Lewes District Council South Downs National Park Authority LEWES DISTRICT LOCAL PLAN PART 1 Joint Core Strategy – Submission Document Proposed Modifications Version August 2015 September 2014 Please Note: This track-changed document has been produced for illustrative purposes only. The Proposed Modifications consultation relates to Schedules 1 to 4 of Proposed Modifications and it is those schedules that should be referenced in any representations made. www.lewes.gov.uk/corestrategyexamination The Joint Core Strategy Proposed Modifications Consultation This track changes document is for information only. It incorporates the proposed Main and Additional Modifications to the Submission Joint Core Strategy (September 2014). Deleted text is shown in red with strikethrough and inserted text is shown in green. Example inserted text Example deleted text Representations are invited on the proposed modifications as set out in the four Schedules of Proposed Modifications published separately (see paragraph 1.4 below for further details). Representations will be accepted for an 8 week period from 7 August 2015 to 4pm on 2 October 2015. Representations are only sought on the proposed modifications as set out in Schedules 1 to 4. Only duly made representations relating to the proposed Main Modifications (Schedule 3) will be considered by the Inspector in his Final Report. Representations received on all other Additional (minor) Modifications will be considered by the local planning authorities only. Although the proposed Modifications have been jointly prepared by Lewes District Council and the South Downs National Park Authority, representations should be submitted to Lewes District Council, which is managing the consultation. Comments will only be considered in writing and can be sent to the district council in the following ways: Email: [email protected] Fax: 01273 484452 Post: Strategic Policy Team Lewes District Council Southover House Southover Road Lewes East Sussex BN7 1AB Full details and updates of the Core Strategy Examination and the associated examination library documents are available at www.lewes.gov.uk/corestrategyexamination 2 This document can be made available in large print, audiotape, disk or in another language upon request. Please telephone 01273 484141 or e-mail: [email protected] 3 Foreword Lewes District is predominantly rural and renowned for its diverse character and high quality environment and landscape. It comprises a collection of distinct settlements which straddle several employment and housing markets. With the coast forming the southern boundary, the South Downs National Park encompassing 56% of the district, close proximity to the vibrant university city of Brighton and Hove and excellent transport links to Gatwick and London, Lewes District is a great place to live, work, study and visit. This Local Plan Part 1 - Joint Core Strategy Proposed Modifications document Submission Document has been produced by Lewes District Council and South Downs National Park Authority working in partnership. The strategy set out is the result of extensive consultation and evidence gathering. It promotes sustainable development and sets out the scale, type and broad location of key development proposed in the district to 2030. Important local issues are addressed, such as promoting sustainable economic growth and regeneration to support the local economy; meeting changing housing needs, including the delivery of increased levels of affordable housing; and protecting and enhancing the distinctive character of the built and natural environment. The broad policy framework established in the Joint Core Strategy will be supported in due course by the preparation of further more detailed and non-strategic policies, including Neighbourhood Plans where town and parish councils choose to produce them. Together all these documents will form the comprehensive Development Plan for the district. Cllr Tom Jones Deputy Leader and Lead Councillor Cabinet Member for Planning, Lewes District Council Member of the South Downs National Park Authority 4 Contents Page Section 1 – Introduction 65 Section 2 – A portrait of Lewes District 1513 Section 3 – Key strategic issues and challenges 2422 Section 4 – A Vision for Lewes District 2826 Section 5 – Strategic objectives 3230 Section 6 – The Spatial Strategy 3533 Spatial Policy 1 (Provision of housing & employment land) 441 Spatial Policy 2 (Distribution of housing) 475 Spatial Policy 3 (North Street and Eastgate area) 530 Spatial Policy 4 (Old Malling Farm) 58 Spatial Policy 5 (Land at Greenhill Way) 6555 Spatial Policy 65 (Land north of Bishops Lane) 6959 Spatial Policy 76 (Land at Harbour Heights) 7362 Spatial Policy 8 (Lower Hoddern Farm) 78 Section 7 – Core Delivery Policies 8166 Core Policy 1 (Affordable