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5. Core Policies

The policies in the Core Strategy provide the strategic direction for the Local Development Framework, and for the delivery of development, infrastructure, facilities and services in Colchester to 2021. These policies seek to achieve the Vision and Objectives and should be interpreted within the context of the Spatial Strategy.

5.1 Sustainable Development

Table SD1 – Settlement Hierarchy

Hierarchy	Settlements
Regional Centre	Colchester Town and Stanway
District Settlements	Tiptree West Mersea Wivenhoe
Rural Communities	The other villages in the Borough (see Appendix B)

Explanation
The Community Strategy’s vision for Colchester is for it to develop as a prestigious regional centre. This can be achieved through regenerating our town centre and regional gateways, whilst protecting and enhancing the character of the countryside and rural communities.

Colchester is a growing borough and needs to provide quality housing and employment opportunities, as well as improving the environment and our quality of life. New development needs to be carefully managed, well-designed and directed towards locations that will stimulate regeneration and support sustainable communities. Development also helps fund improvements to community facilities, transport infrastructure, open space and affordable housing.

The Council is focusing development on areas that are in need of regeneration and are accessible by a range of transport modes. This approach will protect our countryside by minimising the amount of development occurring on greenfield land. It will also help improve accessibility and reduce the need to travel, by ensuring that homes, employment and facilities are well located.

The broad locations for development in Colchester are outlined in the Spatial Strategy and illustrated in the Key Diagrams. These development locations have been coordinated with transport and utilities infrastructure and the provision of community facilities, shopping, employment and open space to create sustainable communities. 

Explanation
Supporting development with the necessary community facilities and transport infrastructure is essential to creating sustainable communities.  The Borough Council does not have the resources or the necessary powers itself to provide all the facilities and infrastructure. Therefore, the Council will need to work with partners to collect contributions from development through Section 106 agreements and, potentially, CIL payments, ensuring that the contributions requested are necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms; directly related to the development; and fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development.  

Developments will be required to deliver and contribute towards the following where necessary (not exclusive):

• Affordable housing
• Transport infrastructure and services
• Open space, sport and recreation
• Community facilities
• Primary and secondary schools
• Public realm improvements
• Renewable energy and sustainable construction
• Flood mitigation measures
• Employment and training schemes

The Council will prepare further guidance regarding standard charges and development contributions towards facilities and infrastructure. Additional information on the delivery of infrastructure and facilities is also provided in the following Core Policies:

• SD3 - Community Facilities
• H4 – Affordable Housing
• PR2 – Open Space
• TA3 – Public Transport
• TA4 – Roads and Traffic

Table SD3: Delivery of Key Community Facilities

Growth Areas	Project
Town Centre	Firstsite (Community arts facility)
	Cultural Quarter
	Magistrates’ Court
North Growth Area	Community stadium and regional conference centre
	Colchester General Hospital expansion
	4 new primary schools (ie., at Turner Village, Severalls, and two in the urban extension)
	Early years and childcare facilities
	Either new secondary school site (on a precautionary basis); and/or expansion of existing secondary school provision at nearby schools
East Growth Area	University of Essex expansion
General	Facilities to support 2012 Olympics
	7 new health centres
	6 forms of secondary school capacity
	6 new primary schools
	New and improved community halls
	Extra pre-school, primary, and secondary school provision (including new schools where appropriate).

*refer to policy TA3 & TA4 for transport infrastructure and policy PR2 for open space.

Explanation
Community facilities are an essential element of sustainable communities providing for education, child care, health, culture, recreation, religion and policing (see Glossary). Policy PR2 also makes provision for open space and recreation facilities.

The Council needs to deliver a comprehensive range of high quality and accessible community facilities to meet the needs of new and existing communities in Colchester. Community projects, such as the Community Stadium and Firstsite (Community arts facility), have regional and national significance and are identified in the Sustainable Community Strategy. Local facilities such as schools and health centres also need to be delivered to support new and existing communities. Table SD3 sets out key community facilities to be delivered in Colchester during the plan period, additional facilities will also be delivered as part of new developments and to meet existing deficiencies.

The Borough Council will safeguard existing facilities and will work with partners including the local community to bring together funding from a variety of public and private sources to deliver new community facilities.  Development proposals will be required to review community needs (e.g. Health Impact Assessment) and provide community facilities to meet the needs of the new population and mitigate impacts on existing communities.

