Planning in Erewash

Local Services and Healthy Lifestyles

1. New, extended or improved community facilities will be supported where they meet a local need. In particular, new or improved community facilities should be provided to support major new residential development, especially at the sustainable new neighbourhood at the Stanton Regeneration Site as set out under Policy 20. Where appropriate, contributions will be sought to improve existing community facilities provision where the scale of residential development does not merit developers providing community facilities provision directly. 2. Community facilities should: a) be located within the Town Centres or other centres, whenever appropriate; or b) be in locations accessible by a range of sustainable transport modes suitable to the scale and function of the facility; and c) where possible, be located alongside or shared with other local community facilities. 3. Where new community facilities (especially health and education) are intended to serve areas covered by more than one provider, agencies should work together to ensure service integration and efficient use of resources.

Culture, Sport and Tourism

1. Further provision of culture, tourism and sporting facilities will be supported in line with the following approach: a) new cultural and tourism facilities of local importance will be located in or adjoining town or local centres, or through improving existing facilities; b) within rural areas sustainable cultural and tourism facilities will be permitted where they support the rural economy; and c) new sporting facilities will be encouraged, where this compliments the strengths of existing facilities located in Erewash. 2. Where appropriate, existing cultural, tourism and sporting facilities will be protected and their further development will be supported. 3. Where facilities are lost to redevelopment, suitable alternative provision will be sought where necessary.

Design and Enhancing Local Identity

1. All new development should be designed to: a) make a positive contribution to the public realm and sense of place; b) create an attractive, safe, inclusive and healthy environment; c) have regard to the local context and reinforce valued local characteristics; and d) reflect the need to reduce the dominance of motor vehicles. 2. Development will be assessed in terms of its treatment of the following elements: a) structure, texture and grain, including street patterns, plot sizes, orientation and positioning of buildings and the layout of spaces; b) permeability and legibility to provide for clear and easy movement through and within new development areas; c) density and mix; d) massing, scale and proportion; e) materials; f) impact on the amenity of nearby residents or occupiers; g) incorporation of features to reduce opportunities for crime and the fear of crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour, and promotion of safer living environments; and h) the potential impact on important views and vistas, including of townscape, landscape, and other individual landmarks, and the potential to create new views. 3. Outside of settlements, new development should protect, conserve or where appropriate, enhance landscape character. Proposals will be assessed with reference to the Derbyshire Landscape Character Assessment.

Employment Provision and Economic Development

The economy of Erewash will be strengthened and diversified with new floorspace being provided (across all employment sectors) to meet restructuring, modernisation and inward investment needs. This will be achieved by: a) ensuring the availability of a range of suitable sites for new employment that are attractive to the market especially in terms of accessibility, environmental quality and size, particularly where it will assist regeneration. Wherever feasible, rail accessibility for storage and distribution uses should be utilised; b) placing a particular emphasis on offices and research and development (use classes B1(a&b)) as part of providing for a science and knowledge-based economy. A minimum of 42,900 sq m of new offices and research development will be provided in Erewash and will be delivered by: i) promoting complimentary office development (use class B1(a)) in and adjoining the town centres of Ilkeston and Long Eaton in accordance with the strategy set out at Policy 6; and ii) promoting significant new economic development as part of the sustainable new neighbourhood at the Stanton Regeneration Site as set out at Policy 20. This will provide about 10 hectares for a business park (use class B1); c) identifying and maintaining a supply of good quality land to provide for new and relocating industrial and warehousing uses (in use classes B1(c), B2 and B8). At least 10 hectares of employment land for industrial and warehousing (use classes B1(c), B2 and B8) will be provided, predominantly at the Stanton Regeneration Site as set out at Policy 20; d) encouraging economic development of an appropriate scale to diversify and support the rural economy; e) appropriately managing existing employment sites and allocations to cater for the full range of employment uses by: i) ensuring the allocations most attractive to the employment market remain available for employment uses; ii) retaining good quality employment sites (including strategic employment areas) that are an important source of jobs, and sites that support less-skilled jobs in and near deprived areas, or have the potential to provide start up or grow-on space; and iii) promoting the release of sites that do not meet criteria (i) and (ii).

