WIGANLOCALDEVELOPMENTFRAMEWORK Core Strategy Preferred Options Report (June 2009) Wigan Council LDF Contents ONE Introduction 3 TWO How to get involved 8 THREE Spatial portrait 11 A 'spatial portrait' of Wigan Borough 11 Wigan 17 Standish, Aspull & Shevington 19 Orrell and Billinge 21 Ashton and Bryn 23 Golborne and Lowton 24 Leigh 26 Atherton 28 Tyldesley and Astley 30 Hindley and Abram 32 FOUR Key issues 35 FIVE Key evidence 37 SIX Spatial vision 41 SEVEN Strategic objectives and monitoring 43 EIGHT Choosing our preferred options 65 NINE Our preferred spatial policies 67 TEN Our preferred core policies 115 ELEVEN Our preferred development management policies 179 WIGANLOCALDEVELOPMENTFRAMEWORK Core Strategy Preferred Options Report (June 2009) Wigan Council LDF TWELVE The alternative spatial options 196 Focus on the east of the borough 196 Focus on the west of the borough 200 Focus on the outer areas of the borough 203 Disperse development across the borough 205 THIRTEEN Next steps 209 A Changes to the proposals map: conservation areas 211 B Changes to the proposals map: sites of biological importance 217 WIGANLOCALDEVELOPMENTFRAMEWORK Core Strategy Preferred Options Report (June 2009) Wigan Council LDF ONE Introduction 1.1 Welcome to the second ‘formal’ stage in the preparation of Wigan’s Local Development Framework Core Strategy - our 'Preferred Options'. It follows on from the previous 'Issues and Options' stage that we consulted widely on in February – April 2008 and builds on the contributions made at that stage and our wider findings. It is again a genuine opportunity for people who live in the borough and other ‘stakeholders’ to get involved in shaping how the borough will work and look in the future. 1.2 This 'Preferred Options’ document is still not a draft Core Strategy: it sets out our preferences for wide consideration and debate. We believe that these options will best address the issues we face. And this is your opportunity now to tell us what you agree with and what you do not agree with, and why. The views we receive will inform us in producing our proposed plan at the next stage - the 'pre-submission' stage - scheduled for mid 2010 - see chapter 13 'Next steps'. 1.3 There are a number of questions throughout the document that we would like you to consider and respond to if you wish. Hopefully they are broad enough for you to let us know your views, whatever it is you wish to tell us. Details of where to find all the documents, how to get involved and how to contact us can be found in the next chapter. 1.4 We have already consulted with and involved many people in the preparation of this document, in our research and evidence gathering, at the Issues and Options stage and through the Sustainability Appraisal. This is outlined in our 'consultation report', which includes a 'you said, we reply' section in an appendix. The results of this are reflected both in this document, in the supporting Interim Sustainability Appraisal Report and in more detail in our series of topic papers. You can view all of these documents on our website (www.wigan.gov.uk/ldfcorestrategy) and in libraries. The topics covered include: Health and recreation Community safety and neighbourhood quality Community development and involvement Education and learning Economy and employment 3 WIGANLOCALDEVELOPMENTFRAMEWORK Core Strategy Preferred Options Report (June 2009) Wigan Council LDF Housing Retail and centres Accessibility Built environment and landscape Wildlife habitats and species Energy Waste Natural resources and pollution 1.5 Clearly, since our Issues and Options stage the economy has experienced a sharp downturn and we are now in recession. This will have a significant impact on how much development comes forward and how it can be delivered, particularly in the early years of the Core Strategy. However, we have a choice. We can sit back and wait for the economy to recover, or we can actively prepare for when it recovers. We believe that the borough needs to be well prepared to take advantage of opportunities once the recovery is underway. Our preferred options are presented on that basis. What is a Core Strategy? 1.6 The Core Strategy is the key strategic document in our Local Development Framework. When it is adopted in 2011, it will set out our spatial vision, strategic objectives and spatial strategy for the borough. It will include core policies, a key diagram and a revised Proposals Map to guide development. The key diagram will show broad locations and the Proposals Map will show key strategic sites. Other less strategic sites will not be designated through the Core Strategy. There will also be clear implementation (delivery) and monitoring frameworks. 