Peterborough City Council Local Plan



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Chapter 1
Introduction and Strategy

	What the Plan is for
1.1	The planning system regulates the development and use of land, taking into account the interests of the public, the environment and other relevant matters. Local plans set out a detailed framework of the types of development that are suitable at different locations and the general form they will take. This is used as the basis for rational and consistent decisions on planning applications.
1.2	This Peterborough Local Plan (First Replacement) was adopted on 20 July 2005. It replaces the Peterborough Local Plan 1996. Many of the policies contained in it are similar to those in the 1996 Plan, providing consistency in approach. Where appropriate, new policies have been introduced to reflect changing circumstances and changing Government policy.
1.3	The primary functions of local plans are:
	to set out planning policies to provide a basis for decisions on planning applications; and to make proposals for development and the use of land and to allocate land to meet housing, employment and social needs.
	Statutory Framework
1.4	The Peterborough Local Plan (First Replacement) is a statutory document prepared under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991) and the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) (England) Regulations 1999.
1.5	Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that if regard is to be had to the development plan for the purpose of any determination to be made under the planning Acts the determination must be made in accordance with the plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.
1.6	The development plan for Peterborough now comprises the following:
	Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England (1); Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan 2003; Peterborough Local Plan (First Replacement) 2005; Cambridgeshire Aggregates (Minerals) Local Plan 1991; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Waste Local Plan 2003.
	1. The Regional Spatial Strategy for the East of England comprises Regional Planning Guidance for East Anglia to 2016 (RPG6, November 2000) and such part of the Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9, March 2001) as relates to Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Essex.
	Context
	National Context
1.7	The Government sets out its policies on planning in a series of planning policy guidance notes (PPGs). Local authorities have to take these into account when preparing development plans and making decisions on planning applications. There have been a number of significant revisions to PPGs since the existing Local Plan was prepared, in particular PPG1 'General Policy and Principles' (1997), PPG3 'Housing' (2000), PPG6 'Town Centres and Retail Developments' (1996), PPG12 'Development Plans' (1999), PPG13 'Transport' (2001) and PPG25 'Development and Flood Risk' (2001). These have introduced and stressed concepts such as:
	increased priority for environmental considerations; sustainable patterns of development; re-use of previously developed land; high quality design; development containing a mixture of uses; protection and enhancement of town centres; reduction in the length and number of motorised journeys ; and the management and reduction of flood risk in the land-use planning process.
1.8	Central Government advice on planning matters also comes in the form of circulars, for example on affordable housing (circular 6/98), planning obligations (circular 1/97) and crime reduction (circular 5/94).
1.9	PPGs, circulars and other Government documents which have land-use planning implications have been taken into consideration in the preparation of this Plan.
	Regional Planning Guidance for East Anglia
1.10	Peterborough, along with the counties of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, is currently covered by 'Regional Planning Guidance for East Anglia to 2016' (RPG6), which was published by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in 2000. This sets the regional strategic planning framework for development plans. The vision for East Anglia is one of development set within a sustainable development framework, and where:
	Economic opportunities are maintained and improved; There is increasing social equity for all areas; The environment is protected and enhanced while the distinctiveness of each locality is maintained; Natural resources are conserved.
1.11	The RPG sets out a sustainable strategy for the location and scale of development in the context of a series of strategic aims and objectives which are directed at achieving the vision. The City of Peterborough is one of the locations which are first in an order of preference for the location of new residential development. In Policy 17, the RPG says that Peterborough should be further developed as a major regional employment and service centre building on its economic potential in sectors such as financial services, manufacturing, information technology and environmental industries. Key elements of the development strategy should be:
	the development of the Hampton township on the southern side of the city; the reorientation of the transport system towards an increased emphasis on non-car modes; and the redevelopment of vacant and underused land within the built up area in preference to and in advance of further greenfield development.
	Cambridgeshire Structure Plan 1995 and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan 2003
1.12	The Local Plan is prepared within the context of the Cambridgeshire Structure Plan 1995, which set the strategic framework for development and the use of land in Cambridgeshire (as it existed prior to local government re-organisation on 1 April 1998) for the period 1991 to 2006. Peterborough is a unitary authority with a strategic planning role, with a Structure Plan remaining the statutory strategic planning document for the Local Plan area.
1.13	The Structure Plan sought to strike a balance between development and conservation by emphasising that the scale and pattern of new development was to be environmentally sustainable. It also aimed to reduce the differences in opportunities and deprivation within its area by widening the range of job opportunities and maintaining or improving services in the north and east. Continued growth of housing, population and jobs was promoted on a selective basis in order to reduce the need for long-distance commuting and to protect the environment in the south and west from inappropriate large-scale development. The settlement policy encouraged concentration rather than dispersal of development, with the provision of new housing and jobs closely related.
