Reigate and Banstead Local Plan: Core Strategy Adopted July 2014 www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk 01737 276000 1 2 Foreword “The Core Strategy will help deliver sustainable growth, whilst protecting the attractive, accessible and well-maintained borough that our residents and communities value.” Reigate & Banstead is a great place to live and work. The Borough has a healthy economy, distinctive town centres and good transport links, all set within a beautiful and diverse natural environment. This Core Strategy provides a framework to build on the Borough’s many strengths: to increase the economic prosperity of our businesses, to provide homes for local people and workers, and to protect and enhance the natural environment and the character of our urban areas. It will also help the Council address the challenges we face: improving opportunities for local people in the more deprived parts of the Borough through regeneration schemes, facilitating development in our town centres to make them more attractive, and providing more affordable housing across the Borough. The Core Strategy has been developed taking into account local evidence and public consultation, as well as national planning policies and sustainability appraisal, and has been confirmed as ‘sound’ by an independent planning inspector. Thank you to all those who have contributed to its development. As we now move forward to develop our more detailed planning policies, we encourage you to continue to engage with us to help deliver a sustainable and prosperous future for all those who live and work in Reigate & Banstead. Cllr Victor Broad John Jory Leader Chief Executive 3 Contents 1. Introduction .....................................................................................................6 Structure of the Core Strategy ...........................................................................6 Timeframe .........................................................................................................7 2. Background .....................................................................................................8 The evidence base ............................................................................................8 The duty to co-operate ......................................................................................8 Consultation ......................................................................................................9 Sustainability appraisal ......................................................................................9 Habitats Regulations Assessment .....................................................................9 3. Borough characteristics ...............................................................................10 Population and housing ...................................................................................11 The economy, education and skills .................................................................11 The environment .............................................................................................12 Our communities .............................................................................................12 4. The Core Strategy Vision and Objectives ...................................................13 Our vision ........................................................................................................13 What will the borough look like in 2027? .........................................................14 Our objectives .................................................................................................15 5. The Spatial Strategy ......................................................................................18 5.1 Our Strategy ..........................................................................................18 An area based approach .......................................................................19 Prioritising regeneration and making best use of the urban areas ........20 A realistic approach to planning for long-term growth ...........................21 Securing infrastructure to support development ....................................21 5.2 Valued landscapes and the natural environment ...................................24 Landscape .............................................................................................24 Biodiversity ............................................................................................26 Green infrastructure ...............................................................................27 5.3 Green belt ..............................................................................................28 5.4 Valued townscapes and the historic environment..................................30 5.5 Valued people and economic development ...........................................31 Education and skills ...............................................................................32 Health ....................................................................................................32 Economy and employment ....................................................................32 4 6. Shaping our places .......................................................................................36 6.1 Place shaping ........................................................................................36 6.2 Strategic locations for growth and the allocation of development .........36 The allocation of development ...............................................................37 6.3 Town and local centres ..........................................................................39 6.4 Area 1: The North Downs ......................................................................40 Development proposed .........................................................................41 6.5 Area 2: Wealden Greensand Ridge .......................................................44 6.6 Area 2a: Redhill .....................................................................................45 Development proposed .........................................................................45 6.7 Area 2b: Reigate and the remainder of Area 2 ......................................49 Development proposed .........................................................................49 6.8 Area 3: The Low Weald .........................................................................52 Development proposed .........................................................................53 6.9 Gatwick Airport ......................................................................................56 7. Cross cutting policies ...................................................................................57 7.1 Sustainable development ......................................................................57 7.2 Sustainable construction .......................................................................59 7.3 Infrastructure delivery ............................................................................61 7.4 Housing delivery ....................................................................................63 7.5 Housing needs of the community ..........................................................65 7.6 Affordable housing .................................................................................66 7.7 Gypsies, travellers and travelling showpeople ......................................68 7.8 Travel options and accessibility .............................................................69 8. Implementation and Monitoring ...................................................................72 Implementation ................................................................................................72 Monitoring ........................................................................................................74 Reviewing the Core Strategy ...........................................................................75 Appendix 1: Glossary ..........................................................................................76 Appendix 2: Housing Trajectory (2012-2027) ......................................................80 Appendix 3: Saved and replaced policies ...........................................................81 5 1 Introduction The Core Strategy covers a wide range of planning issues, including economic development, regeneration, housing, environmental protection, transport, health and education. 1.1 Our Core Strategy provides the spatial strategy for Reigate & Banstead for the next 15 years. It covers a wide range of spatial planning issues, including economic development, regeneration, housing, environmental protection, transport, health and education. 1.2 Underpinning the Core Strategy is a commitment by the Council to ensure that future development in the borough is achieved in a sustainable way – that it delivers prosperous and self-reliant communities whilst ensuring that the borough remains attractive, accessible and well-maintained. 1.3 The Core Strategy is the first in a series of planning documents that will together make up the Reigate & Banstead Local Development Framework (the LDF). Other documents being prepared as part of the LDF include the Development Management Policies (DMP), the Policies Map, and a number of Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD). These other documents will reflect the strategic direction provided by this Core Strategy and are being progressed closely behind