Monitoring Report

Part of the Blackburn with Darwen Local Development Framework

6

December 2010

Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

PLANNING ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT

December 2010

Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

CONTENTS PAGE

Executive Summary 2

1. Introduction 3

2. Local Development Scheme: Milestones 4

3. An Introduction to Blackburn with Darwen 6

4. Economy 10

5. Housing 17

6. Protecting and enhancing the environment 27

7. Quality of place 34

8. Access to jobs and services 38

9. Monitoring the Borough’s Supplementary Planning Documents 50

10. References 59

11. Glossary 60

Appendix I: Development on Allocated Town Centre Sites 63

Appendix II: Priority Habitats and Species 65

Appendix III: Policies to be retained/superseded from the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Local Plan 66

1 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Executive Summary

This is the sixth Annual Monitoring Report for Blackburn with Darwen and includes monitoring information covering the period 1st April 2009 - 31st March 2010. The Local Development Framework, which will eventually replace the current adopted Local Plan is still in the development stage and as a result there are areas where monitoring of this is not possible. The report is, however, as comprehensive as is possible at this point and provides a ‘snap- shot’ of the borough. The monitoring has been completed using a set of indicators – Contextual, Core Output, Local Output and Significant Effect indicators. The Core Output Indicators used in the monitoring report are those set by Government and will ensure consistent monitoring data is produced each year.

The Annual Monitoring Report includes information from the 2009/10 monitoring period such as:

• There have been 202 net additional dwellings completed in the borough; • A total of 126 properties were demolished in the borough; • The average gross weekly earnings for full time workers in the borough has increased by £14.10 since the last monitoring period and now stands at £429.30; • The total amount of employment floorspace completed has reduced from 42076.39m² in 2008-09 to just 12451m² in 2009-10; • Aside from drug offences, there has been a reduction in all types of crime reported. Drug offences, however, have seen an increase of 154 incidence, from 435 in 2008- 09 to 589 in 2009-10; • 4.2% of the borough’s population were claiming Job Seekers Allowance in March 2010 compared to 5% in 2009.

This document is used to assess progress on the delivery of the LDF and to review whether policies for the borough are working effectively. We welcome any comments you have on this year’s Annual Monitoring Report. You can contact the Forward Planning team on (01254) 585356 or at [email protected].

2 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

1. Introduction

1.1. The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires all local planning authorities to produce a report to the Government assessing the progress it has made on, and the effectiveness of, its Local Plan policies and the emerging Local Development Framework (LDF).

1.2. Whilst the saved policies of the Local Plan remain the main part of the Development Plan for the Borough and the LDF is still emerging, this report will monitor the statutory indicators as well as those seen relevant at this time to assist in developing the LDF. By creating a set of indicators for which new and updated data is regularly available, the approach to monitoring will be consistent and allow analysis and comparison of results over time.

1.3. The report provides data on a number of indicators:

• Contextual indicators – present background information on the context in which policies are operating.

• Core output indicators – are standard indicators defined nationally by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

• Local output indicators – complement the core output indicators to monitor the implementation of local policies and documents.

• Significant effects indicators – provide additional data to enable a robust assessment of policy implementation with the core and local output indicators. They are linked to the sustainability appraisal objectives and enable comparisons to be made between the predicted and actual effects observed during the implementation of policies.

1.4. Taken together the indicators provide a comprehensive evidence base on which to inform policy development and monitor policy implementation.

1.5. In November 2010 a Planning Inspector found the Core Strategy sound. The Council will formally adopt the document in January 2011 and it is therefore important to begin to assess and develop the monitoring framework for the Core Strategy. At the end of each monitoring section, a table showing how the Core Strategy policies will be monitored is included. This identifies whether we currently have the means to collect the required data, or whether measures need to be put in place to begin to collect this information. Where current data has been collected for this monitoring period, this has been added to the matrix.

1.6. The Council will ensure it has all the correct procedures in place to fulfil the monitoring requirements of the Core Strategy by the time it is adopted.

3 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

2. Local Development Scheme (LDS): Milestones

2.1 The LDS sets out any new and revised planning policy documents the Council intends to produce. This monitoring report reviews progress on Blackburn with Darwen BC’s LDS and indicates whether the timetable and milestones are being achieved. An updated timetable based on the LDS, including achievements and slippages is set out overleaf.

Analysis of Local Development Scheme Milestones 2.2 The thirteen documents in the LDS include the Core Strategy, five Development Plan Documents (DPD), six Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) and this Annual Monitoring Report.

Saved Policies from the Local Plan 2.3 All except two Local Plan Policies (T8 and BTC3) have been “saved” until replaced by LDF policies. This is explained in more detail in a series of documents available on the Council’s website at www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.36784. Appendix V sets out the policies from the Blackburn with Darwen borough Local Plan that will be retained or superseded once the Core Strategy is adopted in January 2011.

4 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Document Title Status LDS Target Progress Update Comments Local Development DPD Submission to Secretary of State: February 2010 The Core Strategy was found Framework Core Adoption Date: January 2011 sound by the Planning Strategy Inspector in November 2010.

Site Allocations and DPD Pre-submission “Publication” consultation (Reg 27): Work has begun on collating Development June 2012 the evidence base which will Management DPD Submission to Secretary of State: October 2012 inform the DPD. Target adoption date: November 2013

Proposals Map DPD Pre-submission “Publication” consultation (Reg 27): Will be completed alongside June 2012 the Site Allocations and Submission to Secretary of State: October 2012 Development Management Target adoption date: November 2013 Policies DPD. Griffin SPD SPD Consultation on draft SPD (Reg 17): July 2010 Due to comments made on Target adoption date: November 2010 the document from our Members, some changes were needed to the document prior to publishing the document for public consultation. It is now estimated consultation on the draft SPD will take place in February 2011 with adoption in late May 2011. Community CIL Pre-submission “Publication” consultation on DPD Infrastructure LDD/SPD (Reg 27) or consultation on draft SPD (Reg 17): If to Levy/Developer be a CIL LDD, will depend on requirements under Contributions LDD Regulations. If to be an SPD, draft document, draft published for consultation in Dec 2010, adoption June 2011 Housing SPD SPD Consultation on draft SPD: Winter 2010/11, Adoption: Initial work has begun on Summer 2011 scoping the framework for the SPD.

5 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

3. An Introduction to Blackburn with Darwen

3.1. Blackburn with Darwen, surrounded by some of the most beautiful countryside in Britain, is a key geographical and cultural gateway to Pennine Lancashire. It is located between the high land on the Metropolitan borough boundaries of Bolton and Bury in the south and Mellor ridge to the north. The West Pennine Moors form a natural barrier to Chorley and to the east a barrier to Rossendale. Within this dramatic landscape, the borough covers an area of 13,700 hectares.

Population 3.2. As Graph 1 below highlights, the population of Blackburn with Darwen has, over recent years, been steadily declining. The mid-year estimate in 2009 put the population of the borough at 139,900, slightly lower than the 2008 figure of 140,700. In 2006, the population of the borough peaked at 141,200, however since then, the population has declined by 1,300 persons.

Graph 1: Mid Year Population Estimates 2001-2009

142000 Population 141000

140000

139000

138000 Population 137000

136000

135000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Year

Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Ethnicity 3.3. The latest available figures for the borough’s ethnicity are from 2007 and show that 77% of the borough’s population are White British, compared to 92.1% for the North West and 88.2% for England. Figure 1 highlights a significantly higher proportion of

6 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Asian or Asian British people in the borough (20.4%) compared to both the regional (4.4%) and national (5.7%) figures.

3.4. From this data, it is clear that Blackburn with Darwen’s population is ethnically diverse and as a result the need for encouraging community cohesion in all aspects of the Council’s work is essential.

Figure 1: Ethnicity of Blackburn with Darwen residents 2007 Blackburn North West England with Darwen White (Persons, Jun07)1 77.0 92.1 88.2 Mixed (Persons, Jun07)1 1.3 1.2 1.7 Asian or Asian British (Persons, Jun07)1 20.4 4.4 5.7 Black or Black British (Persons, Jun07)1 0.8 1.1 2.8 Chinese or Other Ethnic Group (Persons, 0.6 1.1 1.5 Jun07)1 Source: ONS

Figure 2: Spatial Distribution of non-White Households

3.5. As highlighted in figure 2, the majority of non-White residents of Blackburn with Darwen are concentrated within the inner areas of the borough, which are also some of the most deprived wards in Blackburn with Darwen. Wards within the suburban areas of the borough have a significant proportion of White residents and these are, in contrast, the least deprived areas of Blackburn with Darwen.

Deprivation 3.6. The Indices of deprivation is a useful indicator of all types of deprivation across the country. In terms of the rank of average score, in 2007 the borough was the 17th most deprived of the 354 districts in England. The Indices of Multiple Deprivation are derived at Lower Super Output Areas (LSOA), which are small boundaries within wards in the borough. Of the ninety one LSOAs in Blackburn with Darwen, thirty three are within the most Source: BwDBC Housing Needs Assessment 2008 10% deprived nationally.

3.7. Figure 3 overleaf shows how the borough’s LSOAs are ranked across England, with those within the top 1% most deprived to those within the top 25% most deprived being highlighted on the graph. Working the LSOA into ward averages, the five most

7 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

deprived wards are Shadsworth with Whitebirk, Audley, Queen’s Park, Bastwell and Wensley Fold.

Figure 3: Map of 2007 Index of Multiple Graph 2: Pennine Lancashire Authorities – Deprivation across Blackburn with Darwen Index of Multiple Deprivation Scores 2007 Wards

350

300

250

200

150

100 Rank ofRank Average Rank

50 Least Deprived

0 Blackburn Burnley Hyndburn Pendle Ribble Valley Rossendale with Darwen Authority

3.8. As shown on the graph above, four out of the six authorities that make up Pennine Lancashire are within the 50 most deprived authorities in England.

3.9. Blackburn with Darwen has the highest level of deprivation in Pennine Lancashire. In developing a stronger economy, it will be necessary to deal with the challenges associated with multiple deprivation including high levels of worklessness, low incomes and poor educational attainment in order to attract and retain investment and skilled labour.

SWOT Analysis of the Borough 3.10. The SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) Analysis below identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the borough whilst also examining the opportunities and threats present:

Strengths Weaknesses ƒ Location – set within Pennine Lancashire. ƒ High levels of deprivation; Opportunity for cross-boundary working; ƒ Low educational attainment; ƒ Good access to cities of Manchester, ƒ Mortality rate higher than the national Liverpool and Leeds; average; ƒ Improvements in housing stock through ƒ High proportion of economically inactive Housing Market Renewal Intervention residents; areas; ƒ Poor housing mix/condition in the ƒ Heritage assets in the built environment; borough; ƒ Strong internal connectivity; ƒ Shortage of affordable housing; ƒ Strong and innovative advanced ƒ High levels of Worklessness; manufacturing sector. ƒ Poor life expectancy and ill-health; ƒ Low skills level. Opportunities Threats

8 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

ƒ Tourist trade; ƒ Recession; ƒ Part of Pennine Lancashire with MAA in ƒ Lack of funding for projects e.g. HMR place; ƒ Climate change; ƒ In 2006, 83% of residents were “satisfied” ƒ Younger members of the population with their neighbourhood as a place to leaving the area; live; ƒ Poor external image and perception of ƒ Quality of Place attributes: town centre, the area; historic environments, countryside; ƒ Competition from growth centres; ƒ Increasing connectivity to Manchester, Preston and Leeds; ƒ New Blackburn College building offering degree courses; ƒ Building Schools for the Future;

9 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

4. Economy

Core Output Indicators:

• BD1: Total amount and type of completed employment floorspace (gross and net) • BD2: Total amount of employment floorspace on previously developed land – by type • BD3: Employment land available – by type • BD4: Total amount of floorspace for ‘town centre uses’

Relevant Core Strategy Strategic Objectives:

• Create conditions allowing a change in emphasis to a higher-wage, higher skill economy, while continuing to support traditional industries • Retain and attract skilled and qualified people to live in the Borough • Ensure that local people benefit from economic growth and have access to services and facilities • Widen the range of activities taking place in the Borough’s town centres • Consolidate the roles of Blackburn town centre as a sub-regional centre; and Darwen as a market town with distinct identity

Contextual Indicators

Socio-Economic Profile 4.1 Data collected in 2009 shows that fewer people in Blackburn with Darwen are employed within managerial and senior official occupations (11.6%) and professional occupation sectors (10.8%) compared to both the regional (14.6% and 15.7% respectively) and national figures (15.7% and 13.6% respectively).

