Doncaster Local Plan. Sustainability Appraisal of Doncaster s Growth Options

Transcription

1 Doncaster Local Plan Sustainability Appraisal of Doncaster s Growth Options March 2016

2 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Introduction and background We are preparing a sustainability appraisal to inform the preparation of the Doncaster Local Plan. Sustainability appraisal is a tool designed to measure the possible effects of the Local Plan and ensure that its policies and proposals are aligned with other relevant plans and programmes, reflect the needs and priorities of the borough and accord with sound planning principles, such as good design, historic conservation, economic prosperity, carbon reduction, transport accessibility and mixed and balanced communities. This will, in turn, help us to make informed decisions about how the borough should grow and develop in the future. We have developed a set of detailed criteria to assess and monitor the performance of the Local Plan, with input from a range of stakeholders, such as Planning Advisory Service, Environment Agency, Natural England and Heritage England. Further information about the scope and content of the appraisal can be found from our website at This report updates and expands upon the previous work (which focused on the options on how growth should be accommodated in the borough) to reflect the views of consultees and take account of new evidence. Re-appraisal of the growth options This report provides a re-appraisal of the growth options (see below) which we previously consulted you on in the summer of However, it focusses only on those options that are considered to be realistic and credible. Option 1: the Core Strategy approach (business-as-usual). This option maintains the current strategy contained within the Core Strategy (the business-as-usual scenario). Option 2: Doncaster main town focus. This is based on higher levels of growth in the main urban area of Doncaster and main towns (e.g. Armthorpe, Mexborough and Thorne) with reductions in surrounding areas. Option 3: Greater dispersal. This option distributes growth across a wider range of settlements such as smaller market towns and free-standing villages. New targets and evidence Since the previous appraisal, new evidence has been published on future housing and job requirements. Over the next 15 years, Doncaster will need to build over 15,000 new homes and around 20,000 new jobs to support the growth of the local economy and its growing population. These targets have been derived from an assessment of current and future needs and market conditions across the borough. The options have been reassessed in the light of these targets. New hybrid option From these options, we have developed our preferred strategy on how housing should be distributed across the borough. 2

3 We are currently consulting you on our preferred approach. This takes account of the outcomes of the sustainability appraisal along with the feedback from the previous consultation and the findings of the evidence base (e.g. objectively assessed housing needs). Our preferred approach is largely based on a combination of options 1 and 2, with the appraisal highlighting the benefits of concentrating growth within the main urban area, main towns and existing service centres which provide good access to infrastructure and services, such as public transport links, shops, leisure facilities and open spaces. Conversely, a more dispersed strategy (option 3) has the potential to dilute benefits associated with achieving a larger critical mass and possibly not maximise inward investment opportunities in and around the main urban area. We have rejected this approach in favour of the hybrid option. This new option has been assessed against the objectives of the sustainability appraisal and the results are set out in the appendices. Appraisal of the emerging aims and objectives In response to feedback from the consultation, we have made some changes to the emerging aims and objectives of the Doncaster Local Plan. These changes have been tested against the objectives of the sustainability appraisal (see appendix 2) to highlight both potential synergies and inconsistencies. The results confirm that they are mutually reinforcing and compatible. Next stages The next stage of the process will be to publish a full draft of the Doncaster Local Plan (including the overall strategy and a set of detailed policies) and invite comments on it. This will take into account the responses from previous consultations and the findings of the sustainability appraisal (plus any other new sources of evidence that emerge). Alongside this, we will publish a sustainability appraisal of the emerging policies (including the overall strategy) and proposals within the draft plan. This will also summarise the findings of previous stages (including this report) to show the appraisal process has influenced the development of the plan from the outset. Once adopted, the Doncaster Local Plan will guide future planning and development decisions in the borough up to

4 CONTENTS CHAPTER Chapter 1 This introduces the sustainability appraisal process and explains how it relates to the preparation of the Doncaster Local Plan. Chapter 2 This provides the background to the development of these options and the emerging aims and objectives of the Doncaster Local Plan. It also sets out the context in which the appraisal has been prepared. Chapter 3 This briefly describes and explains the approach that has used to appraise and test the potential options and the emerging aims and objectives of the Local Plan. Chapter 4 This sets out the context and background in which the options have been developed and refined and considered, including the underlying assumptions on which the appraisal is based. Chapter 5 This compares the various options against each other (including the hybrid approach) and summarises the results of the appraisal. Chapter 6 This explains the relationship between the aims and objectives of the Local Plan and the objectives of the sustainability appraisal. Chapter 7 This sets out conclusions and recommendations that will influence the direction of the Local Plan and outlines the reasons that alternatives have been rejected and the preferred option has been chosen. Appendix 1 This explains how the appraisal relates to and applies the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive. Appendix 2 This compares how far the aims and objectives of the Local Plan are compatible with the objectives of the sustainable development. Appendix 3 This sets out the detailed appraisal of the potential growth options, taking into account the objectively assessed needs and the findings of the previous appraisal. Appendix 4 This provides the quality assurance checklist which explains how the appraisal complies with the requirements set out in the Strategic Environment Assessment Directive. Appendix 5 This outlines the recommendations from the Planning Advisory Service on the scope and structure of the report. PAGE NUMBER Appendix 6 This explains how the responses from statutory consultees and stakeholders on the sustainability appraisal have been taken into account

