Core Strategy and Development Policies – Preferred Options 2 Further copies of this document can be obtained from: Planning Policy Team Fenland District Council Fenland Hall County Road March PE15 8NQ Telephone: 01354 654321 It can also be viewed on our web site at: www.fenland.gov.uk Documents prepared by Fenland District Council are available In community languages, large print, Moon, Braille, Audio cassette and electronic format upon request September 2007 Contents 1 Introduction 5 1.1 The Local Development Framework 5 1.2 The purpose of this consultation 5 1.3 Content of the Core Strategy 6 1.4 Key issues and influences 6 1.5 Your comments 9 2 Spatial Portrait and Objectives 11 2.1 Approach of the Core Strategy 11 2.2 Portrait of the District 11 2.3 Critical issues 16 2.4 Spatial Vision 22 2.5 Spatial Strategy 23 2.6 Key Diagram 36 3 Core Policies 37 3.1 CP1 Sustainable Development Principles 37 3.2 CP2 Settlement Hierarchy 39 3.3 CP3 Development in the Countryside 43 3.4 CP4 Comprehensive Development 46 3.5 CP5 Infastructure Requirements 47 4 Housing 51 4.1 H1 Windfall Housing Sites 51 4.2 H2 Phasing of Housing Development 53 4.3 H3 Affordable Housing 55 Core Strategy and Development Policies Preferred Options 2 Contents 4.4 H4 Affordable Housing Rural Exceptions 59 4.5 H5 Housing Density 62 4.6 H6 Housing Mix 65 4.7 H7 Replacement or Alteration of Rural Housing 68 4.8 H8 Conversion of Rural Buildings to Residential 70 4.9 H9 Dwellings for Rural Workers 72 4.10 H10 Gypsies and Travellers 73 5 Economic Growth and Prosperity 77 5.1 GP1 Location and Scale of Employment Development 77 5.2 GP2 Protecting Employment Land 80 5.3 GP3 Wisbech Port 83 5.4 GP4 Re-use and Redevelopment of Rural Buildings 84 5.5 GP5 Farm Diversification 87 5.6 GP6 Tourist Attractions 89 5.7 GP7 Tourist Accomodation 92 5.8 GP8 Location of Retail and Leisure Development 96 5.9 GP9 Primary Shopping Frontages 98 6 Built Environment 101 6.1 B1 Design 101 6.2 B2 Amenity 105 6.3 B3 Shop Fronts and Advertisements 107 6.4 B4 Conservation Areas 109 6.5 B5 Listed Buildings 112 6.6 B6 Archaeological Sites and Monuments 114 Core Strategy and Development Policies Preferred Options 2 6.7 B7 Flood Risk and Drainage 116 6.8 B8 Pollution 118 6.9 B9 Contaminated Land 120 7 Natural Environment and Resources 123 7.1 N1 Landscape Character 123 7.2 N2 Biodiversity 125 7.3 N3 Protected Trees and Important Hedgerows 127 7.4 N4 Protected Sites and Species 129 7.5 N5 Renewable Energy 132 7.6 N6 Wind Turbine Development 135 7.7 N7 Energy Efficiency 137 8 Community Services and Facilities 139 8.1 S1 Requirements for Growth 139 8.2 S2 Retention of Local Services and Facilities 140 8.3 S3 Protection of Open Space and Recreational Facilities 143 8.4 S4 Telecommunications 145 9 Transport 147 9.1 T1 Managing the Need to Travel 147 9.2 T2 Reducing the Need to Travel 150 9.3 T3 Car and Cycle Parking 152 9.4 T4 Walking, Cycling and Public Rights of Way 155 Appendices 1 Maps Identifying Broad Locations 159 Core Strategy and Development Policies Preferred Options 2 Contents 2 County Wildlife Sites 163 3 Car and Cycle Parking Standards 165 4 Glossary of Terms 175 Core Strategy and Development Policies Preferred Options 2 1 Introduction 1.1 The Local Development Framework Fenland District Council is preparing a new Local Development Framework (LDF). The LDF is a series of documents which will eventually replace the Fenland District-wide Local Plan that was adopted in 1993 and the Interim Statement of Proposed Supplementary Planning Guidance adopted in 2001. The LDF will consider how the District will develop over the period up to 2024. It will set out planning policies, and allocate sites for housing, employment and other land uses. The series of LDF documents will be produced over a period of time. The Core Strategy and Development Policies Development Plan Document (to be referred to as the Core Strategy) is one of the first documents to be produced. It will set out a strategic vision for the district and policies that will be used when considering individual planning proposals. Allocations of land for specific purposes will be considered in a separate document (to be known as the Site Specific Proposals Development Plan Document), which will conform to the framework set by the Core Strategy. Full details of the documents to be prepared and a production timetable are set out in the Council's Local Development Scheme (see the Council's website at www.fenland.gov.uk.) Due to the need for consultation, the Core Strategy will be produced in a number of key stages which, are as follows: Initial public and stakeholder consultation on issues and options Public consultation on Preferred Options Public consultation on further Preferred Options (CURRENT STAGE) Draft Core Strategy submitted to Secretary of State and published for public consultation (Jan 2008) Independent Examination on the document (begins Aug 2008) Receipt of binding Inspectors report and adoption of document (probably in Feb 2009). 1.2 The purpose of this consultation Fenland District Council carried out a preferred options consultation with the public and stakeholders in late 2006, however, following discussions with the Government Office for the East of England it was agreed that further work should be undertaken. This additional work is needed to take account of revised national guidance on housing and a new requirement for Core Strategies to indicate broad locations for development. Work has also been undertaken to produce a more focused Spatial Vision and Strategy and to inform the transport proposals. Core Strategy and Development Policies Preferred Options 2 5 1 Introduction Due to the nature of the amendments stated above, a decision with the support of the Government has now been made to undertake a consultation on the further preferred options work. This will provide Stakeholders and the public with an additional opportunity to comment on the Core Strategy, before it is finalised and submitted to Government. The Council is keen to seek your views on these further preferred options and find out whether you agree with our choices. 1.3 Content of the Core Strategy The Core Strategy Document is the strategic document that will inform other development plan and guidance documents within the LDF. The Core Strategy sets out the long term spatial vision (integrating land use planning and local strategies including the Sustainable Community Strategy, Local Transport Plans etc) for Fenland District Council and will provide the policy framework for development and change. This document will set out the strategy for delivering housing up to 2024. PPS3, paragraph 53, stipulates Local Planning Authorities should identify broad locations and specific sites that will enable continuous delivery of housing for at least 15 years from the document's adoption. The quantity of employment land has also been projected to 2024 to ensure there is a balanced approach between housing and employment. The Core Strategy will not identify specific sites for development, but will set out the spatial strategy for growth, identifying broad locations for housing, employment, open space and retail development and how the delivery of these sectors will shape the localities and district. Also within this document from chapters 4 - 9, are the Development Policies which are more focused on particular themes to guide and assess development. They will be used for assessing planning applications. 1.4 Key issues and influences The Core Strategy needs to take account of a number of key sources of information and guidance. Details of these key influences are set out below. National and regional / county planning policies The Government produces Planning Policy Guidance Notes, which are being replaced by Planning Policy Statements. These set out Government policy on a variety of topics, including housing, employment, retail and transport. The Core Strategy has to be consistent with what they say. Relevant national policy sources that have been drawn upon are listed in the various policy sections of this document. The full text of the Government documents can be viewed on their website at www.communities.gov.uk 6 Core Strategy and Development Policies Preferred Options 2 The Secretary of State's Proposed Changes to the Draft Revision of the Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England (RSS) were published in December 2006. It sets out the spatial strategy for the region (see the East of England Regional Assembly’s website for details at www.eera.gov.uk). The Core Strategy needs to be in ‘general conformity’ with RSS. As it is in draft form, there may be some future changes – these changes will need to be accommodated, wherever possible, in a revised Core Strategy. Relevant regional policies that have been drawn upon are listed in the various policy sections of this paper. RSS will eventually replace most of the policies in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan adopted in 2003. However, because the Structure Plan is relatively up-to-date and is ‘saved’, we need to take account of its policies and proposals. Relevant policy links are listed in the policy sections of this paper, and the full text of the Plan can be viewed on the County Council’s website at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk Other plans and strategies The Core Strategy also needs to take account of the plans and strategies of the District Council and other organisations (such as the Police, Health Authority and Highways Authority) where these have implications for the use of land.