Local Plan to 2030 - Publication Draft Schedule of Policies Site No Policy Name Strategic Policies Vision, Objectives, Guiding Principles SP1 Strategic Objectives SP2 The Strategic Approach to Housing Delivery SP3 Strategic Approach to Economic Development SP4 Delivery of Retail and Leisure Needs SP5 Ashford Town Centre SP6 Promoting High Quality Design SITE POLICIES S1 Commercial Quarter S2 Kennington S3 Court Lodge S4 Land South of Steeds Lane and Magpie Hall Road S5 Land South of Pound Lane S6a Newtown Phase 2 S6b Klondyke S7 Lower Queen’s Road S8 Kennard Way, Henwood S9 Gasworks Lane, Victoria Way S10 Leacon Road S11 Former K College, Jemmett Road S12 Former Ashford South School, Jemmett Road S13 Bridgefield, Park Farm S14 The Park at Finberry S15 Waterbrook S17 Land at Willesborough Lees S18 William Harvey Hospital S19 Conningbrook - Phase 2 S20 Eureka Park S21 Orbital Park S22 Chart Industrial Estate S23 Henwood Industrial Estate S24 Tenterden Southern Extension Phase B S25 Pickhill Business Village, Tenterden S26 Appledore - The Street S27 Biddenden - North Street S28 Charing - Northdown Service Station, Maidstone Road S29 Egerton – Land on New Road S30 Hamstreet - Land North of St. Mary’s Close S31 Hamstreet - Land at Parker Farm S32 High Halden - Land at Hope House S33 Hothfield - Land East of Coach Drive S34 Mersham - Land adjacent to Village Hall S35 Shadoxhurst - Rear of Kings Head PH S36 Smarden - Land adjacent to Village Hall S37 Smeeth - Land south of Church Road S38 Woodchurch - Lower Road S39 Woodchurch - Front Road S40 Land south of the Arthur Baker Playing Field S41 Chilham - Mulberry Hill, Old Wives Lees S42 St. Michaels - Beechwood Farm S43 Biddenden - Priory Wood S44 Westwell - Watery Lane TOPIC POLICIES SECTION A - HOUSING HOU1 Affordable Housing HOU2 Local needs / specialist housing HOU3 Residential development in Ashford urban area HOU4 Residential Development in the rural settlements HOU5 Residential windfall development in the countryside HOU6 Self and Custom Built Development HOU7 Replacement dwellings in the countryside HOU8 Residential Extensions HOU9 Standalone annexes HOU10 Development of residential gardens HOU11 Houses in Multiple Occupation HOU12 Residential space standards internal HOU13 Homes suitable for family occupation HOU14 Accessibility standards HOU15 Private external open space HOU16 Traveller Accommodation HOU17 Safeguarding existing Traveller sites SECTION B - EMPLOYMENT AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY EMP1 New employment uses EMP2 Loss or redevelopment of Employment Sites and Premises EMP3 Extensions to employment premises in the rural area EMP4 Conversions of rural buildings to non-residential uses EMP5 New employment premises in the countryside EMP6 Promotion of Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) EMP7 Primary and Secondary Shopping Frontages in Ashford Town Centre EMP8 Primary Shopping Frontage in Tenterden Town Centre EMP9 Sequential Assessment and Impact Test EMP10 Local and Village Centres EMP11 Tourism SECTION C - TRANSPORT TRA1 Strategic Transport Schemes TRA2 Strategic Public Parking Facilities TRA4a Parking Standards for Residential Development TRA4b Parking Standards for Non Residential Development TRA5 Promoting the local bus network TRA6 Planning for Pedestrians TRA7 Provision for Cycling TRA8 The Road Network and Development TRA9 Travel Plans, Assessments and Statements TRA11 Planning for HGV movements SECTION D - THE NATURAL AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT ENV1 Biodiversity ENV2 The Ashford Green Corridor ENV3 Landscape Character and Design ENV4 Light pollution and promoting dark skies ENV5 Protecting important rural features ENV6 Flood Risk ENV7 Water Efficiency ENV8 Water Quality, Supply and Treatment ENV9 Sustainable Drainage ENV10 Renewable and Low Carbon Energy ENV11 Sustainable Design and Construction - Non-residential ENV12 Air Quality ENV13 Conservation and Enhancement of Heritage Assets ENV14 Conservation Areas ENV15 Archaeology SECTION E - COMMUNITY FACILITIES COM1 Meeting the Community's Needs COM2 Recreation, Sport, Plan and Open Spaces COM3 Allotments COM4 Cemetery Provision SECTION F - IMPLEMENTATION IMP1 Infrastructure Provision IMP2 Deferred Contributions IMP3 Planning Enforcement IMP4 Governance of public community space and facilities Introduction This Local Plan establishes a policy and delivery framework that provides clear and firm guidance to ensure that the Council's aims for the Borough are achieved where they relate to issues of planning and land use. It covers the period between 2011 to 2030. The policies included within this Plan are consistent with the Council’s Corporate Strategy, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and National Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) and in being so go