Housing) 8170 Core Policy 2 (Housing Type, Mix and Density) 8773 Core Policy 3 (Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation) 9176 Core Policy 4 (Economic Development & Regeneration) 9681 Core Policy 5 (The Visitor Economy) 10185 Core Policy 6 (Retail and Town Centres) 10591 Core Policy 7 (Infrastructure) 11195 Core Policy 8 (Green Infrastructure) 11696 Core Policy 9 (Air Quality) 11898 Core Policy 10 (Natural Environment and Landscape) 120102 Core Policy 11 (Built and Historic Environment & Design) 124105 Core Policy 12 (Flood Risk, Coastal Erosion & Drainage) 127108 Core Policy 13 (Sustainable Travel) 130110 Core Policy 14 (Renewable and Low Carbon Energy) 132115 Appendices 137116 Appendix 1 – Glossary 139117 Appendix 2 – Proposed status of ‘saved’ Local Plan policies 146125 Appendix 3 – Monitoring Framework 148127 Appendix 4 – Housing Trajectory 168137 Appendix 5 – Maps identifying the proposed town centre 170138 boundaries and primary and secondary shopping areas Appendix 6 – Energy Opportunities Map 177 5 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Lewes District Council, in partnership with the South Downs National Park Authority (NPA), has prepared a plan that will, once adopted,to guide new development and change in the district for the period up to 2030. This plan, known as the Core Strategy, follows earlier consultations and is a the modified version of the document submitted to Government in September 2014 for an independent Examination in Public. In response to the Examination hearings and the Inspector’s recommendations in his Initial Findings letter, some Main Modifications and additional (minor) modifications have now been included. The Main Modifications will be subject to formal public consultation before the Inspector considers representations received in his Final Report. Once adopted, tThis Jjoint Core Strategy (JCS) will form Part 1 of the new Lewes District Local Plan (see paragraphs 1.5 and 1.6 for further information on this). 1.2 In January 2013, the Core Strategy Proposed Submission document was published and representations were invited on the plan. All representations made will behave been considered by the Planning Inspector appointed to conduct the Examination in Public. In advance of submitting this Core Strategy to the Secretary of State, the District Council and National Park Authority took the decision to make certain amendments to the Proposed Submission document as well as the accompanying Sustainability Appraisal report. Those amendments were published in May 2014 as ‘Focussed Amendments’ to the Proposed Submission Document and further representations were invited. All representations received on the Focussed Amendments will also bewere also submitted to the Planning Inspector for the Examination. 1.3 This Submission Modifications version document incorporates as track changes is the same as the Focussed Amendments version except that the track changes have been accepted and the contents page updated accordingly proposed updates and modifications. Details referring to the publication of the Focussed Amendments and the associated procedure for making representations have been also removed. 1.4 Four schedules of modifications have been prepared for publication, consultation and subsequent submission to the Examination as follows: Schedule 1 comprises both Main1 and Additional2 modifications as identified between the publication of the Focussed Amendments JCS in May 2014 and Submission to the Secretary of State in September 2014. This was previously submitted to the Examination as document CD/004 in September 2014 and 1 ‘Main’ Modifications are those changes that are necessary for the soundness of the plan. It is only the Main Modifications that the Inspector will deal with in his final report. 2 ‘Additional’ Modifications are all other changes (sometimes called ‘minor’ modifications) including corrections and additional supporting text and clarification, which the local planning authority considers of benefit to the plan and/or its implementation but do not change the intent of the strategy itself. 6 has been available on the examination webpage3. Its content has been considered by the Inspector, including at the Hearings, but has not yet been subject to formal publication and consultation. Schedule 2 comprises both Main and Additional Modifications as proposed to the Examination in our submitted Written Matters Statements in January 2015 as document LDC/015 and has been available on the examination webpage. It has been considered by the Inspector, including at the Hearings, but has not yet been subject to formal publication and consultation. Schedule 3 comprises all Main Modifications4 proposed in response to discussions at the Examination Hearings and in response to the Inspector’s