Settlements and Countryside Local Plan (Part 2) for Daventry District Settlement Hierarchy Background Paper Version 2 (GEN04) July 2018 Contents Page 1. Introduction- Purpose of document 1 2. Structure of this document 1 3. National and Local Policy Context 1 4. Issues arising from public consultation 6 5. Settlement Hierarchy Methodology 9 6. Position of Settlements in the Settlement Hierarchy 23 List of Appendices A Stage 1: Quantitative Assessment 25 B Stage 2: Reflective Qualitative Assessment against criteria 2 – 10 of 27 policy R1 of the WNJCS C Sources of Information for Reflective Assessment 68 D Primary Schools in Daventry District 69 E Number of Properties according to Council Tax Register –June 2018 70 F Full List of Services and Facilities 71 G Reflective Assessment Template 109 H Services and Facilities Matrix 108 I Sources of Supply for Local Employment (within 1km of settlement) 109 J Policy R1 of the West Northants Joint Core Strategy 110 K Summary of Responses to Settlement Hierarchy Methodology 112 Consultation and note of any required changes 1. Introduction- Purpose of document 1.1 This Paper forms the technical evidence for the Settlement hierarchy as set out in the Proposed Submission Part 2 Settlements and Countryside Local Plan. 2. Structure of this document 2.1 Section 3 sets out the context, with Section 4 including information about a consultation exercise which was undertaken on a draft methodology for establishing the settlement hierarchy, and how, in summary, the Council has responded to comments made during that consultation. More details of the consultation are set out in appendix K 2.2 Section 5 sets out the final methodology which has been used to develop the settlement hierarchy, and sets out how it was developed in response to the consultation responses at Issues and Options stage. 2.3 Section 6 sets out the final settlement hierarchy which has been included in the emerging draft plan. 2.4 This background paper has been updated to sit alongside the Proposed Submission plan. The information has been updated with data from May 2018. 3. National and Local Policy Context National Policies - National Planning Policy Framework (March 2012) 3.1 There isn’t any specific guidance on settlement hierarchies within the NPPF however it would appear to link closely with the social role, at paragraph 7 which states; “supporting strong, vibrant and healthy communities, by providing the supply of housing to meet the needs of present and future generations; and by creating a high quality built environment, with accessible local services that reflect the community’s needs and support its health, social and cultural well- being” 3.2 Within the specific chapters of the NPPF there is a high degree of relevance to the settlement hierarchy, chapter 3 refers to supporting a prosperous rural economy and refers to promoting the retention and development of local services and community facilities within villages. Chapter 4, promoting sustainable transport refers to balancing the transport system in favour of sustainable transport modes but recognises that different policies and measures will be required in different communities and opportunities to maximise sustainable transport solutions will vary from urban to rural areas. Chapter 5, which refers to high quality communications 1 infrastructure has relevance and chapter 6, delivering a wide choice of high quality homes is also important- particularly paragraph 55 which identifies that to promote sustainable development in rural areas the housing should be located where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities and where there are groups of smaller settlements, development in one village may support services in a village nearby. Chapter 8, promoting healthy communities refers to ensuring that local plan policies should plan positively for provision and use of shared space, community facilities and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments. It also refers to an integrated approach to considering the location of housing, economic uses and community facilities and services which is considered to have clear links to the establishing of a settlement hierarchy. Local Policies - West Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy (WNJCS) December 2014 3.3 The relevant policies in the WNJCS are policies S1, R1, R2 and R3. 3.4 Policy R1 is of particular relevance, it indicates that the Part 2 Local Plan will need to establish a settlement hierarchy of; Primary service villages, Secondary service villages, Other villages and Small settlements/hamlets. 