Wiltshire & Swindon Minerals and Waste Development Framework Evidence Base Part A: Spatial Context July 2012 © Wiltshire Council ISBN: 1 Introduction and summary of content 3 2 Spatial planning and sustainable development 9 3 Population 23 4 Housing 33 5 Economy 49 6 Transport 63 7 Landscape character 87 8 Cultural heritage and tourism 109 9 Biodiversity and geodiversity 125 10 Environmental impacts 157 1 Key documents cited in Evidence Base report 203 2 Sustainable Community Strategy objectives and Evidence Base reference 215 3 Acronyms 227 Wiltshire & Swindon Minerals and Waste Development Framework • Evidence Base • Part A: Spatial Context Wiltshire & Swindon Minerals and Waste Development Framework • Evidence Base • Part A: Spatial Context Chapter 1: Introduction and summary of content Purpose of this report 1.1 In September 2004 the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act introduced a revised approach to preparing local land use plans. Local Authorities were charged with reviewing the content of Local Plans and replacing them with a suite of Development Plan Documents (DPDs), which together would form a Local Development Framework (LDF) for their area. However, since publication of the Localism Act and amendments to the 2004 Act (November 2011) local planning authorities are now charged with preparing Local Plans which are to all intents and purposes the same as a DPD. 1.2 Wiltshire and Swindon (the councils) have made significant progress towards replacing the Minerals and Waste Local Plans (2001 and 2005 respectively) and have adopted the following plans: Minerals Core Strategy DPD 2006 - 2026 (June 2009) Waste Core Strategy DPD 2006 - 2026 (June 2009) Minerals Development Control Policies DPD (September 2009) Waste Development Control Policies DPD (September 2009). 1.3 Two further plans have also been prepared for submission: Waste Site Allocations Local Plan (previously called a DPD) Aggregate Minerals Site Allocations Local Plan (previously called a DPD). 1.4 In accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (and the replaced PPS12) all plans must be founded on adequate, up-to-date and relevant evidence. Having regard to sections 13 and 14 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended) the local planning authority must keep under review: the principal physical, economic, social and environmental characteristics of the area of the authority; the principal purposes for which land is used in the area; the size, composition and distribution of the population of the area; the communications, transport system and traffic of the area; and any other considerations which may be expected to affect those matters. 1.5 In addition and in accordance with section 19(2) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act, the councils must also have regard to: national policies and advice contained in guidance issued by the Secretary of State; the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS)(1) for the region in which the area of the authority is situated; the RSS for any region which adjoins the area of the authority; the community strategy prepared by the authority; the community strategy for any other authority whose area comprises any part of the area of the local planning authority; 1 In July 2010 the government announced its intension to revoke RSSs. Despite this, the government has advised that the evidence which informed the preparation of the RSSs can still be used as a material consideration in the preparation of plans and local decision-making Wiltshire & Swindon Minerals and Waste Development Framework • Evidence Base • Part A: Spatial Context • Page 3 any other local development document which has been adopted by the authority; the resources likely to be available for implementing the proposals in the document; and such other matters as the Secretary of State prescribes. 1.6 Therefore, data from local authorities and regions both in and around Wiltshire and Swindon must be collated, and the potential impacts upon local areas must be considered, both in relation to and in combination with the policies of the minerals and waste plans. 1.7 As a core element of the councils evidence base, the purpose of this report is to provide a clear, robust and up to date collation of information and data that can be used to inform and contribute to the continuing development of minerals and waste planning policy.The evidence included in this report will be used, along with other evidence base documents, to ensure that the councils minerals and waste plans are found ‘sound’ (i.e. positively prepared, justified, effective and consistent with national policy) at the independent examination stage. The documents considered as part of the evidence gathering process and included within this report and are summarised in Appendix 1 of this document. Changes to planning policy Localism Act and regional planning 1.8 The Localism Bill was introduced to Parliament on 13 December 2010 and was given Royal Assent on 15 November 2011 becoming an Act.The Act shifts power from central government back into the hands of individual communities and councils. It proposes a suite of changes to the manner in which local communities can influence local decisions.There are clear links between the need for housing, employment opportunities and essential infrastructure; such as minerals and waste management facilities. To this end, the timely provision of a flexible network of minerals and waste sites must be planned for within the overall context of local place-shaping and the spirit of the ‘localism agenda’. 1.9 The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) introduced the requirement for Regional Assemblies(2) to produce Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS). The Localism Act includes the intended removal of the primary legislation which sets the basis for Regional Strategies (RS) (including RSSs). (3) 1.10 Despite the government’s intension to revoke RSs, the government has advised that the evidence which informed the preparation of the RSSs can still be used as material consideration in the preparation of DPDs and local decision making.(4) 2 The South West Regional Assembly was formally established in 2001 with the principal role of providing regional scrutiny of the policy and activities of the Regional Development Agency (RDA) and was voluntarily abolished in 2009.The Assembly was comprised of 119 members drawn 70% from the region's 51 local authorities and 30% from Social, Environmental and Economic Partners. In 2004 the Assembly was formally designated as Regional Planning Body and Regional Housing Body. These latter statutory responsibilities of the Assembly were transferred to the 20 strong Strategic Leaders Board in May 2009, the executive arm of the broader based South West Councils with members from all 41 (post local government review) local authorities in the region. Following the general election in May 2010, the incoming Secretary of State revoked this role. 3 When the Bill became the Localism Act the first stage of this process had the effect of removing the regional planning tier, including Leaders’ Boards whose responsibility it was to prepare the relevant Regional Strategy (RS). The second stage of the Localism Act is to abolish each existing RS outside London and saved county structure plan policies by Order, but this is subject to the outcome of the environmental assessments that the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) is voluntarily undertaking. Decisions on the revocations will not be made until the Secretary of State and Parliament have had the opportunity to consider the outcome of the environmental assessment process. 4 See letters from CLG, regarding the Abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies: http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/responseabolitionregional Page 4 • Wiltshire & Swindon Minerals and Waste Development Framework • Evidence Base • Part A: Spatial Context National planning policy framework 1.11 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published in March 2012 sets out the government's economic, environmental and social planning policies for England and replaces previous planning policy statements/guidance. The intention is for this new framework to be less complex and more accessible. The NPPF contains policies on minerals extraction but does not contain specific waste policies, since a national waste policy is expected to be published as part of the National Waste Management Plan for England in 2012. However, local authorities preparing waste plans should have regard to policies in the framework so far as relevant. Updates to this report 1.12 In light of the Localism Act and changes to national planning policy, this evidence base report has been amended to include the latest planning policies contained within the NPPF. References to planning policy documents which have since been replaced by the NPPF and references to the RSSs remain within the report because these were relied upon during the plan preparation stage and still form part of the overall evidence base. Structure and content of evidence base 1.13 This introductory chapter sets out the structure of this document and a brief summary of the content of each chapter. The councils intend that this document remains relevant and up to date and should therefore undergo continual review.To assist with this process, each chapter will aim to be relatively self-contained so that they can be reviewed independently. 1.14 The councils 'core' evidence base is divided into three volumes: Part A: Spatial context (this volume)