Sefton Local Plan Preferred Option document May 2013 – for Overview and Scrutiny Committee [This page has been left blank intentionally] Preferred Option document – Index and structure Section A - Context Chapter 1 - Introduction and context What is the Local Plan? What does the ‘Preferred Option’ contain? Commenting on the ‘Preferred Option’ Other Local Plan Options which are not being taken forward Where can I see a copy of the Preferred Option? How can I comment? Chapter 2 – Profile of Sefton South Sefton Southport Central Sefton Sensitive environment Homes and neighbourhoods Jobs and economy Making connections- travel and accessibility Health and well-being Chapter 3 – Key issues Key issues Responding to the issues Chapter 4 - Sefton in 2030 – our vision for Sefton Our vision for Sefton What does this mean for different communities within Sefton? Bootle and south Sefton Crosby and surrounding area Formby, Little Altcar and Ince Blundell Maghull, Lydiate, Melling, Aintree and the surrounding villages Southport Chapter 5 – Objectives of Sefton’s Local Plan Chapter 6 - Meeting Sefton’s needs – what are the options? What does the Government say we have to do? What are Sefton’s needs? How can these needs be met? • Shouldn’t ‘brownfield land’ be used before building on green fields? • Can’t vacant homes be brought back into use instead of building new homes? • Could we build at higher densities in the built-up areas to save green fields being used? • Is there scope to build on little used green spaces within the built-up area? • Sefton’s environment is very important – can neighbouring authorities help meet some of our needs? • The only other land which could meet our needs is Green Belt land … but isn’t this meant to be protected from development for all time? • Given the above, what are the possible options for Sefton? Option One Option Two Option Three Our Conclusions Chapter 7- How to use the Plan How the policies are organised Section B – Economy Chapter 8 - Sustainable Growth and Regeneration • Strategic Policy: Spatial Strategy for Sefton A Key diagram accompanies the spatial strategy Borough-wide policies: • Extent of the Green Belt • Housing requirement • Housing allocations and phasing • Employment requirement and strategic employment locations • Regeneration • Infrastructure and developer contributions • Centres and Parades • Mixed use areas • Transport Southport area • Strategic site: Crowland Street, Southport • Southport Central area • Southport Seafront • Employment sites in Southport Formby area • Strategic site: Land north of Formby Industrial Estate Crosby area Maghull area • Strategic allocation : Land east of Maghull Bootle area • The Port and Maritime Zone Section C – Environment and resources Chapter 9 - Protection and enhancement of environmental assets • Strategic policy: Environmental Assets Natural assets • Nature conservation and enhancement • Minerals • Green infrastructure • The Sefton Coast and development Heritage • Heritage assets Landscape character. • Landscape character. Chapter 10 - Climate change and carbon reduction • Strategic policy: Climate change and carbon reduction • Flood risk and surface-water management. • Energy and carbon reduction • Making the best use of resources; Section D – Community Chapter 11 - People and Places • Strategic policy: Promoting Sustainable Development • Strategic policy: People and places Design /local distinctiveness /character • Design • Sites of schools and colleges and care institutions in the urban area; • Development in the Green Belt • Telecommunications • Advertisements Making it easier for people to lead a healthy, active lifestyle • Health and well-being • Food and Drink Uses; Better connected communities • Access and facilities Improve access to a choice of homes, jobs, services and facilities, • Affordable housing • Planning for Travellers • Community and Cultural Facilities Protecting amenity • Development in Primarily Residential Areas • Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)[ – policy to follow]; • Planning enforcement; Minimise pollution and reduced risk to health • Pollution and Hazards • Land Affected By Contamination. [This page has been left blank intentionally] Section A - Context [This page has been left blank intentionally] 1. Introduction and context This document is the ‘Preferred Option’ and is one of the stages of preparing a Local Plan for Sefton. The Local Plan will cover the period 2015-2030, and it will replace the Sefton Unitary Development Plan which was adopted in 2006. What is the Local Plan? The Local Plan is a statutory document which sets out the Borough’s planning policies and priorities. In 2011 we consulted on a number of Options for the future of Sefton. This was carried out under the banner of the