4.2 In contrast, a larger percentage of people in Blackburn with Darwen are employed within skilled trade, personal service, sales and customer service and process plant and machine operative occupations than regional and national figures:

Employment by occupation (Jan 2009-Dec 2009) Blackburn with Blackburn with North West Great Britain Darwen Darwen (%) (%) (numbers) (%) 1 Managers and 6,600 11.6 14.6 15.7 senior officials 2 Professional 6,200 10.8 12.6 13.6 occupations 3 Associate professional & 7,800 13.5 14.0 14.7 technical 4 Administrative & 6,300 11.0 11.5 11.2 secretarial 5 Skilled trades 7,000 12.2 10.4 10.4 occupations 6 Personal service 6,300 11.0 8.9 8.6 occupations 7 Sales and 5,500 9.6 8.6 7.4

10 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

customer service occupations 8 Process plant & machine 5,000 8.7 7.6 6.7 operatives 9 Elementary 6,200 10.9 11.4 11.3 occupations Source: ONS annual population survey

Notes: Numbers and % are for those of 16+ % is a proportion of all persons in employment

Graph 3: Employment by Occupation 2009

16

14

BwD 12 NW 10 GB

8

6

4

2 Percentage of population of Percentage in employment

0 Managers and Managers Professional and professional and Administrative trades Skilled service Personal customer service and plant Process occupations occupations senior officals senior Elementary occupation occupations occupation Associate Sales and technical operatives secretarial machine

Occupation

Source: ONS 2009

Weekly Earnings 4.3 Information on wage levels can be used to evaluate the living standards of the residents in the borough and the ability of residents to afford housing.

4.4 Gross weekly median average earnings by residence for full time workers in Blackburn with Darwen in 2009 was £429.30. This is £30.90 less than the regional average (£460.20) and £61.70 less than the national average (£491). Compared to 2008 figures, average wage levels for the borough have increased by £14.10. Similarly, national and regional wage levels have increased by £8.90 and £11.70 respectively since 2008 which would be expected in line with inflation.

4.5 The gap between male and female wage rates in the borough remains substantial. The median male weekly earnings figure for Blackburn with Darwen residents of £443.20 is considerably higher than the female rate of £398.10. This equates to female median wage levels residents in the borough being 10.2% below that of male residents.

11 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

4.6 However, caution should be exercised when looking at gender pay gaps as they may well be in part due to the types of work that males and females tend to do and the different level of pay associated with a particular occupation or industry.

Earnings by residence (2009) Blackburn with Darwen North West Great Britain (pounds) (pounds) (pounds) Gross weekly pay Full-time 429.3 460.2 491.0 workers Male full-time 443.2 498.3 534.4 workers Female full-time 398.1 408.3 426.6 workers Hourly pay Full-time 10.81 11.78 12.47 workers Male full-time 10.79 12.37 13.16 workers Female full-time 10.72 10.93 11.45 workers Source: ONS annual survey of hours and earnings - resident analysis

Note: Median earnings in pounds for employees living in the area.

Core Output Indicators

BD1: Total Amount of Additional Employment Floorspace - by Type (gross) The total amount of new completed gross floorspace for business and industrial uses in the 2009-10 monitoring period is 12,451m² (see page 22 for breakdown of employment type).

4.7 Compared to the amount of employment floorspace completed in the last monitoring period (2008-09), figures have decreased dramatically in this period from 42076.39m² to just 12451m². As the graph overleaf shows, since the 2004-05 monitoring period, the amount of employment floorspace completed has fluctuated each year. However, the current monitoring period has seen the most significant drop of employment floorspace completed in the borough since the start of the Plan period.

4.8 It was assumed that the 2008/09 AMR would have provided a clearer picture of the impact of the recession. However, last year’s figures showed a surprising increase in the amount of employment floorspace completed suggesting there may have been a lag period demonstrating the impacts of the recession on the borough. Figures for this year would suggest that the effects of the recession have become a lot clearer and the downturn in the development industry has become more apparent.

12 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Graph 4: Total Amount of Additional Employment Monitoring Floorspace Floorspace (gross) 2004-2010 Period (m²) 2004-05 29988 45000 2005-06 9755 40000 2006-07 37348 35000 2007-08 39966.38 30000 2008-09 42076.39 25000 2009-10 12451 20000

Floorspace 15000 10000 5000 0 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Monitoring Period

BD1: Total Amount of Additional Employment Floorspace (net) The total amount of new completed net employment floorspace in 2009-2010 was 10,946.15 m². This has been calculated by deducting any conversion or change of use developments from the gross figure.

BD2: Total Amount of Employment Floorspace on Previously Developed Land (PDL) – by Type As shown on graph 5 overleaf, 77.6% of business and industrial development floorspace was developed on previously developed land.

4.9 This indicator has varied significantly since 2004-05, reflecting the impact of individual developments reaching completion. There has been a reduction of employment land completed on brownfield land from 98.8% in the 2008-09 monitoring period to 77.6% in this year’s period.

4.10 Despite this reduction, the current figure remains high and is a positive sign that planning permission is being granted for employment sites in the most sustainable areas of the borough.

13 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Graph 5: Total Amount of Employment Floorspace on PDL 2004-2010

120

100

80

60

Percentage 40

20

0 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Monitoring Period

Figure 4: Employment Land completed and available

B1a B1b B1c B2 B8 Mixed Use Total (m²) BD1 Total amount of additional employment Gross 6326 0 2143 0 3892 90 12451 floorspace completed - by type (m2) Net 6236.15 0 728 0 3892 90 10946.15 BD2 Total amount of employment floorspace Gross 6326 0 2143 0 1105 90 9664 completed on previously developed land by type % gross (m2) on PDL 100 0 100 0 28.39157 100 77.61626 BD3 Employment land available - by type (Ha) hectares 1.68 0 0.04 2.27 3.2023 22.18 29.3723

BD3: Employment Land Available - by Type There is 29.4 hectares of employment land available which can be counted as ‘supply’. This is made up of extant planning permissions (22.2ha) and sites allocated in the Local Plan (7.2 ha). Graph 6 below shows the land available by type and figure 6 on page 16 shows the updated status of allocated sites in the Local Plan.

Graph 6: Employment Land Supply by Type 2010

16 14 12 10 8

Hectares 6 4 2 0 B1 B2 B8 Mixed Employment Type

4.11 Compared to last year’s monitoring period, the amount of employment land available has decreased by 13.57 ha. This is due to the reduction in extant planning

14 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

permissions (from 35.77 ha in 2008-09 to 22.2 ha in 2009-10). It is evident from the graph above that there has been a significant drop in the amount of B1 employment land available in the borough compared to last year’s figures (from just under 14 ha in 2008-09 to 1.72 ha in 2009-10). This can be attributed to a number of planning permissions for office development being built out or expiring within the current monitoring period.

4.12 As highlighted in the borough’s Core Strategy, our evidence shows that quality rather than absolute quantity is the most important issue driving employment development in the borough.

4.13 Provision will be made for up to 105.5 ha of land for employment development between 2011 and 2026. The precise figure will be set in the Site Allocations and Development Management DPD and will take account of future work in Pennine Lancashire on employment land requirements.

4.14 The 2009 Employment Land Review sets out a calculation for the amount of land required. This takes forward an approach used in the RSS, and is based on local information on take up rates in the Borough. Figure 5 below uses the same methodology, rolling forward the timeframe to cover the Core Strategy period of 2011- 2026

4.15 The methodology used in this calculation aims to apply a “policy-on” element to take account of potential increases in take up resulting from economic growth. Firstly there is a global assumption that take up will increase. Secondly, there is a “flexibility factor”, which aims to ensure that the supply of land is responsive to local circumstances. When these are taken into account, the total amount required, including that already committed, is 105.5ha.

4.16 Various factors will influence whether take up reaches this figure. Firstly, the current economic recession may negatively impact on take up in the short to medium term, as reflected in employment completion figures for the 2009-10 monitoring period. Secondly, the Core Strategy’s aim of moving towards a higher wage economy may create a more intensive pattern of employment development with greater job densities and lower land requirements. Thirdly, the Core Strategy recognises that employment land is a cross-boundary issue, and that development outside the Borough, particularly in Hyndburn, serves the Borough as well. The “flexibility factor” element of the calculation exists to take account of these types of issue. Taken together these factors mean that the 105.5ha land target can be regarded as a maximum.

Figure 5: Application of Employment Land Calculation for Blackburn with Darwen Current take up per annum (5 year average 2003- 5.62 ha 2008) Projected increase in take up 4.25% Projected take up per annum 5.86 ha Need 2011-26 (5.86 x 15) 87.9 ha Flexibility factor 20% Need 2011-26 (incorporating flexibility factor) 105.5 ha

15 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

BD4: Total Amount of Floorspace for ‘Town Centre Uses’ The total amount of completed floorspace for town centre uses (Use Classes A1, A2, B1a and D2) within (i) town centre areas and (ii) the local authority area:

A1 A2 B1a D2 Total BD4 Total amount of floorspace developed Gross 90.15 0 4981 0 5071.15 within the town centre (m2) Net 90.15 0 4981 0 5071.15 A1 A2 B1a D2 Total

Gross 137.67 165 6326 0 6628.67 BD4 Total amount of floorspace developed within the Local Authority (m2) Net 137.67 165 6236.15 0 6538.82 TOTAL A1 A2 B1a D2 Total Gross 65.5 0.0 78.7 0 76.5 % of floorspace developed in town centres Net 65.5 0.0 79.9 0 77.6

4.17 The table above highlights that 76.5% of the gross amount of floorspace developed in Blackburn with Darwen was located within the town centres. This has increased from just 29.6% in last year’s monitoring period. The town centres of Blackburn and Darwen are key economic drivers and investment in these centres will raise the confidence of local residents and businesses, resulting in a more diverse retail and leisure offer.

Performance of Local Plan Policies

Policy EC1 – Business and Industrial Allocations 4.18 This policy in the Local Plan allocated five sites for business and industrial uses totalling 13 hectares of land. Lower Eccleshill Farm was redeveloped in the 2005/06 monitoring period, whilst part of the Lower Darwen Paper Mill was redeveloped during 2008-09, meaning 5.8 hectares of allocated land is no longer available. The situation as at April 2010 is as follows:

Figure 6: Update on Business and Industrial Allocations Site Remaining Land Allocated EC1/1 – Chapels Park 2.8 EC1/2 – Slack Gate 1.1 EC1/3 – Hollins Goods Yard 1.3 EC1/4 – Lower Darwen Paper Mill 2 EC1/5 – Lower Eccleshill Farm 0 Total 7.2

Review of Core Strategy Monitoring Indicators Core Strategy Indicators Borough’s performance 2009/2010 Ha developed for B1, B2, B8 + mixed use 12451m² Median earnings of employees in the area £429.30 per week Number of jobs created/safeguarded Can be picked up through ONS Number of new businesses established Can be picked up through VAT registers (ONS) Average earnings of residents of the borough Gross median earnings by residence for full time worker is £429.30 Ha of new land allocated for employment use Will determine through Site Allocations and Development Management DPD work Total amount of additional employment 10946.15m² floorspace (net) Ha change of use of existing employment sites Currently picked up in AMR

16 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

5. Housing

Core Output Indicators:

• H1: Plan period and housing targets • H2(a): Net additional dwellings – in previous years • H2(b): Net additional dwellings – for the reporting year • H2(c): Net additional dwellings – in future years • H2(d): Managed delivery target • H3: New and converted dwellings – on previously developed land • H4: Net additional pitches (Gypsy and Traveller) • H5: Gross affordable housing completions • H6: Housing Quality – Building for Life Assessments

Relevant Core Strategy Strategic Objectives:

• Increase levels of demand both for existing housing stock and for new development in inner urban areas • Promote development of mixed communities

Contextual Indicators

Council Tax Bandings 5.2 Graph 7 shows the percentage of dwellings in each Council Tax band within the borough in 2006 and 2007 compared with national figures for England1. It highlights the significantly higher percentage of properties within Council tax bands A and B in Blackburn with Darwen, compared to national figures. In fact, in 2007, there were 29% more properties within Council tax bands A and B in the borough than the national figure.

5.3 As the Council tax bands relate to a property’s open market value as at 1st April 1991, with band A representing the lowest value and band H the highest value, these figures highlight the large proportion of low value housing in the borough, compared to figures for England.

1 ONS Census data 2001

17 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Graph 7: Percentage of Dwellings by Council Tax Band 2006-2007

120 Band G & H Band E & F Band C & D Band A & B 100

80

60

40

20

0 BwD 2006 BwD 2007 England 2006 England 2007 Dwelling Stock 5.4 At March 2009, there were 59,495 dwellings in the borough. The majority of these (80.4%) being owner occupied and private rented stock. A fifth (19.5%) of dwellings are registered social landlord stock.

