Thurrock Borough Council DRAFT
Annual Monitoring Report
For the Local Development Framework 2009
CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION 1
LDS IMPLEMENTATION 4
CONTEXT
CORE OUTPUT INDICATORS
LOCAL / SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS INDICATORS
APPENDICES
INTRODUCTION
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT (AMR)
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 introduces a new system for the preparation of development plans in England. The government has introduced the reforms:
o To speed up preparation of plans o To ensure that plans are monitored and reviewed and kept up to date, and o To achieve more effective involvement with the community.
Under this legislation, Structure Plans, Local Plans and Unitary Development Plans are replaced by new types of development plan. At the regional level there is an Adopted Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) for the East of England. At present at local level work is underway on a portfolio of Local Development Documents known collectively as a Local Development Framework (LDF). The development plans contained in the LDF will set out the policies and proposals to guide the development and use of land in the Borough up to 2021. The first stage is the Local Development Scheme (LDS) (available at http://www.thurrock.gov.uk/planning/strategic/). This is a programme for the preparation of the new Local Development Documents.
Section 35 of the 2004 Act requires every local planning authority to make an annual report to the Secretary of State containing information on the implementation of the LDF. The Act requires this Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) to set out information about progress on the LDS and the extent to which the policies set out in local development documents are being achieved.
The key monitoring tasks that this report should undertake are set out in Regulation 48 of The Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2004 and by Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Spatial Planning. The Planning Policy Statement provides that an AMR should:
Report progress on the timetable and milestones for the preparation of documents set out in the local development scheme including reasons where they are not being met.
Report progress on the policies and related targets in local development documents. This should also include progress against any relevant national and regional targets and highlight any unintended significant effects of the implementation of the policies on social, environmental and economic objectives. Where policies and targets are not being met or on track or are having unintended effects reasons should be provided along with any appropriate actions to redress the matter. Policies may also need to change to reflect changes in national or regional policy.
Include progress against the core output indicators including information on net additional dwellings (required under Regulation 48) and an update of the housing trajectory to demonstrate how policies will deliver housing provision in their area.
Indicate how infrastructure providers have performed against the programmes for infrastructure set out in support of the core strategy. AMRs should be used to reprioritise any previous assumptions made regarding infrastructure delivery.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 1 THE SCOPE OF THIS AMR
This Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) covers the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009.
The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 provides for the saving of policies in adopted local plans for a period of 3 years from commencement date of the Act. The Act commenced on the 28th September 2004. Policies in the Thurrock adopted Local Plan (1997) therefore expired on the 27th September 2007. The Secretary of State made a direction to save policies beyond the three-year period; the saved policies from the Thurrock Borough Local Plan and the Essex County Council First Review Minerals Local Plan are outlined in Appendix 1 of this Report.
The LDF Core Strategy and Control of Development Policies and Sites Specific Allocations and Policies Development Plan Document reached the Preferred Options (Regulation 26) stage when the Council approved them on 31st October 2007. The Submission stage Documents have not yet been produced and are timetabled to be produced in 2010. This AMR concentrates on two things:
(i) The monitoring of LDF progress in terms of key milestone targets set out in the LDS. Future AMRs will be able to focus on monitoring of LDF policies as they are produced for the Submission documents and subsequently adopted.
(ii) The monitoring of saved policies in the Thurrock Borough Local Plan (adopted 1997).
THE STRUCTURE OF THIS AMR
The monitoring data contained within this report is broken down into four sections;
1. An introduction, setting out key contextual characteristics of the Borough. Contextual indicators establish the social, environmental and economic circumstances of the Borough.
2. An overview of the progress in implementing the Local Development Framework. This includes programmed timeframes and targets set out in the LDS.
3. An analysis of policy performance and effects utilising Core Output Indicators. The quantifiable physical activities that are directly related to the implementation of planning policies are measured using the national LDF core output indicators.
4. An indication of how Local Output Indicators may be tailored to particular local circumstances in future AMRs and how the achievement of sustainable development objectives may be measured utilising Significant Effects Indicators.
Wherever a saved policy relates to a Core Output Indicator, any relevant policies are listed under the indicator. While all of the saved policies are currently being implemented, many do not have a specifically measurable component and do not necessarily relate well to the indicators. An assessment is being made of the longer-term value of these policies and new policies for the ‘Submission’ DPDs.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 2 INFORMATION SOURCES
A number of sources were used for collecting the contextual and monitoring data. They include information produced by the Thurrock Strategic Planning Department for the Department’s AMR, for the East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) AMR 2009, for the Sustainability Appraisal/ Strategic Environmental Assessment that is being produced alongside the LDF and for “Planning Fact Sheets”.