5 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Introduction 1.1 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council is preparing a new 15-year plan to guide growth and development across the borough. This is known as the Doncaster Local Plan. 1.2 The Doncaster Local Plan will establish how much and where growth (housing, jobs and associated infrastructure etc) should be located across the borough and how it will come forward. Once adopted, it will replace the adopted Core Strategy and adopted Unitary Development Plan. 1.3 Government regulations require that sustainability appraisal forms part of the process of preparing the new plan. Sustainability appraisal is a tool designed to predict, evaluate and monitor the performance of plans and programmes from the outset, including its emerging policies and proposals. The sustainability appraisal will sit alongside and inform the content and direction of the Doncaster Local Plan. 1.4 The sustainability appraisal is not, in itself, a decision making tool, but it will, nonetheless, influence future strategic choices on where new development and growth will take place across the borough. Content of this report 1.5 This report explains how many new homes and jobs we need to plan for, and gives a range of options for how and where they could be located across the borough. Its main purpose is to predict and assess the potential effects of the Doncaster Local Plan, including the suitability of emerging options. This investigation has involved two main tasks. A comparison of the draft aims and objectives of the Doncaster Local Plan against the objectives of the sustainability appraisal. An appraisal of the emerging options in terms of how growth should be distributed across the borough (see appendix 3). 1.6 We previously consulted you on the findings of the sustainability appraisal during the consultation on the emerging plan approach (June and September 2015). This consultation (known as the issues and options stage) sought views on the emerging aims and objectives of the plan (including the vision on how the borough should grow and develop in the future) and the options on where new development should be distributed across Doncaster s settlements. 1.7 This report updates and expands on the previous appraisal carried out in The results of the previous assessment have been carried forward and remain valid, but the new appraisal goes into more detail about the potential effects arising from each of these options, taking into account new evidence regarding future housing and employment needs and the results of the previous consultation (as summarised in appendix 6). 1.8 This report provides a more detailed comparative analysis of relative suitability of the growth options, as presented in the issues and options consultation, in terms of their ability to meet the needs and priorities of the borough over the next 15 years and beyond. In particular, it looks at how these various scenarios might affect the local economy; the natural and built environment; the wellbeing of the local community; the provision of local services; patterns of movement; current investment activity, and so on. 1.9 We are now consulting you on our preferred approach on where housing should be distributed across the borough. This approach reflects the results of the previous sustainability appraisal and consultation process. Your views are sought on the preferred approach and findings set out in this report. Your response to these options will directly help to develop the policies and proposals that will be included within the adopted Local Plan. 5

6 1.10 We have revisited the sustainability appraisal to reflect the latest objectively assessed housing and job targets which were published following the issues and options consultation and the views of consultees This report includes a more detailed and systematic exploration of the likely significant effects of each option, against the objectives and sub-objectives of the appraisal framework, following advice from the Planning Advisory Service. How to comment 1.12 If you would like to comment on the findings of this report, please send them via to us at ldf@doncaster.gov.uk using the comment form which can be downloaded from our webpage at Sustainability appraisal purpose and requirements 1.13 Local authorities have a legal duty to appraise the effectiveness and performance of their development plans to help make informed choices about how their areas should grow and develop in the future. This process is known as sustainability appraisal Government guidance describes the sustainability appraisal process as an opportunity to consider ways by which the plan can contribute to improvements in environmental, social and economic conditions, as well as a means of identifying and mitigating any potential adverse effects that the plan might otherwise have. By doing so, it can help make sure that the proposals in the plan are the most appropriate given the reasonable alternatives The sustainability appraisal is carried out during the preparation of the plan to influence its content and ensure that decisions are made in accordance with the aims of sustainable development. Ultimately, it will improve the quality of decision making at the local level A summary of the various roles and outputs of the sustainability appraisal are summarised below. Box 1: Key outputs of the sustainability appraisal process: roles and functions Helps establish a sound evidence base Identifies the key issues, challenges and opportunities facing the borough Ensure the plan has been prepared in a transparent and systematic way Considers alternative ways of implementing the plan (e.g. sites) Help develop and refine the proposals and policies in the plan Ensures that the plan reflects and integrates the principles of sustainable development Helps justify interventions (e.g. considers the future of the borough without the plan) Determines the significance of potential effects and ways to mitigate or offset them 1.17 A more detailed guide on how the appraisal informs the plan process is set out in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report This report must address the legal requirements of the EU Directive (2001/42/EC), known as the Strategic Environmental Assessment (or SEA) Directive. The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 give effect to this Directive and set out specific legal requirements for each stage of the sustainability appraisal process. Appendix 1 sets out how these requirements have been met in this report. 1 The Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report sets out the context and role of the appraisal and how it will be carried out at each stage of the preparation process. It also identifies relevant environmental, economic and social issues facing the borough that the Local Plan should address and a set of evaluation criteria that will be used to appraise and monitor the effects of the Doncaster Local Plan (including alternative options). 6