5.2 Centres and Employment Policies

Table CE1a – Centres and Employment Classification and Hierarchy

Centres Classification and Hierarchy

*Boundaries to be defined in Adopted Proposal Maps (Site Allocations DPD)

Employment Classification

Employment Zone Type		Indicative Location*
Employment Zones (Policy CE3)	Strategic Employment Zones	North Colchester Stanway University Research Park
	Local Employment Zones	Specific sites to be identified in Adopted Proposal Maps (Site Allocations DPD)

*Boundaries to be defined in Adopted Proposal Maps (Site Allocations DPD)

In accordance with PPS6 the historic town centre core will be the primary location for retail, office, leisure and entertainment uses. The sequential approach will be applied and retail uses will then be directed to the sites in the town centre fringe (within 300 metres of the town centre core). Sites within 500 metres or those well connected with good pedestrian access to the Urban Gateways will also be considered suitable for office and mixed use development.

Table CE1b – Appropriate Land Uses

Table CE1c – Indicative Employment Delivery 2006 to 2021

Explanation
Providing jobs for Colchester’s growing community is a central objective of the Core Strategy. The East of England Plan set a target of approximately 14,200 jobs, although many jobs have already been created since 2001. The Council cannot deliver the additional employment directly, but it can protect existing employment, stimulate new employment developments, and accommodate new developments at the most suitable locations.  

The Council commissioned studies of projected growth in retail, business and employment, and used this evidence to plan and facilitate future economic development and employment delivery in Colchester.  During the 2006 to 2021 period, Colchester will need to accommodate the following development:

• 67,000sqm (net) of retail floorspace, predominantly in the Town Centre (Retail Study 2007)
• 106,000sqm (gross) of office floorspace (Use Class B1), predominantly in the Town Centre and the Strategic Employment Zones. (Employment Land Study 2007)
• 45,000sqm (gross) of business floorspace (excluding B1), predominantly in the Strategic Employment Zones (Employment Land Study 2007)

Development of Colchester as a regional centre includes the enhancement of its visitor facilities, which also serve as a source of local employment.  A study of hotel provision in Colchester found demand for 270-390 hotel bed rooms between 2006 and 2015 to serve the leisure and business travel market in Colchester. 

Promoting regeneration, higher densities and mixed use developments in existing Centres will build additional capacity to accommodate employment and economic growth at sustainable locations. Strategic Employment Zones will also be enhanced to improve access to strategic roads, capacity for new development and the quality of the built environment.

The Hierarchy for mixed use Centres and Employment Zones complements the Settlement Hierarchy to help guide both housing and employment development. The Centres and Employment Hierarchy directs employment development towards the most sustainable location within the Borough and within Colchester Town.

Centres provide highly accessible locations that can support a wide mix of land uses. The Town Centre and Urban Gateways are well connected by public transport to the rest of the Borough and the Region.  Neighbourhood Centres and Local Shops are easily accessible within local neighbourhoods. Land uses that are suited to accessible and mixed use locations, such as shops, services and offices, should be located within Centres.

Employment Zones are located at the fringe of urban areas and are supported by strategic road infrastructure. Employment Zones will accommodate business developments that are less compatible with mixed use areas, such as warehousing and industry.

Table CE1b outlines the land uses that are suited to Centres and Employment Zones. Primary land uses are generally encouraged, whilst secondary land uses may be supported depending on the circumstances.

Explanation
Colchester’s Town Centre incorporates the Town Centre core within the historic wall, as well as surrounding fringe areas and the key rail station gateways. These areas can be accessed from the Borough and the Region by a range of transport modes and can support a wide range of uses. Other Centres, such as Tiptree Town Centre and Highwoods, are moderately accessible and serve a district catchment. Smaller centres provide predominantly for the local community.

Centres provide the surrounding community with shops, community facilities, employment, recreation and urban living opportunities. Mixed use development in Centres can increase the capacity for housing in accessible locations, which can also improve the viability of delivering new employment floor space. It is important to manage the right mix of uses over time to maintain a vibrant and successful Centre.

The Council will need to promote and facilitate new retailing and office development in the Town Centre to provide for the economic growth of Colchester at the most sustainable and accessible location. The regeneration of key locations, such as St Botolphs and North Station, will help deliver new retail and employment floorspace and reduce the pressure for out-of-centre development at less sustainable locations.  The Retail Study carried out for north-east Essex identifies the important role Colchester plays as a Sub-regional retail centre whose catchment area includes adjacent districts. Further retail expansion will be required in the Town Centre for it to maintain its competitiveness.

Increasing the mix of compatible uses in Colchester’s historic core will also provide a more robust economic environment and will stimulate a greater diversity of evening activities. The Town Centre core will therefore attract people of various ages and interests at different times of the day and night, and when combined with effective Town Centre management policies, will improve safety and inclusiveness.