Climate Change

1. All development proposals will be expected to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and to comply with national targets on reducing carbon emissions and energy use. Sustainable Design and Adaptation 2. Relevant development, including refurbishment where it requires planning permission, will be expected to take account of the following: a) how it makes effective use of sustainably sourced resources and materials, minimises waste, and water use. For residential development, planned water use should be no more than 105 litres per person per day; b) how it is located, laid out, sited and designed to withstand the long and short term impacts of climate change, particularly the effect of rising temperatures, sustained periods of high temperatures and periods of intense rain and storms; c) that the building form and its construction allows for adaptation to future changes in climate; and d) that the building form and its construction permits further reduction in the building's carbon footprint, where feasible and viable. Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions 3. Relevant development should demonstrate how carbon dioxide emissions have been minimised in accordance with the following energy hierarchy: a) using less energy through energy efficient building design and construction, including thermal insulation, passive ventilation and cooling; b) utilising energy efficient supplies – including connecting to available heat and power networks; and c) maximising use of renewable and low carbon energy generation systems. Decentralised Energy Generation 4. The extension of existing or development of new decentralised renewable and low-carbon energy schemes appropriate for the plan area will be promoted and encouraged, including biomass power generation, combined heat and power, and micro generation systems. In line with the energy hierarchy, adjacent new developments will be expected to utilise such energy wherever it is feasible and viable to do so. Flood Risk and Sustainable Drainage 5. Development proposals that avoid areas of current and future flood risk and which do not increase the risk of flooding elsewhere and where possible reduce flood risk, adopting the precautionary principle, will be supported. 6. Where no reasonable site within Flood Zone 1 is available, allocations in Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3 will be considered on a sequential basis. 7. Where it is necessary to apply the Exception Test within the urban areas, it must be demonstrated that the development provides wider sustainability benefits to the community that outweigh flood risk. 8. Where appropriate, further guidance on the application of the sequential and exception test will be set out in Local Development Documents. 9. All new development should incorporate measures to reduce surface water run-off, and the implementation of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems into all new development will be sought unless it can be demonstrated that such measures are not viable or technically feasible.

Green Infrastructure, Parks and Open Space

1. A strategic approach to the delivery, protection and enhancement of Green Infrastructure will be taken through the establishment of a network of Green Infrastructure corridors and assets, particularly focusing on links between Nottingham and Derby and Ilkeston and Long Eaton (as shown on the Key Diagram), together with corridors and assets of a more local level. 2. The approach requires that: a) existing and potential Green Infrastructure corridors and assets are protected and enhanced. Priority for the location of new or enhanced strategic Green Infrastructure will be given to locations for major residential development identified in Policy 2, the Strategic River Corridors of the Trent and Erewash, canal corridors, the Erewash Valley Trail, Hopwell to Dale Greenway, Great Northern Greenway, Nutbrook Trail and Urban Fringe Areas; b) where new development has an adverse impact on Green Infrastructure corridors or assets, alternative scheme designs that have no or little impact should be considered before mitigation is considered. The need for and benefit of the development will be weighed against the harm caused; c) developments proposed through the Core Strategy should enhance the Strategic Green Infrastructure network; d) links to and between the Green Infrastructure network will be promoted to increase access, especially in areas of identified deficit, for recreational and non-motorised commuting purposes, and to allow for the migration of species; and e) Landscape Character is protected, conserved or enhanced where appropriate in line with the recommendations of the Derbyshire Landscape Character Assessment. 3. New or enhanced Green Infrastructure corridors and assets should be as inclusive as possible and multifunctional, looking to make provision for more than one of the following: a) access to employment and leisure facilities and to Green Infrastructure corridors or assets and the countryside; b) physical activity and well-being opportunities for local residents such as formal sports provision; c) educational resource for local residents; d) biodiversity opportunities; e) tackling and adapting to climate change; f) enhancement of landscape character; g) protection or enhancement of heritage assets and their settings; and h) opportunities for sustainable leisure and tourism. 4. Parks and Open Space should be protected from development and deficiencies should be addressed in Local Development Documents. Exceptions may be made if the park or open space is shown to be underused or undervalued, the development is a small part of the Green Infrastructure network and will not be detrimental to its function, or the development is a use associated with parks and open spaces. Alternative scheme designs that have no or little impact should be considered before mitigation is provided (either onsite or off site or through contributions as appropriate). Where parks or open spaces are under used or undervalued, the reasons for this should be explored and where possible addressed prior to alternative uses being permitted.

