Local Plan 2010 Volume 1
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East Ayrshire Council East Ayrshire Local Plan Volume 1 Quality | Equality | Access | Partnership | Access | Equality | Quality 2 EAST AYRSHIRE LOCAL PLAN 2010 Foreword Since the adoption of the last East Ayrshire Local Plan in April 2003, there has been substantial developer interest in East Ayrshire, generated largely by improved communication links between Kilmarnock and the Glasgow conurbation through the recent upgrading of the A77 to motorway status. Increased developer interest has, in particular, been evidenced by a rapid take up and development of housing sites. In order to respond positively to increasing development demands, the Council has therefore made a conscious decision to prepare an early alteration to the local plan, to reflect changing circumstances and to provide an adequate supply of development land to meet anticipated demands to 2017 and beyond. In this regard, the Council has now produced the East Ayrshire Local Plan 2010 which fully reflects and respects the provisions of the new Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan. Production of both documents in tandem has ensured full co-ordination of strategic and local development planning in the area and will provide a strong, positive and proactive planning base for future development throughout East Ayrshire in the years to come. As with the adopted local plan 2003, this local plan aims to actively promote and enhance the economic, social and physical environment of East Ayrshire as a means of improving the quality of life of all residents of the area. The plan has been designed, in particular, to help achieve the aims and aspirations of the Council’s Community Plan, especially with regard to the improvement of opportunities and the environment. In addition, the plan identifies a range of development sites for housing, industry and other uses to meet future anticipated demands and provides the Council’s policy and physical framework for future development throughout the authority area. I very much welcome the production of the local plan and acknowledge, with thanks, the efforts of all those involved in its preparation. I feel sure that all users of the planning system will benefit greatly from the information contained in the local plan and that the approach to new development advocated in the document will be of long term benefit to East Ayrshire as a whole. Councillor Douglas Reid Leader of the Council Volume 1: Introduction And Strategic Approach 3 (iii) Minerals 23 Contents Minerals Profile 23 Policy Context 23 Executive Summary 6 Strategic Planning Context 23 Prime Objectives of the Local Plan 23 The Strategic Approach 6 Mineral Development Strategy 23 Stabilising Population Levels 6 Encouraging Economic Development 6 Investing in Communities 24 Improving Accessibility 7 5 (i) Investing in Housing 24 Developing Strong andVibrant Communities 8 Housing Profile 24 Safeguarding and Enhancing the Quality of the Built and Natural Environment 8 Policy Context 24 Assessment of the Plan 8 Strategic Planning Context 24 Prime Objective of the Local Plan 26 1 Introduction 9 East Ayrshire Housing Land Allocations 26 Format of the Local Plan 9 Housing in the StrategicExpansion Locations 28 Provisions of the Local Plan 10 Affordable Housing 29 Monitoring and Review 10 Community Care Housing 30 Social Rented Housing 30 The Development Strategy 11 Non-Permanent Dwellings 30 2 Enabling Development 30 The European, National and Local Context for the Plan 11 Housing in the Countryside 30 National Policy and Guidance 11 Master Plans and Design Statements for The Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan 12 Larger Scale Housing Developments 31 The East Ayrshire Community Plan 13 Housing Development Strategy 31 The Strategic Aims ofthe Local Plan 14 (ii) Investing in Retailing & Town Centre Activities 32 The General Development Strategy 15 Retail and Town CentreActivity Profile 32 Creating Successful Communities 16 Policy Context 32 3 Strategic Planning Context 32 Creating SuccessfulCommunities Profile 16 Prime Objective of the Local Plan 32 Policy Context 16 East Ayrshire Retail Requirements 32 Strategic Planning Context 16 Kilmarnock Town Centre and the Kilmarnock Prime Objectives of the Local Plan 17 Town Centre Strategy 32 Provision of Essential Infrastructure 17 Cumnock Town Centre and Cumnock Town Developer Contributions 18 CentreRenewal Strategy 34 Creating SuccessfulCommunities Strategy 19 Other Town Centres 35 Out of Town Centres 35 Investing inthe Economy 20 4 Retail and Town Centre Activities (i) Business and Industry 20 Development Strategy 35 Business and Industry Profile 20 (iii) Investing in Community Facility and Policy Context 20 Service Infrastructure 36 Strategic Planning Context 20 Community Facility and