Northumberland Local Development Plan Core Strategy Issues and Options Consultation Document: May 2012 Contents Foreword iii Issues and Options 1 Introduction 1 2 A spatial portrait of Northumberland 4 3 Spatial vision and objectives 6 4 Strategic development and spatial distribution options 8 5 Settlement role and function 14 6 Delivering housing 17 7 Developing a resilient economy 32 8 Town centres and retailing 43 9 Green Belt 54 10 Mineral resources 61 11 Managing waste 72 12 Commercial scale renewable and low carbon energy 80 13 Sustainable construction and small-scale renewable technologies 87 14 Transportation 94 15 Information and communication technologies 104 16 Community facilties 106 17 Green infrastructure 108 18 Water environment 128 19 Historic environment 141 20 Making it happen 144 Appendices 1 Audit of services and facilities survey data 146 2 Town centre boundaries 153 Glossary 160 Photograph credits 170 Northumberland Core Strategy Issues and Options Consultation Document - May 2012 Foreword Foreword Welcome to the Issues and Options Consultation Document for the Northumberland Core Strategy. This is the first stage in producing a planning framework for Northumberland, significantly contributing to delivering the Sustainable Community Strategy Vision to make Northumberland a place that is resilient for the future. Once adopted the Core Strategy will provide the planning basis for enabling everyone in Northumberland to live the kind of life they aspire to in a way that respects the inherent identity of the place and its residents. Your views are important in ensuring that the County Council is identifying and focusing on the right choices for meeting future development needs which fully takes account of Northumberland’s special culture and environment now and in the future. It is important that such matters are informed by local opinions. We want to know your views on the issues that have been identified and whether we have missed any, how particular approaches will affect your local area and whether there are different approaches we have not thought about. Thank you for taking the time to read the document and I look forward to receiving your comments. Councillor Tom Brechany Executive Member for Planning, Housing and Regeneration Northumberland Core Strategy Issues and Options Consultation Document - May 2012 iii Foreword iv Northumberland Core Strategy Issues and Options Consultation Document - May 2012 1. Introduction 1. Introduction What is the Core Strategy? 1.1 Once adopted, the Northumberland Core Strategy will: Be the overarching spatial plan for the County, excluding the Northumberland National Park, guiding future development and land use planning decisions to 2030; Be the spatial interpretation of the Council’s Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) which aims to ‘make Northumberland a place that is resilient for the future’; Aim to maximise benefit for the community, the environment and the local economy through sustainable development; Establish the general scale and distribution of development and the Council’s approach to the key issues facing the future planning of the County; and Be the strategic framework within the ‘Local Plan’ that makes up the statutory plan for Northumberland. 1.2 Further detailed policies and allocations will be included with a Delivery Development Plan Document (DPD) which will allocate sites for development. The Core Strategy will sit underneath the new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and its policies must be in conformity with the principles set out in the NPPF. 1.3 The Core Strategy will ultimately supersede: Some policies in the Core Strategies adopted in 2007 for the former Alnwick, Blyth Valley and Tynedale Districts, and some policies in the former Blyth Valley Development Control DPD (2007); Some saved policies and proposals of the Local Plans - including minerals and waste of the former planning authorities; Policy S5 of the Northumberland County and National Park Joint Structure Plan (2005). How has this Issues and Options document been prepared? 1.4 This Issues and Options document has been informed by a comprehensive evidence base and through discussions with a number of key stakeholders. The main elements of the evidence base are available in the accompanying technical appendix. 1.5 Throughout the Issues and Options document questions are posed with potential options to choose from, with the opportunity to suggest further options if it is considered there are more appropriate alternative options. For some of the issues the Council considers that there are no realistic alternative options. Where this is the case, questions are asked on the potential criteria which could be included within future planning policies. Northumberland Core Strategy Issues and Options Consultation Document - May 2012 1 1. Introduction 1.6 In accordance with the 'Duty to Co-operate' the Council is in discussions with adjoining authorities and relevant stakeholders. This will continue as the Core Strategy progresses to adoption. In addition, the Issues and Options document is accompanied by a Sustainability Appraisal, Habitats Regulation Assessment and an Equalities Impact Assessment. Engagement Opportunties 1.7 It is essential that the emerging Northumberland Core Strategy is informed through wide community engagement. The Issues and Options stage is the first stage of the preparation of the Core Strategy. Further opportunities to comment on the emerging Core Strategy will be available throughout 2012 and 2013 as the strategy progresses to adoption - see figure 1.1 below. Figure 1.1 Key stages of Core Strategy preparation 1.8 In line with the Council’s Statement of Community Involvement and overall aim to engage with as many residents, local groups and interested parties as possible, consultation on the Issues and Options document will take place between 23 May 2012 and 15 August 2012. 1.9 Information on events during this period and on how to respond to the questions and choices will be available on the Council’s website and via posters and leaflets. An engagement action plan is also available on the Council’s website www.northumberland.gov.uk/corestrategy. 2 Northumberland Core Strategy Issues and Options Consultation Document - May 2012 1. Introduction 1.10 The Council is encouraging people to register with its online consultation system, which makes responding to the questions easier. Further information is available at www.northumberland.gov.uk/corestrategy 1.11 Responses by post or email will, however, also be accepted and should be directed to: Spatial Policy and Delivery Team Northumberland County Council County Hall Morpeth Northumberland NE61 2EF Email: [email protected] 1.12 After considering the responses in the autumn, the Council will inform all respondents and those who have requested to be kept up to date on progress about the results of the consultation and the next steps. 1.13 For further information on how to take part in the consultation, please contact [email protected] or telephone 01670 623631 and ask for the Spatial Policy and Delivery Team. Northumberland Core Strategy Issues and Options Consultation Document - May 2012 3 2. A spatial portrait of Northumberland 2. A spatial portrait of Northumberland 2.1 Northumberland is England’s northernmost county, stretching from the Scottish Border in the north to Tyneside and County Durham in the south. Northumberland is flanked by Cumbria, the Cheviots and North Pennines to the west and by the North Sea to the east. 2.2 Home to around 312,000 people, within Northumberland nobody lives in a settlement of more than 40,000 residents. The County, the largest unitary authority by geographic coverage, is also the most sparsely populated in England with only 62 people per square kilometre; Northumberland remains mainly rural. 2.3 The south east represents the most densely populated part of the County accounting for approximately 46% of Northumberland’s population living in around 5% of its area. This area contains the three largest towns, Blyth, Cramlington and Ashington, which act as main employment and service centres for much of the area. While all of south east Northumberland has elements of an industrial legacy, from the 1960’s, Cramlington was planned as a new town, the purpose being to provide a focus for employment and housing growth. 2.4 Beyond south east Northumberland, the main settlements are strung along the Tyne valley corridor and north south along the lowland coastal strip, both of which are followed by main road and rail routes. Morpeth, Hexham, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Alnwick are the main market towns, all of which have large rural hinterlands. Areas closer to Tyneside such as Ponteland and Prudhoe are influenced by the conurbations. The influence of neighbouring Tyneside is significant, and to a lesser extent that of the Scottish Borders, Edinburgh and Carlisle. Specifically, Tyneside attracts the people of Northumberland as a source of work, education, cultural activity and retailing. Countryside between the towns and villages of south east Northumberland, the Tyne Valley and some adjacent areas have been kept open through the Green Belt designation. The remaining rural areas are interspersed with smaller towns, some with their own hinterlands, as well as numerous villages, small hamlets and isolated farmsteads. 4 Northumberland Core Strategy Issues and Options Consultation Document - May 2012 2. A spatial portrait of Northumberland 2.5 There are