Blackburn with North West England Darwen Total Dwelling Stock (Dwellings)2 1 59,495 3,111,257 22,493,857 LA Dwelling Stock (Dwellings)2 1 2 180,586 1,870,365 LA Dwelling Stock (Dwellings)2 1 0.0 5.8 8.3 RSL Dwelling Stock (Dwellings)2 1 11,628 402,384 2,142,297 RSL Dwelling Stock (Dwellings)2 1 19.5 12.9 9.5 Other Public Sector Dwelling Stock (Dwellings)2 1 46 2,045 74,134 Other Public Sector Dwelling Stock (Dwellings)2 1 0.1 0.1 0.3 Owner Occupied and Private Rented Dwelling Stock 47,819 2,526,242 18,407,061 (Dwellings)2 1 Owner Occupied and Private Rented Dwelling Stock 80.4 81.2 81.8 (Dwellings)2 1

Source: Communities and Local Government

Household Types 5.5 As shown on the graph below, nearly half (48%) of the housing stock in Blackburn with Darwen is made up of terraced housing, compared to a national average of 26%. Additionally, only 13% of the borough’s stock is made up of detached dwellings, compared to a national average of 22.5%. Blackburn with Darwen’s Housing Needs Survey identified a shortage of larger, affordable family houses which the Core Strategy aims to address through the implementation of its policies.

18 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Graph 8: Comparison of Percentage of Household Types 2008

60 Blackburn with Darwen

North West 50 England

40

30 Percentage

20

10

0 Detached Semi- Detached Terraced Dwelling Type Flat Other Dwelling Type

Core Output Indicators

H1: Plan Period and Housing Targets Provision will be made for a total of 9,365 net additional dwellings between 2011 and 2026. Delivery will be phased as follows:

2011-2016: 530/yr net additional dwellings 2016-2021: 625/yr net additional dwellings 2021-2026: 720/yr net additional dwellings

5.6 The Core Strategy is based on a numerical housing target of an average of 489 per year from 2003 (the beginning of the RSS period) to the end of the strategy period in 2026. This is supported by both the RSS evidence base and other information including the 2009 Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA).

5.7 Development rates since 2003 have fallen short of the 489 target, partly due to significant numbers of demolitions. There is therefore effectively a “backlog” of unmet requirements which will need to be compensated for over the Core Strategy period (up to 2026). The annual average target for the Core Strategy period, taking into account meeting this shortfall, is therefore 625 net additional dwellings per year.

H2 (a): Net Additional Dwellings – in Previous Years (see Figure 10) There have been 461 net additional dwellings over the previous five year period:

Monitoring Year Number of Completions 2004-05 -288 2005-06 400 2006-07 36 2007-08 425 2008-09 -112

19 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

5.8 Compared to last year’s figures, there has been a significant increase in the number of net additional houses completed in the borough for the 2009-10 monitoring period. Part of this may be due to the reduction in the number of houses demolished over the same period. However, this figure is still short of the annual completion target. The current economic downturn has resulted in house building slowing rapidly, which is evident during this reporting year.

5.9 The impact of the economic downturn is likely to be most significant in the previous (2008/09), current (2009/10) and subsequent (2010/11) monitoring periods. After this, completion rates are anticipated to increase with the housing trajectory.

H2 (b): Net Additional Dwellings – for the Reporting Year (see Figure 10) The net additional dwelling completions recorded for the 2009-10 monitoring period was 202.

H2 (c): Net Additional Dwellings – in Future Years (see Figure 10)

This aspect of the trajectory illustrates the level of net additional housing expected to come forward over the plan period. The 5 year period starting after the current monitoring year sets out the net additional dwellings expected to come forward each year over the period from ready to develop sites identified in the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA).

This information will be used to inform the borough’s 5 Year Housing Supply, which will be published in 2011. It will be available to view through the Council’s website www.blackburn.gov.uk.

H2 (d): Managed Delivery Target Graph 10 and figure 7 below show the net additional dwellings expected to come forward each year over the remaining plan period to meet overall housing requirement set out in the RSS. It highlights the Core Strategy’s phased approach to meeting the housing undersupply.

20 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Graph 10: Blackburn with Darwen’s Housing Trajectory

1000

Actual (gross incorporating projected 800 demolition replacements)

600 Actual (net add.)

400

200 PDL trajectory No. of dwellings of No.

0

Policy target (net add.) -200

-400 Year

Figure 7: Managed Delivery Target Year Policy target Actual (gross Demolitions Actual (net PDL (net add.) incorporating (incl. additional) trajectory projected projected demolition demolitions replacements) in future years) 2003/04 489 583 138 445 245 2004/05 489 95 383 -288 57 2005/06 489 579 179 400 446 2006/07 489 192 156 36 180 2007/08 489 599 174 425 509 2008/09 489 149 261 -112 143 2009/10 489 328 126 202 213 2010/11 489 489 0 489 318 2011/12 415 568 22 546 369 2012/13 415 568 22 546 369 2013/14 415 568 22 546 369 2014/15 415 568 22 546 369 2015/16 415 568 22 546 369 2016/17 490 687 42 645 446 2017/18 490 687 42 645 446 2018/19 490 687 42 645 446 2019/20 490 687 42 645 446 2020/21 490 687 42 645 446 2021/22 562 781 42 739 508 2022/23 562 781 42 739 508 2023/24 562 781 42 739 508 2024/25 562 781 42 739 508 2025/26 562 781 42 739 508

21 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

5.10 Trajectories are an essential tool for monitoring the rate, and expected rates, of housing developments against a target number of dwellings over a given time period.

5.11 The uncertainty in the current housing market means that this is a ‘snap-shot’ view of anticipated housing delivery and it is important to keep this information up to date in order to ensure we have a continuous record of our housing performance.

H3: New and Converted Dwellings - on Previously Developed Land (PDL) 90.5% of new and converted dwellings were built on previously developed land in the 2009-10 monitoring period.

5.12 The number of housing completions on brownfield land has fluctuated somewhat over the past eight years. The Core Strategy sets a target of at least 65% of new housing in the borough to be on brownfield land and figures for 2009-10 show the borough is performing well above this target.

Graph 11: Amount of New Housing Completed on Brownfield and Greenfield Land (gross figures) Brownfield 350 Greenfield 300

250

200

150

100

Number of Homes Built 50

0 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009-10 Year

H4: Net Additional Pitches (Gypsy and Traveller) There have been no net additional pitches for Gypsies and Travellers for the current year (2009/10).

22 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

5.13 National guidance requires local authorities to ensure provision is made for Gypsies and Travellers by ensuring appropriate sites can be designated for their use either as permanent accommodation or transit sites if there is an identified need.

5.14 This issue will be addressed through the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies DPD. In preparing the DPD the Council will take account of evidence that was produced to inform the Partial Review of the RSS which was abandoned in July 2010 following revocation of RSS.

H5: Gross Affordable Housing Completions There have been 161 affordable homes completed in this year’s monitoring period. Affordable housing is defined in PPS3 as: i) wholly funded through registered social landlords and/or local authorities, ii) wholly funded through developer contribution or iii) funded through a mix of public subsidy and developer contribution.

5.15 As shown on Graph 12 below, the number of affordable houses completed in this monitoring period has increased from 82 completions in 2008-09 to 161 in 2009-10. Despite this, there are still a significant proportion of people who wish to move house within the borough but have insufficient income to access the housing market and it remains a Council priority to ensure the provision of a sufficient number of affordable homes, of the right type, to meet the needs of these residents.

5.16 According to the borough’s Housing Needs Assessment, it is estimated that there are 1,279 existing households that cannot afford market housing, living in unsuitable housing, and who require a move to alternative accommodation which represents 2.3% of all existing households in the borough. The assessment highlights that 426 households in Blackburn with Darwen would be in need every year of some type of affordable housing.

5.17 The emerging Core Strategy has set a requirement for all new residential developments to provide 20% affordable housing and as a result this should facilitate the provision of a higher number of affordable homes in the borough in the future.

Graph 12: Affordable Housing Completions

200 Affordable Housing 180 Completions 160 140 120 100 80 Completions 60 40 20 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Year

23 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

H6: Housing Quality – Building for Life Assessments This indicator will be used to show the level of quality in new housing development, providing the number and proportion of total new build completions on housing sites reaching very good, good, average and poor ratings against the Building for Life criteria.

5.15 Previous AMRs have not reported on this indicator due to the lack of an accredited Building for Life Assessor. However, the Council has recently appointed a Design and Conservation Officer who is BfL accredited and we can therefore begin to monitor this indicator. The monitoring framework included in Appendix II will be utilised for future AMRs.

Demolitions 5.16 In 2009-10, 126 dwellings were demolished; a reduction of 135 properties from last year’s figures. These demolitions are largely a result of large scale regeneration programmes in the borough – the Queen Street/Hindle Street area in Darwen and Griffin area of Blackburn.

Graph 13: Number of Demolitions

450 Demolitions 400

350

300

250

200 Number 150

100

50

0 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Date

Local Output Indicators

Density of Housing Development 5.17 The density of new housing completed for schemes of 5 or more dwellings is separated into three categories; less than 30 dwellings per hectare, between 30 and 50 dwellings per hectare and those with a density greater than 50 dwellings per hectare.

Figure 8: Density of New Housing Development Completed Since 2005 Density 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 < 30 157 64 53 115 6 9 30-50 147 70 14 132 78 170 >50 109 35 161 54 53 113

5.18 Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing, and the adopted Local Plan both seek a minimum density of 30 dwellings per hectare. Figure 8 shows that 96% of completed housing was on sites with a density of 30 or more dwellings per hectare:

24 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

ƒ < 30 dwellings per hectare – 3% ƒ 30-50 dwellings per hectare –58% ƒ > 50 dwellings per hectare – 39% 5.19 61% of housing completions in the 2009-10 monitoring period were built to a density of 50 dwellings per hectare or below. This represents the Council’s efforts to meet the borough’s housing need by providing a mixture of housing. Blackburn with Darwen is a borough dominated by terraced housing and as a result is restrictive in terms of meeting the needs of larger families and higher market housing. The emerging Core Strategy sets out an emphasis on developing a mix of housing types and also the importance of providing higher end housing in certain parts of the borough.

Performance of Local Plan Policies

Policy H1 – Housing Provision 5.20 This Policy allocated four sites for new housing, these are:

ƒ Crossfield Street - 26 Dwellings ƒ Ellison Fold - 53 Dwellings ƒ Cemetery Road - 13 Dwellings ƒ Livesey Branch Road - 28 Dwellings

5.21 Of these sites only the Livesey Branch Road site has been redeveloped, providing 34 dwellings.

Policy H2 – Development of Large Unallocated Sites 5.22 This Policy gives priority to new large housing sites (for 10 or more dwellings or greater than 0.4 hectares) with good accessibility and are developed on previously developed land. Since 2004-05 the borough has achieved 60% or more of housing developments on previously developed sites. This policy has therefore ensured that the majority of large sites coming forward for development have been on previously developed land, recycling land within the urban area.

Review of Core Strategy Monitoring Indicators Core Strategy Indicators Borough’s performance 2009/2010 Number of dwelling completions in inner urban Data available from DM/Forward Planning areas Number of dwelling completions outside inner Data available from DM/Forward Planning urban areas Number of executive housing developments Data available from DM/Forward Planning completed in urban areas Number of dwelling completions in town centres Data available from DM/Forward Planning % of housing developments of brownfield land 90.5% % of dwellings outside HMR areas for higher No formal reporting in place for this indicator market Average density of housing developments Data available from DM/Forward Planning outside HMR area % of total dwelling completions within HMR Data available from DM/Forward Planning areas % of houses:apartments completed Data available from DM/Forward Planning % of 1/2/3/4/5+ bed dwellings completed Data available from DM/Forward Planning

25 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

% of the Borough’s dwelling stock considered 17.2% (2006 figure) ‘unfit’ Number of affordable houses completed 161 % of developments triggering affordable Data held by Development Management housing requirement providing contribution % intermediate housing RSL intermediate rent = 17% RSL shared ownership/shared equity = 34% Non RSL shared ownership/shared equity = 6% % social rented housing RSL social rent = 43% Number of demolitions 126 Number of empty properties 860 Net additional Gypsy and Traveller pitches No new pitches

26 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

6. Protecting and Enhancing the Environment

Core Output Indicators

• E1: Number of planning permissions granted contrary to Environment Agency advice on flooding and water quality grounds. • E2: Change in areas of biodiversity importance • E3: Renewable energy generation

Relevant Core Strategy Strategic Objectives:

• Minimise the Borough’s environmental footprint • Improve the quality of the local environment and the Borough’s physical setting • Ensure that the Borough’s rural areas and villages have a sustainable future • Be ready for the effects of climate change

Contextual Indicators

Air Quality Management Areas 6.1 The Council has designated five Air Quality Management Areas in which air quality will be recorded with measures developed to control the impact on pollution levels. The intention is to monitor nitrogen dioxide against the national annual mean objective of 40µg/m3. These areas are:

ƒ Intack, Blackburn – junction of Whitebirk Rd, Accrington Rd, Shadsworth Road and St Ives Road; ƒ Bastwell, Blackburn – junction of Whalley New Road, Whalley Range, Plane Street Blackburn; ƒ Bolton Road / Duckworth Street, Darwen Town Centre; ƒ Witton, Blackburn – junction of Preston New Road, Buncer Lane, Redlam, Spring Lane; ƒ The junction of the A666 with M65 J4 link road 6.2 The AQMA’s are material considerations in planning decisions. No major developments have been granted planning permission within any of the AQMAs in the past 12 months.

