CENTRAL LINCOLNSHIRE LOCAL PLAN Further Draft October 2015 Central Lincolnshire | Further Draft Local Plan - October 2015 Foreword Ensuring a flourishing future for Central Lincolnshire Central Lincolnshire is characterised by its diverse and enticing landscape. The magnificent city of Lincoln is embedded within our beautiful landscape and is surrounded by a network of picturesque towns and villages: these places, along with the social and economic opportunities in the area, make Central Lincolnshire a fantastic place to live, work and visit. But there is so much potential to make Central Lincolnshire an even better place. An even better place to live, with quality homes people can afford, easier access to shops, services and facilities, and new thriving communities, which are welcoming and safe. An even better place to work, where new facilities and infrastructure mean that businesses choose to expand or relocate here, bringing jobs and stimulating investment. An even better place to visit, a place where people choose to come to enjoy our nature, our history, our shops, our eateries and attractions, while at the same time significantly contributing to our rural and urban economies. A new Local Plan for Central Lincolnshire can do this. But we need your continued help to get it right. Building on your very helpful comments we received at the preliminary draft stage (October 2014), inside this further draft Local Plan for Central Lincolnshire are a set of revised planning policy proposals for the growth and regeneration of Central Lincolnshire over the next 20 years and beyond, together with a set of proposed sites for new development and other areas designated for protection. Once finalised, the policies within the Local Plan will make sure that our settlements grow in the right way, ensure we have homes and employment where we need them, and ensure our new communities are sustainable, accessible and inclusive. The plan will enable us, working with our partners and local communities, to realise Central Lincolnshire’s true potential. This is the second opportunity for you to comment on the emerging plan. We urge you to take this opportunity and let us know your views. Councillor Jeff Summers, Leader Councillor Mrs of West Lindsey Marion Brighton Councillor Ric Councillor Colin District Council OBE, Leader of Metcalfe, Leader John Davie, North Kesteven of City of Lincoln Lincolnshire District Council Council County Council Executive Councillor for Economic Development, Planning and Tourism i Central Lincolnshire | Further Draft Local Plan - October 2015 Preface Status of this October 2015 Document for Decision Makers This Further Draft Local Plan was approved by the Central Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee on 7 September 2015 for the purposes of public consultation. It is therefore classified as an ‘emerging’ plan. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) clarifies the position on the status of emerging plans. It states: Para 216: From the day of publication, decision makers may also give weight to relevant policies in emerging plans according to: the stage of preparation of the emerging plan (the more advanced the preparation, the greater the weight that can be given) the extent to which there are unresolved objections to relevant policies (the less significant the unresolved objections, the greater the weight that may be given); and the degree of consistency of the relevant policies in the emerging plan to the policies in this Framework (the closer the policies in the emerging plan to policies in this framework the greater the weight that may be given). This Further Draft Local Plan (October 2015) is a second draft of a new Local Plan to replace the current Local Plans of Lincoln, North Kesteven and West Lindsey. This is the second round of consultation on the new Local Plan, and a final consultation will take place in early 2016. In accordance with NPPF paragraph 216, the policies contained within this emerging plan will be used (alongside the current development plans and other material considerations) in determining planning applications, especially where it contains ‘new’ policy not currently found in either the current Local Plans or the NPPF. In helping determine proposals, the amount of ‘weight’ to be given to the content of this emerging plan in comparison with the amount of weight given to other plans, strategies and material considerations, will be a matter for the decision maker to decide and will vary depending on the specific elements of the proposal. However, at this draft stage of plan preparation, the weight is likely to be limited. ii Central Lincolnshire | Further Draft Local Plan - October 2015 Contents Main Contents 1 The Central Lincolnshire Local Plan 1 1.1 Introduction 1 2 Our