community planning
Carrick Local Development Framework
Truro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan Preferred Options under Regulation 26 January 2007 Contents
Chapter 1 – Introduction 1 What is this document? 1
Background 1
Involving you in the process 2
Your responses and the Data Protection Act 3
Where next? 4
Chapter 2 – A vision for Truro and Threemilestone 5 Truro City 2026 5
Making 2026 happen 6
SWOT analysis for Truro and Threemilestone 7
Developing a strategy for growth 9
Spatial policies 12
Chapter 3 – Truro City Centre 14 Our vision for the city centre 14
Developing a strategy for the city centre 14
Retailing 15
Consolidating retail growth 16
Improving the retail offer of Truro 17
The Pydar Street scheme 18
Supporting smaller and specialist retailers 19
Markets in the city centre 21
Office uses in the city centre 22
Increasing leisure and evening activity in the city centre 22
A better connected city 23
Pedestrian priority 24
Parking 29
A livable and attractive Truro 31
Housing 31
Public spaces 31
Shopfronts and advertisements 32
Enhancing the built environment 33
Key buildings 33
Chapter 4 – New Communities 35 Housing requirements 35
Master planning and design 36
Housing for all – developing a mix of housing 37
ii
Location of housing 37
Proposed locational strategy for housing – Truro and Threemilestone 40
Preferred options for housing growth 41
Highertown 41
Higher Newham 45
Tolgarrick 47
Long term options – Area of search 2016 - 2026 48
Chapter 5 – Employment 49 Employment sites 49
Newham Industrial Estate 50
City Centre sites 51
New and Old County Hall/Truro Football Club 52
Threemilestone 53
Chapter 6 – Infrastructure 55 Highway infrastructure 55
Park and ride 56
Rail based park and ride 58
Medium and long term options for rail use 58
Reducing commuter parking in the city centre 59
Highertown Distributor Road 60
Leisure provision 61
Open space/recreation 63
Chapter 7 – Key Areas of Change 66 Truro Riverside 67
Threemilestone Village Centre 69
Treliske 71
Chapter 8 – Development Principles 73 Sustainable construction 73
Water re-use and drainage 73
Biodiversity 74
Energy efficiency and renewable energy 74
Chapter 9 – Summary of Options 76 Chapter 10 – Implementation and Phasing 83
Appendix A – Discounted housing options 85 Appendix B – Consultees 88 Appendix C – Building for Life Standard 89 Appendix D – Schedule of suggested alterations to the document 90 Appendix D – Further reading 93
iii Foreword
By Cllr Mrs S A Callen Portfolio Holder – Environment
Truro is a fantastic and unique city with a rich history and a confident future. It acts as a civic focus for Cornwall as well as a major centre of employment, healthcare, education and retail.
However we cannot ignore that it is also a city facing immense pressures for growth. It is vital that we have a coherent framework and vision to ensure that this growth retains what we value about our city, whilst addressing the problems that we have.
This draft masterplan sets out our ideas for development over the next ten years and beyond. We would like to hear your comments and views on this plan whether positive or negative and any ideas that you may have to help improve it.
This is your city, please get involved. Your views and knowledge will help us to further develop this plan and create a city that we can all be proud of.
Cllr Mrs S A Callen Portfolio Holder - Environment
iv
I ntroduction
1 What is this document?
1.1 This document sets out the preferred options for the Truro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan. It sets out the options that we are considering for the location of new transport infrastructure, housing, shopping, office, industrial and leisure in Truro and Threemilestone. It is more importantly a further stage in developing a vision and masterplan for developing a Truro that meets all of our needs in a sustainable and locally distinctive way.
1.2 The Area Action Plan will form one of the documents that together make up the Local Development Framework for Carrick District. It should be read alongside the Core Strategy that sets out the main spatial policies for the district and the Planning Policies document that sets out the general policy framework.
Background
1.3 The Local Development Framework will replace the existing Carrick District-Wide Local Plan that was published in 1998. Work on the review of the Local Plan started in 2001 with the publishing of the issues report. The Council had a good response to the issues and options report and the views received have helped to shape this document.
1.4 The Core Strategy has drawn on the work of the Cornwall Structure Plan (2004) and the emerging Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West in recommending that residential growth be concentrated to the South and West of Truro. This work has been further supported through the Landscape Strategy for Truro (2000) and the Highertown Masterplan (2003).
1.5 A Planning and Transport Forum for Truro was set up on the 15th of September 2004 to assist in the development of the Area Action Plan. The group is non- politically based and made up of key stakeholders and representatives of the
1 city1. The group met until April 2005 to discuss key issues affecting the development of the Area Action Plan based on terms and reference and a work programme agreed at inception.
1.6 The key ideas and direction for growth in the city have been identified through the issues and options stage consisting of the 2000 Issues Report, meetings of the Planning and Transport Forum and the input of key stakeholders. Work has also been informed through further studies carried out as background and evidence gathering, including:
• The Truro Transport Strategy (2002) • The Local Transport Plan 2006-2011 • Wildlife Corridors Study • Flood Plains information • Urban Capacity Study (2001) • Truro Office Study (2003) • Emerging Truro Retail Survey (2005) • Truro City Centre Urban Design Strategy (2003) • Truro Conservation Area Appraisal (2004) • Cornwall Local Transport Plan (2006)
Involving you in the process
1.7 We want to improve public involvement in the planning process. We firmly believe that the best way of developing policy that properly fits the wishes of the community is to consider your views, wishes and local knowledge at an early stage. We believe that this will give the community proper ownership of planning policies and decisions, reflecting your aspirations and needs, and will you to feel more comfortable with the planning process.
1.8 To ensure that this happens, we have prepared a Statement of Community Involvement2. This document has been widely consulted upon and was approved by the Secretary of State and adopted by the council in July 2006. The Statement of Community Involvement is designed to show you how and when
1 For a list of participants see Appendix B 2 Copies of the Statement of Community Involvement are available at our offices, libraries and other public places or upon request.
2 you can get involved in the planning process and what to expect from us when you do. We are committed to:
• Communicating clearly; • Making it easy for you to be involved; • Making sure that your involvement is effective; and • Sharing information and providing feedback
1.9 For the Truro Area Action Plan we anticipate exhibitions being held at key locations in the City and presentations to key stakeholders and the City Council. Posters and leaflets will be distributed to raise awareness of the event, alongside advertisements and a press release in the West Briton. The exact timetable and methods of involvement will remain flexible to ensure that it reflects the best way to involve you.
1.10 This document contains a number of Preferred Options for Truro and Threemilestone that we would like you to make comments on. This does not mean that we do not want to hear other views that you might have about the future of Truro and Threemilestone and we will be pleased to hear any views that you have. A response form has been provided with this document to help you make your comments, whilst you do not have to answer the questions, please ensure that you give us your contact details so that we can keep you informed of progress on the plan.
Your responses and the Data Protection Act
1.11 The information is collected by Carrick District Council as data controller in accordance with the data protection principles in the Data Protection Act 1998. The purposes for collecting the data are:
1. To assist in preparing the Local Development Framework for the Carrick District; 2. To contact you regarding answers given in your form; 3. To compile a report of responses in the decision making process.
1.12 The above purposes may require public disclosure of any data received by Carrick District Council and may be reproduced for use at Independent
3 Examination of various Planning Documents. If you have any concerns or questions relating to the processing of your data, please contact the Head of Legal and Democratic Services on (01872) 224404.
Where next?
This diagram shows the process that the Area Action Plan will follow. It shows where we currently are and the next steps that will follow this consultation:
Evidence Gathering
Consult on Issues and Options
This is the stage we are at now Public Participation on the Preferred Options for the AAP
Representations on the Preferred Options for the AAP This is what we are asking you to do
Preparation of Submission Area Action Plan
Submission of Area Action Plan to the Secretary of State
Representations on the Area Action Plan
Pre examination Meeting
Independent Examination
Receipt of Independent Inspectors Binding Report
Adoption of the Truro & Threemilestone Area Action Plan
4
A vision for Truro and Threemilestone 2 Truro City 2026
2.1 By 2026, Truro will feel very different to how it does today. What we value will have been retained, but problems that are currently reducing our quality of life will have been addressed. It will be a destination of choice for shoppers, visitors and also for people seeking a good night out. It will have strengthened its role as the county town and a fast growing and unique regional city supported by a dynamic local economy. It will celebrate its personality, its natural and built heritage, culture and riverside location. This will be founded upon energetic and flourishing businesses, providing value, good quality and a wide range of shopping, eating and leisure experiences. The city centre will be bustling, prosperous, safe and will favour the pedestrian. More people will live in the centre. More people will visit the centre and shop there. The evening economy will be attractive to all. Residents will feel proud of their city where opportunities are open to all and there is a strong local community.
2.2 Redevelopment will have increased the quantity and range of retail space, together with additional dwellings and leisure facilities. Truro’s shopping will have retained its status as the retail centre for Cornwall providing a high quality shop window for Cornish brands with fewer cars, better air quality and the streetscene transformed by quality paving with public art and quality open spaces. New offices and commercial uses will be accessible by a number of means of transport and will be close to residential areas and provide a gateway to Cornwall for the business community with a reputation for high quality business facilities and leading edge entrepreneurs justifying Truro's growing reputation as a sub-regional centre at the administrative and political heart of Cornwall and a centre of excellence in health, social care, and education, developing skills for 21st century employment. The riverside will be embraced back into the city centre with new and exciting buildings and uses, their activities spilling out on to a rediscovered quayside crowded with boats.
5 2.3 Around the city centre new houses will form attractive and diverse new communities, linked by a high quality public transport corridor and offering quality open space and access to the countryside beyond. Housing will be of the best possible layout and design, utilising outstanding vernacular and contemporary design and using local materials wherever possible and integrating effectively with the landscape and character of Truro. All new development will incorporate renewable energy and energy saving features to help cut down bills, make better places to live, reduce emissions and respond to the challenges of climate change.
2.4 The Highertown distributor road and other highway improvements will have improved traffic circulation, access from Truro’s catchment will have improved and parking will be easier for visitors and residents. Park and ride bus services will have linked with the railway and bus stations and major employers ensuring that passengers have safe and convenient journeys and easy access to all the facilities. Public transport and cycling facilities will have significantly improved giving a real alternative to using private cars. the Midlands will have become quicker and more frequent, even offering direct links to Paris and Brussels. Making 2026 happen
2.5 This vision of Truro is within grasp, but it will require careful planning and support for growth and change. This will require leadership, determination, public backing and a new sense of confidence that Truro’s strengths and opportunities outweigh its weaknesses and potential threats. At the heart of the vision for Truro is the need for the city to celebrate its identity, quality and convenience whilst acknowledging the need for controlled growth. The issues and options consultation that has been carried out to date shows that stakeholders overwhelmingly see the need for, and benefits of change and growth. What is required now is the harnessing of the opportunities, resources and processes to deliver a new and better Truro and Threemilestone underlain by a commitment to achieving the best quality design in development and layout, encouraging innovation and exploring new ways to address old problems.
2.6 Good quality housing design can lead to a marked improvement in social wellbeing and quality of life by reducing crime, improving public health and easing transport problems as well as increasing property values. Design, quality and a commitment to embracing innovation will underpin the success or failure of Truro and our new communities
6 SWOT Analysis for Truro and Threemilestone
Strengths Weaknesses
• Historic city with many fine • Retail offer is losing its edge buildings • Lack of leisure activities • Key educational institutions • Traffic congestion is a major • Cultural focus in the county problem • Administrative ‘capital’ of • Parking provision in the city Cornwall centre congested • Big employers/lots of • Poor public realm employment • Poor legibility in the city centre • Strong centre of employment • Increasing ‘any town’ feel • Shopping focus for the county • Lack of pedestrian facilities • Accessible • Mis-match between numbers of jobs and homes • High levels of in-commuting
Threats Opportunities
• Sub-regional focus for growth • Growing congestion and • Development interest reducing air quality • Quality place making • Unconstrained use of the car • Reducing reliance on car travel leading to worsening • Improved bus services, park and accessibility ride facilities, improved city • Constraints on improving key centre parking routes in the wider city • Better interaction with the • Competition from other centres environment • Loss of Truro’s identity • Riverside location • Poor quality of design and • Better match between numbers management of spaces of houses and jobs • Mismatch between infrastructure provision and housing growth (over population)
Addressing the SWOT analysis
2.7 Truro's retail and administrative role is largely responsible for it becoming the major employment centre in Cornwall resulting in a significant mis-match between the number of jobs in the City and the number of residents. Consequently the City experiences high levels of commuting, particularly by car, as people travel into the city to work. Furthermore its success as a major retail centre serving mid and west Cornwall adds to the problem of congestion.
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Fig1: Travel patterns to work for Truro
2.8 The priority for Truro is therefore to provide for a more sustainable balance between jobs and residents so that people have the opportunity to live nearer to where they work. At the same time it is important to ensure that improvements to infrastructure are put in place to alleviate congestion and to ensure that Truro's role as Cornwall's retail and commercial centre is sustained and enhanced. All this will require a significant level of housing growth together with an integrated and sustainable package of transport measures aimed at reducing existing congestion and accommodating future growth.
2.9 The Urban Capacity Study undertaken in 2001 identified very limited opportunities for this growth to take place on previously developed land within the city. To accommodate the proposed levels of growth an extension to the south and west of the existing urban area will be required. This will build upon the opportunities provided by existing employment and in particular the Peninsula Medical School and Truro College.
2.10 This Area Action Plan for Truro and Threemilestone has been prepared to identify site specific proposals to accommodate the level of development that
8 will be required to meet this growth and ensure its integration with improvements to the transport infrastructure.
2.11 Opportunities to support the city centre’s role as a major retail centre will be supported including more retail uses where there is a need and improvements to the city centre environment for pedestrians and the wider public realm. The Truro Retail, Leisure and Office Study (2006) forecasts that under a strategy of further retail growth, Truro city centre has the capacity to support a further 3350 sq m net convenience goods (i.e. food) floorspace and 34900 sq m net comparison goods (e.g. clothing etc) floorspace by 2016.
2.12 Opportunities also exist to enhance Truro's wider economic role through support for Truro's role as a Port and the redevelopment of older industrial and commercial areas in order to make a more efficient use of land for industrial uses including office accommodation. However these objectives need to be balanced in a sustainable manner.
2.13 All development will need to take into account the distinctive character of Truro, particularly its setting within a landscape bowl, the historic importance of the built environment and open spaces and trees within the city. The compact nature of Truro and the close relationship between town and country allows the city to retain an intimate and unique character with the cathedral, river and viaduct providing strong focal points.
Fig 2: Developing the vision
9 Developing a strategy for growth
2.14 The level of growth that is forecast to occur in Truro demands that an effective long term vision and strategy is developed. While this plan focuses on the period to the year 2016, national guidance recommends providing a direction of growth for up to 15 years from the date of the adoption of the plan. This reduces uncertainty and assists in planning for the future infrastructure needs of the city as it grows.
2.15 The Council believes that that this sort of forward planning is required to ensure that development in Truro is properly focussed and provides a framework for future growth. This Area Action Plan will provide that framework to support focussed growth in commerce, employment and housing to ensure stable and effective levels of growth.
2.16 The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) produced by the South West Regional Assembly will set out the levels of growth anticipated in different parts of the county. The draft RSS suggests an allocation from 2006-2026 of an additional 5,000 houses which includes the land to be allocated in this plan. It is therefore of great importance that this strategy is capable of providing growth beyond 2016 and puts in place the necessary infrastructure, services and employment.
2.17 The planned urban extension approach will allow strategic infrastructure and development to be delivered that provides the integration of homes, jobs and services. The historic core of Truro is heavily constrained by existing development and designations and contains few areas of brownfield land that are suitable for residential development. A significant opportunity for growth is afforded by the Highertown and Gloweth areas, which developed incrementally over the past fifty years but have experienced greater levels of growth from the early 1980’s onwards. This area is currently heavily fragmented and lacks an identifiable core, but contains many of the key employers and services in the city and is located on a high frequency public transport corridor.
2.18 The key challenges for the growth of Truro are to address the current mismatch between jobs and homes and to reduce congestion and traffic generation and to ensure that the economy of the city remains viable in a rapidly changing business world. The Highertown and Gloweth corridor offers a great
10 opportunity to create a sustainable urban extension that matches housing to jobs, provides strong and viable public transport links into the city centre and provides the infrastructure needed to support the communities and reduce inward commuting and congestion.
2.19 The diagrams on the following page demonstrate the growth of the city and the Highertown corridor and show the clustering of uses, facilities and services that demonstrate why the southern and western expansion of the city is the most efficient, logical and sustainable option for growth.
Fig 3: The historic growth of Truro and Highertown
11 Spatial Policies - Truro
2.20 The following spatial policies are contained within the Core Strategy for Carrick District. The preferred options contained within this Area Action Plan will deliver the spatial policies for Truro and Threemilestone.
T1 - Housing
To provide for on average 233 homes per year within or well integrated with the City between 2001 - 2016 of which about 20% should be on previously developed land.
To provide about 2300 of the housing provision for Truro through a planned urban extension to the South and West of Truro along the Highertown Corridor
Ensure at least 35% of new homes on sites greater than 15 dwellings or 0.5 hectares are affordable to meet local needs
Promote residential use within Truro City Centre
T2 - Economy
Promote the continued development of Truro as an office and service centre and Port
Redevelop existing under utilised industrial areas for industrial and office uses in order to make a more efficient use of land to support Truro's regional focus and to expand the provision of high quality office and Research and Development business space in the city
Develop Truro's role as a major retail centre and as a centre for specialist retailing and accommodate the forecast growth of a further 3350 sq m net convenience goods floorspace and 34900 sq m net comparison goods floorspace in the City centre by 2016.
