Core Strategy Preferred Options Report October 2009 For consultation with the community and stakeholders Rochdale Borough Local Development Framework www.rochdale.gov.uk Foreword foreword Rochdale borough is changing. With over a billion pounds of public and private sector investment planned over the next five years, we are transforming the borough into an exciting, thriving and progressive place where people will want to live, work and do business. In planning the next 15 years, we will need to build on our strengths: our proximity to Manchester and the beauty of our countryside, the setting of our towns and their special character and distinctiveness, our rich heritage, and our superb commercial location next to four motorways and close to Manchester city centre. We need to face our challenges: the need to improve the range and quality of our jobs and housing, our population’s health, the fabric of some of our older areas and the need to ensure we benefit from and contribute to the success of the Manchester city region. We also need to address the global challenge of climate change. Our residents and businesses have clear views on how we should do this but not all agree on the best way forward. We have difficult choices to make. It can be difficult to agree for example how we balance economic, social and environmental aspirations and the needs of individual communities with those of the borough as a whole. Also, we need to balance our aspirations and policies at local level with national and regional objectives and policies. Therefore, agreeing a planning framework to regenerate the Borough won’t be easy......but I am confident we can do it and make the Borough a more prosperous and greener place......but only with the help and support of our partner agencies and services, infrastructure providers, businesses and the local community. Councillor Irene Davidson Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Environment and Transport Rochdale MBC ROCHDALE BOROUGH CORE STRATEGY PREFERRED OPTIONS foreword ROCHDALE BOROUGH CORE STRATEGY PREFERRED OPTIONS 1 Introduction 1 contents Core Strategy Preferred Options 1 We need your views on the Preferred Options 1 Our approach to preparing the Core Strategy 1 How the Core Strategy fits in to the Local Development Framework 3 How to read this Preferred Options Report 4 Other related documents 6 How you can access the documents and submit your views 6 Next Steps 7 2 Spatial Portrait of the borough 9 Location and setting 9 Economy 11 Housing 12 Communities and health 13 Quality of place 13 Accessiblity and transport 14 Environment and natural resources 15 Green Infrastructure 16 Townships 16 3 Our Spatial Vision for the borough 23 4 Strategic Objectives 25 SO1 - To deliver a more prosperous economy 25 SO2 - To create successful and healthy communities 25 SO3 - To improve design, image and quality of place 26 SO4 - To conserve and manage the natural environment and resources 26 SO5 - To improve accessibility and deliver sustainable transport 27 Delivering our objectives and vision 28 5 Spatial Strategy 33 Introduction 33 Our proposed Spatial Strategy 35 SP1 - Rochdale borough’s role in the city region 35 SP2 - The Spatial Strategy for the borough 35 ROCHDALE BOROUGH CORE STRATEGY PREFERRED OPTIONS SP3 - The Spatial Strategy in the south of the borough 36 SP4 - The Spatial Strategy in the north of the borough 38 Delivering development that supports the Strategy 39 contents SP5 - The sequential approach to development 39 Delivery of our Spatial Strategy through our Spatial Policies 40 Spatial Strategy Key Diagram 45 6 Delivering a more prosperous economy (SO1) 47 Introduction 47 E1 - Establishing thriving town and local centres 47 E2 - Supporting jobs and prosperity 57 E3 - Focusing on economic growth corridors 64 E4 - Encouraging the visitor economy 70 E5 - Diversifying the rural economy 72 7 Creating successful and healthy communities (SO2) 75 Introduction 75 C1 - Delivering the right amount of housing in the right places 75 C2 - Focusing on regeneration areas 79 C3 - Delivering the right type of housing 82 C4 - Providing affordable homes 84 C5 - Meeting the housing needs of gypsies and travellers 85 C6 - Improving health and well being 86 C7 - Delivering education facilities 88 C8 - Improving community, sport and leisure and cultural facilities 90 8 Improving design, image and quality of place (SO3) 95 Introduction 95 P1 - Protecting character and heritage 95 P2 - Improving image 97 P3 - Improving design of new development 99 9 Conserving and managing the natural environment and resources (SO4) 103 Introduction 103 R1 - Tackling climate change 103 R2 - Managing Green Belt 105 ROCHDALE BOROUGH CORE STRATEGY PREFERRED OPTIONS R3 - Managing other protected / reserved land 107 contents R4 - Enhancing green infrastructure 108 R5 - Increasing the value of biodiversity and geodiversity 111 R6 - Managing water resources and flood risk 114 R7 - Reducing the impact of