of the population and support growth and investment. Strategic Objective 3: Protect and enhance the natural, historic and built environment of the district. Strategic Objective 4: The provision of necessary infrastructure required to support both new and existing development and the creation of sustainable communities. Strategic Objective 5: Delivery of a safe and sustainable transport network that improves both connection within and out of the district, reducing the need to travel and encouraging more sustainable forms of transport. As outlined within policy SP3 ‘Development Strategy for Lancaster District’; “In addition to the main urban areas of the district, development will be supported in sustainable settlements as defined in the settlement hierarchy”.

2017 Draft Local Plan Consultation

4.8 From 27th January 2017 until 24th March 2017, Lancaster City Council held their ‘Developing a Local Plan for Lancaster District’ consultation. As part of which members of the public and key stakeholders were invited to provide their views and comments with regards to the following draft Local Plan documents: Part 1 ‘Strategic Policies and Land Allocations DPD’ and Part 2 ‘Review of the Development Management DPD’, alongside the support evidence and policies map.

4.9 Within the draft ‘Part 1: Strategic Policies and Land Allocations DPD’, policy SP2 outlines the Lancaster District Settlement Hierarchy, which includes those settlements which are currently identified as being sustainable within the adopted Development Management DPD.

4.10 In relation to this policy a number of issues were raised which are summarised below. This review will seek to investigate these further:

 The absence of facilities and service provision within settlements currently identified as sustainable;  The absence of a definition of a ‘Sustainable Settlement’;

3 Lancashire County Council, Changes to where we provide services, http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/council/get-involved/consultations/changes-to-where-we-provide-services.aspx

 Consideration of a fourth tier within the hierarchy entitled ‘Secondary Villages’, which have some facilities to meet local needs;  The impact of the AONB upon Sustainable Settlements;  The contribution of ‘Sustainable Settlements’ towards meeting the district wide Objectively Assessed Need (OAN) housing figure vs local housing need;  Key objectives outlined in the Housing White Paper;  The provision of growth estimates for Sustainable Settlements; and  The infrastructure benefits new development can bring.

5.0 Aims of the Sustainable Settlements Review

5.1 The National Planning Policy Framework advocates the focussing of development in locations that are or can be made sustainable. This review therefore seeks to assess which settlements within the Lancaster District are considered to be sustainable, and also to explore how settlements could potentially be made sustainable or more sustainable by new development. The following aims are important to the process of understanding the role and function of settlements within the district:

 Establish the population size of settlements across the district  Establish the provision, and also identify absence, of local services and community facilities in all settlements  Investigate the accessibility of local services and community facilities which may lie out with a settlement  Establish the presence, and also absence, of employment opportunities within a settlement, and also the accessibility of those nearby  Assess the townscape of each settlement and potential impact upon protected landscapes  Identify the current issues and aspirations of settlements within the Lancaster District  Identify settlements which, based upon the evidence found, are considered to be sustainable and therefore able to accommodate growth outside the main urban areas. The results of these assessments will thus inform the emerging Local Plan and the Lancaster District settlement hierarchy, reflecting their role in the district.  Identify settlements which have the potential to become sustainable settlements. For example, new development can bring about positive effects through investment in infrastructure. This study will therefore also seek to establish where improvements could be made.

6.0 Methodology

6.1 The overall aim of this review is to establish which settlements within the Lancaster district are considered to be sustainable settlements. The definition of which will be outlined at the end of this chapter.

Settlement Hierarchy

6.2 The hierarchy proposed for the Lancaster District is defined as follows:

1. Sub Regional Centre 2. Key Service Centres and Market Towns 3. Sustainable Settlements 4. Rural Villages

6.3 Lancaster is identified as the Sub Regional Centre, which will provide the focus for future growth in the district and will accommodate the majority of new development.

6.4 Morecambe and Heysham are identified as Key Service Centres, which will play a supporting role to the Sub Regional Centre and will accommodate levels of new residential and economic development to serve more localised catchments.

6.5 Carnforth is identified as a Market Town, which will also play a supporting role to the Sub Regional Centre and Key Service Centres, and will accommodate levels of new residential and economic development to serve more localised catchments.

6.6 Due to their size and known presence of services and facilities, Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham and Carnforth have not been assessed further within this review, as they are already considered and evidenced to be suitable and appropriate locations for accommodating future sustainable growth.

6.7 Therefore this review aims to identify which of the following settlements (within each of the following parishes), outlined in Table 1, are or can be considered to be sustainable.