Develop Truro as a centre for educational and medical excellence, facilitating the development of a medi parc to support the Peninsula Medical School, hospital and improvements to Truro College including the provision of student and key worker accommodation within walking distance of the facilities.
T3 - Sustainable Communities
Develop Truro in a sustainable manner which seeks to balance the needs of the community, develop its sub regional shopping and administrative role while maintaining its special character and distinctiveness as a place to live, work and visit
12 Develop and implement an integrated and sustainable transport strategy for the city through securing a package of measures including the provision of park and ride that provides alternative modes of transport to the private car including improved public transport routes along Highertown and Tregolls road, an improved cycle network and a parking strategy that improves city centre parking provision for shoppers and residents alike and that addresses existing problems of congestion with the road network
Develop activities for all the family in the city centre in the evening and protect and enhance existing leisure facilities
T4 - Environment
Improve the pedestrian environment and wider public realm, removing where possible, unnecessary traffic. To include the development of an Arts and Public Realm Strategy
Improve the waterfront and links from the water to the City Centre and adjoining residential areas
Preserve and enhance the special character of the Truro Conservation area with particular reference to its compact nature, distinctive character, street patterns, role of historic buildings such as the Cathedral and Viaduct and enhancement of spaces and links.
Protect important landscape, trees, wildlife corridors and views within or on the edge of the city and protect the landscape setting of the City and its cathedral.
Protect and enhance the biodiversity of the Truro River basin and in particular ensure that development has no adverse impact upon the Special Area of Conservation.
13 Truro
City centre
3 Our vision for the city centre
3.1 Our vision for Truro is as a unique regional city and retail centre for Cornwall providing a high quality shop window for Cornish brands and a gateway to Cornwall for the business community. We also want to continue the role of Truro as the administrative and political centre for Cornwall. These shall both be realised through celebrating the environmental and historic assets of the city and ensuring a safe and attractive pedestrian environment. To achieve this we will:
• Support and protect the vitality and viability of the city centre, resisting out of centre developments that cannot be justified in terms of need or that have an unacceptable impact upon the centre;
• Support and develop Truro’s role as a centre for specialist retailing, including enhancing its diversity through the role of elements such as markets;
• Support the further development and implementation of an integrated and sustainable transport strategy for the city and seeking to address problems with the existing road network into the city;
• Promoting the redevelopment of existing employment sites for more intensive employment, industrial and office uses to support the city’s regional focus; and
• Exploring other opportunities within the city centre for intensifying use or more appropriate uses.
Developing a strategy for the city centre
3.2 The strategy for the City centre is based around the vision for Truro. It must therefore seek to address the issues of transportation, shopping, employment and housing in a holistic fashion. The strategy will also be linked to a comprehensive public realm strategy that contains a set of design principles to ensure that new development in Truro is of the highest possible quality.
14 Our key priorities for the city centre are therefore:
• Support for retailing especially specialist and independent retailers • A sustainable parking strategy • A strong and competitive city centre • Redevelopment of key sites • Improvement of the pedestrian environment • Increase in leisure opportunities • Increased awareness and use of public open spaces
The following chapter sets out what we want to do to meet these priorities and how we will do it.
Retailing
3.3 Both regional and local guidance highlights Truro’s role as a sub-regional centre for retailing. It is by some way the largest retail centre in Cornwall and has a catchment area covering most of the county. The large catchment and a concentration of other national multiple retail operators not found in other centres in the county is a significant factor in attracting other national multiple retail operators to locate in Truro. However Truro’s distinctiveness as a centre relies much more on the presence of a large number of specialist retailers which are often locally owned. The pull of specialist and locally based retailers in attracting shoppers to Truro has been highlighted in a number of studies and must be reflected in the strategy for the city centre.
3.4 Whilst many people visit the city to shop at national multiple retail outlets, key attractions of Truro against larger centres such as Plymouth are its historic and compact character and the range of specialist shops available. There is growing awareness nationally of a loss of local distinctiveness in town centres dominated by national multiples, expressed in the ‘Clone Towns’ campaign. Given these factors and an increasingly competitive retail market the local strengths that Truro currently has may become of even greater importance.
15 Consolidating retail growth – Defining the city centre
• The city centre provides a vital community focus for the city offering a diverse range of activities in the form of residential, leisure, commercial and retail uses. • The city centre provides the focus for the widest range of transport modes, including good quality public transportation in the form of buses and reasonable access to rail facilities. • Town centre uses such as retail, leisure, employment and other uses need to be clustered in the city centre where public transport is focused and the opportunity for non-car travel and multi-purpose trips are maximised. • The city centre and Primary Shopping Area must be defined in order to apply the national policies set out in Planning Policy Statement 6. • A key feature of the city centre is its compactness and walkability It is important to focus new town centre uses in a defined area to prevent piecemeal expansion which erodes this character.
Preferred option CC1: City centre and Primary Shopping Area
The extent of the City Centre Area and the Primary Shopping Area is defined on the city centre proposals map. The preferred location for new retail development will be the primary shopping area as defined on the proposals map. All proposals for retail development outside of the Primary Shopping Area will be subject to the sequential approach detailed in PPS6.
• It is important to protect the central area from inappropriate changes of use through the designation of primary and secondary shopping frontages to support the retail focus.
Preferred option CC2: Primary Shopping Frontages Within the primary frontage further changes of use from A1 (retail) to A2, A3, A4 and A5 (non-retail uses) will be resisted except where it would contribute to the vitality and viability of the city centre and would not lead to groupings of non-retail uses or seriously prejudice the retail function and character of the area. Non retail uses will generally be permitted above ground floor in the primary frontage areas.
• Secondary shopping areas should provide a complementary retail offer to the main shopping area in order to maintain the vitality and viability of the city centre
16 • There is a need to avoid over-concentration of similar uses that detract from the vitality of the area.
Preferred Option CC3: Secondary Shopping Frontages Within the secondary shopping frontage as defined on the proposals map, changes of use from retail to non-retail will be considered on their merits subject to: • Having no adverse impact upon the character, vitality and viability of the area; • Being compatible with adjoining uses and appropriate to the city centre location; • Avoiding the concentration of similar uses where a cumulative impact would have a detrimental impact upon the retail character of the area.
Improving the retail offer of Truro
• Truro has grown slowly in the past decades and now needs to attract a significant scale of additional comparison retail floor space in order to secure its place as a sub-regional centre for retailing if it is to compete with locations such as Plymouth and Exeter. • The lack of retail floor space growth, especially a major attraction such as a department store is a deficiency and could weaken Truro’s position as a sub regional centre for retailing. • Modern and flexible shop units to attract quality retailers are in short supply. • The sequential approach will be applied to new retail development in Truro with the city centre being the first choice for location. • There are few sites in the city centre that can provide the scale of growth required to accommodate a department store and a range of modern and flexible shop units required support the development of that store.
Preferred option CC4: Improving the retail offer of Truro Provision will be made for up to 34,900 square metres net additional comparison goods and 3,500 square metres convenience goods retail space within the city centre by 2016 within the constraints imposed by the historic character and compact nature of the city. The main focus for additional comparison floorspace will be the Pydar Street site as shown on the proposals map.
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Fig 4: Strengthening the city centre through creating new retail and leisure destinations
The Pydar Street Scheme
The Pydar Street site is a major opportunity for redevelopment:
• The current office buildings and uses on the site are outdated, unattractive, of a poor standard and inappropriate to their context in this historic centre. • St Clement Street is fast flowing, intrusive and creates a barrier between the site and the rest of the city centre. • The site is an appropriate size and location for major retail growth and within a small number of ownerships making delivery more realistic • The development of the site supports the Council’s dumbbell strategy of providing major retail attractions at opposite ends of the main retail axis at Lemon Quay and Pydar Street to ensure as balance of pedestrian flows supporting peripheral and secondary shopping locations. • If the Pydar Street redevelopment is developed within the plan period it will be necessary to extend the primary shopping area to include the site.
18 • The development should support the aim to increase the number of residential units in the city centre through the inclusion of residential dwellings (including affordable housing). • The scale of the development will be determined by the ability to reflect the character and form of the city centre and conservation area.
Preferred option CC5: The Pydar Street redevelopment site Key principles of development to be secured through the planning process and appropriate conditions and/or legal agreement will include: • A high quality development that contributes significantly to the retail offer and the distinctiveness of the city centre and integrates well with the existing centre and the historic character of the city; • A variety of retail spaces to suit a range of retail requirements; • Mixed development to include commercial, leisure and residential uses (including an element of affordable housing); • Provision of adequate car parking to include re-provision of the current parking provision to meet the needs of the retail development and support the city centre; • Additional parking requirements being met through support for the provision and running of the proposed park and ride sites for the city; • Provision of on and off-site highway improvements including the re-routing of St Clement Street to integrate the development with the city centre through Pydar Street and Union Place; • A high degree of permeability both within the site and with the city centre; • Contribution to improvements to the public realm of Pydar Street and Boscawen Street to strengthen the linkages within the city; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures water conservation and renewable energy; • Re-provision of the Local Authority offices; • Removal and re-provision of the current NCP car park to improve the setting of Listed Buildings in and around Union Place.
Supporting smaller and specialist retailers – The specialist quarter
3.5 A key factor in attracting shoppers and visitors to the city centre lies in its local independent and specialist retail offer. This is recognised by the Council, which considers it vital to look after our smaller and independent retailers.
19 • The majority of smaller and independent retailers are concentrated in the more peripheral areas of the city centre. • These areas will be designated as secondary shopping frontages where changes of use to non-retail uses will be controlled to protect the vitality and viability of those frontages. • A strategy will be developed to support the role of the secondary shopping frontages which taken together form the ‘specialist shopping quarter’ in order to continue to attract trade to the specialist and independent retailers.
Fig 5: Avoiding peripheral decline in the secondary shopping areas through new linkages and focuses
Preferred option CC6: Support for Specialist Retailers The proposed specialist quarter is shown on the proposals map. Support will include: • The development of a public realm strategy for the specialist quarter to create an easily recognisable and cohesive identity;
20 • The development of a unique signage strategy for the specialist quarter that complements the public realm strategy for the city centre; • Support for improvements to the pedestrian environment of the quarter and to the ‘Leats’ area to improve the attractiveness and security of the opes; and • Support for small scale redevelopment within the quarter to provide small shop units. • Increasing pedestrian footfall in the secondary shopping areas; • Improving car parking availability and pedestrian routes into the areas.
• Initiatives to improve the infrastructure of the specialist quarter will be encouraged, including the development of a common signposting initiative to guide shoppers to and through the area and improvements to the pedestrian environment in those areas to encourage movement between the primary and secondary shopping areas and greater pedestrian movement through the secondary shopping areas. • There is potential that many of these improvements can be secured through schemes as part of a Business Improvement District (BID) Initiative.
Markets in the city centre
3.6 Allied to the specialist quarter, another key element of the retail attraction of Truro as a shopping destination lies in developing the role of markets. Truro currently has two permanent markets offering a variety of specialist goods. There are also regular farmers markets, ‘made in Cornwall’ craft events and continental street markets throughout the year. These markets are highly important to the offer of the city centre.
• In partnership with the Council, The Regional Development Agency (RDA), traders and the City Council, a Community markets strategy has been developed. • The Council is supportive of these initiatives and considers the role of the markets as highly important to the retail offer of the city centre. • The support for the markets raises similar issues to that of supporting the specialist retail quarter, including improvements to information and sign posting and the public realm. • Important to the success of both the specialist retail quarter and the markets is a public realm strategy that achieves simpler and more effective linkages between the areas and the primary shopping area.
21 Preferred option CC7: Supporting markets in Truro • The development of a unique signage strategy for the markets that compliments the public realm strategy for the city centre; • Improvements to the pedestrian environment around the markets and to ope ways running between Lemon Street market and Victoria Square to improve the attractiveness and security of the link; and • The use of Lemon Quay and Victoria Square for the holding of markets and further pedestrian priority works in those areas to increase pedestrian movements. • Support for the creation of new markets (e.g. an antiques market in Victoria Square), particularly where these would lead to linked environmental improvements.
Office uses in the city centre
• The presence of city centre office uses is a significant contribution to the vitality and viability of the city centre. • There are many offices within the city centre that have been converted from residential properties in peripheral locations. There is now considerable pressure to see these buildings converted back into residential use due to the buoyant property market or to retail use.
Preferred option CC8: Office uses in the City Centre • Where office or professional service uses do not impact upon residential amenity there should be a presumption in favour of retaining those uses • Key locations for office and professional use retention have been outlined on the proposals map. Within this area there will be a presumption against changes of use to non office and professional use. • The introduction of further offices uses into the city centre and adjacent to the city centre will be encouraged where they do not impact negatively upon the vitality and viability of the shopping areas, especially as part of mixed use schemes.
Increasing leisure and evening activity in the city centre
3.7 There has been slow growth in evening activity in the city centre over the past five years, although much of this has been in an uncoordinated fashion. This results in there being a dispersed pattern of activity in the centre, lacking a
22 defined hub for evening leisure. The lack of evening and night-time activity in the city centre and a dispersed pattern of activity leads to a perceived lack of security away from the main area. It is anticipated that with a substantial growth in housing in Truro that pressure for further evening activities will increase. Due to a presumption against non-retail activities in Boscawen Street there is a clustering of bars and restaurants in the Calenick Street, Bridge Street/Quay Street and Lemon Quay areas of the city.
3.8 Whilst it is more appropriate to consolidate the growth of bars and restaurants in the secondary areas of the city centre, an assessment must be made of the impact upon the retailing function of the specialist quarter whilst recognising the benefits that such uses may have.
Preferred option CC9: Leisure and evening economy uses in the City Centre The introduction of further leisure uses into the city centre and adjacent to the city centre will be encouraged, especially as part of mixed use schemes. • Bar and restaurant uses will be encouraged in the secondary shopping areas where they will not have a detrimental impact upon the vitality and viability of those areas. Further leisure uses will be encouraged through redevelopment of sites within or adjoining the city centre, particularly as part of a redevelopment of the Garras Wharf site. All sites for leisure uses must be well related to good quality public transport uses, the city centre and residential areas to enable walking journeys to the facility.
A better connected city 3.9 A key objective for the Area Action Plan is the creation of a better connected city. This is dependant upon the mitigation of traffic impacts, improvements for vulnerable road users, improvements to bus services and improvements to parking.
3.10 Issues concerning congestion, ease of interchange, air quality and accessibility within the city centre will influence the degree to which Truro can continue to act as a sub-regional retail centre. The strategy for the city centre attempts to strike the right balance between the needs of the motorist and the alternatives offered by public transport, walking and cycling. A number of transport measures are proposed by the Area Action Plan which will be addressed and implemented through partnership with the County Council. The transportation implications of all developments will be assessed both in terms of
23 their overall impact and their immediate connections with the city centre when planning applications are considered.
Pedestrian priority 3.11 A key element in reinforcing the retail potential of the city centre and supporting specialist retailers in the centre is the improvement of the pedestrian environment of the city. Despite previous schemes to improve pedestrian priority, at present much of the city remains open to car movements (albeit limited) and many retail units do not have rear serving, requiring loading and unloading of stock to take place on-street. As Truro grows as a retail centre the increasing pedestrian numbers at peak times will require greater pedestrian priority. To do nothing could affect the attractiveness and competitiveness of the shopping centre in the medium to long-term.
• The Council is keen to see pedestrian conflict issues resolved. The retail strategies prepared for the Council stress the need for an improved pedestrian environment in the city and greater pedestrian priority. • Pedestrian improvements are essential if the retail offer of Truro is going to continue to attract visitors and shoppers and especially if linkages between the redevelopment site at Pydar Street and Lemon Quay are to be strengthened. • The increase of pedestrian priority in the secondary shopping areas will help to increase attractiveness and retain footfall after completion of the Pydar Street redevelopment.
Our preferred strategy for creating a better pedestrian environment • Restriction of private car access into the city centre and discouragement of journeys into the shopping area through removal of on-street parking in key areas; • Managed access for disabled persons • Giving priority to pedestrians to make the city centre a more attractive and pleasant place to shop; • Altering spaces presently dominated by cars to allow them to be better used as places for pedestrians and shoppers; • Introducing more pedestrian priority surface level crossings to help pedestrians cross busy sections of road at key points; • Introducing bus only links to improve bus journeys into the city centre;
24 • Reduction of service vehicle/pedestrian conflict in pedestrianised areas through the introduction of timed servicing or alternative arrangements for servicing following completion of the Goss Moor (A30) improvements; and • Improvement of linkages between streets by improving the attractiveness and security of the opes.
Fig 6: Improving pedestrian linkages 3.12 To support pedestrian movements in the city centre the Council has considered the extension of pedestrian priority measures. Pedestrian priority schemes have been considered across the city centre with the emphasis being placed on those areas within the primary shopping area. This allows priority areas to be divided into two distinct phases for implementation, namely those that can be achieved prior to and post development of a park and ride scheme for the city. • Given the historic layout of the city centre and a lack of rear servicing to the majority of shops it is unrealistic to pursue full pedestrianisation. • Upon completion of the A30 improvement works at Innis Downs/Goss Moor the council considers that timed servicing of the main pedestrian areas can be achieved and will work with the County Council to implement this.
