Roger Tym & Partners t: 01392 210868 11-15 Dix's Field e: 01392 210869 Exeter e: [email protected] Devon EX1 1QA w: www.tymconsult.com Part of Peter Brett Associates LLP Cornwall Council Cornwall LDF Core Strategy Eco-developments Study Final Report September 2011 Cornwall Core Strategy Eco-communities Study Unless alternative contractual arrangements have been made, this report remains the property of Roger Tym & Partners until fees have been paid in full. Copyright and other intellectual property laws protect this information. Reproduction or retransmission of the information, in whole or in part, in any manner, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, is a violation of copyright law. Author/Amended Authorised by Date: Version: by: Zifa Sadriyeva Lin Cousins Jeremy Bennett 05.09.2011 RTP A688 Final Report V2 05.09.2011 – final report Three Dragons Mark Felgate A688 Cornwall Core Strategy Eco-communities Study CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ 1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 1 Eco-communities: definition and policies ............................................................................. 1 Benefits of sustainable eco-communities ............................................................................. 2 Call for Sites ........................................................................................................................ 2 Stage 1 Site Assessment ..................................................................................................... 3 Stage II Site Assessment ..................................................................................................... 3 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 2 ECO-COMMUNITIES: DEFINITION AND POLICIES .......................................................... 3 Climate change ................................................................................................................... 3 Policies on eco-communities ............................................................................................... 4 Cornwall planning policy context .......................................................................................... 8 Eco-communities in economic context ................................................................................. 9 3 STAGE I SITE ASSESSMENT .......................................................................................... 14 Call for Sites ...................................................................................................................... 14 The workshop .................................................................................................................... 14 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 16 Assessment of submitted sites .......................................................................................... 17 4 STAGE II SITE ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................... 23 Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 23 Site assessment results ..................................................................................................... 27 Summary ........................................................................................................................... 30 5 RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................... 33 Characteristics of Each of the LSOA types ........................................................................ 10 APPENDICES Appendix 1 – Call for Sites Notice Appendix 2 - Development options maps from the Cornwall Core Strategy Options Paper Appendix 3 - St Austell, St Blazey, and China Clay Area Regeneration Plan: map of sites Appendix 4 – Typologies of Cornwall LSOAs Appendix 5 - Detailed Stage II Site Assessment Tables (separate volume) Cornwall Core Strategy Eco-communities Study EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction 1.1 The emerging Core Strategy for Cornwall takes the economic objective of leadership in carbon technologies and sustainable living set by Cornwall Community Strategy and Cornwall Economic Ambition White Paper a step further by setting up a framework that will ensure that Cornwall will be a ‘green’ place to live. 1.2 Given the green policy objectives of the Council and its ambition to transform Cornwall’s economy and reduce the prosperity gap with the other UK regions and sub-regions this study was commissioned to identify further development sites that may be suitable for new eco-communities. Eco-communities: definition and policies 1.3 Planning policies in the last decade have been increasingly driven by climate change related targets. If the 80% target for reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is to be met by 2050 as set in the Climate Change Bill, emissions levels will have to begin to dip sharply within the life of the Cornwall Core Strategy. Despite Cornwall taking the lead in renewable energy there is still a long way to go towards achieving carbon reduction targets locally. 1.4 The drive behind eco-communities is grounded in the Government’s agenda for sustainable communities along with a parallel drive for addressing climate change issues and a need to increase the supply of housing (including affordable housing). Specific eco-communities guidance can be found in supplementary planning statement1 to PPS1. The PPS1 Supplement has served as an early mechanism that set standards for eco-communities providing very much needed guidance. 1.5 The Government’s localism agenda is shifting plan policy making towards more locally appropriate solutions chosen by communities. The first such policy on eco-communities was developed by Cornwall Council to enable it to assess the forthcoming planning application for the St Austell and Clay Area Eco-communities. Cornwall Council produced the St Austell, St Blazey, and China Clay Area Regeneration Plan in early 2011. 1.6 In the light of the existing guidance, this study set out to identify and assess sites in Cornwall that might be suitable candidates for eco-communities. In advance of an adopted Core Strategy for Cornwall and the emerging new National Planning Policy Framework, the site assessment process for new eco-communities requires a degree of flexibility in terms of what types of sites can be taken forward as suitable for eco-communities. The Call for Sites for this study therefore set a minimum threshold of 800 dwellings per site and did not limit submissions to standalone sites. Sites that could be considered as urban extensions were also welcomed. The site assessment results presented in the report clearly show that 1 PPS Eco-Towns: A Supplement to Planning Policy Statement 1, DCLG, (2009). Policies of the PPS1 Supplement on eco-towns are not covered in the Draft National Planning Framework published on 25th of July 2011. It is proposed that this document is withdrawn, however, subject to further consultation. Final Report | September 2011 1 Cornwall Core Strategy Eco-communities Study each of the shortlisted sites may fit into one of the emerging Core Strategy development options. Benefits of sustainable eco-communities 1.7 Ideally smaller new eco-communities i.e. less than 4,000-5,000 dwellings on a contiguous site, should relate to strong economic centres. Smaller sites would not be able to achieve a high degree of self-containment and would require access to employment opportunities outside the development. In the case of Cornwall, identified areas are around Newquay and St Austell, Truro, Falmouth and Penryn, and Cambourne and Redruth. The Call for Sites identified sites in proximity of all of these settlements. 1.8 High quality eco-communities may help support growth in priority green sectors. Businesses that develop and use new green technologies are capable of creating higher value products and therefore jobs. The new eco-communities will be following the St Austell and Clay Area Eco-communities and their demand for construction materials and services will further support businesses that will emerge, develop, and grow thanks to this first eco- development. They will provide a critical mass and therefore strengthen the development of low carbon construction sector in Cornwall. 1.9 Better places to live will attract new businesses to Cornwall and economic strategies tailored for each of the eco-communities may help develop sector clusters. This may be possible for those sites, which are located within existing growing economies supported by higher education provision, in particular Falmouth and Penryn and Truro. Call for Sites 1.10 The study followed 3 main stages: the Call for Sites, the development of site assessment criteria, and the assessment of sites submitted by landowners / developers. 1.11 The Call for Sites was announced by Cornwall Council during the week commencing 4th of April, 2011. Due to earlier similar call for sites carried out end of 2010 in St Austell, St Blazey, and Clay Area it was decided to exclude this area from the Call for Sites to avoid duplication. 1.12 In order to gauge the appropriateness of the site