There are a number of large format retail centres around the Town Centre and Colchester Town, including Tollgate and Turner Rise. These centres comprise large supermarkets, bulky goods retail, and large surface parking areas that could provide space for intensification. Expanding the retail components significantly could undermine the viability of the Town Centre, however it is important to increase the mix of uses and improve the public realm in these centres. These Urban District Centres need to improve the provision of community facilities, office floorspace or housing, as well as enhancing the quality of the public realm and the townscape.

Rural District Centres provide a mix of uses to serve the local residents and the surrounding countryside. The Council is seeking to enhance this important role to protect local businesses and provide services to the community.

Local Centres also play an important role in meeting the needs of local residents in a sustainable way. Accordingly the Council will seek to enhance the viability of Local Centres and protect them from inappropriate development.

Explanation
The Employment Zones provide good locations for industry, warehousing and businesses because they are well located in relation to transport infrastructure and minimise impacts on other land uses. Colchester Borough has sufficient employment land to accommodate future business growth, including over 35ha of land available in the Strategic Employment Zones at North Colchester and Stanway.

Employment studies have identified a need to improve the quality of available premises and land in Colchester to meet the needs of modern businesses. The Council is therefore seeking to upgrade the quality of the Strategic Employment Zones by improving the transport infrastructure and services as follows:

• The North Colchester SEZ will be enhanced by the new A12 junction and North Transit Corridor.
• The Stanway SEZ will be improved through the delivery of the Western Bypass.
• The University Research Park will be supported through the East Transit Corridor and improvements to Hythe Station.

New industry, warehousing and businesses will therefore be encouraged to locate at the Strategic Employment Zones, which offer the best road infrastructure and capacity for development. Local Employment Zones will also be maintained to support small to medium scale enterprises, rural businesses and local employment delivery. 

Offices and retail developments are less suited to Employment Zones and should be directed towards Mixed Use Centres that provide employees and customers with sustainable transport links and easy access to a range of services. The Borough Council has already supported outline proposals for over 110,000sqm of B1 floor space within the Strategic Employment Zones. The realisation of these existing commitments is supported; however future office development proposals should be directed towards the Town Centre and Urban Gateways in accordance with the sequential approach (see Policy CE2 and PPS6).

5.3 Housing Policies

Table H1a - Colchester’s Housing Provision

* LDF will provide housing with capacity beyond 2021 to ensure a 15 year supply in accordance with PPS3. The figures shown are intended as minimum numbers. The dates shown are subject to change should monitoring prove this is necessary.

Table H1b – Estimated Housing Delivery and PDL Trajectories

Explanation
Colchester needs to make a minimum provision of 17,100 homes between 2001 and 2021 in accordance with the East of England Plan. Overall, this involves a minimum provision of 830 dwellings per year between 2006 and 2021. National Planning Policy also requires the Borough Council to plan for at least 1,710 additional homes between 2021 and 2023.

The majority of this housing is already accounted for by previous Local Plan allocations, housing completions and planning permissions. Colchester has already delivered 4630 new homes between 2001 and 2006 at an average rate of 930 dwellings per year. In 2006, there were outstanding permissions for over 8000 additional homes. Colchester’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment also identified additional capacity within developed areas to accommodate most of the required housing.

National planning policy requires the Core Strategy and Local Development Framework to ensure that the minimum housing requirement can be delivered with confidence. It is therefore necessary to identify broad locations for new housing to supplement the existing completions, permission and allocations.

The majority of housing will be located on previously developed land, to stimulate regeneration, improve accessibility and protect the countryside. It is projected that over 80% of this housing delivery will occur on previously developed land. In 2006 there was planning permission for over 8,000 homes and 95% of these were on previously developed land. Therefore, housing delivery on PDL is expected to be quite high in the earlier parts of the plan period. As brownfield sites are redeveloped, the proportion of greenfield development will increase towards the end of the plan period.

Broad locations for greenfield land releases have been identified to the north and south-west of Colchester Town, based on the findings of the Sustainability Appraisal. The timing and delivery of the greenfield sites will be kept under review and brought forward if necessary. The achievement of zero carbon development is expected to be in accordance with national planning policy requirements in place at that time. Development at these greenfield locations will be guided by the Site Allocations DPD and supported by Area Action Plans, Supplementary Planning Documents or through master planning. The appropriate method to be determined by the Council and coordinated with the delivery of key transport connections. Overall, the Sustainability Appraisal determined that these locations were considered to be more sustainable than alternate locations for the following reasons:

• They provide good access to the Town Centre and community facilities.
• They provide good access to public transport interchanges and the strategic road network.
• They are not designated as environmental conservation areas or identified as areas of landscape importance.
• They provide sufficient capacity to establish new sustainable communities.
• They will help deliver infrastructure and facilities that will support nearby regeneration areas.