25 • Pedestrian priority schemes for spaces such as Boscawen Street need to include bus priority measures to encourage use of park and ride and bus services. • Existing pedestrianised areas are generally tired in appearance and will require updating and revitalising to encourage greater retail footfall. • Many of the pavements in the primary shopping frontage area are narrow and congested, leading to conflict between pedestrians and traffic and reducing the attractiveness of the city centre for shopping. • A balance needs to be taken to ensure that pedestrian priority streets do not become dead spaces.
Preferred Option CC10: Creating Pedestrian Priority (Phase I) The Council will work in partnership with the County Council to achieve the following pedestrian priority schemes which are shown on the proposals map: • Pydar Street – full pedestrianisation with improvements to the public realm. Following completion of the A30 improvement works timed servicing will be enforced. • King Street/High Cross – full pedestrianisation with timed deliveries. Removal of disabled parking bays to reduce traffic flow through Boscawen Street. • Boscawen Street/Lower Lemon Street (including Princes Street, Duke Street and St Nicholas Street). Pedestrian priority to remove through traffic with bus priority and improved bus stop facilities. This must be achieved through a public realm strategy to minimise harm to this iconic space. • Public realm improvements will be funded through contributions from redevelopment schemes within the city centre.
• Full implementation of the Boscawen Street pedestrian priority works is unlikely in the short to medium term before commissioning of the park and ride however the Council will work with their partners to affect closures on Saturdays and other busy days in the short to medium term to assist in maximising pedestrian flows and improving the pedestrian environment. • Outside of the primary shopping frontage area partial pedestrianisation works will be considered that assist pedestrian movements and reduce unnecessary vehicle movements within the city centre. In these locations full pedestrianisation may be unnecessary and would not secure large scale benefits. Both areas proposed
26 suffer from problems of indiscriminate parking and narrow footways and are less attractive to pedestrians as a result. • Whilst on-street parking can help to support specialist retailers, it also encourages traffic flows in the city centre through shoppers taking a chance to find a space and remaining in circulation if a space is not available. • The priority for short stay parking in River Street should be for disabled persons due to the flat and close access afforded into the city centre.
Preferred Option CC11: Creating Pedestrian Priority (Phase II) The Council will work in partnership with the County Council to achieve the following pedestrian priority schemes which are shown on the proposals map: • River Street/Victoria Square – Removal of on-street parking with improvements to the public realm to reduce circulation of traffic looking for a space. Bus priority and re-provision of disabled persons parking bays from the primary retail frontage areas to reduce traffic flows in Boscawen Street. • New Bridge Street/St Mary’s Street – Removal of on-street parking and with improvements to the public realm to reduce attractiveness to motorised traffic.
3.13 There are a number of public spaces in Truro that are currently impacted upon by traffic but could be altered to perform, a more valuable function as public open space. The following spaces have been identified as areas that could be improved through removal or reduction in traffic.
Preferred Option CC12: Spaces for People The Council will work in partnership with the County Council to achieve the following traffic free spaces which are shown on the proposals map: • High Cross – The creation of a traffic free space in front of the cathedral will provide a suitable setting for this iconic Grade I Listed Building. • Lemon Quay – Re-routing and removal of the existing bus lane will be pursued to resolve conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles and illegal car movements. • Victoria Square – The removal of on street parking will improve bus setting down and picking up facilities and provide space for a market to underpin the retail offer of this area of the city.
3.14 The most sustainable form of transport is walking. Truro city centre is well placed to encourage journeys by foot with a large residential population within
27 15/20 minutes of the city centre. Pedestrians currently face a number of barriers with poorly signed footpath routes in to the city centre from surrounding areas and the station, highway routes forming barriers to free flow and poorly lit and maintained informal routes. In order to make the city centre more walkable a number of improvements are suggested.
Preferred Option CC13 – Walking routes Pedestrian route and ope improvement proposals are shown on the proposals map and should be well defined, safe and reflect pedestrian desire lines. Active frontages and lighting should be encouraged along the routes to reduce perceptions of isolation and vulnerability, particularly during hours of darkness. All footpath links should be well signed and surfaced to encourage maximum usage. The following routes will be promoted: • Daubuz Moor – Cathedral Green – Furniss Island – Garras Wharf/Truro Riverside (The River Allen corridor) • Treliske – Coosebean - Hendra estate/St Georges Road – Victoria Park – The Leats – Cathedral Green/High Cross(The River Kenwyn corridor) • Truro Station – Francis Street – River Street • Garras Wharf – Newham – Boscawen Park (with linkages to Highertown via railway trail) (The Riverside walk)
Preferred Option CC14 – Pedestrian Connections The Council in partnership with the County Council will seek to improve the quality of crossings and connections as shown on the proposals map, particularly: • Improvements to crossing points on Morlaix Avenue through realignment or alterations to the existing subways or provision of an at-grade crossing to facilitate easier pedestrian movements; • Pedestrian priority works to the Leats to facilitate pedestrian movements; • An additional linkage to Boscawen Park via a footbridge linking Newham to Boscawen Park and to the wider area via the former Newham branch line; • Improvements to crossing points on the route from the railway station to the city centre through the introduction of pedestrian crossing points; • Improvements to Trafalgar roundabout to allow permeability to pedestrians to access residential areas in Malpas Road and St Clement Hill; • A crossing point from Garras Wharf to Malpas Road.
28 Parking 3.15 The Area Action Plan seeks to provide a high quality solution to parking congestion in the city centre. This will be achieved through the management by the council and our partners of on and off street parking provision to favour short stay parking as opposed to long stay parking and to provide high quality alternatives to parking in the city centre and in-commuting by car. • A major tool in managing traffic in the city centre is the location, availability and control of car parking. One of the most significant factors in encouraging commuter traffic into the city centre is the plentiful availability of long-stay car parking spaces. • Commuter parking in the city centre encourages traffic congestion at peak travel times and occupies spaces that could be more beneficially used for shoppers on a short-stay basis. • Congestion is now discouraging shoppers from using the city and the monopolisation of spaces for commuters is forcing shoppers to compete for parking spaces, leading to more peak time journeys. • Shoppers parking results in a higher turnover of vehicles which allows for more visitors to be accommodated per space, which helps to maintain a strong, viable and economically successful city centre. • Potential for increasing the capacity of shopper’s parking provision in the city centre exists at Pydar Street, Garras Wharf and Moorfield car parks. The development of further short stay parking will be encouraged on these sites as part of comprehensive redevelopment of the sites. • The implementation of the park and ride scheme will result in a viable alternative to long-stay parking within the city centre. This will not work in isolation to restrict the current flow of commuters and long stay parking into the city centre. The Council believes that it is vital to reduce incentives for commuter journeys into the city centre.
Preferred Option CC15: Parking The Council will work in partnership with the County Council to achieve the following improvements to the operation of parking in the city centre. Key proposals are shown on the proposals map. • Promote the provision and use of park and ride; • Allocate sufficient disabled/other parking facilities convenient for the shops; • Manage the existing parking stock in terms of pricing, length of stay and quality to support access to the centre by shoppers;
29 • Ensuring priority for residents to park in residential areas through implementation of resident’s parking schemes where a resident mandate exists; • All significant commercial and retail development within the city centre (defined on the proposals map) and major applications outside of that area must produce a green travel plan for staff transportation and make contributions to public transport facilities or park and ride schemes • Provision for new uses that require parking close by will be permitted subject to that parking provision being available to serve the needs of the city centre as a whole for short stay/shopper car parking only through appropriate conditions or a legal agreement and not being dedicated solely to the individual development.
• Bus prioritisation will be carried out concurrent with pedestrian priority schemes to ensure that bus travel within the city centre and beyond is an attractive and easy option. • The carrying out of bus priority works will also help to ensure the smooth and effective delivery of a park and ride scheme for the city. Improvements are particularly required in Victoria Square and Boscawen Street where bus stops are currently cramped and cause conflict between passengers and pedestrians. • Boscawen Street is a sensitive environment and will require sympathetic works using good quality materials to ensure that works harmonise with the historic character of the space. • Further bus priority works to remove obstacles to the effective routing of buses such as a contra-flow avoiding Edward and Castle Streets will also be developed with our partners. • Further work will be undertaken with our partners to assess the feasibility of creating a bus only crossing of Morlaix Avenue at its junction with Quay Street to allow the creation of a right turn facility for buses to avoid crossings of Lemon Quay. A signalised bus crossing may also create scope for the creation of an at grade pedestrian crossing to link the city centre to Worth’s Quay and Town Quay.
Preferred Option CC16: Bus Prioritisation The Council will work in partnership with the County Council to achieve the following improvements to bus routes and facilities in the city centre. Key proposals are shown on the proposals map. • The creation of a bus priority area through St Nicholas/Boscawen Street through removal of traffic associated with pedestrian priority works and the use of a bus gate at the junction of River Street and St Nicholas Streets;
30 • Improved bus setting down/picking up areas in Boscawen Street and Victoria Square; • Creation of a bus contra-flow section on Francis Street between Edward Street and Castle Street
A liveable and attractive Truro
Housing 3.16 Truro has a large residential population within easy reach of the city centre, however there are relatively few residential units within the central area, leading to a lack of evening activity. Increasing the residential capacity of the city centre will bring significant benefits to the vitality and viability of the city centre.
• Affordable housing should be provided in accordance with the Council’s Balancing Housing Markets Development Plan Document. • There is considerable scope to bring underused and vacant space above shops back into residential use. In such cases parking requirements will reflect the balance of the mobility of residents, the availability of public transport and the need to reduce traffic movements in the city centre. • All redevelopment sites in the city centre will be expected to incorporate an element of residential accommodation except for in exceptional circumstances or if the scale of the proposal would not reasonably allow for such accommodation. Preferred Option CC17: City Centre Housing • Within the city centre planning permission will be granted for the conversion of vacant spaces above shops to residential use; • Except for minor proposals, all redevelopment sites within the city centre will be expected to incorporate an element of residential use unless to do so would cause unacceptable conflict with the other uses proposed
Public Spaces
3.17 Public open space is important to define sense of place in Truro and these areas are a valuable resource in a relatively densely developed city centre although it is clear that they are not currently fully utilised. In order to make full use of the spaces the following is proposed:
31 Preferred Option CC18: Open Space Improvements The Council proposes to implement alterations and improvements to the environment of the open spaces through the implementation of the public realm strategy funded through developer contributions. Key areas for improvement are: • Victoria Park – The park would benefit from increased public awareness using improved route marking from the city centre . • Furniss Island –The introduction of increased walking activity through the area would improve security for users, whilst the provision of CCTV coverage would also increase the perception of safety. Alterations to the layout could make the area more attractive for users. • Cathedral Green –The Council will support the reconfiguration of the space to provide for other uses subject to improvements in the quality of the space and retention and improvement of public access, layout and use. • Lemon Quay –The Council will use open space contributions to complete the installation of public art works on the quay area and improved management of the space. • Contributions will also be sought, where appropriate towards public art, interpretation, management and maintenance.
Shopfronts and advertisements • There is a need to maintain and improve the design quality and overall image of the city centre. • Good design can make an important contribution to sense of place and raise the profile of the city centre. • Design Guidance is contained within the Carrick Design Guide and will be augmented through a shop front design guide currently under preparation. Preferred Option CC19: Shop Fronts and Advertisements Within the city centre the council will expect shop fronts and advertisements to be designed to the highest standards in terms of: • Their relationship to both the local context and the building of which they form a part; • The quality and the durability of materials used; • The level and means of illumination. In considering applications for shop fronts and advertisements within the city centre the council will have regard to the Carrick Design Guide (2005) and emerging Supplementary Planning Documents concerning shop fronts and advertisements.
32
Enhancing the Built Environment
• Generally speaking, the central area of Truro is characterised by high quality buildings and 43% of the primary shopping frontage comprises Listed Buildings. Whilst redevelopment of sites in the city centre has sometimes led to an improvement in the built environment, sadly many redevelopments have not. • The Council is aware of the negative impact that poor design has upon the city centre and will support the redevelopment or reconfiguration of these sites to enhance the built environment.
Preferred Option CC20: Key buildings for redevelopment The buildings that we consider most in need for redevelopment or alteration are marked on the proposals map and are considered to have the most significant impact upon the city centre environment and are a priority for redevelopment: • NCP Car Park • BHS building (formerly Littlewoods), Boscawen Street • Natwest Bank, St Nicholas Street • New Look, Pydar Street • Carrick District Offices, Pydar/St Clement Streets • Argos/Somerfield, Victoria Square • BT buildings, Calenick Street • First Choice Building, Boscawen/Lower Lemon Streets
Key buildings
• Truro has many fine buildings, befitting of its role as a County Town. Whilst these buildings are unlikely to be physically threatened by development, it is important that their setting is respected in the siting of new development. • Due to the topography of the city centre, developments situated some distance from the subject building may have an impact upon important views or vistas of that building.
Preferred Option CC21: Protection of Key buildings In determining planning applications for redevelopment of key sites in the city centre or new development within the ‘bowl of Truro’, consideration will be made of the impact of the development upon the immediate and wider setting and views of important buildings, streetscapes and roofscapes including:
33 • The Cathedral • Former City Hospital • Crown Court • The railway viaduct • Lemon Street • Truro School
34 New
Communities
4 Housing requirements
4.1 The Cornwall County Council structure plan was adopted on 6th September 2004 following an examination by a panel of inspectors. This identified a requirement of 3,500 houses to be provided to meet the needs of Truro for the period 2001-2016. This figure is included in the Core Strategy for the district submitted to the Secretary of State. This scale of development reflects the large number of jobs over the resident population.
4.2 Whilst this plan focuses on the period to the year 2016, national guidance (emerging draft PPS3) recommends providing allocations or a direction of growth for up to 15 years from the date of the plans adoption. This reduces uncertainty and assists in planning for the future infrastructure needs of the city as it grows. The Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) produced by the South West Regional Assembly will set out the levels of growth anticipated in different parts of the county. The draft RSS suggests an allocation from 2006-2026 of an additional 5,000 houses (this includes the land to be allocated in this plan).
4.3 While this is still to be tested at an independent examination it highlights that it is likely that the level of growth will remain high in the longer term. In guiding the direction of development this document has therefore sought to identify sites to achieve the build rate of 233 pa (as set out in the County Structure Plan and the Core Strategy) for the period up to 2016, but also sites that would provide capacity beyond that period to achieve a continuation of that build rate. Longer term options have also been identified. The rationale for this approach is in part to provide greater long term certainty for all and assist in long term planning of infrastructure but also reflects that build rates in Truro historically have been far lower than this target to date. Bearing in mind the time taken to provide new infrastructure, the achievement of this figure in the medium term (by 2016) will require a greater number of sites to be developed at one time. This allows a greater number of developers to develop a range of sites as opposed to relying upon one or two sites. The identification of these strategic sites will also allow
35 developers greater certainty in developing a local workforce for the production of the housing, a key constraint in the past.
Preferred Option H1: Housing numbers 2006 - 2016 The plan will seek to identify sufficient land for 2,300 houses to be built by 2016 to the south and west of Truro and identify a direction of growth for the longer term that provides sufficient capacity for 15 years from the adoption of this plan.
Master Planning and Design 4.4 The proposed urban extension is our legacy to future Truronians and we must ensure that we build places, communities and buildings that we can all be proud of. It is vital that any urban extension is well planned and works as a cohesive whole, rather than piecemeal development that benefits only a few. To ensure that Truro secures the quality of development that it deserves, the Council will co-ordinate the production of a masterplan and design codes for the development areas.
4.5 The government’s Sustainable Communities Plan sets out the vision for housebuilding in the 21st century. The design of housing underpins the success or failure of a community. Good quality housing design can lead to a marked improvement in social wellbeing and quality of life by reducing crime, improving public health and easing transport problems as well as increasing property values.
4.6 The Building for Life initiative is committed to the quality of new housing development. It is an initiative which promotes design excellence and celebrates best practice in the house building industry. The Building for Life Standard is the national benchmark for well designed housing and neighbourhoods. The Council is keen that all development schemes in Truro and the proposed urban extension should be in broad accordance with the Building for Life Standard, which is set out in Appendix C
Preferred Option H2: Master planning and design A co-ordinated master plan and individual design codes will be developed for all housing sites allocated by this Area Action Plan to ensure that all new development secures good design, energy efficiency and on site generation features and secure and accessible layouts. All new developments should comply with the criteria of the Building for Life Standard.
36 Housing for all – developing a mix of housing
4.7 In developing sites for housing it is essential that a mix of housing is provided to meet the needs of the community. This will include provision for affordable housing. The policy for affordable housing is set out separately in the Councils Core Strategy and Balancing Housing Markets Local Development Documents. There are however specific needs for key worker housing and student accommodation related to the hospital and Truro College which are dealt with under site specific proposals to ensure such uses are well related.
Location of Housing
4.8 The approach to the location of the proposed housing has been determined by a number of key factors.
• Landscape Character Work undertaken to develop a landscape assessment of the City of Truro (LDA Landscape Strategy for Falmouth, Penryn and Truro) identified the particular importance of the setting of the Cathedral City of Truro. The core of Truro, with the exception of the Highertown area, is contained within a landscape 'bowl'. While development has crept up the slopes, with some exceptions the ridges of that bowl remain open. When combined with the way the rivers and their valleys penetrate into the city this ensures there remains a close interrelationship between Town and Country and green backdrop to the urban form.
The bowl is therefore identified as a significant landscape feature worth retaining to protect the character of the city. The study identified the landscape with the greatest scope to absorb development as that south of the new A390 along the Highertown corridor.
