Neath Por t Talb ot Cou nt y Boroug h Cou nc il Local Development Plan 2011 –2026 LDP Infrastructure Delivery Plan August 2013 ww w.npt. gov.uk/ldp Contents 1 Background 1 2013) 1.1 Purpose of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan 1 1.2 Categories of Infrastructure 2 (August 1.3 Infrastructure & the LDP 5 Plan 1.4 Monitoring 5 Delivery 2 Policy 7 2.1 National Policy Context 7 Infrastructure 2.2 Regional Policy Context 9 - 2.3 Local Policy Context 11 LDP 3 Current Situation and Trends 19 Deposit 3.1 Demographic Change 19 3.2 Developer Contributions 19 3.3 Community Infrastructure Levy 20 4 Assessment of Current & Future Provision 23 4.1 Categorisation 23 4.2 Economic Development 23 4.2.1 Ports & Freight Movement 23 4.2.2 City Regions 23 4.2.3 Information & Communications Technology 25 4.3 Transport 26 4.3.1 Roads 26 4.3.2 Rail & Public Transport 27 4.3.3 Walking & Cycling Networks 29 4.4 Energy Generation & Distribution 33 4.4.1 Energy Generation 33 4.4.2 Gas & Electricity Network 37 4.5 Open Space & Recreation 38 4.5.1 Introduction 38 4.5.2 Sports Pitches 38 4.5.3 Other Outdoor Sport 40 Contents Deposit 4.5.4 Childrens Play 41 4.5.5 Informal Open Space 43 LDP 4.5.6 Formal Parks & Gardens 45 - Infrastructure 4.5.7 Country Parks 46 4.5.8 Green Corridors 46 Delivery 4.5.9 Natural & Semi-natural Greenspace 46 4.6 Natural Heritage 48 Plan 4.6.1 Historic Conservation 48 (August 4.6.2 Canal Network 50 2013) 4.6.3 Biodiversity 51 4.6.4 Geodiversity 55 4.6.5 Landscape 56 4.7 Natural Resources 59 4.7.1 Soils 59 4.7.2 Air Quality 60 4.7.3 Water Supply 61 4.7.4 Water Quality 63 4.7.5 Waste 64 4.8 Flood Risk 68 4.8.1 Strategic Flood Consequences Assessment (SFCA) 68 4.9 Education 69 4.9.1 Introduction 69 4.9.2 Infants & Junior Schools 71 4.9.3 Primary Schools 72 4.9.4 Secondary Schools 75 4.9.5 Special Schools 77 4.9.6 Tertiary Education 78 4.9.7 Higher Education 79 4.10 Healthcare 81 4.10.1 Hospitals 81 Contents 4.10.2 Health Centres 81 2013) 4.10.3 Other Healthcare Facilities 85 4.10.4 Care for the Elderly 88 (August 4.11 Community & Cultural Facilities 90 Plan 4.11.1 Community Centres 90 Delivery 4.11.2 Theatres & Cinemas 91 4.11.3 Libraries 91 Infrastructure 4.11.4 Cemeteries 92 - 4.12 Leisure Facilities 93 LDP 4.12.1 Indoor Leisure 93 Deposit 4.12.2 Outdoor Leisure 95 4.12.3 Allotments 96 4.12.4 Water-based Recreation 97 5 Key Issues 99 6 Summary of Consultation Responses 103 7 Strategy Development 105 8 Strategic and Detailed Policy Development 107 Appendices A Appendix 1 - Summary of New Infrastructure Provision 1 Contents Deposit LDP - Infrastructure Delivery Plan (August 2013) 1 . Background 1 Background 2013) 1.0.1 Infrastructure in all its various forms allows communities, large and small, to function effectively. Without the necessary scale and range of infrastructure, the economic, social (August & environmental aspirations of our communities cannot be addressed. Plan 1.0.2 As a minimum, adequate infrastructure should exist to support the current level of need. However, future needs should be considered and planned for accordingly. Whilst Delivery some of these needs can be identified now, circumstances do change over time and this will undoubtedly mean that some future needs cannot at this point in time be anticipated. 1.0.3 The importance of infrastructure goes beyond merely supporting our communities. Infrastructure The provision of new infrastructure should also be viewed as a significant catalyst for new - and sustainable social, economic and cultural activity. LDP 1.0.4 The planning & delivery of infrastructure can be a long term process, however, Deposit and as such appropriate emphasis should be on reducing the need for additional infrastructure by managing existing and future demand and by the effective and efficient use of existing resources. 1.0.5 Infrastructure, much of it already in place but some of it new, will also be a key factor in determining the extent to which the vision embodied within the Local Development Plan can be successfully realised. Adequate infrastructure will be a significant factor in ensuring that the planned-for level of development can be supported and that any impacts arising from development can be addressed. 1.0.6 This document has been informed by and emerged out of a process of discussion and dialogue with a range of organisations and stakeholder groups responsible for the provision of infrastructure. 1.1 Purpose of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan 1.1.1 The Infrastructure Topic Paper prepared at the pre-deposit stage of the LDP sought to establish a baseline position by outlining the national, regional and local policy context. The paper also explored the key issues and trends affecting Neath Port Talbot and the implications for both existing and future infrastructure provision. The conclusions drawn from this analysis informed the strategy and policy formulation process. 