Agenda Item No. 9 ARUN LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK 2006-2026 CORE STRATEGY OPTIONS FOR GROWTH CONSULTATION DOCUMENT DRAFT – DECEMBER 2008 Agenda Item No. 9 CONTENTS PAGE Part A – Introduction 1 Core Strategy Background Studies 2 Forthcoming Studies 3 Context for Local Development Framework 3 Part B – Identifying Issues and Opportunities 5 National Context 5 Regional and Sub-Regional Context 5 Local Context 7 A Spatial Portrait of Arun 8 Planning Context and Regeneration 12 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats 15 Identifying Issues, Challenges and Opportunities 19 Part C – Vision and Objectives 24 Core Strategy Vision 24 Proposed Strategic Objectives 28 Part D – Spatial Options for Growth 33 Meeting Future Development Requirements 33 South East Plan Requirements 36 Meeting the Housing Requirements 36 Completions and Existing Commitments 37 Brownfield Sites 37 Greenfield Housing Requirement 38 Spatial Strategy to 2026 38 Spatial Option 1: Sustainable Urban Extensions 39 Spatial Option 2: New Settlement at Ford 43 Spatial Option 3: Expansion of Inland Villages 46 Part E – Summary and Questions 50 APPENDICES Appendix 1 Key South East Plan Policies Relevant to the Arun LDF Core Strategy 51 Appendix 2 Arun Sustainable Community Strategy Priorities Analysis - 54 of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities And Threats Appendix 3 Initial Assessment of Possible Development Locations 68 Appendix 4 Detailed Comparative Assessment of Development Locations 116 PART A - INTRODUCTION 1.1. This Options for Growth document sets out three alternative strategic growth strategies for Arun District for stakeholder and public comment. 1.2. This consultation is a key step towards producing a Core Strategy, a statutory planning document which will form a key part of the Arun Local Development Framework (LDF). Arun District Council is preparing the LDF under the new planning system introduced by the Government in 2004 and updated in 2008. The LDF will comprise a portfolio of planning documents which will replace the current Arun District Local Plan and set out a framework for planning and wider spatial policy decisions over the period to 2026. 1.3. The Core Strategy is the principal Development Plan Document. It is a strategic level document that will set out the spatial vision for the future of the District, and provide objectives and policy options towards meeting this vision. In doing so, it will build on the key priorities identified in Arun’s Sustainable Community Strategy “Our Kind of Place”, and will play a key role in delivering the vision for the District set out in the Community Strategy, as indicated in the diagram below. It will also form the context for other LDF documents to be prepared in due course. Relationship of LDF Core Strategy to the Sustainable Community Strategy and key delivery mechanism 1 1.4. This Options for Growth document includes the following main sections: Part A: Introduction - Sets out the statutory requirements and context for the LDF Core Strategy. Part B: Identifying Issues and Opportunities – Presents the national, regional and local spatial planning context, sets out a spatial portrait of Arun, and identifies key issues, challenges and opportunities which the Core Strategy needs to address. Part C: Vision and Objectives – Sets out a spatial vision for Arun in 2026 and identifies broad strategic objectives for delivering the vision. Part D: Options for Growth – Presents three broad spatial strategies for meeting Arun’s growth and development requirements over the period to 2026. Part E: Summary and Questions – Provides a brief summary, including setting out the next stage of the Core Strategy process, followed by Consultation Questions. 1.5. The “Options for Growth” highlighted in this document have been influenced by the public responses the District Council received to its Core Strategy Issues and Options consultation in Autumn 2005. They also reflect ongoing consultation with major service providers, such as West Sussex County Council, Primary Care Trusts, Sussex Police, and the water and energy providers. Regular consultation has also been undertaken with key statutory bodies, including the Government Office for the South East (GOSE), the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), the Environment Agency, Natural England, English Heritage and the Highways Agency. In addition, the Council has undertaken or commissioned a number of specific studies on topics such as housing, employment, transport, open space, flood risk and habitats (see list below). Core Strategy Background Studies Settlement Sustainability Study 2007 Urban Housing Potential Study for Arun District 2006 Arun Housing Needs Survey 2003 Affordable Housing Viability Study 2005 Affordable Housing Viability Study 2006 Economic Viability of Affordable