• Previously developed land ("Brownfield sites") National and local policy requires authorities to identify previously developed land ("Brownfield Sites") where possible and accessible before developing greenfield locations. An Urban Capacity Study was undertaken in 2000 which identified the larger opportunities for such "brownfield development". In Truro this study identified limited opportunities for brownfield development with the major site being the former city hospital which is currently being developed in
37 large part for housing. If the identified level of housing is to be met therefore it will involve significant greenfield expansion of the city. • Concentration versus scatter The level of development proposed will have a significant impact and demands upon the infrastructure of the city. The most effective method of providing for that infrastructure in general is to group it into larger developments. This allows for new infrastructure to be provided as part of major developments rather than impose increased pressure on existing infrastructure, which may not have the capacity to cope or extend.
• Accessibility In looking at the location of new development it is important to ensure that it is accessible to a range of facilities. This is to allow people a greater choice of mode and means of transport other than by private car, with all the resultant problems of congestion and pollution. To achieve that means trying to locate development where people are more likely to, or have a greater chance to walk/cycle or take public transport to facilities.
• Positive Planning
Another factor in determining the broad location of development is the degree to which that development can have a positive influence on its environment. Truro is a City of great quality and character. Entering from the East along Tregolls Road whilst busy, provides an attractive avenue and vista of the Cathedral. From the South the landscape again provides foreground behind which the City nestles and in views from the direction of Shortlanesend there is a clear break in character between the Town and Country, with the church at Kenwyn providing one of the key landmarks of the City from the river and elsewhere. Whilst there is scope for improvement around the river and some of the developed areas of Newham, the positives generally outweigh the negatives. There is a strong sense of place and quality of spaces.
The weakest entry and area of townscape has developed, often in a piecemeal way along the western portion of the City from New County Hall to Threemilestone. Whilst actually absorbing similar levels of traffic to Tregolls Road it has a very different character. The area is dominated by the road developed along a ridge. The relationship between the developed areas and adjoining countryside is often poor with very hard edges, which do not relate
38 well to their location. As an entrance to Truro, the corridor has the greatest scope for improvement visually but also in terms of need because of congestion and the impact of the road upon the quality of life of residents.
• Key Workers With the growth in house prices the issue of affordable housing has risen to the point of crisis. An element of that need comes from groups essential to the community whose recruitment and retention is made more difficult or critical by house prices. The largest group of ‘key workers’ within Carrick belong to the health service. In identifying additional housing therefore there is a need to take account of the degree to which this need can be catered for close to that centre of employment. The Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, with over 3,000 employees is the single biggest employer in the District and the greatest focus of need for key worker housing. With the greatest congestion in Truro occurring at peak hours there is logic in identifying sites which can provide a particular focus for key workers near to the hospital at Treliske. This improves the opportunity for those workers to walk or cycle to their place of work and reduces the likely growth in congestion on that corridor at peak times.
4.9 An assessment of accessibility of various growth options has been undertaken on two levels :
1. Access to key traffic generators Whilst major new developments can provide for new infrastructure, such as local shops, primary schools or local medical facilities, the location and focus of employment, retailing and secondary schools is less likely to change. With congestion increasing at commuting times it is of particular importance that sustainable access is provided through careful concentration of residential development close to employment areas.
2. Access of sites to local facilities The main providers of employment and services in Truro are concentrated in two areas, the city centre (40% of employment) and the Highertown Corridor, from County Hall to the Threemilestone Industrial Estate (40% employment).
In developing a strategy to maximise accessibility, assessment has focused upon the ability to access both areas by a range of travel modes (walking,
39 cycling, public transport and car). Truro is a compact city which adds to the attraction of walking as a mode. This is reflected in data which shows it as the most significant form of travel after the car. However, the likelihood of people choosing to walk is affected by a range of factors key amongst which are distance and topography. As Truro has developed, the distances to the centre have grown and the topography, slope become less attractive for walking.
Once walk distances of 15-20 minutes are passed, with the additional problems of the slopes it is less likely that people will choose to walk and greater chance of using the car or other modes. The next major alternative mode to the car is public transport. The best way to provide a high quality public transport service is to focus it upon key corridors. This allows you to increase the frequency of buses serving an area compared with dispersing services across a range of routes. The best existing public transport corridor in Truro is from the city centre via the Station, County Hall and along Highertown. This currently has 10 buses per hour travelling the same route. In addition to this Park and Ride buses will be using the same corridor.
4.10 On this basis therefore the strategy devised is to focus growth in walking distance of the centre and/or access to the key public transport corridor along Highertown and ideally with reasonable vehicular access to both locations. The strategy therefore is a direction of growth to the south and west of the city to give the greatest positive opportunity to access both main areas of employment and services in the city.
Proposed Locational Strategy for Housing in Truro and Threemilestone
4.11 Bringing together these factors, the strategy focuses upon new housing development as part of an integrated expansion of Truro. The direction of the expansion is to be focused to the South and West of the City to provide maximum opportunity for access to both the services and employers of the City centre and the Highertown corridor.
4.12 In taking forward this approach it is critical that the proposals are closely integrated with improvements in infrastructure and developed in a way that
40 improves facilities and creates mixed developments to allow the development of communities rather than just housing estates.
Preferred options for housing growth
4.13 The proposals map shows the preferred options and supplementary options for development of a sustainable urban extension to the south and west of Truro. The sites should not be viewed as individual areas but as elements of an overall package that will create an overall vision for the City. Options that have not been supported at this time are contained within appendix A.
Highertown
• The Highertown area of the city has developed in a piecemeal fashion since the 1930’s and whilst it forms a part of the wider city it currently feels like an urban sprawl on the western edge of Truro, stretching out along the A390. • Highertown and the wider area (referred to as the Highertown corridor) lies on a strategic route into the city from the west and is particularly congested with a need for improved traffic management as part of the overall framework for the City. • Housing development on the corridor is impermeable suffering from a series of cul-de-sacs with little or no linkage between them and putting even greater pressure on the A390, as residents are required to travel back to the A390 to make any journeys within the area. • To provide effective capacity on the A390 and to give improved bus priority related to park and ride additional road capacity is required. Improvement to traffic movement is essential to allow further development on this corridor, which is close to key employers.
Preferred Option H3: Highertown and Gloweth Corridor To develop an urban extension grouping sites to the North and South of the A390 to strengthen existing neighbourhoods and build a distinctive and cohesive place.
• The Highertown and Gloweth corridor comprises a range of sites to the south of the A390 running between the current Richard Lander School site and the new Richard Lander School site. To the North of the A390 sites comprise land running between Willow Green Farm and Treliske Hospital. The sites are shown on the proposals map.
41 • The aim of the urban extension strategy is to provide a series of focal points, improve facilities and improve linkages along the corridor. • This is an opportunity to make the disparate bits of development function as a sustainable place on its own right. To do this the settlements must have a clear and distinct identity and character.
Key Principles • The form, extent and design of the development should respond positively to the existing landscape and settlement pattern. • The ridge top character of the existing settlements, aspects, topography, slope and vegetation are all key considerations in creating a strong urban framework. • Institutional and employment uses with larger floorplate buildings will be focused on the flatter plateau top to the north of the A390 with high quality residential developments on the slopes, particularly to the South of the A390. • The existing Richard Lander site contains areas of existing playing fields, which may have a significant role in meeting wider community needs. • The creation of an improved environment and major public transport corridor along the A390 as a focus for the existing and new development coupled with the provision of new roads to the North and South of the corridor to provide the capacity to realise the vision, provided through contributions from all new development in accordance with Policy CP4 of the Core Strategy; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • A high quality development that contributes significantly to the distinctiveness of Truro and the local vernacular; • The development of a network of local centres that meet the day to day shopping needs of the proposed new communities; • Improved access from the Maidengreen roundabout into the Treliske Industrial Estate and Hospital at Oak Lane and to the West of the existing Maidengreen roundabout to provide improved access to the hospital and reducing pressure upon the existing Treliske roundabout junction. The roads will also provide the capacity needed to further develop a Medical Science Park that builds upon the success of the Peninsula Medical School at Treliske. • To the South of the A390 a new road extending from the new Richard Lander School along the valley to the South to Arch Hill. This is required to improved
42 access for public transport and park and ride services by reducing the need to use the existing Highertown Corridor and to access new development. • Current housing and commercial developments in the Highertown Corridor are highly impermeable to foot and public transport movements – all new development will be required to link through to and make connections between existing residential and commercial areas. The masterplan will identify the route of a new bus lane through the sites to the south of the A390. • The area to the South of the A390, with its South facing slopes provides a particular focus for residential development with associated local community facilities. • To the North of the A390 Treliske Industrial Estate provides an opportunity for a mixed use redevelopment to give a visual enhancement but with the focus remaining upon meeting the needs of the hospital, Truro College and a Medical Science Park both now and in the longer term. This will include the provision of a focus of key worker and student accommodation and employment provision in particular to the Medical Science Park (see Preferred Option AC3) to meet the growing needs of the hospital and Truro College.
Preferred Option H3a: Former Richard Lander School/Dudman Farm The site comprises the former Richard Lander School site, Dudman Farm and land to the south and west and is shown on the proposals map. Key principles of development to develop an integrated scheme for housing, community and commercial facilities proposals will include: • Mixed development with a predominantly residential focus; • Development that integrates with and strengthens existing neighbourhoods and builds a distinctive and cohesive place; • Development linking to the proposed southern distributor road; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy - maximising the use of south facing slopes; • A high quality development that contributes significantly to the distinctiveness of Truro and the local vernacular; • Retention of key public open space and recreational facilities to serve the needs of the new community and surrounding residential areas.
4.14 Higher Besore comprises an area of land enclosed in a small valley to the south of the new Richard Lander School. The area is visually discrete from
43 views to the south of the city and would be bisected by the new road proposed to the South of the A390. Access to the new school, whilst up a significant slope, would be good. However the distance from the A390 and topography of the land make access to the main public transport and employment corridor less attractive for pedestrian links and requires the provision of a local centre to meet the needs of the residents.
Preferred Option H3b: Higher Besore (land below the new Richard Lander)
To provide a mixed use development with a predominant residential focus on the linking to the proposed southern distributor road. Development should build a distinctive and cohesive place. closely linked to the new Richard Lander Secondary School. The development should be contained within the small valley to the south of the new school and north of the ridge that runs along the lane between Threemilestone and Newbridge Lane to limit the visual impact to the south. The site comprises land to the south of the new Richard Lander School site and is shown on the proposals map. Key principles of development will include: • Mixed development with a predominantly residential focus; • Development linking to the proposed southern distributor road, the new Richard Lander School and the proposed new primary school to the west of the Newbridge lane; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • A high quality development that builds a distinctive and cohesive place and contributes significantly to the distinctiveness of Truro and the local vernacular; • The provision of a local centre within the development to meet the day to day shopping needs of the community.
4.15 Willow Green comprises an area of land to the North of Threemilestone and the A390 stretching from the Tregavethan roundabout in the west to Maiden Green in the east. The land generally falls away to the North although there is a complex of smaller valley forms within the site. Whilst the site is located immediately to the north of Threemilestone links are currently poor and the A390 carriageway divorces the site from the village and its facilities. Key challenges for the site will be to create meaningful connections between the site and Threemilestone and to create development that respects the topography and
44 landscape of the site. Connections will also be important to the redeveloped Treliske Estate and Treliske Hospital.
Preferred Option H3c: Langarth (North Threemilestone)
The site is shown on the proposals map. Key principles of development to develop an integrated scheme for housing, community and commercial facilities proposals will include: • Development using the contours of the site and providing significant areas of open space to retain the rural transition between the site and the surrounding countryside respecting its characteristics and topography; • Mixed development to include residential, office development related to Royal Cornwall Hospital needs and residential uses with a particular focus upon key worker housing; • Development that respects and reflects the topography of the area; • Development that integrates with and strengthens existing neighbourhoods and builds a distinctive and cohesive place; • Highway and footpath linkages to Threemilestone village and the land to the rear of the Treliske Industrial Estate; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • A high quality development that contributes significantly to the distinctiveness of Truro and the local vernacular; • Improvements to the landscaping of the dual carriageway corridor to provide an improved 'entrance' to the Highertown area; • development of the highest possible quality on the land adjacent to the Tregavethan roundabout to enhance the gateway.
The Treliske Industrial Estate site is covered by an area of change under Preferred Option AC3.
Higher Newham
• This site provides an opportunity for a significant planned extension to the South of the City. • The site presents a challenge in terms of its landscape impact. Higher Newham provides part of the green backdrop to the City and river when viewed from the around and in Truro.
45 • To the South of Higher Newham, Calenick Creek is a quiet rural area, which is designated as Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) of national importance. • Retaining the green foreground and backdrop to the City involves placing more development to the South with a greater impact on the rural valley and AONB. • To reduce the impact upon the rural valley to the South involves a greater impact upon the setting of the City and the 'bowl' of Truro. • However the site is geographically close to the City centre with scope to assist in the revitalisation of parts of Newham industrial estate and Truro's Waterfront, and is large enough to provide for a significant elements of its own local infrastructure such as schools and community facilities. • There is scope as part of any development to retain the higher land on the site as open space to preserve the background to the city.
Preferred Option H4: Higher Newham The site is shown on the proposals map. Key principles of development to develop an integrated scheme for housing and community/retail facilities proposals will include: • Development using the contours of the site and providing an open area of parkland at the higher contours to retain the green background to the city; • Mixed development to include commercial, retail (as set out) and residential uses; • A new primary school; • A new access road providing a distributor road around the South of the site allowing for improvements to the Arch Hill junction and Newham Industrial Estate access plus an opportunity to link into a proposed new road to the South of Green Lane, Treyew Road and Highertown; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • A high quality development that contributes significantly to the distinctiveness of Truro and the local vernacular; • The opportunity to relocate the existing Tesco food store at Garras Wharf and other retail units into the entrance of the Higher Newham site. This would allow appropriate expansion of the food store and redevelopment of the existing site to provide a stronger Waterfront destination for the City of Truro. Subject to a detailed assessment of the impact of the relocation upon the vitality and viability of the city centre.
46 Tolgarrick (land South/West of Green Lane)
4.16 This is an area of greenfield land sloping to the South and West of Green Lane and Treyew Road down to the former Newham branchline. The land forms part of the setting for areas such as New County Hall and a green outlook form Green Lane itself. As the land rolls down from the ridge its landscape character is rural and relating more to the Nansavallen Valley.
• The volume of traffic and topography of the site forms a barrier to easy pedestrian movement across Green Lane and consequently ease of access to the city centre and other facilities by foot • Traffic census information suggests that 50% of vehicles approaching Truro from the South of the City are travelling to the Highertown/County Hall direction. • A new strategic route from the bottom of Arch Hill in the South of the site linking to the southern distributor road could reduce pressure on the Arch Hill junction at the top of Falmouth Road and combined with the proposal for Higher Newham reduce the flows of traffic along Green Lane allowing for its improved management and greater pedestrian permeability. • The route would also provide part of a wider piece of road capacity, running from the new Richard Lander School, south of the A390 to Morlaix Avenue. This in turn provides additional road capacity to assist in the implementation of a park and ride based traffic management system for the City assisting in improving bus priority along the existing A390.
Preferred Option H5: Tolgarrick The site is shown on the proposals map. Key principles of development to develop an integrated scheme for housing and community/retail facilities proposals will include: • Development using the contours of the site and retaining significant open areas to the south to retain a green foreground to the city; • A new distributor road to the South of the site allowing for improvements to Green Lane to encourage access and a high degree of permeability into the wider city; • Footpath and cycle linkages to the Higher Newham site; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • A high quality development that contributes significantly to the distinctiveness of Truro and the local vernacular;
47
Long term Option – Area of search 2016 - 2026
Golf Course and land to the North of Golf Course/Kenwyn Valley
4.17 Proposal of this development would require either the relocation of the Golf Course and or its redevelopment to the rear of the existing site to promote a championship level course to overcome deficiencies in the current facility, the provision of a new road route to the North of the Golf Course from the proposed new route to the North of Treliske. Whilst the site has the advantage of providing close proximity to Truro via St Georges Road and Coosebean Valley the uncertainty of the relocation of the golf course means that if such a proposal is supported it would be unlikely to be brought forward by 2016, but has the potential to play a role in the longer term. The site offers the opportunity to allow for appropriate expansion of the hospital and related uses to the east with a potential new access into the site to reduce congestion. Two alternative sites offer the potential to provide a relocated golf course: • Land at Polwhele surrounding Polwhele School; • Land to the East of Penmount Crematorium; and • Land to the north and west of the Tregavethan (Threemilestone) roundabout.
4.18 Each offer an opportunity to create a championship style golf course plus there are the options to extend the course north or leave it as in its current form. Of the alternatives, the land to the north and west of Tregavethan roundabout offers an opportunity to bolster a potential sports hub and provide a green setting to the entrance to the city.
Preferred Option H6: Truro Golf Course
To consider the use of the golf course site post 2016 for the creation of a mixed use development with significant areas of open space to the rear and on the site of the existing Truro golf course. Such a proposal will only be possible with the re-provision of an enhanced golf course facility in close proximity of the city. The development of the site must ensure a sensitive treatment of the setting of the Kenwyn Valley and the Highertown corridor and prevent conflict with the role of the Coosebean Valley and land to North of Malabar in providing an informal recreational outlet green link for the wider city.
48 Employment
5
Employment Sites 5.1 The local economy is heavily biased towards the city’s service function, with retail, business, finance, professional services and public administration all major employers. Health and social work is the single largest employer reflecting the importance of Treliske Hospital.
