Delegated Decision

3 September 2020

Northumberland Local Plan Examination - Consultation on additional evidence

Ordinary Decision

Report of Regeneration, Economy and Growth Stuart Timmiss Head of Development & Housing

Electoral division(s) affected: Countywide

Purpose of the Report 1 This report considers consultation by Northumberland Council on additional evidence documents associated with their emerging Local Plan and seeks to authorise the Council’s response.

Executive Summary

2 Northumberland Council is currently in examination on its Local Plan. Phase 1 of the examination was held during October 2019 and in February 2020. The Northumberland Local Plan Inspector has now asked that consultation be carried out on additional evidence which was requested by her as a result of the examination hearing sessions. Consultation began on the additional evidence on 13 July 2020 and runs until 7 September 2020.

3 Durham County Council has previously considered and responded upon each successive stage of consultation on the emerging Northumberland Local Plan and has not objected to its provisions. Having considered the additional documents now subject to consultation, council officers are satisfied that there is no need for the Council to make specific comments. Recommendation 4 It is recommended that Northumberland Council is advised that the council does not have any specific comments on the additional evidence which is being consulted upon. The draft letter in Appendix 3 of this report is endorsed as the council’s response.

Background 5 Northumberland Council is preparing a Local Plan which following previous consultation is now in examination. The Council has considered each successive stage of the Northumberland Local Plan’s preparation and submitted comment as necessary.

6 When last consulted in January 2019, on the Northumberland Local Plan – Publication Draft, no objections were made. This was because it was considered that there were no significant land use proposals close to or spanning the boundary with County Durham. The only potential cross boundary issues identified related to the supply of minerals and waste management. However, the approach taken by Northumberland Council was recognised to be broadly consistent with the approach of the emerging County Durham Plan and as such gave no cause for any objection. In line with normal practice, there was a recognition of the need to continue with discussions concerning any future cross boundary issues as part of our respective Duty to Cooperate responsibilities. Consultation on additional evidence and actions

7 As detailed in Appendix 2 over sixty separate documents are being consulted upon. They mostly relate to additional pieces of information that the Inspector has asked the Council to produce during the examination hearings and include a number of technical notes and addenda relating to matters such as the spatial strategy, Green Belt, economy, town centres, housing and viability. Having considered the documents many which are site specific relating to specific areas of land within Northumberland including at or near main settlements such as Morpeth, council officers are satisfied that it is not necessary for the Council to provide specific comment upon their contents, as they do not have or raise any cross-boundary implications which could have any adverse impact on the environment or amenity of local communities in County Durham. Conclusion 8 The consultation documents published by Northumberland County Council have been considered and it is considered that it is not necessary for the Council to make specific comment upon them.

Contact: Jason Mckewon Tel: 03000 263403

Appendix 1: Implications

Legal Implications Part of our respective Duty to Cooperate responsibilities.

Finance None

Consultation The documents ae being consulted upon in accordance with Northumberland County Council’s Statement of Community Involvement.

Equality and Diversity / Public Sector Equality Duty None

Human Rights None

Crime and Disorder None

Staffing None

Accommodation None

Risk None

Procurement None

Appendix 2: Documents reviewed - Northumberland Local Plan Examination Consultation on additional evidence, July 2020.

Matter 1 - Legal requirements and the Duty to DCC Analysis Cooperate

Note on how SHLAA Note relates to housing Document has no implications for Appendix G relates to the site selection process. the Council’s strategic interests or Sustainability Appraisal direct impact on the environment [Hearing session action or amenity of County Durham’s communities. DCC has already reference ACT/01/01] considered Submission Local Plan.

EX/NCC/71a Note on Note on SA/SEA Document has no implications for SA/SEA compliance in the compliance the Council’s strategic interests or context of Heard v direct impact on the environment Broadland District Council et or amenity of County Durham’s al. [Hearing session action communities. DCC has already reference ACT/03/04] considered Submission Local Plan.

EX/NCC/71b Note on Note regarding SA/SEA Document has no implications for SA/SEA compliance in the relating to the the Council’s strategic interests or context of Heard v Dissington Garden direct impact on the environment Broadland District Council et Village site. or amenity of County Durham’s al. [Hearing session action communities. DCC has already reference ACT/03/04] considered Submission Local Plan.

