August 2009

 

 

House Building pic

Welcome to issue 16 of Ashford Borough Council’s development update, incorporating the Local Development Framework (LDF) update.

 

 

 

Inside this issue:

 

 

 

Local Development Framework (LDF) Latest news

The 'Framework' is made up of a series of individual documents, which set out the policy approach for the future of development within the borough.

With the Core Strategy being formally adopted on 10th July 2008, the Council revised the Local Development Scheme (LDS), which sets out the detailed timetable for the various LDF documents listed below.

 

Preparing the Local Development Framework Documents

 

There is a statutory process that the planning authority has to undertake in the preparation of the individual local development documents and each development plan document (DPD) must be prepared in a series of stages. Each document must be prepared in accordance with the Council’s adopted Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) which is a document that sets out how the Council intends to consult with the local community and stakeholders throughout the preparation of the LDF documents.

 

In July 2008 the Government published new LDF Regulations which have significantly changed the detail of the LDF process; doing away with the need for public consultation on a Preferred Options Report and on site-specific representations and bringing forward the timing of public consultation on the draft plan to before the formal submission to the Secretary of State. Due to the changes of in the Regulations, the SCI is in the process of being updated and a revised version is due to be published for consultation in September.

 

Core Strategy Development Plan Document

 

What is it?

The Core Strategy is the principal document within the set of development plan documents (DPD's) that together make up the Local Development Framework. The Core Strategy sets out the overall vision for planning the Borough's future.

 

What stage is it at?

The Core Strategy was formally adopted on 10 July 2008.

To view a copy of the Adopted Core Strategy, please see the Core Strategy webpage on the Council’s website.

 

 

Ashford Town Centre Area Action Plan

What is it?

The Ashford Town Centre Area Action Plan (ATCAAP) is one of the key documents of the Ashford Local Development Framework ( LDF ). It covers the expanded Town Centre area, and is the first area-based Development Plan Document to be produced in the LDF. The Plan sets out the overall strategy for the future of the Town Centre and identifies specific sites for development. The plan covers the period to 2021.

 

What stage is it at?

The ATCAAP was formally submitted to the Government on 13th July 2009 along with the Council’s proposed amendments, in response to formal representations on the Regulation 27 Publication Version. The public Examination is due to commence on the 27th October this year. Provided the document is found to be ‘sound’ following the Examination, then the Council can adopt the ATCAAP and its contents will become adopted Council policy. This is likely to be in early 2010.

 

Ashford Town Centre Planning and Development

 

Ashford Town Centre must play a crucial role in delivering sustainable growth to Ashford and the rest of the Borough. Its success in providing a large proportion of the new jobs required to support Ashford’s population growth is fundamental to the overall success of the growth agenda. It will need to function as an employment; retail, leisure, service and civic centre for a population nearly double the current size. The list below provides the latest news on major developments within Ashford Town Centre.

 

To find out more information about a particular case, including viewing the application, please use the case number in brackets at the end of each site and view them on the Planning Applications webpage.

 

 

 

 

Urban Development Sites and Infrastructure Development Plan Document

What is it?

The fundamental objective for the existing urban area as set out in the Core Strategy is to ensure that Ashford's growth brings improvements to the quality of life within the existing urban area. The Local Development Framework will contain a development plan document called the Urban Sites and Infrastructure DPD that will focus on site-specific land use allocations and key elements of infrastructure within the Ashford urban area, outside the Ashford town centre.

 

What stage is it at?

The Urban Sites DPD Issues and Options Report was the first stage in the preparation of the DPD and provided an opportunity to comment on the suitability of a list of potential sites for future development, which have been derived from various sources including the current Ashford Local Plan (2000), LDF Core Strategy (2008) and informal site submissions already made to the Council. It also provided an opportunity for any other sites to be put forward for consideration in the Ashford Urban Area. The Issues and Options Report was out for public consultation from Friday 19th December 2008 to Friday 13th February 2009.

 

The Council intend to produce the Publication Version of the Urban Sites and Infrastructure DPD in late autumn 2009. A subsequent 6 week formal public consultation period will follow.   The Publication Version of the document is the version of the DPD which the Council intends to submit to the Secretary of State for public examination. The consultation stage gives the public and other stakeholders the opportunity to make formal comments on the Plan’s contents, before submission is made. Should the Borough Council wish to make any significant changes to this version of the DPD, in light of any representations received, then another formal round of consultation will take place.  

 

If no significant changes are subsequently made, the Council intends to submit the DPD to the Secretary of State in early 2010, with the public examination likely to be held in the middle of 2010. Providing the DPD is found to be ‘sound’ then the Borough Council may adopt the document, and its contents will become adopted Council policy. This is expected to be in late 2010.

 

Ashford Urban Area Planning and Development

 

This section of the development update provides the latest news on major developments in the urban area of Ashford, outside the Town Centre.

 

To find out more information about a particular case, including viewing the application, please use the case number in brackets at the end of each site and view them on the Planning Applications webpage. The 'S' number refers to the Development Update Map.

 

             Both of these applications have now been granted planning permission.

             Please view www.eurekapark.co.uk for further information.

             Site 4 - (07/00134/AS) 30 residential houses/flats. All works have now been completed.

             Site 5 - (07/00042/AS) 75 residential houses/flats. All works have now been completed.

             Sites 8/9 and 10 - (06/01875/AS) 93 residential houses/flats. Work has commenced, with 63 dwellings completed and 30 under construction.

 

 

 

Tenterden & Rural Sites Development Plan Document

What is it?

