Sandwell Development Plan Monitoring Report 2015/16 ‘the Authorities Monitoring Report’ 1 CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Introduction to the Black Country Chapter 3 Planning Policy Framework Update Local Development Scheme (LDS) S106 Agreements and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Duty to Co-operate Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) Chapter 4 Spatial Strategy and Delivery Chapter 5 Creating Sustainable Communities Chapter 6 The Economy, Employment and Centres Chapter 7 Centres and Town Centre Uses Chapter 8 Transport and Accessibility Chapter 9 Environmental Infrastructure Chapter 10 Development Constraints, Telecommunications and Development Management Chapter 11 Waste Chapter 12 Minerals Chapter 13 Tipton AAP Chapter 14 Smethwick AAP Chapter 15 Significant Effects Indicators Chapter 16 Conclusion Glossary Appendix 1: Duty to Cooperate Member Groups Appendix 2: Black Country Housing Trajectory 2 1.0 Introduction The AMR is required by section 35 of the 2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act to assess: The implementation of the Local Development Scheme (LDS); and The extent to which policies in the Local Plan are being achieved. The Localism Act 2011 removed the requirement for Annual Monitoring Reports to be submitted to the Secretary of State. However, local authorities are still required to undertake monitoring at least annually. The AMR monitors the suite of adopted Local Plan, which this year includes Black Country Core Strategy (BCCS) 2011 Site Allocation and Delivery DPD (SAD DPD) 2012 West Bromwich Area Action Plan (WB AAP) 2012 Smethwick Area Action Plan (SAAP) 2008 Tipton Area Action Plan (TAAP) 2008 Subsequent to the adoption of the BCCS in 2011 each of the four authority’s produce an AMR that incorporates the indicators from the BCCS but will also reflect their own situation. The monitoring period for this document is 1st April 2015 – 31st March 2016. 1.1 Monitoring Framework A monitoring framework was prepared for the first annual monitoring report in 2004/5 and has been used to produce all subsequent AMRs with additions as necessary. It uses measureable indicators to help assess progress towards the aims and targets set in our planning policy documents. In order to achieve a broad monitoring framework, there are three different types of indicators: Contextual Indicators: set out the wider context within which the Local Plan operates. The indicators set out the key characteristics and the issues in the locality. Output Indicators: are spilt into core (COI), local (LOI) and Sandwell only (SLOI) indicators. They measure the physical activities that are directly related to, and are a consequence of, the implementation of planning policies. Significant Effects Indicators: monitor the effects of plans and policies on social, environmental and economic issues. These are linked to Strategic Environmental Assessments and Sustainability Appraisals of Local Plans. 3 2.0 Introduction to the Black Country The Black Country is a sub-region of the West Midlands located to the west of Birmingham. In local government terms the Black Country is defined as the four local authority districts of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Figure 1: Map of the Black Country (Source: Black Country Observatory) 2.1 Sandwell Sandwell is surrounded by urban areas as it borders Birmingham and the other three Black Country authorities. It has good transport links with the M5 and M6 transecting the borough and good public transport links with the Midland Metro and the West Coast Main Line railway. Despite its predominantly urban character Sandwell has many areas of open space which includes twelve award winning green flag parks and approximately 820 hectares of Green Belt, which contribute to its environmental quality and attractiveness. Demographic Profile According to the 2016 mid-year estimates sourced from the Office of National Statistics shows that Sandwell had a population of 322,200, this is the second largest population in the Black Country behind Dudley. The 0-14 age group made up 20.9% of the population, which is higher than the national average of 17.9%. The over 65 age group accounts for 15.20% of the population within the borough, this is below the national average of 15.3%. The population density for the borough works out at 36.82 persons to the hectare. Information sourced from Sandwell Trends and based on the 2011 Census shows that the borough has an ethnically diverse population with 32.8% of the population 4 being from an ethnic minority. The largest ethnic minority is of Asian origin, which makes 18.8% of the population this is followed by mixed race 6.52%, Afro Caribbean 5.8% and other 1.52%. Economic Profile Vitality amongst the labour market can be measured through the proportion of working age (16-64) people who are in, or actively seeking, employment. Figures from 2014/15 show that the economic activity rate was 70.60% in Sandwell compared to a rate of 77.90% for England. There are currently 131,900 employees working with in Sandwell and in terms of employment there remains a relatively large reliance on manufacturing. Management and professional occupations (29.40%) make up the largest section of the workforce within the borough, followed by plant and machinery operatives and elementary occupations (424.00%), administration and secretarial (24.00%) and care/leisure and other service occupations (22.60%). Compared to the national averages Sandwell is well below the national average (44.90%) for management and professional occupations and is above the national average (17.20%) for machinery operatives and elementary occupations. This shows that the borough’s economy is still heavily reliant on the manufacturing sector. Figures for 2016 show the average weekly earnings of those living in Sandwell was £456.3 compared to £507.8in the West Midlands and £541 nationally. Compared to the three other Black Country areas of Dudley (£511.6), Walsall (£464.3) and Wolverhampton (£440.8) Sandwell has the second lowest average weekly earnings within the sub-region. Unemployment in Sandwell between July 2014 and June 2015 stood at 8.2% of the economic active 16 to 64 age group, this compared to a national figure of 5.1%. This shows that unemployment is an issue for the borough with it nearly running at double the national rate. Data from the last three years shows that the number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) in Sandwell has fallen from 7.2% in March 2012 to 3.6% in March 2016. This has followed the national trend where the number of claimants has fallen from 4% to 1.8% over the same period. The figures do show that long term unemployment is on the decrease with the figures for JSA claimants who have been unemployed for over one year increased from 2.4% to 2.6% and those who have been unemployed for over two years increased from 0.9% to 1.1%. These percentages are based on the percentage proportion of resident population aged 16-64 claiming JSA. Business creation in the Black Country also declined under these economic conditions, with the number of new businesses per 10,000 adult populations decreasing from 2007 to 2010. However, the 2011 figures indicated an upturn with all four districts experiencing an increase in business creation rates. This has sustained through to the latest 2012 figures in Dudley and Walsall, with slight falls in 5 the other two districts. There were 37.8 new businesses created per 10,000 adult populations in both Dudley and Wolverhampton, 37.3 in Walsall and 36.1 in Sandwell. The rate in England has been consistently higher and stood at 55.3 in 2012. Sustaining new business activity has also been increasingly difficult in recent times, as illustrated by the proportion of new Black Country businesses that ceased trading within a year, which more than doubled from 5.1% in 2007 to 12.1% in 2010, with rates of 11% in Sandwell and Wolverhampton, 12.1% in Walsall and 13.9% in Dudley. However, the latest 2011 figures show that the percentage of businesses folding within a year has fallen in all four Black Country districts to stand at 5.7% in Wolverhampton, 6.2% in Walsall, 6.6% in Dudley and 7.3% in Sandwell; the England equivalent was 6.9%. Developing a skills base amongst the workforce is essential to economic development. Figures from 2014 indicate that the percentage of working age people with no qualifications in Sandwell (19.2%) is double that of the national average for England (8.8%). Conversely fewer people have higher skills gained qualifications of NVQ level 4 (and equivalent) and above with only 21.6% of people with the 16 to 64 age group gaining such qualifications. Figures show that over the last five years the numbers of people gaining qualifications of NVQ level 4 (and equivalent) has increase from 17.5% in 2010, but this is also true at the national level, meaning there has been no significant narrowing in the skills gap. Housing Profile As of April 2014 there were 128,790 dwellings in the Sandwell. The large majority of dwellings 59.9% are in the private ownership, 22.2% are council rented, 4.8% social rented and 12.9% private rented. House prices at the national level had been on a general downward trend since the last peak in 2007, but are now showing strong signs of a reversal with an average price of a house in Sandwell being £126,245 in 2014 nationally the average price is £267,000. Transport Profile 2011 Census results show that the car (67.7%) is the most used form of transport when travelling to work within Sandwell. In the borough 14.2% travel to work by bus and 10% walk to work, which is representative of the national picture (10.7%).