Matter 2 - Spatial strategy

EX/NCC/56 Note on Note provides further Document has no implications for economic forecasting explanation of economic the Council’s strategic interests or modelling. In particular direct impact on the environment the use of Experian or amenity of County Durham’s forecast to underpin the communities. DCC has already jobs-led scenarios set considered Submission Local out in the HEGO study. Plan.

EX/NCC/63 Evidence on Provides evidence on These sites are not near County council owned sites in council owned sites in Durham. Document has no Hexham and Ponteland that Hexham and Ponteland implications for the Council’s will come forward for that will come forward strategic interests or direct impact development [Hearing for development. on the environment or amenity of session action reference County Durham’s communities. ACT/02/03] DCC has already considered Submission Local Plan. EX/NCC/82 Note to explain Provides further Document has no implications for reasons why particular information on the the Council’s strategic interests or settlements are allocated to reasons why particular direct impact on the environment particular tiers of the settlements are or amenity of County Durham’s settlement hierarchy allocated to particular communities. DCC has already [Hearing session action tiers in the settlement considered Submission Local reference ACT/02/01] hierarchy. This note sets Plan. out the rationale for classification of settlements as Service Centres and Service Villages.

EX/NCC/113 Note on areas Note provides further These sites are not near County of conflict between information regarding Durham. Document has no settlement boundaries in the conflicts between implications for the Council’s made neighbourhood plans made Neighbourhood strategic interests or direct impact and the proposed Green Plan settlement on the environment or amenity of Belt boundaries [Hearing boundaries and the County Durham’s communities. session action reference proposed Green Belt DCC has already considered ACT/02/12] boundaries identified in Submission Local Plan. the Local Plan.

EX/NCC/115 Update to This action required the No comments need to be made Appendix 1 of Housing Council to update the on this document. Distribution Technical Paper Appendix 1 of the [Hearing session action Housing Distribution reference ACT/02/02] Technical Paper (NCC.02.12) to a base date of 31 March 2019, but with the supply broken down further to reflect the settlements identified in Table 4.1 - Settlement hierarchy, of the Local Plan. However, at the hearing session on 30 October 2019, the Inspector asked the Council to update this note.

Matter 3 - Green Belt

EX/NCC/69 Note on Note on the evidence These sites are not near County evidence regarding regarding employment Durham. Document has no employment land availability land availability in implications for the Council’s in Hexham, Ponteland and Hexham, Ponteland and strategic interests or direct impact Prudhoe. on the environment or amenity of County Durham’s communities. Prudhoe [Hearing session DCC has already considered action reference ACT/03/03] Submission Local Plan.

EX/NCC/72 Note providing Note provides Local No comments need to be made examples of local plans and Plan and planning on this document. appeals regarding reference appeal extracts to, to ‘small gaps’ in relation to demonstrate how other infilling [Hearing session authorities and the action reference ACT/03/10] Planning Inspectorate have used wording similar to that included in Policy STP8 to describe an accepted form of limited infilling: “infilling of a small gap in an otherwise built up frontage”.

EX/NCC/95 Maps showing Document provides There are no Green Belt changes detailed Green Belt maps showing the adjoining County Durham. The boundary changes and the proposed minor changes which are listed are very reasons for the changes anomaly amendments small scale and should result in [Hearing session action to the Green Belt and an no harm to the Green Belt. reference ACT/03/06] explanation for each of the changes.

EX/NCC/96 Review of the Note reviews the None of these sites are near or representations that suggest representations adjoining County Durham. changes to Green Belt received on the draft boundaries and the Local Plan that Council’s view on the proposed changes to proposed changes [Hearing the Green Belt boundary session action reference and provide a view on ACT/03/06] each of these proposed changes.

EX/NCC/101 Note relates to None of these sites are near or Northumberland County safeguarded land in adjoining County Durham. Council’s response to Green Belt at Morpeth, Inspector’s Green Belt Legal Hexham. Ponteland and Opinion Letter (February Prudhoe. 2020)

EX/NCC/127 Note on Note relates to No comments need to be made compensatory compensatory on this document. improvements to Green Belt improvements to Green [Hearing session action Belt. Main modifications reference ACT/03/05] proposed.

