Planning in East Lindsey

Gypsies, Travellers and Showpeople

1. The Council will support new permanent Gypsy and Traveller sites and sites for Travelling Showpeople adjacent to or in reasonable proximity to a town or large village. Sites should: • Demonstrate that there is safe access to the nearest town, or large settlements amenities by means of pedestrians and vehicles being segregated or be accessible by public transport; • Have safe transport access to the principal road network; • Be provided with on-s

Open Space, Sport and Recreation

The Council will support development that facilitates the Council's aspiration to increase participation in sports and physical activity. The Council will safeguard, expand, enhance and promote access to sports and recreational facilities and open spaces: 1. Development resulting in the loss of indoor or outdoor sports and recreational facilities or open spaces will only be supported where: • The building or land has been demonstrated to be redundant for a sports use through a robust and up to date assessment of need and has been marketed for at least 12 months at a price that reflects its condition and market value, or • The building or land is to be replaced by improved facilities offering equivalent provision that helps meet the sporting/recreational needs of the District and optimises access by sustainable transport modes, or • The development is for alternative sports and recreational provision, the needs for which clearly outweigh the loss. 2. New residential developments of 10 and over should provide quality and accessible sports and recreational facilities in order to meet the need it generates in line with the standards set out above in paragraphs 13.10 and 13.11 of the supporting text.

Design

The Council will support well-designed sustainable development, which maintains and enhances the character of the District's towns, villages and countryside by:- 1. Where possible supporting the use of brownfield land for development, unless it is of high environmental value, seeking to use areas of poorer quality agricultural land in preference to that of a higher quality. 2. The use of high quality materials and where the layout, scale, massing, height and density reflect the character of the surrounding area. 3. Ensuring it is easy for everyone to get around by incorporating safe and attractive roads, cycleways and footways that enable people of all abilities to access shops, jobs, schools and other community facilities. 4. Providing on-site landscaping to integrate the development into its wider surroundings and make provision for open space. 5. Development will be supported if it is designed to minimise glare and light spillage, it does not unacceptably harm the rural or dark-sky character of a settlement or landscape or any nearby residential amenity; it respects the local historic environment; and it does not unacceptably harm or reduce the safety of highways, cycleways and footways. 6. The design of new and altered buildings or areas will be supported where they adequately take into account the safety and security of the users of the facilities both during the day and at night and that of neighbouring residents. 7. Development will be supported where it can demonstrate that its design incorporates sustainable features and/or renewables and that the development could be adapted in the future for other uses in that it is development that will become a high quality integrated part of the built environment over many generations. 8. Supporting development that includes measures to recycle, re-use or reduce the demand for finite resources. New development should be designed to Building Regulation water consumption standard for water scarce areas, to not exceed 110 litres per day per person. 9. Development around water sources will only be supported if it contains adequate protection preventing pollution from entering into the water source. 10. Development will only be supported around hazardous uses if it contains adequate provision to mitigate against threat from the hazardous use and does not conflict with that use. 11. The following developments will be supported on design grounds if they satisfy a site-specific design brief. • Gateway sites into a settlement • All retail applications over 0.25ha • Applications over 0.5ha within a designated town centre • Applications on sites over 4ha

Inland Employment

The Council will support growth and diversification of the local economy by: 1. Building on the role of the inland towns as the focus for business development by identifying and protecting additional land for employment uses B1, B2 and B8. The following will be allocated in the Settlement Proposals DPD and Alford Neighbourhood Development Plan: • Al

Coastal Employment

1. The Council will safeguard 39.5 ha of employment land in Skegness. The existing employment land in Mablethorpe will be safeguarded and shown as employment land less an area for a Gypsy/Traveller Transit site. This will be set out in the Settlement Proposals DPD. The Council will support B1, B2 and B8 uses on these sites. 2. Proposals for retailing will only be supported on employment land where: The sale of goods that are ancillary to the main employment use, or; The use provides an essential service to the employee community of the site. 3. The Council will support the rural coastal economy by supporting development in the large, medium and small villages where it: Provides local employment and help support local services; Re-uses buildings for rural business. 4. Farm diversification schemes will be supported on the coast where they are subordinate to the farm use and do not jeopardise the farm business.

