Horsham District Council, Mid Sussex District Council & Crawley Borough Council New Market Town Study Final Report: August 2010 NEW MARKET TOWN STUDY CRAWLEY BC, HORSHAM DC & MID SUSSEX DC FINAL REPORT, AUGUST 2010 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 3 2. STUDY CONTEXT 7 3. LANDSCAPE & ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS 11 4. TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS 29 5. UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE CONSTRAINTS 51 6. SETTLEMENT ROLE & FUNCTION 55 7. EMERGING VISION & PRINCIPLES 71 8. OPTIONS FOR LOCATION & STRUCTURE 75 9. DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES AND REQUIREMENTS 85 10. ADDRESSING DELIVERABILITY CONSTRAINTS 93 11. GOVERNANCE & NEXT STEPS 99 Contact: Nick Ireland, Planning Associate Director, GL Hearn E: [email protected] T: 020 7851 4813 Page 1 of 115 NEW MARKET TOWN STUDY CRAWLEY BC, HORSHAM DC & MID SUSSEX DC FINAL REPORT, AUGUST 2010 Page 2 of 115 NEW MARKET TOWN STUDY CRAWLEY BC, HORSHAM DC & MID SUSSEX DC FINAL REPORT, AUGUST 2010 preparation of this, work on the planning policy framework will commence. 1. INTRODUCTION 1.7 The three authorities are working together at a sub-regional level to 1.1 This Study examines the feasibility of bringing forward a New Market address strategic planning issues. They have jointly undertaken or Town (NMT) within the A23 Corridor within West Sussex. It has been commissioned a number of studies to examine development commissioned jointly by Crawley Borough Council (CBC), Horsham requirements or potential. These include a Strategic Housing Market District Council (HDC) and Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC). Assessment, a joint Economic Appraisal and Employment Land Review, and the At Crawley Study 2009. The South East Plan, which 1.2 The Study has been undertaken by a multi-disciplinary consultancy has now been revoked, set out that the majority of future development team comprising GL Hearn (lead), LDA Design and WSP. Within the within the Gatwick Sub-Region should be in the form of major team, GL Hearn have provided strategic planning and development developments at or adjoining Crawley and the other main towns within advice, LDA Design have provided high-level masterplanning inputs, the north/south and east/west transport corridors. The At Crawley whilst WSP have led advice on physical infrastructure requirements, Study 2009 explored the potential for strategic development at including transport and utilities. Crawley. CONTEXT 1.8 The three authorities have separately progressed Strategic Land Availability Assessments (SHLAAs) which examine potential locations 1.3 Crawley Borough Council, Horsham District Council and Mid Sussex for new housing development, including within existing urban areas. District Council are all in the process of preparing their Local These Studies confirm that there is likely to be a need for strategic Development Framework (LDF) Core Strategies. The three authorities development within the sub-region, in the form of urban extensions to are working together to consider how best to meet the sub-region’s existing towns or for instance a new market town. development needs to 2026 and beyond. 1.9 The three authorities are each active participants in the Gatwick 1.4 Crawley Borough Council and Horsham District Council both adopted Diamond Initiative, a business-led private/public sector partnership LDF Core Strategies in 2008. These consider development needs in which aims to maximise the economic performance of the sub-region. the period to 2018. Both authorities are however progressing early The sub-region includes the three local authorities within West Sussex, reviews of these, in order to provide a framework for addressing together with Mole Valley District Council, Reigate and Banstead development needs in the longer-term to 2026 and beyond. The Borough Council and Tandridge District Council in Surrey. It responds existing Core Strategies both recognise the need for an early review. to the designation of the Gatwick area as a ‘Diamond for Growth and Investment’ within the South East Regional Economic Strategy, 1.5 Horsham District Council intends to publish its Core Strategy Review published in October 2006. Preferred Strategy Document in summer 2011, while Crawley Borough Council is aiming to do so in early 2011. 1.10 These six local authorities are working together to prepare an Integrated Spatial and Economic Strategy for the Gatwick Diamond. 