Hartlepool Local Planning Framework Local Plan Preferred Options Consultation Document May 2016 Leader’s Foreword “As the Leader of Hartlepool Council I am proud to endorse this Preferred Options Local Plan for the Borough. The Local Plan is incredibly important as it will set the planning framework for the next 15 years. It contains policies that will help Hartlepool achieve its Vision for future growth and prosperity with a wide range and choice of homes and jobs within a high quality environment. Hartlepool has so much to offer, with its fantastic marina, a great coastline and a beautiful rural environment on our doorstep. In recent years there have been major achievements through regeneration, improvements to local communities and investment in housing and new businesses. The rebuilding of the Hartlepool College of Further Education and major investment in Cleveland College of Art and Design, improvements to retail facilities and the transport interchange - all in the heart of the town centre - are positive signs of how the town is moving forward. There has also been significant investment in other areas such as Queens Meadow Business Park where we have the most successful Enterprise Zone in the Tees Valley and a new Fire Brigade administrative and training centre being built. Looking ahead, the town is well placed to benefit from future growth in offshore wind and renewable energy and other ‘green’ industries and this Local Plan will ensure that the planning framework supports this ambition through land allocations and infrastructure provision. I believe that the growth proposals within the Local Plan will benefit Hartlepool and its residents through attracting significant inward investment and the associated jobs and opportunities that will result from growing our economy. I will certainly be looking to secure the highest possible quality of design and environment for all development within the Borough. There are still many challenges that need to be tackled, in particular the issues of empty homes, affordable homes, unemployment, improving leisure facilities, vacant shops and environmental protection and enhancement. Hopefully this Local Plan will contribute towards achieving these aims alongside other strategies which are in place. Hartlepool has a strong tradition of working together in partnership with the local community and with the private and public sector and this has stood us in good stead in drawing together these planning policies. I believe that this Local Plan provides a strong and effective planning policy framework that will help the town achieve its ambitions whilst providing protection to its most attractive and sensitive assets including the historic environment and proud heritage.” Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council THE CONSULATION PROCESS This Preferred Options Local Plan will be widely available for a period of eight weeks from the 27th May 2016. There will be a launch day where members of the public and other interested parties will be able to attend the drop in event and express their views and thoughts, view presentations and displays and listen to the thoughts of others. The documents will also be available for inspection at the Civic Centre and the town’s libraries. A number of copies will be available at the Central Library. The documents are also available for downloading at the Council’s website www.hartlepool.gov.uk/localplan and via the Council’s social media on Twitter and Facebook. Members from the Planning Policy Team are available at the Civic Centre during normal office hours to discuss any matters relating to the preparation of the Local Plan. Officers can also visit your home if you are unable to get to the Civic Centre. If you are a member of a group of residents or businesses and would like an officer to attend one of your meetings, please contact the Planning Policy Team at the Civic Centre, Victoria Road, Hartlepool TS24 8AY (tel 01429 284084 or email [email protected]). There will also be a number of other public meetings and drop in sessions held during the consultation period which will be advertised on the website www.hartlepool.gov.uk/localplan How to comment There are a number of ways by which you may make your views known: You can complete a pro-forma and return it to Planning Policy, Civic Centre, Hartlepool TS24 8AY – the pro-forma’s are available online at the above web address, or can be requested by phoning 01429 284084 or emailing [email protected]. You can comment on our social media links on Twitter or Facebook at the following links @HpoolCouncil or https://www.facebook.com/HartlepoolLocalPlan You can send your comments by letter to the Planning Policy Team at Civic Centre, Victoria Road, Hartlepool, TS24 8AY or