April 2007 Submission Edition Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 Crook o’ Lune With thanks to the Environment Agency Moor Hospital and Lake District Hills Photograph by Nigel Slater With thanks to Lancaster & Morecambe Newspapers Lancaster City Council Planning and Building Control Service Palatine Hall Dalton Square Lancaster LA1 1PW If you would like a large print version of the text of this document or, if you need assistance with translating the text of this document, please contact the Forward Planning Team on 01524 582330 All maps contained in this document are reproduced from Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Lancaster City Council Licence No LA 078379 2007 SubmissionDocument/Planning and Building Control Service/April 2007 2 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 CORE STRATEGY KEY DIAGRAM 2 1. INTRODUCTION . 3 2. LANCASTER DISTRICT – PEOPLE AND INFLUENCES. 5 3. SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK . 11 4. BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES . 15 5. REGENERATING THE LOCAL ECONOMY 41 6. IMPROVING THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT . 55 7. CUSTOMER SERVICES . 62 8. MONITORING, REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION 63 1 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 Core Strategy Key Diagram Silverdale CARNFORTH ! Carnforth Town Centre Hornby Bolton-le-Sands and Slyne-with-Hest Wray Halton MORECAMBE Caton and White & HEYSHAM Brookhouse Lund Caton Road Morecambe Centre ! ! and West End ! LANCASTER Luneside! ! ! Lancaster City Centre South Lancaster Heysham University Galgate KEY Regeneration Environment Employment Transport International Nature Knowledge Nucleus National and Regional Urban Areas Conservation Site Strategic Highway Network Area of Outstanding Employment Area Natural Beauty Village with key Green Belt City or Town Centre National and Regional facilities Shopping Area Public Transport Corridor Regeneration Priority Core Greenspace Tourism Opportunities ! Area Network 2 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 1. Introduction . Background How the Strategy is Structured 1.1 Following Government planning reforms, 1.6 This Core Strategy is in 8 parts. Lancaster District’s spatial and • Part 1 introduces the strategy and development plans will be a series of explains how to comment; documents called a Local Development • Part 2 describes our District and its Framework (LDF). The LDF documents influences; and timetable are set out in a document • Part 3 is our Vision and Spatial called the Local Development Scheme. Development Framework – (our The Core Strategy is a key part of the overall strategy); Local Development Framework. This • document is its submission edition. Part 4 shows how we will build Appendix 1 shows the different LDF Sustainable Communities; • documents and what they do. Part 5 shows how we will regenerate the Local Economy; 1.2 The Strategy outlines a spatial vision of a • Part 6 shows how we will protect and sustainable District whose quality of life enhance the local Environment; and standards of development will lead • Part 7 shows how we will make public the North West, comprising a prosperous and private services more accessible; knowledge-based City, a regenerated • Part 8 shows how we will monitor, Coast and a conserved Countryside progress and review the Strategy; 1.3 The Strategy explains where new homes and jobs will be located, which areas will Additional Documents be regenerated and which areas will be conserved. It also sets out how public 1.7 This Document is accompanied by and private agencies will realise the vision • A Statement of Compliance (dealing in the period up to 2021. with Consultation measures); • Sustainability Appraisal Report and 1.4 The Core Strategy must; Annex on submission document; • have a clear spatial vision from which • Appropriate Assessment plans, policies and strategies will flow; • follow Sustainable Development 1.8 There is also a comprehensive evidence principles; base addressing issues such as; • be linked to the 1Sustainable • Urban Capacity Communities Agenda, and provide for • Housing needs; new housing and jobs in conformity • Employment Land needs; with the North West Regional Spatial • Shopping Floorspace needs; Strategy; • • Flood Risk; not repeat national and regional • policies. Recreation Open Space Needs; 1.5 The Core Strategy cannot allocate sites 1.9 Appendix 2 lists the evidence base. All for development or protection on a map. It documents are on the Council’s website. does however set out broad locations for land-use. Actual sites for development or protection will be identified in a forthcoming Land Allocations document. 