This chapter includes policies relevant to the implementation of the Plan and to different types of development considered in the following chapters. It is particularly concerned to take forward elements of strategic policy concerned with sustainable development not covered in other chapters.

NATIONAL POLICY AND STRATEGIC PLANNING GUIDANCE

Planning Policy Guidance Note No. 1 (PPG1 1997) indicates that sustainable development seeks to deliver the objective of achieving, now and in the future, economic development to secure higher living standards while protecting and enhancing the environment. The most commonly used definition is ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’  (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987).

PPG1 emphasises the importance of mixed use development in helping create vitality and diversity and reducing the need to travel.  Mixed uses should be promoted within designated areas such as town centres.  Within these areas applications for single uses need to be justified either in terms of their non-suitability for mixed uses or in terms of their contribution to the overall mix of uses in the area.

Existing buildings should normally be retained and where necessary converted to other uses or refurbished rather than redeveloped.  Where new development is to be undertaken maximum use should be made of derelict, vacant and under-utilised land.  Retention of buildings will help minimise use of non-renewable resources, lead to provision of lower cost premises and retain familiar townscape features.  Concentrating redevelopment on vacant and under-utilised land will avoid the loss of natural vegetation, especially trees, which aid the natural regulation of the ecosystem and help resist development pressure on greenfield sites.

The strategy of the Plan is based on reducing the need to travel and enhancing local communities through the provision of opportunities at the most local level practicable. Such an approach takes forward the aims of the Plan in relation to equality of opportunity and will also help reduce crime (through maintaining round the clock surveillance) and improve health (through encouraging walking and community development). It is the intention to concentrate premises for local services and small firms with small shops in mixed use areas thereby ensuring the uses help support one another. There are also many employment, community and service uses outside mixed use areas and these should normally be retained.  New non-residential uses such as corner shops, small offices or live-work units or community halls or centres which could serve local communities and provide employment and other opportunities for local residents without generating significant in-coming traffic, should be established. Much of the Borough is designated as conservation areas within which variety of use forms an important part of the character and as such contributes to conservation objectives.

The Council will operate the policy with regard to advice included in Strategic Planning Guidance for London (RPG 3 1996) and Circulars 1/97 and 6/98 or any superseding advice.  The policy includes provision to overcome objections to proposals that are otherwise appropriate and acceptable and which can often provide benefits to the wider community.  It will thus help in implementing several other important policies in the Plan.  The Council will seek undertakings from developers under the Planning and Compensation Act 2004 when granting planning permission to secure appropriate advantages.  It must be stressed that the provision of planning advantage alone is not sufficient to justify a development; it must first comply with other policies.