pollution 116 R8 - Managing mineral resources 117 R9 - Managing waste 118 10 Improving accessibility and delivering sustainable transport (SO5) 121 Introduction 121 T1 - Delivering sustainable transport 121 T2 - Improving accessibility 123 11 Delivering the Core Strategy in our townships 129 Delivery of the Core Strategy in Heywood 129 Delivery of the Core Strategy in Middleton 133 Delivery of the Core Strategy in Pennines 135 Delivery of the Core Strategy in Rochdale 139 12 Managing delivery and monitoring progress 145 DM1 - Delivery and management of new development 145 DM2 - Delivering planning contributions and infrastructure 148 Infrastructure 150 Introduction of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) 150 Implementation and monitoring 151 Appendicies 1 Schedule of key sites 165 2 Replaced, saved and deleted UDP policies 166 3 Accessibility standards / targets (see policy T2) 170 4 Key local centres 173 5 Glossary 175 ROCHDALE BOROUGH CORE STRATEGY PREFERRED OPTIONS Maps / Spatial Diagrams contents Map 1 Rochdale borough in the sub region 10 Map 2 Rochdale borough's role in the city region. 34 Map 3 Spatial Strategy Key Diagram 45 Map 4 Heywood Township Delivery Diagram 131 Map 5 Middleton Township Delivery Diagram 132 Map 6 Pennines Township Delivery Diagram 137 Map 7 Rochdale Township Delivery Diagram 138 Figures Figure 1 The Core Strategies relationship with other documents 2 Figure 2 Documents that make up the LDF 4 Figure 3 Our timetable for preparing the Core Strategy 7 Figure 4 Content and delivery of the Core Strategy 8 Figure 5 Relationship between Strategic Objectives and other strategies 31 Figure 6 Policies that deliver our Spatial Objectives 41 Figure 7 Townships Delivery Diagrams key 143 Tables Table 1 Retail centre hierarchy 49 Table 2 Employment land supply 2009 to 2026 (excluding windfalls) 64 Table 3 SHLAA 2009 - North / South split 77 Table 4 Implementation and monitoring 151 Table 5 Key housing sites 165 Table 6 UDP policies replaced or saved 166 Table 7 UDP policies deleted 169 Table 8 Accessibility standards / targets 170 Table 9 Accessibility standards / targets (continued) 171 Table 10 Key local centres 173 ROCHDALE BOROUGH CORE STRATEGY PREFERRED OPTIONS 1 One 1 Introduction The Local Development Framework (LDF) ‘Core Strategy’ is a vital planning document that will shape introduction the future of the borough. It is being prepared by the Council in consultation with its partner organisations and agencies. Whatever your connection with the borough, it is likely to affect you in some way and therefore your participation in its preparation is vital. This is the second key stage in the preparation of Rochdale borough’s LDF 'Core Strategy'. The Core Strategy will set a strategic framework for growth and development in the borough up to at least 2026. It will also set out borough-wide planning policies to guide decisions on planning applications. Other policy documents will also be prepared, as part of the LDF, to help to deliver the Core Strategy. Last year we consulted the local community, landowners, development interests, agencies and infrastructure providers on different options for how the borough should develop over the next 15 years. Those options (contained in our ‘Issues and Options Report, September 2008) explored, for example, how much housing and employment growth we should plan for and where development should be located. The options also looked at what facilities and services we need to go with that development and how we should protect our environment and improve the look of the borough. Core Strategy Preferred Options We have considered your views and suggestions, and have also taken account of new information and studies, and this document contains our ‘preferred’ (but not final) policies. We have called these ideas and policies ‘preferred options’ because we don't want to finalise them until you have had your opportunity to tell us what you think of them. You may have other suggestions, or 'options', that you would like us to consider. You can see all the options we first put forward in the ‘Issues and Options report’. We need your views on the Preferred Options We want to know what you think of: Our vision and objectives for the borough and the townships. What do you want the borough to be like in 2026?; Our spatial strategy. Where should development go and not go? What needs to be improved? (e.g. transport, town centres, open space and countryside etc); The sites and areas we suggest for development. Do you agree with them?; and Our policies to improve housing, jobs, transport, town centres, tackle climate change, conserve the environment and so on. Will they make the borough a better place? We also want to know if you think there are any better options, policies, or suggestions for areas, that you want us to consider. This document also briefly explains how we have arrived at our Preferred Strategy and draft policies from our earlier options.