SD18 WEST SOMERSET LOCAL PLAN TO 2032 INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY PLAN December 2014 V2 9.1.15 1 West Somerset Local Plan to 2032 Infrastructure Delivery Plan December 2014 Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Key Infrastructure Areas 5 Transport 5 Energy 6 Water and Drainage 7 Waste water management 8 Education 9 Childrens Centres 11 Health Services 11 Emergency Services 12 Leisure and Community Facilities 13 Green Infrastructure 14 3. Phasing of Development 15 4. Settlement Summaries 16 5. Conclusion 17 Appendix 1 Infrastructure providers to whom requests for information were sent Appendix 2 Sample letter to infrastructure providers and form requesting information Appendix 3 SCC traffic monitoring information points Appendix 4 Education and Library services submission from Somerset County Council. Appendix 5 Saved 2006 West Somerset District Local Plan Open Space, Sport and Recreation policies. 2 1. Introduction 1.1 This Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) was approved by the Council’s Local Development Panel on 6th January 2015. It provides a resource which outlines the existing provision of and infrastructure implications of the development in the West Somerset Local Plan to 2032 strategy. The document relates to the area covered by the Local Plan for the West Somerset LPA area which comprises the parts of West Somerset District lying outside the Exmoor National Park. The IDP is an evolving document and will be updated as appropriate to present the most up-to-date picture. Background 1.2 Paragraph 162 of the NPPF states that: Local planning authorities should work with other authorities and providers to: • assess the quality and capacity of infrastructure for transport, water supply, wastewater and its treatment, energy (including heat), telecommunications, utilities, waste, health, social care, education, flood risk and coastal change management, and its ability to meet forecast demands; and • take account of the need for strategic infrastructure including nationally significant infrastructure within their areas. 1.3 The IDP forms part of the evidence base which underpins the WSLP to 2032 and is submitted for Examination alongside it. 1.4 With the very significant exception of the Hinkley Point C new nuclear project (the ten year build period of which is likely to be completed during the plan period) there is very little new infrastructure planned within the Local Plan area during the plan period as part of the management strategies of infrastructure providers. Apart from the nuclear power station construction site itself, which lies entirely within West Somerset District close to its eastern edge, the specific infrastructure construction projects within West Somerset are limited to a park and ride car park between Washford Cross on the A39 and Watchet, at Smithyard and the construction of a roundabout at the A39 Washford Cross junction itself. Apart from the communities in the vicinity of the construction site, the impacts on the LPA area are likely to mainly affect traffic movement on the road system, the operation of the housing market, with the c5000 workers onsite during the peak workforce period, as well as a varying range of economic effects. 1.5 The Key Strategic Sites allocated within the Local Plan are of insufficient scale to require the planning in advance of major infrastructure items to facilitate their delivery, independent of the development itself. The implementation of each of the Key Strategic Sites will proceed with the negotiation of an appropriate S106 agreement to secure a range of mitigation measures such as the provision of affordable housing, local highway works, surface water and foul drainage management measures, green infrastructure provision, and other appropriate matters. 1.6 The IDP sets out a picture of existing infrastructure services within the area. The infrastructure requirements of the Key Strategic Sites allocated for development in the Local Plan will be planned for through a masterplanning process which will identify the necessary provision on a site by site basis. 3 1.7 At the time of drafting, the Council does not intend to progress a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) for its LPA area due to the limited range of infrastructure provision which has been identified by the infrastructure providers. However, from April 2015 it will no longer be possible to pool more than five S106 contributions for any individual purpose. Accordingly, the Council will need to carefully consider its use of S106, particularly in respect of the larger, strategic sites so that appropriate contributions can still be secured. 1.8 The Council is committed to communicating with stakeholders and infrastructure providers through formal consultation, meetings and correspondence as appropriate. Stakeholders and infrastructure providers are kept informed of the progress of new policy documents including proposals that may impact on their services, together with being involved in master planning exercises for sites where appropriate. Document Structure 1.9 The IDP briefly outlines the current infrastructure provision situation within the area. 1.10 Information has been sought from key infrastructure providers, Council partners, and other organisations on several occasions since preparation of the Local Plan was started (see schedule of infrastructure providers contacted for information at Appendix 1 and a sample of the letter and information request form sent out to them at Appendix 2). The infrastructure needs have been established insofar as has been possible, from individual infrastructure providers, both through questionnaire survey and also through their Local Plan consultation exercise responses. 1.11 The Council’s infrastructure partners include: • Homes and Communities Agency • British Telecom PLC • Environment Agency • Commpro Communications • Highways Agency • T-Mobile (UK) Ltd • Heart of the South west LEP • O2 (UK) Ltd • Minerals and waste planning policy • Orange Personal Communications officer - SCC • Vodafone Ltd • Waste Planning Policy Manager - • EDF Energy SCC • National Grid • Somerset County Council Property • Western Power Distribution Services • Wales and West Utilities • Somerset Supporting People • RWE npower renewables Partnership. • British Transco • Flood Risk Manager – SCC • South West Water • Somerset and Avon Constabulary. • Wessex Water • Devon and Somerset Fire and • Network Rail Rescue Authority • West Somerset Railway PLC • IDB River Parrett Internal Drainage • First Buses Board. • Webberbus Ltd. • Mono Consultants Ltd. • Sustrans • NHS commissioning bodies 1.12 The infrastructure providers’ responses to the Council’s requests for details of the implications of the plan’s proposals for their services has been varied, some have replied 4 stating that their infrastructure would be able to accommodate the amount of growth proposed, others have not replied. 2. The Situation in Key Infrastructure Areas Transport Road Network 2.1 The Highways Agency (HA) is responsible for the national Strategic Road Network (SRN), primarily the motorways and major trunk roads. There are no such roads within the Local Plan area, however the HA maintains an interest in any potential indirect impact upon the SRN from development within the area. 2.2 Somerset County Council (SCC) is responsible for the maintenance of all the roads within the Local Planning Authority area (except for privately owned roads). SCC has funding available to support the general maintenance of roads, bridges and various minor improvements to the transport infrastructure. 2.3 Somerset County Council's ‘Future Transport Plan’ sets out the County Council’s transport policy for the next 15 years. It describes the challenges to be faced and the policies and investments that will help to tackle these challenges. It covers the period between 2011 and 2026 and replaces Somerset's Second Local Transport Plan, which finished in March 2011. 2.4 As part of the County Council’s accessibility work during the previous five year transport plan, they looked at the areas of Somerset that have the lowest level of accessibility to key services, such as healthcare, employment and education. The County Council has also identified the services that are the most inaccessible by public transport. 2.5 The results of the analysis indicate that acute hospitals, adult evening learning and Jobcentre Plus are the least accessible services in Somerset. West Somerset is amongst the areas having the lowest level of accessibility in the County. However, some of the areas considered are currently covered by Demand Responsive Transport and Community Transport. 2.6 The Highways Authority has indicated that in order to assess whether the Local Plan’s proposals are likely to result in critical capacity thresholds being exceeded for the Highways and Transport service it would be necessary to carry out an assessment of the traffic that is likely to be generated by the proposed development and its future impact on the West Somerset highway network. Somerset County Council has indicated that it would expect West Somerset District Council to undertake this work. The County Council has advised that it can provide traffic data collected by Automatic Traffic Counters at a number of sites in West Somerset shown on the map and list attached at Appendix 3. Buses 2.7 Buses within the LPA area are mainly operated by ‘Webberbus’ and ‘First in Devon, Cornwall & Mid-Somerset’. A range of services link Minehead, Watchet and Williton and a number of smaller communities with Taunton and Bridgwater,