Biodiversity

1. The biodiversity of Erewash will be increased over the Core Strategy plan period by: a) protecting, restoring, expanding and enhancing existing areas of biodiversity interest, including areas and networks of habitats and species listed in the UK and Lowland Derbyshire Local Biodiversity Action Plans; b) ensuring that fragmentation of the Green Infrastructure network is avoided wherever appropriate and improvements to the network benefit biodiversity through the incorporation of existing habitats and the creation of new habitats; c) seeking to ensure new development provides new biodiversity features, and improves existing biodiversity features wherever appropriate; d) supporting the need for the appropriate management and maintenance of existing and created habitats through the use of planning conditions, planning obligations and management agreements; and e) ensuring that where harm to biodiversity is unavoidable, and it has been demonstrated that no alternative sites or scheme designs are suitable, development should as a minimum mitigate or compensate at a level equivalent to the biodiversity value of the habitat lost. 2. Designated national and local sites of biological or geological importance for nature conservation will be protected in line with the established hierarchy of designations and the designation of further protected sites will be pursued. 3. Development on or affecting other, non-designated sites or wildlife corridors with biodiversity value will only be permitted where it can be demonstrated that there is an overriding need for the development and that adequate mitigation measures are put in place.

Green Belt

1. The principle of the Nottingham-Derby Green Belt will be retained. Within Erewash, when considering proposals for development within the Green Belt, regard will be given to: a) the statutory purposes of the Green Belt; b) maintaining the strategic openness of the Green Belt between the towns of Ilkeston and Long Eaton and the Derby urban area; c) ensuring the continued separation of neighbouring towns and rural settlements within Erewash Borough; d) safeguarding valued countryside; and e) preserving the setting and special character of Erewash towns and rural settlements.

The Historic Environment

1. Proposals and initiatives will be supported where the significance of heritage assets and their settings would be sustained or enhanced. Planning decisions will take into account the wider social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits that conservation of the historic environment can bring. 2. Local Development Documents will take into account the desirability of sustaining and enhancing the significance of heritage assets, as well as the contribution made by the historic environment to an area's sense of place. 3. A variety of strategic approaches will be used to assist in the conservation and enjoyment of the historic environment and to ensure that evidence about the historic environment and heritage assets is publicly documented: a) considering investment in and enhancement of historic places including the public realm and the setting of heritage assets; b) publishing proposals for the preservation and enhancement of conservation areas in the form of management plans; c) considering the use of Article 4 directions to control the impact of permitted development on the historic environment; d) identifying heritage assets worthy of designation locally, including the identification of potential conservation areas; e) appraising the character of existing conservation areas; f) requiring developers to record and advance understanding of the significance of any heritage assets to be lost (wholly or in part); and g) considering the need for the preparation of further local evidence. 4. The impact upon the historic environment of planning policies and decisions will be monitored. Particular attention will be paid to the degree to which individual or groups of heritage assets are at risk of neglect, decay or other threats.