Other information includes the “Thurrock Local Transport Plan”, produced by the Strategic Planning Transportation Department. Corporate documents, produced by the Council’s Corporate Improvement & Development Team, include the National Indicator set (NI’s), “Thurrock Profile”, Best Value Performance Indicators and the Sustainable Community Strategy.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 3 LOCAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME (LDS) IMPLEMENTATION
THE TIMETABLE
The full timetable to 2012 is reproduced overleaf. The timetables for each Local Development Document contain the following key milestones:
1. Evidence gathering 2. Prepare Issues and Options in consultation 3. Public Participation on Preferred Options 4. Representations on Preferred Options 5. Preparation of Proposed Submission Draft DPD 6. Publication of Proposed Submission Draft DPD 7. Representations on Proposed Submission Draft DPD 8. Publication of Submission Draft DPD 9. Pre Examination Meeting 10. Independent Examination 11. Binding Report 12. Adoption
PROGRESS REGARDING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF LDF MILESTONES
Section to be updated. This section will cover progress regarding the achievement of LDF milestones to December 2009. This will refer to progress that has been made to date for each Local Development Document, including:
Local Development Scheme
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)
Development Plan Documents (DPD’s)
Core Strategy and Policies for Control of Development and Site Allocations and Policies
Minerals and Waste
Interim Supplementary Planning Documents
Final Supplementary Planning Documents
Sustainability Appraisal/ Strategic Environmental Assessment
Appropriate Assessment
Annual Monitoring Report
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 4 The following sections will also be updated:
Contingencies and future timetable
Technical studies
Provisional LDF Timetable
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 5 THURROCK CONTEXT
This section sets out the key contextual characteristics of the Borough. Contextual indicators are used in order to establish the social, environmental and economic circumstances of the Borough.
AN INTRODUCTION TO THURROCK
Thurrock is located on the north of the Thames, twenty miles east of central London and has a population of 151,600 (in mid-2008). The Borough covers 165 sq km and has a diverse range of land uses and associated environmental issues. More than half of the land in Thurrock is designated Green Belt and the Borough has over 18 miles of riverfront.
Much of the riverside area of Thurrock is highly urbanised with a mixture of industrial and residential development at the west and eastern ends of the Borough. The Borough has a number of main settlements including Grays, Stanford/Corringham, South Ockendon and Tilbury, together with a number of villages in the Green Belt. Thurrock also has the developing community of Chafford Hundred and the Lakeside Regional Shopping Centre located west of Grays and east of the M25.
Thurrock has a diverse and thriving economy with logistics and distribution and retailing as major employment sectors. Government has recently approved a major port and employment development at the former Shell Haven refinery site. The East of England Draft Plan Proposed Changes and the South Essex Thames Gateway Partnership reinforce this by promoting Thurrock as a world leading logistics centre.
Thurrock benefits from a good location in terms of transport. The M25 London Orbital Motorway passes through the Borough, as does the A13 London to Southend trunk road, which connects with the M25 (Junction 30) just north of the Dartford Tunnel (Junction 31) and the Queen Elizabeth Bridge. The Channel Tunnel Rail link also passes through the Borough and the C2C Railway links London (Fenchurch Street) to Southend, with seven stations in the Borough. The existing Port of Tilbury provides international connections for both passengers and freight.
Thurrock has more than 60% of its land in the Green Belt. Some of the Green Belt throughout Thurrock is also of considerable nature conservation and landscape value. The Borough has sites of international and national importance for nature conservation including a RAMSAR site and 12 Sites of Special Scientific Interest. There are 7 Conservation Areas and 241 Listed Buildings.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 6 DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE Population
In mid-2008 there were 151,600 people residing in Thurrock, of whom 77,600 (51.1%) were male and 74,000 (48.9%) were female. The population of Thurrock rose by 8300 between 2001 and 2009 (Source: Office of National Statistics, 2008).
Population Projections
Office for National Statistics (ONS) projections indicate that Thurrock's population will grow to 183,200 in 2031 - an increase of 34,300 population (23%) over a 25 year period from 2006. This is according to 2006-based population projections based upon previous trends.
The ONS projections for Thurrock Borough are shown in the chart below:
ONS 2006-based population projections 2006- 2031 200000
190000 183,200 177,400 180000 170,900 170000 163,600 160000 156,200 148,900 150000 143,200 140000
130000
120000
110000
100000 2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 2026 2031 Ethnic Minorities
Thurrock has lower proportions of men and women from minority ethnic communities than the national trend.
Ethnic minorities made up 6,729 (4.7%) of the population in 2001, compared with 9.1% across the country as a whole, with Asian/Asian British being the largest group at 2%. The total ethnic population in 1991 was 3,081 (2.4%) (Source: ONS, 2001 Population Census). In 2007, it was estimated that the ethnic population has risen to 9.0%.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 7 Household type
In 2001, there were 58,485 households in Thurrock:
16,012 (27.4%) were one person 22,967 (39.3%) were married couple 6,242 (10.7%) were cohabiting couple 5,934 (10.1%) were lone parent 7,330 (12.5%) were all other households
Thurrock mid 2008 Population Estimates shows an increase in households from 58,485 in 2001 to 63,500. It is forecast that the number of households in Thurrock will increase to 72,000 in 2021 (Source: ONS, 2008).
SOCIO-CULTURAL ISSUES
Crime rates
Recorded crime rates in Thurrock continue to fall but are still above the national average. In 2008/9, serious acquisitive crime was recorded at 21.49% per 1,000 households and assault with injury 6.22%.
