Huntingdonshire Local Plan to 2036 Town and Parish Councils Briefing 26 th January / 2 nd February 2015 Paul Bland - Planning Service Manager (Policy) Clare Bond - Planning Policy Team Leader

Huntingdonshire’s Local Plan to 2036 HDC’s emerging statutory Local Plan sets out the Council’s: Planning strategy Planning policies Development site allocations

Local Plan timetable - past Local Plan Preparation StagesDates Stage 1Issues and Options consultationJune to July 2012 Stage 2Strategy and Policy consultationAugust to November 2012 Stage 3Full Draft Local Plan consultation: Full public engagement Additional sites consultation Preparation of proposed submission Local Plan and supporting evidence base and documents May to July 2013 Nov to Dec 2013 Aug 2013 to Dec 2014

Summary of Stage 3 engagement ‘Have Your Say!’ leaflet drop to every household 8 drop-in sessions attended by over 520 people Over 1,500 responses Series of key stakeholder seminars on Local Plan and on Viability Testing 82 new sites put forward for potential development Further consultation on new sites November / December 2013

Key issues raised at Stage 3 Need for flexibility in the strategy: – deliverability of strategic expansion locations questioned – reliance on delivery of A14 improvements – dependence on Alconbury Enterprise Zone for economic growth Concern about the need for and impact of infrastructure to serve new development Limited development opportunities in service centres and small settlements Support for strategic green infrastructure provision

Progress since Stage 3 - strategies Corporate Plan (HDC) (April 2014) – vision, strategic themes and outcomes Infrastructure Business Plan 2014/15 (HDC) – identifies infrastructure needs arising from proposed development Long Term Transport Strategy (CCC) (November 2014) – identifies key transport requirements to deliver growth strategy Economic Growth Plan (HDC) – identifies objectives for economic investment Strategic Economic Plan (LEP) – identifies prioritised investment interventions

Progress since Stage 3 – major sites Alconbury Weald - outline permission granted October 2014 St Neots East - outline applications due to be considered again by DM Panel in March Wyton on the Hill – Crest Nicholson appointed as development partner – public consultation this summer

Progress since Stage 3 - infrastructure A14 Development Consent Order submitted December 2014 A428 dualling included in 2014 Autumn Statement Long Term Transport Strategy (November 2014) – identified key transport requirements to deliver growth strategy Viability Assessment – financial implications of policies Water Cycle Study (2014) – assesses WwTW constraints and solutions, water efficiency and water quality targets Sequential testing of site allocations against flood risk

Local Plan timetable – present Local Plan Preparation StagesDates Stage 4Proposed Submission Local Plan: Targeted consultation on amended draft Local Plan with Town and Parish Councils and key stakeholders Publication and statutory consultation on proposed submission Local Plan January to March 2015 June 2015

Key elements of Stage 4 69 allocated sites Detailed testing of capacity and deliverability of potential site allocations Restructured to clearly identify strategic policies for those preparing Neighbourhood Plans and community plans New affordable housing target of up to 35% Clearer explanation of planning context and evidence base Incorporation of ‘consequential changes’ reflecting the introduction of new planning regulations Local Plan Viability Testing carried out Reflects highways and public transport infrastructure analysis in the Cambridgeshire Long Term Transport Strategy

Targeted Consultation Overview Runs for 8 weeks from Friday 23 rd January 2015 to Friday 20 th March 2015 Involves: – Town and Parish Councils – Huntingdonshire District and County Councillors – Key Stakeholders (including ‘Duty to Co-operate’ partners and statutory consultees) Is NOT a full public consultation Consultation responses will be publicly viewable after the end of the consultation period Final non-statutory phase in Local Plan preparation process

Targeted Consultation – How to Respond The Targeted Consultation Local Plan document will be available to view from Friday 23 rd January 2015 at: All Town and Parish Clerks and Chairs and District Members are registered to view and respond to the consultation Log in first to be able to see the consultation documents if you need your Forgotten your password? Click on the button for a reminder

Draft Local Plan The following series of slides explain the structure and content of the draft Local Plan Questions are welcome as we go

Draft Local Plan Section A Section A: Introduction 1)Context for the Local Plan 2)Huntingdonshire in 2015

Draft Local Plan Section B Section B: The Strategy for Sustainable Development 3) Huntingdonshire in ) The Development Strategy 5) Strong Communities 6) Infrastructure and Delivery

Key Diagram

Strategic Green Infrastructure

Neighbourhood and Community Planning LP9: Neighbourhood and Community Planning A community based development proposal will be supported in or adjacent to the built-up area, as an exception to the requirements of relevant policies where it can be demonstrated that: a. there is identifiable community support or benefit; or b. the proposal responds to an identified community need; and c. all elements of the proposal have been carefully considered including: i. avoiding adverse impacts in relation to surrounding buildings, natural and heritage assets and landscape; ii. Maximising sustainability benefits through identification of an appropriate location in relation to existing development; iii. Demonstration that the proposed development is of an appropriate scale to serve local needs; iv. Demonstration of the long term viability of the proposal. d. appropriate management arrangements are put in place to retain the development as a community asset.

Draft Local Plan Section C Section C: Development Management 7) Requiring Good Design 8) Building a Strong, Competitive Economy 9) Conserving and Enhancing the Environment

Draft Local Plan Section D Section D: Allocations 10) Strategic expansion locations 11) Huntingdon spatial planning area 12) St Neots spatial planning area 13) St Ives spatial planning area 14) Ramsey spatial planning area 15) Service Centres

Local Plan timetable – future Local Plan Preparation StagesDates Stage 4Proposed submission consultationJune/ July 2015 Stage 5Formal Submission of Local Plan for independent Examination November 2015 Stage 6Local Plan Examination in PublicSpring 2016 Stage 7Local Plan Inspectors reportAutumn 2016 Stage 8Local Plan adoptionWinter 2016

Future stages Full statutory public consultation on proposed submission draft Local Plan Comments can only be made on ‘soundness’ and legal issues HDC analyses all representations and sends them directly to the Secretary of State’s appointed independent Planning Inspector along with the formal Submission Local Plan The Planning Inspector then leads the Examination in Public process through to its conclusion, and submits a report on whether or not the Local Plan is deemed to be ‘sound’ The End