5.2 Truro has a strong centre of secondary and tertiary education and is particularly developing its higher education and vocational training role through Truro College and the Peninsular Medical School. Whilst the city offers 22,000 jobs, there are only 9,500 economically active residents in the city which creates commuting (14,000 people daily commute into Truro) and associated congestion.
5.3 Forecasts developed as part of the Regional Spatial Strategy suggest that employment in the Truro Travel to Work Area (TTWA) is likely to increase by between 7,700 and 9,300 jobs by 2026 (25 – 26%). Distribution, education and health services, printing and publishing are expected to be the most dynamic sectors over the next 20 years in the local economy.
Key issues for the success of the Truro economy are:
• Achieving a sustainable balance of growth with complimentary towns; • Meeting skills gaps; • Maintaining the momentum of developments in health and education and ‘spinning out’ the benefits of that through research and development, incubation and commercial development; • Supporting the growth in office based service sectors through ICT, premises and other infrastructure.
5.4 Surveys undertaken of office business in 2003 as part of the development of the office strategy for the city highlighted the most significant concerns of the sector as access and parking. Major advantages were listed as quality of the services and the environment.
49 5.5 In planning for the future there are a range of often conflicting pressures to resolve. Truro is successful and has an important role to play in supporting continued economic growth both as a city and as a key element of mid and west Cornwall.
5.6 The relationship with adjoining towns is therefore critical both in terms of commuting and economic complimentarity. It is important to continue to build upon the strengths of the city and support economic growth without encouraging unsustainable further imbalance between jobs and employees. It is therefore proposed to approach the growth with a strategy of targeted expansion. However, and particularly in the sectors in which Truro is successful, economic growth and improvements in productivity do not necessarily have to relate to physical expansion.
Preferred Option E1: Location of new employment uses The preferred approach for Truro is targeted expansion of existing sites focussed on key sectors and regeneration of key brownfield sites and organic growth of existing areas.
Newham Industrial Estate • Current uses on the Newham Estate include large elements of storage providing little employment benefit for a site close to the centre of the City. • The area shown on the proposals map provides a good location for continued development for employment and a focused regeneration of the area with greater office and commercial development. • The southern area of the estate provides key access to the water and therefore this land is a limited resource. The parts of the area close to the port and waterfront should remain protected to ensure water access in the future and employment uses that are locationally bound to the maritime environment.
Preferred Option E2: Newham Industrial Estate Within the area shown on the proposals map the council will support the redevelopment of Newham Industrial for B1 (offices) and high quality employment space subject to the following principles:
50 • New development contribute through improved layout, design of building, density of use and landscaping to the site and its surroundings; • Increase the employment use of the site; • Appropriate parking provision and access can be made; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • That the use proposed is compatible with adjoining uses The areas adjoining the river and port area as shown on the proposals map will be safeguarded for marine related uses to support the development of the port.
• If the preferred option for the residential and commercial development of the adjoining Higher Newham site is accepted, an opportunity will arise for the creation of a new access to the southern area of the Newham Industrial Estate and port of Truro which should be incorporated into any scheme for the Higher Newham site. • The residential development of the Higher Newham site could also allow for a limited expansion of the Newham Industrial Estate for employment space which could co locate with residential where uses are appropriate and through the promotion of ‘live work’ schemes buffering employment areas as they merge into residential.
City Centre Sites • The city centre is still the preferred location for office and commercial premises for many businesses and is highly accessible by public transport. • Commercial and office uses within the city play a major role in supporting the economy of the city centre through employment, inward investment, employees supporting services and retail and through attracting visitors to the centre. • Proposals for major redevelopments in the City centre provide an opportunity for developing a sustainable mix of uses. This should include business/office use to assist in the provision of employment space and strengthen the mix of uses in the City centre.
Preferred Option E3: City Centre office growth Outside of the primary shopping area employment and office uses will be encouraged in the city centre where they would be compatible with adjacent uses
51 and contribute to the vitality and viability of the city. Major redevelopment within the city centre should include an appropriate provision for offices or related employment.
• The presence of city centre office uses is a significant contribution to the vitality and viability of the city centre. • There are many offices within the city centre that have been converted from residential properties in peripheral locations. There is now considerable pressure to see these buildings converted back into residential use due to the buoyant property market or to retail use.
Preferred Option E4: Safeguarding Office Uses in the City Centre Within the Office Protection Areas shown on the proposals map, office and commercial uses will be safeguarded. Outside of those areas, but within the city centre as defined on the proposals map, proposals involving the loss of office and commercial uses will not be permitted unless the proposed use would be more appropriate development or make a greater contribution to the vitality and viability of the city centre.
New and Old County Hall and Truro Football Club • The area around County Hall provides one of the larger focuses of office accommodation outside of the city centre. Whilst primarily public sector, there is scope for expansion and intensification within and around the New County Hall and Old County Hall sites, subject to a sensitive design approach that recognises the Listed status of both buildings. • The area is located within reasonable walking distance of the rail station and is close to the route of the proposed park and ride service from sites in the east and west of the city.
Preferred Option E5: New County Hall and Old County Hall On the areas shown on the proposals map the council will support the provision of additional office development subject to the following principles: • High quality development that contributes through improved layout, design of building, density of use and landscaping to the site and its surroundings; • That development protects or enhances the setting, character and appearance of Listed Buildings on the sites;
52 • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • Appropriate parking provision and access can be made
• Proposals have been advanced regarding the provision of a shared stadium facility for Truro which, if progressed, would result in the relocation of the Truro Football Club which currently adjoins the new county hall site. This site also offers an opportunity to further increase office employment in the locality.
• Subject to adequate alternative provision of sports facilities the existing Truro football club could be redeveloped for a mixture of office/leisure/hotel uses.
Preferred Option E6: Truro Football Club site On the areas shown on the proposals map the council will support the provision of a mixed use development of office, leisure and hotel uses subject to the following principles: • High Quality design and layout of buildings, spaces and landscaping; • A mix of uses incorporating office, leisure and hotel uses; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • That appropriate parking provision and access can be made; • Relocation of the Truro Football Club; • The provision of new local recreational facilities on the current open space allocation.
Threemilestone • The existing Threemilestone Industrial Estate has developed over a number of years and suffers from a number of phases of growth without a cohesive and planned layout. • A range of uses has developed from offices to distribution attracted by free parking and the position of the estate close to the A30. In recent times the proportion of offices on the estate has increased with a resultant loss of industrial focus. • The site is poorly related to the proposed park and ride and to existing rail links and therefore the continued growth of office development of the site would be
53 contrary to the Council’s overriding aims of sustainability and concentration of office and other employment uses in locations well served by public transport. • This suggests that industrial development should remain the focus of the estate, avoiding further office development. To provide for this increased focus on industrial uses limited expansion to the west of the existing site will be required.
Preferred Option E7: Threemilestone Industrial Estate The Council propose the expansion of the industrial estate to the west subject to the following principles: • Good quality design and layout of buildings and spaces; • A planned approach to infrastructure and strategic landscaping, taking account of current topography and landscape features; • Uses limited to industrial and employment uses with only ancillary sales and offices; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • The provision of a new access to the Industrial Estate and improvement works to the existing infrastructure and the provision of appropriate parking provision.
Development within residential areas • The plan proposes significant residential development, but with an aspiration to create communities rather than housing estates. • To avoid bland housing development and support greater opportunities for sustainability, larger developments will be expected to include a mix of uses including local facilities and employment provision.
Preferred Option E8: Employment on residential sites As part of the creation of sustainable communities, sites of 300 dwellings and above or other significant development will be required to include a range of local facilities and a mix of uses including employment space. This may include a foci of live/work units or office development in locations accessible to range of travel modes.
54
Infrastructure
6 Highways Infrastructure
6.1 Truro is the primary retail, commercial and administrative centre for Cornwall, which makes it highly attractive for private investment. There is a significant mismatch between the number of jobs in the City and the number of people living there, with an inward migration of 14,000 workers into the City. This level of commuter inflow, combined with travel to school traffic leads to congestion and pollution, which will be exacerbated if a more balanced approach to homes and jobs is not sought.
6.2 Truro is a primary area for urban growth that integrates housing, employment and transport infrastructure, alleviates congestion and includes transport links with the other urban centres in Cornwall in a planned way. Key developments planned in Truro are the latest phase of the Peninsula Medical School / Knowledge Spa and the expansion of Truro College as part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC).
6.3 Encouraging sustainable transport modes for those people travelling into Truro for education, health and leisure is as important as addressing the travel to work movements. The County Council, in partnership with Carrick District Council, has devised an integrated land use and transport strategy for Truro, which aims to address the planned development of Truro as a sub-regional centre and its transport problems up to 2016 and beyond. The transport strategy includes a package of measures to increase travel choice; manage and enhance the network capacity; and change travel behaviour.
6.4 Strategic measures such as park-and-ride provision over two sites, together with a ‘development led’ new local distributor road are seen as playing a key role in intercepting trips on the main routes into the City, accessing major new housing and community areas and providing relief to the congested A390 western corridor during peak periods.
55
Park and Ride • Much of the congestion suffered by Truro and the highway network that serves it is as a direct result of commuter traffic movements at peak times. • The use of the city centre for parking by commuters also has the effect of reducing the ability of city centre car parks to cater for short stay shopper and visitor car parking. • A situation where valuable city centre land is being used for the parking of vehicles for long periods of time (between 2 and 6 hours +) is not making best use of the car parking for the city and restricts the ability of shoppers to visit the city. • The use of car parking spaces within the city is now having a negative impact upon the economy of the city with shoppers perceiving the city centre as a congested area with limited parking opportunities. • The growing levels of congestion are in danger of making the city a place that is unattractive to investors, shoppers and visitors. • Park-and-ride sites can meet the demand for parking in town centres; accommodating commuters and long stay and seasonal visitors. Whilst park-and- ride will be available for shoppers and short term visitors, it is not expected that these people will be easily attracted. Indeed park-and-ride is targeted at long stay parking in order to free town centre space for the short stay user.
56 • The preferred sites are located outside the city centre and are an example of appropriate parking management, by reducing peak hour congestion on the approaches to the town. These sites need to have secure facilities and frequent, regular bus services.
Preferred Option IR1: Park and Ride The Council will work in partnership with the County Council to develop park and ride facilities to the East and West of the city centre as shown on the proposals map. These must be located at strategic locations to pick up incoming traffic from the east on the A39 and A390 and to the west from the A30 and A390 and developed as a package of measures to include: • The development of park and ride sites to the east and west of the city; • Creation of bus priority lanes and the carrying out of prioritisation works on Tregolls Road and the Highertown corridor to create a more efficient and continuous route for park and ride and other bus services. • Provide a route that serves large employers in the Highertown Corridor and key public transport interchanges
• Many key employers in the city, particularly in the Highertown area, experience significant parking problems. This includes the hospital, Truro College and the County Council where under-provision of parking has led to the creation of parking problems in surrounding residential streets, echoing problems in the city centre. • Whilst green travel plans have been developed for many large scale employers, the demand for private parking is still high. • This situation and much of the need to travel into the city centre by car could be largely resolved through the siting of park and ride car parks at appropriate places to the East and West of the city. • These sites must be located and designed in such a way as to encourage traffic to divert to park and ride before reaching major employers and the built up area of the city. • The preferred sites are located in strategic locations to pick up incoming traffic from the east on the A39 and A390 and to the west from the A30 and A390.
57 Rail based park and ride at Treluswell Cross • Significant numbers of commuters also use the A39 from Falmouth which causes localised congestion on this route and at the Arch Hill roundabout. • Bus based park and ride has not been pursued as an option for this route as traffic census information suggests that most of the incoming traffic is from destinations such as Falmouth, Penryn and beyond. • Options are currently being explored for the creation of a rail based park and ride route that would utilise a newly created halt at Treluswell Cross to allow rail based access to both Falmouth and Penryn and to Truro by picking up commuters from Falmouth and Helston directions earlier in their journeys. • Passengers using the rail based park and ride will be able to connect with the more flexible bus based park and ride system in Truro to access major employers and the city centre. • A rail based park and ride scheme would support the viability of proposed enhanced services on the branch line. • Clearly, it should be noted that we cannot directly deliver this facility and it would need to be developed in partnership with the rail industry. This raises major uncertainty over the project, which can only be addressed as the proposal develops over time.
Preferred Option IR2: Rail based Park and Ride (Treluswell) • The Council will proactively support the development of a rail halt with park and ride facilities at Treluswell Cross. Whilst this is a preferred option in this Area Action Plan, the site for the park and ride is contained within Kerrier District and cannot be delivered by Carrick as a lead organisation.
Medium and long term options for rail use 6.5 Rail provides a key element in the transport infrastructure of the city. The pressure for sustainable growth in the Truro area is such that the benefit provided by all non car based modes will need to be maximised. The role of the rail network and opportunities in the future for the provision of additional rail services and facilities, including park and rail facilities, is the subject of the Truro rail study. This document will provide a key steer in the development of an overall rail strategy for the City.
58 As a precaution however as these options are developed it is important that land associated with the railway network and the station area in the city is protected to ensure the longer term future and potential of the network is not compromised.
6.6 The development of infrastructure to provide additional rail capacity to allow for increased local rail services and the development of additional stations, interchange and parking facilities to serve a park and rail service is necessarily a longer-term aim for the Council recognising the costs and difficulties in delivering infrastructure in the short term.
6.7 Land at Truro station is currently safeguarded under the Carrick District-Wide Local Plan (1998). The development of a park and rail service for the city and beyond will form a medium to long term element of the sustainable growth of Truro. Some elements such as a halt associated with Threemilestone could form part of the longer term options for housing beyond 2016. Given the long timescales involved it is important that this land should be protected from loss to short term gains or ambitions. It is therefore proposed that railway land safeguarding should be carried forward to this AAP with the addition of further land potentially associated with park and rail and increasing local rail services. All existing infrastructure, including track beds and sidings will be included in this safeguarding.
Preferred Option IR3: Safeguarding of rail infrastructure The Council will safeguard existing railway infrastructure and land that may be required in the future for increasing the future capacity of railways for passenger and freight movements, including park and rail schemes (involving station provision, interchange facilities and car parking facilities). Proposals that involve the loss of railway related land or areas identified as essential for the provision of rail and related infrastructure will not be approved unless suitable and comparable alternative locations can be provided as part of that development, it is functionally essential for the development to be located by the rail network or it is proven that the land is no longer required for the purposes of park and rail.
Reducing commuter parking in the city centre 6.8 The future of park-and-ride primarily depends on making it the first choice for a significant number of users. This requires the provision of a competitively priced journey and parking package with a time advantage over the alternative of the
59 car. If park-and-ride is to be competitively priced, then the comparison between the perceived cost of the park-and-ride (the parking fee and fare) and the perceived cost of the alternative (the parking fee and the drivers view of his car costs) must be favourable. Competitive pricing may only therefore be achieved if the town centre parking cost is greater than the park-and-ride fare and fee. This implies a relatively high cost for long stay parking, and the removal of on-street long stay alternatives for commuters. This strategy is described in more detail as Preferred Option CC14 in the city centre chapter.
6.9 Within the city centre the Council will discourage the flow of commuter parking through a package of measures to reduce the ability and attractiveness for persons to use long stay car parking. Following the completion of the park and ride sites and operation of the scheme, the Council will restrict the amount of long stay parking in the centre of Truro through conversion of the majority of the existing spaces to short stay parking and the imposition of additional charges for the remaining long stay spaces.
6.10 The Council will also pursue the reduction of unrestricted on-street parking provision that would still draw commuters into the city centre and surrounding residential streets. This will be carried out in partnership with the County Council to explore the potential to obtain a popular mandate for the use of resident’s parking schemes across in residential areas surrounding the city centre. Further partnership working will be pursued to improve enforcement of illegal parking in the city centre.
Highertown Distributor Road
6.11 A distributor road is included in this document as part of the package of transport improvements for Truro and to reduce congestion on the A390 which is a key route into the city. The road will follow a route to the south of the A390 and provide a route accessing major new housing and community areas and providing relief to the congested A390 western corridor during peak periods. It is intended that the route will run to the south of proposed housing sites with access routes leading back to the new Richard Lander School site, the A390 through the former school site and through to join Green Lane with a potential extension to serve Arch Hill and Morlaix Avenue.
60 • It is not intended that this road will act as a bypass for the Highertown area, however it is calculated that it will assist in reducing pressure on the Highertown corridor during peak times. • By acting as a distributor road for the majority of proposed development sites adding further pressure to the existing A390 will be largely avoided.
Preferred Option IR4: Highertown Distributor Road The indicative route of the proposed Highertown Distributor Road is shown on the proposals map. • Development of the urban extension will be carried out in phases concurrent with the building of the Highertown Distributor Road; • All development in the urban extension will be expected to contribute towards the cost of the development of the Highertown Distributor Road. The proposed road will be funded through developer contributions and the integrated transport funding secured through the Local Transport Plan prepared by the County Council Major Scheme Bid
• Whilst a large part of the local Distributor Road will be funded through developer contributions, the level of contributions anticipated will not be sufficient to complete it. • The introduction of the second park-and-ride site and the completion of the local Distributor Road will need to be funded through a second LTP period or other sources of funding which will be bid for by the County Council.
Leisure Provision
6.12 The increase in population anticipated in Truro will result in a lack of indoor recreational facilities in the city. A facility is currently located in Gloweth offering a swimming pool complex with associated gym facilities and a shared multi- purpose sports hall. The facility is well used, but is not capable of extension due to a constrained and limited site area, there are also operational difficulties associated primarily with car parking and other issues such as access that make the current sole location difficult.
