Local Plan Commitee 21 January 2016 Report of The

LOCAL PLAN COMMITEE

21 JANUARY 2016

REPORT OF THE HEAD OF PLANNING

A.4 CHELMSFORD CITY COUNCIL’S ISSUES AND OPTIONS – CONSULTATION RESPONSE (Report prepared by William Fuller)

PART 1 – KEY INFORMATION

PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

To seek the Local Plan Committee’s agreement to submit a response to Chelmsford City Council’s Issues and Options Document which is currently the subject of public consultation.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

On 19th November 2015, Chelmsford City Council (CCC) published, for eight weeks public consultation, a document entitled ‘Local Plan Issues and Options’. This is the first stage in preparing a new Local Plan for Chelmsford which will eventually supersede its current plan (which runs to 2021) and guide development in the district up to at least 2036. Through the legal ‘duty to cooperate’, Tendring District Council is a key partner in the preparation of the new Chelmsford Local Plan, as is CCC in the preparation of the new plan for Tendring.

Through this consultation exercise, CCC is inviting interested parties to put forward their thoughts on a range of planning matters by responding to a series of questions, of which there are 30 in total. These are presented under the following themes:

 Information on facts and figures about Chelmsford  A Vision for the new Local Plan  Issues facing Chelmsford when planning for growth  How could future growth be accommodated?  Planning policy issues.

Planning for housing growth is one of the biggest challenges facing all local planning authorities and, for Chelmsford, the latest evidence of housing need contained within CCC’s Strategic Housing Market Assessment suggests that the new Local Plan will need to plan for around 930 dwellings per year over the next 20 years. The consultation document presents three options for where the majority of new housing and commercial development could take place in the period up to 2036.

Option 1 - Urban Focus: This option seeks to concentrate new development at locations within and/or close to the existing urban areas that are within Chelmsford Cit. These are the urban areas of Chelmsford, where the majority of new development would be planned, on land to the north of the town of South Woodham Ferrers and on land to the north and east of Great Leighs which is two miles south of Braintree and which would provide linkages to development planned in Braintree District.

Option 2 - Urban Focus and Growth on Key Transport Corridors: This option also promotes development at locations within and/or close to the existing urban areas, but to a lesser extent than contained in Option 1. The remaining development would be planned at locations on the key transport corridors serving the district, notably the A130/A131 and A132 in order to maximize the locational opportunities of sites along those corridors and to enhance the ability to secure further transportation benefits.

Option 3 - Urban Focus and Growth in Key Villages: This option promotes a more dispersed approach to planning for new development within and/or close to the existing urban areas, but to a lesser scale that Options 1 and 2. The remaining development would be planned at the Service Settlements outside of the Green Belt that provide existing local services and facilities which includes Boreham, Danbury and Bicknacre and other locations where new development could provide new services and facilities, such as Howe Green.

Officers consider option 2 to be the most favorable. Whilst option 1 represents a very sustainable form of development it does rely on a location which has the potential to be undeliverable within the plan period. Option 3 spreads development throughout the district however a number of these sites may have significant constraints upon them. It is further considered that if Chelmsford City Council cannot deliver its entire housing needed it may be the case that Tendring district Council takes on some of its shortfall. Option 2 is therefore considered to be the option which has the least likelihood of this happening.

The recommended response to the 30 questions, set out in the main body of this report below, reflects this position. The period in which to make comments ends at 5.00pm on Thursday 21st January 2016, however offices have requested an extension of time to allow the Council to formally respond to this consultation.

RECOMMENDATION

a) That the Local Plan Committee considers and agrees the recommended responses (as set out in the main body of this report) to the 24 questions contained within the Issues and Options document; and

b) That the Planning Policy Manager be authorised to submit the agreed response as the formal response of Tendring District Council, with a covering letter, to Chelmsford City Council before the end of the extended consultation period as requested.

PART 2 – IMPLICATIONS OF THE DECISION

DELIVERING PRIORITIES

Achieving affordable excellence: Cooperation between Tendring District Council and Chelmsford City Council provides opportunities to achieve development that would provide benefits for residents in both areas including new homes, new job opportunities and investment in infrastructure. Joint working also provides opportunities to make financial savings by sharing resources, sharing intelligence and, where practical, commissioning specialist studies on a joint basis.

Improving public perception and reputation: Constructive cooperation between Tendring District Council and Chelmsford City Council will, in turn, ensure a mutually constructive relationship with Essex County Council, the Local Enterprise Partnership and other infrastructure providers.

Helping children and young people to achieve their full potential: Constructive cooperation between Chelmsford City Council and Tendring District Council will help deliver investment in education provision at all levels including new early years and childcare facilities, new primary and secondary schools and further investment and growth at the University of Essex and Anglia Ruskin University. The new housing and job opportunities that would be created through cooperation between the two Councils will benefit future generations of children and young people.

Addressing deprivation: whilst there is limited deprivation within Chelmsford at present it is considered that working in corporation will strengthen this position further,

Local housing for local people: To address the objectively assessed need for future housing, as required through government planning policy, cooperation with all authorities within the housing market area will be essential.