Explanation
The density of housing development can have significant implications for sustainability, local character, travel behaviour, development land take, and residential amenity.

Housing development will be focused on the most accessible locations to reduce the need to travel, promote regeneration and protect greenfield land. Higher density developments can accommodate more people at locations with good access to employment, shops and education, and allow residents to easily access their needs by walking, cycling and public transport. This in turn supports the provision of local business, services and infrastructure. However, high density development that is poorly located or poorly designed can have adverse impacts on the local community, built character, traffic and sustainability. High density developments need to have regard to biodiversity and open spaces provided within urban areas and on brownfield sites.

Densities therefore need to be moderated at less accessible locations and to reflect local character. The provision of open space, parking and a mix of housing will also have moderating affect on densities. Areas with lesser access to centres and public transport, such as villages and outer-suburbs are suited to lower densities.

Explanation
All housing developments in Colchester should be inclusive and accommodate a diverse range of households and housing need to create mixed communities. Housing developments must provide a range of housing types that can accommodate a range of different households, including families, single persons, older persons and low income households.

There is an important relationship between housing diversity, density and the accessibility of the location. Town Centre locations, for example, are highly accessible and can support high density flats, but they also need to accommodate a range of household sizes. Suburban locations have moderate access and should accommodate a range of housing types and household sizes. Rural locations have low accessibility and will suit low density development, but should also still provide for small and low income households.

In 2011, the average household size was 2.33 persons.  Approximately 29% were single person households, roughly 36% were 2 person households, and another 29% of households had dependent children. In 2021, the average household size is projected to shrink to around 2.31 persons, and single person households are likely to grow to about 35% of the total.

In 2001, flats and maisonettes represented about 15% of total housing stock and probably occupied less than 5% of housing land. Between 2000 and 2006, about 31% of new dwellings constructed were flats and maisonettes, whilst 69% were houses or bungalows. In 2006, flats and maisonettes represented about 17% of total housing stock. Although more flats and maisonettes have been constructed in recent years the overall proportion is still relatively low.

Housing Delivery

During the same period, houses with 3 or more bedrooms represented 57% of total completions, whilst 2 bedroom houses represented only 12%. Given that the average price for a 4 bed house was over £300,000 in 2006, there is concern that the mix of housing is not reflecting community need. 

All housing developments therefore need to provide a more balanced range of housing types to reflect identified community need. The mix of housing should reflect the housing needs of the community, and therefore higher density developments in the urbanised areas still need to provide accommodation suitable to families and larger households, and low density developments in villages still need to provide housing for small and low income households. 

Explanation
The need for affordable housing is high in Colchester, as it is elsewhere in the Eastern region.

The Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2007 (SHMA) identified that the average house price in Colchester was approximately £200,000 in 2006, whilst the gross (median) household income was only £23,874. The SHMA observes that few households aspiring to home ownership have access to enough money to purchase a home in Colchester. The SHMA identified a need for 1,104 affordable homes per year.

Affordable housing requirements must be balanced with other requirements for transport infrastructure, community facilities, open space and sustainable construction. The viability of housing delivery also needs to be maintained, particularly in regeneration areas.

As identified in the Affordable Housing Viability Report it is considered that a 20% target maintains a balance between essential housing need and viability. Where 20% is not considered to be viable, applicants will need to submit information on viability as set forth in the Affordable Housing SPD.  The Council will expect developers to meet the Council’s reasonable costs associated with viability appraisals in instances where the level of affordable housing is disputed. A target of 20% will optimise affordable housing delivery on greenfield land whilst facilitating the regeneration of rundown areas.
In instances where the provision of affordable housing is supported by the delivery of some open market units on a rural exception site, it will be essential to ensure that the number of open market units never dominates a particular scheme.  In determining the number of open market units required to facilitate the delivery of affordable units, the Council will expect applicants to demonstrate viability calculations starting with 100% affordable housing.  The same calculations should then be applied with the introduction of one open market unit at a time until a point is reached where the delivery of the rural exception site becomes viable.  The number of open market units on a rural exception site should be less than the number of affordable units delivered.

Explanation
The Borough Council will seek to provide appropriate sites to meet the needs of the gypsies, travellers and travelling showpeople in the Borough. These sites need to provide gypsy and traveller communities with good access to community facilities, employment and shopping. Additional sites will be identified as necessary through the Site Allocations process.

Following the Government’s publication of Planning Policy for Traveller Sites in March 2012, the Essex Planning Officers’ Association (EPOA) has commissioned, on behalf of all Essex local planning authorities, a new Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) for the period 2013-2033.  This new assessment is anticipated to be completed in the Autumn of 2013 and will provide an up-to-date evidence base to inform a Full Review of Colchester Borough Council’s adopted development plans.