7 CHAPTER 2: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL PROCESS AND THE PREPARATION OF THE DONCASTER LOCAL PLAN Doncaster Local Plan 2.1 The Doncaster Local Plan will set out policies and proposals that will be used to guide decisions and investment across the borough, looking ahead to It will set out how and where the homes, jobs, community facilities, shops and infrastructure will be delivered and the type of places and environments we want to create. It will also set out policies on what will or will not be permitted. 2.2 Once adopted, it will replace the Core Strategy (which was adopted in 2012) and saved policies set out in the Unitary Development Plan (which was adopted in 1998). 2.3 The Doncaster Local Plan will be a single document covering the whole of Doncaster borough. Specifically, it will include: an overall vision (which sets out how Doncaster and the places within it will grow and develop in the future); a series of aims and objectives, focusing on key issues; a growth and regeneration strategy (which sets out where development will happen, when and by what means); sites and proposals where new housing, business space and infrastructure and services will be located; detailed policies which will be used to assess planning applications; and clear arrangements for managing and monitoring the delivery of the plan. 2.4 A detailed and comprehensive evidence base has been used to inform the preparation of the Doncaster Local Plan and the sustainability appraisal process. More information about this can be found on our website at Sustainability appraisal 2.5 Sustainability appraisal is carried out in a series of stages, as set out below. At each stage, the appraisal tool is used to assess and test the performance of the plan as it evolves, including the various options on how it could be developed. Table 1 below shows the relationship between the two processes. It also provides a summary of the sustainability appraisal process to date. Table 1: Relationship between sustainability appraisal and local plan preparation Stage of the SA process SA task Output Type of report Stage of the Local Plan process Stage A: Setting the context and objectives, establishing the baseline and deciding on scope Stage B: Developing and refining options and assessing effects Stage B: Developing and refining options and assessing effects A1: Identifying relevant policies, plans and programmes A2: Collecting baseline information A3: Identifying sustainability issues and environmental problems A4: Developing the SA framework A5: Consulting on the scope of the SA B1: Testing the plan objectives against the SA framework B2: Developing the plan options B3: Predicting the social, economic and environmental effects of Appraisal of the growth options compatibility matrix Appraisal of the growth options Interim Interim Scoping report Interim Prepublication Prepublication Prepublication Consultation / formal engagement Summer 2015 Summer 2015 Summer 2015 Site selection Interim Pre- Informal consultation (4-7

8 Stage C: Preparing the SA report Stage D: Seek representations on the SA report from consultation bodies and the public Stage E: Post adoption reporting and monitoring Context the plan options B4: Evaluating the effects of the plan in terms of their significance and the overall sustainability of each option B5: Considering ways of mitigating adverse effects and maximising beneficial effects B6: Proposing measures to monitor the significant effects C1: Preparing the SA report methodology paper report publication stage Appraisal of the growth options (revised) Appraisal of the site options Appraisal of the draft policies D1: Public participation Appraisal of the vision, aims, objectives, policies and sites of the Local Plan D2: Appraising significant changes E1: Prepare and publish post adoption statement Making decisions and providing information through the production of an adoption statement Appraisal of significant changes to the Doncaster in the light of representations Summary of the results SA report Separate to be included within final report Final SA report Final SA report Adoption statement Prepublication Prepublication Prepublication Publication Publication Adoption weeks) Winter 2016 Informal consultation (6- weeks) March and April 2016 No consultation will take place Comments will be invited over a 6-week period. Submission Outcome of examination Outcome of examination 2.6 Doncaster is growing and will continue to grow in the coming years. By 2032, Doncaster is expected to have more than 11,000 new residents and 20,000 more jobs 2. Over a quarter of Doncaster s population will be aged 65 years of age and above. 2.7 While the forecasted population growth rate is consistent with Doncaster s historical growth rates, these numbers still raise important questions about how and where Doncaster should grow and develop over the next 15 years and beyond, and the impact that growth will have on people s quality of life. 2.8 The new plan provides an opportunity to take a fresh approach to the urgent issues arising from climate change, resource depletion, land use and agricultural intensification, population and urban growth, lifestyle changes and economic diversification in response to changes in government policy, new institutional arrangements (e.g. devolution) and emerging growth and investment plans at the sub-regional and city region level. 2.9 The plan has genuine choices to make about where new homes, jobs and services should be located and what sort of places we want to live and work in. Local authorities need to consider a wide range of options when deciding where and how growth should happen and how services (e.g. infrastructure) should be provided. This process is a mandatory requirement of European and national legislation. 2 Doncaster s jobs growth target has been derived from Sheffield City Region Integrated Infrastructure Plan Growth Plan (Ekosgen, 2014) which sits alongside the Sheffield City Region Growth Plan. Please note: the population growth rate (source: Department for Communities and Local Government) is a baseline figure and does not forecast growth from future policy interventions. 8

