Contents Page Section One: Setting the scene 1 Introduction 4 Introduction 4 Planning policy context 4 Sustainability appraisal and appropriate assessment 5 Links to other strategies 5 Regeneration Strategy 6 The Sustainable Community Strategy 7 Housing Strategy 7 Public and private sector investment programmes 8 2 Characteristics, key challenges and opportunity 10 Characteristics 10 Key challenges 10 The opportunity 11 3 Aims, vision and objectives 13 Aims 13 Vision 14 Objectives 14 4 Strategic policies 16 Spatial strategy for Benwell, Scotswood and West Road 16 Delivering sustainable development 17 Section Two: Addressing key challenges 5 Securing housing market change 19 Promoting housing choice 20 Promoting an affordable, balanced ‘housing ladder’ 21 Providing homes for all lifestyles 22 6 Education and employment 26 Schools as key drivers for transformation 27 Economic growth 28 Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan 1 Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan Mixed use development 29 Securing training and employment opportunities 30 7 Shops and services 31 Developing a network of shops and services 32 Making a qualitative improvement in convenience shopping 33 Providing the social infrastructure for sustainable communities 36 8 Environment and culture 38 Balanced open space provision 38 Sites of Local ConservationInterest and Nature ConservationImportance 40 Utilisation and improvements to waterways 41 Protecting and enhancing culture and heritage 41 Developing culture and heritage 42 9 Accessibility and connectivity 43 Creating a strong street hierarchy 45 Transforming public transport 47 Making walking and cycling easier 49 A new Tyne river crossing 51 Section three: Delivery and implementation of regeneration 10 Key sites 53 Scotswood Development Area 53 Former Westgate Community College site 54 District Heart 55 Newcastle General Hospital site 56 Benwell Dene 58 11 Delivering regeneration 59 Developer contributions 59 Delivering regeneration at the local level 60 Funding and delivery ofobjectives 60 12 Monitoring and Review 61 Monitoring and delivery framework 62 Maps and figures Map 1: Proposals map Map 2: Housing land allocations map Map 3: Employment map Map 4: Open space map Map 5: Accessibility and connectivity strategy map Map 6: Street hierarchy map Map 7: Cycling network map Fig 1: Housing site schedule 23 Fig 2: Monitoring and delivery framework 62 2 Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan Appendices Appendix 1: List of core documents 80 Appendix 2: General conformity of Plan policies with other policies 89 and evidence base Appendix 3: Alignment of Plan vision and objectives with other strategies 99 Appendix 4: Amended Unitary Development Plan (UDP) policies 111 Appendix 5: Proposals map, allocations and designations 113 Appendix 6: Neighbourhood approaches 118 Appendix 7: Glossary of terms 130 List of policies Strategic policy SP1: Spatial strategy 16 Strategic policy SP2: Delivering sustainable development 17 Policy H1: Housing provision and distribution 20 Policy H2: Achieving tenure choice and diversity 21 Policy H3: Choice of housing types 22 Policy EE1: School provision 27 Policy EE2: Economic growth 28 Policy EE3: Mixed use development 29 Policy EE4: Securing training and employment opportunities 30 Policy SS1: Hierarchy of shopping centres 32 Policy SS2: New retail development 33 Policy SS3: Convenience store 35 Policy SS4: Location and distribution of community facilities 36 Policy EC1: Achieve a balanced approach to open space 38 Policy EC2: Local Nature Conservation sites 40 Policy EC3: Utilising waterways for open spaces 41 Policy EC4: Protecting and enhancing culture and heritage 41 Policy EC5: Developing culture and heritage 42 Policy AC1: The street hierarchy 45 Policy AC2: Public transport 47 Policy AC3: Walking and cycling (recreational routes) 49 Policy AC4: Paradise bridge 51 Policy KS1: Scotswood Development Area 53 Policy KS2: Former Westgate Community College site 54 Policy KS3: District Heart 55 Policy KS4: Newcastle General Hospital site 56 Policy KS5: Reopening Benwell Dene 58 Policy D1: Developer contributions 59 Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan 3 Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan: Section One 1 Introduction Introduction 1.1 The Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan, (hereafter referred to as the Plan) will form part of the Local Development Framework (LDF) which brings together the statutory planning policies and proposals for Newcastle. The LDF is being prepared under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004; the LDF together with the Regional Spatial Strategy will form the Development Plan for the city. Saved Unitary Development Plan Policies (UDP) will be superseded on completion of the LDF. At the heart of the LDF is the Core Strategy, due for adoption in 2011 or 2012. This document will set out the city wide vision, objectives and policy frameworkfor development in Newcastle to 2024. Until the Core Strategy is adopted, the Plan works within the framework provided by saved UDP policies and Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). 