1.7 The Core Strategy has to be in general conformity with the Regional Spatial Strategy and should reflect the borough's Sustainable Community Strategy. It should also draw on other strategies that have implications for the development and use of land, including the Local Transport Plan. 1.8 It has to be informed by a robust and credible evidence base and the contents of the document will be shaped by sustainability appraisal and the outcomes of extensive community and stakeholder engagement. 4 WIGANLOCALDEVELOPMENTFRAMEWORK Core Strategy Preferred Options Report (June 2009) Wigan Council LDF 1.9 Any other policy document prepared as part of our Local Development Framework, such as a site allocations plan, an area action plan or a supplementary planning document, will have to be ‘in conformity’ with the Core Strategy. What is the local development framework? 1.10 A local development framework is the planning strategy for a borough or district. It was introduced by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. 1.11 Our Local Development Framework will replace the Wigan Unitary Development Plan (April 2006) that was prepared under the previous planning system. 1.12 The previous system was perceived as being too inflexible and difficult to change in a timely manner. The new system is intended to improve this situation by replacing a single development plan with a new ‘portfolio’ of documents. These can be prepared to suit the different needs of a particular area and can be more easily updated. 1.13 We have already produced a number of documents within the Local Development Framework. These include: A Local Development Scheme, which sets out what policy documents we will prepare and why, how and when we will prepare them. A Statement of Community Involvement, which sets out how people can get involved in the preparation of our policy documents. An Annual Monitoring Report that sets out information on the borough’s social, economic and environmental performance and monitors whether our planning policies are doing what they are intended to do. Supplementary Planning Documents that are supplementary to policies in development plan documents, currently the Unitary Development Plan, which is ‘saved’ until the Core Strategy is adopted. They provide more detailed guidance on policies. What is spatial planning? 1.14 Planning is about making decisions on how our borough will work in the best interests of the widest number of people, balancing sometimes competing social, economic and environmental demands and personal and private interests. Traditionally this has been based on a more restrictive ‘land-use planning’ approach, which focused on the development and use of 5 WIGANLOCALDEVELOPMENTFRAMEWORK Core Strategy Preferred Options Report (June 2009) Wigan Council LDF land. However, spatial planning goes further and recognises and addresses a wider range of issues that affect our communities and the areas we live, such as health, education, crime, deprivation, environmental sustainability and accessibility. It should promote the social, economic and environmental well-being of the area. And it should ensure ‘buy in’ from throughout the public sector and the private and the third (voluntary) sectors, in order to deliver the strategy. In doing this it should provide the ‘spatial expression’ for the borough's Sustainable Communities Strategy 'Vision 2026'. What this consultation will focus on 1.15 As we have already stated, we want your feedback on this document. We want to know if you agree or disagree with our 'preferred spatial (area-based) policy principles', our 'preferred core (topic-based) policy principles' and our preferred 'development management policy principles'. Are they the best way for spatial planning to tackle the key issues that we face, meet the objectives that we have set and deliver the vision that we have for the borough in 2026? Are they the right key issues, objectives and vision? Or do you prefer any alternative options. 1.16 To help guide you we have split this document into several successive chapters. With the exception of the next chapter and the final chapter, each is based on our analysis of the evidence we have and the representations that we have received. 1.17 The next chapter sets out a summary of 'how to get involved'. 1.18 The next five chapters, which were also in the Issues and Options document, are: the spatial portrait of the borough, which is a ‘picture’ of the borough as it is now, in words. It sets out the social, economic and environmental characteristics of the borough in a spatial form. the key issues facing the borough, based on the evidence we have. the key sources of evidence that we have used and the key requirements arising from that evidence, for housing, employment land, retailing and open space. our long-term spatial vision for the borough up to 2026, to resolve the key issues. our strategic objectives to achieve that vision and monitoring indicators to measure how successful we are. 1.19 The next chapters are what this 'stage' is primarily about.