Two National Indicator (NI) recent trends are shown in the table below:
Indicator 2003/ 2004/ 2005/ 2006/ 2007/ 2008/ 04 05 06 07 08 09 The percentage of people who said they feel safe if alone 96 94 91 88 90 79.9 during the day The percentage of people who said they feel safe if alone 51 57 50 48 49 36.6 after dark (Source: Thurrock Council: Quality of Life Survey, 2009)
Deprivation levels
Thurrock has an overall index of multiple deprivation of 21.31, which ranks the Borough 124th out of 354 across England in 2007 (1 being the most deprived). This is two places lower (less deprived) than from the 2004 survey (122nd). Thurrock’s indices of deprivation for income are 106 out of 354 in England (2007), again, two places lower from the 2004 results. Thurrock has only 5 of its 95 Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOA) within the 10% most deprived in England and Wales (Source: Communities and Local Government Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007).
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 8 Unemployment level
Thurrock’s overall unemployment rate was 5.8% in September 2009. The comparison with the Eastern Region as a whole, for the last five years, is shown below.
Unemployment Rate (Job Seekers Allowance) Thurrock Eastern region September 04 1.9% 1.7% September 05 2.4% 1.8% September 06 2.4% 1.9% September 07 2.2% 1.8% September 08 2.5% 1.9% September 09 5.8% 4.9%
(Source: ONS Claimant Count, 2009)
ECONOMY Economic Activity Rates
The economically active population in Thurrock in 2009 is 79,400 – 80.2% of the working age population. This has increased from 77,600 in 2008. (Source: ONS annual population survey, 2009).
Productivity and Employment
More than half of the economically active local people work in either retail or logistics (Source: Thurrock’s Sustainability Communities Strategy, 2007). However, since 2001 there has been an increase in the proportion of people employed in key higher occupational classes.
VAT registered business stock in the Borough has increased steadily from 2,940 businesses in 2001 to 3,620 in 2007. This represents a growth of 23.1%. Since 2007, there has been a global economic restructuring that has affected parts of Thurrock’s economy. However, the indications from regional forecasting are that Thurrock’s economy will continue to grow over the long-term period to 2021 with retail, transport and communications, health and public administration being the key growth sectors.
Employment in Thurrock – Sectors & Occupations:
Thurrock’s economy is centered on the dominant distribution, hotels and restaurants and public administration. Local people employed in professional occupations increased from 6.3% to 8.3% between 2008/9 and those employed as associate professionals/technical occupations increased from 11.25% to 12.6% the same period. The less skilled occupations experience a decline over the same period.
Distribution, hotels and restaurants (39%) Public administration, education and health industries (17%) Transport and communications (14%)
(Source: ONS, Annual Population Survey)
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 9 Household Income
The average gross weekly earnings of Thurrock residents have decreased from £476 in 2007 to £528 in 2008 this compares favourable with East of England (£498.7) (ONS, Annual Population Survey).
House Price Level
House price continue to fall significantly in Thurrock as a result of the economic downturn. The average house price in the first quarter of 2009 was £140,764 compared to £167,566 in the first quarter of 2008.
House prices:
Average house prices for 2009:
Detached £269,466 Semi-detached £194,790 Terraced £152,728 Flat/Maisonette £111,256 Overall average £155,885
(Source: HM Land Registry, 2009)
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 10 ENVIRONMENT
Open Space
The table below shows levels of public satisfaction with the services provided at present:
% Of residents satisfied with the cultural services for parks and open spaces 2004/05 70 2005/06 67 2006/07 59 2007/08 59 2008/09 55 (Source: BV119e, 2009)
Conservation Areas
There are seven conservation areas within Thurrock. The Council continues to research and identify other potential conservation areas. In 2006, the Council put Conservation Area Character Appraisals for the existing Areas out for public consultation.
Conservation Area Date Designated Horndon-on-the-Hill September 1969 Corringham June 1973, extended 1986 Orsett September 1975 Fobbing June 1976 Purfleet October 1985 West Tilbury July 1991 East Tilbury March 1993 (Source: http://www.thurrock.gov.uk/planning/environment)
Landscape and Nature Conservation
Thurrock’s local character is very closely related to its biodiversity. Protection and enhancement of the ecological and biodiversity character is of great importance as they help to give the Borough a unique and positive identity.
The Borough has a number of sites designated for their wildlife importance. Thurrock’s designated wildlife sites include:
Designation Number of Sites
Ramsar 1 Special Protection Site (SPA) 1 Sites of Special Scientific Importance (SSSI) 12 Ecological Corridors 10 Local Wildlife Sites (LoWS) 70 Local Nature Reserves 2
The Thurrock Landscape Capacity Study 2005 sets out the landscape character areas for Thurrock.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 11 HOUSING AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT
The Council has exceeded its target with regard to the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating of local authority dwellings. The SAP is the Government's recommended system for energy rating of dwellings, with a higher number representing a better rating. This is in line with the Council’s commitment to creating a safer and greener environment.
The average SAP rating of local authority owned dwellings 2003/04 67 2004/05 71 2005/06 72 2006/07 78 2007/08 78.5 2008/09 78.5 (Source: BV63, 2009)
Housing stock analysis is an ongoing programme of inspections to ensure that the Council has an up to date stock data base and a decent home programme based on ‘just in time’ replacement of key components and financial projections. Around 1.5% of the total non-decency figure results from tenant refusal of works.
