4.1 Balancing the need for travel and providing access to development with the need to protect the environment is a fundamental issue for the Local Plan. This Plan includes policies that provide a framework to consider the transport aspects of both development and transport proposals. In addition to proposals in the Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-2011 (Review), this Plan includes the proposals in the earlier Local Plan that have not been implemented but are still desirable. That being the case, it is essential to optimise the use of the existing transport networks and to manage or restrain traffic demand in order to achieve an improved environment.
4.2 This Local Plan cannot identify all schemes, including safety measures, that it is hoped to implement within the plan period. This Plan identifies schemes that are particularly important either by virtue of their cost or by their extent, especially if they would use land currently outside the highway boundary.
4.3 The transport policies of the Local Plan are developed in line with relevant National Guidance and advice, in particular the Government’s White Paper ‘A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone’ (July 1998). The White Paper promotes an integrated transport policy which embraces all modes of transport, especially cycling, walking and public transport. Hampshire County Council is the highway authority responsible for the majority of transport and highway policies and proposals within the District, excluding those relating to motorways and trunk roads which are the responsibility of the Central Government’s Department for Transport.
4.4 The County Council’s approach is to implement integrated transport strategies in order to address the transport objectives in the most satisfactory manner. The aim of these strategies is to reduce the heavy reliance on the car by helping to reduce demand for car travel and by encouraging a range of reliable and accessible alternatives. Key elements of this approach are the co-ordination of land use and transport planning, identification of the transport requirements for the area, and taking account of economic, environmental and social needs.
4.5 The County Council, together with East Hampshire District Council and Winchester City Council, has prepared the Central Hampshire Rural Transport Strategy (CHARTS) which covers most of East Hampshire and much of the rural district of Winchester. The South East Hampshire Transport Strategy (SEHTS) covers the eastern part of the South Hampshire urban area from the River Hamble in the west, to Havant in the east, and includes the Horndean and Clanfield areas of East Hampshire. The SEHTS has been prepared by the County Council, together with East Hampshire District Council, Havant, Gosport and Fareham Borough Councils and Portsmouth City Council.
4.6 The development of CHARTS and SEHTS was consistent with the “package approach” adopted by the Department for Transport when considering the allocation of funds to finance local authority transport proposals. As a contribution to the long term objectives of CHARTS and SEHTS a rolling programme of schemes will continue to be funded as a result of submissions made through the Local Transport Plan.
4.7 The Hampshire Local Transport Plan 2001-2006 details the transport strategies that apply across the County. The Plan sets targets for the various means by which the rate of road traffic growth can be reduced. The headline target for the District as a whole is to reduce traffic growth by two-thirds by 2020. Hampshire County Council publishes annual reports on its monitoring programme covering progress towards the headline targets and those contained in each of the area strategies.
4.9 Part of the work on the CHARTS will include the study of transport issues in Alton, Petersfield and Whitehill/Bordon.
4.10 The Petersfield Area Transport Strategy (PATS) has been completed following transport studies by consultants and the involvement of the community through workshops and public consultation. The study recommendations were largely accepted during public consultation and are included in the PATS. The PATS was published in autumn 2000 and the key elements include:
4.11 One way to reduce the demand for travel and the length of trips is to implement policies on the location of development. CHARTS and SEHTS emphasise that new development should be in locations where the need to travel is reduced and which are served by a choice of transport modes including rail, bus, walking and cycling. Major new development, in particular, should be well located in relation to public transport, such as near railway stations with a high level of service. In addition, major new residential areas should have facilities such as a convenience goods shop, a primary school, some employment opportunities, recreational and community facilities, within reasonable proximity and should be of an appropriate type and size in order to reduce the need for longer journeys.
4.12 The District Council examined accessibility as part of the appraisal of the major employment and residential sites allocated in the Local Plan. The appraisal of the residential sites considered distance from main employment, retail and recreation centres, local community facilities, schools and the main highway network. The examination of energy efficient transport modes included existing access to buses and trains, good connections to the cycling network and satisfactory pedestrian links.
