8 June 2009
SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL
CABINET
The Towcester Masterplan
REPORT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PORTFOLIO HOLDER
- RECOMMENDATION(S)
1.1.That the draft Towcester Masterplan is endorsed as ready for a period of 6 week public consultation.
- REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION(S)
2.1.The draft is now complete and ready for a period of 6 weeks public consultation prior to its adoption by South Northamptonshire Council.
2.2.The report updates Cabinet on the completion of the Towcester Masterplanand highlights critical issues set out within the document, including how it will be implemented.
2.3.The report also includes a consultation statement and a copy of the draft public consultation leaflet.
- RELEVANT INFORMATION
3.1.The Towcester Masterplan sets out a vision of what the future of the town might be over the next 10-15 years and contains a set of concepts. The plan is concerned with building a new enhanced and expanded vibrant attractive market town, not creating a city. It is a guide to and does not prescribe future development. The plan sets out a framework for shaping and guiding future development and is not prescriptive, though it will constitute a material consideration in considering planning applications.
3.2.The document is structured as a 2 part document. Part 1 sets out an overview and constitutes a marketing document whilst part 2 contains the detail of how the proposed growth of the town will be shaped and facilities secured to ensure that the town needs to be a success.
3.3.The Masterplan will be taken forward by the close working relationship between SNC and WNDC through the new Towcester Regeneration Board. This builds on the existing strong relationships established via the Moat Lane Working Group.
3.4.Part One – Overview
3.5.The Masterplan seeks to set out ambitions and vision for the town over the next 10 - 15 years, showing how the town grows from how it functions now to what it might become in the future. The plan is presented as a means to secure the integration of the existing town and the new urban expansion - to create 'One town'.
3.6.The focus of this part of the document is for selling/presenting the town to developers - with high income levels, a large rural catchment, with a distinctive demographic, a large out commute to work and spend that all create substantial opportunities for investors.
3.7. The document shows how delivery of Moat Lane should provide the market with confidence as to why to invest in Towcester. But Moat Lane is not the only site with potential, nor is the current delivery vehicle the only route for delivery.
3.8. The document seeks to avoid being over prescriptive about sites and their uses as to do so would run the risk of a) claims of blight and b) not being flexible to respond to a rapidly changing market. But an idea of potential uses and available sites within the Opportunity Areas is presented to show the coherence of the town.
3.9. Part Two – Detail and Delivery
3.10. Part Two sets out detailed proposals under a series of headings;
- A vibrant town centre
- Excellent connectivity
- Strong local businesses
- A family environment
- Respect for the landscape
- Determination to succeed
3.11. The Masterplan proposes the creation of a rounded town with a clear green edge and major emphasis on strengthening the Green Infrastructure of the town including bringing Easton Neston and Towcester Race Course into the boundary of the town.
3.12. The Masterplan proposes locating housing growth in the existing town and the new southern expansion.
3.13. The Masterplan emphasises high quality design which is key for the development of the town centre and the standards applied to the southern extension.
3.14. The plan proposes that the existing town centre is developed by expanding it and integrate the proposed southern extension to ensure we end up with one cohesive town.
3.15. The planseeks to identify and promote the significance of the town with both its planned sequential growth and rural catchment to show its significance to developers and potential investors.
3.16. The Masterplanaims to avoid blight by not being overly site specific. The plan proposes a set of opportunity areas and key gateways to avoid flooding the market and equally to show a phased approach. Those shown are not the only sites that are known to becoming available. The plan has a strong push for new employment creation – especially for office, high tech and company headquarters, new retail and other commercial development.
3.17. There is a recognition in the Masterplan that some of the phasing will be subject to the securing of planning permission and the implementation of the A5 bypass and associated junction ie the removal of the air quality management area in the centre of Watling Street.
3.18. The plan addresses the currently high out commute and limited retail offer, with an expanded town centre and an enhanced retail offer. The new, expanded town centre will focus on retail, commercial, leisure and heritage provision. This is the area covering the Moat Lane project that is already underway, the SponneSchool /Police Station site and the area around the current Waitrose, down to the gateway areas of Towcester including employment areas around Old Greens Norton Road and the Tiffield Road Employment Area.
3.19. The recently commissioned retail and leisure studies will assist with the identification of site specific proposals.
3.20. The proposals integrate the town with EastonNestonPark and the Race Course to the east and follows this approach round the proposed town expansion to establish a clear green edge: ‘a town you can see out of’; which is well defined and sprawl opposed. This ‘rounded’ and defined town will give certainty to residents and developers as to what is proposed or being sought in development terms.