• We want to encourage the development of a much needed new indoor sports and leisure centre close to the city centre to improve access to leisure
61 facilities to those in the ‘bowl’ of Truro and those who work in the city centre and surrounding area. • We need to create extra leisure capacity for the city and encourage journeys to the facility by sustainable means of transport and especially encourage walking journeys. • The Higher Newham site potentially offers the opportunity to develop a leisure centre to serve a large walking catchment area within the city and also the new community at Higher Newham subject to the identification of sufficient need. • An additional option for the development of an alternative leisure centre is in conjunction with the shared stadium for Truro, the site of which is shown on the proposals map. • Recognising that the leisure centre currently serves the whole of the Carrick District, alternatives must be considered as to whether capacity can be created at Truro Leisure Centre through the construction of a new leisure centre at Perranporth or another location on the north coast. • Contributions will be collected from all new development in the urban extension and urban area towards a ‘leisure opportunity fund’ that will provide the new leisure centre and either re-provide or improve the facilities of the current leisure centre at Gloweth.
Preferred Option IR5: Leisure facilities The location of the existing and indicative location of the proposed leisure centres are shown on the proposals map. • Sufficient land for the laying out of a new leisure facility for Truro and future expansion will be secured through the development of the Higher Newham site or an alternative site close to the city centre; • All development within the Truro urban extension and urban area will be expected to contribute towards the cost of providing new leisure facilities and upgrading or re-providing the current facility.
A development brief will be prepared for the development of the new leisure centre and the improvement or re-provision of the existing centre. The new centre will be expected to be of the highest possible design and layout, energy efficient and capable of generating a percentage of its energy needs, capable of adaptation and extension to facilitate future growth and be accessible by a variety of means of transport.
62
Open Space/Recreation
6.13 As the city grows there is a need to ensure a matching growth in open space and recreation facilities and infrastructure. This plan identifies areas for formal open space but all new major developments will be expected to provide for their open space needs. In some developments there will be a need for further strategic open space to mitigate the impact of development upon the landscape, maintain locally important view corridors and protect areas of open space that make an important contribution to the foreground or background of Truro.
6.14 The Council have recently completed an audit of open space for the district and are preparing a green space strategy which will be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document. The audit work has led to the development of new open space provision standards for Truro recognising the characteristics and demands of the urban area and the development of a substantial urban extension to the city.
Preferred Option IR6: Open Space Requirements The district planning authority will seek to ensure that a minimum of 2.4 hectares of open space per 1000 population is provided for all housing developments with the exception of use classes c1 and c2. Where additional demand for children’s play space will be generated, developers will be required to lay out an area suitable for play by children where existing facilities are inadequate. Such areas should be designed to be secure and safe, incorporating play equipment, prevent entry by dogs, and be accessible by foot or cycle via traffic free or traffic calmed routes.
Preferred Option IR7: Strategic Open Space Strategic Open space requirements are shown on the proposals map. The provision of those areas will be required as an integral element of the development of the site of which they form a part.
6.15 In addition, there are main open space and recreation infrastructure requirements that must also be met as part of the expansion of Truro:
1. Highertown Recreation Space – The provision of a focus of community open space from the redevelopment of the existing Richard Lander School.
63 The exact amount of space required will be informed by the PPG17 audit and Greenspace Strategy for Truro which are currently being undertaken. The open space will be required by Preferred Option IR6. 2. Golf Course relocation - The existing Truro Golf Course provides a good local facility, but in terms of championship quality lacks the length and opportunity for linked training and practice facilities. If the existing course is redeveloped, the development of a championship level course, plus supporting facilities would be required. Options for relocation of the course are detailed in the supporting text for Preferred Option H5. 3. Stadium for Truro – The temporary relocation of the Pirates Rugby Club to Truro has spurred a desire to provide a more permanent facility for their future use. To support the development of Rugby in the County to premiership level requires the provision of a stadium facility. In parallel, Truro Football club are seeking to provide improved facilities for their club to meet their future aspirations. There is unlikely to be scope, need, or a realistic requirement for two stadiums in Truro, but an opportunity for a shared facility with wider community benefit. To maximise the use of such a facility there is potential to group and develop enhanced leisure facilities around the stadium to provide a sports focus for the city. 4. A new park for Truro – The development of the Higher Newham site (Preferred Option H4) would require the provision of strategic open space to retain the backdrop to the city centre. This area of land provides an opportunity to create a country park style facility for the city of Truro. 5. Truro Sports Hub – The development of the park and ride facility and a Stadium for Truro at the Tregavethan roundabout and the close proximity of Truro College offer an opportunity to create a sports hub for Truro. 6. Additional Allotment Space – As densities increase in the city the demand for allotment space has also grown. The City Council has a waiting list of between two and three years for some sites and demand is high across all wards. Demand is currently high in the built up areas of the ‘old city’ for allotment space but space is limited for new provision in these areas. A site has been identified at Treyew Farm for new allotment provision but further sites will be considered for identification within the urban extension area through the masterplanning process on sites of 50 dwellings or more as part of the open space requirements for each site.
64 Not all allotments are covered by the 1922 Allotments Act and it is important that the current stock of allotments are protected from loss. Unless evidence is produced to show that allotments are seriously underused or that there is an overriding need for a particular development, proposals for their loss will be resisted.
Preferred Option IR8: Alternative golf course development In the event that the Truro golf course is taken forward as a site for the creation of a new community a need will arise for the creation of a replacement golf course. The replacement course should respect the following principles: • that a safe means of access can be provided and the approach roads are capable of accommodating the level of traffic likely to be generated; • that any associated development such as clubhouse and car parking is of a scale and design compatible with the surrounding environment and is essential for golfing purposes; • that provision is made for a significant element of pay-as-you-play facilities; • that the development is located close to the urban area of Truro and accessible by a number of means of transport; • that the development is located outside the area of outstanding natural beauty and the best and most versatile agricultural land and would have no significant adverse impact on landscape, nature conservation, ecological, geological, historic or archaeological interests.
Preferred Option IR9: A stadium for Truro To develop a stadium to serve rugby and football requirements of the city and also as a hub for other leisure and sports developments. The stadium must be well related to the proposed park and ride facility to the west of the city to allow sharing of the facilities and to the Truro College campus to enable the development of a sports hub.
65
Key Areas of
Change
7
Truro Riverside
7.1 The waterfront is a major under-utilised asset in the city centre of Truro. Whilst it played a key part in the history of Truro, the waterfront has been neglected for several decades and was cut off from the central area of the city by the construction of Morlaix Avenue in the 1960’s. Morlaix Avenue is a major road and acts as a barrier to linkages between the city and its waterfront. Despite the proximity of the waterfront to the city centre, the overall perceived character of this area is that of ‘by-pass, superstores and the industrial estate’. Despite its historic status, it lacks any significant historical fabric and has been possibly the most altered area of the city. Roads, traffic and car parking dominate the area and it is obvious that it has been designed around car based journeys to the detriment of pedestrians.
7.2 Given the close proximity of the Truro River and the quay areas, there is little or no reference to the water or the working history of the waterfront area. The uses are not related to maritime activities and the largest stretch of water frontage is occupied by Tesco, which has no relationship with that frontage. Due to the nature of the goods being sold in the retail sheds that dominate the space, walking journeys to the waterfront are tacitly discouraged and consequently the city centre has very little relationship with the waterfront.
7.3 Early issues and options discussions with stakeholders through the development of the Truro City Centre Urban Design Strategy (2003) and through the Truro Planning and Transport Forum have identified Garras Wharf and the wider waterfront area as an area of change. The majority of stakeholders identified the need to reinvigorate the waterfront as a destination to add to the distinctiveness and ‘offer’ of the city centre.
7.4 At the time that the Truro City Centre Urban Design Strategy was prepared it was considered unlikely that Tesco would relocate from Garras Wharf in the short to medium term. This has changed with the expression by Tesco of their
66 desire to expand and relocate from Garras Wharf, potentially in conjunction with development of the Higher Newham site. This may allow opportunities in the medium to long term for change on Garras Wharf, however it does raise questions about the role of Tesco in supporting the city centre and linked shopping trips and the impact upon the city centre shopping offer of allowing the store to expand and move further away from the city centre.
7.5 The implementation of a park and ride scheme would potentially also allow the redevelopment of the car parking area on Garras Wharf. The waterfront provides a potential area of change and a major opportunity to reconnect a historically important area back into the city.
Pedestrian linkages
7.6 The area is currently dominated by motor vehicles either through the large surface parking areas or the intrusive networks of roads that run through the site. The main barrier to pedestrian use however is Morlaix Avenue. Whilst a subway is provided to segregate pedestrians from traffic, it is currently unwelcoming and perceived as unsafe and threatening. In order to make the waterfront an appealing and sustainable area it is vital that redevelopment provides the following:
• The provision of a welcoming and safe means of pedestrian access between the waterfront area and Lemon Quay and the wider city. This could be achieved through the provision of a surface level crossing to the waterfront or a re-engineered subway that allows clear lines of sight and equal access for mobility impaired persons; • The creation of a pedestrian friendly and pedestrian led environment within the site; • Linkages to Malpas Road, where appropriate, to create easy access for all; and • Resolution of conflict between vehicles using the Newham area and pedestrians using the redeveloped site.
A new waterfront destination
7.7 It is essential that any redevelopment of the Garras Wharf site utilises the full potential of the site and reconnects the waterfront to the city centre.
67 Development will be expected to maximise the potential of the site as a leisure destination for the city whilst paying regard to the historic function of the site and the importance of providing access to the river. To avoid the current problems of the lack of vitality on the site a key factor in attracting pedestrians from the city centre the site must be developed with a mix of uses.
Potential uses
7.8 There are a number of potential uses that could be accommodated within the waterfront area. Given the close proximity of the site to the city centre, public transport, a large residential population and the limited supply of leisure uses within the city centre, it is considered that any redevelopment should be leisure led. Elements of retail use will be assessed against the likely impact upon the city centre and the proposed retail led redevelopment of the Pydar Street site.
7.9 Residential development to add vitality and enable redevelopment will also be encouraged at an appropriate scale, along with office uses at upper levels. Ground floor spaces should have active uses such as leisure uses and food and drink outlets as well as specialist retail. The incorporation of maritime uses will be important to any scheme to reinforce the character of the destination and could be linked to the provision of a small marina at the head of the river through the use of a half tide sill.
Preferred option AC1: The Garras Wharf redevelopment site Key principles of development to be secured through the planning process and appropriate conditions and/or legal agreement will include: • A high quality development that contributes significantly to the leisure offer and the distinctiveness of the city centre and integrates well with the existing centre, the historic character of the city and the scale of development surrounding the site; • Development that addresses the water front of Truro, enables public access to the river and makes the site a water front destination; • Mixed development to include leisure, commercial and residential uses; • Provision of adequate car parking to include re-provision of the current parking provision; • Provision of on and off-site highway improvements including improvements to pedestrian routes into and surrounding the site, particularly between the site and
68 Lemon Quay to integrate the development with the city centre and resolution of access to the site and to the Newham Industrial Estate; • A high degree of permeability both within the site and with the city centre; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • Provision of a half tide sill and marina.
Town Quay and Worth Quay
7.10 These spaces share the same problems as Garras Wharf and it is proposed that these Quays should also be redeveloped as part of a revitalisation of the waterfront area. Due to poor pedestrian links to these spaces and the small sizes of the sites it is not proposed that major redevelopment should take place on either quay in advance of the redevelopment of Garras Wharf. Development on Worth Quay should consist of low intensity maritime based activity, including the provision of enhanced ferry landing stages to compliment the existing ferry services provided from the quay at high tide. Town Quay offers greater scope for redevelopment if accompanied by public realm works and the provision of a foot link to Garras Wharf. Any redevelopment of Town Quay should be accompanied by works to enhance the pedestrian environment and links between the quays, Garras Wharf and Lemon Quay.
Threemilestone Village Centre
7.11 The village of Threemilestone has experienced intense growth and development in the past fifty years growing from a small cluster of houses to a village with a population exceeding 3000. The village started life as a small cluster of buildings forming a linear settlement around farms and the A390. Early phases of development in the 1950’s provided local authority housing and set a broad direction of growth for the village. Large scale developments continued in the following decades and most noticeably in the 1970’s and 80’s with the addition of large scale housing estates. Growth continues today with the expansion of the major industrial estate to the west of the village and the construction of the new Richard Lander School.
• The rapid growth experienced by Threemilestone has allowed the village to continue to support a good range of local shops and services.
69 • Despite the construction of a bypass in the late 70’s, the village still attracts a large amount of passing trade which helps to support the village. However, much of the central area of the village is still road and traffic dominated which detracts from the amenities. • The village centre also retains a number of less appropriate uses for a settlement of this size including a large and dominant car sales garage and a complex of industrial units known as Victoria Mills. • Wards Garage and Victoria Mills are out of scale with the remainder of the centre and detract from its appearance. In the case of the garage, the use of the site is land hungry and adds little to the vitality and viability of the centre. Both are likely to become available for redevelopment in the near future. • A further site ‘Christine’s shop’ is also available for redevelopment and would be available for redevelopment in conjunction with the adjacent Victoria Mills Site.
Options for redevelopment • During March and April 2006 a ‘Planning for Real’ event and prioritisation were carried out in the village to identify issues for the area of change. • The majority of comments centred around traffic issues in the central area and particularly parking problems caused by inadequate numbers of spaces, poor enforcement, and a growing trend for commuters to leave cars in the village centre and surrounding streets and commute to work places to avoid city centre parking charges. • Many respondents identified a need and a desire for further community facilities in the centre of the village such as a community café and public open space. • There are clearly opportunities to work in partnership with the County Council to achieve the rationalisation of the road layout in the village centre to improve the public realm and increase the amount of space available for more beneficial uses.
Preferred option AC2: Threemilestone Village Centre Redevelopment of sites within the area of change shown on the proposals map to provide a mix of improved parking facilities, community uses, public open space and residential development will be supported subject to the following principles:
70 • High quality development that contributes significantly to the scale of development surrounding the site and the appearance of the village centre; • The creation of good quality public open space; • Mixed development to include community, commercial and residential uses; • The provision of or contributions to on-site community uses; • Provision of adequate car parking to include re-provision or improvements to the layout and availability of the current parking provision; • Provision of highway improvements in the village centre including rationalisation of the highway layout and improvement to pedestrian routes, including links to residential development at Langarth.
Treliske 7.12 Treliske Hospital and the Treliske Industrial Estate/Retail park lie at the heart of the Highertown and Gloweth area. Both have grown rapidly over the past decades and in particularly in the case of the industrial estate, lack a clear focus and coherent layout. Since the late 1990’s the estate has taken on a more retail based focus with the development of the retail park and more recently the Vospers car sales centre. The layout and mix of uses does is not altogether successful and the estate would benefit from refocusing and extension. The hospital site lies immediately to the East of the estate and suffers from a lack of space for expansion and a poor layout.
• The Royal Cornwall Hospital is the largest single employer in Truro and with the development of the Peninsula Medical School at Treliske, there is an opportunity to build upon this facility with the provision of related employment space. • There would be significant benefits as a result of a ‘Medical Science Park’ developing in close proximity to the hospital and the Peninsula Medical School. • The Treliske Industrial Estate lies immediately adjoining the hospital but is increasingly dominated by wholesale and retail uses and lacks a coherent layout. • The extension of and gradual redevelopment of the existing industrial estate could provide for both hospital expansion and high quality space to compliment the Medical Science Park.
71 • In the longer term the area should be redesigned as part of a mixed use scheme to provide a quality employment area linked closely to key worker and other community uses and integrated with improved transport infrastructure.
Truro College expansion • Truro College continues to grow both physically and also in importance for Truro. • Whilst the college has recently completed an expansion of the campus, it is known that further expansion will be required as the facility grows. It is therefore essential that land is identified close to the existing campus and close to any planned student accommodation to focus growth in one location. • The most logical location for expansion is within the redeveloped Treliske Industrial Estate.
Preferred Option AC3: Treliske Industrial Estate Within the area shown on the proposals map the council will support the provision of a mixed use development of a medical science park, key worker and student accommodation, small scale retail redevelopment and hospital expansion subject to the following principles: • High Quality design and layout of buildings, spaces and landscaping; • A highly permeable layout that better links the development to the surrounding area; • Incorporation of sustainable forms of construction, energy conservation measures and renewable energy; • Improved access between the site and the A390 and Treliske Hospital; • That appropriate parking provision and access can be made; • Retail redevelopment as a minor element to act as a district centre adjacent to A390.
Truro college expansion
Within the Treliske Industrial Estate as shown on the proposals map, space will be made available for the expansion of Truro College. Such development will be closely linked to student accommodation and retain a clear relationship with the main campus of the college.
72 Development Principles
8 S ustainable construction
8.1 It is essential that new development minimises its impact. The Council firmly believes that wherever possible the needs of development should be met within its own footprint. This means that wherever possible the drainage, water and energy requirements of development should be integrated into and dealt with on- site.
8.2 Whilst the following principles are supported by policy in the emerging planning policy document, they are key to the successful development of the new communities in Truro.
Water reuse and drainage
8.3 Both land to the north and south of the A390 is contained within ‘problem drainage catchments’. All surface water drainage should therefore wherever possible be dealt with on site. A comprehensive approach to the control of surface water will be required from the extension of the City.
8.4 This will involve the use of sustainable urban drainage systems to ensure at least a 1 in a 100 year flood protection for communities downstream and improved water quality/reduced stream erosion. All development will be expected to minimise the amount of surface water drainage produced through rainwater harvesting and grey water recycling.