1.1.2 This document seeks to build on the earlier Topic Paper and provide an updated position where appropriate. The document also has a broader scope however, and will set out to assess the issue of infrastructure provision further. It will establish the scale of infrastructure that currently exists but also will seek to identify the level of infrastructure 1 that will be both provided and required in future years. Where possible it will identify the organisations responsible for providing the infrastructure, the means, financial and otherwise, by which this infrastructure will be provided and when it is anticipated the provision will be made. 1 . Background Deposit 1.1.3 Additionally, the IDP will demonstrate the effective implementation of the LDP through the provision of the necessary infrastructure to enable the successful achievement LDP of strategic aims and objectives. The potential risks of infrastructure not being provided in either the scale or the timeframe originally anticipated will be assessed together with - Infrastructure the possible implications this level of non-delivery could have on the degree to which the strategic aims and objectives of the LDP can be achieved. 1.1.4 The IDP also seeks to provide an effective information and evidence base allowing Delivery the formulation of a viability analysis for a CIL charging schedule and to provide a flexible framework within which future infrastructure provision and need can be assessed. Plan 1.1.5 The intention is not that the IDP will duplicate any other LDP documents. Neither (August is the intention that the IDP will supersede the existing financial plans and investment programmes of infrastructure providers. Rather it is hoped that the IDP will serve as a 2013) broad framework and mechanism within which infrastructure providers can consider and plan for an anticipated level of future development. As such it is hoped that that this process will form one component of a coordinated approach to infrastructure planning and provision through the alignment of LDP implementation with the aims and objectives of other organisations. 1.2 Categories of Infrastructure 1.2.1 For the purposes of this paper, the term infrastructure is applied to encompass a range of topics that can be broadly grouped into three principal categories. Table 1.1 - Economic Infrastructure Ports & Freight Movement Economic City Regions Development Information & Communications Technology Roads Transport Rail & Public Transport Walking & Cycling Networks Energy Generation Energy Generation & Gas Network 2 Distribution Electricity Network 1 . Background Table 1.2 - Environmental Infrastructure 2013) Sports Pitches (August Plan Other Outdoor Sport Childrens Play Delivery Open Space Informal Open Space & Recreation Formal Parks & Gardens Infrastructure - Country Parks LDP Green Corridors Deposit Natural & Semi-natural Greenspace Historic Conservation Canal Network Natural & Biodiversity Built Heritage Geodiversity Landscape Soils Air Quality Water Supply Resources Water Quality Noise Waste Management Flood Risk Flooding Flood & Coastal Defences 3 1 . Background Deposit Table 1.3 - Social & Community Infrastructure LDP - Infrastructure Infants & Junior Schools Primary Schools Secondary Schools Delivery Education Special Schools Plan Tertiary Education (August Higher Education 2013) Hospitals Health Centres Healthcare Dentists Care for the Elderly Community Centres Community & Cultural Theatres & Cinemas Facilities Libraries Indoor Leisure Centres Outdoor Leisure Leisure Allotments Water-based Recreation 4 1 . Background 1.3 Infrastructure & the LDP 2013) 1.3.1 The scale and distribution of new development planned for within the LDP could have implications with regard to the use of existing infrastructure networks. (August 1.3.2 In order to ensure the LDP is successfully implemented, additional infrastructure Plan will be required. This paper will consider the type of infrastructure that will be needed over the plan period. It will assess the significance of that infrastructure in the context of the broader LDP strategic objectives. Whilst some infrastructure projects will be vitally important Delivery in supporting the proposed level of new development, other projects will have lower levels of status. Infrastructure 1.3.3 In this context, a hierarchical approach has been applied when appraising the - significance of new infrastructure provision. Appendix 1 identifies each infrastructure project LDP and provides an assessment as outlined in the following table. Table 1.4 Infrastructure Assessment Hierarchy Deposit Three-tier Approach Essential Infrastructure Necessary Infrastructure Desirable Infrastructure 1.3.4 It is not the intention that the IDP will be the end of the process. Rather the IDP will be a "living" document and will be subject to a continuous monitoring process.