The Tenterden and Rural Sites DPD covers the area of the Borough which falls outside the Ashford Growth Area. It’s principal role is to allocate land for residential development in a range of suitable rural settlements. The Plan also includes several topic policies, relevant to rural planning issues. The plan will cover the period up to 2021.

 

What stage is it at?

The Publication Version* of the Tenterden and Rural Sites DPD was released for public consultation on the 30th June 2009. (see Urban Sites DPD section above).

 

Providing no significant changes are proposed in light of comments on the Publication Version of the DPD, the Council intends to formally submit the DPD to the Secretary of State in October 2009, with the public examination likely to be held in early 2010. Providing the DPD is found to be ‘sound’ then the Borough Council may adopt the Tenterden and Rural Sites DPD, and its contents will become adopted Council policy. This is expected to be in the middle of 2010.

 

Tenterden and Rural Sites Planning and Development

 

This section of the development update relates to the rural areas of Ashford. The list below provides the latest news on major developments.

To find out more information about a particular case, including viewing the application, please use the case number in brackets at the end of each site and view them on the Planning Applications webpage.

 

 

Cheeseman's Green / Waterbrook Area Action Plan

 

What is it?

This document is to set out the development framework for a proposed major mixed-use urban extension area at Cheeseman’s Green / Waterbrook, to the south-east of Ashford. The development will consist of 4,300 dwellings and at least 1475 additional jobs which will be planned for in the combined area by 2021. After 2021, there is potential for a further 2,200 dwellings and at least 750 jobs. The AAP will need to plan for the full quantum of development envisaged here.

 

What stage is it at?

This document is at an early stage but initial work for the AAP is underway. The Council issued an Issues and Options Report for public consultation for a period of 8 weeks which ended on 3 August 2009. The Issues and Options Report forms the basis of developing and drawing up a credible evidence base which will see the Council produce a Publication version of the Cheeseman’s Green / Waterbrook AAP for Autumn 2010. Responses to the Publication Version will be considered when preparing the final version of the AAP for formal submission to the Secretary of State, likely to be in early 2011, with subsequent adoption by the end of 2011.

 

Cheeseman's Green / Waterbrook Planning and Development

 

This section of the development update relates to the Cheeseman’s Green / Waterbrook urban extension area to the south east of Ashford.

To find out more information about a particular case, including viewing the application, please use the case number in brackets at the end of each site and view them on the Planning Applications webpage.

 

 

Chilmington Green/Discovery Park Area Action Plan

 

What is it?

The area of Chilmington Green, 3km south west of Ashford Town, is the one of two urban extension areas to come forward identified in the Core Strategy. The Chilmington Green/Discovery Park area is planned to accommodate no less than 3,350 dwellings and 600 jobs by 2021, with the potential for over 7,000 dwellings and about 1,000 jobs in total. The Area Action Plan (AAP) will set out the development framework for the urban extension and guidance on the planning of this area, supplemented where needed by development briefs and design codes.

 

What stage is it at?

Initial preparation stages for this AAP are well underway. Stakeholder consultation was carried out in 2007 which led to the production of a Chilmington Green Issues and Options Report. This Report gave consideration to the objectives and general conformity with regional and local policy and other local strategies and initiatives.

 

The Report was subject to a targeted public consultation process, and outlines all the issues which were raised through the stakeholder consultation events. This Report forms the basis of developing and drawing up a credible evidence base which will see the Council produce a Publication Version of the Chilmington Green/Discovery Park Area Action Plan during 2010.

 

The Borough Council, Ashford’s Future and the landowners/developers hope to appoint a consultant team in the Autumn to develop a spatial plan for how sustainable development at Chilmington Green/Discovery Park will be planned and phased. This will involve determining the extent of development, defining the layout of community and physical infrastructure and identifying the site’s overall housing quantum. Community consultation will be carried out as part of this process and the masterplan will be fundamental to informing the policies within the AAP.

 

The Publication Version of the AAP Report will be the first stage of formal public consultation on the AAP. Responses to the Publication Version will be considered and taken into account when preparing the AAP for formal submission to the Secretary of State. The Council intend to formally submit the AAP in early 2010, with subsequent adoption likely to be by end of 2010.

 

Independently facilitated workshops were held 30th September 2008 at the Singleton Environment Centre and 4th / 5th of February 2009 at the Holiday Inn hotel. These provided key stakeholders with an update on the Chilmington Green/ Discovery Park AAP and an opportunity to put their views and ideas across. Attendees included representatives from community groups, Parish Councils, Ashford's Future, Kent County Council and local landowners and developers.  Issues debated included the density of the development, the green framework, hierarchy of routes and sustainable transport links, the location and alignment of the High Street and neighbourhood centres.

 

In conjunction with the preparation of the AAP, a Sustainability Appraisal report will be produced, which assesses the economic, social and environmental constraints of the proposed urban extension.

 

 

 

Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD's)

 

SPDs support the DPDs. All matters covered in SPDs must relate to policies or proposals in a DPD or a policy from the saved plan. When the draft SPD document is published for public consultation it will be accompanied by an appraisal of sustainability and by a statement setting out that the local planning authority has complied with the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). After consultation the representations will be considered and changes made where appropriate and then the document will be adopted as an SPD.

 

Affordable Housing SPD - adopted in February 2009.

Sustainable Design and Construction SPD - adopted in July 2009.

Infrastructure Contributions SPD – expected late 2009

Residential Space and Layout SPD –  expected Autumn 2009.

Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems SPD – expected late 2009.

Green Spaces and Water Environment SPD – expected November 2009.

Broadband and Telecommunications SPD – expected late 2009.