Inland Employment

The Council will support growth and diversification of the local economy by: 1. Building on the role of the inland towns as the focus for business development by identifying and protecting additional land for employment uses B1, B2 and B8. The following will be allocated in the Settlement Proposals DPD and Alford Neighbourhood Development Plan: • Alford – 1 hectare • Coningsby/Tattershall - 1 hectare • Horncastle – 5 hectares • Spilsby – 3 hectares • Louth –14 hectares 2. The existing employment sites will be identified in the Settlement proposals DPD and will be safeguarded for employment purposes. Development will be supported for B1, B2 and B8 uses. 3. On the Louth industrial estate the Council will firstly support uses for B1, B2 and B8. The Council will also support uses for leisure, business/office and retail providing it complies with all of the following criteria; • It can be demonstrated that no suitable alternative site is available for the use within the town centre or edge of centre or nearer the town centre than the site proposed. • It can be demonstrated that the site has been actively marketed for a B1, B2 or B8 use for a period of no less than 12 months. • Retail will be supported providing development also conforms to the criteria set out in Strategic Policy SP14 of this Plan. 4. Supporting proposals which bring forward employment land in or adjoining the large villages across the District. 5. Supporting new employment land elsewhere where it is in or adjoining a settlement or is an extension to an existing employment use and can be easily connected to the road network and is integrated into its setting in terms of layout and landscaping. 6. Strengthening the rural economy by supporting in the large, medium and small villages: • Development where it can provide local employment. • The re-use of buildings for rural business. 7. Supporting farm diversification schemes where they are subordinate to the farm use and do not jeopardise the farm business. 8. Supporting businesses in all the named settlements as set out in Policy SP1, (including homes based activities) that operate primarily, but not exclusively, through electronic communication.

Renewable and Low Carbon Energy

1. Large-scale renewable and low carbon energy development, development for the transmission and interconnection of electricity, and infrastructure required to support such development, will be supported where their individual or cumulative impact is, when weighed against the benefits, considered to be acceptable in relation to: a) residential amenity; b) surrounding landscape, townscape and historic landscape character, and visual qualities; c) the significance (including the setting) of a historic garden, park, battlefield, building, conservation area, archaeological site or other heritage asset; d) sites or features of biodiversity or geodiversity importance, or protected species; e) the local economy; f) highway safety; and g) water environment and water quality 2. Wind energy developments will be supported in the areas shown on the policies map, provided where their individual or cumulative impact is, when weighed against the benefits, considered to be acceptable in relation to the criteria a) to g) set out at Clause 1 above. 3. Development within or affecting the setting of the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and landscape areas defined as highly sensitive within the East Lindsey Landscape Character Assessment, will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances, where the development is in the public interest and considering the following: a) The need for the development, including any national considerations, and the impact of permitting it, or refusing it, upon the local economy; and b) the cost of, and scope for, developing elsewhere outside the designated area, or meeting the need for it in some other way; and c) any detrimental effect on the environment, the landscape and recreational opportunities, and the extent to which that could be satisfactorily moderated. 3. The presumption will be for connecting cables to be placed underground, or use made of existing or replacement infrastructure (of the same size and scale) along existing routes to carry any additional base load cabling. 4. Small scale and micro renewable energy development will be supported where their individual or cumulative impact, when weighed against the benefits, is not considered to have an unacceptable impact on residential amenity; the context and setting of any areas of cultural or historic importance or heritage assets; and local landscape character and visual qualities.

Inland Flood Risk

1. The Council will support development for business, leisure and commercial uses in areas of inland flood risk where it can be demonstrated that accommodating the development on a sequentially safer site would undermine the overall commercial integrity of the existing area. Such developments must incorporate flood mitigation measures in their design 2. The Council will support housing in areas of inland flood risk, providing all the following criteria are complied with: • A site is in need of regeneration and is not suitable for a business, leisure and commercial use. • The site is brownfield and has become empty, buildings have become disused and run down or a combination of both. • Applications should evidence that they have tried to develop/market sites for a business, leisure or commercial use, this includes active marketing for a minimum of 12 months. 3. Brownfield sites in towns, large villages, medium and small villages that are only partly in areas of flood risk will be supported for housing providing that the development takes place on the area of low flood risk and does not conflict with any other policies for town centre development in this plan. 4. Any housing development in areas of inland flood risk should not have ground floor sleeping accommodation unless it can be demonstrated that flood mitigation measures can be incorporated into its design. 5. The Council will not support development in identified flood storage areas. 6. All new development must show how it proposes to provide adequate surface water disposal, including avoiding impacting on surface water flow routes or ordinary watercourses. The Council will expect this to involve the use of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems along with other appropriate design features, including the retention of any existing water features on a site. 7. Surface water connections to the combined or surface water system should only be made in exceptional circumstances where it can be demonstrated that there are no feasible alternatives and where there is no detriment to existing users. 8. The Council will support development that demonstrates an integrated approach to sustainable drainage that has positive gains to the natural environment. 9. All new development must show how it can provide adequate foul water treatment and disposal or that it can be provided in time to serve the development. 10. The Council will support improvements to the existing flood defences, the creation of new flood defences, infrastructure associated with emergency planning, washlands and flood storage areas. 11. Where required by national planning policy development proposals in areas at risk of flooding must be accompanied by a site-specific flood risk assessment.

Coastal East Lindsey

1. The Council will give a high priority to development that extends and diversifies all-year round employment opportunities, contributes directly to the local economy, infrastructure or extends and diversifies the tourism market. 2. The Council will support improvements to the existing flood defences, the creation of new flood defences and infrastructure associated with emergency planning. 3. New and replacement community buildings will be supported, providing they are located within or adjoining an existing settlement. 4. Development will need to demonstrate that it satisfies the Sequential and Exception Test as set out in Annex 2 of this Plan. 5. All relevant development will need to provide adequate flood mitigation.