9 2.10 There is no statutory definition of an alternative. Government guidance defines an alternative as a different way of fulfilling the objectives of the plan or programme. In the context of this consultation, it means an alternative pattern of growth that would help meet the goals and aspirations of the borough. The overall aim of the appraisal process is to select the most suitable option/approach which best meets the objectives of the Local Plan and the priorities set out in other high level strategies and programmes. The appraisal also aims to provide a clear audit trail of how it has influenced and refined these options. Updates to the evidence base 2.11 This report also takes account of new evidence on future housing and employment needs (including new targets from the recently-published Housing Strategy and Employment Needs Assessment) which has emerged since the previous appraisal. These targets form the basis of determining the scale and distribution of growth across the borough The effects of the options will need to be considered in the context of the latest baseline evidence. Since the publication of the sustainability appraisal, the evidence base has been updated to include the following information. Doncaster Housing Needs Assessment 2.13 Based solely on official projection, the assessment identifies an objectively assessed need figure of 582 homes per year across the period , but the figure rises to 920 new homes (net) per year (15,640 homes in total) once economic growth is taken into account. This comprises both housing for sale and rent on the open market and affordable housing for those people who cannot afford to buy or rent on the open market. Thus, the objectively assessed need is made up of two elements. Element Description Figure (net) Baseline growth Housing growth This is the growth that would happen without policy intervention and which is needed to accommodate the existing population s growing housing needs over the plan period. This scenario is predicated on the planned economic growth over the plan period. 582 per year (63% of the overall requirement) 338 per year (37% of the overall requirement) 2.14 This figure provides the starting point for Doncaster s Local Plan in terms of planning future housing delivery and is discussed in more detail in appendix 3. This is the key source of evidence upon which the growth options are based. Doncaster Employment Land Needs Assessment 2.15 This study describes the equivalent assessment of employment land needs in Doncaster over the plan period ( ) Based on the latest available evidence, the study identifies the need to provide 474 hectares of employment land to address the jobs growth target set out in the Sheffield City Region Growth Plan (over the entire plan period) and the pro-growth ambitions of the Borough Strategy and Doncaster Economic Growth Plan, which includes a number of pipeline transformational projects. This also includes allowance for flexibility and choice in land provision The Sheffield City Region Growth Plan seeks to deliver 70,000 net additional jobs and 6000 new businesses across the city region over a 10-year period (from 2014 to 2024), with a view to bridging the gap between the economy of the Sheffield city region and the rest of the UK. It would also mean creating 30,000 new jobs in the highly skilled sectors (e.g. engineering, manufacturing and aviation) over the same period. Our own analysis suggests that Doncaster would contribute around 10% of this total (i.e. 11,825 net new jobs) This scenario has been projected forward past 2024 (the end date of the Sheffield City Region Growth Plan) to 2032 (the end date of the Local Plan period) to ensure consistency with the other 9

10 scenarios. This equates to 20,000 net new jobs. Settlement audit 2.19 The audit has been updated and re-published on the website (see This provides an up-to-date picture of service provision across the borough. It identifies key services and provides an audit of these for each community area; this reveals a clear hierarchy of settlements in terms of size and service function. Type of settlement Description Service provision 4 Main urban area of Doncaster Includes the town centre and surrounding commercial and industrial areas and residential suburbs The main urban area provides services for the whole borough and beyond. 7 main towns Populations around and above 10,000 Each town has 10 or more of the 12 key services. 6 smaller coalfield and market towns and villages Review of the green belt 2 market towns with populations of 3,400-8,300 4 large villages with populations over 1,000 Each town provides at least 7 of the key services Each village provides 4 or 5 key services A review of Doncaster s green belt is currently underway and is one of many pieces of evidence that will inform the preparation of the Local Plan. The review does not itself make any decisions. Land can only be taken out of the green belt or added to it through the Local Plan process. The review comprises three pieces of work. 1) An assessment of the general extent of Doncaster s green belt and the performance of the policies that protect the countryside outside the green belt. This finds that: the countryside in the east of the borough does not meet the national policy requirements for green belt or align with the original designation for the South Yorkshire green belt; there are no exceptional circumstances that would justify an eastward extension of Doncaster s green belt; and the countryside protection policies that have been used for countryside outside the green belt have not permitted inappropriate development or performed inadequately. The countryside in the east of the borough can be properly protected using other policies. 2) An assessment of Doncaster s green belt and how well it performs against the five green belt purposes. This finds that the vast majority of the 64 individually assessed green belt parcels contribute strongly to one or, in most cases, more than one of the five green belt purposes. 3) An assessment of individual site options. This will look at the implications of removing land from the green belt to accommodate housing or other Local Plan development allocations and advise on revised boundaries. This work will be published alongside other site assessment work to inform recommendations about amendments to the green belt The findings of the green belt review will sit alongside other evidence (including objectively assessed needs, settlement audit and the assessment of sites) and the sustainability appraisal The National Planning Policy Framework states (paragraphs 79 and 80) that: "The fundamental aim of green belt policy is to prevent urban sprawl by keeping land permanently open; the essential characteristics of green belts are their openness and their permanence. green belt serves five purposes: to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas; to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another; to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and to assist in urban regeneration, by encourag- 4 All of these settlements are considered to have a service function; that is, they have at least 4 of the 12 key services, of which at least 2 are primary key services (as defined in the settlement audit). 10

