Kennet Core Strategy
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Contents Introduction Devizes Community Area Profile – Summary Devizes Core Strategy Options Background Paper Marlborough Community Area Profile – Summary Marlborough Core Strategy Options Background Paper Pewsey Community Area Profile – Summary Pewsey Core Strategy Options Background Paper Tidworth Community Area Profile – Summary Tidworth Core Strategy Options Background Paper Introduction Over forthcoming years Kennet has to face a number of issues including housing growth, the creation of new jobs and dealing with the impact of climate change. These challenges, and others, are being addressed in the Council’s local development framework (LDF). The principal document within the LDF is the core strategy. This will include a spatial strategy for the district based on an understanding of the form and function of the main towns within each of their areas. The following Community Area Overviews gather together as much information as possible about each of the main settlements (and their community areas) to develop an understanding of their role and relationships. The data has been linked to issues identified in each of the community area plans and the main conclusions have been used to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) in each area. In the summary papers it has been possible to draw out key planning issues arising in each community area which will need to be addressed in the core strategy. The Community Area Overviews have been used to inform a discussion about the future options for development in Kennet. There are four parts to this ‘options for development’ consultation: • What is the vision for Kennet as a whole? • Do we understand what makes your community special? • Which places should accommodate new growth? • Which villages have a wider role because of the facilities they have? It is really important that we hear from as many people as possible. Decisions made in the next few months could affect the nature of development in Kennet for many years. If you consider that the evidence presented in this document is flawed in anyway please let us know. All the consultation documents are available online at www.kennet.gov.uk, in the Council offices within Devizes and in local libraries. To request paper copies please call the Forward Planning team on 01380 734872. Comments on the COMMUNITY AREA OVERVIEWS or the SPATIAL OPTIONS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT should be returned by Friday 16th June 2008 and can be returned by: • completing the on-line questionnaire at www.kennet.gov.uk or • e-mail [email protected] or • returning the questionnaire available in libraries, leisure centres and the Council's offices, or • In writing to Forward Planning & Transportation, Kennet District Council, Browfort, Bath Road, Devizes SN10 2AT. DEVIZES COMMUNITY AREA PROFILE - SUMMARY Context • Devizes Community Area covers 23,409 hectares • The community area population in 2006 was 30,920 • Devizes is the largest settlement with a population of 15,980 in 2006 • Six villages have a population over 1000 - these are Bromham, Market Lavington, Potterne, Rowde, Seend and Urchfont. • The population of the community area is expected to grow by about 10% between 2001 - 2016, which is faster than Wiltshire as a whole. • There are proportionally more jobs in manufacturing in Devizes community area compared to the south west. • Devizes has been the main focus for new employment development in the district. Planning issues to consider: Housing • How to provide a high standard of housing for an increasingly elderly population. • How to provide open market homes to a size and value appropriate to local incomes. • How to introduce a mix of housing to ensure affordability is improved in all sectors of the housing market. • How to deal with growth in the longer term to avoid increasing traffic congestion. • How to meet community aspirations through large housing site allocations. • How to continue to provide affordable housing to meet local need. Economy • How to create a choice of new local employment opportunities. • How to diversify the rural economy. • How to encourage smaller business to counter the number of large employers in Devizes. • How to intensify, regenerate and improve job opportunities on existing employment sites. • How to deliver additional retail floorspace on the Devizes Central Car Park. • How to address pockets of unemployment within Devizes Environment • How to protect the local environment which is not subject to national or international protection. • How to achieve objectives for the North Wessex Downs AONB. Community • How to recognise the relative roles of Bromham, Great Cheverell, Potterne, Market Lavington, Seend, Urchfont and West Lavington which provide a range of local facilities. • How to develop existing community and health infrastructure to support a growing population. • How to extend the use of meeting places in rural areas through management, awareness and condition. • How to enhance and develop Devizes’ cultural heritage through the redevelopment of the Wharf