The proportion of local authority homes which were non decent at the start of the year (%) 2003/04 15 2004/05 9 2005/06 7 2006/07 5 2007/08 4.5 2008/09 7.0 (Source: BV184a, 2009)
TRANSPORT AND SPATIAL CONNECTIVITY
Bus usage in Thurrock is shown in the table, below:
Number of local bus passenger journeys originating in the authority area undertaken each year 2003/04 2.35m 2004/05 2.65m 2005/06 2.7m 2006/07 3.26m 2007/08 3.41m 2008/09 4.10m (Source: NI177, 2009)
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 12 ‘Travel Thurrock’ (a scheme which provides free local bus travel to the over 60s and the disabled) was introduced in February 2004. It is likely that this has contributed to the increase in bus patronage (Source: LTP Annual Progress Report, 2009).
Number of ‘Travel Thurrock’ Pass holders 2004/05 13,100 2005/06 N/A 2006/07 15,335 2007/08 19,400 2008/09 19,835
During 2001 and 2006, 100% of rural households were within 13 minutes walk of an hourly or better bus service (Source: LTP Annual Progress Report, 2009).
There has been an increase in the number of train journeys taken in each of the last eight years, as shown in the table below:
Number of local train journeys originating in the authority area undertaken each year 2001/02 3.64m 2002/03 3.82m 2003/04 3.98m 2004/05 3.99m 2005/06 6.7m 2006/07 7.4m 2007/08 7.4m 2008/09 8.3m
The amount of cycle trips undertaken within the authority area is a relative new measure, however, it is an important measure to help track the level of sustainable transport used. The number of trips is shown in the table below:
Number of local cycle trips in the authority area undertaken each year 2006/07 534 2007/08 635 2008/09 1,828
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2009 13 CORE OUTPUT INDICATORS
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has produced a national set of LDF “core output indicators”. These have been created in order to monitor how successfully planning policies are being implemented. They are listed in the DCLG document “Regional Spatial Strategy and Local Development Framework Core Output Indicators – Update 2/2008”, under the following headings:
o Business development and town centres o Housing o Environmental quality o Minerals o Waste
In this section, the saved policies relating to each indicator are listed and all monitoring information relating to that indicator is provided. As stated above, many saved policies do not have a specifically measurable component and do not necessarily relate well to the indicators. Time-series data is shown where this is available in order to provide an indication of whether a situation is improving or getting worse. Where data is not available, or is not complete, this is stated.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND TOWN CENTRES
Indicator BD1: Total amount of additional employment floorspace – by type.
Relevant Saved Policies: E1 Development within Primary Industrial and Commercial Areas E2 Land for New Industrial and Commercial Development in Primary Areas E3 Development within Secondary Industrial and Commercial Areas E4 Land for New Industrial and Commercial Development in Secondary Areas
The total amount of additional employment floorspace developed during 2008/9 was 4,565 square metres. The split between different types is shown below:
Business (B1-B8) Floorspace Change (square metres) Monitoring Light General Split Warehousing Year Industrial Industrial unknown Total (B8) (B1) (B2) (B1/ B2/ B8) 2007/2008 1855 2726 3395 25150 33126 2008/2009 1798 2012 755 0 4565
The above table shows the total amount of additional floorspace developed on all sites. This includes information about development within existing employment areas as well as on additional land available for industrial and commercial purposes.
The chart below shows the amount of land available for industrial and commercial purposes that has been developed since 2001. The amount of land developed during 2008/09 was 0.3 hectares. This development took place on one site and was developed for industrial/commercial purposes.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 14 The Development of Land Available for Industrial/Commercial Purposes 2001/2 - 2008/09 (ha)
25 21.9
20 s
e 15 r 11.5 a t c
e 10 8.3 H 5 4.8 5.1 5 0.5 0.3 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 / / / / / / / / 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Year
BD2: Total Amount of employment floorspace on previously developed land – by type.
Relevant Saved Policies: as in 1a above
All of the Floorspace Change (square metres) recorded during the year 2008/9 was on previously developed land
BD3: Employment land available – by type.
Relevant Saved Policies: as in 1a above
The amount of land that was considered to be readily available, or which was available but subject to constraints (hectares) is shown in the table below. This is also graphically shown in the chart. Undeveloped Land Available for Industrial/Commercial Purposes As at Available Constrained Total Available (month) (ha) (ha) (ha) October 2001 64.5 130.7 195.2 October 2002 60.0 125.9 185.9 October 2003 52.2 327.6 379.8 October 2004 73.5 302.1 375.6 October 2005 64.2 282.2 346.4 October 2006 58.0 282.2 340.2 October 2007 59.2 328.0 387.2 October 2008 343.0 38.8 381.8 October 2009 342.7 38.8 381.5
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 15 450.0 Available (ha) Constrained (ha) Total Available (ha) 400.0 350.0 300.0 s e
r 250.0 a t
c 200.0 e H 150.0 100.0 50.0 0.0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 Yea2 r 2 2 2 2
The Council’s objective in the saved plan was “To allocate land able to accommodate a diversity of jobs suitable for local people” (Objective 5). The allocated industrial and commercial sites were included under saved policies E2 and E4. Additional land allocations were made in the Deposit Unitary Development Plan, March 2003 and in the Preferred Options DPD is included in the above table and chart. One of these additional land allocations, the former Shell Haven oil refinery site, has now largely been cleared for re- development and is now subject to detailed proposals for a Port and business development. These developments have made a large difference to the amount of land that is immediately available.