Housing Options - Update Study 2007 West Sussex Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment West Sussex Showpeople Study Arun and Chichester - Assessment of Employment Needs 2005 Coastal Districts Retail Study 2005 Arun Shopping Centre Survey and Indicative Shopping Centre Hierarchy 2006 Arun District Strategic Transport Study 2006 Landscape and Visual Amenity Aspects of Development Choices in Arun 2006 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment 2 Forthcoming Studies West Sussex Strategic Housing Market Assessment Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment Open Space Sport & Recreation Study Arun Habitats Study Urban design and Landscape Study Infrastructure, Delivery and Funding Study 1.6. This document is not the Core Strategy, but a major step towards the development of the strategy. Once the results of this consultation are known, a draft Core Strategy will be prepared, which will include a refined version of the vision and strategic objectives, together with policies to deliver a detailed spatial strategy for Arun, taking account of this consultation and further detailed work currently being undertaken. This will then lead to the submission of a Core Strategy document to the Secretary of State for independent examination. 1.7. The Core Strategy will be followed by more detailed development plans which will translate the Core Strategy policies into more detailed proposals, and other non-strategic policies. Arun’s Local Development Scheme (LDS) sets out the timetable for preparation of Development Plan Documents for a three year period. The LDS can be viewed on the Arun Council website at http://www.arun.gov.uk/cgi-bin/buildpage.pl?mysql=4053 1.8. The Local Development Scheme will be revised in due course, to ensure a rolling, three year preparation timetable. 1.9. Arun District Council’s Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out how you can get involved in the preparation of development documents within the Local Development Framework. It also addresses public consultation relating to significant planning applications. To obtain a copy contact us, or view the Arun website: www.arun.gov.uk. Context for LDF 1.10 Whilst the LDF forms the spatial expression of Arun’s Sustainable Community Strategy “Our Kind of Place”, it must also conform to national, regional and strategic planning guidance. If conflict were to arise, these requirements take precedence over locally derived preferences. 1.11 National Planning Guidance sets out the planning policies of Government in the form of Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPG’s), which are gradually being replaced by Planning Policy Statements (PPS’s). A full set of these can be viewed on the Communities and Local Government (CLG’s) website: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1143802 1.12 Regional Planning Guidance for the South East region is at present set out in Regional Planning Guidance Note 9 (RPG9). More detailed strategic 3 planning policies for Arun District are set out in the West Sussex Structure Plan 2001-2016, prepared by West Sussex County Council and adopted in 2004. Both of these documents will shortly be replaced by a new Regional Spatial Strategy, “The South East Plan”. The South East Plan will set out a broad strategic planning framework and policies which will set the planning context for the LDF at the regional and sub-regional level. It will also specify the number of additional homes to be provided in the District from 2006 to 2026. 1.13 The Council has based this consultation document on the policies and figures included in the Secretary of State’s Proposed Modifications to the South East Plan, which were published for consultation in July 2008. The Secretary of State is expected to approve the final version of the South East Plan for adoption in 2009. 4 PART B – IDENTIFYING ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES National Context 2.1 The Government’s overall objectives for planning are set out in Planning Policy Statement 1 (PPS1) – Delivering Sustainable Development. This identifies ‘sustainable development’ as the core principle underpinning the planning system, that is that planning should ensure a better quality of life for everyone, both now and for future generations. Regional and Sub-Regional Context South East Plan 2.2 The draft South East Plan incorporates sub-regional strategies which identify the key issues facing the different parts of the region, and sets out the scale and pattern of development envisaged. Arun District falls within the Sussex Coast sub-region which covers the length of the coast from Chichester to Rye. The strategy identifies the Sussex Coast as an area in need of extensive regeneration. 2.3 The particular challenges faced by the sub-region are how to: • improve economic performance and raise earnings;