Areas of Flood Risk in the Borough and Properties within them 6.3 Approximately 132 hectares of land in the borough is in defined flood risk areas2. This represents approximately 1% of the total land area of the borough and is mainly concentrated closely along the courses of the Rivers Darwen and Blakewater.

6.4 A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Level 1 for the borough was completed in December 2008 which appraises flood risk in Blackburn with Darwen and will inform

2 Environment Agency Flood Zone Maps

27 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

future Local Development Documents. A total of 550 properties have been identified as being at risk of flooding from the River Darwen in Darwen in a 1 in 100 year flood (1% chance of occurence in any one year); and a further 2,519 properties are located within areas identified as being at risk of flooding in a serious 1 in 1000 year flood (0.1% chance of flooding in any one year).

6.5 A SFRA Level 2 will be completed during the allocations DPD work and will review the hazard posed to property and life within each identified development site to ensure that the risk of flooding can be realistically mitigated through the design process.

Core Output Indicators

E1: Number of Planning Permissions Granted Contrary to the Advice of EA on Flooding and Water Quality Grounds

There has been one planning application permitted contrary to the advice of the Environment Agency on flooding and water quality grounds for the 2009/10 monitoring period.

This application relates to the outline planning permission (10/09/0569) for a holiday village in Feniscowles, Blackburn. The EA objected to the proposal as they were unclear on the arrangements for the disposal of foul effluent generated by the proposed development. However, these concerns were clarified through the addition of a condition to the permission and the EA subsequently withdrew their objection.

Graph 14: Number of Planning Permissions Granted Contrary to the Advice of EA on Flooding and Water Quality Grounds

12

10

8

6

4

2

No. of planning permissions 0 2004-08 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Year

6.6 Since 2008, there has been a significant reduction in the number of planning permissions granted contrary to the advice of the Environment Agency on flooding and water quality grounds. Although there has been a decrease in the number of planning applications submitted in recent years, this remains a positive sign that the Council is committed to ensuring new development minimises potential impacts on the environment.

28 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

E2: Change in Areas of Biodiversity Importance The condition of the borough’s three sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) have been assessed. Longworth Clough was re-surveyed on 30th July 2009. A survey on Oak Field was completed in August 2007, whilst Gale Clough & Shooterslee Wood was surveyed in 2006. All have retained their SSSI status.

6.7 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) collectively represent the most important component of the UK’s remaining wildlife and geological resources, safeguarding the finest examples of these for present and future generations. SSSIs play an active role in providing recreational and green spaces, as well as contributing to the health and well being of the borough’s population. The tables below show the status of the borough’s SSSIs at the time of their last assessment. SSSI name: Longworth Clough (last assessed 30/7/09)

% Area % Area % Area % Area % Area % Area meeting PSA unfavourable unfavourable unfavourable destroyed / favourable target recovering no change declining part destroyed

2005 0% 0% 0% 83.71% 16.29% 0%

2006 0% 0% 0% 82.99% 17.01% 0%

2007 0% 0% 0% 82.99% 82.99% 0%

2008 0% 0% 0% 82.99% 82.99% 0%

2009 38.30% 38.30% 0.00% 61.70% 0.00% 0.00%

SSSI name: Gale Clough & Shooterslee Wood (last assessed 26/10/06)

% Area % Area % Area % Area % Area % Area meeting PSA unfavourable unfavourable unfavourable destroyed / favourable target recovering no change declining part destroyed

2005 31.41% 31.41% 0% 68.59% 0% 0%

2006 37.14% 37.14% 0% 62.86% 0% 0%

SSSI name: Oak Field (last assessed 24/8/07)

% Area % Area % Area % Area % Area % Area meeting PSA unfavourable unfavourable unfavourable destroyed / favourable target recovering no change declining part destroyed

2005 31.41% 31.41% 0% 68.59% 0% 0%

2006 37.14% 37.14% 0% 62.86% 0% 0%

2007 100% 100% 0% 0% 0% 0%

6.8 A SSSI recorded as unfavourable means that the site has not yet been assessed, or that there are damaging impacts which need to be addressed. In the case of Longworth Clough one of the main problems on the site is the vast amount of Himalayan Balsam, management of which could actually damage important habitats.

6.9 In terms of areas with local level significance, Local Nature Reserves (LNR) are places with wildlife or geological features that are of special interest locally. They offer people

29 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

special opportunities to study or learn about nature or simply to enjoy it. Many of these may also be SSSIs.

6.10 Within the borough there are now seven sites that have been designated to become Local Nature Reserves. At present four of these have achieved Local Nature Reserve status – River Darwen Parkway, Pleasington Old Hall, Arran Trail and Sunnyhurst Woods.

Figure 9: LNR’s in Blackburn with Darwen in 2009 Site Name LNR status LNR status LNR status LNR status LNR status achieved achieved achieved achieved achieved (2003/04) (2004/05) (2005/06) (2006/07) (2007/08) River Darwen Parkway No Yes Yes Yes Yes Highercroft Woods No No No No No Pleasington Old Hall No No No Yes-with legal Yes Arran Trail No No No Yes-with legal Yes Sunnyhurst Woods No Yes Yes Yes Yes

6.11 Geological Heritage Sites (GHSs) are important geological research locations designated across Lancashire. At present there are five Geological Heritage Sites (as shown in figure 10) within the borough. The identification of further sites, across the whole of Lancashire is on-going although as yet, no new designations have occurred.

Figure 10: GHS’s in Blackburn with Darwen (from the borough’s Local Plan) Site Name Grid Reference Description Alum Scar SD 635 280 Disused quarry in massive gritstone with shales. Industrial, archaeological remains Jumbles Reservoir SD 736 149 High exposure – Coal Measures Cadshaw Gorge SD 707 181 Natural exposure and old quarry. Coarse grained sandstone

Butlers Delph & Black Hill SD 646 277 Large quarry displaying cyclic development of faces & small quarry in Delph thickly bedded sandstone Billinge Hill SD 658 282 Natural crags and long disused quarry showing sequence of sandstone and shale band

6.12 Biological Heritage Sites (BHSs) which are designated by the County Council, are those non-statutory wildlife sites seen as most important. In Lancashire as a whole there are over 1,100 BHSs, which represents 8% of the County area. The 2009 review of BHS sites reported 105 sites were within Blackburn with Darwen.

30 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

E3: Renewable Energy Generation There have been three renewable energy schemes completed in the Borough within the 2009-10 monitoring year:

ƒ 10/09/0491 Installation of 30 no. photovoltaic panels to Blackburn College (generating 0.0069MW of energy) ƒ 10/10/0383 Installation of photovoltaic solar panels on roof slops of 5 no. residential units (generating a total of 0.0012MW of energy) ƒ 10/10/0618 Wind turbine sited at Higher Meadow Farm, Darwen (generating 0.006MW of energy

6.13 The North West Sustainable Energy Strategy sets a target of 10% of North West electricity requirements being met by renewable sources by 2010 (at least 15% by 2015 and at least 20% by 2020). Preliminary work on the Site Allocations and Development Management Policies DPD will explore the need for a requirement that all new development should provide a percentage of its own energy requirements from renewable sources.

Local Output Indicators

Open Spaces managed to Green Flag Award Standard 6.14 Green Flag Awards are a quality benchmark and requires parks to score well in a number of areas including safety and security and the park being a welcoming place.

6.15 Six Green Flags and one Green Pennant were awarded to Blackburn with Darwen for 2010/11. The flags which have been retained are Corporation, Roe Lee, Witton and Queens Parks in Blackburn and Sunnyhurst Woods and Bold Venture Park in Darwen.

6.16 In addition, the Hoddlesden Millennium Green Trust was awarded the Green Pennant for their site.

Performance of Local Plan Policies

Policy RA2 - Safeguarded Land 6.17 This policy seeks to provide long-term certainty regarding the protection of Green Belt land by safeguarding sites from development over the plan period, for redevelopment at a future date. These sites are:

ƒ Cranberry Lane/Kirkhams Farm, Darwen ƒ Roman Road/Marsh House Lane/Ellison Fold, Darwen ƒ Pole Lane, Darwen ƒ Parsonage Road, Blackburn

In accordance with the plan, no applications for development have been submitted on these sites to date.

Policy RA4 - Identified Major Sites in the Green Belt 6.18 This policy relates to four sites within the Green Belt which currently have established uses upon them. The policy allows for some additional development within the confines of these sensitive sites, providing it does not increase the impact on the Green Belt. This is to ensure that where the uses have required expansion within its confines, this can be achieved without compromising the Green Belt designations. The following is an update of the planning permissions granted on these sites:

31 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

ƒ RA4/1 Westholme School – Continuing development between 2001-2003 for additional classrooms and extensions. Planning permission was granted in 2005 for new tennis and hockey pitches and the most recent permissions in 2007 and 2008 approved the felling of two trees. ƒ RA4/2 New Waterside Paper Mill – Considerable development in 2001-2003 with planning consents for major rebuilds and new construction. An application was also permitted in 2003 for a B2 and B8 production facility. An application was permitted in 2005 for two storey ancillary offices. ƒ RA4/3 Whitebirk Works, Waterside – There have been no planning applications for this site since 1997. ƒ RA4/4 Springside Mill, Belmont – Replacement warehouse application 1994, replacement boiler plant in 1997 and redevelopment of old boiler plant for a manufacturing facility in 1999. There have been no further applications for this site since 1999. Policy LNC2 - Landscape Break 6.19 The land north of the A666 / M65 junction is safeguarded from development in order to act as a visual buffer between Darwen and Blackburn. Applications for residential development were refused in 1995, 1999 and 2004, the latter of which was subject to a planning appeal but later withdrawn. Since then there have been no new applications and the emerging Core Strategy emphasises that importance of maintaining a visual break between Blackburn and Darwen and recognising the distinctive character of the two towns.

Review of Core Strategy Monitoring Indicators Core Strategy Indicators Borough’s performance 2009/2010 Number of renewable energy generation 3, generating a total of 0.0141MW of energy developments Number of homes meeting Building for Life Currently not monitoring but will be Assessment ‘good’ and ‘very good’ criteria implementing monitoring framework for this indicator in 2010-11 Number of housing developments incorporating 0 zero carbon homes Number of homes completed to CSH Level 3 Data available from DM/Forward Planning and above % of homes built meeting Lifetime Homes Data available from DM/Forward Planning standard % of commercial buildings meeting BREEAM Data available from DM/Forward Planning very good standard Number of planning applications refused Data on reasons for refusal held by DM permission due to their environmental impacts % of development built in an area of flood risk Data available from DM/Forward Planning Number of planning permissions granted 1 – however this objection was later withdrawn contrary to the advise of the Environment as satisfactory measures were put in place to Agency on flooding and water quality grounds mitigate the EA’s concerns % of eligible open spaces managed to Green Available from the Council’s environment Flag Award standard department Air quality data measurements – in current Data recorded by environmental health AQMAs and elsewhere department Number of developments incorporating SUDS Not currently monitoring this indicator Amount of derelict land in the borough Data collected by NLUD Planning to adapt to climate change This falls into the council’s work on National Indicator 188 “Adapting to Climate Change.” The council has produced a Local Climate Impact Profile (LCLIP) and completed risk

32 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

assessments for a number of departments which will form the basis of an Adaptation Action Plan, to put into place measures to implement to ensure the council and LSP are fully adapted to the impacts of a changing climate. Number of developments completed on Green Data available from DM/Forward Planning Belt Number of planning permissions granted for Data available from DM/Forward Planning development on Green Belt Number of locally important sites Available from environment department Number of Local Nature Reserves (LNR) 4 Number of Geological Heritage Sites (GHS) 5 Number of Biological Heritage Sites (BHS) 104 Number of Species of Principal Importance Available from environment department Change in areas of biodiversity importance All SSSIs retained their status at their last assessment

33 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

7. Quality of Place

Relevant Core Strategy Strategic Objectives:

• Improve the quality of the local environment and the Borough’s physical setting • Minimise the Borough’s environmental footprint • Ensure that the Borough’s rural areas and villages have a sustainable future

Contextual Indicators

Design 7.1 Good design is fundamental to ensuring development is sustainable. The Blackburn with Darwen Borough Wide Design Guide SPD was adopted in March 2006 and the Residential Design Guide was adopted in September 2009. The council have produced a series of indicators to monitor the implementation of good design in new developments within the borough (see page 62).