Additional Indicator : Losses of employment land
Relevant Saved Policies: as in 1a above
The amount of available industrial land that has been developed is shown below. The right hand columns show the amount of this land that was developed for non-employment uses.
This shows no land was developed for non-employment uses during 2008/2009. Three of the four sites that were developed were on previously developed land.
Business (B1-B8) Uses Land Change (hectares) Land developed Land developed Land Monitoring Year on ‘available’ Land on ‘available’ Lost to Other sites that were Lost to Housing sites Uses PDL Oct 01/Oct 02 7.8 7.8 0.5 0.5 Oct 02/Oct 03 0.5 0.5 4.5 4.5 Oct 03/Oct 04 11.5 11.5 0 0 Oct 04/Oct 05 21.0 0.9 0 0 Oct 05/Oct 06 0.0 0.0 4.8 4.8 Oct 06/Oct 07 0.5 0.5 0 0 Oct 07/Oct 08 5.2 3.6 0 0 Oct 08/Oct 09 0.3 0.3 0 0
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 16 BD4: Total amount of floorspace for ‘town centre uses’.
Relevant Saved Policies: SH1 Major Retail Developments SH3 Grays Shopping Centre – Additional Retail Floorspace SH6 Existing Town Centres – Additional Retail Floorspace SH7 Stanford-le-Hope – Sandpits Redevelopment Area SH8 New Local Shopping Facilities
This indicated show the amount of completed floorspace (gross and net) for town centre uses (figures for large planning applications to be given).
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 17 HOUSING
H1: Plan period and housing targets
Relevant Saved Policies: H3 Redevelopment of Non - Residential Land for Housing
The Plan period and the overall housing targets are shown in the table below:
Start of Plan period End of Plan period Total housing Source of plan Required Target 01/04/2001 31/03/2021 18,500 East of England Plan (RSS)
H2(a): Net additional dwellings – in previous years H2(b): Net additional dwellings – for the reporting year
Relevant Saved Policies: H3 Redevelopment of Non - Residential Land for Housing
There were 130 net dwelling completions during 2008/9. The total number of completions since 2001 is 4950. The annual completions are shown in the chart below:
Net Additional Dwellings in Thurrock 2001/2 - 2008/9
1400 1167 1200 s n
o 957 i
t 1000 906 e l
p 739
m 800 o C 600 g 477
n 413 i l l
e 400 w
D 161 200 130 0 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 / / / / / / / / 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
The small number of completions during 2008/9 has brought the average number of dwellings built per annum since 2001 down to 619. This is below the annual average provision of 925 per annum 2001-2021 required by the Regional Spatial Strategy.
The total number required by the RSS to be built between 2001 and 2021 is 18,500. This leaves 13,550 still to be built between 2009 and 2021. The annual average rate of completions required to achieve this is 1,129. This is the Managed Delivery Target referred to in the next section.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 18
H2(c): Net additional dwellings – in future years H2(d): Managed delivery target
Relevant Saved Policies: H3 Redevelopment of Non - Residential Land for Housing
Section to be Updated
The level of net additional housing expected to come forward in future years is shown below. The table shows the potential dwelling completions up to and beyond the end of the current plan period in 2021. The table also shows the annual average rate of development for each of the five year periods, beginning 2009/10.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 19 HOUSING TRAJECTORY Net Additional Dwellings in Previous Years and Projected in Future Years
Chart to be Updated HOUSING TRAJECTORY CHART Net Additional Dwellings in Previous Years and Projected in Future Years
Chart to be Updated H3: New and converted dwellings – on previously developed land
Relevant Saved Policies: None
99.2% of the dwelling completions that took place in 2008/09 were on previously developed sites. The annual dwelling completions on previously developed sites for each of the last eight years are shown below.
Net Dwelling Completions on Previously Developed Land Completions on Completions on previously developed all sites sites
April 01/April 02 819 (90.4%) 906 April 02/April 03 753 (78.7%) 957 April 03/April 04 448 (91.6%) 477 April 04/April 05 1119 (95.7%) 1167 April 05/April 06 735 (99.0%) 739 April 06/April 07 382 (92.5%) 413 April 07/April 08 156 (96.9%) 161 April 08/April 09 133 (99.2%) 134
H4: Net additional pitches (Gypsy and Traveller)
Relevant Saved Policies: H13 Mobile Homes and Caravans Used as Dwellings H15 Gypsy Caravan Sites
There were 3 authorised public and private sites in Thurrock in 2009. These were
Gammon Fields, Grays, Essex, RM16 2QH Pilgrims Lane, North Stifford, Grays, Essex, RM16 5UZ Ship Lane, Aveley, RM15 4HB
The numbers of caravans counted during the last six years are shown below. A survey was not carried out in 2009.
Count of Gypsy Caravans Total Unauthorised Authorised Authorised encampments sites: sites: Council private January 2004 170 87 73 10 January 2005 139 31 98 10 January 2006 161 50 104 7 January 2007 172 52 111 9 January 2008 171 30 111 30 January 2009 Information not available
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 22 H5: Gross affordable housing completions
Relevant Saved Policies: H5 Affordable Housing
In 2008/09, 13 affordable houses were completed on the following site:
Sports Ground North Road, Purfleet.