In advance of the adoption of a new Local Plan, the Council will be able to use national guidance to guide the determination of planning applications for gypsy and traveller accommodation.

Explanation
The NPPF states that one of the few circumstances where a new dwelling within the countryside may be justified is when accommodation is required to enable agricultural or rural workers to live at or in the immediate vicinity of their place of work. While Colchester Council’s preference is  for such workers to live in nearby towns or villages, or suitable existing dwellings to avoid new and potentially intrusive development in the countryside, it acknowledges that there will be some instances where the nature and demands of certain rural businesses will make it essential for one or more people engaged in the enterprise to live at, or very close to, their place of work.

Such a need however must be essential to the successful operation of the rural business. Any proposal for a new agricultural/rural workers dwelling will be expected to satisfy all the criteria set out in Policy H6. 

The need for a rural workers dwelling could be generated by a range of traditional rural land activities such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, rural estate management, certain equestrian businesses and horticulture.

Applications will be subject to a functions test to establish whether it is essential for the proper functioning of the business enterprise for one or more workers to be readily available. Such a requirement might arise where a worker or workers need to be available round the clock to respond to situations where livestock/animals or agricultural processes require essential care at short notice or emergencies that could otherwise cause a serious loss of crops or products e.g. by frost or failure of automatic systems.

Given the restrictions on the delivery of new dwellings in the countryside, the scale and design of any proposals for rural workers’ dwellings should reflect their countryside location and their function as housing for a rural worker.

While many people work in rural areas e.g. in offices, schools, workshops, garages and garden centres, it is unlikely that they will have an essential need to live permanently at or near their place of work. Being employed in a rural location is not considered sufficient justification to qualify as a rural worker with an essential housing need.

Changes in the scale and character of agricultural and forestry businesses have the potential to affect the longer-term requirement for dwellings in the countryside particularly where these had an “agricultural worker occupancy” condition attached when planning permission was granted. In such cases, the Borough Council recognises that it would fulfil no purpose to keep such dwellings vacant, or that existing occupiers should be obliged to remain in occupation simply by virtue of a planning condition that has outlived its usefulness. Nevertheless, the Borough Council will expect applications for the removal of an occupancy condition to demonstrate convincingly that there is no long-term need for an agricultural dwelling in the locality. Such dwellings could be used by other agricultural and rural workers seeking accommodation within the wider surrounding area, therefore it will need to be demonstrated to the Borough Council that the dwelling tied to an occupancy condition has been effectively marketed to likely interested parties in the area concerned, and that no genuine interest has been shown regarding the purchase or rental of the dwelling for a rural worker with an essential need to live in the local community.

5.4 Urban Renaissance Policies

Table UR1: Regeneration Areas

Regeneration Area	Key Projects
St. Botolphs	Firstsite Building (community arts facility) Cultural Quarter Magistrates court New bus station Vineyard Gate (35,000sqm of net retail floor space) New pedestrian/cycle bridge
North Station	Regenerate the North Station Gateway New bus interchange Deliver 40,000sqm of new office development North Transit Corridor North-south capacity improvements (A133/A134)
East Colchester	Regenerate the former commercial port into a mixed use community (over 2,600 homes) University Research Park (36,000sqm of office floorspace) University of Essex expansion East Transit Corridor Improvements to Hythe Station New pedestrian/cycle bridge
North Colchester	Community stadium Development of strategic employment zone. Regenerate the former Severalls Hospital New schools and expansion of existing school provision. North Transit Corridor Park and Ride New A12 junction
Garrison	A new Garrison to secure the future of the Army and 5,000 jobs in Colchester Regeneration of former garrison into urban village (3000 homes) Improved access to the Town Centre

Explanation
The Council has identified five regeneration areas in Colchester on the basis of their redevelopment potential, economic and social need, proximity to the Town Centre and sustainable transport links. North Station is identified as a new regeneration area, in addition to the other four areas that are already being developed. Regeneration of these areas is a key element of the development of Colchester as a prestigious regional centre; attractive to new investment, visitors, and its own residents.  The regeneration of these areas is important to revitalise rundown areas and create quality new communities at sustainable locations. However, these areas also involve challenges that need to be addressed, including flooding, contaminated land, traffic congestion and open space. Each of the five areas presents unique challenges and opportunities (see Table UR1), which will be addressed through area specific master plans and development briefs.