Landscape

1. The District`s landscapes will be protected, enhanced, used and managed to provide an attractive and healthy working and living environment. Development will be guided by the District`s Landscape Character Assessment and landscapes defined as highly sensitive will be afforded the greatest protection. 2. Development will be supported where it allows for greater public access to the countryside and naturalistic coast, supports visitors to the District and helps provide additional employment opportunities, provided this does not compromise landscape quality or the biodiversity objectives of the plan. 3. The Council will ensure that the distinctive character of the District's landscapes whether they are of cultural, natural or historic significance, will not be compromised. In particular, the highest level of protection will be given to the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is designated at a national level because of its landscape quality. 4. The Council will support development that conserves and enhances designated and historic landscapes (Winceby Battlefield, Lincolnshire Wolds, Coastal Country Park, Conservation Areas, Historic Parks and Gardens, setting of listed buildings within the landscape) as focal points for widening and improving the visitor experience.

Biodiversity and Geodiversity

1. Development proposals should seek to protect and enhance the biodiversity and geodiversity value of land and buildings, and minimise fragmentation and maximise opportunities for connection between natural habitats. 2. The Council will protect sites designated internationally, nationally or locally for their biodiversity and geodiversity importance, species populations and habitats identified in the Lincolnshire Biodiversity Action Plan and the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006. Development, which could adversely affect such a site, will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances: • In the case of internationally designated sites, where there is no alternative solution and there are overriding reasons of public interest for the development; • In the case of nationally designated sites, there is no alternative solution and the reasons for the development clearly outweigh the biodiversity value of the site; or • In the case of locally designated sites, and sites that meet the criteria for selection as a Local Site, the reasons for the development clearly outweigh the need to protect the site in the long term. 3. In exceptional circumstances, where adverse impacts are demonstrated to be unavoidable and development is permitted which would damage the nature conservation or geological value of a site, the Council will ensure that such damage is kept to a minimum and will ensure appropriate mitigation, compensation or enhancement of the site through the use of planning conditions or planning obligations. Compensation measures towards loss of habitat will be used only as a last resort where there is no alternative. Where any mitigation and compensation measures are required, they should be in place before development activities start that may disturb protected or important habitats and species. Proposals to provide or enhance a site will be supported. 4. Where new habitat is created it should, where possible, be linked to other similar habitats to provide a network of such sites for wildlife. 5. Planning permission will only be granted for development which directly or indirectly leads to loss or harm to ancient woodland or aged or veteran trees, in exceptional circumstances, where the developer can demonstrate that the wider benefits of that loss clearly outweigh the protection of the trees

Green Infrastructure

1. The Council will safeguard and deliver a network of accessible green infrastructure by:- • Protecting and safeguarding all greenspace identified through the Settlement Proposals DPD so that there is no net loss; • Maximising opportunities for new and enhanced green infrastructure and publically accessible open spaces in and around all communities; • Seek opportunities to connect existing green infrastructure to improve the network of spaces and accessibility for both the local population and wildlife. 2. In the case of sites not identified on the Inset Maps, development will only be permitted on open spaces provided unacceptable harm will not be caused to their appearance, character or role in providing: • the setting for a designated or non-designated heritage asset; • an important element in the street scene or a well-defined visual relief in an otherwise built up frontage; particularly in the case of ribbon development extending into the countryside; • a locally important habitat; • a prominent site at the entrance to settlements that provides the setting for the built environment; • a frame for or enabling an important view; • a landscaped area forming part of structural open space within a development site; • informal amenity or recreation space; or, • formal public greenspace, such as parks and gardens and allotments. 3. Where the Council does support development on an existing piece of green space identified through the Settlement Proposals DPD, it will be a condition of that permission that an equivalent piece of green space is provided in terms of size, type and accessibility to the community so that there is no net loss. 4. On housing sites over 1 hectare, the Council will require the provision of multi-functional green infrastructure, for example, recreation areas, landscaped cycle ways and footpaths, wildlife areas.

Green Infrastructure

1. The Council will safeguard and deliver a network of accessible green infrastructure by:- • Protecting and safeguarding all greenspace identified thr