1.2 The Plan will cover the period 2009 to 2024 and beyond and will focus upon the delivery of regeneration in the Benwell, Scotswood and West Road neighbourhoods. The Plan will not only set out the policy framework against which planning applications will be assessed, but will be the spatial plan that acts as the key delivery vehicle for the regeneration of the plan area. It will help deliver and co- ordinate public and private sector investment. 1.3 This Plan was submitted to the Government for an independent examination in August 2008. The Plan had been developed through a series of stages, involving the establishment of a largeevidence base and extensive public consultation. Details of consultations and our responses can be found published alongside this Plan in the Statement of Compliance; details of the evidence base can be found on the Council’s website, www.newcastle.gov.uk/ldf or obtained from Newcastle City Council (NCC). Appendix 1 contains a list of these supporting documents and related references. 1.4 The Plan has been prepared in accordance with the LDF Local Development Scheme and has been prepared in compliance with the LDF Statement of Community Involvement. It is accompanied by a Sustainability Appraisal Report, which considers the environment, social and economic impacts of the proposals, and the factors and options that helped to refine the proposals in this document, and an Appropriate Screening Opinion. Planning policy context 1.5 The Plan must be in accordance with national,regional and local planning policies. These include Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPG), Planning Policy Statements (PPS) and saved UDP policies. The Plan as part of the LDF must be in general conformity with the RSS. 4 Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan: Section One 1.6 The RSS was published in July 2008 very shortly before submission. The Plan contributes to the RSS aims in Policy 1 of: delivering sustainable and inclusive economic prosperity and growth delivering sustainable communities conserving, enhancing and capitalising upon the region’s diverse natural and built environment, heritage and culture and improving connectivity and accessibility within and beyond the region 1.7 At the time of submission this Plan was being progressed in parallel with the LDF Core Strategy. However, the Core Strategy was withdrawn in December 2008 and will not now be re-submitted until perhaps 2010 or 2011. References to the Core Strategy have therefore been removed from this Plan.A document in the evidence base, reference BS 12-03 BSAAP – Note on the relationship of the Plan to UDP aims, saved UDP policies and RSS policies (also referred to in Appendix 2) shows in table form the general conformity of the Plan policies with the saved UDP policies and policies in Regional Spatial Strategy. Sustainability appraisal and appropriate assessment 1.8 The Plan seeks to meet the principles of sustainable development whereby economic growth is achieved alongside social inclusiveness and environmental responsibility. The Plan has been subject to a sustainability appraisal through which its proposals have been tested against a set of sustainability objectives at each stage of its preparation. In addition to this, screening for a Habitats Appropriate Assessment has also been carried out on the Plan as required under European Directive 92/43/ EEC (The Habitats Directive). Links to other strategies 1.9 In terms of the city wide context, this Plan helps to deliver thevision developed through NCC’s Regeneration Strategy and more recently the Sustainable Community Strategy. These two documents outline a long-term vision for the kind of city we want to create as well as setting out a range of exciting initiatives that will be delivered in partnership across Newcastle to deliver that vision. Our place shaping vision for Newcastle is that: “In 2021, Newcastle will be a vibrant and sustainable city with a diverse, growing population that is healthy and thrives in a strong, dynamic economy . Our public spaces will have been transformed, building on the city’s distinctive and unique character. Residents will enjoy equal chances in employment, education, housing and health.” 1.10 Delivering this vision means making improvements in a number of areas: transport; health and wellbeing; education and skills; housing and strong communities. These Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan 5 Benwell Scotswood Area Action Plan: Section One improvements will not just be about ‘bricks and mortar’ – they will require changes to the way we do things and the development of innovative, new approaches to service delivery. The scale of transformation that we envisage will require new and exciting buildings as well as changes to the way we currently use land, roads and public spaces in the city. That is where this document has a vital role to play in helping to deliver our place shaping agendafor Newcastle. The policies set out in the Plan will help to support the delivery of the ‘spatial’ parts of our long-term vision for the city. 1.11 Benwell, Scotswood and the West Road is an area full of potential to undergo regeneration and achieve the vision.