A Local Plan for Sefton EMPLOYMENT Publication ENVIRONMENT January 2015 HOMES INFRASTRUCTURE Comment by 27th March 2015 WELLBEING Go to www.sefton.gov.uk/localplan How to comment on the Publication version of the Sefton Local Plan This is an opportunity for the public to make representations on the Publication version of the Sefton Local Plan prepared by Sefton Council. Comments should be made be made on whether the Local Plan: has been prepared in accordance with legal and procedural requirements, and is “sound”. You can find further information on these terms on the Council’s website at www.sefton.gov.uk/localplan. You may already have been involved through earlier consultation on the Draft Local Plan [or the Core Strategy as it was previously known]. Many of the comments received at these stages have helped to shape the latest version of the Plan. However, those comments will not be carried over to this stage. If you wish your comments to be considered by an independent inspector you must make them in writing at this stage. This is a formal stage of preparing the Local Plan and representations must be made within the eight week period from 30 January to 27 March 2015. We cannot accept comments received after Friday 27 March 2015. Comments must be made in writing either using the online form at www.sefton.gov.uk/localplan, by email to [email protected] or by post to Local Plan Team, Magdalen House, 30 Trinity Road, Bootle, L20 3NJ. What happens next? This version of the Local Plan together with copies of representations made in response to this consultation will be sent to the Secretary of State for examination. The formal examination will be conducted by an independent Planning Inspector. The independent Inspector will test whether Plan is “sound”. Following the examination the Inspector will produce a report. This will determine whether, subject to any modifications, the Council can adopt its Local Plan. Paper copies of the Local Plan [including maps] are available at a charge [£18 for residents and community groups, £22 for developers or commercial organisations]. Contact the Local Plan team – see above. If you want this information in large print or other formats call 0151 934 3563 Index and Plan Structure How to make comments on the Local Plan Index and Plan Structure Foreword Chapter 1 Introduction and Duty to cooperate 1 Chapter 2 Profile of Sefton 5 Chapter 3 Key issues and challenges, vision and objectives 16 Chapter 4 Priorities, policy principles and spatial strategy 21 Chapter 5 Sustainable Development 30 o SD1 Presumption in favour of sustainable development 30 o SD2 Principles of sustainable development 31 Chapter 6 Meeting Sefton’s needs 32 o MN1 Housing and employment requirement 33 o MN2 Housing, employment and mixed use allocations 35 o MN3 Strategic Mixed Use Allocation – Land east of Maghull 40 o MN4 Land north of Formby Industrial Estate 43 o MN5 Land south of Formby Industrial Estate 44 o MN6 Land North of Brackenway, Formby 45 o MN7 Sefton’s Green Belt 47 o MN8 Safeguarded Land 48 Chapter 7 Economic development and regeneration 50 o ED1 The Port and Maritime Zone 51 o ED2 Development in town, district and local centres, local shopping parades and outside defined centres 54 o ED3 Primarily Industrial Areas 57 o ED4 Mixed Use Areas 58 o ED5 Tourism 59 o ED6 Regeneration Areas 60 o ED7 Southport Central area 63 o ED8 Southport Seafront 64 o ED9 Crosby Centre 66 Chapter 8 Housing and communities 68 o HC1 Affordable and special housing needs 69 o HC2 Housing type, mix and choice 72 o HC3 Residential development and development in Primarily Residential Developments 74 o HC4 House extensions and alterations and conversions to Houses in Multiple Occupation and Flats 75 o HC5 Planning for Gypsies and Travellers 77 o HC6 Assets of community value 78 o HC7 Education and care institutions in the urban area 79 Chapter 9 Infrastructure 81 o IN1 Infrastructure and developer contributions 81 o IN2 Transport 83 o IN3 Managing Waste 85 Chapter 10 A quality, healthy environment for Sefton 87 o EQ1 Planning for a Healthy Sefton 87 o EQ2 Design 88 o EQ3 Accessibility 90 o EQ4 Pollution and hazards 91 o EQ5 Air quality 93 o EQ6 Land affected by contamination 93 o EQ7 Energy efficient and low carbon design 94 o EQ8 Managing flood risk and surface water 96 o EQ9 Provision of public open space, strategic paths and trees in development 98 o EQ10 Food and drink 101 o EQ11 Advertisements 102 Chapter 11 Natural and heritage assets 103 o NH1 Environmental assets 103 o NH2 Protection and enhancement of nature sites, priority habitats and species 105 o NH3 Development