Core Strategy and Urban Core AAP
Draft Infrastructure Delivery Plan
1. / Introduction1.1 / Gateshead and Newcastle Council are currently preparing jointly the One Core Strategy and Urban Core Area Action Plan (UCAAP). This is the Draft Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) for the NewcastleGateshead One Core Strategy. It sets out the key physical and social infrastructure required to deliver the policies and objectives of the Core Strategy to 2030. It is a working document that will be updated as information on projects is available and as circumstances change.
The term infrastructure covers not only physical provisions but also a range of facilities that support the social and economic life of the area and contributes to sustainable communities. Infrastructure is comprised of 3 main elements: physical, social and green infrastructure. We have defined infrastructure as roads and other transport facilities, utilities, flood defences, schools and other educational facilities, medical facilities, sporting and recreational facilities, open spaces and affordable housing.
1.2 / The Core Strategy gives a guide to where long term investment in infrastructure should be made. ”The Core Strategy should be supported by evidence of what physical, social and green infrastructure is needed to enable the amount of development proposed for the area, taking account of its type and distribution. This evidence should cover who will provide the infrastructure and when it will be provided. The core strategy should draw on and in parallel influence any strategies and investment plans of the local authority and other organisations. (Planning Policy Statement 12)”
1.3 / Methodology
The infrastructure schemes contained within this IDP are directly related to the plans and policies of the One Core Strategy, which are based on evidence gathered, technical studies, viability models and consultation with internal partners and statutory agencies between Spring 2009 and ongoing in 2011.
The evidence and delivery information comes from a number of sources:
- internal evidence gathered from within the two Local Authorities;
- external evidence gathered from other sources such as public sector organisations like the Highways Agency
- technical studies completed by specialist consultants
Infrastructure planning, surveys and technical information must be continually updated to ensure that it is current and able to respond to changes in economy, environment or policy. The IDP, therefore, must be a relatively concise and flexible document that can be updated simply and understood by stakeholders as well as those providing the data.
1.4 / Given the scale of the ambition and development requirements of the One Core Strategy, acknowledgement of viability modelling and influence of current economic conditions, it was clear that a sensible, prioritised, deliverable shortlist was required to fulfil the guidance in PPS12 and the draft National Planning Policy Framework. A strategic assessment was carried out to determine the critical infrastructure requirements to deliver the objectives and policies of the Core Strategy. This shortlist became the basis for the IDP Schedule (appendix 1). It has been categorised to reflect the nature of delivery and its relative importance for delivering the One Core Strategy. The following categorisation definitions have been used for the purpose of the emerging draft IDP schedule for consultation:
1. Critical infrastructure - The delivery of the infrastructure is fundamental to the delivery of the LDF One Core Strategy objectives. In addition, the infrastructure is critical for one or both of the following reasons:
- The infrastructure in question provides for, or unlocks, the Strategic Growth Areas and growth that might not otherwise happen,
- Growth is unlikely to happen in the timeframe envisaged unless the infrastructure in question is put in place ‘up front’.
1.5 / Stakeholder Consultation
The Councils have been in contact with appropriate delivery agencies and authorities regarding infrastructure required to deliver the growth in the Core Strategy. In particular, liaison has taken place with the Highways Agency, Homes and Communities Agency, utilities companies, Nexus and NewcastleAirport. With regard to social infrastructure consultation has been on going with the local education authorities, community services, North and South of Tyne and Wear PCTs, and the emergency services.The current and future infrastructure requirements of the relevant agencies or services will be included in future iterations of the IDP.
1.6 / Monitoring and Review
A plan must be capable of being monitored – otherwise it is not possible to know whether the policy objective has been achieved or; whether progress has been slower than expected; or whether unexpected consequences of a policy have appeared. This is a basic requirement which is set out in the 2004 Planning Act and requires Plan Making Authorities to monitor the performance of Development Plan Policies and report on the progress with implementation each year in an Annual Monitoring Report (AMR). The framework for monitoring is currently under review for the One Core Strategy.
1.7 / Development Agreements and Community Infrastructure Levy
Gateshead and Newcastle Councils are currently reviewing the scope and available evidence for preparing Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedules. Whilst the evidence indicates a need to seek funding from developers to address the impact of growth, it is anticipated that the authorities will become CIL Charging Authorities and thus specific policies on developer contributions will not be necessary for strategic infrastructure required to support growth in the Plan.
