County Borough of Blaenau Gwent s12
COUNTY BOROUGH OF BLAENAU GWENT
REPORT TO: /THE LEADER AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
REPORT SUBJECT: /tHE wORks SUPPLEMENTARY pLANNING GUIDANCE
REPORT AUTHOR: /LYNDA HEALY – REGENERATION DIVISION
LEAD OFFICER/ DEPARTMENT /JOHN PARSONS
DIRECTOR ENVIRONMENT & REGENERATION
Summary Report
1.0 /PURPOSE OF REPORT
The purpose of this report is to consider the attached draft SPG to approve it for consultation with relevant parties.2.0 /
LINK TO CORPORATE STRATEGIES
Local Development Plan.
Regeneration Strategy.3.0 / SUMMARY/PROPOSALS
Last year the Works Programme Board agreed that the Council should approve a revised/updated Land Use Masterplan and supporting document as Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG).
The document has now been prepared by the Council and is attached at Appendix 1. It is based on existing documentation and sets out clearly what will be expected of developers in terms of design, sustainability and planning obligations. When adopted by the Council the guidance will be a material planning consideration of significant weight in determining future planning applications.
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RECOMMENDATION
Approve the document for consultation with relevant parties.Detailed Report
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PURPOSE
The purpose of this report is to consider the attached draft SPG to approve it for consultation with relevant parties.
BACKGROUND
Outline planning permission was granted for The Works in July 2007 and was renewed on 17th June 2010. Both of these permissions contained a suite of “approved parent documents” such as a sustainable energy strategy, design codes which require future development to meet the required quality standards and the land use Masterplan. The land use Masterplan allocated the site into the various development areas and land uses including the hospital, leisure centre, learning zone, business areas and residential areas.The cumulative impact of developments coming forward out of phase and the introduction of significant new developments such as the 11-16 school have rendered much of the assumptions such as the traffic modelling in the original Environmental Statement obsolete. This led the Head of Planning & Building Control to conclude that the permission was no longer extant.
Whilst the developments approved under the terms of the original outlines (and subsequent reserved matters) are lawful, no further detailed applications could be submitted pursuant to the outline.
Last year the Works Programme Board agreed that the Council should approve a revised/updated Land Use Masterplan and supporting document as Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG). This work has been progressed alongside work on the housing disposal strategy and The Works – Energy Targets Review.
Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) is prepared to give further guidance on how policies and proposals in the development plan are to be implemented. This SPG supplements policies SP1 Northern Strategy Area and MU2 The Works of the adopted Blaenau Gwent Local Development Plan. When approved by the Council the guidance will be a material planning consideration of significant weight in determining future planning applications.
PRESENT POSITION
The document (attached as Appendix 1) has now been prepared by the Council and approved, subject to changes, by the Project Board. It is based on existing documentation prepared for the site and sets out clearly what will be expected of developers in terms of design, sustainability and planning obligations. When adopted by the Council the guidance will be a material planning consideration of significant weight in determining future planning applications.The document is divided into 6 sections. Chapter 1 sets out the background to the guidance and provides a brief explanation of what the document includes. Chapter 2 sets out the key elements of National, Regional and Local Policy that have influenced the guidance note. Chapter 3 outlines the site context. Chapter 4 sets out the design principles and concepts for the development of the site. Chapter 5 sets out the site layout and land uses that have been built, under construction or are planned. And chapter 6 sets out the planning requirements for future development schemes.
The main changes to note from the former Masterplan and outline planning permission are:
Changes to the Masterplan:
· to take account of the 11-16 year school (previously mixed use)
· alteration to the alignment of the green footbridge
· extension to employment and mixed use area (due to filling of 2 basements)
· change from school to residential and vice versa at 3-11 learning community
· arts centre and square merged due to uncertainties around funding
As a result of approval for the funding of road improvements there is now no need to have a phasing requirement.
In terms of sustainability there is to be a reliance on national guidance rather than higher than national requirements. This is due to planned changes to the current system of control through planning, which is to be replaced with new building regulation requirements. Also issues around viability means that higher than national standards will deter private sector interest at present.
In accordance with the Local Development Plan and national guidance, the amount of affordable housing will be based on viability and need. There is no longer a requirement for 20% affordable housing although it remains an aspiration in the document.
Further guidance in the form of development briefs will be prepared for each of the residential sites to provide further detailed information on site layout and design.
PROPOSALS
Guidance from the Welsh Assembly Government requires that in preparing an SPG, consultation should involve; the general public, business, and other interested parties, and their views should be taken into account before the SPG is finalised. It is therefore, proposed to seek the views of a number of bodies with an interest in The Works, in particular, the public and developers. A 4-week consultation period should maximise public stakeholder engagement and allow a reasonable period for consideration of this document. Consultation will commence in June/July and all comments received will be reported to a future meeting of Scrutiny for consideration before the Council approves the document.FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The limited costs of producing the SPG and undertaking the consultation will be absorbed by the Local Development Plan budget.STAFFING/PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
Support will be sought from the central publicity and marketing team.CORPORATE ISSUES
Consideration has been given to; Human Rights Act Issues, Equality of Opportunity, Sustainable Development, Crime and Disorder and relevant planning legislation.
CONSULTATION
HUMAN RESOURCES / CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER/ MONITORING OFFICER / CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/ S.151 / OTHER
DMT
Works Board
CONCLUSION
The Works Design and Masterplan Supplementary Planning Guidance needs to be approved by the Council prior to a 4-week public consultation exercise.RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that:
The Works Design and Masterplan Supplementary Planning Guidance - draft document be approved for consultation with relevant parties.
G. P. Jones
Chief Regeneration Officer
EX1307. LH