Table 1: Rural settlements within the Lancaster District

Parish Settlements Over Wyresdale Abbeystead, Lee, Lower Green Bank, Marshaw, Ortner, Tarnbrook Nether Kellet Addington, Nether Kellet Arkholme-with- Arkholme Cawood Halton-with-Aughton Aughton, Halton Scotforth* Bailrigg, Langthwaite Ellel Bay Horse, Dolphinholme, Ellel, Galgate, Hampson Green Bolton-le-Sands Bolton-le-Sands Borwick Borwick Caton-with-Littledale Brookhouse, Caton, Caton Green, Littledale (Crossgill), Townend Quernmore Brow Top, Quernmore, Denny Beck Cantsfield Cantsfield Over Kellet Capernwray, Over Kellet Claughton Claughton Cockerham Cockerham Thurnham Conder Green, Glasson Dock, Lower Thurnham, Upper Thurnham Burrow-with-Burrow Nether Burrow, Over Burrow, Overtown Hornby-with-Farleton Farleton, Hornby Gressingham Gressingham Heaton-with-Oxcliffe Heaton, Oxcliffe Hill Slyne-with-Hest Hest Bank, Slyne (Ireby and) Leck Cowan Bridge, Ireby**, Leck** Tatham Lowgill, Tatham Melling-with-Wrayton Melling, Wrayton Middleton Middleton

Parish Settlements Nether Kellet Nether Kellet Overton Overton, Sunderland Priest Hutton Priest Hutton, Tewitfield Roeburndale Salter Silverdale Silverdale Tunstall Tunstall Warton Warton, Millhead Wennington Wennington Whittington Whittington, Newton, Docker Wray-with-Botton Wray Yealand Conyers Yealand Conyers Yealand Redmayne Yealand Redmayne, Yealand Storrs (* Scotforth was once a separate village, however Scotforth itself is now part of the city of Lancaster. The parish of Scotforth mainly constitutes of the settlement of Bailrigg and surrounding dispersed dwellings and farmsteads.

**Ireby and Leck no longer in Lancaster District)

6.8 Following the policy and guidance provided in the NPPF and NPPG, there are five key areas this review will focus upon:

 Population;  Provision of Services and Facilities;  Employment Opportunities;  Accessibility (Modes of transport, in particular public transport services); and  Landscape/Townscape. Population 6.9 In order to assess the sustainability of a settlement, it is useful to first establish the population size of the settlement. As generally, the larger the settlement population, the greater the provision of services and facilities. It will also provide an indication as to the number of people currently utilising the services and facilities available in each settlement. It is, however, important to note that the Lancaster District is predominantly rural, consisting of a number of dispersed villages and hamlets. As highlighted in the table above, there are 71 settlements in total (in addition to the 4 urban areas; Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham and Carnforth).

6.10 To assess the population size of each of the settlements listed in Table 1, the ‘Usual Resident Population’ 2011 Census data has been extracted from the Office for National Statistics website4. The lowest level (smallest scale) at which the data can be retrieved is civil parish level, of which there are 36 within the Lancaster District (not including the 4 urban areas). It is considered that the parish is representative of a ‘community’, in many cases represented by a Parish Council, and focussed around a settlement, and associated services and facilities.

6.11 However, as a predominantly rural district, there is often more than one settlement (town, village or hamlet) within a parish. Therefore, where possible, the ‘custom tool’ on the Neighbourhood Statistics website will be used to identify more specifically the population size of individual ‘immediate settlements’. By ‘immediate settlement’, this review refers to

4 Office for National Statistics, https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/

closely grouped or contiguous development which is physically separate from urban or other rural settlements, and which in many cases surrounds or is adjacent services and facilities serving the nearby dwellings.

6.12 Additionally, there are a significant number of people who will live outside the ‘immediate settlement’. It is therefore considered appropriate to calculate the population density of each civil parish area, as although the population figure may appear quite large, these people may be spread out over a large area, which will not be demonstrated through utilising the population figure alone.

6.13 Due to the rural nature of the district, there will be a significant number of people located outside the ‘immediate settlement’ who will utilise the services, facilities and employment opportunities located within the settlement. For this reason, specific settlement boundaries have not been drawn.

Population Size

6.14 A threshold to identify which settlements will be assessed has been adopted, based upon population figures. Due to the scale at which the data has been recorded, for some settlements only parish level data is available. Generally, the smaller the settlement, the lower the service provision available. Therefore a threshold has been established. As a result, parishes which have a population of less than 250 have not been assessed further. Therefore, the following parishes will not be included within this assessment:

 Borwick;  Heaton-with-Oxcliffe;  Cantsfield;  Priest Hutton;  Claughton;  Roeburndale;  Burrow-with-Burrow (except  Tunstall; Cowan Bridge);  Wennington; and  Gressingham;  Yealand Conyers.

Population Density

6.15 The population size provides an absolute figure for each parish and provides no indication as to the area over which people are distributed, which will be beneficial when assessing accessibility of services and facilities. Therefore, due to the dispersed rural nature of the district, it is considered that the population size will not necessarily be very reflective of the character of each parish because the population distribution in some areas is quite dispersed. As a result it is considered beneficial to investigate the population density for each parish. Again, a threshold has been established and parishes which have a population density of less than 0.2 per hectare will not be assessed further. As a result, the following Parishes will not be included within this assessment:

 Over Wyresdale;  Gressingham;  Burrow-with-Burrow (except  Tatham; and Cowan Bridge);  Tunstall.