1 The Communities Plan is the strategy for new communities and housing development across England. See www.communities.gov.uk for more. 3 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 Soundness How the Strategy has Emerged 1.15 The Inspector’s job is to consider whether the Strategy is ‘sound’. This means that it 1.10 Preparation of the Core Strategy has has; been guided by the Council’s Local • Development Scheme (see Para 1.1) and been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Community Involvement LDS and SCI (See Para 1.10); • (SCI) adopted in June 2006 as well as undergone sustainability appraisal; regulations and guidance produced by • conformity with national and regional Government. planning policies and regard to other relevant plans, policies and strategies 1.11 The Council consulted on Issues and in and adjoining the District; Options for the Core Strategy in Spring • regard to the Community Strategy; 2005. Six options were consulted upon • consistency with any other (see Appendix 3). A ‘preferred option’ of Development Plan Documents in or Urban Concentration was consulted on in adjoining the District; Spring 2006. An additional ‘addendum’ • the most appropriate solution, having consultation was then carried out on the considered relevant alternatives; other options considered. Full details of • a robust and credible evidence base; Community Involvement and consultation • clear mechanisms for implementation are set out in the Statement of and monitoring; and Compliance (see para 1.7). • flexibility to deal with change. 1.12 Sustainability appraisal, incorporating 1.16 These tests of soundness are set out in Strategic Environmental Assessment, has 1 been carried out throughout the Strategy full in Appendix 4. The Inspector will preparation process. Appropriate presume that the Strategy is sound unless Assessment has also been carried out. it is shown to be otherwise by evidence Options for achieving the vision have presented at the examination. Your been tested for their impact on the objection must state why you think the environment (including internationally Core Strategy does not satisfy these important nature conservation sites), the tests. economy and on the community. The Sustainability Appraisal confirmed the 1.17 The documents are available to view at Council’s preferred option of Urban Palatine Hall, Lancaster, Morecambe Concentration as the most sustainable Town Hall, all libraries in the District, option. The Sustainability Appraisal Kirkby Lonsdale Library and on the Report is published separately. Council’s Website www.lancaster.gov.uk. 1.13 The Strategy has now been submitted to 1.18 You can send your objection form by e- the Secretary of State for Independent mail to [email protected] Examination by a Planning Inspector. or send a paper copy to: He/she will consider representations and conduct oral hearings into key issues. Michelle Williams, Forward Planning They will help him/her decide whether to Administrator approve the Strategy as ‘sound’. At the Lancaster City Council end of the Examination, he/she will issue Planning Service a binding report approving, rejecting or Palatine Hall requiring changes to the Strategy. Dalton Square Lancaster LA1 1PW. How To Make Representations Representations must be received by 5:15 on Friday 8th June 2007. 1.14 If you wish to take part in the Independent Examination, you must make representations now. These must be submitted on an objections form, using a separate form for each objection. Representations must be received by th 5:15pm on Friday 8 June 2007. Comments made at earlier stages will not 1 Planning Policy Guidance Note 12 – Local be considered by the Inspector. Development Frameworks. Annexe D Para D9 4 Lancaster District Local Development Framework Submission Core Strategy April 2007 2. Lancaster District – People and Influences. Lancaster District and its People Milnthorpe 2100 Kirkby Arnside Lonsdale 2500 2300 Burton & Holme 2500 Ingleton 3700 1500 Warton Silverdale 2100Carnforth 4200 Bolton-le-Sands Over Kellet 1200 4100 Hornby 700 Bentham Nether Kellet 600 Slyne-with Hest 3500 Wray 500 4200 Lancaster (North of Lune) Morecambe 13500 2400 2500 32100 Halton Caton & Brookhouse Heysham 16100 33600 Lancaster Middleton 500 (South of Lune) Overton 1000 Galgate 1600 Cockerham 600 Garstang and Pilling Catterall 2100 6900 Figure 2 – 2001 Population of main Settlements (thousands) • High levels of educational 2.1 Lancaster District contains the coastal qualification except in Morecambe, towns of Morecambe and Heysham, the Heysham and North