Sustainable urban drainage and water reuse New developments will be expected to adhere to the principles of sustainable urban drainage and incorporate water recycling features that minimise the impact of development upon the drainage regime of the river catchment.
73 Biodiversity
8.5 Biodiversity is a key consideration in any planned development for the city. It is particularly important to retain and increase biodiversity with development of greenfield sites. As such all developments will be expected to fully integrate and increase biodiversity on site. In addition to requirements in terms of the detail of development, the Area Action Plan also seeks to identify wildlife corridors, which act as links between areas of biodiversity. These areas have been identified by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust for the Council and include valleys and areas of larger gardens/woodlands as shown on the proposals map.
Biodiversity New developments will be expected to provide a net increase in biodiversity through the creation of new habitats and the retention of key elements and wildlife corridors.
Energy Efficiency and Renewables
8.6 Sustainability must be at the heart of any new development. In particular the council is committed to ensuring that the urban extension to Truro is sustainable and makes a genuine contribution to meeting its own energy needs. The design of new housing, commercial development and community facilities should incorporate significant features of energy efficient design and renewable energy. Developments will be expected to meet at least 15% of their energy needs through on-site generation.
8.7 The focus of significant new housing development is the Highertown corridor, a linear area with the majority of development planned for south facing slopes which would favour renewables. The Council will expect maximum use to be made of solar gain, particularly on south facing slopes. A completely new planned development also provides an opportunity to include ground heat energy exchange.
8.8 The Highertown corridor also contains major employers, and energy users such as the hospital and the leisure centre, which combined with significant areas of new housing, provide an opportunity to consider the scope for combined heat and power. The exact nature of the CHP plant and the network that it will serve will be determined through the master planning process.
74 8.9 Developments will be expected to aspire to the objective of being carbon neutral through a combination of good design, energy efficiency and use of renewables.
8.10 The Council also recognises that existing development will continue to comprise the vast majority of all development in the city even beyond 2016. A significant contribution can be made to the carbon footprint of the city through the encouragement of renewable energy for existing developments. Many householder renewable energy infrastructure installations and energy efficiency measures do not require planning permission and therefore the council do not directly have control through their planning function. Nonetheless the Council will encourage businesses and householders to improve the energy efficiency and renewable energy prospects of their buildings. Proposals for alterations to Listed Buildings for improving energy efficiency or harnessing renewable energy will be assessed on their merits and with regard to their impact upon the character and appearance of the Listed Building.
8.11 Proposals for community renewable energy projects will be encouraged where their impact is acceptable. Proposals will be assessed against planning policies and the impact of the project thoroughly appraised. The Council will furthermore explore the potential for sites for renewable energy generation facilities to serve both new and existing development. Areas of search will include underutilised urban land, rural fringe sites
Energy Efficiency and renewables New developments will be expected to provide over 15% on-site renewable energy or to be carbon neutral. An energy use assessment, setting the baseline for the proportion of on-site generation, will be required to be submitted with all applications. All proposals must incorporate energy efficient features.
Energy efficiency and renewables in existing developments Where appropriate the Council will encourage the provision of renewable energy sources for new and existing development (including housing and industry). The Council will also search for appropriate land within and adjoining the urban area to encourage the development of a supply of renewable energy for the city.
Preferred Option DP1: Combined Heat and Power generation The Council will investigate the feasibility of providing a combined heat and power plant within the proposed urban extension to provide heat and power to major employers/energy users and residential development.
75 S ummary of Summary of options o ptions
9 This table demonstrates the reasons for the selection of the preferred options and a summary of the alternatives considered.
Preferred Option Reason for selection Alternatives considered CC1: City centre and PPS6 requires that these areas are Retain as per DWLP – The Primary Shopping Area defined on the proposals maps to previous central shopping inform choice of location for retail uses. area included Halfords and The Primary Shopping Area boundary Garras Wharf which have has been determined by walking been removed from the PSA distances within the city centre and due to their detached nature major physical barriers. The area is from the main shopping area. therefore concentrated within the inner Include Pydar Street Site– city road network. Prior to the redevelopment of the site and the re-routing of St Clement Street it would not be appropriate to include the site in the PSA. CC2: Primary shopping Restricting changes of use in the Unrestricted changes of frontages primary shopping area gives control use in the primary over the mixture of uses in the primary shopping frontages - Could shopping frontages and will allow lead to saturation of inactive consideration of whether proposed uses or endanger the viability alternate uses will support the city of the secondary shopping centre and protect its vitality and area. viability. CC3: Secondary shopping Restricting changes of use in the Unrestricted changes of frontages primary shopping area gives control use. Could lead to saturation over the mixture of uses in the of inactive uses or endanger secondary shopping frontages and will the viability of the secondary allow consideration of whether shopping area. proposed alternate uses will support the city centre and protect its vitality and viability. CC4: Improving the retail Making provision for up to 34,900 Maintaining the current offer of Truro square metres net additional situation – would potentially comparison goods and 3,500 square undermine the retail offer of metres convenience goods retail space the city and may lead to within the city centre by 2016 will further out of centre retail enable the city centre retail offer to growth reducing the remain competitive and improve sustainability and the facilities in line with population growth. primacy of the city centre. The lack of larger modern stores and retail units relative to Plymouth constrains the city centre’s retail growth potential
76 CC5: The Pydar Street The Pydar Street site is the only site of Smaller organic growth – redevelopment site an appropriate size and location for this strategy would not be major retail growth. The small number capable of providing the of ownerships make delivery more amount of retail floorspace realistic required or providing a major retail attraction. The development of the site supports Redevelopment of Garras the Council’s dumbbell strategy of Wharf for a major retail providing major retail attractions at scheme – Garras Wharf is opposite ends of the main retail axis at bisected from the remainder Lemon Quay and Pydar Street of the city centre by the busy Morlaix Avenue which The current office buildings and uses on severely constrains the site are outdated, unattractive, of a pedestrian flows and is poor standard and inappropriate to their visually divorced from the city context in this historic centre. centre, limiting the integration
of retailing space on the site to the remainder of the retail area. The development of the site for a major retail attraction would also distort the Council’s current city centre strategy of supporting the main retail axis. Redevelopment of Moorfield Car Park for a major retail scheme – It is not considered that development of the site is viable due to the costs associated with the replacement of the existing car park which is an important shopper’s car park and key to supporting the secondary shopping area. There are also issues of the size of the site and the scale of development that the site can realistically absorb given its location and access constraints. CC6: Support for specialist The rapid growth of the retail sector No additional measures – a retailers envisaged in Truro could make ‘do nothing strategy’ risks the retailers in the more peripheral areas vitality and viability of the city of the shopping area vulnerable. A centre through loss of small strategy is required to maintain and and specialist retailers. increase footfall to these areas to maintain a viable city centre mix of uses and retail genres. CC7: Supporting markets in The markets add vitality and a unique No additional measures – a Truro selling point for the city centre. ‘do nothing strategy’ would Additional support is required to bolster potentially undermine the their role and contribution. success of the markets and further growth and risks the vitality and viability of the city centre. CC8: Office uses in the city Office uses make a significant Support out of town office centre contribution to the city centre economy accommodation – the and are currently in limited supply. creation of further office accommodation in out of
77 Good quality new build office town locations would accommodation in the city centre is increase unsustainable very limited. A policy encouraging patterns of development by appropriate provision of new office discouraging liked journeys accommodation in mixed use schemes in locations accessible by in the city centre would assist in public transport and park and increasing supply in the city centre. ride services. Continue to allow office The loss of office uses to residential or uses to be lost to retail uses could further reduce the residential/retail – Office supply of offices in the city centre, accommodation is in short impacting upon the vitality and viability supply in the city centre, the of the city economy further loss of office accommodation would impact on the productivity of the city centre economy and the vitality and viability of the city centre. CC9: Leisure and evening The evening economy and leisure No additional measures – a economy uses in the city uses add vitality to the city centre. ‘do nothing strategy’ risks the centre Additional uses will increase the offer vitality and viability of the city of the city centre and increase visitors. centre. CC10: Creating pedestrian Creating pedestrian priority areas is No additional measures – a priority vital if the city centre is to continue to ‘do nothing strategy’ risks the attract shoppers and visitors. Strong vitality and viability of the city pedestrian flows are vital to centre and pollution and loss maintaining the attractiveness and of amenity would continue to vitality and viability of the city centre grow. CC11: Creating pedestrian Creating pedestrian priority areas is No additional measures – a priority (Phase II) vital if the city centre is to continue to ‘do nothing strategy’ risks the attract shoppers and visitors. Strong vitality and viability of the city pedestrian flows are vital to centre and pollution and loss maintaining the attractiveness and of amenity would continue to vitality and viability of the city centre grow. CC12: Spaces for people Creating pedestrian priority areas is No additional measures – a vital if the city centre is to continue to ‘do nothing strategy’ risks the attract shoppers and visitors. Strong vitality and viability of the city pedestrian flows are vital to centre and pollution and loss maintaining the attractiveness and of amenity would continue to vitality and viability of the city centre grow. CC13: Walking routes The promotion of walking journeys into None the city centre is central to the Council’s aim to cut congestion and foster more sustainable journeys. CC14: Pedestrian The promotion of further walking No additional measures – connections journeys would be eased by would potentially discourage improvements to pedestrian facilities in walking journeys. certain areas. CC15: Parking Parking strategy is key to reducing No additional measures – congestion and managing traffic flows Congestion would continue, in the city centre. Good management further reducing parking is also key to ensuring the success of provision in the city centre the park and ride strategy for Truro and impacting upon the viability of the city centre. CC16: Bus Prioritisation Bus prioritisation is essential to ensure No additional measures – that an efficient and reliable bus Congestion would continue service is available to provide an and bus travel would lose alternative to car based travel. attractiveness. CC17: City Centre Housing An increased resident population Minimise town centre living to enhances community safety, supports prevent conflicts between
78 businesses, local services and adds uses. vitality out of business hours. CC18: Open Space Increases usage of open spaces in the None Improvements city centre and enhances community safety and pride in those areas CC19: Shop fronts and Increase design quality, local identity Nothing – continued loss of advertisements and instil local pride. local identity and quality. CC20: Key buildings for Increase design quality, local identity None redevelopment and instil local pride. CC21: Protection of key The protection of key buildings is Nothing – potential for loss buildings essential to prevent harm to the built of identity for the city and environment and loss of local identity. potential harm to the built environment H1: Housing numbers 2006 The quoted numbers are a None – 2016 requirement of the RSS H2: Master Planning A master planning approach will be None essential to shape development that is appropriate to the character and special quality of Truro and to ensure that vital infrastructure and facilities are delivered in a co-ordinated fashion. H3: Highertown and The development of a series of sites in An assessment of the Gloweth corridor the Highertown Corridor will alternative options is H3a: Former Richard concentrate development to produce a presented at appendix A Lander School/Dudman Fm critical mass of development, capable H3b: Higher Besore of delivering strategic infrastructure H3c: Langarth and facilities, facilitating the development of a high quality public transport corridor for the city and creating a new sense of place. H4: Higher Newham The Higher Newham site offers the opportunity to create a new community close to the city centre with improved access to city centre facilities, new highway infrastructure and retail development. H5: Tolgarrick Allied to the Newham site opportunities exist to create a new community linked in to the city centre with highway improvements creating new access opportunities. H6:Truro Golf Course The golf course site lies within the Highertown Corridor and the urban extension area. Subject to the relocation of the golf course an opportunity to create a mixed use development and a community with good access to a key public transport route.
E1: Location of new The expansion and redevelopment of Significant greenfield employment uses existing sites contributes to the expansion - The alternative regeneration of key areas and option of significant densification of under used land greenfield expansion for around Truro and offers a more general employment sustainable approach than continued purposes on new industrial greenfield expansion. Many of the estates while allowing the proposed and existing sites are related potential to broaden the to public transport routes. economic base would further increase the imbalance in
79 employment versus population. Many greenfield sites are poorly related to public transport and would contribute to congestion. E2: Newham Industrial The reorganisation of this site will Nothing – further greenfield Estate reduce inefficient uses of land within land would have to be the estate and improve design quality. allocated and could The estate is well related to the centre contribute to more of Truro and offer an opportunity for sustainable patterns of sustainable development. development. E3: City Centre Office Further office development in the city No additional measures - a Growth centre helps to strengthen the offer ‘do nothing strategy’ risks the and vitality of the city centre and vitality and viability of the city support retailing and other services. It centre and could lead to also concentrates office users in the unsustainable out of centre most sustainable location. development of office accommodation. E4: Safeguarding office The retention of office uses (where No additional measures - a uses in the city centre appropriate) in the city centre helps to ‘do nothing strategy’ risks the strengthen the offer and vitality of the vitality and viability of the city city centre and support retailing and centre and could lead to other services. It also concentrates unsustainable out of centre office users in the most sustainable development of office location. accommodation. E5: New County Hall and These sites offer the chance to Nothing – further greenfield Old County Hall concentrate further office development land would have to be around an existing civic complex that allocated and could has close links to a good quality public contribute to more transport corridor. sustainable patterns of development. E6: Truro Football Club site This site offers the chance to Nothing – further greenfield concentrate further office development land would have to be around an existing civic complex that allocated and could has close links to a good quality public contribute to more transport corridor. sustainable patterns of development. E7:Threemilestone Further industrial expansion of this site Further office development Industrial Estate will increase the amount of industrial - The site is not well related land available and remove to the proposed park and ride inappropriate uses from the city centre. service and further office development would be detrimental to a concentration strategy in sustainable locations. E8: Employment on Mixed use developments in larger Continued focus on residential sites residential schemes can reduce the employment sites only - need to travel and add vitality and This would reduce the community focus. potential for live/work and trip reduction. IR1: Park and Ride The creation of a park and ride Rail based park and ride scheme for the city is essential to scheme - A longer term reduce congestion caused at peak option for park and ride in times and parking problems caused Truro. Whilst the primarily through the significant development of such a migration of commuters into the city scheme would allow for centre. some sharing of fixed infrastructure (such as tracks The creation of a park and ride and rolling stock) there are a scheme will allow further number of other costs
80 improvements to be made to short stay associated with using the parking in the city centre, increasing railway, including the the economic capacity of the city provision of a halt to the east centre and regulating the flow of traffic and west of the city and throughout the day by removing a infrastructure to access concentration of commuter movements potential sites due to the during times of peak traffic flows. relative isolation of the railway from the major road network. IR2: Rail based Park and The siting of a rail based park and ride Road Based P&R – would Ride (Treluswell) facility would intercept large traffic be difficult to site to ensure flows towards Truro and could provide maximum patronage. a shared facility to allow park and ride Provision at Treluswell would access for both Truro and require a long bus journey Falmouth/Penryn. and add little benefit to commuters transferring. IR3 Safeguarding of Rail provides a key element in the Do nothing – failure to railway land transport infrastructure of the city. The safeguard key railway land pressure for sustainable growth in the could lead to the loss of Truro area is such that the benefit opportunities to increase rail provided by all non car based modes based travel and the will need to be maximised development of a park and The safeguarding of railway land and rail system in the medium to potential sites for park and rail long term potentially facilities, including potential rail halts increasing unsustainable and interchange facilities is essential to transportation options. prevent loss of railway land. IR4: Southern Distributor The development of a Southern Do nothing – The level of Road Distributor Road for Truro is a key tool growth required could not be in creating additional road capacity and sustained in the Highertown opening up new areas of land for Corridor without the creation housing growth in the Highertown of a distributor road to open Corridor. up sites and relieve pressure on the existing highway to improve public transport facilities and routes. IR5: Leisure Facilities The development of additional leisure Concentrate on current facilities in Truro is required to meet facility – The current facility latent and future demand and will does not have space for address current issues of difficulty of significant improvements or access. The creation of an additional expansion and is poorly facility will result in more sustainable located for access from the patterns of development and equality city centre. A strategy of of access. creating a new focus at Gloweth could increase access inequality. IR6: Open Space The adoption of local open space Use current DWLP Requirements standards will comply with the advice standards – Current of Planning Policy Guidance Note 17 standards are derived from and enable a more focussed and national figures and may not locally informed and relevant approach reflect local conditions and to be taken to the provision of new needs. PPG17 advises sites and the improvement of existing against using national sites and addressing deficits. standards IR7: Strategic Open Space On many of the sites taken forward as Do nothing – a do nothing preferred options there are key areas approach risks losing of landscape or landscape features important landscape features that should be retained to enhance the or the backdrop or site, assist in integration into the foreground of the city. surrounding landscape or protect
81 areas that act as an important foreground or backdrop to the city. IR8: Alternative golf course An alternative site for the golf course Extend present site – development would assist in delivering the present Retaining and extending the site for housing redevelopment and present site would limit provide the city with an improved options for housing growth golfing facility, potentially contributing and may be difficult to to the local economy. achieve given topographical constraints on land surrounding the present course. IR9: A stadium for Cornwall A stadium for Truro would achieve a React to individual club major facility for the city and county requirements – This could and develop a high quality ground for potentially lead to the both the Cornish Pirates and Truro City development of a number of Football Club with shared parking disparate facilities which facilities with the park and ride site and would be unsustainable and close proximity to the Truro College to would not deliver the benefits create a sports hub with major benefits of a shared facility and sports for the city. hub DP1: Combined Heat and The provision of a combined heat and Do nothing or retrofit at a Power Generation power plant within the proposed urban later date – To make CHP extension potentially gives an economically viable it needs opportunity to develop energy and to be incorporated into the heating for major users such as the urban extension concurrent hospital and leisure centre as well as with new residential supplying residential development. development and be added This will reduce the need for individual to existing major heat users. heat generation achieving economy of scale and reducing the carbon footprint of the major heat users
82
Implementation
and phasing
10 10.1 Turning the vision for Truro and Threemilestone into a reality requires careful implementation and phasing of development. The successful development of Truro for commercial and retail developments and the creation of sustainable communities will require the phasing of development to ensure that key infrastructure is delivered.
