Fernhurst Neighbourhood Plan Referendum Version December 2015 Fernhurst Neighbourhood Plan Fernhurst Neighbourhood Plan CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 Relationship with South Downs National Park Authority ............................................ 2 Process of Neighbourhood Plan production ............................................................. 3 Minerals and waste matters, including fracking........................................................ 5 Plan review .......................................................................................................... 5 2 PARISH CONTEXT .................................................................................. 6 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 6 History of Fernhurst .............................................................................................. 7 Current local context ............................................................................................. 7 Socio-economic profile .......................................................................................... 9 3 VISION AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................... 17 Challenges and issues .......................................................................................... 17 Objectives of the Neighbourhood Plan ................................................................... 18 4 HOUSING ............................................................................................. 19 Housing need and supply ..................................................................................... 19 Delivery and mix of housing ................................................................................. 21 Affordable Housing .............................................................................................. 25 5 SITE ALLOCATIONS ............................................................................. 29 Background to Policy............................................................................................ 29 Policy Justification ............................................................................................... 29 Syngenta site, Midhurst Road ............................................................................... 29 Hurstford Industrial Estate, Surney Hatch Lane ...................................................... 39 Bridgelands site, Verdley Place.............................................................................. 43 6 PROVISION FOR SPECIALIST CARE NEEDS ........................................ 46 Background to Policy............................................................................................ 46 Policy Justification ............................................................................................... 46 7 FERNHURST VILLAGE SETTLEMENT BOUNDARY ................................ 47 8 ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT ............................................................. 48 Biomass energy ................................................................................................... 48 Solar panels in Conservation Areas ........................................................................ 48 Light pollution ..................................................................................................... 49 Protection of Local Green Spaces of Community Value ............................................ 49 Protection of views .............................................................................................. 52 9 TOURISM ............................................................................................. 56 Signage .............................................................................................................. 56 Crossfield Car Park .............................................................................................. 56 Street furniture .................................................................................................... 57 10 COMMUNITY FACILITIES .................................................................... 58 Youth facilities ..................................................................................................... 58 Allotments .......................................................................................................... 59 Additional community facilities .............................................................................. 59 11 TRANSPORT ......................................................................................... 60 Bus services ........................................................................................................ 60 Pedestrian safety ................................................................................................. 60 12 DESIGN ................................................................................................ 63 Building style and materials .................................................................................. 63 Amenity spaces ................................................................................................... 65 Residential building heights .................................................................................. 66 Fernhurst Neighbourhood Plan 13 EMPLOYMENT ...................................................................................... 67 Fernhurst Business Park ....................................................................................... 67 Micro-businesses ................................................................................................. 69 Live-work opportunities ........................................................................................ 69 Tourism employment ........................................................................................... 70 Business infrastructure ......................................................................................... 71 Training provision ................................................................................................ 71 GLOSSARY APPENDICES Appendix 1: Population mix and growth Appendix 2: Housing for older people linked to their changing needs Appendix 3: Response to questionnaire from those aged '65 & over' Appendix 4: Community services and options for enhancing them Fernhurst Neighbourhood Plan 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This is the Neighbourhood Plan for Fernhurst parish. It seeks to represent one part of the development plan for the parish over the period 2013 to 2028. The other part of the development plan is the Chichester Local Plan 1999 saved policies. This will be superseded when the South Downs National Park Authority adopts its Local Plan. 1.2 The map below shows the boundary of the Neighbourhood Plan area, which is contiguous with the parish boundary of Fernhurst parish. 1.3 The purpose of the Neighbourhood Plan is to guide development within the parish and provide guidance to any interested parties wishing to submit planning applications for development within the parish. The process of producing a plan has sought to involve the community as widely as possible and the different topic areas are reflective of matters that are of considerable importance 1 Fernhurst Neighbourhood Plan to Fernhurst, its residents, businesses and community groups. Without a plan, the parish could be subject to a considerable amount of unwanted and potentially inappropriate development. 1.4 Each section of the plan covers a different topic. These topics were identified by the community at the first Neighbourhood Plan public meeting in April 2012. Under each heading there is the justification for the policies presented which provides the necessary understanding of the policy and what it is seeking to achieve. The policies themselves are presented in the blue boxes. It is these policies against which planning applications will be assessed. It is advisable that, in order to understand the full context for any individual policy, it is read in conjunction with the supporting text. Relationship with South Downs National Park Authority 1.5 South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) is the local planning authority covering Fernhurst parish. It formally came into existence on 1st April 2011 and is in the early stages of production of its own local plan. The current local plan is the Chichester Local Plan 1999 (saved policies). This Neighbourhood Plan is part of an ongoing working relationship between SDNPA and the community of Fernhurst seeking to produce complementary forward plans that appropriately reflect both the strategic and local needs of one of Britain’s national parks and one of its communities. National policy 1.6 Planning policy for national parks is different to the rest of the country. National planning policy, provided by the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), is the starting point. It states at paragraph 115 that: “Great weight should be given to conserving landscape and scenic beauty in National Parks, the Broads and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which have the highest status of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty. The conservation of wildlife and cultural heritage are important considerations in all these areas, and should be given great weight in National Parks and the Broads.” 1.7 This cross-refers to the National Parks Vision and Circular. 1.8 Paragraph