6.16 Following this exercise, each settlement will be ranked from lowest to highest (initially based upon population size, then also population density), to identify those settlements with the greatest population.

Additional Notes

6.17 Following the extension of the Yorkshire Dales National Park (which became effective as of 1st August 2016), Ireby and Leck are no longer within the Lancaster District boundary. Therefore they will not be assessed further as part of this study. The Yorkshire Dales National Park adopted their new Local Plan in December 2016, however this only covered the ‘old’ National Park and so does not incorporate the areas of land which are within the new extension. It is unknown if the Yorkshire Dales National Park has made a commitment to include this ‘new’ area in a review of its adopted Local Plan. However this will be kept under review.

6.18 It is also worthwhile noting that although a separate Local Plan is being developed for the Arnside and Silverdale AONB, the following parishes will still be considered within the district wide settlement hierarchy; Yealand Conyers, Yealand Redmayne, Warton and Silverdale. (Careful consideration will be given to their location within the AONB, which will be investigated separately within this review).

6.19 As a result, the parishes and settlements outlined in Table 2 will be included within the assessment.

Table 2: Parishes and associated settlements above the threshold, proposed to be assessed within this review

Parish Settlements Nether Kellet Addington, Nether Kellet Arkholme-with- Arkholme Cawood Halton-with-Aughton Aughton, Halton Scotforth Bailrigg, Langthwaite Ellel Bay Horse, Dolphinholme, Ellel, Galgate, Hampson Green Bolton-le-Sands Bolton-le-Sands Caton-with-Littledale Brookhouse, Caton, Caton Green, Littledale (Crossgill), Townend Over Kellet Capernwray, Over Kellet Cockerham Cockerham Quernmore Brow Top, Quernmore, Denny Beck Whittington Whittington, Newton, Docker Thurnham Conder Green, Glasson Dock, Lower Thurnham, Upper Thurnham Hornby-with-Farleton Farleton, Hornby Slyne-with-Hest Hest Bank, Slyne (Ireby and) Leck Cowan Bridge Melling-with-Wrayton Melling, Wrayton Middleton Middleton Overton Overton, Sunderland Silverdale Silverdale Warton Warton, Millhead Wray-with-Botton Wray Yealand Redmayne Yealand Redmayne, Yealand Storrs

Overall there are 47 settlements which will be assessed as part of this review.

Limitations

6.20 It is understood that there are limitations associated with this approach. As noted, due to the rural nature of the district, and the number of small settlements, it may not be possible to obtain specific population figures for each individual settlement. Therefore in these instances, the parish level population data will be used. It is, however, important to note that the parishes and their boundaries should not be regarded as synonymous with a settlement or its boundary, nor have these boundaries been used to define settlements or their boundaries. Where possible the ‘custom’ tool will be used via the Neighbourhood Statistics website to retrieve figures for a smaller area, which in some cases is more settlement specific; representative of the ‘immediate settlement’.

6.21 There is one settlement which is considered to be cross-boundary, and this settlement is Dolphinholme. However, for the purposes of this study the entire settlement will be assessed, including the areas out with the Lancaster District, as people and the services/facilities they chose to use are not restricted to district boundaries.

6.22 Additionally, Cowan Bridge is stated as being within the parish of Burrow-with-Burrow, however, almost all of the built up area of the settlement is within the Leck parish boundary. Therefore for Cowan Bridge the population figure and density will be calculated using the (Ireby and) Leck parish data. Key Services and Facilities 6.23 The NPPF highlights the importance of the availability of key local services and community facilities. ‘To promote a strong rural economy, Local plans should…promote the retention and development of local services and community facilities in villages, such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship’ (paragraph 28).

6.24 In order to assess the current level of local service and community facility provision within each settlement, they will be divided into two categories; ‘key services’ and ‘other services’.

6.25 ‘Key services’ are those which require a frequent number of trips, usually on a daily basis, so it is important that they are located close to the population they serve.

6.26 ‘Other Services’ are not typically present in all settlements. In some cases this is due to the size of the area over which the population they serve are distributed, or because they are not used on as frequent basis as the identified ‘key services’. However, it is important that they are able to be easily accessed.