and reuse of the Assize Courts. Movement • How to maintain or improve existing levels of self containment for work. • How to improve levels of accessibility by public transport to centres of local employment. • Where to identify opportunities for additional parking in Devizes Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats Strengths Opportunities The number of people of working age within the Delivery of affordable homes on allocated housing sites. community area is growing at a faster rate than other New market homes provided at a size and value community areas in Kennet and Wiltshire as a whole. appropriate to local incomes. A well regarded and thriving town centre with low Improve levels of self containment for work. vacancy rates. Better use of existing and redundant employment sites Devizes is a net importer of workers and has a high to increase job opportunities. level of self containment for work. Encourage and strengthen the small business economy. Devizes has been the main focus of new employment development in Kennet. Local support for new retail development in Devizes. Devizes has been the focus of new housing which may Junction improvements can help relieve traffic have influenced the fact the town is one of the more congestion in Devizes. affordable areas of the District to live. Devizes is sufficiently distant from Swindon to develop A stock of village halls that could be better used if its own local housing market. management, awareness and condition are improved. Opportunities to invest in local community Publicly funded facilities in the rural area have infrastructure via housing development. remained relatively constant. Pool of labour generated by pockets of unemployment Attractive town centre and well regarded cultural within Devizes. heritage Central development sites that can complement and enhance existing cultural heritage. Weaknesses Threats Average house prices in the terraced/ small homes An increasing population places an extra burden on market are more than 6 times average incomes. existing infrastructure. Percentage of jobs in manufacturing which is a sector An increasingly elderly population with implications for of the economy experiencing significant restructuring. health and social care. There is very little available, new employment land in Number of large public sector employers in Devizes Devizes to provide choice to the market. which are constantly under pressure to reduce costs. There has been a lack of investment in Devizes Town Undervaluing the quality and variety of local landscape Centre and as a consequence the retail offer in the and biodiversity interests. town has not kept pace with other retail centres in Declining number of privately funded facilities in rural Wiltshire. areas. Chippenham is the only main centre equally accessible by car or public transport from Devizes. Much of the rural area does not have access to jobs by public transport. Core Strategy Options Background Paper Devizes Community Area Profile 2 Vision: effectively a crossroads through the county and thus many work places are easily accessible . To form an integrated community of people and businesses, blending a living and working POPULATION countryside with its service centre, the thriving market town of Devizes, and ensuring that all a) Latest Population Estimates people have a good quality of life with access to the facilities they need. (Source: CAP 03-15) The latest mid-year population estimate for the Devizes Community Area is 30,920. The Devizes urban area comprises Devizes town and parts of the parishes of Bishops Cannings and Roundway CONTEXT and has a population of about 15,980 people. Outside of the Devizes urban area there are 6 villages where the population was estimated as over 1000 in 2006 – Bromham, Market Lavington, Potterne, Rowde, Seend and Urchfont. The Devizes Community Area covers 23,409 hectares of mainly rural countryside in the middle of the County of Table 1: Community Area Population 2006 Wiltshire. The one major settlement is the ancient Area Population (Mid year est 2006) market town of Devizes; there are many smaller Kennet District 77,900 settlements in the hinterland. The surrounding area is Devizes Community Area 30,920 one of small villages and farms and is rural in nature. Marlborough Community Area 22,220 There are 19 parishes across the community area with a Tidworth Community Area 14,080 population density of only 1.2 people per hectare, below 1 Pewsey Community Area 10,680 the county average . Source: Mid year population estimates WCC 2006 Devizes acts as the main service centre for the community area. It is a centrally located market town b) Population Projections and as one of the oldest towns in Wiltshire it offers a range of housing from some fine period property through Wiltshire County Council population projections anticipate that the population in the Devizes to modern homes. A busy market town Devizes has, for community area will grow by around 10% within the period 2001 to 2016 whilst the population of its size, a high quality and well regarded town centre that working age is expected to grow by around 19%.