Historic Environment

1. The Council will support proposals that secure the continued protection and enhancement of heritage assets in East Lindsey, contribute to the wider vitality and regeneration of the areas in which they are located and reinforce a strong sense of place. 2. Proposals will be supported where they: • Preserve or enhance heritage assets and their setting; • Preserve or enhance the special character, appearance and setting of the District's Conservation Areas. Proposals should take into account the significance of Conservation Areas including spaces, street patterns, views vistas and natural features, and reflect this in their layout, scale, design, detailing, and materials; • Have particular regard to the special architectural or historic interest and setting of the District's Listed Buildings. Proposals will be expected to demonstrate that they are compatible with the significance of a listed building including fabric, form, setting and use; • Do not harm the site or setting of a Scheduled Monument; any unscheduled nationally important or locally significant archaeological site. Appropriate evaluation, recording or preservation in situ is required and should be undertaken by a suitably qualified party; • Preserve or enhance the quality and experience of the historic landscapes and woodland of the District and their setting; • Are compatible with the significance of non-designated heritage assets in East Lindsey; • Do not have a harmful cumulative impact on heritage assets; • Promote a sustainable and viable use which is compatible with the fabric, interior, surroundings and setting of the heritage asset, and; • Conserve heritage assets identified as being at risk, ensuring the optimum viable use of an asset is secured where it is consistent with the significance of the heritage asset. This may include redevelopment or enabling development, particularly where a use would benefit the wider. 3. The Council will support proposals for replacement shop fronts or alterations to shop fronts, including new signage, affecting heritage assets where it can be evidenced that retention and repair cannot be achieved and providing the materials and design protect and enhance the special interest of the building and its setting. Retention and repair of shop fronts will normally be expected where these contribute to the significance of a heritage asset.

A Sustainable Pattern of Places

1) The Settlement Pattern shall guide the distribution, scale and nature of future development. Towns, comprising, Louth, Skegness, Alford, Coningsby/Tattershall, Horncastle, Mablethorpe/Sutton/Trusthorpe and Spilsby. Large Villages, comprising Binbrook, Burgh le Marsh, Chapel St Leonards, Grainthorpe, Grimoldby/Manby, Friskney, Hogsthorpe, Holton le Clay, Huttoft, Ingoldmells, Legbourne, Mareham le Fen, Marshchapel, North Somercotes, North Thoresby, Partney, Saltfleet, Sibsey, Stickney, Tetford, Tetney, Wainfleet All Saints, Woodhall Spa and Wragby. Medium Villages, comprising, Addlethorpe, Alvingham, Antons Gowt, Bilsby, Bucknall, Covenhams, Croft (village), Donington on Bain, East Barkwith, East Keal, East Kirkby, Eastville/New Leake, Fotherby, Frithville, Fulstow, Gipsey Bridge, Hagworthingham, Halton Holegate, Hemingby, Hundleby, Kirkby on Bain, Ludborough, Ludford, Maltby le Marsh, New York, Mumby, New Bolingbroke, North Cotes, Saltfleetby Scamblesby, Skendleby, Theddlethorpes, Toynton All Saints, Utterby, Wainfleet St Mary, West Ashby, West Keal, Willoughby and Withern. Small villages, comprising; Aby, Anderby (village), Baumber, Belchford, Burgh on Bain, Candlesby, Conisholme, Croft Bank, Friskney Eaudyke, Goulceby, Great Carlton, Great Steeping, Hainton, Hatton, Horsington, Keal Cotes, Langrick, Little Steeping, Minting, Old Bolingbroke, Orby, Raithby, Revesby, Sausthorpe, South Elkington, South Reston, South Willingham, Stickford, Swaby, Tattershall Thorpe, Thimbleby, Toynton St Peter, Welton le Marsh, Welton le Wold.

Gypsies, Travellers and Showpeople

1. The Council will support new permanent Gypsy and Traveller sites and sites for Travelling Showpeople adjacent to or in reasonable proximity to a town or large village. Sites should: • Demonstrate that there is safe access to the nearest town, or large settlements amenities by means of pedestrians and vehicles being segregated or be accessible by public transport; • Have safe transport access to the principal road network; • Be provided with on-site services for the provision of water, power, drainage, sewage disposal and refuse/waste disposal; • Be appropriate in scale and form to its surroundings and be capable of being integrated into their surroundings without causing unacceptable harm to the character, appearance and amenities of the area; and • Not be located in an area of flood risk. 2. The Council will support new permanent Gypsy and Traveller sites and sites for Travelling Showpeople in or in reasonable proximity to medium villages providing they meet the above criteria but they should be small scale with no more than 3 pitches or plots. 3. If the site is to include an employment use, then it must be shown that the use can be accommodated on the site without causing unacceptable harm. 4. The Council will support the extension to existing sites with permission providing it is linked to an identified need on the parent site. In the medium villages any extension should not result in the total number of pitches or plots on the site exceeding three. 5. The Council will support areas set aside on sites for visitors. 6. On Travelling Showpeoples sites the Council will support a permanent occupancy except in areas of high flood risk. 7. The Council will support transit or temporary stopping Gypsy and Traveller sites and sites for Travelling Showpeople in reasonable proximity to the nearest town, large or medium settlements in areas of flood risk in accordance with the above criteria and provided they are only occupied between the 15th March and 31st October in any one year, or the following Sunday, if the 31st does not fall on a Sunday.

