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DevelopmentPlanSOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE Annual Monitoring Report 2010 Information presented in this study represents data monitored from the period:01 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 Submitted to Government Office for the West Midlands December 2010 South Worcestershire Development Plan Annual Monitoring Report 2010 Information presented in this study represents data monitored from the period: 1St April 2009 to 31st March 2010 Submitted to Government Office for the West Midlands 24 December 2010 SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT 2010 1 SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT 2010 2 CONTENTS PAGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2 PART A – SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE 10 1.0 INTRODUCTION 11 • Key requirements for Annual Monitoring Reports • Local approach to monitoring • Monitoring the effectiveness of development plans across South Worcestershire 2.0 METHODOLOGY 15 This sets out the process for monitoring our Plans and policies. 3.0 PROFILE OF SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE 21 This section provides facts and figures on South Worcestershire. 4.0 THE PROJECT PLAN 29 (LOCAL DEVELOPMENT SCHEME) This examines the progress on the project plan across all three local planning authorities. 5.0 DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 39 6.0 ECONOMY AND TOWN CENTRES 44 7.0 HOUSING 60 8.0 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 80 SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT 2010 3 9.0 CONCLUSIONS 101 10.0 SIGNIFICANT EFFECTS INDICATORS 107 PART B – LOCAL INFORMATION This assesses the performance of our adopted local plan policies against locally set indicators in achieving spatial planning policies and sustainable development. APPENDIX 1: MALVERN HILLS DISTRICT INDICATORS 118 Malvern Hills’ 5 Year Housing Land Supply 140 APPENDIX 2: WORCESTER CITY INDICATORS 147 Worcester’s 5 Year Housing Land Supply 171 APPENDIX 3: WYCHAVON DISTRICT INDICATORS 190 Wychavon’s 5 Year Housing Land Supply xx APPENDIX 4: CABE - BUILDING FOR LIFE CRTERIA 230 GLOSSARY OF TERMS 232 DATA SOURCES USEFUL INFORMATION FEEDBACK FORM SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT 2010 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This is the first joint Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) prepared for the South Worcestershire Joint Advisory Panel and the constituent local planning authorities of Malvern Hills District, Worcester City and Wychavon District Council. It is a technical document prepared by officers of the constituent authorities. It covers the monitoring year 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 and is the starting point for monitoring the implementation of the three constituent local planning authorities adopted local plans and the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP). The AMR is arranged in two parts. Part A provides information and analysis at a South Worcestershire level, including overall conclusions and recommendations for future monitoring arrangements. Nationally set Core Output Indicators provide the measure and guide to local performance. Part B sets out information for each of the district/city authorities, which comprises data and analysis for local indicators (these are freestanding sections and are not summarised here). These indicators are drawn from the individual monitoring frameworks established in each authority as per their adopted local plans and Sustainability Appraisals. This local information will form Part B of the report. The monitoring year 2009/10 saw the continuation of economic recession. Although the impacts of this will take time to feed through into some indicators, it has had a marked impact on performance against housing and economic indicators. With regard to employment and housing targets South Worcestershire authorities are currently awaiting primary legislation in the form of the Localism Bill scheduled to begin its passage through Parliament from Christmas 2010, and if passed will return decision-making powers in housing and planning to local authorities. As it stands RSS remains part of the Development Plan for the local authorities across South Worcestershire but the weight afforded to it in the case of individual planning applications (and by Inspectors in the case of appeals), will need to be judged against the advice issued by Government and its Chief Planner. SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT 2010 5 Whilst in this transition phase it is difficult to know how planning and delivery work will facilitate a speedy recovery of the housing market when demand starts to pick up. It is also recognised that prospects for the housing market, and therefore the rate of house building in South Worcestershire, are uncertain. The AMR Appendices set out further technical information on housing issues. Part A is arranged in nine sections