COPELAND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK Core Strategy & Development Management Policies Preferred Options Consultation Document May 2010 Copeland Local Development Framework Stage 2: - Preferred Options Consultation Document The consultation document is available for comment until 2nd July 2010. To view and download an electronic copy of this Preferred Options document, visit the Copeland Borough Council Website: www.copeland.gov.uk You can also view the document at all libraries in the Borough and Copeland Borough Council offices. Paper copies of the document are available on request from the contact details below. Please make any comments you have on the official Representation Form and send it to: Strategic Planning Manager Planning Policy Unit Copeland Borough Council The Copeland Centre Catherine Street Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 7SJ Telephone: 01946 598351 Email: [email protected] It would greatly aid the process if you could use the Representation Form that accompanies this document. Additional forms are available from the Council’s Planning Policy team or from the website. We will generally not acknowledge representations made, however email correspondence should receive an automated receipt. If you do not receive an automated receipt please contact Planning Policy on 01946 598531. If you require a copy of this document in an alternative format, for example, large print, Braille, audio cassette or an alternative language, please call 0845 054 8600. Photographs on front cover used with kind permission of Brian Sherwen and the NDA. Copeland LDF Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Preferred Options – May 2010 i Contents 1 Planning Copeland’s Future .............................................................................. 2 1.2 This Report ............................................................................................... 3 1.3 Current Planning Policy Framework.......................................................... 5 1.4 Copeland Local Development Framework ................................................ 6 1.5 Steps in the Process of Producing the LDF Documents ........................... 7 1.6 Your Views and Responses ...................................................................... 8 2 Setting the Strategy ........................................................................................ 10 2.1 Context ................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Drivers of Change and the Growth Agenda ............................................ 12 2.3 The Spatial Vision for Copeland ............................................................. 18 3 Strategic Policies ............................................................................................ 22 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 22 3.2 Principles for Development ..................................................................... 22 3.3 Spatial Development Strategy ................................................................ 24 3.4 Strategic Regeneration Priorities ............................................................ 30 3.5 Strategic Infrastructure Policy ................................................................. 33 4 Economic Opportunity and Regeneration ....................................................... 37 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 37 4.2 Planning for the Energy Coast ................................................................ 37 4.3 Space for Economic Development .......................................................... 44 4.4 Quality of Employment Space ................................................................. 45 4.5 Location of Employment ......................................................................... 47 4.6 Developing Town Centres & Other Centres ............................................ 49 4.7 Whitehaven Town Centre ....................................................................... 50 4.8 The Key Service Centres, Local Centres and other smaller centres ....... 52 4.9 Tourism Renaissance ............................................................................. 54 4.10 Developing Enterprise & Skills ................................................................ 56 5 Sustainable Settlements ................................................................................. 60 5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 60 5.2 Improving the Housing Offer ................................................................... 60 5.3 Sustainable Housing Growth .................................................................. 62 5.4 Housing Needs, Mix and Affordability ..................................................... 64 Copeland LDF Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Preferred Options – May 2010 ii 5.5 Community Facilities and Services ......................................................... 67 6 Accessibility and Transport ............................................................................. 71 6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 71 6.2 Improving Accessibility and Transport .................................................... 71 7 Environmental Protection and Enhancement .................................................. 75 7.1 Introduction ............................................................................................. 75 7.2 Flood Risk ............................................................................................... 75 7.3 Coastal Management .............................................................................. 77 7.4 Biodiversity and Geodiversity .................................................................. 79 7.5 Built Environment & Heritage .................................................................. 80 7.6 Landscape .............................................................................................. 81 7.7 Countryside Access ................................................................................ 83 8 Delivering Place-making: Copeland’s Localities ............................................. 86 8.1 The Localities in Copeland ...................................................................... 86 8.2 The Whitehaven Locality Area ................................................................ 89 8.3 Cleator Moor ........................................................................................... 99 8.4 Egremont .............................................................................................. 104 8.5 Mid Copeland ........................................................................................ 110 8.6 South Copeland / Millom ....................................................................... 113 8.7 The Sellafield sub-Locality Area ........................................................... 119 Implications of Preferred Options on Sellafield ........................................................ 121 9 Development Management ........................................................................... 124 9.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... 124 9.2 Development Management for Economic Opportunity and Regeneration124 9.3 Development Management for Sustainable Settlements ...................... 137 9.4 Development Management for Accessibility and Transport .................. 151 9.5 Development Management for Environmental Protection and Enhancement ........................................................................................ 153 10 Monitoring and Implementation Framework .................................................. 164 11 APPENDIX 1: Note on Economic and Housing Scenarios ............................ 187 11.1 Purpose of the Note .............................................................................. 187 11.2 Economic Forecasts & Scenarios: the Experian 2007 work .................. 187 11.3 Other economic scenarios .................................................................... 188 11.4 Summary on economic scenarios ......................................................... 190 Copeland LDF Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Preferred Options – May 2010 iii 11.5 Housing ................................................................................................. 190 11.6 Using the Scenarios .............................................................................. 191 12 APPENDIX 2: Glossary ................................................................................. 193 13 APPENDIX 3: List of Reference Documents ................................................. 204 Copeland LDF Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Preferred Options – May 2010 iv List of Draft Preferred Options Policies ST1 – Strategic Development Principles ................................................................... 22 ST2 – Spatial Development Strategy ......................................................................... 25 ST3 – Strategic Regeneration Priorities .................................................................... 31 ST4 – Strategic Infrastructure Policy ......................................................................... 33 ER1 – Planning