3. / Review of Infrastructure
3.1 / Utilities
Gas
Northern Gas Network (NGN) Ltd owns and operates the local gas distribution network in the North of England. It is normal practice that modelling of the gas distribution networks is undertaken on a 3 year cycle to ensure that networks can support the anticipated general load growth. Specific sites, such as housing or commercial sites are looked at on an individual basis so that any specific costs associated to the site can be identified and passed to the appropriate organisation as appropriate. Other potential sites are taken into account when formulating supply and reinforcement plans so that the optimum schemes are constructed.
Consultation with strategic utility providers concluded it is more than likely that upgrading and expansion of the gas network will be needed. Due to the level of detail related to development sites and areas required to determine strategies for network improvement (such as site entrances, layout, specific load details) the NGN are not yetin a position to quantify requirements.
Electricity
Northern Electric Distribution Ltd (NEDL)owns and operates the local electricity distribution network in the North East of England. Through discussions with Northern Electric Distribution there are no known issues with power supply. There maybe more localised and site or area specific issues, beyond those currently identified, to be resolved, the main requirement is for low voltage reinforcement, which would connect the development site with a substation. This cost is usually meet by the developer.
Gas and Electricity Overall Capacity
Information received from providers indicate that developments across the Plan area should not in principle present a major issue for Northern Electric Distribution electricity or Northern Gas Networks gas emission network. The precise nature of the impact of proposed developments on gas and electricity will need to be determined on a site by site basisby developers via discussions with the relevant operators. The service providers will then discuss any requirements for transmission system reinforcement.
Decentralised, Renewable & Low Carbon Energy
Both Gateshead and Newcastle Councils are working towards the development of district heating networks within the Plan area. The evidence so far indicates that the Urban Core will offer the best opportunity for district heating.
Communications and IT
British Telecom (BT) reports that in terms of future capacity, the licence under which they operate requires them to provide network capacity upon request only. Current practice is that they normally react to development proposals when they are in receipt of planning applications and developers approach with their requirements. To date some exchanges across Gateshead and Newcastle have been upgraded as part of BTs 21st Century Network Programme which enables them to offer broadband connections of up to 24MB to residential and small business customers and up to 100Mb through high speed Ethernet nodes to medium and large business. As of April 2010, BT is not planning any infrastructure upgrades in Gateshead or Newcastle.Please also note that Gateshead Council is supporting the incremental, demand driven roll out of high speed broadband primarily aimed at commercial development. Known as GTI, this is public private partnership between the Council and Alcatel Lucent.
3.2 / Flood Risk and Water Management
Northumbrian Water Limited (NWL) has responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the potable water supply system and ensuring that there are sufficient water resources available in Gateshead and Newcastle. The NewcastleGateshead Water Cycle Study (WCS) examined the capacity in the local water supply, waste water infrastructure and the water environment to ensure that new development can be supplied with the required services and infrastructure.
Gateshead and Newcastle is currently provided with drinking water upstream from Ovingham which is in the Lower Tyne and treated at the Whittle Dene and Horsely Treatments Works, within the Kielder Water Resource Zone. There are no water supply issues identified, and NWL has not forecasted a deficit in water resource or supply in the long term and this was confirmed as part of their assessment of future development. In terms of fresh water supply, NWL does not envisage the supply of fresh water as a constraint to the proposals in the One Core Strategy.
The WCS identified a future capacity issue with the serving sewerage treatment work (Howdon STW). Following the recommendations of the WCS, further work has been undertaken with the key partners (as part of the Surface Water Management Strategy of the NewcastleGateshead Surface Water Management Plan) this has concluded that Howdon STW that serves parts or all of the local authority areas of Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Northumberland can accommodate up to 7-12 years of growth (up to 27,000 new homes). This STW will reach capacity if current practices and discharges of surface water into the public sewerage system were to continue.
To ensure that there is the capacity to support growth, NWL will be investing in solutions (mainly identified in the Tyneside Sustainable Sewerage Study) to remove existing surface water from the public sewerage system to reduce the amount being processed at Howdon STW. However, NWL can not solely relay on these ‘quick win’ solutions to guarantee long term capacity. Therefore to ensure that planned growth can be accommodated the Council in conjunction with NWL will need a strategic policy for surface water reduction and separation for new development.
The capacity at Howdon STW will need to be monitored to ensure that growth going forward can accommodated and to ensure that if there is need for further invention, such as capital works then this identified and is applied for in the correct NWL Asset Management Period (AMP).
If significant capital works are identified in an AMP then these will be incorporated into future iterations of the Infrastructure Delivery Plan.