Housing in Inland Medium and Small Villages

1. Within the medium and small villages, the conversion and redevelopment of sites for housing will be supported, where those sites are brownfield or have agricultural buildings on them that have become disused. The following criteria will need to be complied with: • It must be demonstrated that the site has been actively marketed for either a community, economic or leisure use at an appropriate price for a period of 12 months; and • Only that part of the site considered as brownfield should be reused or redeveloped and should not include areas of open countryside or adjacent open space. • Consideration should first be given to the conversion of any buildings on site where they do or could enhance the character of the area. If demolition is to be supported it would need to be clearly demonstrated that the existing building does not contribute to the character of the area, that the building was unsafe or that it was not structurally possible to convert. 2. Housing will also be supported in the medium and small villages where it can conform to the following criteria: • In an appropriate location* within the developed footprint** of the settlement as infill, frontage development of no more than 2 dwellings. • Conforms to Clause 2 of Strategic Policy SP25 – Green Infrastructure. *Appropriate location means a location which does not conflict, when taken as a whole, with national policy or policies in this Local Plan. ** Developed footprint is defined as the continuous built form of the settlement and excludes individual buildings or groups of dispersed buildings which are detached from the continuous built up area of the settlement. It also excludes gardens, community and recreation facilities, land used for an active employment use.

Specialist Housing for Older People

1. The Council will support specialist housing for older people in the towns and large villages providing it meets the following criteria: • Development should be designed to meet the particular requirements of residents with social, physical, mental and/or health care needs. • Development should be located where it is accessible to local facilities or it can be demonstrated that it can be made accessible. • Development that demonstrates how occupiers/users will work with other local providers of services for older people will be supported. • Development that supports upskilling and training in the local settlement will be supported. • Development in areas of flood risk in the coastal zone will be supported if there is no ground floor sleeping accommodation, appropriate flood mitigation is in place and it can be demonstrated that occupation will be taken up by a local need. Priority will be given to those already living in the coastal Zone (subject to the cascade local connection criteria set out in Annex 1), followed by those needing to move to the Coastal Zone to be near relatives.

Neighbourhood Planning

1. The Council will support Neighbourhood Development Plans. 2. Should any settlements wishing to carry out a neighbourhood plan fail to deliver their plan so that there is a gap in delivery, then the Council will move to fill that gap either through the Settlement Proposals Plan or a separate Development Plan. 3. If there is an interim period between plans which leaves a gap in the delivery of housing, sites that come forward will be strongly supported providing they conform to the other policies in this plan and the National Planning Policy Framework.

Coastal Housing

1. The Council will support sites which already have planning permission for housing if they come forward with improved layouts, designs or flood mitigation providing the numbers of homes do not increase. 2. The Council will support open market housing on sites in towns, large and medium villages providing they meet the following criteria: • The site is a brownfield site • The site has become disused, empty and/or the buildings on it have become damaged and are causing unacceptable harm. • It must be demonstrated that the site has been actively marketed for either a community, economic or leisure use at an appropriate price for a period of 12 months; and • It must be demonstrated that the site is not viable for development for either a community, economic or leisure use. 3. In addition to the housing permitted by clauses 1 and 2 above, the Council will support affordable housing and specialised forms of housing for vulnerable or minority groups in the towns and large villages in the Coastal Zone, providing there is an evidenced local need. All new affordable housing and housing for vulnerable or minority groups in the Coastal Zone will be subject to the cascade local connection criteria set out in Annex 1 of this Plan. 4. Housing will not be permitted with ground floor sleeping accommodation. 5. Flood mitigation should be provided as per the advice of the Environment Agency.

Housing Growth and the Location of Inland Growth

1. The overall District wide housing requirement is 7819 homes for the period 2017 - 2031. The requirement will be. • On the coast1: In the Coastal Zone approximately 1257 homes which are existing commitments. Housing on the coast will be constrained to these existing commitments with the exceptions set out in policies SP18 (SP18) Coastal East Lindsey, SP8 – Rural Exceptions and SP9 – Single Plot Exceptions The whole of the following settlements are in the Coastal Zone; Addlethorpe, Anderby, Chapel St. Leonards, Croft, Ingoldmells, Mablethorpe, New Leake, North Cotes, North Somercotes, Saltfleetby All Saints, Saltfleetby St. Clements, Saltfleetby St. Peter, Skegness, Skidbrooke + Saltfleet Haven, South Somercotes, Sutton On Sea, Theddlethorpe All Saints, Theddlethorpe St. Helen, Trusthorpe • Inland a minimum of 6562 homes 2. The Council will ensure the delivery of the 7819 homes as follows including the shortfall from 2011 to 2016; Year Requirement 2017/18 565 2018/19 558 2019/20 558 2020/21 558 2021/22 558 2022/23 558 2023/24 558 2024/25 558 2025/26 558 2026/27 558 2027/28 558 2028/29 558 2029/30 558 2030/31 558 3. Housing growth will be allocated in the Settlement Proposals Document. The inland towns and large villages which could potentially include allocations are; Towns – Louth, Alford, Coningsby/Tattershall, Horncastle and Spilsby. Large Villages - Binbrook, Burgh le Marsh, Grainthorpe, Grimoldby/Manby, Friskney, Hogsthorpe, Holton le Clay, Huttoft, Legbourne, Mareham le Fen, Marshchapel, North Thoresby, Partney, Sibsey, Stickney, Tetford, Tetney, Wainfleet (All Saints), Woodhall Spa and Wragby. 4. Towns and large villages - Housing growth on windfall sites in appropriate locations** within the settlement and outside of, but immediately adjacent to the developed footprint*** will be supported. To qualify as an 'appropriate location', the site, if developed, would: • retain the core shape and form of the settlement; • not significantly harm the settlement's character and appearance; and • not significantly harm the character and appearance of the surrounding countryside or the rural setting of the settlement. • Be connected to the settlement by way of a footpath. ** 'appropriate locations' means a location which does not conflict, when taken as a whole, with national policy or policies in this Local Plan. *** 'developed footprint' of a settlement is defined as the continuous built form of the settlement and excludes: • individual buildings or groups of dispersed buildings which are clearly detached from the continuous built up area of the settlement; • gardens, paddocks and other undeveloped land within the curtilage of buildings on the edge of the settlement where land relates more to the surrounding countryside than to the built up area of the settlement; • outdoor sports and recreation facilities and other formal open spaces on the edge of the settlement. 5. In the AONB windfall development must have regard to the policies within this Plan and great weight should be placed on conserving the landscape and scenic beauty of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Proposals for major development will only be supported in exceptional circumstances having regard to national policy.