In addition, 60 further houses were purchased by Registered Social Landlords at:
Corringham Centre Service Station, Gordon Road, Corringham. Murco Filling Station, Derry Avenue, South Ockendon and The Manse, St Andrews Church, Calcutta Road, Tilbury
The proportion of affordable housing in relation to the total number of dwelling completions on large sites is shown below.
Affordable Housing completions Affordable Total Dwellings % Affordable Housing (on large sites over 30 dwellings) April 03/April 04 35 442 7.9 April 04/April 05 111 961 11.6 April 05/April 06 49 642 7.6 April 06/April 07 63 376 16.6 April 07/April 08 27 39 69.2 April 08/April 09 13 44 31.8
H6: Housing Quality – Building for Life Assessments
Relevant Saved Policies: At present there are no policy(s)
This is a new indicator that seeks to assess the number and proportion of total new build completions on housing sites reaching very good, good, average and poor ratings against the Building for Life criteria. Monitoring arrangements are to be put in place for this criteria.
Additional Indicator : Percentage of new dwellings completed, by density
Relevant Saved Policies: None
In 2008/09 there were 104 dwellings built on sites of 10 dwellings or more. 57.7% were developed at a density of above 50 dwellings per hectare.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 23 The density of development completed in the last five years is shown below:
Density of new dwellings completed (on sites of 10 dwellings or more). less than 30 between 30 and above 50 dwellings per 50 dwellings per dwellings per hectare hectare hectare April 04/April 05 119 (27.1%) 53 (12.1%) 267 (60.8%) April 05/April 06 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 712 (100.0%) April 06/April 07 0 (0.0%) 81 (21.7%) 293 (78.3%) April 07/April 08 0 (0.0%) 207 (32.5%) 430 (67.5%) April 08/April 09 0 (0.0%) 44 (42.3%) 60 (57.7%)
The above figures only include developments of more than 10 dwellings. Gross site areas have been discounted in order to estimate the net developable area of the sites.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 24 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
E1: Number of planning permissions granted contrary to Environment Agency advice on flooding and water quality grounds.
Relevant Saved Policies: None
The Environment Agency confirmed that there were no applications in Thurrock approved against a sustained Environment Agency objection on flood risk grounds in the period April 2008 to April 2009.
E2: Change in areas of biodiversity importance
Relevant Saved Policies: LN12 Development Proposals and Nature Conservation LN15 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation LN16 Areas of Local Nature Conservation Significance and Ecological Corridors LN16A Thames Foreshore Ecological Corridor- Industrialised Areas
There was no change during 2008/09 in the area covered by designations of international, national, regional, sub-regional or local significance. The baseline position regarding these sites is shown below. However, in respect of Local Wildlife Sites, there were an increased number of sites in positive management.
Ramsar/Special Protection Area
Thurrock has 1 Ramsar and 1 Special Protection Areas (SPA).
Ramsar/Special Protection Areas Site Area (hectares) Mucking Flats 312.71
Sites of Special Scientific Importance
Sites of Special Scientific Importance (SSSI) are sites that are nationally designated for their wildlife value and for their geological features. There are 12 SSSI in Thurrock covering an area of 1350.83 hectares. The area of Thurrock’s SSSI and the percentage in a favourable or recovering condition are as follows:
Percentage of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in good or improving condition Site Percentage of area in Area favourable or (hectares) recovering condition Basildon Meadows * 100.0 6.80 Globe Pit 100.0 0.38 Grays Thurrock Chalk Pit 13.5 17.27 Hangman’s Wood & Deneholes 100.0 5.19 Holehaven Creek 100.0 272.82 Inner Thames Marshes * 73.7 485.87 Lion Pit 100.0 2.39 Mucking Flats and Marshes 94.1 312.71
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 25 Purfleet Chalk Pits 70.5 9.83 Purfleet Road, Aveley (Jill’s Field) 0 3.78 Vange & Fobbing Marshes* 85.7 167.29 West Thurrock Lagoon & Marshes 0 66.50 *(Only part of this SSSI lies within the Thurrock boundary)
Local Wildlife Sites
Local Wildlife Sites are designated for their local biodiversity value. The assessment is based on Thurrock’s priority biodiversity species and habitats, as identified in the Thurrock Biodiversity Action Plan (TBAP). There are 70 designated Local Wildlife Sites in Thurrock. 19 of these sites have positive conservation management plans in place covering an area of 539.90 hectares. This is an increase of 7 sites (47.6 hectares) with positive management plans from that recorded in the previous year. The target is to increase the number of sites in management by 10% per year.
