Hertsmere Local Plan Through to 2011 Produced by the Planning, Transport and Building Control Unit External Services Hertsmere Borough Council Civic Offices, Elstree Way Borehamwood Herts. WD6 1WA ADOPTED 19th MAY 2003 Telephone: 020 8207 2277 Fax: 020 8207 7444 E mail: [email protected] 1 Hertsmere Local Plan - Adopted 2003 2 Hertsmere Local Plan - Adopted 2003 Foreword The planning system has a key role to play not just in controlling land use, but in positively promoting sustainable development. The Government emphasises that planning should be plan led, and that all local authorities should have up to date District-wide Local Plans which are reviewed regularly. This new Local Plan for Hertsmere, formally replaces the Hertsmere District Plan First Review 1991. Hertsmere’s location immediately north of London, and its good links to the strategic road and rail networks, mean that the area experiences considerable development pressures which need to be guided to appropriate locations in order to protect the local environment. The general aim of this Plan is to secure, and allow for, essential local facilities, homes and employment to be provided whilst ensuring that the environment of the Borough is protected and enhanced and that the Green Belt is maintained. The main Public Local Inquiry into objections to the Hertsmere Local Plan Deposit Version 1998 was held between May and August 1999 and the Council received the Inspector's Report in February 2000. In July 2000 the Council's Environment Committee considered the Inspector's recommendations and agreed a schedule of responses together with reasons, where applicable, for not agreeing with the Inspector's recommendations. A set of further material and non-material modifications were agreed and the material modifications were placed on deposit in September and October 2000. The approved modifications became the Council's operative policies for determining planning applications from the beginning of the Deposit period. Further representations were received, a number of which raised issues that were not debated at the original Inquiry, and in February 2001 the Council's Environment Committee resolved to hold a limited Modifications Inquiry. The Committee also resolved to approve a number of minor, non-material modifications to the emerging Plan. The Modifications Inquiry was held in September 2001. Four matters were considered. The second Inspector's report was received on 17 October 2001. Officers sought clarification from the Inspector on three matters and this clarification was received on 5 November 2001. The report was published and made available for inspection and purchase soon after. Detailed reports on each of the outstanding matters were presented to a series of meetings of the Council's Regulatory Committee on 9 April, 30 July and 26 November 2002. On 8 January 2003 The Council resolved to placed further modifications on deposit. The Deposit period ran from 24 January until 7 March 2003. On 9 April The Council resolved to formally publish the intention to adopt this plan. 3 Hertsmere Local Plan - Adopted 2003 4 Hertsmere Local Plan - Adopted 2003 Contents Page No. Foreword 3 Introduction 19 Reasons For a New Plan 19 Scope of Plan 20 Timescale - through to 2011 20 The Process 20 Strategy 23 Introduction 23 Concept of Sustainable Development 23 Strategic Context 25 National Policy 25 Regional Guidance 25 County Policy 26 The Hertsmere Context 27 A Strategy for Hertsmere 29 Local Plan Objectives 30 Key Policies 31 Policy K1: Sustainable Development 31 Policy K2: Development Strategy 31 Countryside 33 Background and Objectives 33 The Green Belt 34 Policy C1: Green Belt 35 Policy C2: Safeguarded Land General Principles 36 Reuse of Buildings in the Green Belt 36 Policy C3: Reuse of Buildings in the Green Belt 36 Green Belt Development Criteria 37 5 Hertsmere Local Plan - Adopted 2003 Policy C4: Development Criteria in the Green Belt 37 Policy C5: House Extensions and Replacement Dwellings in 38 the Green Belt Policy C6: Elstree and Shenley Villages - Infilling 39 Watling Chase Community Forest 39 Policy C7: Watling Chase Community Forest 39 Gateway Sites 40 Policy C8: Watling Chase Community Forest Gateway Sites 40 Landscape 40 Policy C9: Landscape Conservation Areas 41 Policy C10: Landscape Character 41 Agricultural Land 41 Policy C11: Agricultural Land - Protecting Higher Grades 41 Workers' Dwellings 42 Policy C12: Agricultural, Forestry and Equestrian Workers' 42 Dwellings Policy C13: Agricultural, Forestry and Equestrian Workers' 43 (temporary) Dwellings Policy C14: Agricultural, Forestry and Equestrian Workers' 43 Dwellings - occupancy Rural Diversification 44 Policy C15: Farm and Countryside Diversification 44 Tourism 44 Horses 44 Policy C16: Equestrian Developments 45 Cemeteries and Memorial Gardens in the Green Belt 46 Policy C17: Cemeteries and Memorial Gardens 46 Major Developed Sites in the Green Belt 46 Policy C18: Major Developed Sites in the Green Belt 47 Hospital Sites 48 6 Hertsmere Local Plan - Adopted 2003 Policy C19: Shenley Hospital 48 Policy C20: Harperbury Hospital 49 Housing 51 Background Trends 51 Strategic Guidance 52 Objectives 52 Housing Provision 53 Housing Land Availability 53 Policy H1: Housing Land - Overall Supply 54 Planned Regeneration 54 Policy H2: Housing Sites - Estimated 55 Policy H3: Surplus Schools in Borehamwood 56 Policy H4: Green Belt Safeguarded Land for Housing 58 Phasing of Housing Sites 59 Policy H5: Phasing of Housing Sites 60 Effective Use of Urban Land 60 Protection of the Existing Housing Stock 61 Policy H6: Retention of Existing Residential Accommodation 61 Housing Mix 61 Policy H7: Housing Mix 62 Residential Development Standards 62 Policy H8: Residential Development Standards 62 Increased Densities in Urban Areas 64 Policy H9: Redevelopment for Apartments in Existing Urban 64 Areas Infilling Within Existing Street Frontages 64 Back Gardens 65 Policy H10: Back Garden Development 65 Residential Conversions 65 7 Hertsmere Local Plan - Adopted 2003 Policy H11: Residential Conversions 65 Ancillary Accommodation - Special Needs 66 Sheltered Housing 66 Policy H12: Sheltered Housing 66 Residential Development in Town and District Centre 66 Locations Conversion of Existing Premises 66 Policy H13: Changes of Use to Residential 67 Redevelopment in Town and District Centre Locations 67 Policy H14: New Residential Development in Town and District 68 Centre Locations Accessible Housing 68 Policy H15: Accessible Housing and the Ability to Adapt 69 Affordable Housing 69 Policy H16: Affordable Housing Provision 71 Affordable Housing in Rural Areas 72 Policy H17: Affordable Housing Provision in Rural Villages and 72 Settlements Business & Employment 73 Background 73 Strategic Background 75 National Guidance 75 Regional and County Guidance 75 Objectives and Overall Strategy 76 Land and Floorspace Needs 76 Policy B1: Employment Areas 79 Policy B2: Employment Areas - Offices and Other Employment 79 Generating Uses Policy B3: Cranborne Road Employment Area 80 Policy B4: Stirling Way Employment Area 81 8 Hertsmere Local Plan - Adopted 2003 Policy B5: Centennial Park 81 Town and District Centre Regeneration 82 Policy B6: Class B1(a) Development 82 Policy B7: Borehamwood Town Centre - Revitalisation 83 Other Employment Locations 84 Policy B8: Re-use or Redevelopment of Employment Sites 84 Located Outside Employment Areas and Town and District Centres Environmental and Design Considerations 84 Policy B9: Employment Development - Environmental and 84 Design Considerations Development of Small Business Estates or Managed Units 85 Policy B10: Small Business Units 85 Homeworking 85 Policy B11: Homeworking 85 Business Support Services 86 Town Centres and Shopping 87 Introduction 87 Strategic Background 87 Recent Trends 88 Hierarchy of Shopping Centres 89 Town and District Centres 91 Policy T1: Town and District Centre Action Plans 92 Policy T2: Town and District Centre Regeneration Proposals 93 Other Considerations 93 General Retail Policies 94 Policy T3: Town and District Centres - Retail and Commercial 95 Developments Neighbourhood Centres, Local Parades and Individual 96 Shops Policy T4: Shop Units - Redevelopment Opportunities 96 9 Hertsmere Local Plan - Adopted 2003 Policy T5: Shopping Facilities - Areas of Deficiency 97 Changes of Use 97 Policy T6: Non-Retail Uses - Locational Criteria 98 Policy T7: Non-Retail Uses - Other Criteria 99 Development in Shopping Centres - Environmental 99 Considerations Policy T8: Development in Shopping Centres - Environmental 99 Considerations Car Boot Sales and Other Forms of Temporary Sales 100 Policy T9: Car Boot Sales and Other Forms of Temporary 100 Sales Leisure, Sport & Recreation 103 Objectives 103 Strategic Background 103 General Policies 104 Policy L1: Leisure and Recreational Developments - General 105 Principles Policy L2: Leisure and Recreational Developments - 105 Environmental Criteria Open Space: Background 106 Open Space Hierarchy 106 Policy L3: Urban Open Land Areas 108 Open Space Standards 109 Recreational Deficiencies: Planning Implications 110 Policy L4: Public Open Space: Proposed Sites 112 Play Spaces 112 Residential Development and Recreational Demand 112 Policy L5: Recreational Provision for Residential Developments 113 Rights of Way 113 Sports Facilities 113 Policy L6: Sports Facilities 114 10 Hertsmere Local Plan - Adopted 2003 Policy L7: Playing Fields - Retention for Community Needs 115 School Sports 115 Allotments 116 Policy L8: Allotments 117 Tourism 117 Policy L9: