Burnley Local Plan Second Review - 2006 1 - INTRODUCTION PURPOSE OF THE PLAN 1.1 The Burnley Local Plan Second Review (the Plan) was prepared under section 36 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The Plan sets out the Council’s detailed policies and proposals for the future development and use of land in the Borough up to 2016. 1.2 The land use planning framework provided by the Plan is wide ranging. It sets policies that protect and enhance valuable resources such as the countryside, Green Belt, listed and historic buildings, and features of ecological value. It also contains proposals that identify particular areas and sites where future development for housing, shops, employment and other land uses will take place. 1.3 The Plan forms part of the Development Plan for the Borough, together with the Joint Lancashire Structure Plan (2005). The Plan covers the period 2001 - 2016. The Plan was Adopted on 21st April 2006 and replaces the Burnley District Local Plan First Review (1991). FORM AND CONTENT OF THE PLAN 1.4 The Plan has two parts: this Written Statement and a Proposals Map. The Proposals Map identifies specific sites for housing, employment and other uses, and areas where particular policies will apply e.g. conservation areas, and Green Belt. 1.5 The Written Statement outlines the Council’s Vision for the Borough, the Strategy it will pursue in seeking to achieve this Vision, and the land use policies and proposals that are intended to bring about this Vision. The Written Statement contains a number of separate chapters - the contents of which are outlined below. Borough Profile and Key Issues 1.6 The Borough Profile and Key Issues chapter identifies the problems and opportunities facing Burnley in 2001, the starting position for the Plan. The Plan must help solve these problems and help realise these opportunities if it is to attain its long term Vision. To provide greater focus for the Plan these problems and opportunities are distilled into a set of KEY ISSUES that the Burnley Local Plan Second Review must address between now and 2016. Vision and Strategy 1.7 Chapter 3 of the Plan outlines the STRATEGY that the Council will pursue over the next ten years in seeking to tackle the KEY ISSUES 1 Burnley Local Plan Second Review - 2006 facing the Borough. The Plan is the first in a series of steps, which will have the ultimate goal of achieving a long term VISION for the Borough: 1.8 By 2016, Burnley will be a thriving town in England’s North West. It will provide a good quality of life for everyone. At the same time Padiham will have become a thriving market town. Both towns will be places in which people can have pride and confidence. We will achieve this vision by: protecting the best elements of our local identity; by improving the poorest; and by minimising the impact on the environment. 1.9 The Plan provides the framework for land use planning for achieving this Vision. Policies and Proposals 1.10 Policies and Proposals are the central means of guiding, controlling and promoting development. Chapters 4 to 11 of the Plan set out the Council’s detailed land use policies for the Borough. Where applicable, policies are accompanied by related land use proposals e.g. sites for particular land uses such as housing or employment. Each policy is accompanied by a reasoned justification which explains why the Council has included a particular policy in the Plan. Each of the policies and proposals relate to specific objectives of the Strategy. These chapters also set targets that the Plan will seek to achieve over the next ten years e.g. the number of houses built, land developed for employment uses, number of buildings brought back in to use, or the amount of land recycled. 1.11 These chapters of the Plan emphasise a more ‘joined-up’ thematic approach, rather than dealing with issues in isolation under traditional topic headings such as Industry, Housing, Recreation, and Open Land. The content of the chapters of the plan can briefly be summarised as follows: General Policies – a set of policies covering the whole Plan. These policies will be used in assessing most proposals for development. They deal with issues such as quality and design, access for all, safety and crime. This chapter also defines the Plan’s urban boundary; Economy and Work – policies and proposals dealing with the urban (industry, offices, major retail development etc.), and rural economy; Housing and Local Neighbourhoods – policies and proposals dealing with housing issues and quality of life in residential areas; Environment – policies and proposals for the local natural and built environment; 2 Burnley Local Plan Second Review - 2006 Community Facilities – policies and proposals related to social inclusion and access to facilities such as local shops, jobs and recreation space; Transport and Movement – policies and proposals dealing with transport and access issues; and Town Centres – these chapters deal with the Borough’s two town centres of Burnley and Padiham. Detailed proposals are also included for these areas on two accompanying town centre insets on the Plan Proposals Map. THE PLANNING AND COMPULSORY PURCHASE ACT 2004 1.12 The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Bill received Royal Assent on 13th May 2004 and commenced on 28th September 2004. 1.13 Under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act, the current development plan system for Burnley will be replaced. A statutory Regional Spatial Strategy and a Local Development Framework will replace the Lancashire Structure Plan and the Burnley Local Plan Second Review. 1.14 The Burnley Local Plan Second Review was Adopted on 4th April 2006. Under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the Plan will be ‘saved’ for a period of three years until April 2009. 1.15 During the time that the Plan is ‘saved’, work will begin on the preparation of Local Development Documents. The timetable for the production of Local Development Documents is set out in the Council’s Local Development Scheme. MONITORING AND REVIEW 1.16 Chapter 12 of the Plan outlines how the plan will be monitored against its defined objectives and targets and the timetable for the transition from a Local Plan to a Local Development Framework. IMPLEMENTATION AND RESOURCES 1.17 Chapter 13 outlines how the Plan will be implemented and identifies the source of potential resources and the agencies and partners that will be responsible for the Plan’s implementation. SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL 1.18 A full sustainability appraisal of the Plan has been undertaken. This is available as a separate document. 3 Burnley Local Plan Second Review - 2006 HUMAN RIGHTS ACT 1998 1.19 The Human Rights Act places an obligation on all public authorities to act in accordance with much of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Plan has been prepared with reference to the Council’s ‘HRA Guidelines for auditing’. HOW TO USE THIS PLAN 1.20 Planning applications will be decided in accordance with the Local Plan unless other material considerations indicate otherwise. Planning decisions taken in accordance with the Local Plan are therefore key to the delivery of sustainable development. In some circumstances the Council may decide in reaching a decision to give different weight to social, environmental, resource or economic considerations. Where this is the case, the reasons for doing so will be explicit and the consequences considered. Adverse environmental, social and economic impacts will be avoided, mitigated or compensated for. 1.21 Analysis of the targets in the Plan will provide information on the extent to which the Plan’s policies and proposals are being implemented and will form the basis for identifying where policies need to be strengthened, maintained, changed in some way, or removed. The achievement of a particular target, however, will not be a material consideration in determining individual planning applications. 1.22 The policies and proposals contained in the Plan are generally set out on a Borough-wide topic basis. Detailed Inset Plans are included for the Town Centres of Burnley and Padiham where area-based policies and proposals are relevant. All policies in the Plan need to be considered in terms of all other policies in the Plan. Cross references are included to help users find other relevant policies. However, it should be noted that, cross-referencing is provided as a general guide only. The onus remains on users to consider all relevant policies in the Plan. 1.23 All policies in this written statement are numbered. Policies beginning with: GP relate to General Policies EW relate to Economy and Work H relate to Housing and Local Neighbourhoods E relate to Environment CF relate to Community Facilities TM relate to Transport and Movement BTC relate to Burnley Town Centre PTC relate to Padiham Town Centre 1.24 Policy numbers appear both in the document and on the Proposals Map. 4 Burnley Local Plan Second Review - 2006 1.25 There are areas in the District that are not covered by specific policies and proposals. The assumption within these areas is that existing uses will remain broadly the same. Development proposals within these areas will need to take account of the criteria based policies of the Plan that may apply and any other material considerations. 1.26 Appendices are located at the back of the Written Statement and contain further information on the following subjects: a glossary of terms and abbreviations used in the written statement Supplementary Planning Guidance and Development Briefs Car Parking Standards