Coastal opportunities and protection: No direct implications.

RESOURCES AND RISK

Resources: Chelmsford City Council’s Issues and Options Document will be prepared by Chelmsford City Council’s Planning Policy Team utilizing its own budget.

Risks: Should the Council choose not to respond to the consultation documents, we would have no formal input into the proposed options for development in Chelmsford and we would have no opportunity to raise issues that we consider prevalent to our Council.

LEGAL

Section 33A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, as amended by Section 110 of the Localism Act 2011 places a duty upon local authorities and other public bodies to cooperate on strategic matters of cross-boundary significance. Before a Planning Inspector can begin the process of examining a Local Plan, he or she needs to be satisfied, with evidence, that the local authority has done everything it can to ensure effective cooperation with neighboring authorities and other partner organizations and has sought to resolve, as far as is possible, any cross-boundary planning issues.

OTHER IMPLICATIONS

Consideration has been given to the implications of the proposed decision in respect of the following and any significant issues are set out below. Crime and Disorder / Equality and Diversity / Health Inequalities /Area or Ward affected / Consultation/Public Engagement.

Crime and Disorder: By supporting developments in Chelmsford city, Tendring district Council is allowing for new residential development which will have elements such as public open space and education provision which in turn will help to prevent crime and disorder in Chelmsford city.

Health Inequalities: The recommended response to the consultation document highlights the importance of addressing health provision across the Chelmsford area.

Equality and Diversity: The consultation document invites comments on meeting the social, economic and environmental needs of different sectors of the community.

Area or Ward affected: None.

Consultation/Public Engagement: The document is out for public consultation until 5.00pm on Thursday 21st January 2016.

PART 3 – SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Introduction

Issues and Options is the first stage of consultation on a new Local Plan. CCC’s Plan will provide a planning strategy for Chelmsford up to 2036. It is important that local communities, interested people and groups get involved and have their say to help shape the future of Chelmsford. The Issues and Options document sets out the planning issues that face Chelmsford over the next 20 years and options for the way they could be addressed. These include how many new homes and jobs the Council needs to plan for and where they could go, what infrastructure they need and how they can protect their important landscapes and habitats.

CCC is now asking interested stakeholders, including Tendring to let them know what they think about these issues and options. Comments received will help them shape the next stages of preparing the new Local Plan. This will continue through each stage of its preparation,

The document is divided into a number of key sections:

 Information on facts and figures about Chelmsford

 A Vision for the new Local Plan

 Issues facing Chelmsford when planning for growth

 How could future growth be accommodated?

 Planning policy issues.

All Councils must produce a Local Plan and keep it up to date. Chelmsford’s current set of plans expire in 2021 so a new Local Plan is needed to manage development in the longer-term to 2036. Without an up-to- date Local Plan, the City Council could have very little influence over the location of new development and the provision of infrastructure. Sites could be promoted for development in locations that the Council and its communities want to protect. Not having a Local Plan would create uncertainty and make it harder to secure appropriate sites for new infrastructure such as schools and health facilities.

As with Tendring, CCC have prepared a Local Development Scheme (LDS) which sets out, in effect the timetable for preparation of their Local Plan. The stage after Issues and Options is Preferred Options which will take place in summer 2016 and will give interested parties another opportunity to comment on a more advanced stage of the draft Plan.

Chelmsford Council also prepared a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of their Issues and Options document. This is considered elsewhere in this report.

Facts and Figures

This section of the Issues and Options document gives details of how Chelmsford is today. The Issues and Options document is underpinned by a raft of technical documents which are not part of this consultation but do give a detailed level of information to help inform the emerging Plan. The topics within this section are wide ranging and cover areas such as geography, population, economy and health.

It is worth noting that, as far a geography is concerned Chelmsford is separated from Tendring by two other Authorities. Depending on how one travels either Braintree and Colchester or Malden and Colchester.

Historically development in Chelmsford has taken place on greenfield land. The focus of new development shifted within the current development plan that saw development on brownfield land as well.

With a population of around 168,000 which is likely to rise to 192,000 by 2022, the City is rapidly expanding. Its locality close to London and Stansted airport also highlight some of the differences between the City Council and our own.

Question 1: Do you think that Section 3 provides an adequate range of facts and figures about Chelmsford today? If no, please explain why. Where possible, please support your answer with reference to any evidence.

Recommended Answer: The Council agrees the Chelmsford City Council have provided an adequate range of facts and figures about the City today.

A Vision for the Chelmsford’s New Local

It is proposed that the vision for the new Local Plan is driven by the need to:

 Provide housing and job opportunities for all sectors of the community  Promote healthier, inclusive and more active lifestyles  Enhance cultural and leisure activities  Ensure that the right type of development is in the right place  Deliver the necessary supporting infrastructure  Provide high quality public and private spaces  Maintain and enhance a more sustainable environment.

Above all else, the new Local Plan will build on the successes of previous Plans, and will achieve positive benefits, in the form of new homes, new jobs, new shops and new sports and recreational facilities, whilst securing new infrastructure that serves everybody who lives and works within our communities.