6.27 If such services and facilities are located close to where people live, there is greater opportunity for people to reduce car journeys and to undertake trips by other, more sustainable transport modes. Key Services

6.28 For the purposes of this review, the following have been identified as ‘Key Services’:

 Local convenience store (including mini-supermarkets, village shops and ancillary facilities)  Primary School  Post Office (shop and service)

 (Active) Public Bus Stop (service provision will be included within the accessibility assessment)  Public House  Village Hall/Community Centre

Table 3: Justification for ‘Key Services’

Key Services Justification for inclusion Local Convenience Store A local convenience good is defined as ‘a consumer item that is widely available and purchased frequently with minimal effort’5. These items can include milk, bread and newspapers. As this is a service which is used on a regular, in many cases daily, basis it is important that these services are located close to where people are located. Therefore a local convenience store is considered a ‘key service’ to the local community. Primary School All children aged 4/5years to 10/11years are required by law to attend primary school. Due to the young age of the children, they are usually required to be taken and collected by a parent/guardian. This can therefore generate a significant number of trips. This combined with the limit on the class sizes, subjects taught and teachers required, means that this service needs to be local to the community it serves. Therefore it is important that Primary Schools are easily accessible, and thus a ‘key service’ to the local community. Post Office The Post Office provides a key communication service, used by many people on a regular basis, and also provides a wide range of other services, such as travel money and banking. It is therefore important that this service is easily accessible to all. Despite the evolution of electronic communication, the postal service still forms a key element of day-to-day communication, especially amongst an ageing population. Although a Post Office shop may not be available, in many rural areas a Post Office service is provided within a pub or village hall, highlighting the importance of the availability of this service. Therefore a post office is considered a ‘key service’ to the local community. (Active) Public Bus Stop Minimising people’s need to travel, in particular via private car, is a key theme within the NPPF. The NPPF also states that people need to be provided with a real choice about how they travel (paragraph 29). Additionally for those without access to a car, public transport is a vital mode of transport in order for them to be able to access a number of services and facilities. Therefore a public bus stop (service) is considered a ‘key service’ to the local community. (Bus service

5 http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/convenience-good.asp

Key Services Justification for inclusion provision will be investigated within the ‘Accessibility’ assessment.) Public House There are strict drink drive limit laws in place. It is therefore important that public houses are close to where the people are located. A facility frequently used for social gatherings and meetings within the community. Providing local people with the opportunity to meet and catch up with other local residents within their community. The provision of this facility can be important for tackling rural isolation. Therefore a public house is considered a ‘key service’ to the local community. Village Hall/Community Centre Provides an important focal point for community events and gatherings. For some it may be considered as an alternative place to meet instead of the pub. It is a publically accessible place (often via prior arrangement) which provides a space to meet for a wide range of purposes, and fulfil different community needs. This may include parish council meetings, nursery groups and children’s parties. They provide an important place to bring the community together. Therefore a Village/Community Hall is considered an important ‘Other Service’ to the local community.

Other Services

6.29 The following services are classified as ‘Other Services’:

 General Medical Practice  Place of Worship  Library (permanent and  Access to high speed mobile) broadband  Sports/Recreation Ground  Secondary School (public open space and  Dentist sports/recreation ground)

Table 4: Justification for ‘Other Services’

Other Services Justification for inclusion General Medical Practice It is vital for the health and wellbeing of all people that they are able to easily access healthcare services (as it is recognised that healthcare services are centralising, so larger practices in one location are serving a wider population). The Council therefore cannot direct development towards locations where this would not be achievable. Additionally, an ageing population is placing greater demands on the healthcare system, and people of older age may no longer be able to drive and so easy access to a General Medical Practice is very important. Therefore a General Medical Practice is considered an important ‘Other Service’ to the local community.

Other Services Justification for inclusion Library A library provides a range of valuable resources and important educational tools, which are accessible for free to all members of the public. This can include books (fiction and non-fiction), DVD’s and access to a computer. Due to the rural nature of this district, the mobile library provides a valuable service to the population to reach a wide number of people, ensuring the service is as accessible as possible. Therefore a Library is considered an important ‘Other Service’ to the local community. Public Open Space Similar to the purpose of a Village/Community Hall, a (Sports/Recreation Ground) public open space provides an important focal point for community events and gatherings. An outdoor space for all members of the community to use. Providing a place for people to meet, enjoy recreational and organised sports activities, and community events. Such spaces are important for people’s health, wellbeing and social integration. Therefore a Public Open Space is considered an important ‘Other Service’ to the local community. Place of Worship Provides an important place for people to meet within the local community. It provides a place of worship, contemplation and reflection away from the busyness of everyday life. For many people their faith is a significant part of their life, and having an easily accessible place to be able to worship with people whom share the same views is important. Therefore a Place of Worship is considered an important ‘Other Service’ to the local community. Access to high speed broadband As stated within the NPPF ‘the development of high speed broadband technology and other communications networks also plays a vital role in enhancing the provision of local community facilities and services’(paragraph 42). The internet is performing an increasingly important role in people’s everyday life, both at work and at home, for sharing knowledge and increasing connectivity. In rural areas, until relatively recently, access to high speed broadband has been very limited. However, the introduction of ‘Broadband for the Rural North Ltd’ (B4RN) has significantly altered this, and has increased the quality of the communications infrastructure in the rural areas of the district. Therefore access to high speed broadband is considered an important ‘Other Service’ to the local community. Secondary School In order to further their primary education, all children aged 11/12years to 15/16years are required by law to attend the next stage of education, which for the majority of children is secondary school. Due to the increased size of the classes, number of teachers required and subjects taught, these services are operated on a much larger scale in comparison to

Other Services Justification for inclusion primary schools. Children, particularly in rural areas, often travel further distances to attend Secondary School. Therefore a Secondary School is considered an important ‘Other Service’ to the local community. Dentist In addition to healthcare services such as GP’s, it is also important that all people are able to easily access a Dental Practice for regular routine check-ups and also emergency appointments, to maintain their dental health and wellbeing. Therefore a Dentist is considered an important ‘Other Service’ to the local community.