The 19 Local Wildlife Sites with positive management plans in place are as follows:
Local Wildlife Sties with positive management plans Site Reason for Selection Area (hectares) Mardyke River flood-plain 77.6 Hall/Gravelhill Woods Ancient Wood 9.9 The Park/Coombe Wood Woodland complex 24.6 Old Hill/ Great Sutton Wood Woodland complex 13.7 Northlands Wood Woodland complex; 19.8 hedgerows One Tree Hill Grassland flora 3.3 Martinhole Meadow Old grassland 1.3 Martinhole Wood Complex Ancient Wood; hedgerow 7.0 Hawkesbury Grasslands Old grassland 13.5 Fobbing Reedbeds Reedbed 4.9 Corringham/Fobbing Marsh Coastal Grazing marsh 307.2 Manorway Fleet Reedbed Reedbed 9.5 Warwick Wood Ancient Wood 5.5 White Post Wood Ancient Wood 5.2 Oak Wood Ancient Wood 5.3 Little Dilkes Wood Ancient Wood 1.1 Warren Gorge Grassland flora: 26.4 invertebrates Clockhouse Lane/Woodham Chalk grassland flora: 1.3 invertebrates Tilbury Centre Reedbed: invertebrates 2.8
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 26 Local Nature Reserve
Local Nature Reserve (LNR) is a statutory designation made under section 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Country Side Act 1949. LNR’s are of local, but not necessarily national importance. There are 2 Local Nature Reserve sites in Thurrock covering an area of 5.5 hectares. These are as follows:
Local Nature Reserve Site Area (hectares) Grovehouse Wood 2.3 Linford Wood 3.2
E3: Renewable energy generation.
Relevant Saved Policies: None
East of England Renewable Energy Statistics indicated that Thurrock had 52.6 MW of renewable installed capacity as at December 2007. This was 11% of the Region’s renewable energy generating capacity. 76% of this capacity was provided by landfill gas, with the remaining 24% provided by a biomass facility at Tilbury Power Station.
During 2008/9 one 15kw Wind Turbine was installed at the RSPB Rainham Marshes visitor centre in Purfleet.
Additional Indicator: Amount of eligible open spaces managed to Green Flag Award standard.
Relevant Saved Policies: LR4 Provision of Additional Open Space LR5 Retention of Existing Open Space
In April 2009 the total amount of open space managed to Green Flag Award standard was 80.9 hectares, as shown below. The authority adopted a green space strategy in February 2007 that will help to raise the quality of open spaces throughout the Borough.
Eligible open spaces managed to Green Flag Award standard Date Site Area (hectares) April 2009 Belhus Woods Country Park 76.5 Grays Beach 4.4
Total 80.9
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 27 MINERALS
M1: Production of primary land won aggregates by mineral planning authority
Relevant Saved Policies: Essex County Council Minerals Local Plan policies
It is not possible to fully disclose the total figure for primary land won aggregates as Thurrock has two fully working quarries and there is client confidentiality to consider.
M2: Production of secondary and recycled aggregates by mineral planning authority
Relevant Saved Policies: Essex County Council Minerals Local Plan policies
Information regarding secondary aggregates is to be collated with Essex County Council during 2010. However, the number of secondary operations may mean that disclosure of the figures is not possible.
WASTE
W1: Capacity of new waste management facilities by waste planning authority
Relevant Saved Policies: None
It is intended that the Council will work with Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation and Essex County Council to establish a robust and workable system of recording waste applications.
W2: Amount of municipal waste arising, and managed by management type by waste planning authority
Relevant Saved Policies: None
In 2008/2009 there were 74,247 tonnes of municipal waste arising. 30.2% of the waste was sent for reuse, recycling or composting. 69.2% was sent to landfill. The corresponding figures for the previous year were 27% and 71.8%
The tonnage and percentage of each management type for 2008/9 is shown in the table below.
2008-2009 Category Tonnes % of total
Landfilled 51,445 69.2 Recycled and Composted 22,725 30.2 Other 77 0.6 Total municipal waste arising 74,247 100.0
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2008 28 LOCAL OUTPUT INDICATORS & SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS INDICATORS
The LDF Core Strategy - Preferred Options, proposed a Monitoring Framework for Thurrock’s Local Development Framework. This includes an objective-policies-targets-indicators approach. Local output indicators will be developed in the next stage of the LDF, the Pre-Submission stage, and monitored in the future.
MONITORING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FUTURE
This AMR does not monitor some core output indicators These gaps are highlighted within this report. It does not, as yet, include local output indicators or significant effects indicators. It is clear that these additional indicators will need to be implemented into the monitoring scheme for the future.
Thurrock Council’s Strategic Planning Service is continuing to reviewing its’ information systems in order to enable on-going improvement to monitoring. It is also collaborating with the East of England Regional Authority (EERA) and with Essex County Council through monitoring groups in order to ensure consistency in the collection and analysis of information. This enables a consistent approach to be taken in measuring and monitoring change.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2007 29 APPENDIX 1
The policies contained in the adopted Thurrock Borough Local Plan and the Essex County Council First Review Minerals Local Plan are the saved development plan policies for a three-year period from the commencement of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 to September 2007. In September 2007, the Council obtained formal agreement from government to extend the period in which some policies continue to be saved. These policies were published in a separate schedule of ‘Saved Policies’.
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2007 30 DIRECTION UNDER PARAGRAPH 1(3) OF SCHEDULE 8 TO THE
PLANNING AND COMPULSORY PURCHASE ACT 2004
POLICIES CONTAINED IN THURROCK BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN
ADOPTED 1997
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in the exercise of the power conferred by paragraph 1(3) of Schedule 8 to the Planning and Compulsory Act 2004 directs that for the purposes of the policies specified in Schedule 1 to this direction, paragraph 1(2) (a) of Schedule 8 to the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 does not apply.
