County Durham Plan Issues and Options June 2016 Contents Foreword iii 1 Introduction 5 Stages of Local Plan Preparation and Next Steps 6 How do I get involved? 6 Neighbourhood Plans 7 Assessing Impacts 7 Duty to Cooperate: Cross-Boundary Issues 8 Monitoring 8 2 Vision and Objectives 10 3 How Much Development and Where 13 Quantity of Development (How Much) 13 Spatial Distribution of Development (Where) 18 Distribution of Employment 19 Distribution of Retail 19 Distribution of Housing 20 4 Core Principles 30 Building a strong competitive economy 31 Ensuring the vitality of town centres 35 Supporting a prosperous rural economy 37 Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes 39 Protecting Green Belt land 44 Promoting sustainable transport 46 Supporting high quality infrastructure 51 Requiring good design 53 Promoting healthy communities 55 Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change 56 Conserving and enhancing the natural and historic environment 58 Facilitating the sustainable use of minerals 60 Waste resource management 63 5 Glossary of Terms 66 County Durham Plan Issues and Options Foreword County Durham Plan Issues and Options ii Foreword Foreword industrial past has also had an impact on its housing mix with the proportion of terraced The County Durham Plan will set out how much housing as part of the housing stock at 38.4%, development is required in the county, including much higher than the figure for the North East housing, jobs and shopping and then look to place and England, both of which are 30.4%. it where people want to live and where businesses want to invest. The under-performance of the county's economy and the reduction in public funding has required This document identifies the issues and options the council and its partners to seek alternatives relevant to the future planning of County Durham to tackling these challenges. In doing so it is which will develop what will become the preferred important to recognise the opportunities that exist option for moving the county forward. including: Understanding the issues and clarifying which option delivers the best outcomes is the starting Significant private investment including point of any plan process. Hitachi in Newton Aycliffe; Atom Bank, Freeman's Reach, Milburngate House and Whilst the economy is seen as a high strategic The Gates in Durham City; DurhamGate in priority of the council and its partners it also needs Spennymoor; Integra61 at Bowburn; to be balanced with ensuring that social and Auckland Castle and Eleven Arches in environmental issues are fully considered and Bishop Auckland; prioritised equally. This is a Plan for the whole county so it is important that it works for each and The opportunity to lever in further private every settlement in ensuring that they remain sector investment at North Road in Durham sustainable in the long term. City, Forrest Park, Newton Aycliffe and Hawthorn, Murton amongst others; The way the county's towns and villages are spread out is a legacy of the rise and fall of the The expansion of NETPark, a regionally mining, steel and other heavy industries and has significant centre for research and left us with a built environment which reflects this development (R&D); industrial past. The decline of these industries meant a significant weakening of the economy Durham University as a major academic and and high levels of unemployment. The response cultural asset to the county; to this decline was the use of significant amounts of public funding to support regeneration. This has met with some localised success however, An improving qualification and skills base whilst environmental improvements and including the growth of high tech engineering decontamination of sites has occurred, structural supported by the opening of the first issues within the economy remain. As a result University Technical College this coming and despite the growth experienced during the September; 2000s, our economy continues to lack the The continued development of the visitor diversity and scale required to be robust and economy with significant opportunities thriving. Furthermore large scale reductions in arising as a result of investment in Bishop public expenditure have acted to remove Auckland and Beamish; significant resource from the local economy. County Durham falls below the North East's Improving delivery of new housing to meet economic performance which in turn is one of the the needs of different groups including poorest regions in the UK, just above Wales. affordable housing and an opportunity for Similarly our employment rate, at 66.8% is executive housing at Lambton Park Estate; significantly below the national average of 73.4%. County Durham's existing proportion of jobs in the private sector is also significantly lower than the national average, 63.8% compared to 72.6%, and this imbalance is growing. The county's County Durham Plan Issues and Options iii Foreword Excellent communications including the East Comments will then be considered and made Coast Mainline, the A1(M) and the A19; and available on the website together with the council's response. An exceptional natural and built environment which makes County Durham an attractive place to work, invest, visit and live. In 2014 the council submitted a plan to Government for consideration which identified an approach to give us the best chance of harnessing these opportunities and addressing the challenges we face. It focused development on our main towns, including Durham City, while also recognising the important contribution other areas of the county can make. Following the Examination in Public of the County Durham Plan, the independent inspector’s interim report suggested that the economic growth set out by the council and its partners in the plan was over-ambitious. As a result the council felt it had no alternative but to challenge the report by way of a Judicial Review. With the consent of the Government, this resulted in the interim report being quashed by the High Court and an agreement which saw the council withdraw the plan. This resolution meant that the council could prepare a local plan without the inspector’s interim report having any bearing on the way forward. Following legal advice and discussions with Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the planning inspectorate, it was agreed that a new plan, which builds on the changes that have taken place over the last two years in respect of progress, evidence and opportunity, would be the most robust position. This provides a strong foundation for preparing a local plan for County Durham. We therefore encourage as many people as possible to get involved and help us prepare a robust local plan that will help build a sustainable future for our existing and future residents. We do understand that many people may have made comments to the previous plan, however as they relate to the withdrawn plan you will need to make representations as the new Plan takes shape. Each of the consultation stages will provide an opportunity for you to make comments. iv County Durham Plan Issues and Options Introduction 1 1 Introduction 1.5 The Government continues to stress the need for economic and housing growth in all 1.1 A local plan seeks to guide the future areas and has stated that if councils do not deliver development of a place to improve the lives of its this by way of a local plan then the Government existing and future residents. We therefore need could potentially intervene in that area. The new a local plan that meets the differing needs of our local plan is the opportunity for local communities communities. The county has seen some and stakeholders to plan for how County Durham successful regeneration in the past but our overall should grow and improve. economy is the weakest in the north-east, itself the poorest performing economy in England. We 1.6 In a local context the Plan should have therefore need a local plan that promotes quality regard to the Sustainable Community Strategy of life, provides jobs for a flexible and skilled (SCS) which is the overarching strategy for workforce, protects and enhances our special County Durham and is published by the County environment and supports our towns and villages. Durham Partnership. It sets out our shared long-term vision for the county, our ambitions for 1.2 Without a local plan, development including the area and the priorities that partners and housing, will still happen given the context of a communities believe are important. It provides growing population and a national housing the blueprint to deliver long lasting improvements shortage. The County Durham Plan will therefore and sets the scene for the Plan. Similarly regard give us the ability to guide and direct where it will be had to the County Durham Regeneration goes and what it looks like. Statement which supports the SCS and seeks to create places that are attractive, well-designed, 1.3 This is the first stage of consultation on the and well-managed, with good amenities and Plan which will provide the policy framework for transport connections, providing a focal point for the county up to 2033 to support the development business and social interactions. of a thriving economy so that our residents can experience the benefits that ensue as a result. It 1.7 The main focus of the Plan will be to reflect is important that local communities, interested the local policy context by exploring the strategic people and groups get involved and have their issues including how much development we need say to help shape the future of County Durham. and where it should be located. The detail of the This document sets out the planning issues that actual development sites and the planning policies the county will face and options for how they could needed to determine planning applications will all be addressed.