Quantity of Services and Facilities

6.30 For each settlement (outlined in Table 2) the quantity of each of the above services and facilities present within or adjacent to the settlement will be recorded. It is considered important to assess the number of services and facilities available within a settlement, as those which have a greater population subsequently have more people to serve and thus a greater provision of services and facilities will be required.

Value and Importance of Services and Facilities

6.31 It is also considered important to analyse the importance and value of each local service and facility to the community they serve, and to ensure the assessment reflects this. Therefore each of the services and facilities listed above will have a weighted score applied, utilising the justifications provided, professional judgement and national guidance to gauge the importance of valued facilities and services to meeting the needs of a community (as shown in Table 5 and 6). It is recognised that some services and facilities are more important and valued greater by the community, and need to be used more regularly, in some cases on a daily basis. Therefore the assessment will not been simply based upon the quantity of services and facilities.

Quality of Services and Facilities

6.32 As demonstrated in Tables 5 and 6, the assessment of the provision of services and facilities within each settlement will also be subject to a qualitative assessment. In addition to recording the presence and value/importance of services and facilities within each settlement, it is also considered beneficial to assess the quality of the service/facility provided. For example, this element of the assessment will take into consideration other features of the service/facility provided, such as opening times, which may not be acknowledged by only recording their presence and importance but is valuable information when assessing the extent to which they serve the needs of the community.

6.33 The quantity, importance and quality of the services and facilities provided will aid the assessment of the sustainability of each settlement and whether they are considered suitable locations to accommodate future growth.

Table 5: Key Services

Value/Importance Quality of Service Key Services Quantity to Community (i.e. opening times) Local Mini-Supermarket 3 Convenience Village Shop 3 Store Ancillary Facility 2 Primary School 3 Post Office Store 2 Post Office Post Office Service 1 (Active) Public 2 Bus Stop* Public House 1 Village Hall/ Community 1 Centre (*in relation to public bus services, school bus services not included)

Table 6: Other Services

Value/Importance Quality of Service Other Services Quantity to Community (i.e. opening times)

General Medical Practice (inc. Health 3 Centre) Secondary School 3 Sports/Recreation Public Open Space 3 Ground Sports/Recreation 3 Place of Worship 2 Permanent 2 Library Mobile 2 Access to High 2 Speed Broadband Dentist 1

Data Collection Methods

6.34 The majority of the above data will be collected via settlement site visit surveys, by completing the attached Settlement Survey Form (Appendix A) and marking the location of each service and facility on a map. (Please note other services and facilities which are not listed in the tables above will also be recorded during the site survey and mapped, to provide a wider coverage and understanding of the provision of services and facilities available. This information will be included within the results and subsequent analysis). Table 7 outlines the proposed data collection methods.

Table 7: Service and Facilities Data Collection Methods

Services and Facilities Data Collection Methods Mini-Supermarket Local Convenience Village Shop  Site Visit Survey Store Ancillary Facility  Site Visit Survey  Liaison with Lancashire County Council Education Department Primary School  Lancashire County Council GIS data (School locations)  Lancashire County Council School Place Provision Strategy* Post Office Store  Site Visit Survey Post Office Post Office Service  Post Office Website (Branch Finder)  Site Visit Survey,  Lancashire County Council GIS data (bus services, bus stops, cycle routes and public rights of way) (Active) Public Bus  Lancashire County Council website (bus service Stop timetables)  Stagecoach (bus service timetables)  Kirkby Lonsdale Coach Hire (bus service timetables) Public House  Site Visit Survey Village  Site Visit Survey Hall/Community Centre General Medical  Site Visit Survey Practice (inc. Health  Liaison with North Lancashire CCG** Centre)  NHS website (Service Finder)  Site Visit Survey Secondary School  Liaison with Lancashire County Council Education Department Public Open Space  Site Visit Survey Sports/Recreation  Lancaster City Council PPG17 Open Space, Ground Sports/Recreation Recreation and Sports Facilities Study Place of Worship  Site Visit Survey Permanent  Site Visit Survey Library  Liaison with Lancashire County Council Library Mobile Service

 Lancashire County Council GIS data Access to High  B4RN (Broadband for Rural North Ltd) website Speed Broadband  Site Visit Survey Dentist  Liaison with North Lancashire CCG**  NHS website (Service Finder)

6.35 Additionally, questionnaires will also be posted to each Parish Council to confirm the data collected during the site visits is correct and reflects the provision of services and facilities within each settlement, and to seek further additional information regarding the services and facilities (please see Appendix B). Where a facility and/or service is not available, they may be able to indicate where the nearest accessible one is and/or, the most used alternative. This process also seeks to identify local settlement need with regards to service and facility provision.

