- Local Plan Consultation January 2015 Contents Introduction 1 Introduction 6 Part 1 Strategic Policies 2 The Emerging Core Strategy 10 3 CS2 Meeting the Needs for Growth 12 Housing 12 Employment 15 4 CS3 Settlement Strategy 20 5 CS4 Green Belt Boundaries and Safeguarded Land 24 6 Movement Strategy 28 7 CS19 Strategic Green Infrastructure 30 8 Spatial Policies 33 Part 2 Sites 9 Approach to site selection 36 10 Welwyn Garden City 43 Housing 43 Gypsy and Traveller sites 51 Summary of Housing Supply 51 Employment 53 Retail 53 Urban Open Land 65 11 Hatfield 72 Housing 72 Gypsy and Traveller sites 78 Summary of Housing Supply 78 Employment 80 - Local Plan Consultation January 2015 Contents Retail 80 Urban Open Land 94 12 Woolmer Green 103 Housing 103 Gypsy and Traveller sites 105 Summary of Housing Supply 106 Employment 106 Village Centre 108 Urban Open Land 108 13 Oaklands and Mardley Heath 109 Housing 109 Gypsy and Traveller sites 112 Housing Summary Table 113 Employment 114 Village Centre 114 Urban Open Land 116 14 Welwyn 117 Housing 117 Gypsy and Traveller sites 120 Summary of Housing Supply 120 Employment 121 Village Centre 121 Urban Open Land 124 15 Digswell 126 Housing 126 Gypsy and Traveller sites 127 Summary of Housing Supply 127 Employment 128 Village Centre 128 Urban Open Land 130 - Local Plan Consultation January 2015 Contents 16 Welham Green 131 Housing 131 Gypsy and Traveller sites 135 Summary of Housing Supply 136 Employment 138 Village Centre 140 Urban Open Land 142 17 Brookmans Park 143 Housing 143 Gypsy and Traveller sites 146 Summary of Housing Supply 146 Employment 147 Village Centre 147 Urban Open Land 149 18 Little Heath 150 Housing 150 Gypsy and Traveller sites 153 Summary of Housing Supply 153 Employment 154 Village Centre 154 Urban Open Land 154 19 Cuffley 155 Housing 155 Gypsy and Traveller sites 158 Summary of Housing Supply 158 Employment 159 Village Centre 159 Urban Open Land 162 20 Major Developed Sites 163 21 Cemeteries 166 - Local Plan Consultation January 2015 Contents Part 3 Development Management Policies 22 Development Management Policies 172 Appendices A Finely balanced housing sites 194 Welwyn Garden City 194 Hatfield 196 Welwyn 198 Welham Green 200 Brookmans Park 202 B Less favourable sites 205 Welwyn Garden City 205 Hatfield 208 Woolmer Green 211 Oaklands and Mardley Heath 213 Digswell 215 Brookmans Park 217 Cuffley 220 C Sites that failed the first SHLAA test 222 Local Plan Consultation January 2015 5 Introduction 6 - Local Plan Consultation January 2015 1 Introduction 1 Introduction The purpose of this consultation 1.1 The council has produced this document for public consultation, which together with the strategic policies set out in the Emerging Core Strategy (November 2012) will form the basis for the Local Plan for Welwyn Hatfield. It follows on from the consultation carried out on the Emerging Core Strategy and considers proposals for the location of new sites for housing (including pitches for Gypsies and Travellers), employment, retail and areas to be added to our list of important open space (Urban Open Land) and where new burial space could be provided. Because we have reviewed our evidence - particularly on how much growth we will need to accommodate in the borough and our approach to the distribution of that growth - this document also sets out where major changes will be needed to the strategic policies. The Local Plan will need to include a set of policies setting out general criteria for assessing planning applications and this document sets out a list of policies which will be included in the local plan. 1.2 There will be one further round of consultation on the final proposals before the council submits its Local Plan for independent examination. The diagram below sets out the stages for preparing this local plan. - Local Plan Consultation January 2015 7 Introduction 1 What is a Local Plan? 1.3 The Local Plan will set out a vision for the future of the borough to 2031. It will contain strategies, growth targets, site allocations and policies to guide decision-making on planning applications. It will decide where and when development should take place and which places should be continue to be protected as Green Belt and other environmental designations. How has it been prepared 1.4 This document has been prepared following a review and update of our evidence, consideration of the responses to the Emerging Core Strategy and regard to national policy and best practice guidance. The changes to the strategy and the proposals for development have been subject to sustainability appraisal. How to respond 1.5 Once you have read this document you can respond in a number of ways... 1.6 The best way to have your say is at www.welhat.gov.uk/localplan. Making comments online has the following benefits: It's easy - follow links to the parts of the consultation you are interested in - no wading through piles of paper Saves time - view and download documents and comment online anytime, anywhere Environmentally friendly - it saves paper 1.7 If you are unable to comment online, you can also: Write to: Planning Policy, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, Council Offices, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6AE Email [email protected] 8 - Local Plan Consultation January 2015 1 Introduction Local Plan Consultation January 2015 9 Part 1 Strategic Policies 10 - Local Plan Consultation January 2015 2 The Emerging Core Strategy 2 The Emerging Core Strategy 2.1 Consultation on the Emerging Core Strategy took place between November 2012 and January 2013. It set out the council's preferred strategy and vision for the borough to 2029 to meet future needs and tackle future challenges. These include meeting the needs of a growing population, the need for more affordable housing, the impact of growth on the Green Belt and delivering infrastructure to support growth. 2.2 The strategy was based on planning for a level of growth which it was considered met the needs of the borough but recognised environmental and infrastructure constraints. It sought to protect areas of highest environmental value and community facilities and services and promoted good design which incorporates sustainability measures. Policies CS1 to CS4 set out the overall strategy for growth and its distribution and the approach to growth in the Green Belt. Policies CS5 to CS12 set out the approach for retailing, community, facilities, housing, employment, design, and the protection of historic and environmental assets. The spatial policies set out specific policies for different parts of the borough - Policies CS13 to CS15 for Welwyn Garden City, Policies CS16 to CS19 for Hatfield and CS20 set out the approach for the villages and rural areas. 2.3 The Emerging Core Strategy attracted a large number of representations but these mainly related to the amount of growth, the strategic allocations known as broad locations and the approach to distributing growth around the borough. The intent of the topic specific policies were largely supported. 2.4 The council has reviewed its evidence in a number of areas in response to the consultation, national policy and guidance, and how it is being interpreted in recent Local Plan Inspector decisions. This has led to the need for more significant changes to some of our strategic policies, in particular the need for growth and these are discussed in the following sections. Apart from minor changes to improve the wording, the council otherwise intends to carry the remaining strategic policies forward into the final version of the Local Plan. 2.5 The changes to the strategic policies and the options for development have been subject to sustainability appraisal. The Sustainability Appraisal report concludes that the revised strategic policy intentions and site allocation options are likely to deliver positive benefits across a wide range of sustainability objectives, in particular the meeting of local housing needs and supporting the local economy, although with the need to deliver a higher objectively assessed housing target, there is a greater potential for negative effects on some objectives particularly biodiversity, landscape character and infrastructure capacity. The policy intentions now provide for a more dispersed and more proportionate distribution of development across the towns and villages which should enable local needs to be met. Development on any scale has the potential to contribute to existing transport issues, but policy intentions on strategic movement and green infrastructure should help redress the balance. - Local Plan Consultation January 2015 11 The Emerging Core Strategy 2 2.6 The Sustainability Appraisal report does acknowledge that development can have some associated negative effects. However, without such development housing need would only increase and the economic potential of the borough and the ability to create jobs could be compromised. 12 - Local Plan Consultation January 2015 3 CS2 Meeting the Needs for Growth 3 CS2 Meeting the Needs for Growth 3.1 Since the consultation on the Emerging Core Strategy we have reviewed our evidence to take account of the latest demographic projections, the needs of the local economy and recently published best practice guidance. Emerging Core Strategy Policy CS2 'Meeting the Needs for Growth' set out the levels of growth for the plan period for housing, employment and retail; but now has to be reviewed to take account of the latest evidence on the economy and the need for housing. Housing 3.2 Government policy, set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, requires Local Plans to seek to meet the need for housing. The first task is to identify what the need is by considering the evidence on demographic projections, the needs of the economy, the need for affordable housing and market signals.