Report

The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments: Appendix 3 Statutory Development Plan

• Chapter 6: Building a Strong and Competitive Economy provides a positive approach to economic development, stating that significant weight should be placed on the need to support economic growth and productivity, taking into account both local business needs and wider opportunities for development. The Chapter also places a focus on planning policies and decisions to recognise and address the specific locational requirements of different sectors. • Chapter 9: Promoting Sustainable Transport notes that transport policies have an important role in facilitating sustainable development and also in contributing to wider sustainability and health objectives. As set out in paragraph 116, “development should only be prevented or refused on highways grounds if there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety, or the residual cumulative impacts on the road network, following mitigation, would be severe, taking into account all reasonable future scenarios”. All developments that will generate significant amounts of movement are required to provide a travel plan, and the application should be supported by a transport statement or assessment so that the likely impacts of the proposals can be assessed. • Chapter 12: Achieving Well-Designed and Beautiful Places states that the creation of high quality buildings and places is fundamental to what the planning and development process should achieve. Paragraph 131 goes on to state that good design is a key aspect of sustainable development and being clear about design expectations, and how these will be tested, is essential for achieving this. It states that design quality should be considered throughout the evolution and assessment of individual proposals. Early discussions between applicants, the local planning authority and the local community about design and style of emerging schemes is important for clarifying expectations and reconciling local and commercial interests. Applicants should also work closely with those affected by their proposals to evolve designs that take account of the views of the community. • Chapter 14: Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change, Flooding and Coastal Change requires new development to take full account of flood risk and coastal change. As part of this, it states that new development should seek to look to make use of decentralised energy supply (where feasible and viable); minimise energy consumption and; avoid areas of flood risk. • Chapter 15: Conserving and Enhancing the Natural Environment encourages development that contributes to and enhances the natural and local environment, including proposals that minimise or provide a net gain for biodiversity. Developments should also ensure that the site is suitable for its proposed use taking account of ground conditions and any risks arising from land instability and contamination. • Chapter 16: Conserving and Enhancing the Historic Environment sets out the tests for historic assets. It requires the applicant to describe the significance of any heritage assets affected, including any contribution made by their setting (paragraph 207). Where a proposed development will lead to substantial harm to a designated heritage asset, this harm should be weight against the public benefits of the proposal (paragraph 214).