11 ing the recycling of derelict and other urban land". Green belts can, therefore, help meet some important sustainability objectives but the sustainability objectives of the local plan are much wider in scope and will drive green belt decisions rather than the other way round. The framework explains/summarises this relationship at paragraph 84 ("When drawing up or reviewing green belt boundaries local planning authorities should take account of the need to promote sustainable patterns of development. They should consider the consequences for sustainable development of channelling development towards urban areas inside the green belt boundary, towards towns and villages inset within the green belt or towards locations beyond the outer Green Belt bound") and at paragraph 85 ("When defining boundaries, local planning authorities should: ensure consistency with the Local Plan strategy for meeting identified requirements for sustainable development"). CHAPTER 3: APPRAISAL METHODOLOGY 3.1 An appraisal tool has been developed in conjunction with the Planning Advisory Service and other stakeholders (e.g. Environment Agency, Historic England and Natural England) to test and monitor the performance of the Doncaster Local Plan (including alternative options). 3.2 The assessment criteria cover a range of topics such as economic diversification, flood risk, social cohesion, accessibility, health, design and safety, climate change, biodiversity and landscape. This is known as the sustainability appraisal framework. 3.3 A detailed explanation of how these criteria have been developed is set out in appendix 3 of the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report. 3.4 Although aligned with high-level strategies and programmes set out in European and national legislation, the evaluation criteria have been carefully tailored to reflect the social, economic and environmental issues facing the borough (as outlined in appendix A and appendix B of the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report) and are based on the topics covered in the SEA Directive. 3.5 Appendix 2 overleaf describes and evaluates the performance of these options (including the existing baseline scenario) against the evaluation criteria to show how closely they reflect the principles of sustainable development. It attempts to describe and evaluate the potential significance of these effects, taking account the duration, frequency and magnitude and reversibility of these effects, as far as possible. The potential for cumulative effects are also considered. In doing so, it will ensure that the policies and proposals in the Local Plan are the most appropriate in the light of the alternatives. 3.6 For each criterion, a set of question prompts have been developed to help tease out/highlight the potential significance of these effects. 3.7 In the appraisal matrix, each option is given a score on how it performs against each criterion, using an eight point scoring system, as outlined below 5. Table 1: Sustainability appraisal scoring system Score Significance of impact Description of impact ++ Major positive 1 Option will have a major positive impact on the SA objective when compared to the current and future baseline conditions + Minor positive Option will have a positive impact on the SA objective when compared to the current and future baseline conditions. Minor adverse effects may result but the overall effect will be positive. 0 Neutral Option is unlikely to create any significant impact (positive or negative) at present or in the future - Minor negative Option will have a negative impact on the SA objective being assessed when compared to the current and future baseline conditions. Minor positive effects may result but the overall effect will be negative -- Major negative 1 Option will have a major negative impact on the SA objective when compared to the current and future baseline conditions? Unknown/uncertain There is insufficient information about the implications of the option to make a robust assessment 5 Further detail on the scoring system is set out in the Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report. 11