4.13 Transport assessments and travel plans must be submitted alongside planning applications for development proposals which are likely to have significant transport implications in order to optimise the use of alternative forms of transport.The transport assessments and travel plans should be drawn up in conjunction with the County Council.
4.14 All major development proposals will need to be accompanied by a transport assessment, giving details of the modes of transport to be used. This should include the potential for those trips to be made by public transport, cycling and walking. An evaluation of the environmental impact of traffic generated by the development will also be required. Where appropriate, a travel plan must be included. The size thresholds for transport assessments and travel plans for various land uses are set out in 'Hampshire Parking Strategy and Standards, Spring 2002'.
4.15 Travel plans may have a variety of names (such as green transport plans, company travel plans and school travel plans) and are an important part of the Government’s integrated transport strategy. The strategy is designed to tackle unsustainable patterns of car use, which contribute to congestion, air pollution and global warming. A travel plan will be based on the number of staff, type of business, site surveys and will need to work towards the transport targets for the CHARTS and SEHTS areas. The introduction of a travel plan can minimise the potential traffic impact of development. The travel plan can also help businesses to reduce costs, to increase efficiency and to enable scope for expansion. In particular, a travel plan can solve problems such as:
4.16 A travel plan will not be used in order to allow a permission to be given that would otherwise have been refused; it cannot put right something that is contrary to policy. Arrangements for the regular review of the travel plan will be built in to the Section 106 Agreement, to ensure that it is working and so that it can be adjusted if necessary to ensure that its objectives are achievable. Monitoring is therefore essential and arrangements for this will be built into the travel plan. The monitoring will always be carried out by the Council but will be paid for by the developer. Travel plans should incorporate a financial bond as a penalty to be drawn on should the plan prove not to work. Guidance on how to develop travel plans is available from the County Council or the Central Government’s Department for Transport.
4.17 The Council considers that existing as well as new major generators of traffic should take some responsibility for reducing the use of cars by those coming to their premises, particularly the use of cars for journeys to work. The Council has resolved to prepare a travel plan for its staff and will encourage the preparation of similar plans by other major employers. In partnership with the County Council, the District Council will encourage schools and businesses to adopt travel plans in order to promote the use of alternative modes of transport to the car.
| T1 Planning permission will be granted for development that promotes the integration of the means of transport, choice of mode and an efficient public transport system. |
4.18 Both CHARTS and SEHTS emphasise the need for an integrated transport network. Multi-modal trips, that is trips including different types of travel, will be encouraged by improving pedestrian and cycle links with public transport and investigating the use of park and ride at rail stations and other transport interchanges.
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4.19 Public transport can perform an important role in meeting some of the economic and social needs of many households in the District. Whilst the majority of households have access to one or more cars, for many families a car is not normally available for use during the day as it is often the only means of transport to work. Movement can be difficult for those unable to drive or without access to any private means of transport.
4.20 One way to encourage reduction in the use of the car is the provision of a network of frequent, high quality public transport services. However securing this is mostly outside the scope of land use planning. The use of public transport can be encouraged by bus priority measures which speed up services and reduce journey times. This makes public transport more attractive to the passenger and reduces costs to the operator.
4.21 The location of new development where it is or can be well related to the public transport system can also be an important element in reducing the need for travel by car.
4.22 Bus services are the most widely available form of public transport. The locational policies of the Local Plan, together with bus corridors and/or bus priority measures, can help to encourage operators to provide services commercially. The provision of suitable infrastructure including stops and shelters in larger developments will further assist the promotion of public transport as a viable alternative to the private car.
4.23 The implementation of the Transport Act 1985 for the de-regulation of bus services altered the basis on which bus companies operate throughout the County. Bus operators are required to function on a more commercial basis. The County Council and the District Council have powers to subsidise services not provided by the free market but which are considered to be socially necessary through a system of competitive tendering. Bus services in the District have been maintained at the mid-1985 levels. Apart from some early morning and late evening journeys which require subsidy, these routes operate on a commercial basis. Where passenger demand is low, more emphasis will be placed on more flexible forms of transport, such as community-based schemes, shared taxis, the Post Bus, the Liphook Shuttle and Dial-a-Ride.
