MERTON COUNCIL futureMerton Local Development Framework Core Planning Strategy Adopted July 2011 www.merton.gov.uk/ldf Foreword from Councillor 1 Foreword from Councillor 3 Introduction and Background 2 Introduction and Purpose 5 3 Consultation and Sustainability Appraisal 7 Merton’s Vision & Objectives 4 What makes Merton a unique place? 9 5 Issues and Opportunities 17 6 Key Drivers and Evidence Base 22 7 Spatial Vision 28 8 Key Diagram 32 9 Strategic Objectives 33 Spatial Strategy Policies 10 Sub-Areas 37 11 Colliers Wood and South Wimbledon Sub-Area - Policy 1 40 12 Mitcham Sub-Area - Policy 2 51 13 Morden Sub-Area - Policy 3 58 14 Raynes Park Sub-Area - Policy 4 64 15 Wandle Valley Sub-Area - Policy 5 70 16 Wimbledon Sub-Area - Policy 6 76 17 Centres - Policy 7 84 18 Housing - Policies 8-10 95 19 Infrastructure - Policy 11 113 London Borough of Merton | Core Strategy: July 2011 (1) Contents 20 Economic Development - Policy 12 121 21 Open Space, Nature Conservation, Leisure and Culture - Policy 13 131 22 Design - Policy 14 144 23 Climate Change - Policy 15 157 24 Flood Risk Management - Policy 16 165 25 Waste Management - Policy 17 170 26 Transport - Policies 18-20 173 Delivery, Implementation and Monitoring 27 Delivery and Implementation 188 28 Monitoring 221 28.1 Monitoring Framework 223 Appendices 29 Evidence Base 240 30 Strategic Objectives and Core Strategy Policies Matrix 242 31 UDP Policies replaced by the Core Planning Strategy 248 32 Glossary of terms 254 Core Strategy: July 2011 (1) | London Borough of Merton 1 1 Foreword from Councillor Foreword to Merton's Core Planning Strategy - submission version As we plan for our future as individuals, so we must plan for our future as a borough. That is what this document is all about. Put together following wide public consultation by a dedicated team of officers and considered in detail by councillors, it endeavours to reflect the aspirations that we have as a local community and how they will be realised in the space that we have available. Long-term vision The Core Planning Strategy is the big picture - an overarching strategy which offers all of us a 15-year vision as to how the borough will evolve. Its contents will guide everyone involved in the borough’s future as to how they deliver specific projects in different parts of the borough, ensuring continuity and consistency in quality and outlook. Merton – our borough, our home An important aspect to the development of this strategy was the invaluable input we received from residents and community groups who were keen to have a hand in shaping their borough’s future. Our consultations drew many comments and ideas which we have tried to include in the final version. This is our borough, and we want to make it a place that we all want to call home. Ensuring green space for all We are lucky to live in a green and beautiful place. So close to the opportunities that central London offers, we can also enjoy wide open spaces on our door step. Access to these beauty spots such as Mitcham Common, Wimbledon Common, Morden Park and Colliers Wood Recreation Ground to name but a few, is important for everyone. We recognise that many people do not have their own garden, but we appreciate the importance of green space to everyone’s well-being. We want to protect our natural green spaces, and this Core Planning Strategy is one way of formalising this commitment. Encouraging investment As with anywhere with an exciting future to look forward to, Merton is somewhere people want to live and enjoy. Through quality planning and the long-term vision our Core Planning Strategy offers, we want to see Merton evolve as a borough which will encourage entrepreneurship in local businesses and nurture home-grown talent. This means that we need to plan for new homes, business space and medical facilities for a growing population. We also have a growing 3 population of young people, and are committed to a programme of school expansions in order to ensure our children are taught in a good environment and have the best life chances. London Borough of Merton | Core Strategy: July 2011 (1) | 1 1 Foreword from Councillor Well designed and top quality buildings, streets and public spaces will ensure a built environment we can all be proud of for generations to come and make Merton a place in which businesses and future generations will want to invest. Looking after the qualities we have will ensure an economically vibrant future for Merton. Addressing climate change Over the coming years, starting right now, we have to address climate change and its causes. Intelligent and quality planning can make a difference to our impact on the environment. Using renewable energy, offering residents practical help to make their homes more energy efficient, discouraging