12 +/- A mix of positive and negative Option has both significant positive and negative effects. X No relationship Option is not relevant to the SA objective For the purpose of this assessment, significant effects are defined as those which have been identified as major positive (++) or major negative (--) in the assessment. Timescale / duration Short term The impact the option would have within the initial 0-5 years Medium term The impact the option would have within the initial 5-10 years Long term The impact the option would have beyond 10 years Reversibility Permanent (irreversible) Temporary (reversible) Option will have a permanent impact on the objective, from which recovery is not possible within a reasonable timescale or for which there is no reasonable chance of action being taken to reverse it. Option will have a temporary impact, from which recovery is possible or for which effective mitigation is possible. Duration Likelihood Uncertainty Option is likely to have an impact on the objective. The impact of the option on the objective is uncertain. Scale of importance / impact (geographical area) Regional or national The impact of the option or policy is likely to occur over a very wide area (at a regional or national scale). Cross-border The impact of the option is likely to occur across local authority boundaries at city region or sub-regional scale. Local The impact of the option 3.8 Please note: the system of appraisal used does not attempt to give any particular weighting to the assessment of the options. The appraisal is essentially an objective-led approach which uses judgment and values to determine the significance of the effects. Significance is, however, essentially subjective and relies on qualitative, contextual-based analysis, although some effects will clearly be more significant than others. 3.9 Every effort has been made to obtain up-to-date information and to accurately predict and evaluate the effects of the growth options. Yet, this is inherently challenging given the high level nature of the Doncaster Local Plan. For the purposes of the sustainability appraisal, we have made some assumptions about how these options will be implemented on the ground (having regard to the trends, projections and other relevant information set out in the baseline review). Assumptions adopted in the evaluation of impacts are reported in the relevant sections. However, these assumptions are often implicit, relying on expert professional judgment. In some instances, the effects are not known at this stage In addition, appropriate mitigation measures have been identified under each of the options (see appendix 3 and chapter 5) to reduce, prevent or offset any significant adverse impacts. 12

13 CHAPTER 4: BACKGROUND TO THE APPRAISAL OF STRATEGIC GROWTH OPTIONS Strategic growth options 4.1 The options - as expressed diagrammatically below - set out possible choices on how the vision, aims and objectives of the Doncaster Local Plan can be achieved. These have emerged from the review of the current social, economic and environmental characteristics of the borough. 4.2 In June-September 2015, we sought views on three broad options about where growth should be located across the borough (known as the issues and options stage). The consultation elicited a number of responses from stakeholders on the options Each option proposes a slightly different settlement hierarchy (based on a series of tiers 7 ) and apportions different levels of growth to each tier of settlement. The hierarchy will form the basis of the overall strategy of how growth will be distributed across the borough. 4.4 Economic investment priorities are also ranked in order of priority/importance, reflecting the broad distribution of growth set out under each scenario. Option 1: the Core Strategy approach (business-as-usual): a distribution based on growth at the identified sub-regional centre (the main urban area of Doncaster), the other main towns (e.g. Mexborough and Thorne) and a number of settlements requiring regeneration (e.g. former mining communities) but limited growth elsewhere. This option maintains the current strategy contained within the Core Strategy (the business-as-usual scenario). 6 A summary of representations can be found from our web site at 7 By way of explanation, a settlement hierarchy is the process by which settlements are grouped or classified in a sequence, based upon the services they provide or their role and function. 13

14 Option 2: Doncaster main town focus: a distribution based on higher levels of growth in the main urban area (including its town centre) with reductions in surrounding areas. Housing would be less dispersed relative to option 1. Development outside Doncaster would be focused on the following towns: Adwick/Woodlands, Armthorpe, Askern, Conisbrough/Denaby, Rossington, Mexborough, Stainforth/Hatfield/Dunscroft/ Dunsville, and Thorne/Moorends. Housing development elsewhere would be confined to existing planning permissions (which are significant) and quality infill opportunities. Strategic employment growth locations would be as per option 1 but including also the A1 corridor alongside Adwick/Woodlands. 14

15 Option 3: Greater dispersal: a distribution based on a more dispersed pattern of growth throughout the borough with a much greater focus on smaller market towns (e.g. Tickhill, Askern and Bawtry) and clusters of villages (e.g. Auckley, Finningley, Hayfield Green and Sprotborough) in the rural hinterland. Less emphasis would be placed on housing growth within the main urban area (Doncaster) than options 1, but the main towns would see a similar level of growth as option 2. Strategic employment locations will be as per option 2 but also include the FARRRS corridor (linked to Rossington and Airport/Hayfield Green) and an A1(M)-A19 growth corridor linked to sites at Adwick and Carcroft/Skellow reflecting ambitions for a new A1(M)-A19 link road. 15