3.21. The Masterplan identifies the importance of the current and future Gateways to the town. The significant entries to the town from the A43 and A5 are priorities for development and addressing the question ‘how to get travellers on these major routes to spend time and money in the town’ and for defining what the town plans to offer to visitors in terms of tourism, heritage, leisure activities, retail, cafes and restaurants etc. Some land around the gateways will need to be reserved for junction improvements.
3.22. The plan aims to ensure that the new expanded town has a strong emphasis on new employment and provides opportunities for residential, live work units and residential above shops.
3.23. There is an underlying aim of reducing the high levels of out commute, meet the needs and promote an increase in the numbers of people working from home by encouraging facilities such as cafes and other meeting points, increase the tourism and employment offer with a strengthened and expanded retail sector in the town. Promotion of broadband infrastructure in all new developments.
3.24. The Masterplan addresses transport routes and flow within the town, from the town to the surrounding villages and parking.
3.25. The plan also promotes high quality sustainable transport methods, accessible parking and virtual connections that the town has, as one of its locational advantages for investment.
3.26. The Masterplan shows the proposed by-pass as an ‘area of search’. A debate continues about its precise alignment and the Masterplan is not the place for that determination. The position of the Highways Agency remains that there can be no lifting of the air quality management zone until the bypass is built which effectively sets a limit on town growth within old town and to south. 75% of the pollution is caused by HGV’s.
3.27. The plan recognises the need for a strong urban design focus to preserve the outstanding urban heritage in the existing historic town and also to ensure high quality build in the urban extension that is complementary and reflects the quality aspect of the Towcester offer.
3.28. The Masterplan does not determine the content of the urban extension to the south as this is subject to planning consideration by WNDC; but the process of preparing the Masterplan has assisted with consideration of how the new town area is best integrated with the existing town. Consideration in relation to design, cohesion, facilities etc
3.29. While growth is planned the aim is to retain the high quality of life of the town by taking advantage of the planned growth to secure investment in new social and community facilities that would not be possible otherwise. Eg Education, Health, leisure etc. Urban Design principles are recognised that take account of encouraging Masterplan layouts that promote the healthy living agenda etc.
3.30. The Masterplan proposes that education needs in the expanded town are met including options for possible new sites.
3.31. The plan considers health locations and needs in an expanded town including expanded doctor and dentist practice availability; long term care and sheltered housing and the potential for moving the location of emergency services.
3.32. The Masterplan seeks to strengthen the Green Infrastructure underpinning the town, with new Parkland and other public open space, such as new access to the Water Meadows via Moat Lane and limited access into the Easton Neston Park, new walking and cycling routes along the existing watercourses throughout Towcester and to and through the town, together with the proposal for the Jackson – Stops park which sits within the context of the southern expansion and provides a unique opportunity for a town park/ central focus point for the existing and new community to socially interact.
3.33. The Masterplan recognises the need to coordinate the development of Towcester with the developments planned for Silverstone to ensure the opportunities for connection, employment, and higher education are realised in a way that ensures the town benefits.
3.34 Delivery and implementation: Turning the concept into reality
3.35 Once adopted by the Council and by the WNDC Board, the Masterplan will be a 'material consideration' and will help the other actions we are taking to ensure that the renewal and regeneration of the town 'secures development and preserves what is special' It will also ensure that planning decisions are taken in a way that reflects the ambition the town has to grow in a measured way, with new retail and commercial opportunities embraced.
3.36 The document sets out a new emphasis for working under the oversight and auspices of the new Towcester Regeneration Board (chaired by Cllr Mary Clarke and to which NCC, NEL and WNDC are partners) to secure long term engagement and to coordinate activity and realise the ambitions of the Masterplan. Working with WNDC, NCC and NEL will be important to show to stakeholders, partners and developers who we are, what we do and who has responsibility for which part of the process. It will be important to ensure professional promotional material and specific website is available to support the development.
3.37 The Plan refers to the tools, instruments, funding and other means to secure delivery and sets out the instruments to be used, such as planning, site marketing and funding routes such as Section106 contributions.
3.38 The opportunity areas and associated sites which the Masterplan identifies need further definition and determination of their content in detail to realise the vision. There is recognition that not all sites will be developed at same time and some will not become available for a while. They need to be phased in line with the sequential approach and the relevant infrastructure provision. It is therefore proposed to establish a Towcester Implementation Group (TIG) to oversee this work. The TIG will draw together Strategic Policy and Implementation to oversee the implementation of the Masterplan.
3.39 Critical tasks for the TIG to consider will include:
- A timetable of key dates, key issues to address through critical paths and the identification of phasing and relationship between critical elements for example work on the by-pass will need to be considered alongside the timeline for the Silverstone development and road impacts.
- An overall brief setting out all the sites in Towcester
- Development Briefs setting out preferred use and design briefs for key sites will determine the site uses and site work phasing. The briefs will be in the same format and content as the Moat Lane SPD.