1.14	The Structure Plan contained policies relevant to the whole of the former County area but also contained a strategy and policies specific to Peterborough District. As one of the two major settlements in the Structure Plan area, Peterborough was seen as a focus for the concentration of major development.
1.15	The strategy for Peterborough in the Structure Plan 1995 aimed to:
	provide for continuing growth of the urban area, including Hampton and other urban expansion in suitable locations; provide for some limited growth in villages; support the promotion of the city as an attractive location for new industry; diversify the employment base and encourage the expansion of existing businesses; support the development and improvement of retail, leisure and entertainment facilities to maintain the city centre's position as a sub-regional centre; support communication improvements, including the preparation of a transportation strategy for Peterborough.
1.16	In October 2003 Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council adopted a new joint Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Structure Plan. This replaced the 1995 Plan, setting the strategic framework to 2016 and beyond.
	Other Plans
1.17	The Cambridgeshire Aggregates (Minerals) Local Plan 1991 forms part of the development plan for the Peterborough District. This makes provision for preferred areas for future working in the District. As a unitary authority, Peterborough City Council is empowered to prepare its own minerals plan or prepare a joint plan with Cambridgeshire County Council. A review or replacement of the Minerals Plan will follow the publication of revised minerals planning guidance (MPG6).
1.18	In October 2003 Peterborough City Council and Cambridgeshire County Council adopted a joint Waste Local Plan covering the area of the two authorities. This also forms part of the development plan for Peterborough.
1.19	The Government has replaced the previous system of bidding for funding for transport programmes with Local Transport Plans (LTPs). These contain a five year costed plan and implementation programme set within the context of a longer-term transport strategy covering all forms of transport. Peterborough City Council has produced an LTP covering the period 2001 - 2006, which was submitted to the Government at the end of July 2000.
1.20	The Local Plan contains policies for transport matters which have land use implications. As it is of great importance that the Local Plan and LTP are complementary, they have been produced to ensure there is close integration between the LTP strategy and the policies and proposals contained in the Local Plan.
	Peterborough City Council Policies and Strategies
1.21	In addition to the statutory framework of Government guidance and the development plan, the replacement Local Plan has been produced with regard to other documents and strategies prepared by Peterborough City Council. These include the Council's Best Value Performance Plan and a variety of service-level plans, some of which have land-use and development implications. There is a particular need for consistency between the Local Plan and the Council's Economic Development Strategy, Local Agenda 21 Strategy, Social Exclusion Strategy and Tourism Strategy. In the future, such consistency will also be necessary between the Local Plan and the Peterborough Community Strategy which is being prepared under the provisions of the Local Government Act 2000.
	Strategy Statement
	Council Vision Statement
1.22	The City Council has adopted a Vision Statement to provide a framework for the development of its plans and policies following local government re-organisation:
		The new Peterborough City Council will work in partnership with the whole community to enable the City to prosper within a safe and healthy environment, and to enhance its standing in the region and the country as a whole. The new Council will provide quality public services based on the principles of equality, democracy and accessibility for all.
	Plan Strategy Statement
1.23	A Strategy Statement for the Replacement Local Plan has been developed which is consistent with this philosophy and with the national and regional planning context:
	The replacement Local Plan will:
	promote the growth of Peterborough as a vibrant and dynamic regional centre which acts as a focus for inward investment; promote the economic, social and environmental well-being of all sections of society and improve health and the quality of life by setting a positive framework for the provision of jobs, housing and facilities; protect and enhance the natural and built environments; and reflect the City Council's commitment to the principles and practice of sustainable development.
1.24	The City Council will work in partnership with all sectors of society, public, private and voluntary, to achieve the implementation of this strategy.
	Strategic Aims
1.25	The Strategy Statement provides the basis for the Plan's Strategic Aims, which are set out below. These in turn set the context for the aims and policies contained within the individual chapters, which will ensure the implementation of the Plan strategy.
	Improving the Economy and Social Well-being
	encourage new enterprise and investment to create a growing, diverse and healthy local economy and maximise employment opportunities; encourage the growth of Peterborough and meet the needs of all of the District's population by providing for housing, shops, leisure and community facilities; promote equality of opportunity for all members of society; support the development of a vibrant city centre with a wider range of facilities and an increased regional role; maintain and improve the vitality and viability of district and local centres; encourage rural enterprise, including the diversification of farm businesses; ensure facilities are accessible to the whole population; ensure ready access to open space throughout the District.
	Protecting our Environment
	conserve and improve the quality of the environment, enhancing local distinctiveness; safeguard the most important landscape and wildlife sites and the best quality agricultural land, and protect and enhance biodiversity; protect and enhance the built environment; ensure new development respects its surroundings; encourage the efficient use of resources - land, materials, energy, water etc.; minimise flood risk for both new and existing development; encourage less environmentally damaging means of travel.
