Proposed Submission Document DevelopmentPlanSOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE January 2013 South Worcestershire Development Plan Proposed Submission Document 11 January 2013 0 SWDP proposed submission document – consultation version January 2013 Contents: Page Introduction 4 Vision and Objectives 5 Spatial Context 8 A New Plan for South Worcestershire 17 SWDP 1: Overarching Sustainability Principles 27 SWDP 2: Development Strategy and Settlement Hierarchy 29 SWDP 3: Employment, Housing and Retail Provision Requirement and 33 Delivery SWDP 4: Moving Around South Worcestershire 47 SWDP 5: Green Infrastructure 55 SWDP 6: Historic Environment 57 SWDP 7: Infrastructure 59 SWDP 8: Providing the Right Land and Buildings for Jobs 60 SWDP 9: Creating and Sustaining Vibrant Centres 64 SWDP 10: Protection and Promotion of Shopping Choice 66 SWDP 11: Vale of Evesham Heavy Goods Vehicles Control Zone 69 SWDP 12: Rural Employment 70 SWDP 13: Effective Use of Land 72 SWDP 14: Housing Mix 76 SWDP 15: Meeting Affordable Housing Needs 78 SWDP 16: Rural Exception Sites 80 SWDP 17: Travellers and Travelling Showpeople 82 SWDP 18: Replacement Dwellings in the Open Countryside 86 SWDP 19: Dwellings for Rural Workers 88 SWDP 20: Housing to Meet the Needs of Older People 90 SWDP 21: Design 91 SWDP 22: Biodiversity and Geodiversity 95 SWDP 23: Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty 96 SWDP 24: Management of the Historic Environment 97 SWDP 25: Landscape Character 98 SWDP 26: Telecommunications and Broadband 99 SWDP 27: Renewable and Low Carbon Energy 102 SWDP 28: Management of Flood Risk 106 SWDP 29: Sustainable Drainage Systems 109 SWDP 30: Water Resources Efficiency and Treatment 111 SWDP 31: Pollution 113 1 SWDP proposed submission document – consultation version January 2013 SWDP 32: Minerals 114 SWDP 33: Waste 117 SWDP 34: Tourist Development 119 SWDP 35: Visitor Accommodation 120 SWDP 36: Static and Touring Caravans, Chalets and Camping Sites 122 SWDP 37: Indoor Leisure and Community Facilities 124 SWDP 38: Local Green Network 126 SWDP 39: Provision for Outdoor Community Uses in New Development 127 SWDP 40: Waterfronts 129 SWDP 41: Marinas and Moorings 130 SWDP 42: Residential Moorings 132 SWDP 43: Worcester City Allocations 133 SWDP 44: Worcester City Centre 139 SWDP 45: Directions for Growth Outside the City Boundary 144 SWDP 46: Pershore Allocations 156 SWDP 47: Pershore Urban Extension 158 SWDP 48: Droitwich Spa Allocations 160 SWDP 49: Droitwich Spa Urban Extension 163 SWDP 50: Evesham Allocations 165 SWDP 51: Evesham Urban Extensions 168 SWDP 52: Malvern Allocations 170 SWDP 53: Malvern Technology Centre (QinetiQ) 172 SWDP 54: Blackmore Park 174 SWDP 55: Three Counties Showground 175 SWDP 56: Development at north-east Malvern 176 SWDP 57: Tenbury Wells Allocations 179 SWDP 58: Upton upon Severn Allocations 181 SWDP 59: Category 1 Village Allocations 182 SWDP 60: Category 2 Village Allocations 184 SWDP 61: Category 3 Village Allocations 186 SWDP 62: Implementation, Phasing and Monitoring 188 Section SWDP 63: Monitoring Framework 195 Glossary 197 ANNEXES Annex A: Sustainable Community Strategy 214 Annex B: SWDP Objectives Mapped against Worcestershire SCS 216 Objectives Annex C: Primary Policy Connections 231 Annex D: Settlement Hierarchy 234 Annex E: Housing Trajectories 238 2 SWDP proposed submission document – consultation version January 2013 Annex F: Marketing Requirements (SWDP 8, SWDP 12) 243 Annex G: Additional Information Required to Justify Planning Permission 244 (SWDP 19) Annex H: Boundary of Worcester City Centre Masterplan 245 Annex I: Crucial Infrastructure Table (SWDP 7) 246 3 SWDP proposed submission document – consultation version January 2013 The South Worcestershire Development Plan Introduction Background 1. South Worcestershire is the area covered by the districts of Malvern Hills, Wychavon and the city of Worcester [referred to throughout this document as the partner authorities]. The South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) is framed by and in turn promotes a very clear vision of the sub-region during the years to 2030, which is set out in the box on page 5. Identified as a result of extensive consultation from 2007 and refined and adjusted as the SWDP was developed, this Vision reflects both the aspirations and the firm intentions of the three partner authorities to improve, protect and manage sustainable growth in the area over the coming years. 