4.24 Regular rail services are provided:
4.25 The 'Watercress Line', a preserved steam railway, is operated at weekends from Alton to Alresford from March to October, with a daily service in the peak summer months. The District Council is aware of the inadequate parking provision at the stations along the Railway for the use of visitors and it will continue to work with the operators of the Railway to resolve the issue.
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4.26 Cycling is a flexible, cheap and environmentally benign form of transport with important health benefits for people of all ages. Cycling within East Hampshire can be broadly split into two categories:
4.27 The District Council supports and encourages cycling as an alternative means of travel to the car for short journeys and recreational purposes. The Council adopted a ‘Cycle Plan’ in 2005 following a period of public consultation on the cycle routes contained within it.
4.28 Through the Cycle Plan the Council is promoting a District-wide network of cycle routes which will connect the main settlements, as well as shorter routes within the urban areas to link residential areas with schools, shops, railway stations and other public places. It is envisaged that the District-wide network will also link with the National Cycle Network and the National Byway. The National Cycle Network includes proposals for a route running north/south from Basingstoke to Portsmouth, via Alton and Petersfield and a route running east/west linking Winchester and Guildford via Alton. A section of the National Byway is planned to meander through the north of the District between Ropley and Liphook and is aimed at tourist cyclists.
4.29 Cycling is a means of transport which should be used for many short trips, including journeys to school and work. Opportunities for the provision of purpose-built safe and secure infrastructure for both cyclists and pedestrians as a part of development proposals will be encouraged by the Council, especially where connections can be made to the proposed District-wide network. Where appropriate, contributions towards the construction of parts of the cycle network will be sought from developers.
4.30 Public rights of way are an important means of gaining access to the countryside, and whereas in the past their main purpose was to provide links between settlements, today their value is primarily recreational. Their importance in this sense is increasingly recognised, and the Countryside Agency has identified the improvement of the rights of way network as an important element of their strategy for enhancing enjoyment of the countryside. The Council supports this aim and wishes to see improvements made to the footpaths and bridleways to create a more attractive and effective network. The Council will negotiate with landowners and other interested bodies to:
4.31 A copy of the Definitive Map of existing Rights of Way in the District is held in the Hampshire County Council offices and is available for public inspection.
4.32 The local planning and highway authorities will examine and, where possible, promote opportunities to improve provision for pedestrians and cyclists, and thereby enhance road safety for these users. The encouragement of walking and cycling as modes of transport for short journeys is part of the overall strategy for reducing the level of use of private cars which contribute towards environmental pollution. Almost all journeys include a pedestrian element, making walking an essential part of the total transport system.
4.33 Where improvements to off-site pedestrian or cyclist facilities are required, developers will be required either to undertake the works themselves to the standard specified by the District or County Council or to enter into a legal agreement for contributions to fund the work (see Policy GS4).
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Where appropriate, the District Council will seek to protect the routes of disused railway lines for recreational footpaths, bridleways and cycleways. |
4.34 Negotiations with landowners and other interested bodies will be the primary means by which the improvements to the footpath and bridleway network can be achieved. Special emphasis will be given to links between the settlements and the countryside, the creation of long distance footpaths and circular routes based on and extending from the existing rights of way network, for example links between the South Downs Way and the Hangers Way, creating footpaths along the Tilmore Brook and River Rother at Petersfield, the River Deadwater at Whitehill, the River Wey at Alton and the River Wey in Lindford Parish. Subject to the consideration of safety, use could also be made of linear features such as the lineside of the Watercress Line and the former tracks of disused railway lines. When redundant railway land is made available the local authority should first be approached so that it can consider the potential use of such sites for transport facilities. Pending such consideration, the Council will seek to ensure that the tracks of disused railway lines are not developed in a way that would compromise their use for any transport or leisure purpose.
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4.35 This Policy seeks to ensure that appropriate provision is made for the needs of people with impaired mobility in new developments avoiding social exclusion so that they are not prevented from playing a full role in the life of the community due to the design of the environment.