in the Nature Improvement Area 109 o NH4 The Sefton coast and development 110 o NH5 Protection of open space and Countryside Recreation Areas 113 o NH6 Urban Golf Courses 114 o NH7 Rural Landscape Character 115 o NH8 Minerals 116 o NH9 Demolition or substantial harm to designated Heritage Assets 120 o NH10 Works affecting Listed buildings 121 o NH11 Development affecting Conservation Areas 123 o NH12 Development affecting Registered Parks and Gardens 124 o NH13 Development affecting archaeology and Scheduled Monuments 125 o NH14 Development affecting non-designated Heritage Assets 126 Chapter 12 Implementation and monitoring 127 o PIM1 Planning enforcement 127 Glossary 129 Appendices 1 Site specific requirements 139 2 Nature sites and related information 142 3 Monitoring Framework 145 4 List of SPDs 147 List of figures 2.1 Sefton in its sub-regional context 5 2.2 Key commuter flows into and out of Sefton 8 2.3 Areas in Sefton classed as within the 20% most deprived in England 9 2.4 Sefton’s projected population aged 65+ [2012-36] 12 2.5 Map of Sefton showing north, central and south areas 13 4.1 The extent of Green Belt in Sefton and adjacent areas 24 4.2 No. of homes completed in the last 30 years [1984-2014] by area 27 4.3 Total amount of development proposed in each area 2012-2030 28 7.1 Port permitted development rights 53 7.2 Primary Shopping Areas in Town and District Centres 56 8.1 Affordable Housing Need in Sefton 70 8.2 Traveller accommodation need in Sefton 77 11.1 Nature conservation sites in Sefton 107 11.2 Sefton’s Coastal Change Management Area 111 11.3 Heritage assets in Sefton 119 SEFTON LOCAL PLAN PUBLICATION JANUARY 2015 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 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. It provides a positive approach to planning for Sefton which combines the desire to be aspirational with a challenging national economic context. 1.2 The Local Plan sets out: How development will be provided for to meet the needs of Sefton’s 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, including site allocations. 1.3 The Local Plan has a start date of 2012 as this is the date of the latest population projections which must be taken into account in preparing the Plan. KEY INFLUENCES ON THE LOCAL PLAN 1.4 The key elements which have influenced the shape of the Local Plan are: The National Planning Policy Framework (‘the Framework’), especially its emphasis on: - The need to boost significantly the supply of housing - Facilitating sustainable development. The Framework notes 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). Sefton’s role within the sub-region: - With the abolition of the Regional Spatial Strategy in May 2013, the main regional/ sub- regional influences on the Plan are Sefton’s role within the Liverpool City Region. - the ‘Combined Authority’ has added a formal dimension to working in partnership and provides a strategic framework to bid for government funding for City Region-wide priorities. - The Local Enterprise Partnership identifies ‘transformational actions’ which reflect the key economic aspirations for the City Region. - ‘Nature Connected’ (the Local Nature Partnership) is a partnership focusing on a City Region- wide approach to environmental matters. Sefton’s role in these initiatives is covered later in this chapter: ‘Duty to Co-operate’. Evidence: - The Local Plan takes account of a range of evidence and studies that have been undertaken either by Sefton or in partnership with the Liverpool City Region authorities. Many of these documents can be viewed online at www.sefton.gov.uk/planningstudies. - The Local Plan is supported by a Sustainability Appraisal Report (including a Strategic Environmental Assessment) The Report includes a detailed assessment of options considered and how each policy has been assessed against a range of social, economic and environmental criteria. The Local Plan also incorporates the findings of the Habitats Regulations Assessment which is required under the European Habitats Directives. What we have been told at previous stages in preparing the Plan: - There has been extensive consultation with a wide range of partners, organisations and the wider community - The comments received have helped to shape the content of the Plan although these must be considered in the context of what the Government requires local authorities to do through the Framework. 1 SEFTON LOCAL PLAN PUBLICATION JANUARY 2015 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION PREPARING A LOCAL PLAN FOR SEFTON 1.5 The draft Plan has been prepared over a number of years.