LOCAL PLAN COMMITTEE 27 NOVEMBER 2014 REPORT OF THE HEAD OF PLANNING A.2 ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES (Report prepared by Richard Matthams and Gary Ashby) PART 1 – KEY INFORMATION PURPOSE OF THE REPORT To report, to the Local Plan Committee Officers initial assessment of the alternative development proposals put forward by landowners, developers and other interested parties at the Committee’s last meeting on 21st October 2014. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY At the meeting of the Local Plan Committee, Members were made aware of a number of development proposals being promited by landowners, developers and other interested parties as an alternative to the sites recommended by Officers for inclusion in the new Local Plan. The alternative proposals included “Hartley Gardens”, a development on greenfield land in north- west Clacton of 2,500 homes with community facilities, open space and a link road between Jaywick Lane and Bovil’s roundabout/Progress Way. Another “Tendring Central”, a development on greenfield land around Frating, Hare Green and Raven’s Green for 1,500 homes with community facilities, 40 hectares of employment land, a multi-directional road link between the A133 and the A120 and new bus services to nearby railway stations. It was also suggested that to avoid the need for unpopular extensions to existing towns and villages, the Council should consider the possibility of a new standalone settlement to deliver the districts housing requirement in one location. Therefore, Officers have undertaken an initial scoping exercise in order to determine whether the potential for the delivery of a new settlement exists in the Tendring District. A number of alternative proposals for housing development were also put forward for smaller sites, which included: Land at St. Johns Nursery, Earls Hall Drive, Clacton (instead of land between London Road and Centenary Way, Clacton); Land at Swaine’s Farm, Little Clacton (instead of land between London Road and Centenary Way, Clacton); Land south of 185 Thorpe Road, Kirby Cross; Land at St. Andrew’s Close, Alresford; Land west of School Road, Elmstead Market (instead of land north of Meadow Close and land west of Church Road); and Land south of Mistley Village. None of these proposals are currently recommended for inclusion in the new Local Plan because there are concerns about high infrastructure costs, road access, and limited services and facilities in some rural areas. However, it is expected that the landowners and developers concerned will produce evidence when the plan goes out for consultation to persuade the Council, or a Planning Inspector, that these issues can be addressed. RECOMMENDATION That the Local Plan Committee notes Officers’ initial assessment of the alternative development proposals, as set out in this report. PART 2 – IMPLICATIONS OF THE DECISION DELIVERING PRIORITIES Achieving affordable excellence: The way that local authorities are funded through central government has changed significantly in recent years. Councils that support growth in housing and commercial development are rewarded through the grant of ‘New Homes Bonus’ and through the ability to retain a proportion of business rates. These valuable sources of funding enable Councils to sustain existing services and improve those services in the future. The suggested ‘garden suburbs’ and ‘strategic employment sites’ will deliver the majority of the district’s growth, focussing the majority of housing development in locations which will support growth in the economy and the creation of new jobs, helping to address deprivation and further increase revenue to the Council. Improving public perception and reputation: The policies, concept diagrams and delivery schedules presented to the Local Plan Committee in October are designed to ensure development brings maximum benefit to the economy and our communities and will provide a useful focus for community consultation when they are published as part of the new Local Plan. Helping children and young people to achieve their full potential: Major development proposals in suitable locations will support the objectives of the Economic Development Strategy related to improving education and skills by ensuring developments achieve the critical mass required to help deliver new and improved educational facilities, and supporting growth in key sectors of the economy that will provide jobs for young people in the future. Addressing deprivation: The Council’s Economic Development Strategy recommends facilitating population growth around Clacton, Harwich and the Colchester Fringe as a means of stimulating economic growth by generating demand for goods and services, unlocking employment opportunities and securing investment in new and improved infrastructure that will support economic opportunities and help to tackle deprivation, particularly in Clacton and Harwich. For Clacton, the proposed ‘garden suburbs’ would provide the opportunity to deliver facilities for care and assisted living which will provide local jobs and meet the needs of older and disabled residents. Continued support for the strategic employment development at Bathside Bay, Harwich Valley and Horsley Cross will support growth in port-related activities and the off-shore renewable energy sector. Local housing for local people: Increasing the overall amount of housing development proposed in the Local Plan will increase the scope to deliver housing to meet the needs of different sectors of the population. Coastal opportunities and protection: The expansion of the port at Bathside Bay would require the reclamation of approximately 72 hectares of inter-tidal land and part of the Harwich Valley site lies within the flood zone. RESOURCES AND RISK Resources: The Council’s Planning Policy Team under the leadership of the Planning Policy Manager has prepared the policies, concept diagrams and delivery schedules with a view to carrying out further more detailed work including liaison and consultation with partner organisations and infrastructure providers including Essex County Council, Colchester Borough Council, the NHS, the Environment Agency and utility providers as well as the relevant landowners, developers and community representatives. The costs involved in this work will be met through the agreed ‘LDF Budget’. Risks: The major garden suburbs and strategic employment sites recommended for inclusion in the new Local Plan are likely to attract a significant level of objections from residents, particularly in the areas most affected. However, any objection to the Local Plan needs to demonstrate that the plan would fail the tests of soundness in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) for them to convince a Planning Inspector that the plan should not be adopted. LEGAL Legislation: Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and section 70(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 state that applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the ‘development plan’ unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The statutory ‘development plan’ for Tendring, as it stands is the 2007 Adopted Local Plan however, in accordance with the government’s National Planning Policy Framework, the policies and proposals in the Adopted Local Plan are increasingly out of date and cannot be afforded full weight. It is therefore essential to progress the emerging Local Plan through the remaining stages of the plan making process and ensure it meets the requirements of national planning policy so it can become the new statutory development plan. Section 33A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004), as amended by Section 110 of the Localism Act 2011 places a duty upon local authorities and other public bodies to cooperate on strategic matters of cross-boundary significance, which includes housing supply. Before a Planning Inspector can begin the process of examining a Local Plan, he or she needs to be satisfied, with evidence, that the local authority has done everything it can to ensure effective cooperation with neighbouring authorities and other partner organisations and has sought to resolve, as far as is possible, any cross-boundary planning issues. Human Rights Act 1998 - The Council must have regard to the Act in all its decision making and to act in accordance with the Convention rights when devising new policies or procedures. A public authority should ensure that its policies or decisions do not interfere with individual rights and make sure that any restriction within the policy is necessary, pursues one of the recognised legitimate aims and is proportionate to that aim. Any restriction must be no greater than is needed to achieve the objective. Human rights issues are also considered as part of the assessment of each individual planning application once the Plan is approved and adopted. OTHER IMPLICATIONS Consideration has been given to the implications of the proposed decision in respect of the following and any significant issues are set out below. Crime and Disorder / Equality and Diversity / Health Inequalities /Area or Ward affected / Consultation/Public Engagement. Crime and Disorder: The focus of new development is in locations where it will support economic growth and job creation (in line with the objectives of the Economic Development Strategy) which will help, alongside non-planning measures, to improve prosperity and tackle crime and disorder. Equality and Diversity: An Equality Impact Assessment for the new version of the Local Plan will