4.36 About one in ten of the adult population has some form of physical handicap which restricts their mobility. Additionally a large proportion of the population has its mobility restricted by using pushchairs and prams, carrying shopping or luggage, illness, dealing with small children and by the normal ageing process. It is very important that buildings and areas which are used by the general public should be designed to cater for the needs of these people.
4.37 Public buildings, shopping areas and amenity open spaces should have ramped as well as stepped access points; entrances should be wide enough to take a wheel chair with ease; buildings over one storey in height should have lifts to give easy access to all upper floors; and pathways should be suitably surfaced for wheelchairs and have dropped kerbs. Wherever possible, parking for people with disabilities should be adjacent to entrances. The District Council has prepared supplementary planning guidance on ‘Access for People with Disabilities’ which provides further advice and information about designing buildings for use by people with disabilities.
4.38 The local planning and highway authorities will promote further traffic management measures which improve road safety and the environment. Such measures are implemented mainly through procedures outside the land-use planning process, though land use policies need to have regard to them. In sensitive areas, traffic management measures must be used to overcome the effects of traffic. Traffic management measures, including traffic calming, 20 m.p.h. and/or home zones and pedestrianisation schemes, will be considered to secure environmental improvements and to reduce the impact of traffic in residential areas, near schools, in shopping centres and in other appropriate areas.
4.39 Home zones are residential streets in which the road space is shared between drivers of motor vehicles and the public, with the wider needs of residents (including people who walk and cycle, and children) in mind. Meeting areas and play areas are an integral part of the design. The potential for developing home zone schemes for existing or new residential areas will be investigated. Changes to the layout of the street should emphasise the change of use, so that motorists clearly perceive that they do not have priority. The schemes will include a combination of signs, physical measures and the building of high levels of community support and involvement. The projects will also be subject to full consultation with the police, the other emergency services and statutory bodies.
4.40 Road safety and traffic congestion in the vicinity of schools are a major concern. The District Council and the County Council will work with schools to encourage safe walking and cycling routes to schools. 20 m.p.h. speed restrictions will be imposed in some areas near schools. School transport plans will be promoted to reduce the need for car trips to school and to encourage more bus, cycling and walking trips.
4.41 The design of traffic management measures will take into account the rural character and appearance of the surrounding area. The measures will be designed in such a way that, subject to statutory requirements, the potential clutter of road signs and lighting is minimised, particularly in the AONB. The potential for developing ‘quiet roads’ on selected country lanes will also be investigated as part of the strategy to improve conditions for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and horse-driven vehicles.
4.42 Rat running and lorry routes have caused environmental and safety hazards in a number of locations. Where reasonable alternative routes are available the District Council will work with the County Council to introduce appropriate traffic management measures.
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4.43 This Policy provides for new road construction where it is justified on environmental or safety grounds or is required to facilitate development which is in accordance with other policies of the Local Plan. The County Council and District Council recognise that it is neither feasible or environmentally desirable to try to meet future levels of demand by building new roads. The Plan does not provide for new roads to increase capacity for private cars.
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4.44 Public consultation exercises were undertaken in 1987 and 1992 for an improvement to dual carriageway standard of the A3 Trunk Road at Hindhead. In March 1993 the then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) announced the Preferred Route of the A3 Hindhead Bypass and, in April 1993 they advised the District Council that all planning applications involving land within 67 metres of the Preferred Route should be referred to the Department. In order to safeguard the bypass route, the Council will comply with that requirement.
4.45 In March 2001 the DETR announced that the A3 Hindhead Improvement is included in the Government’s programme for trunk road improvements and that the scheme will include a toll-free, twin bored tunnel. The Council considers that the A3 Hindhead Improvement is required as a matter of urgency.
4.46 In December 1996 the County Council revised and updated the Route Strategy initially prepared in 1989. It recommended that:
4.47 Proposed road improvements will be subject to public consultation at the planning application and/or detailed design stage. In developing schemes, details of the environmental impact and proposed mitigation measures relating to the proposal will be required. The needs of the cyclists and pedestrians will be considered as part of the detailed design of the scheme.
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4.48 The Council will expect the design of the access, and especially its junction with the public highway, to accord with the Highway Authority's latest adopted standards.
