Sustainable Development

23. Achieving sustainable development is a key strategic issue that is addressed by both the strategy and topic based issues of this Issues Report.

Issue S1 - Achieving High Quality Mixed Use Development

24. The prudent use of resources depends heavily upon making the best use of land especially previously used land and buildings within both urban areas and rural settlements. Achieving a higher density of development need not result in a lesser quality of life provided the development is planned and designed to a good standard and respects local character and distinctiveness. Encouraging mixed use development has the capacity to add to the quality of life through the provision of homes and jobs and necessary supporting services and facilities in close proximity to one another.

• How can the Plan help to improve the quality of development while ensuring that development respects local character and distinctiveness?
• How can the Plan encourage appropriate mixed use development?

Issue S2 - The Protection and Enhancement of the Environment and Landscape Character

25. The quality of life depends upon the effective protection and enhancement of the environment and biodiversity. This requires an approach that addresses both local and wider environmental concerns, for example dealing with local traffic congestion can contribute towards improved air quality for the locality and the wider area.

• How can the Plan ensure that biodiversity is conserved and enhanced and how can new development contribute to this?
• Are there any features of the natural and built environment that require strong protection?
• How can the Plan ensure that landscape character is protected and enhanced and how can new development contribute to this?
• How can the Plan address wider environmental concerns such as climate change and air quality?

Issue S3 - Distribution of Development

a) Urban areas

26. Recent trends indicate higher than planned population migration to South Nottinghamshire where there has been strong economic growth. In contrast there has been out-migration from West and North West Nottinghamshire, which has suffered weak economic growth.

27. The distribution of development in the Plan area can be influenced by considerations of the likely economic/employment fortunes between the Sub-Areas, the availability, capacity and location of previously developed land and buildings (PDL), and the capacity of planned public transport schemes.

• Should South Nottinghamshire meet part of the employment needs of the West and North West Nottinghamshire?
• Can the rest of the County meet some of the housing needs associated with the strong demand for housing in South Nottinghamshire?
• Should the availability of previously developed land be the overriding factor in the distribution of development across the Plan area or should other factors such as economic potential, availability or potential for public transport and migration forecasts take priority?
• To what extent should the development potential of locations associated with new transport investment determine the land use strategy for distributing development?

b) Rural Areas

28. Rural areas have undergone significant changes in recent years including the loss of traditional employment, higher house prices and continued loss of local services and facilities. There is a pressing case for providing additional development to meet rural development needs and for diversifying the rural economy through suitable employment, housing, tourism, cultural and other development.

• Should the Plan include quantitative figures for housing and employment development in rural areas?
• How prescriptive should Plan policies be about the nature and type of development needed in rural areas? Should policies seek to limit development in rural areas to that which meets rural needs and if so how can such rural needs be defined?

Issue S4 - Location of Development

29. RPG sets out the sequential approach to site selection, which will have to be followed in the new Plan (see glossary). The sequential approach gives priority to sites within urban areas before greenfield sites on the edge of settlements are considered. RPG also advises that housing should be provided at higher densities in order to reduce the amount of land taken up for development, although the density of house building should not be so high as to lead to a lower quality of life. In all likelihood, however, the scale of development required is likely to result in a need for additional greenfield sites adjoining urban areas. The search sequence for rural settlements would also start with central sites prior to selecting sites on the edge of such settlements.

30. In order to meet rural needs some development will have to be directed to market towns and villages. There is growing recognition that the fortunes of urban and rural areas are inter-linked as they are highly dependent upon one another. Recognising the economic, social and transportation links between urban and rural settlements is therefore important and is a major factor in selecting which market towns and rural centres are suitable for development.

a) Urban Areas 31.

A number of options are available for locating the new development. A combination of options may be appropriate.

A) Urban

• Is it feasible for development to take place wholly within the main urban areas?

B) Urban Extensions

• Should urban extensions be planned for, and if so, how can new development on the edge of the urban area be integrated with the existing urban area?
• Around Nottingham could such urban extensions be consistent with maintaining the aims of the Nottingham/Derby Green Belt?

C) Other settlements

• Are there any alternative options for locating necessary development outside the urban areas, for example within and adjoining other settlements and locations that have good or potentially good public transport links to the urban areas?

D) New settlements

• Could the development of one or more new settlements be an option?

b) Rural Areas

32. The Countryside Agency and the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) have recently selected a number of market towns and larger villages with a service centre function for various initiatives to maintain and enhance employment opportunities and services in the Plan area.

• How can new development help to support rural services?
• Should new development, (other than that to meet purely local needs), be located in the market towns and other rural service centres?
• If so which towns and villages should be selected? If not what are alternative options for the rural areas?

Issue S5- Integrating Land Use and Transportation

33. Reducing the need to travel and encouraging journeys by more sustainable means of transport are key objectives. The integration of land use and transport so as to further these twin aims is one of the most important contributions the Plan can make towards achieving more sustainable patterns of development. The Plan also contributes to sustainable development by influencing the type and quality of development and by meeting local needs either in the local community or in locations readily accessible to those communities.

• How can we locate development in such a way as to reduce the need to travel?
• Should the Plan state what transport choice should be available or potentially available for general locations for development?

Issue S6 - Green Belt

34. RPG reaffirms the principle of the Nottingham and Derby Green Belt. RPG requires structure plans to critically review the existing Green Belt boundaries taking into account development requirements set out in RPG up to 2021 and the principles of sustainable development. National policy on Green Belts advises that Green Belt boundaries should not need to be reviewed at the end of the Plan period and raises the issue of taking land out of the Green Belt and safeguarding it for possible longer term development needs.

• Should the Plan include a policy requiring land to be taken out of the Nottingham Green Belt and safeguarded for possible development beyond 2021?

Issue S7 - Regenerating Communities

35. Some inner city areas and outer estates suffer from problems associated with deprivation including the lack of local employment, poor environment, falling or stagnant property values and net out-migration. In the former coalfield area, similar problems occur. Measures to regenerate these communities include diversifying the economy and providing improved access to local job opportunities.

• How can the Plan provide the strategic planning framework to assist in regenerating deprived urban and rural areas?
• Should new local employment be provided close to areas in need of regeneration or should these areas be made more accessible to employment opportunities?
• What should be the priorities for regeneration? Should these be area based or people orientated or both?
• What types of development will assist in diversifying the local economy?

Issue S8 - The Provision of Infrastructure, Services, Facilities and Other Resources to Support New Development

36. Developer contributions may need to be negotiated in order to ensure that appropriate infrastructure is provided in support of new development. The County and City Councils are preparing an Interim Transport Policy Statement on the need for developer contributions for transport improvements. Contributions towards other services, facilities and resources made necessary by development are also sometimes sought although this depends upon the scale, location and nature of the development. The Government has issued a consultation paper on this issue and is currently considering its response.

• What other requirements for services and facilities needed by new development should be subject to negotiation for developer contributions?