	Producing a Sustainable Distribution of Development
	guide development to existing settlements with a concentration on the urban area; relate scale of development to settlement size, facilities and character, taking into account the potential for expansion; promote the re-use of previously used land; locate development in a way which minimises the need to travel and where it is accessible by a range of means of transport; concentrate appropriate development in existing centres to maintain their viability and attractiveness.
	A Plan for the Whole Community
1.26	The replacement Plan has been prepared for the whole community with regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and promote equality of opportunity for all, irrespective of race, religion, culture, ethnic origin, nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or marital status, in line with the City Council's equal opportunities policy. The Plan aims to reflect the varying needs, values and aspirations of the different sectors of society and promote equality of opportunity where these relate to land-use issues.
1.27	Many of the policies in this Plan apply to the whole or large parts of Peterborough. This helps to achieve consistency and certainty in decision making. However, it is recognised that equal standards, when generally applied, may lead inadvertently to indirect discrimination, due to the different impact that policies could have on various sectors of the population. The Council will attempt to apply policies with discretion and sensitivity, having regard to these differing needs.
	Format and Content
1.28	This Plan consists of a Written Statement and a Proposals Map. The Written Statement is divided into fourteen topic-based chapters. These generally contain a series of aims and the policies and proposals of the Plan, including land use allocations, which are intended to meet these aims. The policies are numbered and set out in bold letters. Each policy is accompanied by a reasoned justification and other relevant explanatory material.
1.29	The Proposals Map identifies the area over which specific policies will apply and defines sites which are allocated for development. Inset maps are used where this is necessary to show proposals more clearly. Where there is any conflict of interpretation between the Proposals Map and the Written Statement, the Written Statement prevails.
	Role of the Plan in Decision Making
1.30	All planning applications received by Peterborough City Council are determined in light of the policies contained in the Local Plan, other relevant plans forming part of the statutory development plan for the area, and other factors which are considered to be material. Merely satisfying the requirements of one specific Plan policy, even if it expresses a presumption in favour of a development which complies with that policy, is not in itself sufficient to secure planning permission - development proposals will be assessed against all relevant policies in the Plan. Furthermore, nothing in the Plan, however expressed, fetters the discretion of the Council to make a decision which is not in accordance with the Plan, having taken into account other material considerations, under the provisions of section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (see para. 1.5).
1.31	In exceptional circumstances, the City Council will be minded to grant planning permission for development which is not in accordance with the provisions of the Plan. Provisions for such 'departure' applications are made in the Town and Country Planning (Development Plans and Consultation) (Departures) Directions 1999. The Council is required to advertise locally its intention to depart from the development plan, giving members of the public the chance to lodge representations. Any representations made must be taken into consideration when making a decision on the application.
	Supplementary Planning Guidance
1.32	Only the policies in the development plan have the status provided by section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 in deciding planning applications. However, planning guidance prepared by local authorities which supplements plan policies and proposals can be taken into account as a material consideration in planning decisions.
1.33	Since the commencement of the relevant parts of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, it is no longer possible for the Council to prepare any items of supplementary planning guidance. Those items of supplementary planning guidance that existed up to the date of adoption of this Plan have lost their status as such, but remain as material considerations to the extent that they are Council-approved guidance.
	Plan Period
1.34	The Plan has been prepared within the context set by the 1995 Cambridgeshire Structure Plan, which covers the period to 2006. As there is a legal requirement that a local plan must be in general conformity with the relevant structure plan for the area, this replacement Local Plan contains land use allocations which run to 2006.
1.35	As this end date means that land allocations cover a relatively short time period, the Plan has had regard to continuity in the longer term by including some allocations where development could start before 2006 but is likely to continue beyond that date.
1.36	In accordance with a 'plan, monitor and manage' approach to development, the City Council will seek to review and monitor the policies and proposals in the Plan at regular intervals to ensure that it meets its overall objectives. Where necessary, in light of this process, and/or following the adoption of a new Structure Plan, the policies and proposals will be rolled-forward, strengthened, maintained, altered or removed through the statutory procedures for the alteration or replacement of a Plan. Further details of this appear in Chapter 14 - Monitoring and Review.
	Sustainability Appraisal
1.37	The government expects local authorities to carry out an environmental appraisal of their development plan. This is an assessment of the likely environmental impacts of the policies, proposals and strategies. An environmental appraisal was carried out on the Local Plan 1996 and the results have informed the formulation of the policies in this Plan.
1.38	Current guidance encourages local authorities to widen the scope of their appraisals to also include social and economic issues, as sustainability is not just limited to environmental concerns. Such a sustainability appraisal has been undertaken on this Plan. This suggested a number of alterations which have been made to make the Plan more sustainable. A report containing the results of the sustainability appraisal is available separately from this Plan.




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