to the heart of what sustainable development is and how good place making can be achieved. They also form the strategic context within which any neighbourhood plan should operate. This Local Plan covers the whole borough, except for the area covered by the Chilmington Green Area Action Plan, as shown on the Policies Map (** insert link). Development proposals coming forward within the area covered by this Local Plan will be expected to adhere to the policies set out, as once adopted they will carry significant planning weight when it comes to the determination of planning applications. The Local Plan 2030 should be read and interpreted as a whole. To be clear, this Local Plan supersedes the following: • the saved policies within the Ashford Borough Local Plan 2000 • Ashford Core Strategy 2008 • Ashford Town Centre Area Action Plan 2010 • The Tenterden and Rural Sites Development Plan Document 2010 • The Urban Sites and Infrastructure Development Plan Document 2012 Once adopted, the Council’s statutory development plan will consist of this Local Plan, the Chilmington Green Area Action Plan (2013) and any adopted neighbourhood plans. Duty to co-operate In preparing this Local Plan, the Council has sought to fully co-operate with neighbouring authorities and other relevant bodies to ensure that strategic cross- boundary issues have been addressed and that the Plan is deliverable. The approach to the ‘duty’ is set out in more detail in the ‘Duty to Co-operate’ Statement which forms part of the evidence base for this Local Plan. This process has been assisted through a memorandum of understanding between ourselves and all of the East Kent districts (Thanet, Dover, Shepway and Canterbury) which has meant that any cross-boundary strategic issues have been dealt with in an open and transparent way. This has assisted not only the formulation of this Local Plan but also the evolution of each of the district's respective Local Plans. Given the Borough's central location within Kent, the Council's West Kent neighbours have also been thoroughly consulted at key stages of plan preparation to ensure the 'duty' has been adhered to fully. Consultation Significant engagement and consultation has been carried out in the development of this Plan and its supporting evidence. This has included engagement with key stakeholders and public sector partners, responsible for delivering a range of services and infrastructure. The Plan has also been subject to extensive public consultation, from the 'Plan it' exercises in 2013 to formal consultation throughout its evolution, including with Ward Members and Parish Councils on potential site allocations. Where appropriate, comments from the public have directly helped and shaped the contents of this plan and it should be viewed as a document that has had significant public input into its evolution. Policies Map This Local Plan is supported by an interactive Policies Map which applies the relevant policies to the applicable spatial area within the borough. This includes showing the extent of the Borough's two AONBs, its many ecological, conservation and open space areas and proposed development site allocations. This interactive map will be updated after the adoption of the Local Plan to ensure that it remains up to date (for example if new areas of open space are designated after adoption). Neighbourhood Plans This Local Plan will set out the strategic context within which any neighbourhood plan will operate. They must comply with national policy, with EU obligations and human rights requirements and with the strategic policies of the local development plan. Currently the Borough has seven designated neighbourhood areas at Wye, Rolvenden, Bethersden, Boughton Aluph and Eastwell, Pluckley, Hothfield and Charing. The Neighbourhood Plans for these are at various stages in their evolution, with Wye being the furthest forward having passed examination and referendum to take place later this year. Where Neighbourhood Plan Areas had been established early on in the preparation of this Local Plan, proposals to allocate sites within these areas fall to the neighbourhood plan, where they are non strategic in nature. Pluckley, Hothfield and Charing are more recent designations and it has therefore been necessary for the Local Plan to consider and make site allocations within those areas, where appropriate. Key evidence The Local Plan 2030 has been influenced by a range of evidence which are background documents to the Plan itself. A full list of the evidence base is included at Appendix *. The key evidence that supports this Plan is summarised below: The Corporate Plan (2015) This document sets out the Council's vision for the Borough up to 2020 and how the Council intends to realise that vision. It established the following 4 priorities: Priority 1: Enterprising