Vision: A prosperous, stronger and sustainable Central Lincolnshire 4 2.1 Central Lincolnshire – a shared approach 4 2.2 Central Lincolnshire in Context 4 2.3 Key Challenges 5 2.4 Our Vision 6 2.5 Our Objectives 7 3 A Growing Central Lincolnshire 9 3.1 A Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development 9 3.2 Settlement Hierarchy, Spatial Strategy and Settlement Growth Targets 9 3.3 Level and Distribution of Growth 12 3.4 Growth in Villages 16 3.5 Economic Growth, Prosperity and Jobs 20 3.6 Retail and Town Centres 25 3.7 The Visitor Economy 28 3.8 Lincolnshire Showground 29 4 A Caring Central Lincolnshire: meeting needs and the provision of infrastructure 31 4.1 Introduction 31 4.2 Health and Wellbeing 31 4.3 Housing Standards Review 32 4.4 Meeting Accommodation Needs 33 4.5 Meeting Housing Need 34 4.6 Providing Infrastructure 36 4.7 Accessibility and Transport 38 4.8 Managing Water Resources and Flooding 42 4.9 Community Facilities 45 4.10 Development on Land affected by Contamination 47 5 A Quality Central Lincolnshire 48 5.1 Introduction 48 5.2 Our Landscape 48 Central Lincolnshire | Further Draft Local Plan - October 2015 Contents 5.3 Climate Change and Low Carbon Living 49 5.4 Renewable Energy Proposals 50 5.5 Reducing Demand on the National Grid network 51 5.6 Green Infrastructure Network 52 5.7 Green Wedges 54 5.8 Local Green Spaces 55 5.9 Biodiversity and Geodiversity 55 5.10 The Historic Environment 57 5.11 Design Principles and Amenity 60 5.12 Open Spaces, Sports and Recreation Facilities 62 5.13 Town Centre Frontages and Advertisements 63 6 Delivering Locally 65 6.1 Introduction 65 6.2 Sustainable Urban Extensions (SUEs) 65 7 Lincoln 67 7.1 Introduction 67 7.2 A Growing Lincoln 69 7.3 Lincoln's Setting and Character 69 7.4 Major Development Sites 70 7.5 Lincoln's Economy 75 7.6 Lincoln's Universities and Colleges 76 7.7 Lincoln City Centre 77 7.8 District and Local Shopping Centres 79 7.9 Regeneration and Opportunity Areas 81 7.10 Transport and Movement 82 7.11 Sub-division and multi-occupation 84 8 Gainsborough 86 8.1 Introduction 86 8.2 A Growing Gainsborough 86 8.3 Gainsborough's Urban Extensions 90 8.4 Gainsborough Southern Neighbourhood 90 8.5 Gainsborough Northern Neighbourhood 91 8.6 Gainsborough Riverside 91 Central Lincolnshire | Further Draft Local Plan - October 2015 Contents 8.7 Regenerating Gainsborough 92 8.8 Gainsborough Town Centre Boundary and Primary Shopping Area 93 9 Sleaford 94 9.1 Introduction 94 9.2 A Growing Sleaford 96 9.3 Protecting Sleaford's Setting and Character 98 9.4 Regeneration and Opportunity Areas 99 9.5 Sleaford Town Centre 101 9.6 Access and Movement 103 10 Development Sites 105 10.1 Introduction 105 10.2 Residential Allocations 106 10.3 Development in Rural Areas 119 11 Previous ‘Saved Policies’, Implementation and Monitoring 125 11.1 Saved Policies and other planning policy documents 125 Appendices A Neighbourhood Planning 127 B Growth Levels in Villages (Levels 5-6 of the settlement hierarchy) 129 C Open Space Standards 139 D Glossary 141 List of Policies Policy LP1: A Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development 9 Policy LP2: The Spatial Strategy and Settlement Hierarchy 10 Policy LP3: Level and Distribution of Growth 14 Policy LP4: Growth in Villages 17 Policy LP5: Delivering Prosperity and Jobs 22 Policy LP6: Retail and Town Centres in Central Lincolnshire 26 Policy LP7: A Sustainable Visitor Economy 28 Policy LP8: Lincolnshire Showground 29 Policy LP9: Health and Wellbeing 31 Policy LP10: Meeting Accommodation Needs 34 Policy LP11: Meeting Housing Needs 35 Policy LP12: Infrastructure to Support Growth 37 Policy LP13: Transport 41 Central Lincolnshire | Further Draft Local Plan - October 2015 Contents Policy LP14: Managing Water Resources and Flood Risk 44 Policy LP15: Community Facilities 45 Policy LP16: Development on Land affected by Contamination 47 Policy LP17: Landscape, Townscape and Views 48 Policy LP18: Climate Change and Low Carbon Living 49 Policy LP19: Renewable Energy Proposals 50 Policy LP20: Green Infrastructure Network 53 Policy LP21: Green Wedges 54 Policy LP22: Local Green Spaces 55 Policy LP23: Biodiversity and Geodiversity 56 Policy LP24: The Historic Environment 59 Policy LP25: Design and Amenity 61 Policy LP26: Open Space, Sports and Recreation Facilities 62 Policy LP27: Town Centre Frontages and Advertisements 63 Policy LP28: Sustainable Urban Extensions 65 Policy LP29: Protecting Lincoln’s setting and character 69 Policy LP30: Major Development Sites 72 Policy LP31: Lincoln’s Economy 76 Policy LP32: Lincoln’s universities and colleges 76 Policy LP33: Lincoln City Centre – Primary Shopping Area and Central Mixed Use Area 78 Policy LP34: District and Local Shopping Centres 80 Policy LP35: Regeneration and Opportunity Areas 81