- By-pass alignment, associated enhanced and new junctions and phasing. This is critical in terms of phasing sites in the town
- The Gateways and associated areas
- The proposed Parks
- Address issues of landownership
- Undertake public realm assessments to improve areas and investigate options for management of public realm
- A strategy for promotion and marketing the town in conjunction with WNDC and consistent with the refresh of the economic development strategy.
- Consideration of pre- apps and planning applications within the Opportunity areas.
- Public transport connections between Towcester and Silverstone.
- Applying the lessons from the GrangePark development in how to maintain a long term development vision
- Identification through the refreshed Economic Development Strategy of the policy changes that may be necessary to further support site development and for the intended new retail and commercial opportunities in the town, new food offer and improved visitor accommodation and facilities to be realised.
- Strategic Policy will prepare ‘Interim’ SPDs for Section 106 and Urban Design issues
3.40 In the long term the Masterplan will be used to
- Influence the LDF/Core Strategy (Nov 09 - Nov 010)
- Identify opportunity areas into the LDF process and Site Allocations DPD
- Ensure that revisions to the East Midlands RSS and the East Midlands economic Strategy support Towcester a key Market Town.
- Ensure Revisions to the Regional Transport Strategy and the County Council Local Transport Plan
3.42 Key consultation partners
A consultation statement is attached at Annex 1 setting out the range of stakeholders to be engaged in this process at a regional, county and local level.
- RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
4.1.Met from the 2008/2009 budget
- IMPACT ON EFFICIENCIES
5.1.None
- ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS (INCLUDING REASONS FOR REJECTION)
6.1.The opportunity to shape the growth of the town, establishing a clear boundary and presenting proposals for how the community and employment needs of the current and future town are met will be lost.
- APPENDICES ATTACHED TO THE REPORT
7.1.Appendix 1 - Consultation Statement
7.2.Appendix 2 -Draft Frequently Asked Questions leaflet
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
Key decision (yes / no)- Impact is more than £50,000 in revenue expenditure
- Impact is more than £250,000 in capital expenditure
- Impact is more than £5m Treasury Management investment of reserves
- Will have a significant impact on communities, usually in two or more wards in the district
Essential to shape planning decisions and to contribute to evidence base shaping the LDF
Links to corporate priorities and policy framework / The preparation of the Masterplan relates closely to the delivery of 2 priorities of the Council:
Risk management implications / Inability to guide the anticipated growth of the town or to secure the infrastructure necessary to ensure that the growth is sustainable, in social, economic and environmental terms.
Consultation undertaken / Extensive consultation has been undertaken in the shaping of the proposals with stakeholder and councillor workshops
Equalities and diversity implications / Integral to the shaping of the new expanded town. The aim is to secure a single coherent and cohesive town with facilities available for all.
Human rights implications / None directly. All developments will follow the planning system and by negotiation with existing landowners.
Crime and disorder implications / Design and matters relating to crime hotspots have been considered through the preparation of the Masterplan.
Biodiversity implications / Biodiversity issues have been addressed through the preparation of the Masterplan which proposes a material strengthening of the availability and recognition of the importance of Green Infrastructure to the new town.
Name - Adrian Colwell
Title- Head of Strategic Policy
Date- May 2009
Background Papers: Working Papers and drafts
Contact Officer(s): Adrian Colwell – Head of Strategic Policy / Heidi Antrobus – Major Projects
Appendix 1 - Consultation Statement
SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL
The Draft Towcester Masterplan
Consultation Statement
Draft 5 – 28/05/09
8th June 2009
Draft Towcester Masterplan: Consultation Statement
This Consultation Briefing Note provides an outline of the consultation that will take place for the Draft Towcester Masterplan.
The Towcester Masterplan sets a guide to the future growth of Towcester. The aim of the document is to
- To Promote the sustainable urban expansion of Towcester and to ensure its integration with the existing town.
- To expand the current town centre in order to provide opportunities for a range of retail, commercial, housing, leisure and recreation uses.
- To highlight Towcester as a high quality location in which to live, work, invest and visit.
- To establish a cohesive green network throughout the town and a green boundary to the future town.
- To establish key gateways to draw people into the town as a destination and highlight key opportunities for high quality business.
- To highlight to potential investors that Towcester is ‘open for business’.
- To ensure there is a range of high quality community and leisure facilities to meet the needs of the population.
- To shape the southern urban extension to ensure it fits with the existing town to create one cohesive community.
- To inform the content of the emerging Joint West Northamptonshire Core Strategy and other Local Development Framework documents.
The Masterplan will be used as a material consideration in determining planning applications for development in Towcester and its key gateways.