Newcastle-under-Lyme Local Development Framework Annual Monitoring Report December 2007 NEWCASTLE BOROUGH CHESHIRE - Congleton Borough KEY SETTLEMENTS STAFFORDSHIRE MOORLANDS Kidsgrove M6 Audley WEST COAST MAIN LINE Chesterton BOROUGH OF NEWCASTLE CITY OF STOKE CHESHIRE - Crewe & UNDER LYME ON TRENT Nantwich Borough Knutton Silverdale Newcastle-under-Lyme Madeley SHROPSHIRE - North Shropshire WEST COAST MAIN LINE Loggerheads STAFFORD BOROUGH 0 4km n Newcastle under Lyme Local Development Framework – Annual Monitoring Report 2007 Newcastle under Lyme Annual Monitoring Report 2007 Contents Newcastle under Lyme Annual Monitoring Report 2007................................1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................2 1. Introduction................................................................................................5 2. The Monitoring Framework.......................................................................6 3. Local Development Scheme implementation..........................................7 4. The key characteristics of the Borough of Newcastle under Lyme.....11 5. Policy Monitoring.....................................................................................18 5.1 Sustainable Development..................................................................19 5.2 Housing...............................................................................................23 5.3 Employment and economic development........................................29 5.4 Retail and Town Centres....................................................................34 5.5 Access and Transport........................................................................38 5.6 Community Facilities .........................................................................40 5.7 Natural Heritage..................................................................................42 5.8 Built Heritage ......................................................................................45 Appendix 1 – Significant Effects Indicators ..............................................46 Appendix 2 – Detailed Core Output Indicator data ...................................47 Appendix 3 – Local Plan 2011 Policies ......................................................51 1 Newcastle under Lyme Local Development Framework – Annual Monitoring Report 2007 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Outlined below is a brief summary of the key headlines from the 2007 Annual Monitoring Report - Local Development Scheme Implementation The May 2006 Local Development Scheme (LDS) was arguably highly ambitious. It sought to synchronise the production of a number of key Development Plan Documents with the proposed timetables for interventions by Renew North Staffordshire. However, it took longer than anticipated for Renew to finalise the level of intervention it could fund and some original priorities changed, this combined with the the constraints imposed by the precise requirements governing the statutory plan making system ultimately meant a number of milestones within the 2006 LDS could not be met. The May 2007 LDS, brought into effect September 2007, now outlines a radical re-prioritisation of the production of local development documents, involving in some cases their replacement, or temporary removal from the programme, until such a time when firm proposals and commitments by Renew will make the production practical and necessary. Other key issues which have been taken into consideration are- • The effectiveness of policies, including those currently in operation but which are likely to cease after September 2007 • The level of resources available to manage the delivery of the LDF • Plans to be produced jointly with the neighbouring planning authority of Stoke-on-Trent • The timing of the emerging Regional Spatial Strategy The work programme over the next three years therefore consists of the Core Strategy, the Town Centre Area Action Plan, Generic Development Control DPD and three Supplementary Planning Documents. In addition, reference is made to two further possible AAPs, which, as referred to above, it is considered appropriate to "flag up" but not commit the Council to at this stage. 2 Newcastle under Lyme Local Development Framework – Annual Monitoring Report 2007 Local Policy Implementation Sustainable Development • 66.5% of new housing was built on previously developed land. The target set in the local plan is for 70% of new housing to be on previously developed land. This year’s figure has been distorted by the 70 completions on the Lyme Valley allotments, Clayton Rd site, which were granted permission prior to the 2011 Local Plan. It is worth noting that 97.4% of new housing development, granted permission during 2006/7 was on previously developed land • Only 2.28% of all new development took place in the Greenbelt • No pollution or flooding occurred as a result of new development • 70.34% of new housing was built within the Renew North Staffordshire/North Staffs Regeneration boundaries • Five major developments were assessed by the Urban Vision Design Review Panel Housing • No affordable housing was completed in 2006/2007. This reflects the fact that a large number of the major completed housing developments within the borough were granted permission prior to the 2011 Local Plan and contained no element of affordable housing. Approximately 10% of all housing completions within the borough since 1996 have been for affordable housing. In 2006/7 full planning permission was granted for 6 units of affordable housing and outline permission was granted for a further 75 units • As of 31st March 2007 the borough had commitments for 1764 new dwellings. This represents a 5.5 year housing supply using the estimated 289 annual net (or 319 gross) estimated additional dwellings required to meet proposed RSS housing targets • 76.3% of new housing was built at a density of 30 dwellings per hectare or more. This is in accordance with PPS 3 which set outs a guideline of between 30 and 50 dwellings per hectare or more. Employment and economic development • 35.1% of employment development took place within the North Staffs Regeneration Zone boundary. This marks a considerable slippage from last year when 100% of employment development took place in the RZ. This is largely due to the major extension to the Eternit Clay Tiles site at Madeley Heath. 3 Newcastle under Lyme Local Development Framework – Annual Monitoring Report 2007 • 72.8% of employment development took place on previously developed land • 115.05ha of employment land was available at 31st March 2007 Access and Transport • All new, non residential development complied with parking standards set out in the Local Plan 2011 • 93% of all new housing was within 30 minutes travelling time by public transport of a town centre • 98% of all new housing was within 30 minutes travelling time by public transport of an industrial estate • 99% of all new housing was within 30 minutes travelling time by public transport of a primary school and 96% for secondary schools 4 Newcastle under Lyme Local Development Framework – Annual Monitoring Report 2007 1. Introduction 1.1 The purpose of the Annual Monitoring Report This report covers the period from 1st April 2006 to 31st March 2007. Section 35 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires every local planning authority to produce an annual report for submission to the Secretary of State containing information on:- • The progress made towards implementing the programme outlined in the authority’s Local Development Scheme. • The progress made towards achieving objectives and targets identified in local development plan documents. • The impact of policies upon national and regional targets – Local Planning Regulations 48(7) specifically requires information on net additional dwellings. • The significant effects of policy implementation upon the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the local plan area. • Whether policies in local development plan documents need to be updated, adjusted or replaced in order to achieve identified targets, and to reflect changes in national or regional policy. 1.2 The importance of monitoring Monitoring is becoming an increasingly central aspect of evidence based policy making. Government guidance highlights the need to make a shift away from past views of monitoring as an error-correcting mechanism to bring land use plans back on track, towards an approach to monitoring as a positive, future orientated means for identifying the key issues and challenges within a local authority. This in turn will inform the future development, revision and adjustment of LDF policies. The AMR is an invaluable tool for the planning policy team, providing a means for – • Promoting the central role of planning within the local authority • Providing accessible information on the performance of local policies • Highlighting the key issues, challenges and opportunities in the borough • Providing a comprehensive evidence base for the development of future policy 5 Newcastle under Lyme Local Development Framework – Annual Monitoring Report 2007 2. The Monitoring Framework 2.1 Local Indicators No Development Plan Documents had been formally adopted prior to, or during, the monitoring period April 2006-Mar 2007. Therefore this report will continue to focus upon the monitoring of policies in the adopted Local Plan 2011, which have been ‘saved’ until September 27th 2007. These ‘saved’ policies will be replaced over