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4.49 It is important that any new or changed access point onto the highway network be carried out to a satisfactory standard. Developers will therefore be required to have regard for national and local standards on the scale, type and locations of junctions proposed on the highway network. In considering the adequacy of provision for highway safety and access, regard will be had to the latest edition of the Department for Transport’s ‘Design Manual for Roads and Bridges’, as well as the local highway authority’s own standards, as set out in ‘Movement, Access, Streets and Spaces’.
4.50 Advice on proposed development adjacent to all-purpose trunk roads and motorways is set out in Circular 4/2001 and Annex B of PPG:13.
4.51 Where an otherwise acceptable development is likely to impose additional burdens on the existing transport infrastructure, the developer will be required to contribute towards, or themselves to undertake improvements off-site that will meet the travel needs generated by the development. The off-site improvements could include highway works, new or enhanced facilities for cyclists and pedestrians, contributions towards public transport infrastructure and services and community transport. This will normally be achieved by means of a legal agreement with the highway authority.
4.52 Heavy goods vehicles can cause environmental and highway safety problems where vehicle movements are generated from inappropriately located development or if adequate provision is not made to accommodate such movements. As stated in CHARTS and SEHTS the County Council will, where appropriate, prepare and implement traffic management schemes to relieve environmental and safety problems.
4.53 The Council will need to be satisfied that development likely to generate heavy goods vehicles includes suitable safety measures, both on and off-site. Where appropriate, it will seek to enter into an agreement with the developer, or attach a condition, to ensure the carriage of freight by rail. It will encourage measures to increase the proportion of freight moved by rail and those that will facilitate the transfer of the carriage of goods from road to rail. Where possible, existing or former rail facilities that would assist in furthering this aim will be safeguarded.
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4.54 Government advice encourages provision of road user facilities located at regular intervals on main routes. The advice also emphasises that environmental considerations must be taken into account when assessing the location of such areas, taking particular account of the general need to avoid development in the open countryside, especially in areas of special landscape or other quality. Applications for such developments will be considered within this framework.
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4.55 When considering applications for new development or redevelopment, developers will be expected to comply with published standards as adopted by the District Council. The Highway Authority's parking standards, which are prepared on a countywide basis and revised from time-to-time are set out in supplementary planning guidance. The standards are in line with recent Government advice and are set out in 'Hampshire Parking Strategy and Standards, Spring 2002'.
4.56 Seeking to reduce the use of the car and encouraging less environmentally damaging transport alternatives are integral to the development of a strategy to support sustainability. The principle of reducing car use through demand management is now well established. Such an approach seeks to reduce the demand for travel, particularly in urban areas, through the implementation of a number of complementary planning and transport mechanisms, of which parking control is one. Car parking can be seen therefore to be a key component in any strategic transport policy designed to reduce dependence on the private car and promote sustainability. Government advice suggests that parking policy is seen as the key traffic restraint measure in preference to measures such as congestion charging.
4.57 The integrated transport strategies will provide a framework to establish criteria for the degree of constraint which centres can bear and the corresponding level of public transport accessibility required. This will then provide the basis for determining sustainable parking standards and prices. In addition, the role of park and ride needs further consideration to determine its place within a particular strategy to reduce car use and promote public transport.4.58 In terms of car parking policy, the need to maintain the vitality and viability of town centres is critical. While restrictive parking policies may result in a reduction in the impact of traffic on town centres, the imposition in isolation of too restrictive a policy can have a negative impact on the vitality of town centres and conflict with other policies aimed at promoting urban regeneration. Restraining parking in town centres may also favour out-of-town activities. A balance needs to be achieved between strategic and local considerations and between economic and environmental goals.
4.59 Operational cycle and lorry parking requirements generated by proposed developments and redevelopments should normally be met on site. Car and non-operational parking demands will be met either on site, by the provisions of an equivalent car parking area close to the development site, or by other modes of transport being used to access the site.
4.60 Where predominantly night-time uses such as restaurants are proposed, within walking distance of public car parks (which are not heavily used outside shopping hours) parking may not be required adjacent to the development.