people from selling off garden space for development and encouraging residents to keep their lawns rather than concrete over them are just some of the positive ways we can influence the direction of the borough and make Merton a cleaner, greener place. Overall, we want to take the lead as a borough community and set an example for others to follow. Making aspirations reality The Core Planning Strategy is our way of ensuring our aspirations for a Merton that offers a good quality of life to all its residents through responsible planning, becomes a reality. This is the council’s commitment to consistent quality and a shared vision as to the direction of how the borough will develop and the kind of exciting place it will undoubtedly continue to be. Councillor Andrew Judge, Cabinet Member for Environmental Sustainability and Regeneration, July 2010. 4 1 | Core Strategy: July 2011 (1) | London Borough of Merton 2 2 Introduction and Purpose 2.1 The Local Development Framework (LDF) is a new form of development plan and will replace the Unitary Development Plan (UDP). It will provide a wider spatial planning framework and will seek to provide guidance for Merton's Community Plan. The LDF will look forward 15 years and will set out strategies and policies for the development and use of land as well as broader spatial matters. It will consist of a number of separate documents setting out different types of planning guidance. 2.2 The Core Strategy is the key policy document in Merton’s LDF setting out the spatial strategy for the borough and the key elements of the planning framework. It brings together other strategies that cover Merton - such as the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, Open Space Strategy and the NHS "Better healthcare, closer to home" strategy to provide a co-ordinated long term spatial vision and means to deliver that vision. 2.3 The Core Strategy will be supported by other Development Plan Documents (DPDs) which will provide more guidance on specific details. All other local policy documents have to be in line with Merton's Core Strategy. Some examples of other documents are the Joint Waste DPD (also known as the South London Waste Plan) and Morden Area Action Plan. A list of the documents Merton intends to produce can be found in the project plan for the LDF, known as Merton's Local Development Scheme, which is available on Merton Council's website via http://www.merton.gov.uk . The Core Strategy and other subsequent LDF documents should be read as a whole. Proposals should be considered against all relevant policies. 2.4 The Core Strategy will replace elements of Merton's Unitary Development Plan 2003. Over the next few years, all of the policies set out in Merton's UDP 2003 will be replaced by policies within Merton's LDF documents, including the Core Strategy, Joint Waste DPD and moreMorden Area Action Plan. The development plan for the borough will be Merton's LDF and the Mayor's London Plan. 2.5 All maps and illustrations within this Core Strategy have been produced at a point in time. Whilst every effort has been made to provide clear and current data on our maps, the data is reviewed over time and is to be used for illustrative purposes only. More detailed and up-to-date maps to inform site development proposals should be sourced from Merton Council's most recently adopted Proposals Map, or in the case of flood risk, from the Environment Agency website. Merton's final Core Strategy - pre-submission representations 2.6 Between 9th August and 30 September 2010 we published Merton's Core Strategy to allow representations relating to issues of soundness to be made and taken account at the independent Examination. Any representations received were forwarded to the Planning Inspector, together with Merton Council's response to the representation, for consideration at the Examination. The diagram below illustrates the examination process. 5 London Borough of Merton | Core Strategy: July 2011 (1) | 2 2 Introduction and Purpose Figure 2.1 Core Strategy Examination Process FutureMerton Team Spatial Planning Policy Civic Centre London Road Morden SM4 5DX 2.7 Merton's Core Planning Strategy should be read as a whole. Any lists or criteria set out within the document should be considered equally and are not in priority order unless explicitly stated. 6 2 | Core Strategy: July 2011 (1) | London Borough of Merton 3 3 Consultation and Sustainability Appraisal Consultation 3.1 Before starting to prepare the LDF, we considered what Merton’s communities had already told us through other recent public consultations – including those on the preparation of the Community Plan (2006-15). This helped to establish a starting point of community priorities and concerns that could be examined further through the LDF.