Crime 7.2 The amount of crime committed in an area is often strongly related to levels of urbanisation and deprivation. Graph 15 on page 37 highlights that in all but one area of crime there has been a decrease in the number of reported incidents. Drugs offences, however, have seen an increase of 154 incidents, from 435 in 2008-09 to 589 in the 2009-10 monitoring period.

7.3 The most significant change has been a decrease in the number of reports of criminal damage, from 3464 incidences in 2008-09 to 2916 in 2009-10, a difference of 548. Similarly, vehicle damage has also decreased by 229 incidents, from 1510 in 2008-09 to 1281 in 2009-10.

7.4 This is a promising sign that crime is slowly decreasing over time as the police continue to work effectively with other public services such as education, health, housing and social services as well as community and voluntary groups as part of Blackburn with Darwen’s Local Strategic Partnership (LSP). These statistics highlight that the borough progressing well on the LSP’s strategic priority for decreasing crime and improving community safety.

7.5 In terms of fear of crime, qualitative data from the Citizens’ Panel in June of 2003, found that the majority of panel members had not experienced any crime. Despite this, a large percentage were still apprehensive about the issue. Nuisance from young people was the main issue that caused concern to the panel members in addition to vehicle crime and burglary being identified as a problem.

7.6 There have been no updates measuring the fear of crime completed for the borough since, however a Lancashire Community Safety Strategic Assessment was completed in 2008/09. This report found that although Lancashire has a relatively low crime rate, there is a disproportionately high fear of crime. 33% of respondents to the assessment said that they feel fairly or very unsafe when outside in their local area after dark.

34 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Graph 15: Instances of Crime by Type 2010

5000

4500

4000

3500

Criminal Damage 3000 Vehicle Damage Violent Crime 2500 Burglary Dwelling Burglary Other Number Drugs 2000 Arson

1500

1000

500

0 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Year

35 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

People’s Satisfaction with their Neighbourhood as a Place to Live 7.7 The Communities and Local Government Department (CLG) published a ‘Place Survey’ for England in 2008 which provides information of people’s perceptions of their local area and the local services they receive. 67.9% of people in Blackburn with Darwen were very or fairly satisfied with their local area as a place to live. This can be compared to a Best Value General Residents Survey carried out in 2007 which found that 58% of residents are satisfied with their area as a place to live. This is a positive indication that progress is being made to improve the borough’s environment for residents.

Number of Conservation Areas 7.8 Conservation areas are designed to protect and enhance the special character of areas of particular architectural interest. There were 14 conservation areas in 2010 which were already designated by 2000 and are designated and listed in the Local Plan. These are:

ƒ Chapeltown ƒ Edgworth ƒ Hoddlesden ƒ Corporation Park ƒ Griffin ƒ Richmond Terrace/St John’s ƒ Dukes Brow/Revidge ƒ Corporation Park No. 2 ƒ Blackburn Cathedral ƒ Richmond Terrace Extension ƒ Northgate ƒ Darwen Street ƒ King Street ƒ Darwen Town Centre

Number of Listed Buildings 7.9 There are approximately 340 listed buildings and structures in the borough.

Performance of Local Plan Policies

Design Quality Indicators and Conservation Areas 7.10 Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans have been completed for all five Conservation Areas in Blackburn Town Centre. These appraisals are intended to assess and analyse the character of the conservation area and outline the implications for future development.

7.11 Both the Residential Design Guide SPD and the Borough Design Guide SPD will help to achieve excellent design standards in developments within the borough. Their success will be monitored in future AMRs.

Effectiveness of the Local Plan in Co-ordinating Development 7.12 When introduced, Local Plans were intended to provide clear guidance to both developers and the community on what development would be permitted. Conversely, the Local Plan policies seek to ensure that developments which do not meet the objectives set out will be refused. The Local Plan’s effectiveness in this end can be measured by the success or failure of applications that are refused, and then decided by an inspector on appeal.

36 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

7.13 Between 1st April 2009 and 31st March 2010, 47 appeals were made against refusal of planning permission. Of these, 32 were dismissed (68%), 14 were allowed (30%) and 1 was a split decision.

7.14 Combining the appeals information above with that in the previous monitoring reports gives information over a nine year period from April 2001 to March 2010. During that period 244 appeals against Blackburn with Darwen’s refusal of planning consent were decided. Of these, 72 were allowed, which equates to 29.5% of the total appeals being allowed over the past nine years, highlighting the Council’s success at defending their planning decisions.

7.15 As with previous monitoring periods, planning decisions were overturned by the Inspector due to subjective interpretation of Local Plan policies and the interpretation of terms such as ‘amenity’. Such cases are inevitable as “amenity” is a subjective evaluation. It may therefore be necessary to evaluate the wording of policies that include terms that can be misinterpreted or introduce too much personal interpretation and opinion.

Policies used in Planning Appeals 7.16 It has not been possible to directly monitor the policies used to refuse planning applications in the last 12 months. Discussions with the Council’s Development Management team indicates that the balance of policies used is likely to be very similar to that in previous years.

Review of Core Strategy Monitoring Indicators Core Strategy Indicators Borough’s performance 2009/2010 Number of homes completed achieving ‘good’ Not currently monitoring. However, we do have and ‘very good’ against the Building for Life a monitoring framework in place and our trained Assessment assessor will begin monitoring this indicator in 2010-11 period. % of people satisfied with their neighbourhood 67.9% of residents were very or fairly satisfied as a place to live in 2008 Place Survey Number of Conservation Areas 14 Number of Listed Buildings 340 Qualitative information from conservation area Information available from Design & appraisals, village appraisals etc Conservation Officer Number of planning applications refused on Reasons for refusal info held by DM grounds of the development adversely affecting or destroying landscapes Amount of S106 monies received for public Data kept by Development Management open space/S106 allocations Data on the amount and quality of open space BwD’s Open Space Audit and Assessment within the Borough

37 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

8. Access to Jobs and Services

Relevant Core Strategy Objectives:

• Create conditions allowing a change in emphasis to a higher-wage, higher-skill economy, while continuing to support traditional industries • Consolidate the roles of Blackburn town centre as a sub-regional centre; and Darwen town centre as a market town with a distinct identity. • Ensure that local people benefit from economic growth and have sustainable access to services and facilities

Contextual Indicators

Worklessness 8.1 The proportion of economically inactive residents of working age within the borough is greater than both the regional and national figures. Economically inactive residents are those who are neither in employment nor unemployed and include, for example, residents who are looking after home or family, or are permanently sick or disabled.

8.2 As at March 2010, 29.7% of people of working age in the borough were classified as economically inactive, compared to 25.6% in the North West and 23.5% in Great Britain. Compared to September 2007 figures, Blackburn with Darwen has seen a 2.2% increase in the number of economically inactive residents over the past three years. However, both the regional and national figures have seen a similar increase in economically inactive residents (2.1% increase in the NW and 2% increase in England).

Economic inactivity (Apr 2009-Mar 2010) Blackburn with Blackburn with North West Great Britain Darwen Darwen (%) (%) (numbers) (%) All people Economically inactive 26,200 29.7 25.6 23.5 Wanting a job 5,200 5.9 6.1 5.6 Not wanting a job 21,000 23.8 19.5 17.9 Males Economically inactive 10,400 23.4 19.2 17.3 Wanting a job 2,400 5.4 5.3 4.8 Not wanting a job 8,000 18.0 14.0 12.5 Females Economically inactive 15,800 36.1 31.9 29.7 Wanting a job 2,800 6.4 6.9 6.4 Not wanting a job 13,000 29.6 25.0 23.3 Source: ONS annual population survey

Notes: Numbers and % are for those of aged 16-64 % is a proportion of resident population of area aged

16-64 and gender

38 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Unemployment 8.3 Unemployment levels provide an indicator of economic prosperity in the borough and can be used to judge the success of initiatives aimed at reviving local economies. Figures recorded in March 2010 show that 10.1% of people aged 16 and over in the borough are unemployed (as a proportion of economically active). This can be compared to 8.7% in the North West and 7.9% in Great Britain.

Employment and unemployment (Apr 2009-Mar 2010) Blackburn with Blackburn with North West Great Britain Darwen Darwen (%) (%) (numbers) (%) All people Economically active† 62,800 70.3 74.4 76.5 In employment† 56,500 63.2 67.8 70.3 Employees† 49,700 56.2 59.6 60.9 Self employed† 6,400 6.7 7.8 9.0 Unemployed (model-based)§ 6,300 10.1 8.7 7.9 Males Economically active† 34,600 76.6 80.8 82.7 In employment† 30,900 68.2 72.4 75.2 Employees† 25,900 58.0 60.3 62.0 Self employed† 4,900 10.0 11.7 12.8 Unemployed§ 3,700 10.7 10.2 8.9 Females Economically active† 28,200 63.9 68.1 70.3 In employment† 25,600 58.2 63.2 65.5 Employees† 23,800 54.3 59.0 59.8 Self employed† 1,400 3.3 3.9 5.2 Unemployed§ 2,600 9.2 7.0 6.7 Source: ONS annual population survey

† numbers are for those aged 16 and over, % are for those aged 16-64 § numbers and % are for those aged 16 and over. % is a proportion of economically active

Total JSA claimants (August 2010) Blackburn with Blackburn with North West Great Britain Darwen Darwen (%) (%) (numbers) (%) All people 3,722 4.2 4.0 3.6 Males 2,726 6.2 5.8 5.0 Females 996 2.3 2.3 2.2 Source: ONS claimant count with rates and proportions

Note: % is a proportion of resident population of area aged 16-64 and gender

8.4 4.2% of Blackburn with Darwen’s resident working age population were claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA). This is slightly higher than the North West average of 4% and 0.6% higher than the national average of 3.6%. Over the past few years, Blackburn with Darwen has slowly closed the gap between the national average and local average.

8.5 Compared to figures published for last year’s monitoring report, 2009-10 data shows a decrease in the number of people claiming JSA. Data gathered in October 2009 showed that 4,293 people were claiming JSA compared to 3,722 in March 2010 – a decrease in 571 claimants. In percentage terms, this equates to 4.2% of people in BwD claiming JSA, compared to 5% in 2009. Similarly, there has also been a decrease in both regional and national claimants.

39 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

8.6 The data also highlights there is a disparity between the gender of Job Seekers in Blackburn. In the 2009-10 monitoring period, 2,726 of claimants were male compared to 996 who were female – 6.2% and 2.3% respectively of the resident population aged between 16 and 65.

JSA claimants by age and duration (August 2010) Blackburn with Blackburn with North West Great Britain Darwen Darwen (%) (%) (numbers) (%) By age of claimant Aged 18-24 1,190 32.0 30.7 28.9 Aged 25-49 2,070 55.6 55.4 55.6 Aged 50 and 450 12.0 13.6 15.2 over By duration of claim Up to 6 2,700 72.6 64.0 63.2 months Over 6 up to 650 17.5 18.6 19.0 12 months Over 12 365 9.9 17.5 17.8 months Source: ONS claimant count - age and duration

Note: % is a proportion of all JSA claimants

8.7 When examining figures for the duration of JSA claims it appears residents of Blackburn with Darwen spend a shorter time claiming JSA than the regional and national averages. 72.6% of people on JSA in the borough have been claiming for up to 6 months compared to 64% in the North West, and 8.9% of people in the borough have claimed for over 12 months compared to 17.5% regionally and 17.8% nationally.

Up to 6 Months Graph 16: Duration of Claim 2010 Over 6 Months up to 12 Months Over 12 Months 80

70

60

50

40

30 Percentage

20

10

0 BwD NW GB Area

8.8 When reviewing the ages of claimants, 32% are between the ages of 18 and 24, compared to the regional and national figures of 30.7% and 28.9% respectively. Although the highest number of the borough’s claimants (55.6%) are within the 25-49 age range, this figure is more or less the same as the North West (55.4%) and Great Britain (55.6%). It is therefore evident that, compared to figures for the North West and Great

40 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Britain, Blackburn with Darwen have a comparably higher proportion of younger people who are struggling to find work and are, as a result claiming JSA.

Education 8.9 The Pennine Lancashire Economic Strategy and Pennine Lancashire MAA highlight the lack of skills base and poor educational attainment in the borough. A significant amount of money has been invested in improving educational facilities in the borough, most notably the new University Centre at Blackburn College.