4.61 The Council will seek the provision of secure, well designed and conveniently located cycle parking facilities in town and local centres and other public areas such as transport interchanges, leisure centres, schools and libraries. In addition, cycle parking facilities should be provided within new developments to encourage greater use of cycles for work, school, shopping and other purposes. These should be covered and secure, and in the case of places of employment, provision should be made for associated showers and changing facilities.
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4.62 Whenever possible, land will be made available for public off-street car, cycle and motorcycle parking close to shops and recreation areas, and for servicing business premises, in line with the Area Transport Strategies and Parking Strategy. In town centre locations the parking will be managed for use principally by short stay users to support the economic well being of these areas.
4.63 At the present time, the District Council provides public car parks in Alton, Chawton, Four Marks, Grayshott, Horndean, Petersfield, Selborne, Liss, Liphook and Whitehill/Bordon but in addition a range of parking facilities are available throughout the District in association with individual retail, business and recreational enterprises.
4.64 The town and village centre car parks will be managed for use principally by short stay users to support the economic well being of the areas.
4.65 The need for parking spaces in the District will be kept under review. Future provision will need to be in line with the Area Transport Strategies. The Council will expect new car parks to incorporate standards set down in the Secured Car Parks Scheme.
4.66 It is likely that most of the car parks referred to in Policy T13 will be provided as public car parks by the Council, although some will come forward as a result of development.
4.67 The car park off Lynton Road, Bordon, located to the north of Devon Road and east of Lynton Road, Bordon is allocated as part of the redevelopment of the Chalet Hill/High Street area in order to replace the Guadeloupe House Car Park on the west side of the A325 which is allocated for commercial recreation/leisure use (see Policies LC3, TM4). In order to continue the provision of public car parking in the area, the Guadeloupe Car Park shall not be developed until the Lynton Road allocation has been implemented.
4.68 The development of the employment allocation at the former Ordnance Supply Unit, Liphook will include a car park for people travelling by train and will be as close as possible to the station.
4.69 The car park envisaged at The Square, Liphook is not site specific, but is intended to be at the rear of properties fronting The Square, London Road and Haslemere Road. It is hoped that a proposal that also includes rear servicing will come forward as part of a small scale development proposal within a comprehensive development scheme.
4.70 On-street and roadside parking is currently restricted in parts of Alton, Grayshott, Horndean, Petersfield, Liss, Liphook and Whitehill/Bordon as well as along some of the main roads which cross the District. It may be necessary to impose further restrictions where conflict occurs between parked cars, passing motorists, service vehicles and pedestrians and to consider the possibility of further areas of residents only parking.
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4.71 Encouragement will continue to be given to the provision of rear access and servicing facilities. Where it is not possible to provide rear access in the form of a service road, consideration will be given to allowing access via public car parks. Severe traffic congestion can occur in the centres of Alton, Grayshott, Liphook, Liss and Petersfield, partly because of on-street parking and front servicing. Wherever possible, the opportunity will be taken to encourage the provision of further rear access and parking in these centres in order to improve the overall quality of the environment.
4.72 The area bounded by London Road, The Square, and Haslemere Road in Liphook could particularly benefit from this proposal. Such facilities in this area may come forward as part of small scale re-development proposals within the context of a comprehensive development scheme for the area. Consultations will be carried out with interested residents and businesses prior to the start of any scheme.
4.73 The Government White Paper - ‘This Common Inheritance’ emphasises the need to promote energy efficiency to help combat acid rain and global climate change. It is estimated that up to one-fifth of the UK’s energy consumption could be saved by using cost-effective energy efficiency methods and technology.
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4.74 Where new development takes place, attention needs to be given to energy efficiency in the form of construction of buildings. The siting of development in relation to transportation and the location of other development is also important. It is expected that major development proposals will therefore be accompanied by information demonstrating that full account has been taken of the efficient use of energy. Aspects of renewable technology that should be incorporated in individual buildings include high levels of insulation, efficient heating systems, efficient lighting and appliances, passive solar design (e.g. through maximum glazing on south facades), or planning site layouts to maximise solar gain and reduce heat loss. The DETR has published General Information Note 53, ‘Building a Sustainable Future’, which covers many of these issues and the Council will expect developers to take account of that guidance.