Question 2: Do you support what should drive the new Local Plan Vision? If no, please explain your answer and suggest any changes.

Recommended Answer: The Council supports what should drive the new Local plan Vision.

The central themes of the Vision that will provide the focus for shaping and managing Chelmsford’s growth are as follows:

Protecting the Green Belt – The Council intends to protect those pats of Green Belt which stretch across the southern and southwestern parts of the city. Protecting the Green Wedges – The Council will undertake a review of these in order to preserve or enhance these features. New Homes – New homes will be provided for existing and proposed residents including affordable homes and homes for the elderly. New Jobs – CCC’s Local Plan will promote land for employment uses. Travel – The new Local Plan will support the development and improvement of the strategic transport network, in particular:

 The future widening of the A12

 The planned Chelmsford North East By-pass (A130)

 Potential new Western Relief Road for Chelmsford

 Improvements to the A132 serving South Woodham Ferrers

 Major improvements to the Great Eastern Main Line (GEML) between London and Norwich.

Safeguarding Heritage Assets Green Infrastructure – A key part of the new Plan will be to establish a linked series of green spaces across the City. Green Buffers – A series of buffers will be put in place between villages to prevent coalescence between villages. Shopping Rivers and Waterways – Informal recreation uses will be promoted at underused waterways in Chelmsford. Leisure and Sport Delivering New Infrastructure Delivering Quality

Question 3: Do you agree with what should be covered in the Vision? If no, please explain your answer and suggest any changes.

Recommended Answer: The Council agrees with what is to be contained within the Vision for Chelmsford.

Issues Facing Chelmsford When Planning for Growth

This section sets out the main issues which face Chelmsford when trying to plan for the growth needed. These issues are summarised below:

 How will we achieve sustainable development and growth?

 How many new homes need to be provided?

 How many new jobs need to be provided?

 How will people get around?

 How will we protect the environment?

 What else is needed to support new development?

 What are the different types of settlements in our area?

 What are the different types of sites or locations to accommodate growth?

How will we achieve sustainable development and growth?

The NPPF sets out three dimensions to sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. These dimensions give rise to the need for the planning system to perform a number of roles.

Pursuing sustainable development involves seeking positive improvements in the quality of the built, natural and historic environment, as well as in people’s quality of life, including (but not limited to):

 making it easier for jobs to be created in cities, towns and villages;

 moving from a net loss of biodiversity to achieving net gains for nature;

 replacing poor design with better design;

 improving the conditions in which people live, work, travel and take leisure; and

 Widening the choice of high quality homes.

How many new homes need to be provided? Consultants have prepared an Objectively Assessed Housing Need Study for the City Council. This has followed national policy and guidance.

The City Council needs to assess the need for market and affordable housing in the Housing Market Area (HMA) and plan to meet this need in full, provided that it is sustainable to do so. HMAs are areas that are defined by analysing migration, commuting patterns and house price data. HMAs tend to extend across a number of Council areas which will need to work together to assess the need. The Objectively Assessed Housing Need Study completed in July 2015 identifies that Chelmsford shares a HMA with Braintree, Colchester and Our Council areas.

Once a HMA is identified, the starting point for calculating how many new homes will be required are the trend-based projections of the likely number and type of future households. These are published by the Government and include forecasts for natural change e.g. births and deaths and migration. The latest household projections indicates 657 new homes per year for Chelmsford.

It should be noted that this figure is very much the initial starting point and the Council is required to consider other adjustment factors.

The household projections should be adjusted to ensure there are enough homes to support the number of jobs that are forecast to be provided. Other adjustments can be applied if the supply of housing has been suppressed in the past. A number of indicators can be used to identify whether adjustment is needed. For example, whether house prices have been rising at a higher rate than other similar areas. The Objectively Assessed Housing Study concludes that the household projections for Chelmsford should be raised to reflect the projected number of jobs which overlap with other factors to justify an uplift. Therefore, 775 new homes per year to ensure that these adjustments are taken into account is suggested. This represents the Council's Objectively Assessed Housing need.

The City Council needs to test whether the Spatial Options presented in the consultation document positively plan for the housing required. Because the housing requirement might increase when the final assessment of the need for affordable housing is determined, the City Council considers it prudent to test a higher quantum of development. A 20% uplift has therefore been added to the Objectively Assessed Housing requirement. This represents a significant increase and is considered a robust adjustment for testing at this first stage of consultation on the City’s new Local Plan. Later in the Council’s consultation document they identify three potential Spatial Options to deliver the housing requirement including the 20% uplift which best address the Spatial Principles.

The additional 20% to the Objectively Assessed Housing requirement allows for a total of 930 homes per year. This amounts to 14,000 new homes for the period to 2036 and is the figure that is being used to test all Spatial Options in this consultation. The Council’s housing and jobs targets will continue to be tested taking into account the evidence and consultation responses and the final targets will be contained within the next stage of the consultation, which we call Preferred Options.

Question 4: Do you have any comments on how the Council has calculated its Objectively Assessed Housing need? Please explain your answer. Where possible, please support your answer with reference to any evidence.