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| 2 |
AIMS AND GENERAL OBJECTIVES |
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INTRODUCTION |
| 2.1 |
The Local Plan sets out a broad land use
framework that will guide new development over the period to 2006.
As such, it provides the parameters within which investment decisions
can be taken by the Council, other public agencies, businesses and
developers. Whilst the Plan has to be realistic and tangible, it also
has to be sufficiently flexible to try and deal with the uncertainty
of change about to take place both now and in the future, which will
impact upon Durham and the planning system in which it operates. |
| 2.2 |
Local Planning Authorities have a responsibility
to anticipate and accommodate change although it is acknowledged that
this process of change is complex, making accurate predictions difficult,
since it is the subject of many variables beyond both local influence
and the scope of planning control. Nevertheless, for the Plan to be
successful it is essential that it has a clear view of what it is
seeking to achieve and how this can be brought about. The aims, strategy
and general objectives of the Plan are contained within this Chapter
together with a synopsis of the main issues which it needs to address
over the Plan period. |
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PLAN ISSUES |
| 2.3 |
The City of Durham is justifiably proud
of its heritage but equally it cares for its future and recognises
the extent of investment required to achieve these commitments. Although
the Council has an important legacy to respect and retain, for present
and future generations, it is a progressive authority looking forward
to the challenge of the next millennium. It is a District which embodies
many different functions and experiences. The special character, setting
and architectural quality of the City Centre dominated by the World
Heritage Site is a marked contrast with areas of mineral despoliation
in the rural parts of the District. The role of Durham as the County
Town, its importance as a religious and university centre, its bustling
City Centre, the buoyant local economy and the quality of life for
its residents which is reflected in the relatively low levels of deprivation
and unemployment compared with many other parts of the County, all
combine to give the District a vitality and vibrancy which the Council
is anxious to maintain and build upon. |
| 2.4 |
These positive attributes however, have
to be balanced against the difficulties faced by Durham in common
with many historic cities. Traffic congestion, the pressure for new
development with its impact upon both the built and natural environment
and the management of tourism are all examples of the issues which
need to be addressed by the Council and its major partners over the
Plan period. |
| 2.5 |
During the Plan period the population
of the District is expected to remain stable. The trend towards the
formation of new smaller households and its implication for new housing
development will continue. The strategy of the Plan regarding the
location of housing is to continue that which has operated for many
years and involves a considerable measure of restraint within Durham
City and attempts to guide most new housing into the surrounding villages.
Whilst Durham City is the main focus for housing demand, the Plan
needs to recognise that its unique character and setting make it physically
and environmentally unable to absorb the level of housing which market
forces pressure might otherwise attract. |
| 2.6 |
The District will continue to offer specialist
employment opportunities in the field of research and technology and
business development throughout the plan period. The Plan, however,
must recognise that there is a need to provide land for all types
of employment purposes and whilst it allocates sufficient provision
during the Plan period, it acknowledges that consideration will have
to be given to the longer-term requirement post 2006. |
| 2.7 |
Although the City of Durham is primarily
an urban authority, it includes a rural hinterland containing over
300 farms. The Common Agricultural Policy and changing patterns in
rural land use, farm management and countryside recreation have combined
to leave many of these farms either redundant or marginally economic,
and consequently open to new forms of rural diversification. The Plan
must recognise that the successful conversion of traditional farms
will preserve the local heritage, make good use of sound buildings
and stimulate the rural economy. |
| 2.8 |
The continued vitality and viability of
the City Centre remain a fundamental objective of the Council and
Policies and Proposals contained in the Plan reflect this. Major projects
such as the recent Prince Bishops retail development adjacent to the
Market Place (see Chapter 7) and the proposed Millennium City Project
and Walkergate redevelopment (see Chapter 11), are examples of the
Council's long-term commitment towards maintaining the health and
economic wellbeing of the City Centre. |
| 2.9 |
Whilst the Plan also seeks to ensure the
continued vitality and viability of the existing district and local
centres throughout the District, it recognises that individual shops
play an important role within some of the smaller rural villages.
Given the relatively low level of car ownership in many of these villages,
and the need to redress social exclusion in general, the Plan must
seek to support the retention of small shops and community facilities. |
| 2.9A |
Many of the settlements in the District,
particularly the former colliery settlements, suffer from a poor physical
environment. The Council has pursued a number of initiatives to improve
conditions for communities, and it is currently spearheading a multi-agency
partnership in the Lower Deerness Valley (under SRB5) intended to
bring physical, environmental, educational, social and community benefits.