Qualifications (Jan 2009-Dec 2009) Blackburn with Blackburn with North West Great Britain Darwen Darwen (%) (%) (numbers) (%) NVQ4 and above 18,800 21.2 27.0 29.9 NVQ3 and above 37,300 42.1 46.9 49.3 NVQ2 and above 51,600 58.3 64.5 65.4 NVQ1 and above 63,700 72.0 78.7 78.9 Other 8,800 9.9 7.5 8.8 qualifications No qualifications 16,100 18.2 13.8 12.3 Source: ONS annual population survey

Notes: For an explanation of the qualification levels see the definitions section. Numbers and % are for those of aged 16-64 % is a proportion of resident population of area aged 16-64

Graph 17: Population aged 16-64/59 qualified to at least level 4, at least level 3 and at least level 2, 2009

90 Blackburn with Darwen 80 North West England 70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0 NVQ4 and NVQ3 and NVQ2 and NVQ1 and No above above above above qualifications

8.10 Figures for 2009 show Blackburn with Darwen consistently fall below regional and national educational attainment, the most significant difference being people educated to NVQ 4 or higher.

8.11 21.2% of people in the borough are educated to NVQ4 and above, compared to 27% in the North West and 29.9% in Great Britain. This represents a percentage difference of 6.9% between Blackburn with Darwen and the national figures.

8.12 Additionally, the percentage of people aged 16-64 who have no qualifications in the borough stands at 18.2%. This is 5.9% higher than the national average and highlights

41 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

the issue Blackburn with Darwen face in terms of poor educational attainment and subsequent lack of a skills base.

Car Ownership 8.13 Car ownership within the borough can provide some indication of wealth. In 2001, 33.5%3 of households in the borough did not own a car. This is significantly higher than figures for Lancashire (25.1%) and England (26.8%). However, these figures are now nine years old and as a result may not represent current car ownership data. The 2011 Census will provide us with more recent figures for this monitoring indicator.

8.14 In 2008 the Council produced its Housing Needs Survey (2008) which identified that 30.7% of households in the borough did not own a car or van. In total, two-thirds of all households in the social rented sector have no access to a car or van (67.6%), this compares with only 10.7% of owner-occupied (with mortgage) households.

Figure 11: Car Ownership and Tenure Number of cars/vans available for use Tenure 0 1 2 3+ Average Owner Occupied (no 25.3% 52.9% 18% 3.9% 1.00 mortgage) Owner Occupied (with 10.7% 50.1% 32% 7.2% 1.36 mortgage) Social Rented 67.6% 28% 3.9% 0.4% 0.37

Private Rented 52.7% 39.8% 6.7% 0.9% 0.56

Total 30.7% 45.8% 19.3% 4.2% 0.97 Source: BwD Household Survey 2008

Local Output Indicators

Percentage of New Residential Development within 30 minutes Public Transport time of a GP, Hospital, Primary and Secondary School, Employment and a Major Retail Centre

8.17 The Council has developed a baseline set of information from accessibility computer software. The following table shows the percentage of housing completed in the 2009- 10 monitoring period which is within 30 minutes public transport time of the services outlined. Figure 12: Accessibility of New Developments 2010 New houses within 30 No. of houses on Total number of Percentage mins of: sites within 30 mins houses completed on of service sites GP 326 328 99.4% Hospital 295 328 89.9% Primary School 326 328 99.4% Secondary School 324 328 98.8% Area of Employment 325 328 99.1%

Major Retail Centre 325 328 99.1%

8.18 Accessibility data identifies that a high proportion of new development is accessible to services by public transport, highlighting progress towards meeting the Council’s policy of locating new residential developments in accessible locations. The high proportion of residential developments completed on brownfield land has contributed significantly to the levels of accessibility within the borough.

3 ONS Census data 2001.

42 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Performance of Local Plan Policies

Policies T1-T5: Modal Split Statistics 8.19 Policies T1-T5of the Local Plan aim to encourage sustainable transport uses and reduce reliance on the private motor car. Graphs 18 and 19 below show the modal split for both Blackburn and Darwen town centres highlighting a significant proportion of people are still reliant on the car to access the town centres. This issue will be addressed within the LDF and continues to be highlighted as a priority within other plans such as LTP2 (and emerging LTP 3) and the Pennine Lancashire Multi-Area Agreement (MAA).

Graph 18: Modal Split Entering Blackburn Town Centre Cordon 2010 Car Motorcycle Pedal Cycle Pedestrians Train HGV Bus

Graph 19: Modal Split Entering Darwen Town Centre Cordon 2010

Pedestrians Pedal cycles Motorcycles Car Bus HGV Train

Bus Passenger Journeys 8.20 Between 1999 and 2001, bus passenger numbers entering Blackburn town centre continued to decline until in 2002 when there was a sharp increase in passenger numbers recorded. Since 2002 there has been a steady decrease in passenger numbers with slight increases reported on previous years in 2007 and 2009 (Blackburn Town Centre 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report, Capita Symonds).

43 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Graph 20: Comparison of Buses and Bus Passengers entering Blackburn Town Centre

Source: B’burn TC 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report (Capita Symonds)

8.21 Bus figures for Darwen Town Centre provides a clear indication that the accessibility of the centre by public transport declined over the last seven years and that the decreasing number of buses entering the town centre has resulted in a lower number of bus passengers, particularly over the last three years.

8.22 Between 2004 and 2006, bus passenger numbers dropped at a steady rate. Figures for 2007 highlight a sharp increase in bus passenger numbers, soon followed by a decline in 2008. Since then, number shave continued to decrease, most significantly in 2009.

8.23 The number of buses observed entering the Darwen Town Centre cordon has declined considerably since 2005. Although comparatively the number of bus passengers has fluctuated over the seven year period, bus numbers have continued to decline by more than 50% (Darwen Town Centre 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report, Capita Symonds).

Graph 21: Comparison of Buses and Bus Passengers entering Darwen Town Centre

Source: Darwen TC 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report (Capita Symonds)

Rail Passengers 8.24 As highlighted by the 2010 Blackburn Town Centre Annual Cordon Report produced by Capita Symonds, patronage at Blackburn Station since 2004/05 has increased from 930,703 to 1,166,624, an increase of approximately 20% making it the busiest station within the Lancashire and Cumbria Route Utilisation Strategy area.

8.25 Annual increases in the number of rail passengers reflect the borough’s aim of encouraging the use of the railway network. However, there are potential barriers to

44 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

implementation in the future, for example the cost of public transport and potential funding cuts.

Graph 22: Comparison of Trains and Train Passengers Entering Blackburn town centre

Source: B’burn TC 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report (Capita Symonds)

8.26 Between 2003 and 2009 the number of rail users has fluctuated somewhat but shown a steady increase. The 2010 cordon recorded a downturn in the number of rail users on the previous year, returning to 2008 levels. Throughout the seven year period, the number of services has remained almost unchanged.

8.27 The trendline information from the cordon survey is supported by data from Eden Business Analysis who were commissioned by Lancashire County Council in 2010 to identify rail patronage for local stations in Lancashire. Using data from the rail industries LENNON system, the consultants were able to identify that patronage at Darwen station for 2009/10 was 257,073, a 3% increase on the previous year as shown in figure 13 below (Darwen Town Centre 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report, Capita Symonds).

Figure 13: LENNON patronage data for Darwen Rail Station 2009 - 2010 DARWEN 2005/6 2006/7 2007/8 2008/9 2009/10 Annual patronage 206,133 230,884 247,703 250,265 257,073 Annual patronage growth ‐ 12% 7% 1% 3%

Graph 23: Comparison of Trains and Train Passengers Entering Darwen Town Centre

Source: Darwen TC 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report (Capita Symonds)

45 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Pedestrians 8.28 Graph 24 shows the number of pedestrians entering Blackburn town centre during a sample 12-hour day. Figures for 2010 show a significant increase from 2009. Much of the increase is likely to be a result of the improved data collection techniques. However, pedestrian numbers may also have increased as a result of the loss of Simmons Street/Alma Street Car Parks and an increase in on-street parking outside the town centre with people walking to work in the town centre from these locations (Blackburn Town Centre 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report).

Graph 24: Pedestrians Entering Blackburn Town Centre

Source: 2010 Blackburn Town Centre Cordon Report (Capita Symonds)

8.29 The number of pedestrians entering Darwen Town Centre cordon has fluctuated since 2003. Numbers recorded in 2010 show a significant increase on 2009 figures.

Graph 25: Pedestrians Entering Darwen Town Centre

Source: Darwen TC 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report (Capita Symonds)

Cycling 8.30 Graph 26 shows the number of cycles entering Blackburn Town Centre as measured during the 2010 Annual Blackburn Town Centre Cordon Survey. Results show a steady increase in the number of bicycles observed entering the cordon since 1999 despite a notable dip between 2004 and 2006. Data for 2010 shows a dramatic increase in the number of observed cyclists entering the cordon.

8.31 Improved data collection techniques may again be responsible for much of the increase in cycle numbers recorded. However, significant efforts have been made in recent years to promote cycling within the borough. These include the promotion of cycle to

47 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

work schemes, comprehensive infrastructure improvements in the town and the press and publicity generated through events such as bike week and Blackburn’s annual cycling Grand Prix event which are likely contributors to the growth in cycle numbers recorded (Blackburn Town Centre 2010 Annual Cordon Report, Capita Symonds).

Graph 26: Cyclists Entering Blackburn Town Centre

Source: B’burn TC 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report (Capita Symonds)

8.32 Figures for the number of bicycles observed entering the cordon since 2003 has fluctuated dramatically. The highest number of cyclists was recorded in 2008; however numbers have steadily declined since then returning to 2007 levels in 2010.

8.33 The local weather conditions are likely to influence the number of cycling trips recorded each year and there are also many cyclists who are not being recorded by the cordon who are using quite roads or off road paths rather than use the main road corridors.

8.34 In 2010 a cycle ride programme was developed by the Councils Health & Fitness department in Darwen and it is anticipated that this will help to increase the number of cyclists recorded in the future (Darwen Town Centre 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report, Capita Symonds).

Graph 27: Cyclists Entering Darwen Town Centre

Source: Darwen TC 2010 Annual Cordon Count Report (Capita Symonds)

48 Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Review of Core Strategy Monitoring Indicators Core Strategy Indicators Borough’s performance 2009/2010 % of new residential development within 30 GP: 99.4% minutes public transport time of a GP, Hospital, Hospital: 89.9% Primary and Secondary School, Employment Primary School: 99.4% and a Major Retail Centre Secondary School: 98.8 Area of employment: 99.1% Major retail centre: 99.1% Number of planning applications refused on Reasons for refusal info held by DM grounds of poor accessibility Bus patronage 4.9m Rail patronage 1.5m Number of pedestrians entering Blackburn and 22,630 (Blackburn town centre, 2010) Darwen Town Centres 4192 (Darwen town centre, 2009) Number of cyclists entering Blackburn and 820 (Blackburn town centre, 2010) Darwen Town Centres 134 (Darwen town centre, 2009) % of residents with SMART cards Data held by transport policy % of people travelling into Blackburn and Blackburn town centre – 67.7% by car Darwen Town Centres by car Darwen town centre – 73% by car Number of planning applications refuse on Reasons for refusal info held by DM grounds of traffic generation or inadequate demand management proposals % of working age residents qualified to degree 21.2% level and above % of pupils gaining 5 or more GCSEs 66.5% % of economically inactive residents of working 29.7% age % of residents of working age claiming Job 4.2% Seekers Allowance Duration of people claiming Job Seekers Up to 6 months – 72.6% Allowance Over 6 up to 12 months – 17.5% Over 12 months – 9.9% Number of children walking to school Data held by transport policy/transport services

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9. Monitoring the Borough’s Supplementary Planning Documents

9.1 It is essential that the outputs and use of adopted Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD) are monitored in order to identify any unforeseen effects predicted through the Sustainability Appraisal. If monitoring identifies any adverse effects, it will be appropriate to consider in the AMR whether any remedial action needs to be taken such as reviewing the SPD or making recommendations to Members on the implementation of certain policies The Council has adopted seven SPDs since work on the Local Development Framework began:

ƒ Infirmary Waterside (adopted November 2005) ƒ Borough Design Guide (adopted March 2006) ƒ Queens Park Flats (adopted July 2006) ƒ Freckleton Street (adopted November 2007) ƒ Queen St/Hindle Street (adopted July 2009) ƒ Residential Design Guide (adopted September 2009) ƒ Blackburn Cathedral Quarter Masterplan (adopted September 2009)

9.2 The following section sets out s monitoring framework for each of the borough’s adopted SPDs.

Queens Park Flats SPD: Proposed Monitoring Indicators 9.3 As this SPD is specific to a small area of the borough, many of the indicators used to monitor the Queens Park Flats site can only be collected once a planning application has been submitted. As at December 2010, no application has been submitted for the redevelopment of the site.

