4. The Spatial Strategy & Key Diagram – where should growth happen? Introduction – The Path to Spatial Sustainability 4.1 The location of new development across the southern part of central Bedfordshire District and Luton Borough, hereafter referred to as Luton and southern Bedfordshire, will have a major impact on sustainability. By integrating the provision of new development including, homes, employment and social/community infrastructure uses with high quality public transport, particularly in the form of the Guided Busway, we will help to shape both new development and future travel patterns in a highly sustainable way. Taking an integrated approach to the provision of new development and its associated sustainable transport linkages is probably the most powerful way in which the planning system can contribute to environmental sustainability as well as sustainable communities generally. 4.2 National Planning Policy Statements (PPSs) together with the East of England Plan and the Sub-Regional level Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub Regional Strategy (MKSMSRS) all hierarchically provide important central and regional Government context for this Core Strategy and subsequent documents of the Local Development Framework (LDF) to sit within and conform to. 4.3 The MKSMSRS and the East of England Plan RSS allocate amounts of growth to this area; the former also identifies areas of search for potential Green Belt review in order to accommodate sustainable strategic urban extensions. These may be found on pages 10 and 11 of that strategy. Generally speaking the areas of search for such urban extensions lie to the north-west, and north of Dunstable, north of Houghton Regis and Luton, east of Luton (in North Hertfordshire District) and around Leighton Buzzard and Linslade. 4.4 These areas of search have been investigated further in the preparation of this Core Strategy and two preferred strategic urban extensions on the northern fringe of the main conurbation have emerged. Additionally, one smaller scale strategic urban extension is preferred to the east of Leighton Buzzard. A further preferred direction of growth has been identified. This lies to east of the main conurbation and mostly lies in North Hertfordshire District. The North Hertfordshire District Local Development Framework will progress the planning of this growth with the Joint Committee inputting where and when appropriate. The MKSMSRS and the RSS also set out a sub-regional approach to the delivery of urban regeneration, transport and the safeguarding of rural areas from inappropriate development. 4.5 This Core Strategy develops the regional and sub-regional approach at the next level by setting out a spatial approach to the delivery of 6/17 sustainable growth across southern Bedfordshire up to 2031 in a timely way that meets the needs of all in the area now and in the future. The Growth area is defined as comprising the main conurbation of Luton, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, and the market town of Leighton Buzzard and Linslade, together with any preferred urban extensions of these settlements. It is also likely that some appropriately scaled growth will go to main rural settlements as illustrated on the Key Diagram at Figure 1. The Key Diagram presents a simple and accessible pictorial representation showing the preferred locations for strategic new development. 4.6 The first choice location for growth related development is within existing urban areas thereby making full use of previously developed land and buildings. This approach will ensure these areas remain vibrant in decades to come. Priority will be given to the main conurbation before Leighton Buzzard and Linslade owing to its higher levels of existing and potential sustainability and to maximise the opportunities for new development to support and enable its regeneration. 4.7 However in the light of the amount of growth southern Bedfordshire needs to accommodate up to 2031 not all of it can be accommodated within existing urban areas. The evidence demonstrates that concentrating development that cannot be accommodated within existing urban areas in urban extensions is the most sustainable strategic spatial strategy approach to pursue. This approach enables the new development to benefit from all that the existing urban areas have to offer, including public transport, whilst at the same time being of direct regenerative benefit to those same existing urban areas. Growth of the main conurbation in the east of the Growth Area in this way offers the opportunity for the most sustainable urban extensions generally thereby enhancing the overall pattern of sustainability for the growth area as a whole. 4.8 The evidence demonstrates the need to consolidate and develop Luton as the sub-regional centre serving southern Bedfordshire and adjoining areas. The spatial strategy is accordingly orientated towards this objective. It is also important to safeguard the future of Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard and Houghton Regis town centres. The evidence illustrates the significant role these subsidiary centres play in serving their local communities which also need to be nurtured. To this end the Core Strategy seeks to allocate appropriate levels of commercial and other development in these centres to ensure their continued vibrancy. 4.9 It is important to ensure that the rural settlements of the Growth Area continue to meet the local needs of the communities they serve. The Core Strategy seeks to ensure this happens by identifying such settlements where appropriately scaled development potential may exist. 6/18 4.10 In order to safeguard the countryside the evidence shows it is appropriate for the Core Strategy to limit development outside those principal settlements referred to above. The reason for this are three fold: • to ensure the most sustainable pattern of development is delivered; • to help support and secure the regeneration of existing areas; and • to protect the countryside. Associated with this is the need to ensure that the recast Green Belt, with its new boundaries following the provision of land for urban extensions, has a defined role. 4.11 A brief description of the specific building blocks or elements that together make up the direction of travel of this Spatial Strategy and Core Strategy as a whole now follow. They are set out in the order they appear in the subsequent chapters where more detail on each topic may be found. The Building Blocks of the Spatial Strategy i) A Framework of Strategic Transport Infrastructure 4.12 In order to deliver a Core Strategy that is sustainable it is important to ensure that new development and as much existing development as possible is easily accessible by public transport and other alternatives to the private car as well as ensuring that private car accessibility is also adequately planned for. This spatial strategy has this at its heart. 4.13 Key elements of additional public transport infrastructure are included in order to achieve this: These are; • The committed Luton Airport – Houghton Regis Guided Busway; • Proposed extensions to the Busway through the proposed urban extensions to the north of the main conurbation (and in the preferred extension to the east in North Hertfordshire District, which that District’s LDF will provide planning policy for), • Bus priority schemes along the A6 New Bedford Road and A505 Hitchin Road; • Improved multi-modal accessibility to public transport in Luton, Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Leighton Buzzard town centres, a key node will be at Luton Central Railway Station; • Park and Ride sites to the north of the main conurbation on the A5, M1, A6, and A505; • An aspiration for a Luton Northern Parkway Railway Station to the north of the main conurbation; 6/19 • Enhancements to existing railway stations associated with the Thameslink 2000 project; and • Improvements to radial public transport services in Leighton Buzzard/Linslade; The new public transport framework created through the implementation of the above projects, together with general enhancements to existing public transport services and facilities and maximising opportunities to walk, cycle and avoid the need to travel at all, offer a comprehensive package of measures to ensure the delivery of sustainable growth across southern Bedfordshire. These schemes create a strengthened public transport framework. These will be linked with general enhancements to existing public transport provision and improved opportunities to walk and cycle. Together this represents a comprehensive package of measures to ensure the sustainable delivery of growth across southern Bedfordshire. ii) Urban Concentration 4.14 National and Regional guidance including PPSs, PPGs the East of England Plan RSS and the Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub Regional Strategy (MKSMSRS) all stress the importance of concentrating new development within existing urban areas. This is also a key principle of this spatial strategy. It is considered that concentrating development in existing urban areas contributes to their regeneration and helps to ensure that new development is delivered in a sustainable way, close to existing services and facilities. By locating such development close to public transport infrastructure necessary new development can be delivered whilst congestion is minimised. 4.15 Significant opportunities exist in existing urban areas across the growth area to accommodate new, particularly residential development. Therefore an ‘urban area first’ principle is preferred regarding the delivery