3.5 Criteria 1 to 10 of policy R1 are identified as important considerations that the hierarchy will need to have regard to - the wording is replicated below: 2 Extract from WNJCS Policy R1 THE RURAL HIERARCHY IN THE PART 2 LOCAL PLANS WILL HAVE REGARD TO BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY, THE FOLLOWING: 1) THE PRESENCE OF SERVICES AND FACILITIES TO MEET THE DAY TO DAY NEEDS OF RESIDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE FROM SURROUNDING SETTLEMENTS; 2) OPPORTUNITIES TO RETAIN AND IMPROVE THE PROVISION AND ENHANCEMENT OF SERVICES CRITICAL TO THE SUSTAINABILITY OF SETTLEMENTS; 3) ACCESSIBILITY, PARTICULARLY BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT, TO THE MAIN TOWNS AND SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES; 4) EVIDENCE OF LOCAL NEEDS FOR HOUSING (INCLUDING MARKET AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING), EMPLOYMENT AND SERVICES; 5) THE ROLE, SCALE AND CHARACTER OF THE SETTLEMENT; 6) THE CAPACITY OF SETTLEMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF PHYSICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER CONSTRAINTS; 7) THE AVAILABILITY OF DELIVERABLE SITES INCLUDING PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED LAND IN SUSTAINABLE LOCATIONS; 8) SUSTAINING THE RURAL ECONOMY BY RETAINING EXISTING EMPLOYMENT SITES WHERE POSSIBLE, BY ENABLING SMALL SCALE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING TOURISM, THROUGH RURAL DIVERSIFICATION AND BY SUPPORTING APPROPRIATE AGRICULTURAL AND FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT; 9) PROTECT AND ENHANCE THE CHARACTER AND QUALITY OF THE RURAL AREAS’ HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND AREAS OF HISTORIC OR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPORTANCE; AND 10) ENABLING LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO IDENTIFY AND MEET THEIR OWN LOCAL NEEDS. 3.6 Criterion 1 largely relates to services and facilities. Para 16.10 of the WNJCS confirms that the hierarchy should be based on a robust analysis of services and facilities either within a particular village or as part of a defined cluster of settlements. The WNJCS suggests a list as follows; 3 a) Most Important Services and Facilities: Secondary school, primary school, GP surgery, general food store, Post Office, village hall/community centre, public transport (quality of service) and public house/ restaurant. b) Important Facilities and Services: Other shops/takeaways, local employment provision, libraries/ outreach centres and pre-school provision. c) Other Facilities: Play area, sports ground and allotments. Local Plan Policies - Saved Local Plan Policies 3.7 Whilst not described as a settlement hierarchy there is a defacto settlement hierarchy established through the 1997 Local Plan which consists of Limited Development Villages (Policy HS11), Restricted Infill Villages (policy HS22), Restraint Villages (policy HS23) and Hamlets (policy HS24 – Open Countryside). Neighbourhood Development Plans 3.8 A number of neighbourhood development plans have progressed and there has been a mixture of those that have declared where they consider they would be in a settlement hierarchy, and those that have not done so. This is relevant as it illustrates where the respective settlements consider themselves in a wider context and also has important implications for highlighting any conflict that might emerge through the definition of a settlement hierarchy within the Part 2 Local Plan. For those plans that have progressed to at least draft (regulation 14) stage this is set out in the following table: Settlement name NP status Settlement Hierarchy Position indicated in Neighbourhood Development Plan Badby Submission – Secondary Service Village Regulation 16 (notes both ‘restricted infill village’ and secondary service village’) Barby Made Secondary Service Village (Neighbourhood Plan with Onley) Braunston Made No position (notes ‘restricted infill village’) Brixworth Made No position (notes ‘limited development village’) Charwelton Draft – No position 4 Regulation 14 Crick Village Made No position (notes ‘limited development village’) Flore Made Secondary Service Village Guilsborough Submission Regulation 16 Secondary Service Village Kilsby Made No position (notes ‘restricted infill village’) Maidwell with Draft – Other village and Small hamlet and settlement Draughton Regulation 14 Moulton Made Primary Service Village Onley Made Other Village (Neighbourhood plan with Barby) Spratton Made No position Staverton Draft – Secondary Service Village Regulation 14 Welford Made No position (notes ‘restricted infill village’) Welton Submission – Other Village (notes ‘restricted infill village’) Regulation 16 West Haddon Made Secondary Service Village Woodford cum Made No position (notes ‘restricted infill village’) Membris 5 4. Issues arising from public consultation Settlements and Countryside Local Plan - Issues and Options Consultation - January 2016 4.1 The issues raised in relation to the content of WNJCS policy R1 and how to establish a hierarchy were considered in the issues and options consultation. The following issues were identified in the consultation: Is there anything else that should be included in the list of most important services and facilities, important services