The four established regeneration areas have progressed successfully to date, however a lot of work still needs to be done during the plan period. The major regeneration projects already envisaged for these regeneration areas, including Firstsite and the Community Stadium, have been significantly advanced and should be completed by the end of the plan period.  The Core Strategy also seeks to improve interconnectivity between the regeneration areas and the Town Centre.  The North and East Transit Corridors will support the North Colchester and East Colchester Regeneration Areas respectively. Improvements to public transport interchanges/gateways and road improvements in the Stanway area also support the regeneration areas.

The North Station / Cowdray Avenue area is a major gateway to Colchester and is highly accessible by a range of transport modes. The train station offers links to the borough, region and London, whilst the North Transit Corridor will provide easy access to the Town Centre, North Colchester and Park and Ride. Private car access will also be accommodated, via the new A12 junction and the Northern Approaches. This area also contains a range of sites with significant redevelopment potential (e.g. North Station and Cowdray Centre). The Council will manage the regeneration of the North Station Area to deliver:

• An attractive gateway to business, tourists, commuters and residents
• New office and mixed use development at central locations
• Key transport connections between Town Centre and North Colchester.

Explanation
Good quality design ensures attractive and functional places, which can have substantial benefits for the development itself, the residents, the environment and the surrounding community.

Poorly designed developments create unattractive buildings and places. They can reduce the perception of safety, discourage recycling, increase energy consumption and promote unsustainable travel. Developments with low quality design will not be accepted in Colchester.

Quality design will create attractive places for the people of Colchester to live, work and play. Development briefs for sites where significant development is proposed should be informed by national guidance in PPGs 15 and 16 as well as by the Townscape Character Assessment and Historic Environment Characterisation Study work. A well designed development should provide features such as (not exclusive):

• Active and attractive street frontages
• Building design that optimises sunlight
• Passive surveillance of public spaces
• Architecture that is both innovative and sympathetic to local character
• Adaptable commercial spaces
• Green spaces for active recreation
• Convenient storage for waste and recycling

Colchester’s historic buildings and features are one of its most valuable assets. The protection and enhancement of these assets is an essential element in the development of Colchester as a prestigious regional centre. The quality of Colchester’s townscape relates to the pattern of streets, spaces and buildings and how these relate to land form. New development can help enhance these important assets, by redeveloping unattractive buildings, introducing appropriate contemporary design elements, and funding improvements to the local public realm.

5.5 Public Realm Policies

Table PR1 – Open Space and Recreation Facilities

Growth Areas	New Facilities
Town Centre	Historic core / High St improvements Berryfield Park Vineyard Gate Square St Botolphs Square
North Growth Area	Community Stadium Strategic public open spaces Sport, recreation and youth facilities Allotments
East Growth Area	Strategic public open spaces Sport and recreation facilities (Essex University)
South Growth Area	Strategic public open spaces Sport and recreation facilities
Stanway Growth Area	Strategic public open spaces Youth recreation facilities Allotments
General	Coordination Facilities to support 2012 Olympics Green links Sports pitches (Tiptree) Youth facilities (Wivenhoe) Allotments (West Mersea & Tiptree) Cemetery expansion (Berechurch) New public open spaces (St John’s Wood)

Explanation
Existing open spaces, sports facilities and green link networks provide the people of Colchester with opportunities for passive and active recreation and encourage healthy and active lifestyles. It is important that all residents have access to open space within walking distance of their home.

Strategic green links provide valuable corridors for the movement of people. The green spaces along the Colne River, for example, connect the town centre, suburbs, countryside, villages and the coast. These corridors provide alternative means for people making journeys into and across Colchester. The Council will therefore seek to protect and enhance these important links. The boundaries of strategic green links will be identified in the Site Allocations DPD.

The Council has undertaken an Open Space Study in accordance with PPG17 to identify areas with deficiencies of open space and recreational facilities. Development will be required to make contributions towards meeting these deficiencies in accordance with Council’s adopted SPD for Open Space, Sport and Recreation. This guidance document sets specific targets to guide the provision of different types of open space / recreation facilities across the borough. The Appropriate Assessment also identified the need for this open space provision to alleviate the growing recreational pressures on Natura 2000 sites. Impacts on these sites will also need to be monitored and further site management measures will be employed by the Council as necessary.

All housing developments, including higher density development, should provide new residents with access to private and/or communal open space, in addition to public open space requirements. At least 25sqm per dwelling of private/communal open space will be sought for flats and maisonettes, whilst houses should provide larger private garden. Higher density schemes will be encouraged to utilise innovative design solutions to provide open space on difficult sites.

Explanation
Streets are much more than traffic arteries and have a wide range of functions as key features of the public realm.  Street environments need to be managed as ‘shared spaces’, so that excessive traffic does not suppress other important street activities such as shopping, walking, playing, relaxing and gathering. 