2. A set of overarching aims has been identified that lie at the heart of the process. These are summarised as being: a. Delivering economic prosperity with Worcester at the heart. b. Locally justified housing. c. Protecting and enhancing the natural and historic environment. d. Infrastructure-led development. The SWDP faces a number of economic, environmental, social and infrastructure challenges that will need to be met if the vision for south Worcestershire is to be realised. To address these challenges, a strong emphasis needs to be placed on achieving an appropriate balance between all three strands, including embracing the highest objectives for sustainable development, ensuring quality of design and the timely provision of the infrastructure required to support the SWDP proposals. 3. The SWDP will strive to achieve the Vision through the implementation of relevant policies. 4. It is imperative for the future prosperity of south Worcestershire that new development proposed in the SWDP is supported by necessary and proportionate crucial infrastructure. The Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Business Plan (2012) articulates a vision to create the right economic environment to inspire business, encourage investment and create lasting and sustainable employment in Worcestershire. This includes a strategic objective to address “Planning, Development and Infrastructure” needs in the area with a particular focus on ensuring the delivery of key transport infrastructure. 5. The partner authorities embarked on a four-stage process to strengthen their understanding of infrastructure, leading to the production of an Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) to support the Plan: a. Consolidated the existing information at the Preferred Option Stage. b. Prepared an Infrastructure Delivery Plan Interim Position Statement to support the SWDP. c. Prepared an Infrastructure Delivery Plan to support the formal version of the SWDP. d. Update the Infrastructure Delivery Plan by spring 2013 to support the SWDP as submitted to the Secretary of State. The need for the timely delivery of infrastructure to support the delivery of development, necessary to support communities and the local economy, is a feature of many of the themes of the Sustainable Communities Strategy (see paragraph 12 – 14 below). The evidence in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan supports the SWDP in general and SWDP 7 and the Infrastructure Schedule set out in Annex I in particular, which is necessary in order to achieve the many objectives relating to infrastructure. 4 SWDP proposed submission document – consultation version January 2013 6. A review of the SWDP will be undertaken in 2019 – 20. The review will consider any fundamental changes to the household projections and in parallel to a refresh of the underpinning evidence base, will reconsider and update extant policies. Vision In 2030 south Worcestershire remains a highly desirable place in which to live and work. The Worcestershire Economic Strategy, together with the partnership with the Worcestershire Local Economic Partnership, has helped to create a robust, competitive local economy, which in turn has retained and stimulated significant inward investment and generated numerous job opportunities. Businesses have access to a locally based, highly skilled workforce, thanks to the high quality educational and training provision available in the area. The University of Worcester goes from strength to strength and helps to attract and retain the best and brightest graduates in the sub-region. Residents and businesses enjoy better accessibility within and beyond the area through the implementation of major improvements to the highway network, in particular the A4440 at Worcester, the completion of Worcestershire Parkway and improvements to local railway stations. A series of smaller but no less vital infrastructure improvements impact positively on the day-to-day life of the residents of the three districts, including improvements to local roads, junctions, public transport provision, drainage and water infrastructure. Small-scale businesses have flourished in rural areas through the support offered by the SWDP policies to both home-based working and farm diversification opportunities. Farm diversification has enabled farming and horticulture to continue to play an important role in the local rural economy. This has been helped by significant improvements to electronic means of communication, including the roll- out of high-speed broadband and the promotion of live - work development. Employment and housing growth, coupled with continued investment in retail and office space, enables Worcester to compete successfully with the larger centres within and beyond the West Midlands. Worcester also provides high- class and wide- ranging leisure and service facilities. The main towns of Droitwich Spa, Evesham and Malvern are vibrant, offering a range of employment, shopping and community facilities to their residents and the wider community. The towns of Pershore, Tenbury Wells and Upton upon Severn also continue to offer local services and remain at the heart of the area’s rural