4.75 Similarly, the Council will encourage householders who are applying for permission for extensions or alterations to their properties to consider incorporating energy efficient design. It may often be more cost effective to install insulation whilst other work is being undertaken.
4.76 The design and layout of buildings is influenced by many factors but to date capturing passive solar energy has generally been neglected. It is important for developers to demonstrate that they have taken this factor into account and show what steps they have taken to maximise passive solar energy within their schemes. In this respect developers should have regard to the recommendations and advice given in the Council’s Code of Practice on Energy Conservation. Building Control officers can also advise on the appropriate use of materials and detailed designs to minimise energy consumption in buildings.
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4.77 The District Council accepts that this Policy, like others, is capable of being outweighed by material considerations. These include the amount of electricity likely to be generated, the national need for clean renewable energy, and the inability to generate it elsewhere or in some other way. In all cases, provision should be made for the removal of wind turbines and restoration of the site if the turbines become redundant or stop generating electricity for a period of 12 months or more.
4.78 Renewable sources of energy describes energy which occurs naturally and repeatedly in the environment - energy from the sun, wind, oceans, and the fall of water. Plant material and combustible and domestic waste materials are other important sources of renewable energy. The national target is for 10% of the UK’s energy to come from renewable sources by 2010.
4.79 Developers should therefore be able to demonstrate that significant consideration has been given to incorporating renewable energy production within design proposals. These might include more sustainable energy technologies such as photovoltaics, solar heating and biofuels.
4.80 Harnessing the energy of the wind is becoming increasingly important as a source of electricity. Policy E2 sets out criteria against which proposals for wind turbines should be judged. The Council will only allow development that meets all of the criteria. The need to protect the attractive countryside of the District is of paramount importance.
4.81 Energy generation from biomass has some potential in East Hampshire. Possible alternative uses for agricultural land include cultivation of biomass products such as fast growing willow and poplar species, the use of forestry residues and straw and short rotation coppice products from coppice woodlands that are currently unmanaged. However, there is a risk that energy generation plants and the accompanying transmission lines could introduce visually prominent new features into the landscape and significantly alter its character.
4.82 Whilst sources of renewable energy will be encouraged, it is important that any proposed external equipment should be integrated with the design of the building. In particular, solar panels, especially those proposed on the front elevation of building, should be constructed wherever possible within the roof profile and should not harm the character of the street scene.
4.83 In addition to ensuring quality in the design and location of new development, the District Council seeks to conserve the extent to which people are entitled to enjoy public places and their own dwellings, without undue disturbance or intrusion from neighbouring uses.
4.84 In particular there are four main areas which the Council wishes to address:
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4.85 Certain developments such as sewage treatment works and some industrial uses can give rise to unpleasant emissions. Whilst such emissions are not usually harmful to human health or the environment, they can have a serious adverse effect on the amenity enjoyed by people living in, working in, or visiting the immediate vicinity. It is important to minimise the loss of amenity caused by unpleasant emissions. Where development is proposed that would give rise to unpleasant emissions, the District Council will wish to ensure that the amenity of neighbouring uses is not adversely affected. This will not preclude the development provided that measures are incorporated into the design of the building to reduce the impact of any unpleasant emissions to acceptable levels.
4.86 Policy P2 is intended to control the harm which could occur as a result of the inappropriate location of new development close to existing or projected sources of pollution. Particular care will be taken when considering the location of sensitive uses, especially housing, in relation to these sources of pollution. New development should be laid out and designed to minimise the potential impact as far as possible.
4.87 It will be helpful for developers to discuss their proposal with the Council in advance of submitting a planning application. Such discussions should provide an opportunity to consider the principle of that development and to influence its design so that potential problems are removed or reduced. If the application is not accompanied by sufficient information on which to make a proper judgement then supplementary information will be requested. If this is not forthcoming then the application will be refused. Further information is provided in PPS23, Planning and Pollution Control.