The Spatial Strategy

1. Sustainable development in the plan area will be achieved through a strategy of urban concentration with regeneration. Most development will therefore be located in or adjoining the urban areas of Ilkeston (including Kirk Hallam) and Long Eaton (including Sandiacre and Sawley). 2. The settlement strategy to accommodate this growth is illustrated on the Key Diagram and consists of: a) Ilkeston urban area: strategic growth to maximise opportunities for regeneration and economic development of the town; b) Long Eaton urban area: development to meet the needs of the existing community over the plan period; and c) rural areas: development restricted to within existing settlement boundaries to preserve the openness of the Green Belt. 3. A minimum of 6,250 new homes (2011 to 2028) will be provided for and distributed as follows: a) approximately 4,500 homes in or adjoining Ilkeston urban area including approximately 2,000 homes at Stanton Regeneration Site; b) approximately 1,450 homes in or adjoining Long Eaton urban area; and c) approximately 300 homes within rural settlement boundaries. 4. The Council will prepare a comprehensive action plan to identify and promote those housing sites capable of delivery in the short term and therefore able to ensure that the housing land supply requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework are met. If these requirements are not being met at the latest by the land supply calculated on the basis of the 2015 Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment then the plan will be reviewed. 5. Significant new employment development will take place at the Stanton Regeneration Site. Further detail is set out at Policy 20. 6. Retail, health, social, leisure and cultural development will be focused in or on the edge of the Town Centres of Ilkeston and Long Eaton. Further detail is set out at Policy 6. 7. Sustainable alternatives to using the private car will be encouraged to address the impacts of growth and meet the objectives of Local Transport Plans. Further detail is set out in Policy 14. This will include: a) reopening Ilkeston railway station; b) enhancing bus connectivity to and from Ilkeston; and c) promoting sustainable travel plans/smarter choices. 8. Strategic Green Infrastructure will be provided or enhanced, in conjunction with the locations for major residential development identified above, in the Strategic River Corridors of the Trent and Erewash, canal corridors, recreation trails and Urban Fringe areas. Further detail is set out at Policy 16.

Stanton Regeneration Site

1. The Stanton Regeneration site, located to the south of Ilkeston, is allocated as a strategic site for the development of a sustainable new neighbourhood, in accordance with the spatial strategy set out in Policy 2. 2. The comprehensive remediation and redevelopment of the Stanton Regeneration Site as a high quality mixed use sustainable new neighbourhood linked to Ilkeston will be permitted, subject to compliance with the development principles set out in this and other relevant policies. The site as identified on the Erewash Borough Policies Map will include provision for the following: a) around 2000 homes to include a mix of housing types, sizes and tenures to create a mixed and balanced new neighbourhood; b) land for a range of new employment uses, including: i) a business park of about 10 hectares within a feature setting, utilising existing buildings of townscape value and features of landscape value where possible; ii) at least 10 hectares of land for general industry, to go towards meeting the strategic employment needs of the Borough as set out at Policy 4; iii) additional replacement employment land for job losses incurred through the redevelopment where appropriate; and iv) encouraging the utilisation or safeguarding of the rail spur and associated land for rail-freight use. c) a centre of neighbourhood importance, comprising a new primary school and appropriate levels of retail, service, commercial and community uses to meet the needs of the new neighbourhood, whilst consolidating and strengthening the network and hierarchy of centres as set out in Policy 6; d) a strategic area of green infrastructure to include: i) a wildlife corridor linking the Nut Brook Valley with the Erewash Valley; ii) an area of at least 20ha to provide a destination wild space and informal recreation area to serve the needs of both the new sustainable neighbourhood and the wider community; and iii) enhancement to the multi-user link between the Nut Brook Trail to the west of the site and the Erewash Valley Trail to the east; e) the inclusion of other areas of open space within the development to achieve a high quality residential and business environment and to restore the landscape character of the Dale; f) provision of and improvements to cycle and pedestrian infrastructure to maximise the opportunities for sustainable travel within the site and to access adjoining areas, particularly Ilkeston town centre; g) provision of and improvements to public transport infrastructure to maximise the opportunities for sustainable travel within the site and to access nearby destinations, particularly Ilkeston town centre and Nottingham City Centre; and h) incorporate measures to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change (see Policy 1). 3. This sustainable new neighbourhood will accord with other development plan policies in terms of design, and will aim to be self-contained for day to day needs, whilst complimenting and supporting the established town centre of Ilkeston.