1.6 Mid Sussex District Council adopted its Local Plan in 2004. This This aims to support sustainable growth within the sub-region and to considers the development needs of the District to 2006, and is now coordinate strategic planning, through a bottom-up approach, across out of date. At the time of writing the preparation of Mid Sussex’s Core local authority boundaries. Strategy has been halted. The Council are making progress on a locally-generated housing needs assessment. Following the Page 3 of 115 NEW MARKET TOWN STUDY CRAWLEY BC, HORSHAM DC & MID SUSSEX DC FINAL REPORT, AUGUST 2010 1.11 The new Coalition Government has confirmed its intention to abolish How the form and scale of development and infrastructure the Regional Spatial Strategies, which in this case is the South East requirements relate to one another in terms of feasibility/ viability Plan. Against this context, the Integrated Spatial and Economic concerns. Strategy may provide a (non-statutory) means of coordinating strategic planning across the sub-region. 1.16 The approach adopted in the Study has been not to get side-tracked by issues of number counting or housing requirements. These issues 1.12 A key part of joint working, either at the Diamond level or between the will be addressed elsewhere. The Study instead focuses on exploring three Northern West Sussex local authorities, is ongoing consideration the potential of a New Market Town to addressing long-term housing of the provision of housing in terms of numbers and location principles, need and demand arising from all three authorities. which includes issues relating to future settlement patterns; as well as the provision of new business floorspace, in terms of the amount and 1.17 In embarking on the Study, the client and consultancy team recognised location, which includes the potential for a new business/ innovation that to progress a New Market Town, it would be important to build buy district or districts. in and support to the concept – at a corporate and political level – and to consider cross-authority governance structures. These factors could 1.13 This feasibility study examining the potential for a New Market Town be as important as the technical considerations in assessing the forms one element of this wider programme of work. It can inform other potential feasibility of a New Market Town, and thus the second joint working, such as in preparing the Integrated Economic and element of the Study involved initial consideration of these issues. Spatial Strategy at the sub-regional level, and the three respective authorities LDF Core Strategies. 1.18 The technical component of the work has assessed the suitability and availability of land to deliver a New Market Town, within and 1.14 The three Councils have no preconceived idea as to whether a New immediately beyond an ‘area of search’ defined by the three Councils. Market Town should or should not be brought forward within the sub- It has considered potential alternative options for the location and region. It is being considered alongside other options, which include structure of the town. It has also assessed the deliverability of it, the potential for development at Crawley and other major settlements considering infrastructure requirements, including transport, highways within the sub-region. and utilities infrastructure. This report thus provides a robust site selection and options assessment, and careful consideration of the 1.15 The purpose of the Study is thus effectively to undertake a robust feasibility and deliverability of a New Market Town, responding to the feasibility exercise which first and foremost examines the potential for requirements of PPS12. a New Market Town. It addresses a number of interrelated questions: 1.19 GL Hearn has developed a good understanding of the housing market Where a new settlement might be located with good or potentially and economic dynamics within the sub-region and infrastructure good transport links to adjacent settlements; requirements from its involvement in previous joint studies for the three local authorities. These include the Strategic Housing Market What form it should take, including: what scale it might be; the mix Assessment, the At Crawley Study 2009 and the Gatwick Sub-Region of uses; and whether it should be a single settlement or more Economic Appraisal & Employment Land Review. These have polycentric in concept; informed this Study. What infrastructure would be required for it to be delivered; and how this can be achieved; Page 4 of 115 NEW MARKET TOWN STUDY CRAWLEY BC, HORSHAM DC & MID SUSSEX DC FINAL REPORT, AUGUST 2010 Assessment of the suitability of the new settlement location(s) to OBJECTIVES accommodate sub-regional or strategic employment development, either solely, or in conjunction with strategic residential 1.20 The Councils’ fundamental requirement is that the Study developed development. further their understanding of the suitability, availability and deliverability of a potential new market town concept and possible 1.22 The Study provides an assessment of potential ‘showstoppers’ to location in the Study Area in or adjoining the A23 Corridor, particularly delivery of a New Market