Additional Notes

6.36 *Lancaster City Council has received information from Lancashire County Council with regards to education. The ‘School Place Provision Strategy, Appendices, 2017/18 to 2019/20’6, identifies the net capacity, number on roll as of January 2016 and the subsequent surplus/shortfall. For the schools which have been identified as already being full to capacity, or to have exceeded their capacity, Lancashire County Council will be contacted to seek what the proposals are for the future of each of these schools.

**Where possible, Lancashire City Council will also seek to make further contact with the North Lancashire CCG with regards to the capacity of General Medical Practices and Dentists.

6.37 With regards to the provision of education and healthcare, in some cases there are catchments for these services. Where present, these will be investigated as part of the assessment process.

Limitations

6.38 The results will be representative of a moment in time, and because the assessment is a key piece of evidence underpinning the emerging Local Plan, once the Local Plan is adopted it cannot be changed. Therefore this study will not be kept frequently under review. However, because a Local Plan is required to be reviewed every five years, this study will be reviewed again at this stage.

Accessibility 6.39 It is important to note that not everyone who lives within a certain settlement will use the services and facilities located in their settlement or settlements within their parish. This may be because the services/facilities are not available or that there are other services/facilities located closer, within another settlement or parish. People do not remain within boundaries, hence why they have not been used.

6.40 Therefore there are some settlements, which although they do not have many services of facilities within or adjacent to their settlement, they may be considered relatively sustainable due to the transport options available to access key and other services. This is why accessibility is a key focus of this study.

6.41 In addition to recording and investigating the provision of services and facilities within or adjacent to each settlement, this review will seek to assess the accessibility of ‘key services’

6 Lancashire County Council, School Place Provision Strategy, www.lancashire.gov.uk/media/901120/school- place-provision-strategy-201718-to-201920-appendices-draft-v01

and ‘other services’ out with the settlement. This is because for many smaller, in particular more rural settlements, some ‘key services’ and most ‘other services’ are unlikely to be present, but it is the ease of the ability to access such services and facilities elsewhere, which is important in determining the sustainability of a settlement. As stated within the NPPF ‘where there are groups of smaller settlement, development in one village may support services in a village nearby’ (paragraph 55).

6.42 Prior to the start of this review, it is acknowledged and understood that not all of the services and facilities outlined in Tables 5 and 6 will be present in each settlement. This assessment will therefore seek to establish the distance from these settlements to the nearest ‘key services’ and ‘other services’ and the availability of public transport, cycling and walking routes to access these services. One of the core planning principles within the NPPF is to ‘actively manage patterns of growth to make the fullest possible use of public transport, walking and cycling, and focus significant development in locations which are or can be made sustainable’ (paragraph 17).

6.43 Therefore the assessment of ‘accessibility’ will be a two part process. Firstly, the services and facilities within or adjacent to each settlement within the district will be recorded and mapped (this will also include the four urban areas), and then whether people whom live within a settlement where these services/facilities are absent are able to access them via bus, cycle or foot, will be assessed.

6.44 It is not considered suitable to simply only assess accessibility to the nearest urban area within the district (i.e. Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham or Carnforth), as for example Arkholme, Kirkby Lonsdale (within the South Lakeland District) is closer and has a wider range of services/facilities than the settlement itself. Therefore it is more likely residents of Arkholme will go to Kirkby Lonsdale to access the above services and facilities (such as the General Medical Practice), as opposed to Carnforth. Modes of Transport for Assessment

6.45 To assess the accessibility of ‘key services’ and ‘other services’, the following modes of transport will be taken into consideration:

 Public Transport (bus and rail services and stops)  Cycle Routes (existing and aspirational)  Walking Routes – Public Right of Ways

6.46 One of the aims of sustainable development is to reduce reliance on the private car, therefore this mode of transport will not be considered or assessed within this study.

6.47 It is recognised that there are difficulties in sustaining viable rural bus services, but it is hoped that population increases in sustainable locations, or locations which can be made sustainable, may result in increased demand for services which in turn may make them more viable. Data Collection Methods

6.48 This will be a pre-dominantly desk-based assessment utilising the data collected during the settlement survey visit, GIS shapefiles provided by Lancashire County Council, and timetables produced by the relevant bus and rail service providers.