Housing in Inland Medium and Small Villages

1. Within the medium and small villages, the conversion and redevelopment of sites for housing will be supported, where those sites are brownfield or have agricultural buildings on the

Affordable and Low Cost Housing

1. The Council will support the delivery of affordable housing in the towns and large villages across the District. In the Medium and High Value Areas, on sites of 15 or more houses the Council will seek a 30% developer contribution towards the provision of affordable housing. This will rise to 40% in the Very High Value area (Woodhall Spa parish) but there will be no requirement in the Coastal Flood Hazard zone. 2. Clause 1 shall apply unless it is demonstrated by a detailed and robust site specific assessment, commissioned by the developer and carried out by an accredited person(s) for example a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, that the viability of the development would be compromised such that a reduced level of contribution would be justified. 3. The Council's first choice for affordable housing provision will be mixed tenure sites and on site provision, integrated throughout the site. 4. If on site provision cannot be made, the Council will accept any of the alternatives listed below: • a combination of built plots on site and a financial contribution; • off site, provision of land made available by the developer. • A financial contribution equivalent to 50% of market value for rented accommodation or 30% of market value for shared ownership. Market values will be taken from a 12 month assessment of sold land registry prices looking at the settlement and district and taking the mean of the two values.

Rural Exceptions

1. In and adjoining the medium and small villages, where local affordable housing need is proven, the development of small-scale, affordable housing sites on land not otherwise considered acceptable for housing, will be supported providing: • They do not result in sporadic development, which is unrelated to the form and scale of the existing settlement; • The number of dwellings is no greater than the identified need. 2. Applications for new houses associated with rural workers proposed in isolated locations will need to show that:- • there is an established existing full-time functional need for the worker that requires a permanent presence on site; • the activity should have been established for a minimum period of three years, be profitable for at least one of those years and be currently financially sound; • the housing need cannot be fulfilled by an existing unit on the site or in the surrounding area. 3. Applications for the loss of a dwelling with an agricultural tie should clearly demonstrate that it is has been actively marketed for 12 months in an appropriate place and at a price that reflects the occupancy restriction.

Single Plot Exceptions

1. In the towns, large, medium and small villages of the Coastal Zone and the medium and small villages inland, the Council will support single plot development for affordable housing provided it meets all of the following:- • the applicant can demonstrate they are unable to afford a suitable home currently available in the parish; • the applicant has an evidenced local connection to the parish; • the site is in or adjoining the settlement and does not constitute isolated or sporadic development; • the dwelling is affordable to the applicant and will remain affordable to subsequent occupiers in perpetuity. • The area of the site does not exceed 0.1ha and typically, the internal floor space of the proposed dwelling does not exceed 100 sqm or 110sqm where flood risk mitigation is required. 2. The resale market value of the development will be fixed at 80%. 3. Flood mitigation should be provided in areas of flood risk as per the advice of the Environment Agency.

Infrastructure and S106 Obligations

1. Infrastructure schemes will be supported provided they are essential in the national interest; contribute to sustainable development, and respect the distinctive character of the district. 2. Infrastructure schemes should be accompanied by an impact assessment that shows how the proposal impacts on the landscape or local setting of the area, including individual and cumulative effects. It should identify what steps have been taken to minimize its effects and the alternative options that have been considered. 3. The Council will support the delivery of infrastructure where it contributes to sustaining local communities. 4. Developer contributions on major schemes (10 or more dwellings or major other development) will be sought towards the delivery of infrastructure where it is shown to be necessary for the development to proceed. 5. The Council will only support proposals for development where it has been shown that adequate capacity is available, or can be provided by the utility providers to meet the additional loads associated with serving the development.