3.3 / Transport and Accessibility
Gateshead and Newcastle currently enjoy high level of accessibility by public transport. Traffic congestion is limited to a small number of key locations although the A1 and some of the main approaches to the Urban Core suffer significantly in the peak period.
By the derived nature of transport demand, transport provision requires us to be reactive to other changes taking place across NewcastleGateshead. As a consequence, we have assessed how the strategic plans will impact upon the transport network, and where extra provision/infrastructure may be required to support the Core Strategy, they are identified in the IDP schedule.
We aim to reduce the overall impact of traffic upon the Urban Core to assist with accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists, and to positively impact upon air quality. This approach is consistent with the Core Strategy Objectives and Policies.Consequently, much of the infrastructure to be considered focuses on improving conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport.
3.4 / Social Infrastructure
Health
Provision of health care is currently informed by five year strategic plans and an annually revised needs assessment both of which are linked to desired health outcomes set by the Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). The provision of the associated health care infrastructure is similarly informed by a five year strategy.
The Council is continuing its engagement with the North of Tyne and the South of Tyne and Wear Primary Care Trusts to discuss healthcare provision and needs associated with the strategic areas of growth, neighbourhood/village growth proposals contained in the Draft Plan. The IDP will be then be updated appropriately.
Emergency Services
Police, Fire and Rescue and Ambulance authorities have been consulted on the revised proposed housing locations within the strategic areas of growth, neighbourhood/regeneration/ villagegrowth areas in August. To date no issues have been raised relating to the proposed growth..
Community Facilities
Growing communities will be supported by adequate services, facilities and infrastructure in suitable locations –these will be either new or enhanced. Following the consultation and clarity on preferred scale and locations of development, the Councils will be in a position to identify community need.
Affordable Housing
The findings from the Strategic Housing Market Assessment identified there is a plan-wide target of approximately 170 new affordable unites per annum is required. This equates to a target in the order of 15% on all new developments of 15 homes or more. The figures provided would be subject to viability.
Education
The Councils are currently exploring the options for accommodating pupils generated from additional residential development in the strategic areas of growth and neighbourhood/regeneration/ village growth areas. Where possible existing capacity in appropriate local schools will be used, and where the scale of the development indicates the potential need for new education provision at the appropriate phase, options will be developed indentifying the scope, location of search and likely costs.
3.6 / Green Infrastructure Network
The importance of green infrastructure, and the multi-functional benefits that it provides, are recognised in the One Core Strategy. The Green Infrastructure Study and Delivery Plan are currently being finalised, details can be found in the Green Infrastructure and Natural Environment Joint Technical Paper. The Delivery Plan is due December 2011, the IDP will be updated for next iterations to include green infrastructure projects as required.
Open Space, Sport And Recreation
The One Core Strategy seeks to protect public and private open space, sport and recreation sites and for development to contribute to the provision or improvements in accordance with agreed standards.
The standards set in each authority’s Local Development Framework will vary reflectinglocal delivery of provision in each area and are currently being reviewed to incorporate findings from each Council’s respective PPG 17 Assessments.
3.7 / Mineral and Waste Resources
Minerals
The One Core Strategy sets Gateshead and Newcastle’s’ approach to minerals planning. It ensures the provision of a secured supply of mineral necessary for the sustainable growth of Gateshead and Newcastle as required by national policy. The Core Strategy implements the principles of Mineral Planning Statement 1, including the identification of a local Mineral Safeguarding Area. The approach taken has been in consultation with The Coal Authority.
There are no expected infrastructure requirements to be put forward in this IDP Schedule.
Waste
There is a range of existing facilities for waste management in Gateshead and Newcastle, including household recycling centres, transfer stations, treatment facilities and recycling plants, most of these are located within industrial locations. In preparation for the One Core Strategy, the evidence has needed to assess the waste arising in the future and the capacity to manage that waste. In relation to commercial and industrial waste the evidence base is currently being updated and it is not confirmed if there is any capacity gaps in provision for non municipal waste.
In managing municipal waste, Gateshead through the South Tyne and Wear Waste Management Partnership has secured a contract to send its residual municipal waste out of the borough to a new Energy from Waste Facility in Teesside, accompanied by ongoing investment in support facilities at Campground in Springwell and at Blaydon.
In parallel, Newcastle City Council is currently seeking to conclude negotiations with the recycling and resource management company SITA UK, it’s waste management contractor, to secure treatment for this residual waste up to 2024.With these arrangements in place it is anticipated that no new municipal waste management facility sites will be required in the Plan area before 2024.
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