16 4.5 This consultation (known as the issues and options stage) also considered other potential growth options. These were as follows. Option 4: New settlement or town: a distribution based on a new free-standing settlement or a major expansion of an existing settlement or group of settlements with around 5000 new homes alongside new schools, public transport and other infrastructure, which will be the main focus of new housing outside of the main urban area over the plan period and beyond. Option 5: Low growth and environmental protection: a distribution based on lower levels of growth than the current baseline that will avoid protected sites (e.g. green belt and nature conservation interests) and flood risk areas. Option 6: Total Dispersal: a market-driven distribution based on a complete dispersal of development and growth across all towns and villages. 4.6 However, we have rejected these alternatives (options 4 to 5) because they are either unrealistic or unachievable 8. Each of these options has the potential to restrict long term economic growth and prosperity and undermine efforts to regenerate and renew former mining communities, contrary to the aims and objectives of the Doncaster Local Plan and generally run counter to the principles of sustainable development For the purposes of the sustainability appraisal, these do not represent reasonable alternatives to the other approaches set out in this report under the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive. None of them are likely to meet the vision, aims and objectives of the Local Plan. More detail on the 8 Government guidance stipulates that options should be realistic, practicable, relevant and potentially deliverable (see Planning Policy Practice Guidance, Department for Communities and Local Government). 9 Local planning authorities are not expected to evaluate options or alternatives that would be incompatible with national planning policy and legislation or generate them merely for the sake of assessment. In addition, any growth option must be capable of being delivered during a realistic timescale (see paragraphs 152, 157, 173, 177 of the National Planning Policy Framework). 16

17 reasons cited for rejecting these options is outlined within chapter 4 of the Issues and Options Consultation Paper (a copy of which can be downloaded from our website at New hybrid option 4.8 Following the consultation on the issues and options, a new hybrid option has been developed. Hybrid option: Urban concentration and dispersal: a distribution based on similar levels of growth within the main urban area and main towns (Dunscroft, Dunsville, Hatfield and Stainforth; Thorne and Moorends; Conisbrough and Denaby; Mexborough; Armthorpe; Rossington; and Adwick and Woodlands) as the current adopted Core Strategy, with greater amounts of housing apportioned to service towns and villages (Carcroft and Skellow; Edlington; Tickhill; Askern; Bawtry; Auckley and Hayfield Green; Barnby Dun; Sprotbrough; Barnburgh and Harlington; and Finningley). Housing would be more dispersed relative to options 1 and 2 but more growth will be directed towards the main urban area and main towns than option This option has emerged as the preferred approach from the consultation process and reflects the recommendations of the sustainability appraisal (as explained in paragraphs below) We are now out to consultation on this hybrid option, which sets out our preferred strategy for how housing should be distributed across the borough. A sustainability appraisal has been carried out of this option. The results are set out in more detail in appendix 2. A comparison has also been made of the hybrid option against the alternatives (options 1 to 3). Appraisal of the strategic growth options 4.11 The results of the appraisal of the strategic growth options are summarised below. It also makes recommendations on which approach (in terms of where growth should be distributed across the borough) should be carried forward in the light of the alternatives. It also provides a summary of the reasons that the alternative options have been rejected, taking into account wider planning considerations, such as viability, national planning policy and infrastructure requirements. Full results of the appraisal are presented within the matrices at appendix In considering future growth options, particular regard has been given to the existing baseline situation (taking into account the priorities and targets set out in other relevant plans and programmes against which the plan must have regard) and new evidence During the issues and options stage, we suggested different growth ranges across different settlements under the three broad options. These were expressed as percentages of the total housing requirement rather than actual numbers of homes. This was because the objectively assessed need figure had not yet been agreed and published. The paper indicated that the total requirement would be around a thousand per annum The objectively assessed housing need set out in the Doncaster Housing Strategy identified an overall housing requirement of 920 dwellings per annum over the period between 2015 and This is based on a combination of local need (housing needed to accommodate the needs of the existing population) and need arising from economic growth (housing needed to accommodate a growing population required to meet the job targets set out in the Sheffield City Region Growth plan). However, this strategy was published very shortly after the commencement of the consultation and public attention was drawn to it on the website Doncaster s objectively assessed housing need is based on a single figure (rather than a series of ranges) as it most accurately reflects the particular circumstances of the borough and market signals/historical trends. However, it is not practicable to assess the two scenarios as discrete options, based on a higher or lower figure. This is because: 17

18 Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council and other local authorities in the city region have signed up to the Sheffield City Region Growth Plan, which sets out a commitment to create 70,000 new private sector jobs across the Sheffield city region over the period to 2024; sufficient land is available across the borough to meet the objectively assessed housing need (as demonstrated through the Call for Sites/HELAA process) over the plan period; the Borough Strategy sets out an ambitious agenda to achieve significant growth and change; and under the duty to cooperate requirement, no requests have been made to us to accommodate or address any unmet need from our neighbouring authorities, and we have not requested that any of them absorb some of ours The sustainability appraisal needs to test the objectively assessed housing needs against future growth options. In order to further support the process, the objectively assessed housing need has now been applied to the four options (see below) to produce actual homes figures. The figures in table 1 below have been derived as follows: the objectively assessed need figure (920 x 15 years allocations = 13,800 new units) have been applied to the percentage distributions set out in the issues and options paper against each of the three options The new objectively needs target is similar (albeit slightly higher) to that planned within the Core Strategy (option 1) and the previous baseline target, so there will be no need to significantly raise densities on sites or place undue pressure on infrastructure and services The emerging preferred option is a hybrid approach in which the proposed allocations sit somewhere within the options ranges for most of the settlements. In the case of Hatfield/Stainforth/Dunscroft/Dunsville, Rossington and Armthorpe, the preferred option figures are larger than the other growth ranges, reflecting the fact that they are all well down the road of planning for housing in accordance with the previous, larger Core Strategy housing target 10. Bawtry s target is a little lower than anticipated by the options. The ranges for Mexborough, Adwick and Conisbrough are large, pending the site selection work which may (for example) allocate towards the top of the range for Adwick and towards the bottom of the range for the other two. Table 1: Distribution of the objectively assessed need figure (920 per annum) in accordance with the three options Settlement OPTION 1 OPTION 2 OPTION 3 HYBRID OPTION DONCASTER MAIN 6, URBAN AREA Hatfield, Stainforth Dunscroft and Dunsville Thorne and Moorends (Thorne) Up to 345 (Moorends) Conisbrough and Denaby (Conisborough) Up to 345 (Denaby) Mexborough Armthorpe Rossington Adwick and Woodlands Carcroft and Skellow Up to Sprotbrough 0 0 Up to Edlington Up to Askern Tickhill Bawtry Barnby-Dun 0 0 Up to In December 2015, planning permission was secured to build a major new urban extension (including housing, jobs, leisure facilities, shops and open spaces) within the Hatfield/Stainforth/Dunscroft/Dunsville area (known as Unity ). 18

19 Auckley and Hayfield 0 0 Up to Green Barnburgh and 0 0 Up to Harlington Finningley 0 0 Up to Toll Bar and Almholme 0 0 Up to Assumptions 4.19 In undertaking this appraisal a number of assumptions have been made as follows. Insufficient land is available within Doncaster s existing urban areas to accommodate future needs over the plan period. This will necessitate the release of greenfield land (in the form of large-scale urban extensions) on the edge of the main urban area and main towns in the open countryside. Employment opportunities are located at several locations in the borough with new areas emerging. Settlements have been identified on the basis of the scale and level of service provision within them and accessibility to public transport. The main urban area (Doncaster) and outlying towns (known as main towns within the hierarchy) have relatively good access to existing and planned employment and service opportunities, notably the proposed business parks within Unity, Iport, Doncaster Sheffield Airport and West Moor Park and existing town, district and local centres. Doncaster s main urban area contains a sub-regional town centre and several local centres such as Balby, Woodfield Plantation, Bentley and Edenthorpe as well as the Lakeside area. A key overriding goal of the Sheffield City Region Transport Strategy is to support economic growth through the provision of public transport links that connect people to jobs and training in both rural and urban areas. In addition, there is a growing need to increase skills levels and labour mobility across Doncaster s settlements to enable them to compete more effectively in national and global markets. As explained in the scoping report, over two fifths of the borough is at a high or medium risk of flooding. Areas at risk are the main urban area of Doncaster (parts of Doncaster town centre, Bentley, Wheatley Hall Road and Kirk Sandall), Thorne, Moorends, Hatfield-Stainforth, Carcroft, Askern and a number of other smaller villages. These areas generally perform well in the settlement audit and have good access to shops and services and public transport. However, a policy approach of avoiding flood risk areas within these locations will mean that growth will need to be dispersed more widely across a broader range of settlements which are located in less sustainable locations, especially in terms of proximity to public transport and essential services. Flood risk avoidance is a requirement of the National Planning Policy Framework. However, Doncaster does not have a sufficient supply of land (outside of existing flood risk areas) to deliver its objectively assessed need over the course of the plan period. Avoiding flood risk areas completely will means that housing needs cannot be met locally and people will often need to travel somewhere else to live or work, especially as the population is aging and households become smaller and less mobile. As a consequence, new housing will need to be accommodated within flood risk areas through the settlement hierarchy to meet local needs, but development will still need to be made safe through mitigation of the exception test and will also be subject to viability assessment (where it is anticipated that flood risk mitigation will be given high priority relative to other factors). In view of these constraints, new development (especially urban extensions) will have adverse impacts (albeit to varying degrees) on the environment, such as biodiversity (i.e. from the displacement of wildlife), soil and water quality and the character and appearance of the landscape, especially where it results in the loss of greenfield land and areas of amenity value (e.g. agriculture). In many cases, it will be possible to reduce, offset or avoid these adverse effects with appropriate mitigation. In addition, future economic and population growth will generate more waste, increase greenhouse gas emissions and increase the consumption of resources. Partners and stakeholders within the Sheffield city region have a strong commitment to delivering the economic growth investment priorities identified under each option. Some of the road schemes have planning permission or have been provisionally granted funded through the Sheffield City Region Infrastructure Fund process. For example, Doncaster Sheffield Airport (including the Iport) and DN7 area (Hatfield/Stainforth) have been identified as key spatial 19