North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan – Made Version
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North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan 2017 - 2032 Made Version (10 July 2018) NORTH NORTHUMBERLAND COAST NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2017 -2032 Made Version – 10 July 2018 [10 July 2018] 1 North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan 2017 - 2032 Made Version (10 July 2018) FOREWORD This area is special because of the natural beauty and isolation of the landscape combined with our cultural history. But over the last few years it has been damaged by unsuitable development that in many cases has been in conflict with, rather than responding to, these characteristics. It is crucial that further development does not do further damage. These characteristics drive the economy of the area as well as deserving protection in their own right. The area also faces the problems resulting from the success of the visitor economy: house prices are high and many jobs are seasonal. These factors are why the three parish councils of North Sunderland, Bamburgh and Beadnell have come together to develop this neighbourhood plan. We believe that we should set out specific planning policies and aspirations to guide and manage change. Things don’t stand still: further development will come to the area, and it is important for the economy and the residents that it does so. But it is also important that development matches the aspirations of those of us who live here. The area faces some contentious current and potential planning applications. This plan is of necessity neutral on individual applications but sets out principles of good design which respect the neighbourhood. They will not have planning weight unless the plan is adopted but we hope future applications take the principles into account. The plan has now been ‘made’ by Northumberland County Council and brought into legal force. The plan reflects the outcome of several stages of consultation with residents, businesses and other stakeholders. All comments made during these stages of consultation have been carefully considered and where appropriate taken into account in preparing the plan. The comments show a large degree of interest in and support for the plan. A number of background papers and explanatory documents have informed the plan and its policies. Some have been developed to support the plan and others have a wider relevance. They can all be found on http://www.seahouses.org/neighbourhood-plan/ Now that the plan has been made and brought into force, it will be used to make decisions on planning applications in the area. John Woodman - Chair of North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group [10 July 2018] 2 North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan 2017 - 2032 Made Version (10 July 2018) CONTENTS PAGE Introduction 1.0 Planning Policy Background 2.0 The Vision and Objectives for the Neighbourhood Plan area 3.0 Planning Policies: Reading the Neighbourhood Plan 4.0 Planning Policies: Place 5.0 Planning Policies: People 6.0 Planning Policies: Prosperity 7.0 Community Projects 8.0 Monitoring and Review Appendix A: List of non-designated heritage assets in the Plan area Appendix B: List of Evidence Base and background documents referred to in the Plan Glossary Maps: Map 1: The Neighbourhood Area Map 2: North Sunderland Conservation Area Map 3: Seahouses Conservation Area Policies Map 1: Plan area Policies Map 2: Seahouses Policies Map 3: Bamburgh Policies Map 4: Beadnell [10 July 2018] 3 North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan 2017 - 2032 Made Version (10 July 2018) INTRODUCTION The Localism Act 2011 introduced new powers to allow local communities to shape development in their areas by preparing a neighbourhood development plan. The three Parishes of Bamburgh, Seahouses and North Sunderland and Beadnell decided to produce a joint neighbourhood plan covering all three Parishes. Map 1: The Neighbourhood Area [10 July 2018] 4 North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan 2017 - 2032 Made Version (10 July 2018) The North Northumberland Coastal Area Neighbourhood Area, designated for the purposes of 61G(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, comprises the three Civil Parishes of North Sunderland, Bamburgh and Beadnell. Northumberland County Council formally designated the three Parishes as a Neighbourhood Area on 18th February 2014. The Neighbourhood Plan relates only to these Parishes, and to no other Neighbourhood Areas and is the only Neighbourhood Development Plan in the designated area. Where reference is made to the Neighbourhood Area throughout the Neighbourhood Plan, this means the whole area covered by the Plan. The North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Development Plan (the Plan) has been prepared by a steering group comprising members of all three Parish Councils, and supported by neighbourhood representatives, with input from Northumberland County Council and other stakeholders. The Plan incorporates modifications arising from the outcomes of consultation on a pre-submission draft plan which took place between July and September 2017 and modifications recommended by the Independent Examiner in his report dated 22 February 2018, all of which have been accepted by the County Council and the Parish Councils. The North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan passed Referendum on 24 May 2018 and was subsequently ‘made’ by Northumberland County Council on 10 July 2018. Northumberland County Council reviewed the pre-submission draft version of the Plan and confirmed that Strategic Environmental Assessment would be required. This conclusion arose due to the outcome of a Habitats Regulation Assessment screening opinion from the County Council which advised that further assessment would be required. The outcomes of those processes have been incorporated in modifications to several policies in the Plan1. Why have a Plan for the North Northumberland Coast? The three parishes have some of the highest second home ownership in the country and average house prices are almost twice that of the rest of north Northumberland. The Neighbourhood Plan provides a platform for community led planning allowing issues that are important to the community to be addressed, including delivery of housing for people to live permanently in the local community; employment and business development; as well as the protection of the special local environment, much of which is within the Northumberland Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). With so much emphasis on the tourist economy, the people who live and work in the area want to see a re-balance in how this area develops, with a focus on three key themes: 'people', 'place' and 'prosperity'. The North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan has locally specific planning policies which will provide clear guidance as to what kind of development will and will not be supported. It also defines settlement boundaries for each of the settlements in the Neighbourhood Area and identifies sites to be designated as 'Local Green Space'. The Plan policies seek to ensure that new housing development contributes to sustainable communities, by ensuring that it is for permanent 1 Report to inform the Habitat Regulations Assessment of the North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan [AECOM] May 2017. [10 July 2018] 5 North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan 2017 - 2032 Made Version (10 July 2018) occupation only (known as 'Principal Residence' housing), to redress the imbalance between permanent housing and second homes, and re-vitalise local communities. The Plan will also contain a series of ‘Community Actions’ which will cover those issues raised by the community which cannot be dealt with through town planning policies. These are non-land use proposals which are listed in Chapter 4 of the Plan, and will be brought forward by the relevant Parish Councils. What evidence have we used to prepare the Plan? First of all, the community were consulted about what issues were important to them. Evidence from a range of sources has been used to support our policies. A list of this evidence is included in Appendix B. All these documents, as well as the results of the public consultation, form the Evidence Base for the Plan. What consultation has taken place? The Steering Group has engaged throughout the process with the local community, through consultation events, questionnaires and newsletters, and have consulted with both local residents and local businesses and other local groups and organisations. The results of that consultation led the Steering Group to produce a Neighbourhood Plan that contains policies that effectively respond to the needs of the community. The Plan was submitted to the County Council in November 2017. Further publicity and consultation was undertaken by the County Council prior to arranging an Independent Examination. The Examination resulted in the publication of a Report on 22 February 2018 which recommended a number of modifications to policies in the Plan. More detail on the consultation undertaken is provided in the Consultation Statement submitted with the Plan. What happens next? The North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan passed Referendum on 24 May 2018 and was subsequently ‘made’ by Northumberland County Council on 10 July 2018. The Plan has now been brought into force and now forms part of the statutory development plan and must be used to inform decisions on planning applications in the Neighbourhood Area. [10 July 2018] 6 North Northumberland Coast Neighbourhood Plan 2017 - 2032 Made Version (10 July 2018) 1.0 PLANNING POLICY BACKGROUND 1.1 Before neighbourhood plans can be brought