as shown on the contents page. Section 1 introduces the document. Section 2 explains the key requirements for annual monitoring reports such as the types of indicators, PPS12 requirements and the format for monitoring the objective led policies. Section 3 introduces the South Worcestershire area by providing a geographical and demographic context to the report. Section 4 considers progress on preparation of the Local Development Framework, which is the package of plans being prepared by the three constituent local planning authorities. Sections 5 to 9 set out progress against a range of indicators for the key policy areas of Development Strategy; Economy and Town Centres; Housing; Environmental Quality; and Infrastructure. Section 10 brings together a wide range of data to assess the effectiveness of the three authorities Local Development Frameworks (LDF) using a range of significant effect indicators. The following table provides a succinct summary of South Worcestershire authority’s performance against key indicators. The picture is mixed and the positives and negatives are addressed within the framework set out by the following key questions: - Overall Development Strategy – where is development happening? - Economy and town centres – is a jobs/homes balance being achieved? - Housing – are targets being met? - Environmental quality – is it improving? SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT 2010 6 Monitoring Data South Worcs Performance Indicator Source Facts 2009/10 2009/10 Number of Households in DCLG, 2010 S.Worcs = 126,336 N/A South Worcs. DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY Percentage of SWHLM, households built in 80% 2010 ☺ the urban area. COI, BD2: Total amount & type of SWELM, 72% completed 2010 ☺ floorspace on PDL. COI, H3: New and SWHLM, converted homes 82% 2010 ☺ built on PDL. SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH Number of WCEA, 2010 127,200 (at 2008) employees jobs. - Unemployment WCEA, 2010 5,025 people Count. COI, BD1: Total amount of additional WCEA, 2010 45,013m² ☺ employment by type. COI, BD3: Employment land available with WCEA, 2010 107.96 hectares ☺ planning consent by type. COI, BD3: Employment Land WCEA, 2010 249.71 hectares ☺ Available COI, BD4: Total annual change in South the amount of WCEA, 2010 Worcestershire - floorspace for town figure not available centre uses HOUSING ONS, 2010 Latest Government (Sub-national estimated Population pop. population = N/A Projection to 2033 projections 313,500 people 2008/33) SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT 2010 7 Monitoring Data South Worcs Performance Indicator Source Facts 2009/10 2009/10 S. Worcs 2007 = ☺ Improving £277,020 affordability. Average Household WCEA, 2010 Price Home S.Worcs 2009 = £222,422 owners i.e. negative equity. COI, H2a: Net SWHLM, additional homes in 703 2010 monitoring year COI, H2b: Net South Worcs has additional homes in SWHLM, added 3,400 against previous years 2010 Homes to its stock Phase II WMRSS (since 2006) since April 2006 targets Worcs COI, H4: No. of County Gypsy and Traveller Council & 192 Pitches - Pitches SWHLM, 2010 COI, H5: No. of SWHLM, affordable houses 173 Homes 2010 - delivered in 09/10 COI, H6: Building for Life ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COI E1: No. apps Environment contrary to EA None Agency, 2010 ☺ advice COI E2: No. of Worcs apps contrary to Wildlife Trust, None ☺ WWT advice 2010 COI E2: Sites of Biodiversity GIS, 2010 15,087 hectares importance - (hectares) Natural ☺ not yet COI E2: Health of England, 85% achieving N.E. SSSI 2010 target of 95% but improving SW planning COI E3: Renewable See page 90 (table applications Energy Generation 26) - database Table a: Summary of Monitoring Indicators SOUTH WORCESTERSHIRE ANNUAL MONITORING REPORT 2010 8 Key ☺ Positive - Clear improvement or targets met Little or no change Negative - Clear deterioration or targets not met - Insufficient/no comparable data (including no targets or trends to assess against) The AMR comments on possible reasons for the performance against these indicators in 2009/10. A key factor has been the continuing economic recession. Although the impacts of this will take time to feed through into some indicators, it has had a marked impact on performance against housing indicators in particular. The concluding section illustrates the key issues and identifies implications for the South Worcestershire Development Plan and for the future approach to monitoring in South Worcestershire. Key points include: • The impact of the recession on housing completions • The need to review progress with employment targets and means of delivering them in order to • Achieve a better jobs/homes balance • The need to frame indicators in a clearer way and set targets where possible, in order for them to • Assess the implications the abolished WMRSS has on South Worcestershire’s monitoring framework • The need to rationalise and better resource the monitoring of policy effectiveness and policy impact across the three