DRAFT NP Policies for Consultation

Please read these policies and then go to the voting page Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Feedback

VISION AND OBJECTIVES

Our vision for the Wynyard for the next 15 years is:
“We want Wynyard to be an attractive, secure, prestigious village community developed to reflect the current country and woodland setting”.

To deliver this vision, we will:
Support development of high quality low density, executive housing of an appropriate layout and design in accordance with the planned strategy for growth for the area that will enhance our built environment and will ensure that the community of Wynyard continues to provide for the specific needs of the quality housing market;

Support the local economy by encouraging suitable business and employment development;

Support community development with the provision of shops, services, community facilities and open spaces to support health and wellbeing for everyone’s benefit and to sustain communities;

Support measures to improve public transport, highway safety and to improve accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists;

Safeguard and enhance the countryside, rural and woodland setting of the Wynyard residential and employment community and its distinctive landscape character;

Support the development of a network of green corridors and open spaces;

Protect and enhance the network of habitats that are important for biodiversity including designated nature conservation sites and priority habitats; and

Contribute to meeting the challenge of climate change by encouraging householders and businesses to utilise renewable and low carbon energy, encouraging greater energy efficiency in the design of buildings and encouraging the use of sustainable solutions for the disposal of surface water.

We will take forward the spirit of the Localism Act 2011 in producing our Neighbourhood Plan, embracing the concept of local distinctiveness that contributes to a sense of place and well-being for the present community and for future generations.

POLICY W1 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

The Neighbourhood Plan supports the development of new housing in the plan area to assist in meeting the housing needs of Stockton and Hartlepool Boroughs. The plan area will accommodate approximately 1100 new dwellings by 2030. This development will take place on sites with planning permission and those to be allocated in the Boroughs’ Local Plans.

Housing development on land to the east of Wynyard Village will not be supported in order to maintain a countryside buffer between Wynyard and Wolviston.

POLICY W2 HOUSING TYPE AND MIX

New housing development shall be of executive housing. A wider range of housing may be developed on identified sites to meet the housing needs of the wider community provided that the development maintains the high quality design standards of the area.

Contributions shall be made towards affordable housing to be delivered off site in accordance with Stockton and Hartlepool Local Plan policies.

POLICY W3 HOUSING DESIGN AND LAYOUT PRINCIPLES

REVIEW ON RECIPT OF AECOM REPORT

The design of new development should demonstrate, where appropriate, how the following have been taken into account:

1. new housing should be well designed and score highly using the most recent Building For Life 12 criteria;

2. homes should be flexible to meet the changing needs of future generations;

3. by helping to create a sense of place through reinforcing the quality of Wynyard and respecting the local building vernacular with individually designed, low density housing;

4. by helping reinforce the existing streetscape and green public spaces by facing onto them; cul-de-sacs and loop roads with ribbons of housing facing onto green areas will be encouraged;

5. by creating significant views and vistas over green areas;

6. incorporating deer fencing around the perimeter of new development;

7. incorporating bespoke street furniture and lighting;

8. by incorporating the highest standards of energy efficiency;

9. by demonstrating that it can be accessed safely from the highway and incorporates sufficient parking spaces for residents and visitors with a minimum of one parking space per bedroom;

10. by designing the highways to maintain reduced traffic speeds;

11. by designing development to be accessible by people with limited mobility;

12. by incorporating high standards of energy efficiency and the installation of renewable or low carbon energy generation;

13. by using sustainable surface water management solutions in new developments, including swales and ponds to reduce surface water disposal in public sewers and manage the release of surface water;

14. by designing in safety and security; and

15. before any decision is made on the proposed development an archaeological assessment of the site is undertaken.

POLICY W4 DEVELOPING THE LOCAL ECONOMY

The development of Wynyard Business Park as a Prestige Employment Location for high quality employment and business development will be supported. New buildings should be designed to be of a high quality within attractive landscape setting.

Businesses will be encouraged to meet their energy requirements through the installation of on-site renewable or local carbon energy schemes. Large scale commercial renewable energy or local carbon energy schemes will not be encouraged on Wynyard Business Park.

POLICY W5 WYNYARD LOCAL CENTRES

A new local centre shall be developed to the north of the A689 as part of the Wynyard North housing on the site Proposals Map. A new local centre at Wynyard South shall be developed on the site Proposals Map to provide additional small scale units.