Best practice, as reflected in the Government’s Manual for Streets, is increasingly moving away from strictly demarcated spaces for pedestrians and vehicles to design solutions that involve sharing public spaces.  The removal of barriers and fences, combined with traffic calming measures has the effect of improving the attractiveness of the overall urban environment as well as managing speed and safety.

Guidance from CABE recommends that development plans include specific strategies to improve and maintain streetscapes. The Urban Place Supplement and Towards Better Street Design provide detailed guidance on the integration of streets, green spaces and the built environment to create attractive, inviting and well-maintained environments.  This includes the use of context appraisal to establish levels of provision, the character of the area, an analysis of movement patterns and the potential to create new routes and improve existing conditions.  Consistent standards of design for both public and private streets are required to avoid problems with parking and access for emergency, refuse and other large vehicles.

5.6 Transport and Accessibility Policies

Explanation
The Council will in partnership with ECC prepare a comprehensive transport strategy for Colchester to supplement the Core Strategy. This transport strategy will accord with the Regional Transport Strategy and Local Transport Plan and seek to implement the core transport policies for transport (TA1 –TA5) in order to improve accessibility and sustainable travel behaviour.

Good accessibility means that the community can access their needs (e.g. shopping, schools, employment) easily and without always needing a car. Accessibility can be improved by locating development at accessible locations and improving public transport, walking and cycling facilities and services. Providing good accessibility can change travel behaviour towards more sustainable modes, however travel planning, education and demand management are essential elements of the overall transport strategy. It is a priority for the Local Strategic Partnership to change travel behaviour through Travel Planning.

Improving accessibility and reducing car dependence helps to improve equality, reduce congestion, and respond to the challenges of climate change and environmental sustainability. It also helps to promote an active and healthy population in accordance with the aims of Policy PR1.

Explanation
Walking and cycling are essential and highly sustainable means of transport which also support a healthy lifestyle. Census data shows that 65% of people who live within Colchester town work within the town. The majority of Colchester residents live within 5 kilometres of the Town Centre and therefore walking and cycling has great potential in a town of this size. At present, only 14% of people walk or cycle to work in Colchester. Unfortunately, walking or cycling to the Town Centre is not attractive, because major roads (e.g. Southway) and roundabouts act as barriers to pedestrians and cyclists.

Walking is part of almost every trip, and people are less likely to walk to a local shop or bus stop if the pedestrian environment is poor or appears threatening. Unfortunately some roads and junctions have been designed to place walking and cycling as subordinate to the free flow of traffic. The subways to the town centre, for example, are often indirect, unattractive, and perceived to be unsafe.

Improvements to walking and cycling will be targeted on the Town Centre, (see table TA3), the river corridor and regeneration areas. All new developments will need to provide quality walking and cycling facilities and will need to contribute towards improvements in the surrounding community as appropriate.

Walking and cycling are particularly important in Centres, where there are many people shopping, working, living and playing in close proximity. Centres can accommodate very large numbers of walkers and cyclists, without the congestion, noise and pollution problems that can be created by a relatively small number of motor vehicles.

The Core Strategy therefore seeks to make significant improvements to walking and cycling in the Town Centre, including a bridge across Southway and improvements to the High Street. The Council seeks to enhance the pedestrian environment and reduce traffic on the High Street. The river corridor also provides a good opportunity for improved walking and cycling between the Town Centre, the suburbs and the countryside.

Table TA3 – Key Sustainable Transport Projects - Walking, Cycling and Public Transport Projects

Growth Areas	New Transport Infrastructure
Town Centre	Historic Town Centre Improvements New Bus station Southway Pedestrian cycle bridge Colchester North Rail Station  improvements Colchester Town Rail Station Improvements
North Growth Area	North Transit Corridor North Park and Ride
East Growth Area	Hythe Rail Station improvements East Transit Corridor Colne River Pedestrian Cycle Bridge
South Growth Area	Improved walk / cycle links to Town Centre
Stanway Growth Area	Improved bus links
General	Colchester to Clacton resignalling Quality Bus Partnerships and Public Transport Improvements Green Links and Walking and Cycling improvements

NB Transport schemes are listed in the area they are located, but will provide benefit to other areas

Explanation
At present, 13% of residents travel to work by public transport. Providing a quality public transport network that offers a genuinely attractive alternative to the car is vital for the sustainability of Colchester.  Accordingly, the Council is seeking to deliver a range of key improvements to public transport infrastructure and services in the borough.  Transit corridors that prioritise public transport over general traffic will attract people towards more sustainable travel, and keep Colchester moving. Park and Ride facilities that offer easy access to Town via Transit corridors will also help reduce congestion.  