Matter 4 - Economy and employment

EX/NCC/24 Addendum to Note relates to No action. This note relates to Policy Approach on Town Hexham’s future Hexham. Centres Technical Paper comparison and (December 2018) – Hexham convenience retail need. section

EX/NCC/27 Addendum to Provides an addendum Not a strategic duty to cooperate Northumberland Local Plan to the Public Health issue. No comments need to be Public Health Technical Technical Background made on this document. Background Paper on Paper on Planning for Planning for Hot Food Hot Food Takeaways, Takeaways (September July 2018 (NCC.02.11). 2019)

EX/NCC/40 Employment Document provides key No comments need to be made Site Allocations Factsheets facts for Inspector on on this document. Index to Employment Site allocated Strategic, Allocations Factsheets General and Sites [Hearing session action ‘made’ in reference: ACT/04/09] Neighbourhood Plans (as at 1st April 2018).

EX/NCC/54 Note on Note on the planning No comments need to be made planning histories of the histories of the on this document. candidate sites not in Green candidate sites not in Belt for employment the Green Belt for allocations in Prudhoe employment allocations [Hearing session action in Prudhoe. reference ACT/03/01]

EX/NCC/57 Note on the Note on West Hartford Site is at Cramlington. No history of the West Hartford site in Cramlington. comments need to be made on employment site allocation this document. [Hearing session action reference ACT/04/04]

EX/NCC/60 Map of Map of employment Sites are at Cramlington. No available employment land land in Cramington. comments need to be made on in the North West Sector of this document. Cramlington [Hearing session action reference ACT/04/12]

EX/NCC/66 Information Information from No comments need to be made from Advance Advance on this document. Northumberland on Northumberland in investment sites, sizes and relation to sample of expected job generation investment sites, sizes [Hearing session action and expected job reference ACT/04/02] generation.

EX/NCC/68 Note on Note on evidence of No comments need to be made evidence of need for need for employment on this document. employment land and how land and how this this related to proposed related to proposed allocations for each allocations for each town/site, including town/site, including justification [Hearing justification. session action reference ACT/04/03]

EX/NCC/79 Note on master Note on West Hartford Site is at Cramlington. No planning and funding site in Cramlington. comments need to be made on mechanisms for the West this document. Hartford employment site [Hearing session action reference ACT/04/07]

EX/NCC/85 Note on Note on differences No comments need to be made differences between the between the forecast on this document. forecast figures in the PBA figures in the PBA report Report and past take-up and past take up rates. rates [Hearing session action reference ACT/04/05]

EX/NCC/86 Note on Provides note on Site is at Morpeth. No comments employment allocation on modification to need to be made on this land at Loansdean in employment allocation document. Morpeth [Hearing session on land at Loansdean in action reference ACT/04/06] Morpeth to take account of a school that has now been constructed on the site.

Matter 5 - Town centres and central services

EX/NCC/87 Note on the This for each of the These towns are not near of areas of search and seven ‘Main Town – adjoining County Durham. whether these would satisfy Larger Centres’, (as the need identified and the defined in Policy TCS1 locally specific of the Submitted circumstances in relation to Northumberland Local Policy TCS 3 [Hearing Plan), provides updated session action reference information on schemes ACT/05/03] being implemented which may affect the conclusions set out in the document entitled ‘Policy Approach for Northumberland’s Twelve Main Town Centres, based on Evidence Technical Paper’ (NCC.02.10); explains how the town centre, as defined provides scope for the identified needs that remains to be accommodated with information on how this is likely to be realised.

EX/NCC/97 Note on the Provides note on the Not a strategic duty to cooperate robustness of evidence on robustness of the issue. the location of A5 uses evidence on the location [Hearing session action of A5 uses. reference ACT/05/01]

Matter 6 - Housing

EX/NCC/19 Housing Site Document consists of Document has no implications for Selection and Appraisal large table which is in a the Council’s strategic interests or Technical Paper - Appendix matrix form with site direct impact on the environment H Proximity and criteria coloured to or amenity of County Durham’s Sustainability Analysis reflect their communities. Summary (December 2018) sustainability and [Hearing session action relationship with reference ACT/06B/08] constraints.