Sustainable Development

1. When considering development proposals the Council will take a positive approach that reflects the presumption in favour of sustainable development contained in the National Planning Policy Framework. It will always work proactively with applicants jointly to find solutions which mean that proposals can be approved wherever possible, and to secure development that improves the economic, social and environmental conditions in the area. 2. Planning applications that accord with the policies in this Local Plan (and, where relevant, with polices in neighbourhood plans) will be approved without delay, unless material considerations indicate otherwise; and • Where there are no policies relevant to the application or relevant policies are out of date at the time of making the decision then the Council will grant permission unless, • Any adverse impacts of granting permission would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in the National Planning Policy Framework taken as a whole; or specific policies in that Framework indicate that development should be restricted.

Reviewing the Local Plan

1. The Council will review the Local Plan (Core Strategy and Settlement Proposals DPD). The review being submitted for examination by April 2022

Holiday Accommodation

1. The Council will support proposals for hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation within the towns, large, medium and small villages in the coastal area providing proposals do not have any ground floor sleeping accommodation. 2. Within the defined Serviced Holiday Accommodation areas, development will be supported for the change of use or removal of hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation if there is evidenced justification to show: • There is no longer a need for that hotel or bed and breakfast business and; • That it cannot be sold as an on-going concern. Any hotel or bed and breakfast should be advertised for a minimum period of six months before being released for other uses. • Conversions of hotels into flats or houses in multiple occupation will need to demonstrate they will be safe from the risk of flooding. 3. Change of use of buildings for holiday accommodation will be supported provided they meet the following criteria: • Should not be sold separately from the parent landholder; and. • Do not have any ground floor sleeping accommodation; and • Maintain for inspection by the Local Planning Authority, an up to date register of names and main addresses of all those occupying the development. 4. No further caravan development will be permitted in the area between Ingoldmells and Addlethorpe to prevent further coalescence of these settlements and place a level of protection on this green open space between them. 5. The Council will support new and extensions to caravans, log cabins, chalets, camping and touring site development where sites adjoin or are in a town, large or medium village, providing it can be demonstrated that they add to the built and natural environment by the provision of extensive landscaping and green infrastructure, do not cause unacceptable harm to the wider landscape, protected or important habitats and they are connected to the existing settlement by road and footpath. 6. The Council will support caravans, log cabins, chalets and camping and touring sites in the open countryside only where it can be shown that these sites do not cause unacceptable harm to the character of the countryside, on the wider landscape, on protected or important habitats or species. New sites must demonstrate that they are directly related to an existing tourism facility and show how users of the site will access the nearest town, large or medium settlement with pedestrians and vehicles being segregated or be accessible by public transport. 7. Occupancy of caravan, log cabin, chalets, camping and touring sites will be limited to between 15th March and 31st October in any one year, or the following Sunday, if the 31st does not fall on a Sunday, except where it is proposed to extend the area of or redevelop an existing site that currently has a different occupancy period, but where no net increase or an overall reduction by an improved layout or density in the number of caravans, log cabins or chalets would result. In such cases, the existing occupancy period will continue to be applied to the whole site. 8. The Council will not support all year round occupancy or permanent living in caravans in the coastal area.

Visitor Economy

1. The Council will support development in the Skegness Foreshore that builds on the holiday attractions. In addition to holiday amusements it will support the following uses A3, food and drink, C1, hotels and hostels, D1, non-residential institutions (d, e and g) and D2, assembly and leisure. 2. A1 (non-food) retail may be supported where it involves ancillary uses to uses on the Skegness Foreshore. Retail development must demonstrate that the proposed development would not affect the viability of the existing town centre. 3. The Council will support development of the Mablethorpe Foreshore, which adds to, raises the quality of, or widens the scope of the holiday facilities and attractions. 4. Development on the Skegness and Mablethorpe Foreshores must demonstrate that it will not cause unacceptable harm to the associated sand dune habitat along those foreshores. 5. The Council will support development in Sutton on Sea including along its foreshore which supports the economy and lengthens the holiday season but does not detract from the character of the settlement. 6. The Council will support development of the Wild Coast Vision of the Coastal Country Park where it conforms to the principles of sustainable development set out in the policies of this Plan.