4.88 The air quality across the District has been examined by the Council (Second and Third Stage Review and Assessment of Air Quality, December 2000). This examination found that, whilst the District does currently meet the health based standards set by the Government, the area around the A3 (M) in Horndean would be particularly sensitive to additional development that could lead to an unacceptable deterioration in air quality.
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4.89 It is important to minimise the adverse impact of disturbance from noise, particularly in sensitive locations, such as residential areas, schools, hospitals, areas valued for their tranquillity, especially in the AONB and the wider countryside where informal recreation is enjoyed. The level of disturbance that is generally acceptable depends upon existing background levels, and the duration of the noise, particularly if it is likely to continue outside normal working hours. As a guideline, if a development in an area of mixed residential and industrial activity would exceed average background levels by 10dB(A), this would cause an adverse degree of disturbance, whereas a difference of 5dB(A) or more may be of significance in less built up areas. In circumstances where intensification of use would not require a subsequent planning permission, but might result in unacceptable levels of disturbance, conditions may be imposed to control noise levels or to place limits on operating times. Further guidance on the assessment of noise is provided in: PPG24, BS4142, the World Health Organisation's Guidelines on Community Noise and the District Council's 'Noise Management Policy'.
4.90 It is also necessary to ensure that uses that are sensitive to noise (eg nursing homes, rest homes, schools) are not located where they would be subjected to unacceptable levels of noise disturbance. In some cases it may be possible to take adequate precautions to reduce the impact of the disturbance on the development to acceptable levels. This can be achieved through soundproofing of the proposed building, alterations to the buildings layout and design, or ensuring that there is sufficient distance or barriers between the source of the disturbance and the development.
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4.91 Details of any external lighting scheme required as part of any new development should be submitted as part of the planning application. In order to minimise light pollution and increase energy efficiency, the District Council will need to be satisfied that the lighting scheme proposed is the minimum required for security and working purposes and that it minimises potential pollution from glow and spillage. On the edge of settlements and in rural locations, landscaping measures should be provided to screen the lighting installation from view. Light pollution can be particularly intrusive in rural areas and can harm the character of the countryside. Artificial lighting can also have a detrimental effect on wildlife, particularly nocturnal animals and nesting birds. Conditions will be attached to any floodlighting approvals given for evening usage of sport facilities and community buildings to control light intensity, light spillage and hours of use. The Observatory at Clanfield is particularly sensitive to excessive light pollution.
P6 |
4.92 The District Council wishes to ensure that development is designed to minimise overlooking and in-looking, to provide freedom from unwanted social contact, and to ensure that neighbouring properties do not overshadow the development, or vice versa, to the extent that the daylight to the property is reduced to unacceptable levels.
P7
Any permission for development will require that the remedial
measures agreed with the Authority must be completed as the first
step in the carrying out of the development.
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4.93 Few sites are so badly contaminated that they cannot be reused, but the contamination may limit the range of potential future uses. A full risk assessment should be undertaken by the developer based on the source, pathway and receptor methodology set out in the Council’s ‘Contaminated Land Strategy’ (June 2001). In assessing the need for remedial works, the District Council will have regard to the intended future use of the site. If remedial measures prove necessary, the Council will consider either attaching conditions to the permission, or seeking a planning obligation that specifies the necessary measures to be carried out prior to the commencement of the development.
4.94 Responsibility for providing information on whether land is contaminated rests primarily with the developer. Where it is known or suspected that land is contaminated, the Council will expect the developer to provide information on the extent and nature of the contamination and the remedial measures whereby risks to health, controlled waters and other aspects of the environment can be reduced to an acceptable level.
4.95 Hampshire County Council is the Authority with overall responsibility for determining applications for the management of waste in the District, and for preparing local planning policies giving guidance to operators and the public about the provision of sites for tipping and the standard of working and site restoration required. The County Council’s policies and allocations are set out in the County Structure Plan and the Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan. Anyone intending to become involved in the management of waste in the District is strongly advised to contact the County Planning Department at an early stage.
4.96 The District Council, when responding to consultations from the County Council on proposals, will consider proposals against the policies contained in this Local Plan and, in addition, will seek to ensure that: