Midlothian Local Development Plan Proposed Plan 2014 Foreword Midlothian has much to offer In preparing the Proposed Plan the Council has taken careful account those who live and work here, of the responses received to earlier consultation stages of the project, as well as those who visit our and thanks everybody who took the time to get involved, and submit towns and countryside. responses. This Proposed Plan is now available for representation. All Located close to the capital responses received will be carefully considered by the Council as part city, yet with its own distinct of the Plan’s progression towards adoption. character, the area has seen steady increases in residents, jobs and new housing in recent Councillor Jim Bryant years. There is a clear need to maintain a well-planned approach to future development, and Cabinet Portfolio holder for Communities and Economy, and Chair of thereby ensure sustainable economic growth. Specifically, this means the Midlothian Council Planning Committee new employment opportunities to provide local jobs and training, promoting key growth sectors such as life sciences and tourism. It also means meeting housing need and prioritising essential new infrastructure, such as roads and schools. However, sustainable economic growth is not just about new development. A planned approach also ensures that the natural and historic built heritage of the area is protected, with ready public access to open space and countryside for leisure and recreation. This Midlothian Local Development Plan Proposed Plan sets out the Council’s intended development strategy and planning policy framework to guide growth and investment across Midlothian to 2024. MLDP Proposed Plan Midlothian Council Contents 1 Vision and Aims 1 4 Promoting Economic Growth 21 1.1 Introduction 1 4.1 Focus on Economic Activity 21 1.2 The Vision 2 4.2 Employment Land 22 1.3 Aims and Objectives 2 4.3 Midlothian Campus of Edinburgh Science Triangle 23 4.4 Promoting Business Growth and Job Opportunities 23 2 The Strategy for Sustainable Growth 4 4.5 Improving Connectivity 26 2.1 National and Regional Context 4 4.6 Town Centres and Retailing 30 2.2 Existing Development Commitments 4 4.7 Tourism 33 2.3 Requirement for New Development 5 4.8 Resource Extraction 35 2.4 Strategy for Development 9 4.9 Rural Development 39 3 Sustainable Place-making 12 5 Protecting Our Heritage 42 3.1 Accommodating Growth in Our Communities 12 5.1 Safeguarding and Managing Our Natural Environment 42 3.2 Providing for Housing Choices 13 5.2 Preserving our Historic Environment 56 3.3 Quality of Place 15 6 Encouraging Sustainable Energy and Waste 64 Management 6.1 Renewable and Low Carbon Energy Projects 64 6.2 Wind Energy 65 6.3 Energy Use and Low & Zero Carbon Technology 69 6.4 Decentralised Heat 69 6.5 Sustainable Waste Management 71 Midlothian Council MLDP Proposed Plan Contents 7 Delivering the Strategy 73 Appendix 9: Schedule of Land Ownership 168 7.1 Implementation 73 Glossary 171 7.2 Supplementary Guidance 80 Figures 8 Settlement Statements 82 Figure 1.1 Midlothian Overview 1 8.1 South East Edinburgh (Shawfair) Strategic Development Area 82 Figure 2.1 Midlothian Strategy for Development 11 8.2 A7/ A68/ Borders Rail Corridor Strategic Development Area 89 Figure 4.1 Economic Clusters 21 Figure 4.2 The Bush Bioscience Cluster 23 8.3 A701 Corridor Strategic Development Area 126 Figure 4.3 Assisted Areas 24 Appendix 1: Committed Development 152 Figure 4.4 Retail Centres 32 Figure 4.5 Areas of Search for Minerals 36 Appendix 2: Shawfair/ Danderhall - Committed Figure 4.6 Mineral Resource 38 158 Development Figure 5.1 Green Belt 42 Figure 5.2 Strategic Green Network 45 Appendix 3: Land Allocated or Otherwise Identified Figure 5.3 Newbattle Strategic Greenspace Safeguard 46 161 Figure 5.4 Prime Agricultural Land 47 for Development Figure 5.5 Special Landscape Areas 49 Figure 5.6 Statutory Nature Conservation Sites 53 163 Appendix 4: Open Space Standards Figure 5.7 Conservation Areas 58 Figure 5.8 Gardens & Designed Landscapes 60 164 Appendix 5: Assisted Area Status Figure 5.9 Historic Battlefields 61 Figure 6.1 Midlothian Spatial Framework for Wind Farms 67 Appendix 6: Pentland Hills Regional Park 165 Figure 6.2 Landscape Potential for Wind Turbines in Midlothian 68 Appendix 7: Interpretation of Policy NRG3 166 Appendix 8: Strategic Transport Infrastructure 167 Requirements MLDP Proposed Plan Midlothian Council Contents Tables Table 2.1 SESplan Development Areas 4 Table 2.2 SESplan overall housing land requirement for Midlothian 6 Table 2.3 SESplan additional housing allowances 6 Table 2.4 MLDP new housing land provision 7 Table 2.5 SESplan employment land requirement for Midlothian 8 Table 4.1 Network of Centres 31 Table 5.1 Themes and objectives of Midlothian Green Network 43 Table 5.2 Strategic green network connections 44 Table 5.3 Special Landscape Areas 49 Table 5.4 Statutory nature conservation sites in Midlothian 53 Table 5.5 Conservation Areas 58 Table 7.1 List of Supplementary Guidance and other planning guidance 80 Table 8.1 Danderhall/Shawfair Committed Development 83 Table 8.2 Danderhall/Shawfair Housing Allocations 84 Table 8.3 Danderhall/Shawfair Employment Allocation 86 Table 8.4 Danderhall/Shawfair Implementation Requirements 86 Table 8.5 Dalkeith/Eskbank Committed Development 91 Table 8.6 Dalkeith/Eskbank Housing Allocations 92 Table 8.7 Dalkeith/Eskbank Employment Allocation 94 Table 8.8 Dalkeith/Eskbank Implementation Requirements 94 Table 8.9 Bonnyrigg, Lasswade and Poltonhall Committed Development 98 Table 8.10 Bonnyrigg, Lasswade and Poltonhall Housing Allocations 98 Table 8.11 Bonnyrigg, Lasswade and Poltonhall Implementation Requirements 100 Table 8.12 Mayfield/Easthouses Committed Development 104 Table 8.13 Mayfield/Easthouses Implementation Requirements 105 Table 8.14 Newtongrange Committed Development 109 Table 8.15 Newtongrange Implementation Requirements 110 Table 8.16 Gorebridge Committed Development 115 Table 8.17 Gorebridge Housing Allocations 117 Table 8.18 Gorebridge Implementation Requirements 117 Midlothian Council MLDP Proposed Plan Contents Table 8.19 Rosewell Committed Development 121 Appendix Table 3C Additional Housing Development Opportunities 162 Table 8.20 Rosewell Housing Allocation 122 Appendix Table 4.1 Open Space Standards 163 Table 8.21 Rosewell Additional Housing Development Opportunity 123 Appendix Table 5.1 Assisted Area Status 164 Table 8.22 Rosewell Implementation Requirements 124 Appendix Table 7.1 Interpretation of Policy NRG3 166 Table 8.23 Loanhead/Straiton Committed Development 128 Appendix Table 8.1 Strategic Transport Infrastructure Requirements 167 Table 8.24 Loanhead/Straiton Housing Allocation 128 Appendix Table 9.1 Schedule of Land Ownership 168 Table 8.25 Loanhead/Straiton Employment Allocations 129 171 Table 8.26 Loanhead/Straiton Additional Housing Development Opportunity 130 Table 8.27 Loanhead/Straiton Implementation Requirements 130 Development Strategy Policies Table 8.28 Bilston Committed Development 134 Policy STRAT 1 Committed Development 5 Table 8.29 Bilston Housing Allocations 135 Policy STRAT 2 Windfall Housing Sites 6 Table 8.30 Bilston Biotechnology/ Knowledge-based Industries/ Research Proposal STRAT 3 Strategic Housing Land Allocations 7 136 Allocations Policy STRAT 4 Additional Housing Development Opportunities 8 Table 8.31 Bilston Implementation Requirements 137 Proposal STRAT 5 Strategic Employment Land Allocations 9 Table 8.32 Roslin Committed Development 140 Table 8.33 Roslin Housing Allocations 141 Sustainable Place-making Policies Table 8.34 Roslin Economic Allocation 142 Policy DEV 1 Community Identity and Coalescence 12 Table 8.35 Roslin Implementation Requirements 142 Policy DEV 2 Protecting Amenity within the Built-Up Area 13 Table 8.36 Penicuik/Auchendinny Committed Development 147 Policy DEV 3 Affordable and Specialist Housing 14 Table 8.37 Penicuik/Auchendinny Housing Allocations 148 Policy DEV 4 Residential Park Homes 14 Table 8.38 Penicuik/Auchendinny Additional Housing Development 148 Policy DEV 5 Sustainability in New Development 16 Opportunities Policy DEV 6 Layout and Design of New Development 16 Table 8.39 Penicuik/Auchendinny Implementation Requirements 149 Policy DEV 7 Landscaping in New Development 18 Appendix Table 1A.1 Sites predating 2003 Midlothian and Shawfair Local Plans 152 Policy DEV 8 Open Spaces 19 Appendix Table 1A.2 Sites allocated in 2003 Midlothian Local Plan 152 Policy DEV 9 Open Space Standards 19 Appendix Table 1A.3 Sites allocated in 2003 Shawfair Local Plan 152 Policy DEV 10 Outdoor Sports Facilities 20 Appendix Table 1A.4 Sites allocated in 2008 Midlothian Local Plan 153 Appendix Table 1A.5 Windfall sites included in Housing Land Audit 2014 (larger 153 than 10 units) Appendix Table 1B Established Economic Land Supply as at March 2014 154 Appendix Table 3A Strategic Housing Land Allocations 161 Appendix Table 3B Strategic Economic Land Allocations 161 MLDP Proposed Plan Midlothian Council Contents Economic Growth Policies Heritage Protection Policies Policy ECON 1 Existing Employment Locations 22 Policy ENV 1 Protection of the Green Belt 42 Policy ECON 2 The Bush Bioscience Cluster 23 Policy ENV 2 Midlothian Green Network 46 Policy ECON 3 Ancillary Development on Business Parks 24 Policy ENV 3 Newbattle Strategic Greenspace Safeguard 46 Policy ECON 4 Economic Development Outwith Established Business and Policy ENV 4 Prime Agricultural Land 47 25 Industrial Sites Policy ENV 5 Peat and Carbon Rich Soils 48 Policy ECON 5 Industries with