6.49 Utilising this information which will be mapped, alongside the location of facilities and services throughout the district and adjacent to the boundaries, professional judgement will be used to assess the accessibility of services and facilities from within each settlement via public transport, cycle or foot, to help determine which are considered to be sustainable and capable of accommodating future growth.

6.50 Advice has been sought from Lancashire County Council and it is considered that a reasonable distance is 2 miles for walking and 5 miles for cycling to access schools, work places and services/facilities etc.

Table 8: Public Transport Services

Indicator Score Number of Bus Services Number of active Bus Stops (for public services) Frequency of Bus Service 3 = Good (once an hour or more) 2 = Average 1 = Poor (one service a day, departing and returning) 0 = None Evening Bus Service 2 Weekend Bus Service (Saturday and Sunday) 2 Weekend Bus Service (Saturday only) 1 Railway Station 5

Table 9: Key Services out with settlement accessible via bus/rail/cycle/foot

Nearest Location Value/Importance Quality of Service Key Services (Settlement Name) to Community (i.e. opening times) Local Mini-Supermarket 3 Convenience Village Shop 3 Store (inc. Health Ancillary Facility 2 Centre) Primary School 3 Post Office Store 2 Post Office Post Office Service 1 (Active) Public 2 Bus Stop* Public House 1 Village Hall/Community 1 Centre (*in relation to public bus services, school bus services not included)

Table 10: Other Services out with settlement accessible via bus/rail/cycle/foot

Nearest Location Value/Importance Quality of Service Other Services (Settlement Name) to Community (i.e. opening times)

General Medical 3 Practice Secondary School 3 Public Open Sports/Recreation 3 Space Ground Sports/Recreation 3 Place of Worship 2 Permanent 2 Library Mobile 2 Access to High 2 Speed Broadband Dentist 1

Limitations

6.51 It is recognised that there are community transport services in operation, such as Dial-a-bus and Community Car Schemes. The Dial-a-bus service provides a door-to-door service, usually specially adapted vehicles. There is a Lancaster and Morecambe Dial-a-Bus service, however this only serves the urban areas of Lancaster and Morecambe, and so not the rural areas of the district. This service is supported by Lancashire County Council.

6.52 However, there is a community car scheme which operates within the Lune Valley, Lancaster, Morecambe, Garstang and Rural Fylde area. This is operated by Preston Community Transport, and can be booked Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 4:30pm. This scheme is supported by Lancashire County Council and Preston Community Transport. However, although the latter service does serve the rural areas of the district, this mode of transport will not be included within the review as they are required to be booked by appointment in advance, and is not a service which can serve a large number of people.

6.53 Additionally, the results will be representative of a moment in time, and because the assessment is a key piece of evidence underpinning the emerging Local Plan, once the Local Plan is adopted it cannot be changed. Therefore this study will not be kept under frequent review. However, because a Local Plan is required to be reviewed every five years, this study will be reviewed again at this stage. It is however understood that public transport timetables are frequently subject to review and may change.

Employment 6.54 Following the guidance and policy outlined within the NPPF and NPPG, in order to assess the sustainability of a settlement it is also beneficial and useful to understand the availability of employment sites and opportunities in the local area. If jobs are located close to where people live, there is greater opportunity for people to reduce private car journeys, contributing towards the sustainability of a settlement. Therefore the following criteria will be investigated:

 Key employment sites and opportunities located within or adjacent to the settlement  Accessible employment sites and opportunities within 3km (investigating the accessibility of these employment sites using the same methodology as outlined above, focussing upon sustainable modes of transport) Data Collection Methods

6.55 The current evidence base, held by Lancaster City Council, will be used to obtain information regarding employment sites. These are the:

 Employment Land Review (July 2014, published January 2015); and  Employment Land Survey (Summer 2015).

6.56 The Office for National Statistics will also be contacted to seek further information from the Inter-Departmental Business Register (IDBR) 20157.

6.57 The following Office for National Statistics datasets, collected during the 2011 Census, will also be consulted to shed further light on people’s employment choices:

 Distance Travelled to Work; and  Industry

6.58 The latter of which will be beneficial as an indicator of the type of employment people within that parish are currently occupied in, and the field of work they may seek in the future. For example if they wish to change their current job.

6.59 Utilising this information, professional judgement will be used to assess the availability and accessibility of employment sites and opportunities both within and from each settlement, to help determine which are considered to be sustainable locations for future development.

Landscape/Townscape 6.60 When assessing the sustainability of settlements the natural and built environment, and the potential constraints they pose, is also a key consideration. It is important that protected features remain protected, and where possible, enhanced through future development growth. Designated Protected Landscapes

6.61 Within the Lancaster District there are two AONB’s; the Arnside and Silverdale AONB and the Forest of Bowland AONB. Table 11 below identifies the settlements which exceed the proposed population thresholds and are located within these protected landscapes.