Further improvements are still needed in this and other areas of the
District and the Council will examine opportunities for funding and
implementing schemes for village improvements subject to the availability
of financial resources. Since Council finance is likely to be limited
over the Plan period, emphasis will need to be placed on encouraging
other public bodies and private owners to improve sites or buildings
in their ownership. |
| 2.10 |
The Plan needs to recognise the problems
caused by the hitherto unrestrained growth in traffic and should seek
to provide longer-term solutions to traffic movement within the District
and particularly the City Centre by encouraging and promoting measures
which are orientated towards greater use of public transport and private
vehicle restraint. These measures reflect the recommendations of the
Durham City Travel Study, the philosophy behind the Government's White
Paper on Transport and the emergent County Durham Local Transport
Plan. |
| 2.11 |
The University has a special role in the
development and life of the City. It is a major employer and makes
a considerable contribution to the local economy. It is an institution
of academic excellence which is recognised throughout the country.
Whilst limited expansion of the University is foreseeable during the
Plan period it is likely that further development will be sought in
the long-term and this will need to be reflected in the policies of
the Plan. Accommodating increased student numbers places a considerable
burden upon the older housing stock of Durham City's inner urban area
and the resulting concentrations of student occupants create tensions
among the diminishing non-student resident population. |
| 2.12 |
The growth and importance of the City
of Durham as a tourist destination during the last decade and the
influence this has upon the District's economic and social life needs
to be recognised by the Plan. |
| 2.13 |
The Plan needs to acknowledge the importance
of the countryside and the need to protect it from inappropriate development.
It must also recognise that the interests of nature conservation include
both the rural and urban environment, thereby adding diversity and
value to the quality of life. Within that broad context, the protection
of the character and setting of Durham City will be afforded the highest
priority. |
| 2.14 |
A detailed analysis of the specific issues
of relevance to the various topic related elements of the Plan is
contained in the general background to each Chapter. |
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AIMS OF THE PLAN |
| 2.15 |
The aims of the Local Plan are fundamental
statements of what it sets out to accomplish and are set out below: |
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1. |
To maintain the City of Durham as an
attractive place to live, work and visit through the creation of a
vibrant City and District whose unique character is conserved and
enhanced in ways which do not compromise the quality of the environment
or the quality of life of future generations. |
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2. |
To promote and provide opportunities
for development in the interests of attracting inward investment and
encouraging sustainable economic growth for the benefit of existing
residents and future generations. |
| 2.16 |
The concept of sustainable development
and sustainability are clearly expressed within the aims of the Plan
and are fundamental to these aims. Sustainability has become synonymous
with the need to balance and reconcile environmental concerns against
the pursuit of development and growth. Considerable importance is
therefore attached to the planning system as a means of managing these
processes and dealing with the consequential changes of land use.
There is an acceptance by the City Council, that the principles of
sustainable development and increasing biodiversity have an over-arching
relevance to policy making and the day to day decision or management
of the Authority. Sustainable development requires social, economic
and environmental objectives to be met together at the same time,
rather than giving greater weight to one at the expense of others. |
| 2.17 |
The City Council attaches great importance
to environmental issues and the concept of sustainability through
the Local Agenda 21 process. Support for this has manifested itself
in its capacity as a founder partner of the County-wide initiative
as well as through the preparation of its forthcoming Local Agenda
21 Statement. The Council recognises, however, that responsibility
for stewardship of the environment is shared among many organisations,
groups and individuals. Whilst it will play its part to broaden public
awareness of the wider issues, the Authority will expect a strong
lead to be taken at both national and international level to bring
about change. |
| 2.18 |
The Local Plan provides the opportunity
to integrate the economic, environmental and social factors in decisions
about where to locate growth, improve the quality of the environment
and enable an enduring quality of life. However, not all issues concerned
with the environment, the use of resources and human equity are associated
with 'development'. Therefore, the principle of sustainability is
also applied to ensure that use and enjoyment of the District's natural
and cultural resources does not diminish nor destroy them. |
| 2.19 |
In practical terms the principle of environmentally
sustainable development manifests itself in a number of ways which
include; seeking to ensure that the need to travel to work, shops,
social and leisure facilities is minimised by locating new development
in areas which are well related to existing centres and transport
routes; and facilitating the accessibility of new development to all
sectors of the community by seeking to ensure the availability of
public transport links and the promotion of alternative modes of environmentally
sustainable transport such as cycling and walking. The Plan also seeks
to reduce the demands on finite natural resources through policies
which encourage the utilisation of renewable sources of energy, the
regeneration of previously developed sites and the recycling of waste
materials. |
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STRATEGY OF THE PLAN |
| 2.20 |
In seeking to achieve its overall aims,
the Plan embodies a strategy based on the principles of environmental
protection, economic regeneration, integrated transport and community
advancement, all underpinned by the concept of sustainability. |
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Environmental Protection |
| 2.21 |
The City of Durham has an unique historic
and cultural heritage, an environment rich in nature conservation
interests and a landscape which is of a quality which has a major
influence on the overall character of the District. The protection
and enhancement of the built and natural environment is a commitment
of equal status to that of promoting and providing opportunities for
development. |
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Economic Regeneration |
| 2.22 |
Economic regeneration is a key principle
of the Plan in order to ensure that the District's local economy remains
diverse and robust during and beyond the Plan period. The local economy
derives considerable benefit from the quality of environment and quality
of life that this cultivates for businesses and the workforce. The
benefit serves to reinforce the commitment towards investments which
take advantage of these attributes and are linked to strengthening
employment, prosperity and tourism. At the same time, however, it
underlines the balance or priority required in respect of environmental
protection and enhancement, alongside the merits of sustainable development.
Notwithstanding the importance of needs and issues in the urban context,
it is recognised that outlying villages and the rural area merit special
attention in order to tackle isolation, pockets of deprivation and
the need to strengthen and diversify the rural economy. |
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Integrated Transport |
| 2.23 |
Reconciling the often conflicting relationship
between unrestricted traffic growth and parking restraint is a vital
issue in an historic city such as Durham. A balanced approach to movement
patterns and modal split, through the development of an integrated
land use and transport strategy which meets future economic and social
needs in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner is essential
to reflect the needs of both residents and visitors to the City. |
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Community Advancement |
| 2.24 |
Whilst the strategic principles of environmental
protection and economic regeneration will ultimately benefit the residents
of the District through improvements to the quality of the environment,
the quality of life and employment opportunities, the Plan must recognise
the importance of achieving realistic and sustainable community and
social objectives through the provision of affordable and social housing,
the retention of community and other facilities, (particularly in
rural communities), and the maintenance, and wherever possible, the
improvement of existing recreation/open space and leisure facilities. |
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GENERAL OBJECTIVES |
| 2.25 |
The overall aims and strategy of the Local
Plan are interpreted in the following general objectives which set
out in broad terms what the Council is seeking to achieve over the
Plan period. |
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- To provide for a stable level of population within the District.
- To provide for the development of a sustainable, diverse and
robust local economy.
- To strengthen and diversify the rural economy.
- To protect the character and setting of Durham City.
- To protect and enhance the natural, historic and built environment
of the District.
- To provide for the supply of land commensurate with the needs
of new development.
- To maximise the regeneration of brownfield sites and minimise
the loss of greenfield land.
- To ensure the continued vitality and viability of the City
Centre.
- To support the City of Durham as a centre of excellence for
higher education.
- To provide for the minimisation of travel and transport needs.
- To encourage the development and management of tourism in a
sustainable manner.
- To protect the social infrastructure of the District.
- To provide for the efficient use of the existing infrastructure
within the District and reduce the consumption of non-renewable
resources.
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| 2.26 |
The Council recognises that many of these
general objectives are inter-related and that whilst some are complementary,
others will cause potential conflict. The challenge facing Durham
today is to be able to respond positively to the need to facilitate
development whilst at the same time seeking to conserve the quality
of the district's environmental heritage. Where choices are necessary
environmental considerations will be afforded high priority in order
to ensure that any potential net environmental loss will be exceptional
and fully justified. |
| 2.27 |
Development plans must make adequate provision
of development and at the same time take account of the need to protect
the natural and built environment. Development and the environment
are inextricably linked as development may involve the depletion of
natural resources. If needs are to be met on a sustainable basis both
the resources and their use must be controlled and managed. |
| 2.28 |
The general objectives identified in paragraph
2.25 are complemented by a series of more specific topic related objectives
within the introduction to each Chapter of the Plan. It is from these
that the individual policies and proposals of the Local Plan have
been formulated. |
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