Rural Economy Planning Toolkit Companion Document Instructions for Using the Toolkit Useful Context Information Produced by: Funded by: Rural Economic Development Planning Toolkit This document explains how to use the toolkit in greater detail and sets out some of the broader context relevant to the development of the toolkit. Its sections are: Instructions for Using the Toolkit Economic Development Context The Emerging National Framework for Planning and Development The assessment of planning applications for rural economic development: designated sites and key issues for Leicestershire authorities What makes a good rural economic development planning proposal? Case Studies Parish Broadband Speeds The Distribution and Contribution of Rural Estates within Leicestershire Attractions in Leicester and Leicestershire Instructions - Using the Toolkit The toolkit is in the form of an interactive PDF document. Most of the text is locked, and you cannot change it. Throughout the toolkit, though, comments, information and responses are asked for, and boxes you can type in are provided. You are also asked to select 'traffic lights' – red, amber or green. It is important to understand that, if you start with a blank copy of the toolkit, the first thing you should do is save it with a different name using the 'Save as Copy' command in Acrobat Reader. This means you have now created a version of the toolkit for the particular project you are working on, and still have the blank copy of the toolkit for another time. Let's assume you have saved your copy of the PDF file as 'Project.pdf' – every time you save again you will save all of the additions and traffic light choices you have made. If you want to keep track of the changes you have made working on the toolkit, just save a series of versions with different names (v1, v2 etc. or use the date), just as you would with a Word document. You can send a copy of the pdf document by email, and people can, add to it, or add 'sticky notes' with the comments and then send it back. Overall, the whole toolkit is intended to be used as either a supporting document for a proposal or planning application, or as an assessment of a proposal or planning application. You can print it as you would any pdf file. You can also copy text from the boxes you fill in, and graphics (using the 'snapshot' tool in Acrobat Reader) such as the Overall Summary diagram, to use in other documents. Economic Development Context There is a clear and widely owned vision communicated for Leicestershire through the Local Enterprise Partnership ‘To create a prosperous economy, secure and well paid jobs and a sustainable environment through wealth creation by innovative businesses and a highly skilled workforce, we will make Leicester and Leicestershire destinations of choice for successful businesses by clearly differentiating the sub-region, as a place to do business, work and live’. The LEP has identified a number of key sectors which are particularly important to Leicestershire and its growth and has completed studies into them which can be accessed via its website: http://www.llep.org.uk/front/Sector%20Skills/sector- skills/214274 Leicestershire also has a number of key sectoral strengths which are already established across its rural districts and these are set out by district in the toolkit at Appendix 2. Taking account of this vision and priority sectors and accepting that large scale development will mostly be undertaken on established urban sites within the County the primary focus of this toolkit from an economic development perspective is: Ensuring flexibility around the growth and expansion of rural based existing businesses Supporting the establishment of business in key priority sectors where applications come forward for unallocated sites in rural Leicestershire Addressing the opportunities for the development of businesses which arise as part of farm or estate diversification activities Supporting business development in rural communities where it makes a clear contribution to sustainability either by improving local amenities/facilities or creating local employment which reduces home to work travel Supporting applications which strengthen existing rural clusters or supply chain operations. The Emerging National Framework for Planning and Development National Planning Policy National planning policy is in currently subject to change. The Localism and Decentralisation Bill currently passing through the legislative process is due to receive Royal Assent in the early part of 2012. The bill will introduce a range of far reaching changes in spatial planning. The political philosophy behind the bill is focused on reducing the influence of the state over the citizen and on handing far greater responsibility for local decision making to local communities and their elected representatives (in local government). The Localism Act will: Revoke all existing national planning policy guidance (25 PPGs and PPSs on a variety of subjects including PPS7 Development in Rural Areas, PPS4 Economic Development and PPG2 Green Belts. Introduce a new National Planning Policy Framework which will set a high level framework, objectives and guiding principles with which local development plans will need to comply Revoke all Regional Spatial Strategies, including "top down" spatial development strategies and regional housing targets Introduce a presumption in favour of sustainable development Require local authorities to maintain an up to date Local Development Plan Enable communities and neighbourhoods to create their own statutory local planning policies (via Neighbourhood Plans), grant themselves planning permission (via Neighbourhood Development Orders) and develop new homes, workspace and community facilities without the need for planning permission (via the Community Right to Build) National Planning Policy Framework A single new national planning policy framework will be introduced in the next six months. This document will replace all existing Planning Policy Guidance Notes and Statements and will set the high level framework that local planning authorities need to respect and address when preparing their local development plans. A consultation version of the Framework was published in July 2011 and sets out the government's intent to make the planning system an enabler of sustainable development. It includes a presumption in favour of sustainable development and stresses the importance of planning for growth. The framework will take priority in areas where no local development plan exists.1 The Framework puts forward a series of core principles which it states should govern the preparation of local development plans when considering development proposals. These core principles are found in paragraph 19 of the draft NPPF. They are a very useful reference to the approach which the government wants the planning system to adopt. They stress that unless proposals would compromise the key sustainable development principles (set out within the framework) that the default answer to development proposals should be "yes". They make the point that local development plans need to provide a "practical framework" which ensures that decisions on planning 1 At the time of writing (November 2011) the consultation phase has closed. The Consultation draft of the Framework has been the subject of vociferous debate with a series of high profile organisations (including the National Trust and CPRE) raising concerns about its implications. The final version of the Framework is due to be published during the first few months of 2012. applications can be made with a high degree of certainty and they set out the areas against which the potential impact of development needs to be considered. NPPF Core Planning Principles A set of core land-use planning principles should underpin both plan-making and development management and should be taken into account by all those engaged in the planning system, from local authorities and developers through to communities. These principles are: planning should be genuinely plan-led, with succinct Local Plans setting out a positive long-term vision for an area. These plans should be kept up to date and should provide a practical framework within which decisions on planning applications can be made with a high degree of certainty and efficiency planning should proactively drive and support the development that this country needs. Every effort should be made to identify and meet the housing, business, and other development needs of an area, and respond positively to wider opportunities for growth. Decision-takers at every level should assume that the default answer to development proposals is “yes”, except where this would compromise the key sustainable development principles set out in this Framework planning policies and decisions should take into account local circumstances and market signals such as land prices, commercial rents and housing affordability. Plans should set out a clear strategy for allocating sufficient land which is suitable for development in their area, taking account of the needs of the residential and business community in considering the future use of land, planning policies and decisions should take account of its environmental quality or potential quality regardless of its previous or existing use planning policies and decisions should seek to protect and enhance environmental and heritage assets in a manner appropriate to their significance, and reduce pollution. Where