Housing Size, Mix and Choice

General Approach 1. Residential development should provide and contribute to a mix of housing tenures, types and sizes, in order to create mixed and balanced communities. Throughout the plan area, consideration should be given to the needs and demands of the elderly as part of overall housing mix. 2. The appropriate mix of house size and tenure within housing development will be informed by: a) evidence contained within the Strategic Housing Market Assessments and other research into particular housing requirements; b) the Sustainable Community Strategy and Housing Strategy; c) local demographic context and trends; and d) local evidence of housing need and demand. 3. The appropriate mix of type and density within housing development will be informed by: a) area character, site specific issues and design considerations; and b) the existing or proposed accessibility of a location by walking, cycling and public transport. Approach to Affordable Housing 4. On sites capable of supporting 15 or more residential units, up to 30% of those units will be sought by negotiation to be delivered as affordable housing, subject to consideration of viability. Viability is likely to constrain this target in the following areas: a) In the Ilkeston Urban Area excluding the Stanton Regeneration Site to around 10% b) At the Stanton Regeneration Site to around 10 to 20% c) In the Long Eaton Urban Area to around 20%. Approach to Rural Affordable Housing 5. Where there is robust evidence of local need rural exception sites or sites allocated purely for affordable housing may be permitted within or adjacent to rural settlements, where supported by the local community. 6. In allocating rural affordable housing, priority will be given to people that have a connection to that settlement, who are unable to afford market housing.

Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople

1. Sufficient sites for Gypsy and Traveller, and Travelling Showspeople accommodation will be identified in line with a robust evidence base. 2. The following criteria will be used to identify suitable Gypsy and Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites and associated facilities. The criteria will also be used in the case of speculative proposals. Planning permission will be granted for the development of land as a Gypsy and Traveller caravan or Travelling Showpeople site where the following criteria are satisfied: a) the site is not located in the Green Belt except in very special circumstances; b) the site should be located within (or a reasonable travelling distance of) a settlement which offers local services and community facilities, including a primary school; and c) the site should enable development and subsequent use which would not have any unacceptable adverse impact on the amenities of the site's occupiers and occupiers of nearby properties or the appearance or character of the area in which it would be situated.

Infrastructure

1. New development must be supported by the required infrastructure at the appropriate stage. Erewash Borough Council will work in partnership with infrastructure providers, grant funders, the development industry and other delivery agencies in seeking the provision of necessary infrastructure to support new development. 2. Direct provision or contributions will be sought from development proposals which give rise to the need for new infrastructure.

Developer Contributions

1. All development will be expected to: a) meet the reasonable cost of new infrastructure required as a consequence of the proposal; b) where appropriate, contribute to the delivery of necessary infrastructure to enable the cumulative impacts of developments to be managed, including identified transport infrastructure requirements; and c) provide for the future maintenance of facilities provided as a result of the development. 2. The Borough Council may introduce a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to secure infrastructure that has been identified as necessary to support new development and to achieve Core Strategy objectives. 3. Prior to the implementation of a CIL, planning obligations will be sought to secure all new infrastructure necessary to support new development either individually or collectively.

Regeneration

1. Regeneration in Erewash will be primarily focused in the following locations: a) In the Ilkeston urban area, through the redevelopment of the Stanton Regeneration Site, to create a new sustainable neighbourhood. This will provide for a mix of housing, employment, additional and enhanced green infrastructure, community facilities and retail of an appropriate scale in accordance with Policy 20. b) Local regeneration initiatives will be supported in other areas of recognised regeneration need. Major new development proposed in close proximity to areas of recognised regeneration need should be designed and implemented to assist in addressing those needs.

Presumption in Favour of 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 the Development Plan (and, where relevant, with policies in neighbourhood plans) will be approved without delay, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. 3. 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 material considerations indicate otherwise – taking into account whether: 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.

