Infrastructure and Community Facilities

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Object

Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 13344

Received: 13/03/2016

Respondent: The Theatres Trust

Representation Summary:

The Local Plan should be amended to safeguard community and cultural facilities to reflect guidance in Para 70 of the NPPF.

Full text:

The Local Plan should recognise, protect and support community and cultural facilities and may need an additional policy to do so.

We welcome Strategic Objective SO11 and Policy 8.6 for Brentwood Town Centre, as these do support culture, however, there is not a clear policy to safeguard and support existing community and cultural facilities. The content of Policy 10.9 alludes to it, but has a focus on recreation. We therefore recommend a new policy is created, or Policy 8.6 or 10.9 are amended to also safeguard existing facilities.

The importance of planning for culture and cultural facilities is emphasised in the National Planning Policy Framework by being included as a core planning principle (Para 17). This is supported by guidance in para 70 of the NPPF which states that to deliver the social, recreational and cultural facilities and services that the community needs, planning policies and decisions should guard against unnecessary loss of valued facilities. Also to ensure that established facilities and services are retained and able to develop for the benefit of the community.

Paragraph 156 also states local planning authorities should set out the strategic priorities in the Local Plan to deliver 'the provision of health, security, community and cultural infrastructure and other local facilities'.

The Planning Practice Guidance notes that a range of issues could be considered through the plan-making and decision-making processes including social and cultural well-being. This takes the matter further than just access to doctors and playing fields. 'Well-being' is having a sense of satisfaction with life. Social and cultural well-being includes the un-measurable personal experiences that make us happy and content. Such experiences are intangible and can either be active (sports) or passive (theatre), and the provision of a variety of community infrastructure and cultural facilities for these activities is vital for their contribution to resident and visitor life satisfaction. Cultural and community opportunities also play a big role in developing, attracting and retaining skilled work force, and this should be promoted in this document.

It is therefore important the local plan safeguard cultural & community facilities which benefit and support sustainable communities which might otherwise be traded in for more commercially lucrative developments. Also to promote new facilities to support the growing population.

To support the objectives, we recommend a policy along the lines of:
Community and Cultural Facilities
The council will resist the loss or change of use of existing community and cultural facilities unless replacement facilities are provided on site or within the vicinity which meet the need of the local population, or necessary services can be delivered from other facilities without leading to, or increasing, any shortfall in provision, and it has been demonstrated that there is no community need for the facility or demand for another community use on site.

For clarity, we recommend that the policy, text and the Glossary contains an explanation for the term 'community and cultural facilities'. We recommend this succinct all-inclusive description which would obviate the need to provide examples: community and cultural facilities provide for the health and wellbeing, social, educational, spiritual, recreational, leisure and cultural needs of the community.

Comment

Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 15429

Received: 21/03/2016

Respondent: Diocese of Chelmsford

Representation Summary:

Concerned there was no mention of places of worship in paragraph 10.40. Although it states the list is not exhaustive the NPPF includes reference to places of worship under paragraphs 28, 70 and 171. The Brentwood Local Plan should be amended to reflect this.

Full text:

I work for the Diocese of Chelmsford, which is the Church of England in Essex and East London and includes the whole of Brentwood Local Authority Area.

I attended a drop-in session on the draft Local Plan at Brentwood Town Hall and spoke to Jonathan Quilter, who was very helpful.

Looking at the draft Local Plan I was concerned that there is no mention of places of worship. This was particularly noticeable at paragraph 10.40 where a number of social and community activities are listed, but churches aren't mentioned.

The list on page 167 is: "Social and Community: Hospital, GP, dentist, children's centres, schools, further education, emergency services, libraries, youth centres, leisure centres, community halls, local convenience store, theatres, public realm, public house".

The document does state that the list is not limited to these things, but The National Planning Policy Framework includes references to "places of worship" and the Brentwood draft Local Plan should reflect this document. Please amend the Brentwood draft Local Plan accordingly.

The National Planning Policy Framework has the following references to places of worship (I have put the references in bold for emphasis):
Paragraph 28 "To promote a strong rural economy, local and neighbourhood plans should..... promote the retention and development of local services and community facilities in villages, such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship."

Paragraph 70 "To deliver the social, recreational and cultural facilities and services the community needs, planning policies and decisions should plan positively for the provision and use of shared space, community facilities (such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, cultural buildings, public houses and places of worship) and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments."

Paragraph 171 "Local planning authorities should work with public health leads and health organisations to understand and take account of the health status and needs of the local population (such as for sports, recreation and places of worship), including expected future changes, and any information about relevant barriers to improving health and well-being."

