Bath and North East Somerset Local Plan 2011-2029 VOLUME: CORE STRATEGY & PLACEMAKING PLAN District-wide 1 Strategy and Policies Core Strategy Placemaking Plan Adopted July 2014 Adopted July 2017 CONTENTS 1 VISION AND DISTRICT-WIDE STRATEGY 54 CORE AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT POLICIES 12 SPATIAL PORTRAIT & KEY STRATEGIC ISSUES 57 SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES 32 POLICY DW1: District-wide Spatial Strategy 58 POLICY SD1: Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development 35 Housing Development on Non-allocated Sites at Bath, Keynsham and Somer Valley 59 RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE 37 POLICY RA1: Development in the villages meeting the listed criteria 61 POLICY CP1: Retrofitting Existing Buildings 37 POLICY RA2: Development in villages outside the Green Belt not meeting Policy RA1 62 POLICY CP2: Sustainable Construction criteria 63 POLICY CP3: Renewable Energy 38 INFRASTRUCTURE 66 POLICY SCR1: On-site Renewable Energy Requirement 46 MONITORING & REVIEW 66 POLICY SCR2: Roof-mounted/Building-integrated Scale Solar PV 67 POLICY SCR3: Ground-mounted Solar Arrays 68 POLICY SCR4: Community Renewable Energy Schemes 69 POLICY SCR5: Water Efficiency 71 POLICY CP4: District Heating 76 POLICY CP5: Flood Risk Management 79 POLICY SU1: Sustainable Drainage 80 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 86 HIGH QUALITY DESIGN 88 POLICY D1: General Urban Design Principles 89 POLICY D2: Local Character and Distinctiveness 90 POLICY D3: Urban Fabric 91 POLICY D4: Streets and Spaces 91 POLICY D5: Building Design 92 POLICY D6: Amenity 93 POLICY D7: Infill and Backland Development 95 POLICY D8: Lighting 135 POLICY PCS6: Unstable Land 97 POLICY D9: Advertisements & Outdoor Street Furniture 136 POLICY PCS7: Water Source Protection Zones 98 POLICY D10: Public Realm 137 POLICY PCS7A: Foul Sewage Infrastructure 99 HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT 137 POLICY PCS8: Bath Hot Springs 102 POLICY HE1: Historic Environment 138 BUILDING STRONG AND VIBRANT COMMUNITIES 104 POLICY HE2: Somersetshire Coal Canal and the Wansdyke 139 MEETING HOUSING NEEDS 105 LANDSCAPE 141 POLICY CP9: Affordable Housing 108 POLICY NE2: Conserving and Enhancing the Landscape and Landscape 143 POLICY RA4: Rural Exception Sites Character 146 POLICY H1: Housing and Facilities for the Elderly, People with Other Supported 111 POLICY NE2A: Landscape Setting of Settlements Housing or Care Needs 112 POLICY NE2B: Extension of Residential Gardens in the Countryside 147 POLICY CP10: Housing Mix 113 NATURE CONSERVATION 148 POLICY H2: Houses in Multiple Occupation 115 POLICY NE3: Sites, Species and Habitats 149 POLICY H3: Residential Uses in Existing Buildings 116 POLICY NE4: Ecosystem Services 150 POLICY H4: Self-build 117 POLICY NE5: Ecological Networks 150 POLICY H5: Retention of Existing Housing Stock 118 POLICY NE6: Trees and Woodland Conservation 153 POLICY H6: Moorings 119 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE 154 POLICY H7: Housing Accessibility 121 POLICY CP7: Green Infrastructure 154 POLICY H8: Affordable Housing Regeneration Schemes 124 POLICY NE1: Development and Green Infrastructure 156 POLICY CP11: Gypsies, Travellers & Travelling Showpeople 125 GREEN BELT 157 MEETING LOCAL COMMUNITY AND RECREATIONAL NEEDS 126 POLICY CP8: Green Belt 158 POLICY LCR1: Safeguarding Local Community Facilities 128 POLICY GB1: Visual Amenities of the Green Belt 159 POLICY RA3: Community Facilities 128 POLICY GB2: Development in Green Belt Villages 160 POLICY LCR1A: Public Houses 129 POLICY GB3: Extensions and Alterations to Buildings in the Green Belt 161 POLICY LCR2: New or Replacement Community Facilities 130 POLLUTION, CONTAMINATION & SAFETY 162 POLICY LCR3: Land Safeguarded for Primary School Use 131 POLICY PCS1: Pollution and Nuisance 163 POLICY LCR3A: Primary School Capacity 132 POLICY PCS2: Noise and Vibration 164 POLICY LCR4: Safeguarding Land for Cemeteries 133 POLICY PCS3: Air Quality 166 POLICY LCR5: Safeguarding Existing Sport & Recreational Facilities 133 POLICY PCS4: Hazardous Substances 168 POLICY LCR6: New and Replacement Sports and Recreational Facilities 134 POLICY PCS5: Contamination 169 POLICY LCR6A: Local Green Spaces 170 POLICY LCR7: Recreational Development Proposals Affecting Waterways 211 PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT 171 POLICY LCR7A: Telecommunications Development 215 POLICY ST1: Promoting Sustainable Travel 173 POLICY LCR7B: Broadband 215 POLICY ST2: Sustainable Transport Routes 174 POLICY LCR7C: Commercial Riding Establishments 216 POLICY ST2A: Recreational Routes 176 POLICY LCR8: Protecting Allotments 218 POLICY ST3: Transport Infrastructure 177 POLICY LCR9: Increasing the Provision of Local Food Growing 218 POLICY ST4: Rail Freight Facility 219 POLICY ST5: Traffic Management Proposals 178 A PROSPEROUS ECONOMY 221 POLICY