Indicator Action ƒ Number of 1,2,3 and above bedroom Mix of housing homes built ƒ Number of affordable homes built ƒ Pre-application discussions – need to Community participation in planning outline how the community have been process consulted on the proposals. Show each stage of community consultation ƒ % of new housing developments Secure homes accredited by Secured by Design ƒ Amount of S106 contributions for open Accessible and useable outdoor spaces space when application is submitted ƒ % of homes built meeting Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 and above. ƒ % of homes built meeting Lifetime Design quality & sustainable construction Homes standard ƒ % of developments built to Building for Life ‘average’ and above standard ƒ Number of developments incorporating SUDS

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Infirmary Waterside SPD 9.4 An application for the development of 131 new homes on the Infirmary Waterside site was submitted in 2007. Work on site began in and is very near completion. It is therefore appropriate to begin monitoring the effectiveness of the SPD and determine how successfully the development has incorporated the principles set out in the SPD on the ground.

Indicator Action Secure economic inclusion ƒ Modelled earnings data (Lower Super Output Areas) Revive housing market in terms of types, ƒ How many new homes built tenures and quality - 131 ƒ Number of 1,2,3 and above bedroom homes built - 7, 1 bed/2 persons - 8, 2 bed bungalows - 2, 2 bed w/chair access bungalows - 12, 2 bed 4 person - 93, 3 bed 5 person - 9, 4 bed 8 person ƒ Number of affordable homes built - 37 social rented - 40 shared ownership - 18 intermediate rent - 18 Home Buy Direct Accessible and safe neighbourhood ƒ Total value of contributions received for sustainable transport and highways & where this had been spent. - Section 106 contribution request of £20,000 for the signage and traffic calming measures on the periphery of the site. ƒ % of new developments certified by Secured by Design - 100% of properties certified by Secured by Design Environment and Sustainability ƒ % of new build homes meeting Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 and above - 100% of properties built to EcoHomes ‘very good’ standard. ƒ % of homes built meeting Lifetime Homes Standards - 100% of homes built to Lifetime Homes standard ƒ Number of homes built to Building for Life ‘average’ and above standards - 100% of homes built to this standard Design ƒ % of new homes built to Building for Life ‘average’ and above standard - 100% built to silver award standard

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9.5 Information from the monitoring table above highlights how successful the principles set out in the Infirmary Waterside SPD has been implemented into the development. All of the requirements stipulated by the SPD have been met which has resulted in a mixed, sustainable and well designed housing development which meets the needs of many members of the population.

Borough Wide Design Guide and Residential Design Guide SPD’s 9.6 In order to monitor both the Borough Wide Design Guide and the Residential Design Guide, ten new residential developments (of at least ten dwellings) and a selection of other smaller housing developments completed in the monitoring period will be assessed against the Building for Life criteria. A workshop will be set up consisting of policy planners, development management officers, conservation and design officer & Building for Life assessor who will determine the Building for Life score for each of the developments. The monitoring of this indicator will commence in the 2010-11 monitoring period and the framework below will be used to aid the assessment.

Building for Life Indicator Yes No Character Does the scheme exploit existing Response to landscape/townscape buildings, landscape or context/setting topography? Quality of design with respect to prominence of site/potential for landmarks/views and vistas Does the scheme feel like a place Appropriateness and quality of design with distinctive character? language/architecture

Creation of/contribution to identity and sense of place Do the buildings exhibit Creation of townscape value/s to create architectural quality? individual and group value (new to old/new with new)

Use of materials, colour, texture and finish

Appropriate use of colour

Three dimensional form and massing/scale and proportion Are streets defined by a well- Contribute to enclosure/continuity structured building layout? Is the design specific to the scheme?

Building for Life Indicator Yes No Public Realm Is public space well designed and Provision of public realm including new streets does it have suitable management and spaces arrangements in place? Relationships between public realm and building frontages – overlooking

Clarity and distinction between public and private

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spaces

Quality of design and specification of public realm

Management/maintenance arrangements Are streets defined by a well- structured building layout?

Building for Life Indicator Yes No Movement & Legibility Does the scheme integrate with Permeability/integration of movement existing streets, paths and structure/street network surrounding development? Do the buildings and layout make Legibility and local relevance of street patterns it easy to find your way around? and layout

Does the scheme integrate with existing streets, paths and surrounding development? Hierarchy of routes set out and influencing public realm design Are public spaces and pedestrian Safety of layout- pedestrian routes overlooked routes overlooked and do they feel safe? Size/scale/form of development blocks/plots Does the building layout take Pedestrian provision/traffic and parking priority over the streets and car integration parking, so that the highways do not dominate?

Is the car parking well integrated and situated so it supports the street scene? Are streets defined by a well- structured building layout? Are the streets pedestrian, cycle and vehicle friendly? Does the development have easy access to public transport?

Building for Life Indicator Yes No Sustainability Does the development have any Environmental performance of the development features that reduce its (scheme/layout/level) environmental impact? Environmental performance of the development (building design level) Are public spaces and pedestrian Contribution to community safety/designing to routes overlooked and do they reduce crime feel safe? Accessibility to/within development for people with impaired mobility Investment in long term quality

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Has the scheme made use of advances in construction or technology that enhance its performance, quality and attractiveness? Do buildings or spaces Optimum design solution – to get the most from outperform statutory minima such the site as Building Regulations?

Building for Life Indicator Yes No Diversity Is there a tenure mix that reflects In residential development – has mix of tenures the needs of the local sizes been considered? community? Is there an accommodation mix Do proposals reflect housing needs? that reflects the needs and aspirations of the local community? Re-use of older buildings Quality and integrity of design for re-use of historic/retained buildings Do internal spaces and layout Adaptability of development – buildings and allow for adaption, conversion or internal spaces extension? Does the development provide (or Potential to add variety/diversity – within is it close to) community facilities, development/as part of context. Has mixed use such as a school, parks, play been considered? areas, shops, pubs or cafes? Design quality of mixed schemes/neighbourliness/noise/privacy/amenity/ servicing

TOTAL SCORE:

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Freckleton Street Masterplan SPD 9.7 Monitoring of the Freckleton Street SPD has begun, and once each project aim stated in the SPD is complete, this will be recorded on the table below.

Indicator Complete 9/8 (date) Orbital Route – Freckleton Street New Bridge 9 Complete bridge & associated highway works 2008 Orbital route (b/w Freckleton St Bridge & Canterbury St) Designs completed & start on site Orbital route (Canterbury St junction) Stage 1: Decision on how to progress the scheme through to construction

Stage 2: Scheme appraisal and if successful complete on site

A fully signal-controlled junction providing protected crossings for pedestrians and cyclists Orbital Route (Canterbury St to King St Enterprise Corridor) Completion of modernisation of Town Centre Orbital Route, also allowing removal of through traffic from railway rd and Jubillee St in town centre.

New bus lanes installed and operational

Enhanced accessibility to Masterplan area

Opening up of development opportunities both along the link road corridor and in the wider area Mill Lane to Blackburn Station Link Completion of 84 linear metres of new pedestrian link.

Use of link by 4 buses an hour in each direction during working day. Surface Car Parking Provision Safe and secure car parks within a high quality setting and close to the town centre Streetscape Improvements Improvements to approx. 1,000 linear metres of existing streets

Improved environment to encourage uplift of surrounding properties Commercial and Public Sector Enterprise Hub Create a modern ‘hub’ for related facilities

Development of a catalyst and creation of a ‘place’ that would attract other higher value uses to area

Generate footfall in area A new landmark Fire Station A new local Fire Station with community facilities

A landmark building on a key route Existing Fire Station – Business and Enterprise Support Facility

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Over 2000sqm of business enterprise floorspace

The bringing back into full use of a locally important heritage building

Space created for 100 employees (at a density of 1 job per 20sqm) Business Enterprise – Fully Furnished Offices Over 3000sqm of business enterprise centre floorspace

Space created for 150 employees (using a job density 1 job per 20sqm) Sumner St Housing Approximately 60 dwellings

Quality housing environment

Provision of green corridor on site of old rail sidings linking development to Whalley Banks/The Wrangling Enterprise Network Galligreaves/Harrison/Sumner St Housing Approx. 20 dwellings

Improvement of environment

Will help support local services and facilities The Wrangling Enterprise Network – supporting Local Enterprise and Growth Potential for 21 units of workshop space for small to medium sized businesses

3,600 sqm of new office employment space

Space created for 112 employees Mill Lane Mixed Use Opportunity Environmental improvement of area

Redevelopment of area with greater mix of uses and better quality of building

2,700sqm mixed use development Future Employment Sites Environmental improvement of area

Redevelopment of area with greater mix of uses and better quality of buildings New Public Square 1300sqm of high quality new public square

Creation of a recognisable ‘place’ at the heart of the Masterplan area

Catalyst for development

Improved gateway into town centre Improving Image and Appearance of River Blakewater

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686 linear metres of improved waterway

An improved context for development

The opening up of part of the town’s heritage Green Buffers and Open Spaces 7,500sqm of improved landscaping

An enhanced setting for new development

Part of improved gateway into town centre Business & Housing in the area Number and type of permissions granted in the area

Number and type of completions in the area

Queen St/Hindle Street SPD 9.8 A planning application has been submitted and approved for 98 homes since the last AMR and as a result, monitoring the effectiveness of the SPD has begun:

Indicator Action ƒ Number of 1,2,3 and above bedroom Mix of housing homes built 10 x 2 bed houses (market housing) 39 x 3 bed houses for sale (market housing) 20 x 4+ bed houses for sale (market housing) Total no. of market homes for sale = 69

ƒ Number of affordable homes built 15 x 3 bed houses (social rent) 3 x 4+ bed houses (social rent) 7 x 3 bed houses (intermediate housing) 4 x 4+ bed houses (intermediate housing) Total no. of affordable homes = 29 Community participation in planning ƒ Pre-application discussions – need process to outline how the community have been consulted on the proposals. The community were consulted on the Queen St SPD to ensure their vision for the area was reflected strongly enough in the document. Additionally, the community were also consulted on the proposals for the area through the planning application process. Secure homes ƒ Is the development accredited by Secured by Design Yes ƒ Amount of S106 contributions for open space when application

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Accessible and useable outdoor spaces submitted ƒ No. of homes within 200m of open space All homes are within 200m of open space ƒ Does the development meet Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4? Yes, all properties are being built to Design quality & sustainable construction CSH Level 4 ƒ Does the development meet Lifetime Homes standard? Yes ƒ Has the development been assessed by design panel? No ƒ Has the development been built to Building for Life ‘average’ and above standard? ƒ Does the development incorporate SUDS? Integration of soakaways to alleviate surface water

9.9 From the monitoring table, it is clear that elements of the SPD have been reflected in the proposals for the Queen St/Hindle St redevelopment. The SPD emphasised the need for a range of house types built to an exemplar standard of design and sustainability.

9.10 The new development will provide a range of house types, integrating the required number of affordable homes on the site, however, it would have been useful if the design had gone to a design panel to ensure the best possible scheme was achieved and fully reflected the requirements set out in the SPD. Future AMRs will report on the progress made on the redevelopment of the site.

Blackburn Cathedral Quarter SPD 9.11 As with many of the adopted SPDs which relate to a specific area of the borough, many of the indicators required to monitor the document will only be determined once a planning application has been submitted. As at December 2010, no progress has been made on the Cathedral area of Blackburn.

Indicator Data Required Create a framework for diverse land uses Mix of land use – Amount of floorspace that enhances the vibrancy of the area and developed in the Cathedral Quarter for: its role within Blackburn Town Centre. Office Retail Hotel Leisure (e.g. Youthzone) Other (e.g. community uses) Stimulate the regeneration of underused land Underused buildings and land use NLUD to and buildings to create distinctive determine this. Has any development opportunities for high quality contemporary occurred here? development. Ensure built proposals in the Cathedral This is already monitored through the 58

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Quarter preserve and enhance the overall Borough wide and Residential Design Guide character of the conservation area and the monitoring indicators. setting of the Cathedral. Exploit the fact that the area performs a Completion of the new bus station/transport strategic transport function by defining a interchange outside Blackburn railway major gateway and arrival point that station. enhances the overall experience of Blackburn Town Centre. Define proposals to enhance the function Amount of new open space developed (sqm) and quality of the existing open space within the Cathedral Quarter/ Amount of open network and create opportunities for new space that has been upgraded (sqm) open spaces. Create a unique destination with the Cathedral at its core.

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10. References

Blackburn with Darwen Citizens’ Panel (2003)

Blackburn with Darwen Employment Land Review (2009) Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Housing Needs Assessment (2008)

Blackburn with Darwen’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (2008), Roger Tym and Partners

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Strategic Market Assessment

Department for Communities and Local Government (dCLG) Place Survey for England 2008

Department for Children, Schools and Families (2008) http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/inyourarea/statics/las_lea_889_4.shtml

Faber Maunsell (2008b) TIF Feasibility Study: Improvements to public transport services from Bury, Ramsbottom, Heywood and surrounding areas. Final Report on capital and revenue costs for rail based schemes (July 2008)

Multi Area Agreement (MAA) for Pennine Lancashire (2008)

Office for National Statistics, www.statistics.gov.uk

National Statistics Nomis- Official Labour Market Statistics, Claimant Count, www.nomisweb.co.uk

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

The Changing Face of Blackburn with Darwen (2009), Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

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Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

11. Glossary

Accessibility - the ability of people and/or goods and services to reach places and facilities. Accessibility can be shown on a plan or described in terms of pedestrian and vehicle movements, walking distance from public transport, travel time or population distribution.