Signed by the authority of the Secretary of State
Alex Plant Deputy Regional Director Development & Infrastructure Government Office for the East of England 20 September 2007
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2007 31 SCHEDULE 1 POLICIES CONTAINED IN THURROCK
BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN ADOPTED 1997
Policy Ref. Policy Subject
BE1 Design of New Development BE2 Development Control Policies BE3 Urban Open Spaces BE4 Landscaping BE7 Temporary Buildings BE9 Buffer Zones BE10 Infrastructure BE11 Energy Efficiency BE16 Listed Buildings - Demolition BE21 Historic Barns - Conversion to Alternative Use BE26 Development of Contaminated Land GB1 The Green Belt in Thurrock GB2 Design Considerations in the Green Belt GB3 Replacement Dwellings GB4 Established Residential Frontage GB5 Extensions to Dwelling houses in the Green Belt GB6 Extension of Residential Curtilages GB9 Agricultural Land GB11 Re-Use and Adaptation of Buildings in the Green Belt GB13 Equestrian Facilities LN1 Special Landscape Areas LN2 Landscape Improvements Areas LN3 Landscapes of Local Importance LN7 Thames Chase (The East London Community Forest) LN10 Protected Lanes LN12 Development Proposals and Nature Conservation LN15 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation Areas of Local Nature Conservation Significance and LN16 Ecological Corridors LN16A Thames Foreshore Ecological Corridor- Industrialised Areas H3 Redevelopment of Non - Residential Land for Housing H5 Affordable Housing H6 Special Housing Needs H10 Residential Amenity Infill Development: Backland Development and Residential H11 Precincts H12 Flat Conversions H13 Mobile Homes and Caravans Used as Dwellings H15 Gypsy Caravan Sites
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2007 32 E1 Development within Primary Industrial and Commercial Areas Land for New Industrial and Commercial Development in E2 Primary Areas Development within Secondary Industrial and Commercial E3 Areas Land for New Industrial and Commercial Development in E4 Secondary Areas Development Outside Designated Industrial and Commercial E5 Areas E8 Oil Refineries E9 Oil and Chemical Storage E11 Grays Town Centre E16 West Thurrock Power Station CF1 Existing Community Facilities CF2 Community Facilities in New Housing Developments CF6 Existing Community Halls CF8 Health and Social Services Facilities - General Provision CF10 Health and Welfare Facilities - Care in the Community SH1 Major Retail Developments SH3 Grays Shopping Centre - Additional Retail Floorspace SH4 Grays Shopping Centre - Modernisation and Refurbishment SH6 Existing Town Centres - Additional Retail Floorspace SH7 Stanford-le-hope - Sandpits Redevelopment Area SH8 New Local Shopping Facilities SH10 Non-Retail Uses in District and Local Shopping Centres SH11 Non-Retail Uses in Neighbourhood Shopping Parades SH12 Non-Retail Uses in Other Parades and Isolated Shops LR1 Provision of New Indoor Sports Facilities LR2 Provision of District Sports Facilities at Blackshots LR3 Commercial Entertainment Facilities LR4 Provision of Additional Open Spaces LR5 Retention of Existing Open Spaces LR6 Open Space Provision in New Housing Developments LR7 Children's Play Areas LR8 Rationalisation and Retention of Allotment Gardens LR10 Motor Sports LR11 Water Sports LR12 Motorised Air Sports LR13 Shooting LR14 Golf LR15 Proposed Mardyke Country Park LR17 Extension of Footpath and Bridleway Networks T1 Balanced Transport Strategy T2 New Road Building T3 Road Improvements Schemes T6 Traffic Management T8 Existing and New Public Footpaths
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2007 33 T11 Cycleways T15 Improved Passenger Interchange Facilities T17 Railways - Passenger Facilities T18 Railways - Freight Facilities T19 Waterways - Passenger Facilities T20 Waterways - Freight Facilities T21 Tilbury Docks RIV1 New Riverside Industrial and Commercial Development River Related Development - Tilbury A Generating Station RIV1A Site RIV4 Riverside Rights of Way RIV5 Riverside Redevelopment and Building Line RIV6 Retention of Existing Riverside Open Space RIV7 Mucking and East Tilbury Marshes - Recreational Afteruse GTC2 Retention of the Older Built Fabric GTC4 Development of Gateway Sites TIL5 Public Access to Open Space MLP1 Mineral Reserves MLP2 Mineral Need MLP3 Transportation MLP4 Non-Preferred Sites MLP5 Aggregate Recycling MLP6 Site Considerations MLP7 Dredged Materials MLP8 Restoration and Agriculture MLP9 Working and Reclamation MLP10 Processing and Plant Buildings MLP11 Processing and Plant Buildings MLP12 Programming MLP13 Development Control
Thurrock Council Annual Monitoring Report 2007 34 APPENDIX 2 – HOUSING TRAJECTORY
(section to be updated)
Bill Newman, Director of Sustainable Communities, Civic Offices, New Road, Grays, Essex, RM17 6SL, T: (01375) 390000 F: (01375) 652787