In particular, paragraph 70 is important when plans are made for new housing developments, such as Dunton Garden Village. Existing villages usually have a church at the centre - often on the village green and next to the public house - and a church should be included in plans for Dunton Garden Village. It is helpful if this is a shared church and community centre. There is an excellent model at the new Greater Beaulieu Park Development, just outside Chelmsford. The developer is providing a building, as part of the planning obligations, and Springfield Parish Council and local Churches have set up a Trust to run the Centre on behalf of the whole community. It will be a church (a place of worship) and also provide community facilities for everyone.

Thank you for your attention.

Attachments:

Object

Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 15444

Received: 09/05/2016

Respondent: North East London NHS Foundation Trust

Agent: Ingleton Wood LLP

Representation Summary:

request amendments are made to Section 10 of the draft Local Plan to reflect that, in certain circumstances, healthcare facilities can be redeveloped for alternative uses or amalgamated with other facilities if they are no longer required or fit for purpose. It is acknowledged that any such policy would need to incorporate criteria requiring any such proposal to provide evidence that the facility is not required and that its loss will not undermine the provision of services in the Borough. The disposal of facilities no longer required for alternative uses is key to overall strategy for the provision of new modern facilities that meet the ongoing requirements of community. This will ensure a joined up approach to delivering the necessary infrastructure in parallel to the forecast growth, ensuring that the plan is effective, justified and sound.

Full text:

See attached.

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Comment

Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 15468

Received: 09/05/2016

Respondent: Mid and South Essex STP

Representation Summary:

Before further progression and amendment of policies are undertaken, the Local Planning Authority should have reference to the most up-to-date strategy documents from NHS England which currently constitute The Five Year Forward View and the Emerging CCG Strategic Estates Plan & Primary Care Plan. Care should be taken to ensure that emerging policies will not have an adverse impact on healthcare provision within the plan area and over the plan period. In instances where major policies involve the provision of development in locations where healthcare service capacity is insufficient to meet the augmented needs appropriate mitigation will need to be sought.

Full text:

See attached.

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Comment

Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 15791

Received: 11/05/2016

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

ECC will continue to work with BBC to ensure education needs are appropriately and adequately assessed as preparation of the new Local Plan continues. ECC will undertake a further assessment of the potential delivery and resource requirements for accommodating anticipated pupil growth to inform the pre submission Plan, and its supporting IDP. Sustainable home-to-school travel and transport and the location of development sites to ensure viability to fund schools will need further consideration.

Full text:

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Comment

Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 15793

Received: 11/05/2016

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

Existing primary schools, especially in the Brentwood urban area are close to capacity, with limited space on site to expand. As a minimum a new 2 form entry (420 place) primary school will be required. It is presently unclear if a suitable site could be made available given the location and relatively small scale of proposed site allocations in the A12 corridor. Temporary classrooms will need to be replaced with permanent accommodation.
Growth at West Horndon and Dunton will require 4-41/2 form entry (900 places) and further consideration will need to be given to the number/size/timing of the expansion of primary schools in this area.

Full text:

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Comment

Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 15794

Received: 11/05/2016

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

There is significant surplus capacity at secondary schools in the Brentwood urban area. Further assessment is needed on the impact of opening Ongar Academy on this capacity.

Full text:

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Comment

Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 15800

Received: 11/05/2016

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

The Draft Local Plan should make reference to the early years and childcare requirements arising from the planned growth. A high level assessment has identified the need for up to 2 new 56 place facilities in the Brentwood urban area; a new 56 place facility at West Horndon; and up to 4 new 56 place facilities at Dunton. ECC will undertake a further assessment of the potential delivery and resource requirements for accommodating anticipated childcare requirements to inform the pre submission Plan, and its supporting IDP.

Full text:

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Comment

Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 15801

Received: 11/05/2016

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

The emerging Local Plan and supporting evidence clearly needs to address the viability and deliverability of the Local Plan, including the provision, commitment and timing of infrastructure. It is imperative that the costs of providing infrastructure as a direct result of development proposals, particularly those related to early years and childcare, primary and secondary schools, and highways, for which ECC has a statutory responsibility, are included in the viability assessment from the outset, to ensure provision is guaranteed. It would not be acceptable to only secure land for education purposes without the necessary and full financial contributions to supply the infrastructure as it is deemed unviable. The mitigation should not be at the cost of ECC as a service provider.

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Support

Draft Local Plan

Representation ID: 16089

Received: 11/05/2016

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

Paragraph 10.40 - Welcome the definition of `infrastructure' and reference to utilities and waste; transport; social and community; and green infrastructure.

Full text:

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