10.2 Key Infrastructure requirements of this Area Action Plan include the development of the Park and Ride facility for Truro, the provision of new public facilities and services to absorb the required population increase (such as health care facilities and schools) and the provision of new highway and public transportation infrastructure to absorb the projected growth.
Phasing housing and major commercial Growth 10.3 The success of the urban extension to the city is dependant upon the provision of the highway and community infrastructure to create sustainable and properly served communities. To ensure that journeys into the city centre are sustainable and make maximum use of public transport it is essential that commuter traffic movements into the city centre are reduced to create additional road capacity for public transport. To create this road capacity the council will not permit the implementation of residential development (other than minor residential development and sites with existing planning consent) or major commercial development before the completion of the park and ride sites to the east and west of the city unless an over-riding community benefit can be demonstrated.
10.4 Further residential development that will require the provision of local services and construction of additional highway infrastructure will be phased according to the provision of that infrastructure to ensure that new development and communities are properly supported. Table 1 on the following page indicates the likely phasing of sites.
83 10.5 Highway infrastructure provision will take a number of years to realise and it is recognised that this could impact upon the deliverability of development. The Highway Authority consider that whilst the provision of the Southern Distributor Road in its entirety is preferable, the construction of the road in two lengths could be achieved to allow the early delivery of residential land in the Highertown Corridor.
Site Phasing Completion of Southern Distributor Completion of Completion of (Preferred Options) Park and Ride Road completed to Southern Distributor Newham Newbridge Lane Road distributor road Former Richard Lander School Willow Green (North Threemilestone) Pydar Street Redevelopment Higher Besore - (Below new Richard Lander) Land below former - Richard Lander School Higher Newham - - - Tolgarrick - - -
Table 1 – Phasing of development
10.6 The phasing of the Southern Distributor Road would allow the construction of the road in two sections, namely that between the new Richard Lander School and Newbridge Lane and Newbridge Lane to Green Lane, allowing an early opening up of the land to the south of the New Richard Lander School and Newbridge Farm.
10.7 If preferred option H4 (Higher Newham) is pursued, implementation of residential development will be conditional upon a financial commitment to the completion of the Southern Distributor Road as far as Green Lane. Residential implementation will be expected to be concurrent with or following the construction of the Higher Newham Distributor Road to meet up with the Southern Distributor Road on Green Lane.
10.8 Implementation of the mixed use development in the Treliske Area of Change will be dependant upon the completion of the Northern Distributor Road.
Community Infrastructure 10.9 All major residential development will be expected to deliver appropriate community infrastructure concurrent with the construction of the residential development. Permissions will be phased to ensure the delivery of the necessary infrastructure.
84 Appendix A
Discounted housing site options for Truro
The following sites have not been included as options for the plan period:
Land to the South/West of Threemilestone/Hugus
This is an area of land located between the edge of Threemilestone and the mainline railway. The land is relatively discrete in the landscape setting and slopes down to the railway giving a long term option (post 2016) for the recreatation of a halt at Hugus. Whilst the provision of a rail halt could provide benefits and a focus for development in the long term, at present development of this site would place additional stress on Threemilestone village directing traffic through the centre.
Land to the North/West of Threemilestone roundabout This is a mixed area which includes commercial development on the eastern side of the A390 and undeveloped valley beyond that links into the Kenwyn Valley. While the ridge along the A390 has been the subject of previous development with a mixture of employment and residential uses impacted upon by the A390 the valley beyond is still rural in nature.
With the exception of the developed ridge top the valley is poorly related to the urban form of Threemilestone or the city. There are difficulties in defining defendable or logical boundaries to development in this area which is open in character to distant views. There are no overriding community benefits that could currently justify development into this wider landscape area.
Land off Kenwyn Hill This is an area of land stretching from Kenwyn Church to the sub station on the road to Idless in the North. The land falls away to West into the Coosebean Valley and to the East towards the Idless Valley and is rural in character. To the West there is already some development in the form of a nursing home and a caravan park and temporary use of playing fields for the Pirates Rugby Club. Land to the East is mainly used for agriculture with the exception of the veterinary centre. Whilst the temporary use for the rugby ground has changed its character to a degree, the area is one of a very open landscape and a distinct change in character from the edge of the City. The character of the landscape is particularly open when viewed from the North and the landscape framework of Kenwyn provides a key element in the character of the city, including the setting for Kenwyn Church which provides one of
85 the key landmarks for the City when approaching Truro and also in views up the river.
Vehicular access into the City is constrained to some degree by the narrowness of sections of the road into Truro. Development of the area would not relate well to Truro in visual terms and would significantly impact upon this entrance into the City and its setting. Access, whilst relatively close to the City centre, suffers from its topography limiting pedestrian journeys and has significant weaknesses in poor relationship and access to the Highertown area and key employment areas.
Land to the North East of Truro
The area to the North East of Truro on the northern edge of the Idless Valley provides an important element of the landscape ‘bowl’ of Truro and the rural setting of the City. Significant development, particularly in the upper slopes would damage this setting and the close visual interrelationship between town and country.
The Cattle Market building from within and across the City is seen as a backdrop to existing development compared to the open areas further North. While the building itself detracts from the setting it provides a clear functional role. The A39 road provides a strong barrier from the existing development to the west. This barrier makes piecemeal residential development less attractive although subject to policy frameworks other limited commercial uses of the site may be more appropriate.
The land to the North and East of the City, with the exception of the Cattle Market, provides a strong landscape framework for the City. The Cattle Market itself being divorced from the existing residential areas and community infrastructure by the A39 does not provide the most accessible location for residential development in its current form. The area to the east will need to provide a location for a Park and Ride facility and this should be incorporated as part of any future commercial development of the Cattle Market site.
Land between A39 and Penair School
This area of steeply sloping land is in part being developed by recent consent. The land forms part of the landscape ‘bowl’ and green backdrop to the City. Development of this area would require a strong overriding community justification to warrant its loss.
86 Truro Rugby Club
The existing Truro Rugby Club and land around border onto open countryside with long ranging views over the Area Of Natural Outstanding Beauty (AONB) to the South. The Rugby Club does provide a relatively discrete element but provides important recreational facilities, which should not be lost. Development in this area is also constrained by the limited capacity of Trafalgar Roundabout which would provide the main access and egress.
Land Adjoining Trennick Lane
These are areas of land to the East and West of Trennick Lane. The area is relatively discrete in terms of impact on the setting of the City because of the ridges, which enclose it. Whilst the area is relatively close to the City centre, the topography does not provide an incentive to walk and the Trafalgar Roundabout is difficult to cross. Access to the Highertown area is again restricted, requiring travel through the centre of the City. Trafalgar Roundabout also provides a constraint to the capacity for development of the area. Trennick Lane itself is also restricted at its entrance in terms of width so for its development an alternative access provision would be required.
While this area is relatively discrete in terms of its impact upon the setting of the City limitations to access restrict its potential for development. Any such development would also need to be aware of limits to the capacity to the area generally and lack of strong links to the Highertown area.
87 Appendix B
Membership of the Planning and Transport Forum for Truro
County and District Councillors Cornwall Disabled Association Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change Kea Parish Council Bodmin Road Residents Association Kenwyn Parish Council Friends of the Earth Chacewater Parish Council Objective One Partnership St Clement Parish Council Sport Action Zone Truro City Council Cornwall Blind Association Cornwall Wildlife Trust Mid Cornwall Chamber of Commerce Dean of Truro City of Truro Chamber of Commerce Truro Conservation Area Advisory Devon and Cornwall Business Council Committee Harbour Master Central Cornwall Primary Care Trust Job Centre Westcountry Ambulance Services Truro Civic Society Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust Working for Truro Association Cornwall Community Health Council Economic Development Officer (CDC) Cornwall Sustainable Tourism Freight Transport Association Cornwall Museum Great Western Trains Hopleys Coaches Network Rail Avacab Truronian Virgin Trains Wessex Trains West Cornwall Rural Transport Partner Western Greyhound Confederation of Passenger Transport First Group Local Access Forum
English Nature Countryside Agency The Environment Agency Cornwall County Council Devon and Cornwall Constabulary South West Water Spatial Planning (CCC) Regional Development Agency English Heritage CPR Regeneration
Cornwall College Truro College Richard Lander School Penair School CPRE National Farmers Union SWEB RSPB Connexions Cornwall and Devon Cornwall Economic Forum
88 Appendix C
The Building for Life Standard
The Building for Life criteria are the measure by which design quality in new housing is assessed and awarded the Building for Life standard. But their value goes far beyond the standard awards. The 20 criteria are an invaluable tool for developers, planners, local authorities, architects and the public – anyone committed to improving housing and neighbourhood design.The criteria embody Building for Life's vision of what housing should be: functional, attractive, and sustainable.
The criteria cover four main themes: Character 1. Does the scheme feel like a place with a distinctive character? 2. Do buildings exhibit architectural quality? 3. Are streets defined by a coherent and well structured layout? 4. Do buildings and layout make it easy to find your way around? 5. Does the scheme exploit existing buildings, landscape or topography? Roads, parking and pedestrianisation 6. Does the building layout take priority over the roads and car parking, so that highways do not dominate? 7. Are the streets pedestrian, cycle and vehicle friendly? 8. Is car parking well integrated so it supports the street scene? 9. Does the scheme integrate with existing roads, paths and surrounding development? 10. Are public spaces and pedestrian routes overlooked and do they feel safe? Design and construction 11. Is the design specific to the scheme? 12. Is public space well designed and does it have suitable management arrangements in place? 13. Do buildings or spaces outperform statutory minima, such as Building Regulations? 14. Has the scheme made use of advances in construction or technology that enhance its performance, quality and attractiveness? 15. Do internal spaces and a layout allow for adaptation, conversion or extension? Environment and community 16. Does the development have easy access to public transport? 17. Does the development have any features that reduce its environmental impact? 18. Is there a tenure mix that reflects the needs of the local community? 19. Is there a mix of accommodation that reflects the needs and aspirations of the local community? 20. Does the development provide (or is it close to) community facilities, such as a school, park, play areas, shops, pubs or cafes?
Delivering great places to live is a guide to the Building for Life standard explaining the 20 criteria and the policy guidance which has shaped them. This guide should be referred to when completing a Building for Life standard application. It can also be used by developers as a basis for writing development briefs, and by local authorities to demand high standards of design and assess design quality.
89 Schedule of suggested alterations to Truro and Threemilestone Area Appendix D Action Plan (Preferred Options Document)
The following statements are those made by members of the Single Issue Panel, Policy Development Board (Services), Cabinet and Council during committee consideration of the draft preferred options document. Many of the comments have been addressed through alterations to the document during the process of consideration.
Single Issue Panel meeting – 20/06/06
Comment/Suggestion There must be more reference to the Environment Agency/ links to the EA All valleys in Highertown Area are liable to flooding Too much focus on Highertown – what changes are proposed for the east? We need more facilities and community infrastructure. You cannot create places. We need a positive vision of how we want people to engage with the city and the natural environment – need to think about people. Threemilestone industrial estate must not grow too much to prevent significant impact How will green infrastructure be provided for? We must plan open spaces Treliske Hospital should expand onto golf course rather than along A390. Higher Newham is divorced from the city by the bypass. Development risks impeding the flow of traffic and forcing traffic into the city centre. The economy of the city is not described – it does not exist solely on retail. Need to allocate land for the economy to evolve. Newham is the port of Truro – offices do not create products for a port Additional traffic on Tregolls Rd will increase isolation of Tregolls ward. The role of the port is ignored and river is blocked from city Need to re-landscape the city Impacts on roads to the south of the city needs consideration – does the Transport Strategy contain any solutions? The vision is too ambitious Vision should be replaced by a more simplistic statement reflecting family role and interaction with economy and environment The vision is very human centred and appropriate The role of rail needs to be included Need to demonstrate links with the environment. Development must be preceded by infrastructure Flooding must be added to development principles Need to refer to role of Newquay Airport Need reference to office provision in the city centre chapter – need mixed development What is the specialist quarter? Do we want to push local retailers out of the centre? Should encourage mixture of local and national retailers. Need to ensure adaptability/use of roof spaces CC5 should specify housing and affordable housing. The retention of bowling on the site and the need to conserve water should be added to the policy. Preferred access strategy should include managed access for disabled and prevention of servicing during the day. CC19 should include former Tony Pryce Sports building for redevelopment. CC20 should also include Lemon Street, Alverton Manor, Princes Street, Truro School and Truro roofscape
90 Single Issue Panel – 10/07/06
Comment/Suggestion Need restrictions on height to prevent inappropriate development Public transport does not always work and many people wish to travel by car – we need to be realistic on this issue. We need to cut congestion even if cars are a reality Need to promote small solutions to congestion such as staggering school closing times etc Need linkages between different uses to cut congestion Why has the sports hub been identified? Newham has been discussed for a long time and could work with open space provision and care. Newham is very beautiful and a strong justification would need to be given for development. In my opinion there is a major sewerage problem in city. We need better infrastructure for Higher Newham Concerned about drainage from golf course development Concentrating development to the south increases flood risk Office park on football club would cause traffic problems The distributor road will have houses on it and will not function as a bypass, discouraging journeys avoiding A390. More car parks in the city centre should be demolished for housing How about creating a car park on the edge of town with a shuttle bus? Concerned that a stadium next to the park and ride would become a generator of traffic There is a lack of sports facilities in Cornwall – we should not be hung up on location when many people drive. There should not be onerous requirements for open space on the former RL school site We must put sporting facilities in positions that can be reached on foot. There are no facilities in the east of the city.
Policy Development Board 12/09/06
Comment/suggestion We need the provision of travel infrastructure before development takes place Truro is delicate and needs a good framework like this to help it grow properly We risk over concentrating economic benefits in the city, other towns should also be allowed to be regenerated and grow. We need to address the problems of congestion with the community
Cabinet 27/09/06
Comment/suggestion I support the redevelopment of Garras Wharf We need to be certain regarding the impacts of development on the drainage regime, particularly in the St Georges Road/Coosebean area Have trams been considered for improving public transport? We need to ensure that SWW are addressing issues of foul drainage and capacity Must ensure permeability in developments and protection of key open spaces The stadium for Truro proposal should be retained in the plan as important to Truro
91 Council 10/10/06
Comment/suggestion Concerned regarding the potential impact on Calenick and AONB of Higher Newham Farm proposal – the AONB unit must be consulted. Is the plan sustainable and future proof? More reference should be made to renewable energy, particularly for existing development Medium term needs of railways need to be recognised and land safeguarded for the future expansion of rail Joint work should be initiated with Kerrier regarding the proposed park and rail for Treluswell Options for a recycling/waste transfer site within the built up area of Truro should be explored. The impacts on minor roads to the south and north of the city must be considered Concerned that park and ride may not be the answer in all situations Long term planning is essential – plans must be supported by infrastructure Drainage issues must be resolved to make this plan work
Further correspondence received
Dear Mr Lacey,
Truro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan
Thank you for your letter of 27th July. I would like you to add my comments, preferably this letter to the report to the PDB(S).
The Action Plan needs to quantify the severe effect that the housing proposals will have on the area and minor approach roads to the south of Truro which is my division of Feock and Kea. The government have just stated that country roads are the most dangerous. The A30 from Falmouth has high consistent traffic and a park and ride is necessary to stop the miles of tailbacks. The railway alternative will not work as there are too few stops. A roundabout on the down slope at the railway bridge would be illegal. The impact of several extra roundabouts on the A390 would be chaotic. There are drainage problems at the Gloweth end of the housing developments that have already impinged on the village of Calenick. Recent road flooding at Calenick indicates that the river cannot sustain the proposed level of housing. Calenick Creek is a beauty spot with AONB protection and would be ruined by south facing housing at the Newham end of the proposed developments.
Thank you for your consideration.
Yours sincerely James Currie
Copy to: Nigel Blackler CCC
92 Appendix E
Further Reading Carrick District Council documents:
• Carrick Community Strategy 2001 - 2005 • Consultation and Involvement Strategy 2003 - 2006 • Our Ambitions
• Carrick Core Strategy (Submission Draft 2006) • Balancing Housing Markets Development Plan Document (Submission Draft 2006) • Carrick Statement of Community Involvement (2006)
Cornwall County Council documents:
• Cornwall Structure Plan (2004)
Southwest Regional Assembly documents:
• Regional Planning Guidance Note 10 – Regional Planning Guidance for the South West • The Draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West 2006 - 2016
Government Documents:
• Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development (2005) • Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Development Frameworks (2004) • Creating Local Development Frameworks: A companion guide to PPS12 • Local Development Framework Monitoring: A good practice guide
93 For help and advice contact: If you require this document in a different format, for example large print, audio tape Planning Policy at the address below. etc, please contact the Planning Policy team on 01872 224478. Tel: 01872 224478. (weekdays between 8.45am - 5pm) Please be aware that providing these email: [email protected] formats will incur a short delay. Contact your local Councillor.
Carrick District Council Carrick House, Pydar Street Truro TR1 1EB Tel 01872 224400 Fax 01872 242104 email [email protected]
Published December 2006 www.carrick.gov.uk