Affordable Housing – PPS 3 states that ‘Affordable housing includes social rented and immediate housing, provided to specified eligible households which needs are not met by the market.’

Average – see ‘mean’

Biodiversity – the whole variety of life encompassing all genetic, species and ecosystem variations.

Brownfield Land – also known as previously developed land. This is land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the curtilage of the developed land and any associated fixed surface infrastructure.

Conservation Area - an area designated by a local authority under the Town and Country Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as possessing special architectural or historical interest. The council will seek to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of such areas.

Core Strategy – part of the suite of documents which make up the borough’s Local Development Framework. It sets out the policies for which development in the borough must comply with.

Environment Agency (EA) – government agency set up with the aim of protecting or enhancing the environment, taken as a whole in order to play its part in attaining the objective of sustainable development.

Floorspace - the sum of the area of all floors (both above and below ground) of all buildings on a site, usually measured from the outside walls on every floor.

Green Belt – fundamental aim of Green Belts is to keep land predominantly open and to check the restricted sprawl of large built-up areas, to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another, to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment and to assist in urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.

Greenfield Land – land which has not previously been developed.

Green Flag Award Standard – this is the national standard for parks and green spaces throughout England and Wales. For more information visit www.greenflagaward.org.uk

Gross Completions - overall amount of floorspace or dwellings which have been built. It will include floorspace and dwellings which are replacing buildings that have been lost to allow new development

Housing Density –the definition and method for calculating density on a site-by-site basis is set out in PPS3.

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Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Housing Trajectory - tool used to track council’s progress towards meeting its target for providing new housing over the coming years. It is based on data on past completions and estimates of new housing that is likely to be built in the future.

Indices of Deprivation (ID) – a measure of deprivation at the small area level. The ID is often used as a decision-tool for the allocation of deprivation related funding programmes.

Infrastructure – the basic facilities that connect and service development and which are necessary for development to happen, for example, roads, electricity and gas supplies, sewers, water supply.

Lifetime Homes – proposed by Joseph Rowntree and describes homes that have been designed to accommodate the changing needs of occupants throughout their lives, particularly loss of mobility

Local Development Document (LDD) – the collective term for Development Plan Documents, Supplementary Planning Documents and the Statement of Community Involvement.

Local Development Framework (LDF) – this is a term used to describe a folder of documents, which includes all the Local Planning Authority’s Local Development Documents.

Local Development Scheme (LDS) – the Council’s programme for the preparation of its Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents, setting out which documents will be produced, and when. It must be agreed with Government and reviewed every year.

Local Nature Reserve (LNR) – is designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 for the purposes of preserving flora, fauna or geological or physiographical features of special interest and for the informal enjoyment of nature by the public.

Local Plan - produced by districts and unitary authorities, local plans set out detailed policies and specific proposals for the development and use of land, and guide most day-to-day planning decisions.

Mean – the mean is the most common form of average used. It is calculated by dividing the sum of a distribution by the number of incidents in the distribution.

Net Completions - amount of additional floorspace or dwellings that have been completed, once losses of existing floorspace or dwellings have been taken into account.

Open Space – all land which is free from buildings but is not used for agriculture or forestry and which has some public value, including public landscaped areas, streets, playing fields, parks and play areas and also including areas of water such as rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs.

Planning Policy Statements (PPS) – documents produced by CLG setting out its policies relating to different areas of planning.

Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) – these documents bring together economic, social and environmental issues linked to planning in a coherent framework. It sets out Government’s planning and transport policy for each region for a 15-20 year period. The strategies provide frameworks for determining planning applications, as well as for preparing both Local Development Documents and Local Transport Plans.

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Blackburn with Darwen Annual Monitoring Report 6 – 2009-2010

Renewable Energy – energy derived from a source which is continually replenished, such as wind, wave, solar, hydroelectric and energy from plant material.

‘Saved’ policies – policies contained in an old style unitary development plan, local plan or structure plan that continue to be used pending their replacement in the new Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents.

Secured by Design - a police initiative to encourage the building industry to adopt crime prevention measures in development design to assist in reducing the opportunity for crime and the fear of crime, creating a safer and more secure environment.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) - a specifically defined area considered of national importance because of the presence of rare wildlife, plants, flowers or unusual geological features. SSSIs are identified and declared by English Nature under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) – a detailed assessment of the extent and nature of the risk of flooding in an area and its implications for land use planning. The document will provide the basis from which to apply the sequential test and exception test in the development allocation and development control process.

Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) – planning document that supplements the policies and proposals contained in the Local Plan by providing advice at a greater level of detail to help both applicants and the local authority to determine planning applications. Following public consultation and a resolution from the Council such guidance can be used as a “material consideration” in determining planning proposals.

Sustainable development – a common definition proposed by the World Commission on Environment and Development states that sustainable development involves ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations to meet their own needs’.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) – sites with statutory protection of national or international importance.

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Appendix I - Development on Allocated Town Centre Sites

BTC1 RICHMOND TERRACE/ ST. JOHNS BTC1a: Bolton’s Court No Development BTC1b: Richmond Hill works site No Development BTC1c: Richmond Terrace site adjoining gable end of Museum/Art Gallery No Development BTC1d: Broseley House/Refuge buildings complex No Development

BTC2a RAILWAY STATION / LOWER AUDLEY - Multiscreen cinema, gym, restaurant and retail uses complete. BTC2b RUSSELL STREET/ GRIMSHAW PARK - No further development.

BTC3 FRECKLETON STREET/ SUMNER STREET/ BYROM STREET –Retail allocation not saved; site now designated for residential development in adopted Freckleton Street Masterplan SPD.

BTC4a PENNY STREET- No further development on this site. BTC4b SALFORD -Site still largely vacant. BTC4c EANAM/ CICELY LANE -Site still largely vacant.

BTC5 BLACKBURN SHOPPING CENTRE – extension of new shopping centre complete.

BTC6a CHURCH STREET- work on listed buildings now complete. All three buildings have been let. BTC6b SCALES FUNERAL PARLOUR, DARWEN ST- No further development on this site BTC6c BT CAR PARK-West half: No change, East half: No change

BTC7a KING STREET CAR PARK SITE- No change. BTC7b 33 KING ST- Planning permission granted (10/99/0900) for enterprise centre consisting of ground floor retail/restaurant, 1st floor conference centre and offices, 2nd floor business units for small/medium enterprises. Work complete. BTC7c BARTON ST- No further development. BTC7d PRINCES ST/MONTAGUE ST- Site redeveloped for supported housing (Foyer) although a small area of land left.

BTC8 PRESTON NEW ROAD- Partial redevelopment of site (office block). Part of site continues to be used as a car park, which will be incorporated into site of new health centre now under construction.

Policy BTC9 - Environmental Improvement Schemes In the previous monitoring it was stated that there had been noticeable progress on four of the eight schemes in policy BTC9, (and work on going on the remaining three) which has occurred in the three years prior to the report publication. Since then there has been significant progress made on all of these schemes, including an additional scheme linking Church Street and King Street, with the exception of the Railway road project where no progress has been made. More detailed information can be seen below.

BTC9 Environmental Improvement Schemes Church Street: Comprehensive improvement work, pedestrianisation, new material, public art etc have all been carried out as part of Townscape Heritage Initiative.

Darwen Street: Comprehensive improvement work-pedestrianisation, new materials, public art etc have all been carried out as part of Townscape Heritage Initiative.

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Blakey moor/Northgate: Proposals drawn up for implementation in 2006 through Town Centre Renaissance Programme.

Sudell Cross: Comprehensive improvement work – revised road layout, new materials, public art etc – part of Town Centre Renaissance Programme.

King Street: Comprehensive programme of environmental works completed in connection with the Townscape Heritage Initiative.

Railway Road: No progress made.

Blackburn Cathedral: No progress physically implemented but the Council adopted a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) in July 2009 to guide the development of the Cathedral Quarter area. However, due to current financial constraints and the recession, there is uncertainty as to whether the proposals included in the SPD will be progressed.

Blackburn College campus: Planning permission granted (10/10/0343) for new core building for the college which includes extensive landscaping and external works.

*Additional Scheme*: Improvement scheme linking Church Street and King Street: Comprehensive programme of environmental improvements completed in Fleming Square as part of the Townscape Heritage Initiative.

The following policies outline areas within Darwen town centre where development has been identified as acceptable in principle.

DTC1a CLEARED LAND AT BANK BOTTOM- No further development on this post 1990. DTC1b BOROUGH RD/ THE GREEN- No further development on this site post 1993. DTC1c POLICE ST/ GREEN ST- No further development since 1995. DTC1d WELLINGTON FOLD, MARKET ST- No further development post 1990.

DTC2a PARLIAMENT ST CAR PARK- No further development. DTC2b PETROL STATION/GARAGE, RAILWAY ROAD- No further development.

DTC3 FORMER DARWEN MOORLAND HIGH SCHOOL- Planning permission was granted for the conversion of the building into 34 apartments (10/03/1062) in July 2004 although this scheme was not implemented. The site is currently being used temporarily to accommodate pupils from Darwen Vale High School as the Building Schools for the Future scheme is implemented.

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Appendix II – Priority Habitats and Species

Priority Habitats in Blackburn with Darwen as identified by the Regional Biodiversity Steering Group (RBSG).

Upland Oakwood Upland mixed ash woodland (including yew wood on limestone) Wet Woodlands (including carr and lowland floodplain woodlands) Lowland and wood pastures and parkland Ancient and/or species rich hedgerows Lowland hay meadow (including roadside verges and unmanaged grassland) Upland hay meadow (including roadside verges and unmanaged grasslands) Lowland dry acid grassland Lowland heathland Fens - swamps Fens - springs and flushes Fens - valley mires Fens - basin mires Reed beds Upland heathland (=sub-montane heath) Blanket bog

Priority species within Blackburn with Darwen, as defined in the UK Biodiversity Group Tranche 2 Action Plans report 1998.

Mammals Arvicola terrestris water vole Lepus europaeus brown hare Amphibians Triturus cristatus great crested newt Pipistrellus pipistrelle pipistrellus Birds Alauda arvensis skylark Carduelis linnet cannabina Crex crex corncrake Emberiza reed bunting schoeniclus Muscicapa striata spotted flycatcher Passer montanus tree sparrow Perdix perdix grey partridge Pyrrhula pyrrhula bullfinch Turdus philomelos song thrush

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Appendix III: Policies to be retained/superseded from the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Local Plan

Policies broadly consistent with the Core Strategy to be retained until superseded by a subsequent DPD Policies to be superseded by the Core Strategy or no longer required URB1 Needed to define the urban H1 Housing target superseded by Policy CS6 boundary until Site Allocations / Development Management Policies DPD in place H5, H6 Needed to set standards for H2 Approach to greenfield / brownfield provision of open space until Site development addressed by Policy CS6 and Allocations / Development PPS3 Management Policies DPD in place EC2, EC3 Needed to protect against loss to H3 Superseded by locational policies for a other uses until Site Allocations / range of uses. Development Management Policies DPD in place T7 Needed to ensure continued H7 Superseded by Policy CS10 and future Site protection for highway Allocations / Development Management improvement corridors until Site Policies DPD Allocations / Development Management Policies DPD in place R1, R5 Needed to define precise H12 Allocation now implemented; further boundaries for Town Centres and potential expansion can be addressed Major Neighbourhood Centres until through general policy these are reviewed under the Site Allocations / Development Management Policies DPD H4, H8-11, Needed for development EC1 Target superseded by Policies CS2 and EC5, EC8, T1- management purposes until Site CS3 5, T9-10, T15- Allocations / Development EC4 Superseded by Policy CS2 17, R3-4, R6, Management Policies DPD in place EC6 Superseded by locational policies on a R8, R10-17, range of uses TRL1-11, HD1- EC7 Superseded by Policy CS2 18, RA1-11, T6 No longer needed due to requirements of RA13-16, Building Regulations and DDA LNC1-10, ENV1-10 (T8 Already not a saved policy) T11-14 Out of date – the Council works to parking standards contained in the former Joint Lancashire Structure Plan and former RSS BTC1-8 Development sites in Blackburn Town Centre now superseded by locational policies on a range of uses BTC9 Superseded by Policy CS20 DTC1-3 Development sites in Darwen Town Centre now superseded by locational policies on a range of uses R2 Superseded by Policy CS12 R7 Superseded by Policy CS12 and PPS4 R9 Superseded by Policy CS12 RA12 Not needed given remaining design policies HD1-18 and accompanying SPDs

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