EX/NCC/41 Housing Site Factsheet for each of Document has no implications for Allocations Factsheets the housing site the Council’s strategic interests or Index to Housing Site allocations. direct impact on the environment Allocations Factsheets or amenity of County Durham’s [Hearing session action communities. reference ACT/04/09]

EX/NCC/50 Northumberland Local Housing Need No comments need to be made Local Housing Need Calculation (April 2018) on this document. Calculations - Note for the based on the 2016 Inspector population projections).

EX/NCC/51 Northumberland This is the Local Plans No comments need to be made Local Plan: Heritage Impact Heritage Impact on this document. Assessments Assessment. . EX/NCC/64 Note on how Note sets out how the No comments need to be made Appendix H of the site appraisal criteria in on this document. Sustainability Appraisal Appendix H of the (NCC.01.08) links to the Sustainability Appraisal sustainability criteria Report links to the considered in Appendix H of sustainability criteria in the Housing Site Selection Appendix H of the Technical Paper Housing Site Selection (EX/NCC/19) [Hearing Technical Paper. session action reference ACT/06C/01]

EX/NCC/88 Note to explain This note has been No comments need to be made differences in data used to prepared following on this document. inform the PBA Report discussion during Matter compared to the data used 6a (Housing) where the in the Home Builders Inspector sought further Federation representation explanation about [Hearing session action differences between the reference ACT/06/02] historic economic activity rates and the Annual Population Survey (APS) data, cited by the Home Builders Federation in EX-HS-06A-17.

EX/NCC/89 Note on the Relates to SHLAA site Site is at Berwick-upon-Tweed. planning application for in Berwick-upon-Tweed. No comments need to be made commercial uses on SHLAA on this document. Site 1017 in Berwick-upon- Tweed [Hearing session action reference ACT/06B/02]

EX/NCC/90 Note on Note on comments Sites are at Norham and comments made by Historic made by Historic Otteburn. No comments need to England on planning England on planning be made on this document. applications at sites close to applications at sites the proposed site close to the proposed . allocations in Norham and site allocations in Otterburn [Hearing session Norham and Otterburn. action reference ACT/06/03]

EX/NCC/116 Housing Table showing local No comments need to be made requirement by Housing housing need on this document. Market Area and Delivery requirement Area [Hearing session disaggregated across action reference ACT/06/01] local housing market sub-areas and Delivery Areas. Addendum [Prepared in response to the Inspector’s note dated 5 June 2020]

EX/NCC/117 Table to show Table to show how 10% No comments need to be made how 10% of the plan’s of the plan’s housing on this document. housing requirement is to be requirement is to be provided for on sites of 1 provided for on sites of hectare or less [Hearing 1 hectare or less. session action reference ACT/06B/01] Note to demonstrate the figures in Table 1 can be achieved [Prepared in response to the Inspector’s note dated 5 June 2020]

EX/NCC/119 Update of five- Updates the five-year No comments need to be made year housing land supply housing land supply on this document. report position to ensure a five year housing land supply can be demonstrated at point of Appendix A - 2020 adoption of the Local Developer Consultation Plan. Responses

Appendix B - 5-Year Supply Sites Schedule (March 2020) [Hearing session action reference ACT/06B/04]

EX/NCC/120 Developable Provides further No comments need to be made site evidence note (including evidence to on this document. Appendix C) demonstrate that there is a reasonable prospect that housing sites relied upon to come forward Appendix A - Developer later in the plan period Consultation Responses for to deliver the Local Plan Developable SHLAA Sites housing requirement are 2025-2036 developable.

Appendix B - Schedule of Developable Sites (March 2020) [Hearing session action reference ACT/06C/04]

EX/NCC/121 SHLAA sites Inspector requested an No comments need to be made schedules note Appendix A updated schedule to on this document. - Summary Schedule of the identify all the Annual Delivery Trajectory components which for SHLAA Sites 2016-2036 make up the housing [Hearing session action land supply for the plan reference ACT/06C/05] period.