ST6: Park and Ride 179 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 223 POLICY ST7: Transport Requirements for Managing Development 182 POLICY ED1A: Office Development 235 POLICY ST8: Airport and Aerodrome Safeguarding Areas 184 POLICY ED1B: Change of Use & Redevelopment of B1(a) Office to Residential Use 185 POLICY ED1C: Change of Use and Redevelopment of B1(a) Office Use to Other Town 236 MINERALS AND WASTE Centre Use 238 POLICY CP8a: Minerals 189 POLICY ED2A: Strategic and Other Primary Industrial Estates 239 POLICY M1: Mineral Safeguarding Areas 190 POLICY ED2B: Non-strategic Industrial Premises 240 POLICY M2: Minerals Allocations 191 SUSTAINING A BUOYANT RURAL ECONOMY 241 POLICY M3: Aggregate Recycling Facilities 193 POLICY RE1: Employment Uses in the Countryside 241 POLICY M4: Winning and Working of Minerals 194 POLICY RE2: Agricultural Development 244 POLICY M5: Conventional & Unconventional Hydrocarbons 195 POLICY RE3: Farm Diversification 196 POLICY RE4: Essential Dwellings for Rural Workers 246 INFRASTRUCTURE 197 POLICY RE5: Agricultural Land 248 POLICY CP13: Infrastructure Provision 198 POLICY RE6: Re-use of Rural Buildings 248 CIL/Planning Obligations 199 POLICY RE7: Visitor Accommodation 200 CENTRES AND RETAILING 202 POLICY CP12: Centres and Retailing 205 POLICY CR1: Sequential Test 206 POLICY CR2: Impact Assessments 208 POLICY CR3: Primary Shopping Areas and Primary Shopping Frontages 209 POLICY CR4: Dispersed Local Shops FORMAT NOTE The Local Plan 2011-2029 comprises two separate Development Plan Documents: the Core Strategy (adopted July 2014) and the Placemaking Plan (adopted July 2017). Core Strategy policies and strategic objectives are shown with a light yellow background and Placemaking Plan policies are shown with a light blue background. The latter includes those Core Strategy policies that have been superseded by the Placemaking Plan. Text which supports a Core Strategy policy is shown with a white background and text supporting a Placemaking Plan policy is shown with a light grey background. Please note that for those Core Strategy policies now superseded by the Placemaking Plan all supporting text is shown with a light grey background. Through the preparation of the Placemaking Plan only elements of the Core Strategy supporting text for these policies was amended or updated. The original Core Strategy supporting text can be viewed in the adopted Core Strategy. VISION AND DISTRICT-WIDE STRATEGY INTRODUCTION 1. 3. 5. The Core Strategy is a key policy This volume sets out: The Core Strategy, Part 1 of the Local Plan, document for Bath & North East Somerset does not set out site-specific proposals, • Where we are now: The Spatial Portrait (B&NES) that puts in place a strategic other than the Strategic Site Allocations; uses a wide evidence base of information, planning framework to guide change and instead it looks at the broad locations for statistics, studies and community development in the District over the next delivering new development. Policies involvement to identify the District’s 20 years and beyond. in the Core Strategy do not overlap main social, physical and economic with each other and therefore the Core 2. characteristics and the key, strategic Strategy should be read as a whole. The The Core Strategy is shaped by the issues it faces. Placemaking Plan, Part 2 of the Local challenges that are specific to the District • Where we would like to be: The Spatial Plan, covers site allocations, detailed and the aspirations of its communities. Vision and Strategic Objectives look development management policies as These have been captured within two key forward to 2029, setting out how we well as local designations for the different documents: expect the District and its places to have places within the District, and the Joint • The Sustainable Community Strategy changed and developed. Waste Core Strategy prepared by the is the ‘overarching’ strategy for B&NES four West of England authorities sets out • How we get there: The Spatial Strategy which has been prepared by the a spatial strategy for dealing with waste is the means of delivering the vision and Local Strategic Partnership and sets including the allocation of sites. Details of objectives. out a vision for the area to become a other documents, under preparation are set “distinctive place, with vibrant sustainable 4. out in the Local Development Scheme. communities, where everyone fulfils their Subsequent volumes set out the policy potential”. The Core Strategy is the spatial framework for the District’s different places, expression of the B&NES Sustainable as well as general policies. Community Strategy; • The Council’s long-term economic and regeneration aspirations for the main urban centres within the District are set out in the Futures for Bath, Keynsham and Somer Valley. 9 PLACEMAKING 6. 12. Placemaking is a process and way of What is the