Core Strategy. New regulations have given a different name to the development plan for an area. It is now known as the Local Plan. There have other major changes to the planning system since we consulted on the Options document. • The National Planning Policy Framework was introduced in 2012, replacing previous national policy statements and guidance. • The Localism Act (2011), which sets out the framework within which local people – Parish Councils and Neighbourhood Forums -can produce their own distinctive local and Neighbourhood Plans. • Regional Spatial Strategy for the North West was revoked on 20 May 2013. This means that its policies are no longer relevant in preparing a Local Plan for Sefton. The Local Plan sets out: • How we will provide for development to meet the needs of our communities; • The policy framework for making decisions on planning applications; • The strategic policy framework for Neighbourhood Plans; and • Priorities for investment in employment, housing and infrastructure. The Local Plan will help us to shape Sefton over the next 15 years – our towns and villages, coast and countryside, homes, jobs, services and leisure opportunities which give Sefton its distinctive character. There are a number of stages in preparing the Local Plan and these are set out in Figure 1 on the next page. The key things we have had to take into account in preparing this stage of the Local Plan are: • The National Planning Policy Framework and especially its emphasis on: o Allowing sustainable development o Taking account of objective evidence o Identifying, and then meeting, local needs • Other key Council strategies and those of partners (such as the Public Health strategy); • Comments from the public and other organisations received in earlier consultations. The National Planning Policy Framework makes it clear that “Sustainable development is about positive growth – making economic, environmental and social progress” (Ministerial Foreword), and has at its heart “a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which should be seen as a golden thread running through both plan-making and decision-taking” (paragraph 14). Figure 1 The Local Plan – stages of preparation Timescale Stage of Local Comments Plan Preparation 2008 - 2009 Issues Summer 2009 Public consultation on Information about this Issues consultation can be found on the Local Plan web-site. 2009 - 2012 Options More information, including about the Summer 2011 Public consultation on consultation and the Options Council’s initial responses, can be found on the Local Plan web- site. 2012 - 2013 Preferred Option We are now at this stage. This is the main Summer 2013 Consultation on opportunity to Preferred Option comment on the Document Local Plan. Publication The Council’s ability to make changes to the June – July 2014 Public consultation Local Plan is more (Notification) limited at this consultation stage, and must only relate to whether the Plan is considered to be ‘sound’. Submission August – September 2014 Formal submission to Submission to the the Secretary of State Secretary of State . Examination An independent Inspector will conduct November 2014 Examination in Public the Examination. March/ April Adoption Council formally adopts 2015 the Local Plan, which replaces the Unitary Development Plan (2006). What does the ‘Preferred Option’ contain? This document sets out: • a Vision and Objectives for Sefton; • the Preferred Option and also other Options which were considered but rejected; • the strategy to help implement the preferred option; • plans showing where land has been allocated for a particular use; and • detailed policies setting out our requirements for new development – including being clear about what will not be permitted. Commenting on the ‘Preferred Option’ : Consultation on the ‘Preferred Option’ is the main opportunity for you to comment on, and influence, the strategic direction, detailed policies and allocations of sites through the Local Plan. The Council will consider comments made and amend the Local Plan where it considers this to be appropriate. When commenting, if you disagree with a policy or part of a policy, you should set out what your alternative is. Other Local Plan Options which are not being taken forward The ‘Preferred Option’ is based on meeting identified needs across the Plan period. The proposed spatial strategy aims to meet these needs across Sefton. This is broadly similar to ‘Option 2’ which we put forward at the Options stage, although it has been updated in the light of recent evidence and is likely to need further updating in the future. We considered some other Options but have not chosen them as the Preferred Option mainly because of: • What the National Planning Policy Framework requires us to do;