EX/NCC/128 Note on Provides evidence to set Relates to coastal AONB. No Northumberland Coast out and justify why a comments need to be made on AONB affordable housing lower affordable housing this document. threshold [Hearing session threshold is needed in action reference ACT/06/08] the Northumberland Coast AONB and viability test for smaller schemes for affordable housing or reconsider the lower threshold.

EX/NCC/129 Note on Note which looks again No comments need to be made optional accessibility and at optional accessibility on this document. adaptability housing and adaptability housing standards [Hearing session standards, in the context action reference ACT/06/15] of overall s106 contributions.

EX/NCC/131 Note on small- Note revisits existing No comments need to be made scale housing viability viability evidence in on this document. [Hearing session action relation to the policy reference ACT/06/09] requirements and consider if policy changes are required with regards to smaller site typologies.

EX/NCC/132 Sustainability Report relates to No comments need to be made Appraisal Addendum - housing sites and on this document. Housing Sites Assessment spatial options. [Prepared in response to the Inspector’s letter dated 4 May 2020]

EX/NCC/136 Response to Letter relates to housing No comments need to be made the Inspector’s note to the evidence. on this document. Council dated 5 June 2020 regarding the housing actions

Matter 8 - Monitoring, delivery and viability

EX/NCC/80 Note on Note relating to No comments need to be made evidence provided to the evidence provided to the on this document. Council on viability during Council on viability engagement [Hearing during engagement. session action reference Refers market value, ACT/08/03] benchmark land values and land transactional evidence.

EX/NCC/81 Note on the 100 Note on where in the No comments need to be made plus dwelling typologies in Viability Assessment on this document. the Viability Assessment typologies above 100 [Hearing session action dwellings have been reference ACT/08/04] taken into account.

EX/NCC/98 Note on Note on proposed Site lies at Bomarsund (south of proposed designation of designation of open Ashington). No comments need open space at Bomarsund space at Bomarsund. to be made on this document. [Hearing session action The Council now reference ACT/08/07] propose a modification to the Policies Map to delete the designation of this land.

EX/NCC/99 Note on Note on proposed Site lies at Cramlington. No proposed designation of designation of open comments need to be made on open space at Cramlington space at Plantation this document. South West Sector [Hearing Farm, Cramlington. The session action reference Council propose a ACT/08/08] modification to the Policies Map

to delete the designation of this land.

EX/NCC/130 Note to Note on how the Council No comments need to be made explain standards, amount will bring forward locally on this document. and thresholds [Hearing defined open space session action references standards and cost ACT/08/02 and ACT/08/09] calculations as part of the plan.

EX/NCC/133 Local Plan and Addendum to No comments need to be made Community Infrastructure Community on this document. Levy Viability Assessment - Infrastructure Levy Addendum Viability Assessment.

EX/NCC/134 Review of Note on review of Reviews specific protected sites Protected Open Space sites Protected Open Space for open space. No comments referred to in Regulation 19 sites. need to be made on this representations [Prepared in document. response to the Inspector’s letter dated 4 May 2020]

EX/NCC/135 Technical Note relating to No comments need to be made Paper - Reviewing additional viability on this document. development standards and testing following viability (June 2020) additional work being conducted on development standards.

Appendix 3: Draft Response to Northumberland Local Plan Examination - Consultation on additional evidence – July 2020

Contact: Jason McKewon Direct Tel: 03000 263 4 03 Fax: email: [email protected] Our Ref: Your Ref:

H Dormand Planning Policy Northumberland County Council County Hall Morpeth Northumberland NE61 2EF

3 September 2020 Dear Helen,

Duty to Co-operate – Northumberland Local Plan Examination - Consultation on additional evidence – July 2020

Thank you for consulting Durham County Council on the consultation of additional evidence for the Northumberland Local Plan. Having previously considered the provisions of the Publication Draft Plan and the nature and contents of the consultation documents, we do not wish to make any specific comments as they do not have or raise any cross-boundary implications.

The Council looks forward to continuing to work with Northumberland County Council on planning matters of joint interest under the Duty to Cooperate.

I trust that these comments are useful to you in progressing your Local Plan through examination. Should you wish to discuss the matter further please do not hesitate to contact myself or a member of my team.

Yours sincerely

Stuart Timmiss Head of Development and Housing