Widening the Inland Tourism and Leisure Economy

1. The Council will support quality tourism facilities and attractions where they: • Extend and diversify the tourism and leisure economy, and provide additional employment opportunities; • Provide opportunities for the enjoyment of the District's wider countryside and historic towns and villages; • Do not cause unacceptable harm to the landscape, biodiversity or heritage assets; • Are of a scale and intensity compatible with their surroundings. 2. New build development for serviced holiday accommodation (hotels and bed and breakfast premises) should be located in or adjoining existing towns and large villages. Conversions or part conversions of existing buildings into serviced holiday accommodation will be supported, providing they are appropriate in scale and form to the proposed location: and in all cases the development: • Does not cause unacceptable impact to heritage assets or their setting; • Do not cause unacceptable harm to protected or important species or habitats; • Is capable of being integrated into its surroundings without unacceptable harm to the character, appearance and amenities of the area; and 3. The Council will support new and extensions to caravans, log cabins, chalets, camping and touring site development where sites are in close proximity to a town, large or medium village, providing it can be demonstrated that they add to the built and natural environment by the provision of extensive landscaping and green infrastructure, do not cause unacceptable harm to the wider landscape, protected or important habitats, heritage assets and their settings, and they have safe access to the relevant settlement with vehicles and pedestrians being segregated. 4. Caravan storage will be supported provided it does not have an impact on the wider landscape of an area.

Holiday Accommodation

The policy text is incomplete in the provided passage; the full operative requirements for SP19 are not fully presented in the extracted text.

Town/Village Centres and Shopping

The town centres in Alford, Horncastle, Louth, Mablethorpe, Skegness and Spilsby, and the primary frontages will be defined on the Settlement Proposals Map. The Council will support the development of shopping, commercial leisure, office, tourism, cultural services and community services and facilities that contribute to the vitality and viability of town centres in the District by: - 1. Expanding or improving the town centre's retail, business, office, tourism, leisure, commercial and cultural facilities. 2. Supporting Class A1 retail uses and over the shop residential accommodation within the primary shopping frontages. 3. Proposals for 'edge of' and 'out of centre' retail schemes will be subject to the sequential test to establish and ensure that there are no suitable, available sites in the Town Centre which should be brought forward first. 4. Requiring proposals for retail, leisure and office development in 'edge of centre', or out of centre locations with a floor space in excess of 1000 sqm net to include an impact assessment which must demonstrate; • That the proposal will not be detrimental to existing, committed and planned public and private investment in a centre or centres in the catchment area of the proposal. • That the proposal will not harm town centre vitality and viability, including local consumer choice and trade in the town centre and the wider area, up to five years from the time the application is made. • For major schemes where the full impact will not be realised in five years, the impact should also be assessed up to ten years from the time the application is made. • That the design of any proposal connects to the town centre in that it should not turn its back on the town centre; be an integral part of the character of the street scene, incorporating parking so that it does not dominate the street scene 5. Supporting housing on suitable sites and conversions of redundant shops in the secondary shopping area only where it is shown that shopping is not a continued viable use. In such cases, the agent/owner will be required to show that there is no demand for the unit through re-let or resale and that it will not compromise the future development of the centre for retail and community uses. 6. Supporting coastal amusement centres only in the locations identified within the Settlement Proposals Development Plan Document. 7. Supporting key visitor and shopper attractions whose design contributes to the historic character of centres. 8. Elsewhere in the District the Council will support new retail shops, where they are ancillary to and meet a clear need in selling by-products from, and incidental to, an established commercial use (such as a business premises or farm). 9. Proposals for retailing will only be supported on employment land where • the sale of goods that are ancillary to the main industrial use, or; • the use provides an essential service to the employee community on the site. • The exception to this is the Louth employment land where retail development will be supported in conformity with Clause 3 of Strategic Policy SP13 and clause 4 set out above. 10. The Council will support proposals for the development of community and cultural services and facilities (including shared use) where they provide or maintain essential services and add to the quality of life of the communities in the District. Unless there is overwhelming justification for their removal, services and facilities that are key to the wellbeing of the local community should be retained and support for their loss will be seen as a last resort. This justification should include; • why there is no longer a need for that facility; and • that it is no longer viable in the longer term; and • that it cannot be rented or sold as a going concern. Any such application should be accompanied by evidence that the service or facility has been advertised for a minimum period of twelve months in an appropriate publication and at an appropriate price or rental before being released for other uses. 11. Where a proposal involves the loss of a village shop or pub the criteria above will apply and it must also be demonstrated that there is no other alternative business use for the site.

Transport and Accessibility

The Council will support accessibility and seek to reduce isolation in the District by:- 1. Supporting development in or adjoining towns, large and medium villages where it is accessible to key facilities. 2. Supporting development which is shown to link with the existing road and public transport systems operating within the District. Large scale developments such as food retail units of 800sq. m and larger and 80 residential dwellings or more will be accompanied by a transport assessment and travel plan. The indicative thresholds for transport assessments can be found at Annex 3 of the Core Strategy. 3. Supporting development that gives pedestrian and cycle movements priority. 4. Supporting development that has been shown to be planned taking into account disabled users and parents/carers with buggies and young children. 5. Requiring any development which involves the loss of an existing car parking facility in the towns or large villages to be accompanied by a robust parking survey. 6. Requiring all housing developments to provide a minimum of one parking space per dwelling, except in the case of infill and redevelopment plots within the defined town centres, where it can be demonstrated that; • Providing no car parking would not be detrimental to road safety or the flow of traffic; or • That the provision of parking space would be harmful to the character of the area.