The local centres shall provide small scale shops, pre-school child care, cafes, public houses, restaurants and businesses to serve the local community. A new health care facility shall be provided in Wynyard South. Community centres and local sports facilities should be located in or near to the local centres at Wynyard North and South. Car parking should be laid out to serve the local centres.

POLICY W6 SAFEGUARDING AND IMPROVEMENT OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES

New and improved community buildings, play areas, sport/recreation facilities, and open spaces will be supported where the proposed facilities are of a type, scale and design appropriate to the Wynyard area.

Community buildings, play areas, sports/recreation facilities, and open spaces will be safeguarded unless they are proven to be surplus to requirements or unless improved alternative provision, of similar or better quality, is to be made.

Local Green Space will be designated on open spaces (eg the cricket field).

Contributions will be sought from new housing development towards the improvement of leisure, community, sport and recreation facilities and open spaces serving the Wynyard community, either through developing new facilities on site or contributions towards the improvement of existing facilities in the vicinity.

POLICY W7 PLANNING OBLIGATIONS – CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS MEETING COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITIES

Developer contributions together with other community benefits and grant funding will be used to fund new and improved community infrastructure including their on-going maintenance in the plan area, including, but not limited to:
1. Community centre;
2. Equipped play parks;
3. Cricket club house;
4. Bowling green;
5. Bins and seating on open spaces;
6. Affordable housing off site;
7. New and improved public transport, cycleway and footpaths;
8. Environmental enhancement;
9. Surface water flooding alleviation measures.

Developer contributions will be determined on a site by site basis in accordance
with Stockton and Hartlepool Borough Councils’ Supplementary Planning
Documents on Planning Obligations.

POLICY W8 IMPROVEMENTS TO THE HIGHWAY NETWORK

Support will be given to the relevant highway authority in securing the following highway improvements:
1. New road link from Wynyard Woods to create a third exit onto the A689;
2. Support for the widening of the A19 to the south of the A689 junction;
3. Improvements to public transport to provide a minimum bus service linking the employment areas to Billingham.

POLICY W9 IMPROVEMENT AND EXTENSION OF THE RIGHTS OF WAY NETWORK

A network of greenways, incorporating cycleways and footpaths, throughout the plan area linked to the public rights of way network will be supported. The existing and proposed routes are shown on the proposals map. New development should provide greenways within their proposals to link into the proposed network.

The provision of new and improved signage, seating and bins will be encouraged.

POLICY W10 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

A network of green corridors shall be created along the routes shown in the Proposals Map. They shall be designed to provide attractive, safe and interesting routes for walking and cycling. Tree and shrub planting should be primarily of native species to promote the routes as wildlife corridors.

Ponds and watercourses, other habitats and potential sites identified by the local biodiversity partnership will be encouraged to create and develop an integrated network of natural habitats which may include wildlife compensatory habitats and wetland creation. Where possible, new development should conserve, create and enhance habitats to meet the objectives of the Tees Valley Biodiversity Action Plan.

The woodland areas shown on the Masterplan / proposal map shall be retained as part of the local green infrastructure. They shall be managed to improve their biodiversity potential by replanting with trees of local native species. Management plans to be agreed.

New woodland planting will be encouraged to replace that lost to development.

Existing woodland of amenity and nature conservation value and in particular ancient semi natural woodland and veteran trees will be protected. The planting of woodland and trees, and the restoration of hedgerows, using appropriate species, will be encouraged, particularly in conjunction with new development, to enhance the landscape character of the plan area.

New development shall include new tree and hedgerow planting and the creation of wetland habitats which shall, where possible:

a. Aim to reduce the impact of any new buildings or structures in the landscape setting, both within the development and around its margins;
b. Provide a tree and landscaped buffer of 10 metres wide around the margins of development adjacent to open countryside and between proposed and existing development.
c. Use a mix of local native species appropriate to the landscape character area;
d. Ensure that trees are planted at distances from buildings that provide sufficient space for the future growth of the tree to maturity;
e. Contribute to the network of wildlife corridors including the creation of wetland habitats;
f. Support the management of surface water.

Please now go to the voting page Neighbourhood Plan Consultation Feedback