The Role of Town and Local Centres

1. Within Erewash Borough, the following network and hierarchy of centres will be promoted: a) Town Centres: Ilkeston and Long Eaton; b) Local Centres: Borrowash and Sandiacre; c) New Centre of Neighbourhood Importance: Stanton Regeneration Site. 2. The sustainable management and positive growth of Erewash's town and local centres will be implemented through: a) encouraging retail and other complimentary uses (leisure, cultural, commercial, community services and upper floor residential development) within the defined Town Centres of Ilkeston and Long Eaton and Local Centres of Borrowash and Sandiacre (see Policies Map); b) new development being appropriate in scale and nature to the role and function of the centre and the area it serves to maintain and enhance vitality and viability. This can be achieved by widening the range of uses (whilst maintaining a strong retail character), and environmental enhancements and improvements to access, which should take account of equality issues; c) identifying areas within Ilkeston and Long Eaton (see Policies Map) as Primary Shopping Areas. Within these, the following development strategy will apply: i) In Ilkeston's Primary Shopping Area: (1) new development will be required to be of A1-A3 use and provide an active ground floor frontage; (2) no less than 75% of units within the primary shopping area will be occupied by A1 uses at ground floor level; and (3) to assist with Town Centre regeneration, additional retail will be actively encouraged such as the extension of the Albion Shopping Centre or new development at other suitable locations. ii) In Long Eaton's Primary Shopping Area: (1) new development will be required to be of A1-A3 use and provide an active ground floor frontage; (2) no less than 75% of units within the primary shopping area will be occupied by A1 uses at ground floor level; and (3) to assist with Town Centre regeneration, additional retail will be actively encouraged such as the redevelopment of the Beaconsfield site or new development at other suitable locations. d) protecting and promoting the role of established markets at Ilkeston and Long Eaton given their positive contribution to the local economy, streetscape and the diversity of retail offer within each town centre; and e) providing new B1 office development in suitable locations to assist with meeting floorspace requirements (as shown in Policy 4). This will primarily be within and on the edge of defined Town Centres. Other locations may be acceptable where a high level of accessibility/connectivity to the town centre can be demonstrated. 3. A Centre of Neighbourhood Importance will be required at the Stanton Regeneration Site to serve a sustainable new neighbourhood in accordance with Policy 20. 4. Applications for retail, leisure or office uses outside designated town centres will be refused where: a) a suitable town centre site is available, or; b) in addition for proposals in out of centre locations, a suitable edge of centre site is available; or c) For proposals of 2,500sqm or more: i) the impact on investment in centres within the catchment of the proposals is significantly adverse, or; ii) the impact on town centre vitality, viability, local consumer choice or trade is significantly adverse.

Managing Travel Demand

1. The need to travel, especially by private car, will be reduced by securing new developments of appropriate scale in the most accessible locations following the Spatial Strategy in Policy 2, in combination with the delivery of sustainable transport networks to serve these developments. 2. Development sites should be readily accessible by walking, cycling and public transport, but where accessibility deficiencies do exist these will need to be fully addressed. The effective operation of the local highway network and its ability to provide sustainable transport solutions should not be compromised. 3. A hierarchical approach to ensure the delivery of sustainable transport networks to serve, in particular, the sustainable new neighbourhood at the Stanton Regeneration Site (Policy 20), will be adopted which will seek to provide (in order of priority): a) site specific and area wide travel demand management (measures to reduce travel by private car and incentives to use walking, cycling and public transport for appropriate journeys, including intensive travel planning); b) improvements to walking and cycling facilities and public transport services that are provided early in the build out period of new developments and that are sufficient to encourage sustainable modes of transport; c) optimisation of the existing highway network to prioritise walking, cycling and public transport that are provided early in the build out period of new developments, such as measures to prioritise the need of pedestrians above the car and improved or new cycle and bus lanes; and d) highway capacity enhancements to deal with residual car demand where the initiatives required under points (a) to (c) above are insufficient to avoid significant additional car journeys. 4. There will be a level of iteration between the stages of the hierarchy above to ensure their effective delivery and the implementation of the approach will have regard to the needs of people with mobility difficulties.

Transport Infrastructure Priorities

1. Where new development gives rise to the need for additional transport infrastructure, it should be prioritised in accordance with delivering the Spatial Strategy in Policy 2, the principles of travel demand management in Policy 14 and the priorities of the Local Transport Plans covering the plan area. Further details are in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan. 2. New development, singly or in combination with other proposed development, must include a sufficient package of measures to ensure that journeys by non private car modes are encouraged, and that residual car trips will not unacceptably compromise the wider transport system in terms of its effective operation.