7 Office for National Statistics, https://www.ons.gov.uk/aboutus/whatwedo/paidservices/interdepartmentalbusinessregisteridbr

Table 11: Settlements within an AONB

Arnside and Silverdale AONB Forest of Bowland AONB Silverdale Aughton Warton Brookhouse Yealand Redmayne Brow Top Yealand Storrs Caton Millhead Caton-Green Farleton Hornby Littledale Quernmore Townend Wray

6.62 The NPPF clearly states that ‘great weight should be given to conserving landscape and scenic beauty in…Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which have the highest status of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty. The conservation of wildlife and cultural heritage are important considerations in all these areas’ (paragraph 115).

6.63 Continuing; ‘Planning permission should be refused for major developments in these designated areas except in exceptional circumstances and where it can be demonstrated they are in the public interest. Consideration of such applications should include an assessment of:

 The need for the development, including in terms of any national considerations, and the impact of permitting it, or refusing it, upon the local economy;  The cost of, and scope for, developing elsewhere outside the designated area, or meeting the need for it in some other way; and  Any detrimental effect on the environment, the landscape and recreational opportunities, and the extent to which that could be moderated’ (paragraph 116).

6.64 In light of this, it is considered that the most appropriate approach towards the identification of sustainable settlements in AONB’s, is acknowledging that they are capable of accommodating growth, but that the landscape and scenic beauty, along with the wildlife and cultural heritage, need to be conserved and the impacts upon which taken into careful consideration. Designated Protected Heritage Areas

6.65 Section 69 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 imposes a duty on local planning authorities to designate any ‘areas of special architectural or historic interest the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance’ as conservation areas.

6.66 The settlements outlined in Table 12, exceed the proposed population thresholds, and contain a Conservation Area.

Table 12: Settlements containing a Conservation Area

Conservation Areas Arkholme Hornby Warton Bolton-le-Sands Melling Whittington Brookhouse Nether Kellet Wray Dolphinholme Over Kellet Wrayton Glasson Dock Overton Yealand Conyers Halton Slyne Yealand Redmayne

Data Collection Methods

6.67 Initially this will take the format of a desk-based assessment exercise to establish, for the relevant settlements, where within the AONB they are located, and also where each Conservation Area is located. Following which, Lancaster City Council Conservation Officer’s will be undertaking Townscape Assessments for each settlement above the population threshold, to investigate the defining characteristics and why and how the settlement came to be as it stands today. Also looking into how susceptible it may be to the potential negative impacts of change. Assessing the potential level of constraint and to aid the determination of settlements being classified as sustainable, and their ability to accommodate development growth. Limitations

6.68 Although this review seeks to establish the presence of protected landscapes and heritage areas, it will not seek to investigate, in detail, potential historic and environmental constraints. Nor will this review explore the ways in which protected landscapes and heritage areas may influence the extent of development growth.

Key Definitions What is a Settlement?

6.69 There is no fixed definition as to what comprises a settlement. In this review when referring to the immediate settlement this is defined as ‘closely grouped or contiguous development which is physically separate from urban or other rural settlements, and which in many cases surrounds or is adjacent to services and facilities serving the nearby dwellings’.

6.70 It is considered that what is defined as a ‘settlement’ is partly dependent upon community perceptions. As the Lancaster District is predominantly rural, there are expectedly a number of people whom live outside an immediate settlement, however will still consider themselves to live in that settlement. Therefore this question will be posed to Parish Councils via the questionnaire. Consequently, it is not considered appropriate to draw settlement boundaries. Each settlement is also unique, due to the difference in their location and function, hence the importance of the qualitative assessment within this study.

What is a Sustainable Settlement?

6.71 The NPPF states that in order ‘to promote sustainable development in rural areas, housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities’ (paragraph 55).

6.72 As outlined at the start of this chapter, for a settlement to be assessed for the potential to be identified as a sustainable settlement, it is required to have a population size of 250 or more, and/or a population density of 0.2 per hectare or more.

6.73 For the purposes of this review, the initial criteria requirement for a settlement to be considered as potentially sustainable will be if it contains, or is adjacent to, all of the following three key services:

 Local convenience store;  Primary School; and  Public bus service.

6.74 These are judged to be the most important key services to be easily accessible on a daily basis. Each settlement which passes this initial assessment stage, will be subject to more detailed, further assessment. As outlined above.

6.75 It is also considered important that there should be at least an employment site/or large employment opportunity such as a large business, for example a large caravan park or secondary school within 3km.

6.76 In accordance with the accessibility of services/facilities and employment opportunities, where there is no public bus service available within the settlement or adjacent to a settlement, these settlements will not be considered to be sustainable. This is because public transport is considered to be key to accessing a wide range of services and facilities in a sustainable way.

6.77 As stated within the aims of this review, the identification of a sustainable settlement will highlight settlements which are considered to be suitable locations to accommodate future development, outside the four main urban areas, based upon the provision of services and facilities, employment opportunities, accessibility and consideration of the landscape/townscape.