by email to [email protected] All comments and questionnaires should be received by 4.00pm on Friday 22nd July 2016. The responses will be assessed and analysed and where appropriate the document will be updated prior to the Publication Stage in October 2016. LIST OF CONTENTS Chapter Section Page 1 Introduction 1 2 The Local Plan in Context 6 3 The Borough of Hartlepool 9 4 Spatial Vision, Themes and Objectives 14 5 The Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development 17 Policy SUS1: The Presumption in Favour of Sustainable 17 Development 6 The Locational Strategy 18 Policy LS1 Locational Strategy 23 Minimising and Adapting to Climate Change 25 7 Policy CC1: Minimising and adapting to Climate Change 29 Policy CC2: Reducing and Mitigating Flood Risk 31 8 Infrastructure 33 Policy INF1: Sustainable Transport Network 38 Policy INF2: Improving Connectivity in Hartlepool 38 Policy INF3: University Hospital of Hartlepool 42 Policy INF4: Community Facilities 43 Policy INF5: Telecommunications 46 Policy INF6: Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Generation 48 Policy INF7: Strategic Wind Turbine Development 51 Policy INF8: Large Scale Solar Photovoltaic Developments 53 9 Quality of Place 55 Policy QP1: Planning Obligations 56 Policy QP2: Compulsory Purchase Orders 58 Policy QP3: Location, Accessibility, Highway Safety and Parking 60 Policy QP4: Layout and Design of Development 64 Policy QP5: Safety and Security 66 Policy QP6: Technical Matters 67 Policy QP7: Energy Efficiency 70 Policy QP8: Advertisements 72 10 Housing 73 Policy HSG1: New Housing Provision 80 Policy HSG2: Overall Housing Mix 82 Policy HSG3: Urban Local Plan Sites 83 Policy HSG4: The South West Extension Strategic Housing Site 86 Policy HSG5: High Tunstall Strategic Housing Site 88 Policy HSG6: Wynyard Housing Developments 89 Policy HSG7: Elwick Village Housing Development 92 Policy HSG8: Hart Village Housing Developments 94 Policy HSG9: Affordable Housing 97 Policy HSG10: Housing Market Renewal 98 Policy HSG11: Extensions to Existing Dwellings 99 Policy HSG12: Residential annexes 100 Policy HSG13: Gypsy and Traveller Provision 101 Chapter Section Page 11 Strengthening the Local Economy 102 Policy EMP1: Prestige Employment Site Wynyard Business Park 108 Policy EMP2: Queen’s Meadow Business Park 109 Policy EMP3: General Employment Land 111 Policy EMP4: Specialist Industries 113 Policy EMP5: Safeguarded land for new Nuclear Power Station 115 Policy EMP6: Underground Storage 116 12 Protecting, Managing and Enhancing the Rural Area 117 Policy RUR1: Development in the Rural Area 121 Policy RUR2: New Dwellings Outside of Development Limits 123 Policy RUR3: Farm Diversification 124 Policy RUR4: Equestrian Development 126 Policy RUR5: Rural Tourism 127 13 Retail and Commercial Development 129 Policy RC1: Retail and Commercial centre Hierarchy 135 Policy RC2: The Town Centre 138 Policy RC3: Innovation and Skills Quarter 141 Policy RC4: Avenue Road / Raby Road Edge of Town Centre Area 143 Policy RC5: The Brewery and Stranton Edge of Town Centre Area 144 Policy RC6: East of Stranton Edge of Town Centre Area 146 Policy RC7: Lynn Street Edge of Town Centre Area 148 Policy RC8: Mill House Edge of Town Centre Area 150 Policy RC9: Park Road West Edge of Town Centre Area 151 Policy RC10: West Victoria Road Edge of Town Centre Area 152 Policy RC11: York Road South Edge of Town Centre Area 154 Policy RC12: The Marina Retail and Leisure Park 156 Policy RC13: West of Marina Way Retail and Leisure Park 159 Policy RC14: Trincomalee Wharf Retail and Leisure Park 161 Policy RC15: Tees Bay Retail and Leisure Park 164 Policy RC16: The Local Centres 166 Policy RC17: Late Night Uses Area 168 Policy RC18: Hot Food Takeaway Policy 170 Policy RC19: Main Town Centre Uses on Employment Land 173 Policy RC20: Business Uses in the Home 174 Policy RC21: Commercial Uses in Residential Areas 175 14 Leisure & Tourism Development 176 Policy LT1: Leisure and Tourism 179 Policy LT2: Tourism Development in the Marina 181 Policy LT3: Development of Seaton Carew 182 Policy LT4: Tourism Accommodation 183 Policy LT5: Caravan Sites and Touring Caravan Sites 184 Policy LT6: Business Tourism, Events and Conferencing 185 15 Historic Environment 186 Policy HE1: Heritage Assets 189 Policy HE2: Archaeology 191 Policy HE3: Conservation Areas 192 Policy HE4: Listed Buildings and Structures 194 Policy HE5: Locally Listed Buildings and Structures 195 Policy HE6: Historic Shopping Parades 196 Policy HE7: Heritage at Risk 198 Chapter Section Page 16 Natural Environment 199 Policy NE1: Natural Environment 208 Policy NE2: Green Infrastructure 214 Policy NE3: Green Wedges 217 Policy NE4: Ecological Networks 220 Policy NE5: Playing Pitches 221 Policy NE6: Protection of Incidental