Service Infrastructure Profile 36 Prime Objectives of the Local Plan 21 Policy Context 36 Business and Industry Strategy 21 Strategic Planning Context 36 (ii) Tourism 22 Prime Objective of the Local Plan 37 Tourism Profile 22 Provision of Leisure,Cultural and Sporting Facilities 37 Policy Context 22 Renewable Energy 37 Strategic Planning Context 22 Telecommunications 37 Prime Objective of the Local Plan 22 Community Facility and Service Infrastructure Tourism Development Strategy 22 Development Strategy 38 4 EAST AYRSHIRE LOCAL PLAN 2010 (iv) Investing in Waste Management 38 Glossary of Terms 50 Waste Management Profile 38 Policy Context 38 Local Plan Schedules 56 Strategic Planning Context 38 Schedule 1: 56 Prime Objective of the Local Plan 39 Schedule 2: 56 Existing Waste Management Facilities 39 Schedule 3: 57 Future Waste Management Requirements 39 Schedule 3: 58 Waste ManagementDevelopment Strategy 39 Schedule 3: 59 6 Investing in Transportation Schedule 4: 59 and Access 40 Schedule 5: 59 Schedule 6: 59 Transportation and Access Profile 40 Schedule 6: 60 Policy Context 40 Schedule 7: 60 Strategic Planning Context 40 Schedule 8: 61 Prime Objective of the Local Plan 41 Schedule 9: 61 Transport Assessmentsand Appraisals 41 Transportation Components of the Kilmarnock APPENDIX 1: Town Centre Strategy and Cumnock East Ayrshire Community Plan Themes and Aims 62 Town Centre Regeneration 42 Improving Community Safety 62 Transport Development Strategy 42 Promoting Lifelong Learning 62 Protecting the Environment 43 Improving Health and Wellbeing 62 7 Delivering Community Regeneration 62 Environment Profile 43 Policy Context 43 APPENDIX 2: Strategic Planning Context 44 Sites of Local Nature Conservation Interest 63 Prime Objective of the Local Plan 44 (i) Built Heritage 45 APPENDIX 2(a): (ii) Townscape and Design 45 Sites of National and Local Nature Master Plans andDesign Statements 45 Conservation Interest 64 (iii) Natural Heritage 46 Sites of International Importance 46 APPENDIX 3: Sites of National Importance 46 Agricultural Land Classification 66 Sites of Local Interest 46 (iv) Landscape and the Rural Environment 46 APPENDIX 4: Green Networks 47 East Ayrshire Local Plan: Action Programme 67 (v) Environmental Protection 47 Flooding 47 Contaminated Land 47 Water Quality 47 Environment Development Strategy 48 8 Monitoring, Evaluation and Review 49 Volume 1: Introduction And Strategic Approach 5 The Strategic Approach The Local Plan has been firmly placed in the context of Executive Scottish Ministers’ National Planning Framework and all current national planning advice and guidance produced by the Scottish Government and also fully respects and reflects Summary the provisions of the Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan. In this regard, the local plan is specifically geared towards: Overall Aims and • stabilising the population of Ayrshire in 2025 at current (2005) levels; Objectives of the Plan • encouraging and facilitating economic development; The East Ayrshire Local Plan • improving accessibility both within, and to 2010 has been designed opportunities outside, Ayrshire; specifically to help achieve, • developing strong and vibrant communities; and in land use terms, the vision of • safeguarding and enhancing the quality of the built the Council’s Community Plan, and natural environment. which is to ensure that: ‘East Ayrshire will be a place with strong, vibrant communities where everyone has a good quality of life and access to opportunities, choices and high quality services which are sustainable, accessible and meet people’s needs.’ In this regard, the Local Plan has adopted a primary strategic aim which aspires: ‘to promote sustainable development, to maximise the economic potential Stabilising Population Levels of East Ayrshire and to improve In order to halt population decline and to help sustain local the quality of life of its residents.’ communities, the Council has adopted the principal objective of the Ayrshire Joint Structure Plan, to stabilise the population of East Ayrshire by 2025 at current (2005) levels. The local plan aims to achieve this objective by: • providing an adequate supply, range and type of housing sites throughout East Ayrshire’s communities to meet all future anticipated needs and requirements; • creating living and working environments of the highest possible quality for all residents of the area, in order to help retain population and attract new inward investment; and • facilitating appropriate and sympathetic residential development within the countryside in order to help stem rural population decline. 6 EAST AYRSHIRE LOCAL PLAN 2010 Encouraging Economic Development Improving Accessibility A strong and vibrant business and industrial base is seen as In order to provide an improved, integrated and sustainable an essential pre-requisite to