The Council is also seeking to deliver improvements to transport interchanges and gateways as part of making Colchester a prestigious regional centre. At present there are over 4 million passenger movements at Colchester’s railway stations each year. The new bus station and improvements to Hythe Station, North Station and Town Station will encourage sustainable travel behaviour and stimulate regeneration of the surrounding areas. Improvements to the Historic Town Centre (including the High Street) will improve bus journey time reliability and circulation in the town centre. Enhancing transport interchanges will also present more attractive gateways to business, tourists, commuters and local residents.

Table TA4: Road Network Improvements

Growth Areas	New Transport Infrastructure
Town Centre	Historic Town Centre  improvements A133 Central Corridor (Stage 1 & 2)  North-South Capacity Improvements (A133/A134)
North Growth Area	New A12 junction 28 Northern Approaches phase 3
Stanway Growth Area	Stanway road improvements
General	A120 Braintree to A12 A12 Junction and Capacity improvements A12 Route Management Strategy projects

NB Transport schemes are listed in the area they are located, but will provide benefit to other areas

Explanation
The private motor car will continue to be a major mode of transportation throughout the plan period. At present 63% of trips to work are made by car and overall traffic is forecast to grow significantly over the next 15 years. This growth needs to be managed to promote a high quality of life, economic growth, a sustainable environment and the development of Colchester as a prestigious regional centre. Accordingly, necessary car trips will be facilitated to dispersed destinations and along strategic roads, however car travel demand needs to be more carefully managed in urban areas through the use of alternatives and new technologies.

At present deficiencies in the road network inhibit necessary car travel and public transport. In particular access to strategic roads from Colchester Town is limited, resulting in unnecessary trips and exacerbating congestion. The A12 junction, for example, will reduce traffic and freight impacts in urban areas and will also facilitate Park and Ride, keeping the ‘right vehicles on the right roads’.

Development provides opportunities to make significant improvements to the road network. Developments must therefore provide for the travel needs of new residents and businesses, as well as facilitating improvements to the broader network.

New developments and roads need to be designed carefully to balance the needs of motorists with, pedestrians, cyclists, bus users, local residents, businesses and the environment. Within urban areas, particularly busy centres, the growing levels of car use and congestion are having a negative impact on all.  Historically, some roads and junctions in Colchester have been designed for cars, yet discourage sustainable travel. Combining demand management of car traffic with improvements to sustainable alternatives and improved street design can greatly benefit the local community, businesses and the environment.

Road freight and servicing will be facilitated where appropriate to promote economic and employment growth. Support will be given for improvements to strategic (road and rail) routes to accommodate growth of freight from the Haven Gateway Container Ports at Felixstowe and Bathside Bay.

Explanation
At present there are 3400 short stay and 700 long stay public car parking spaces in the Town Centre, plus a greater number of private non-residential parking spaces. Managing and limiting car traffic and parking in centres can have significant benefits for sustainable transport, the local community and the environment. Managing the supply of car parking is an important tool for managing traffic congestion. Reducing long stay car parking in the Town Centre would reduce traffic congestion in Colchester and encourage commuters to utilise sustainable alternatives, including Park & Ride. Currently there is one Lorry Park in Colchester Town Centre. Provision of freight servicing facilities in the right place can help keep the “right vehicles on the right roads”.

There are some large areas of surface car parking in Colchester that are unattractive, exacerbate traffic, and make inefficient use of land. Redeveloping surface car parking to provide more shopping, employment, housing, and community facilities at these accessible locations can regenerate important parts of Colchester. The necessary parking can still be accommodated under ground, under deck and behind building frontages.

The Council has influence over the provision of public car parking through the management and pricing structure of its car parks and through working with the operator of alternative car parks. However there are also a large number of private non-residential parking spaces in the town centre. The provision of these spaces encourages traffic to enter the Town Centre, where perhaps the journey could be made by alternative modes. Users of these car parks could benefit from company travel plans where all aspects of staff and visitor travel is explored.

Car parking should be minimised in accessible locations where high quality alternatives are available. Car free and low car development will be supported in the Town Centre, in coordination with public transport improvements. Car clubs provide another alternative that can help reduce car parking. Members of the Car club will have access to a car for their journeys where alternatives are not an option. Cars supplied to members of the scheme would have priority parking spaces to help make the scheme attractive.

5.7 Environment and Rural Communities Policies

Explanation
Colchester’s countryside and coastline is extremely diverse and important in terms of its natural environment, biodiversity, landscape character, archaeology and cultural heritage. The countryside provides the attractive landscape setting that defines and characterises the villages and rural communities of Colchester Borough. The countryside and coastal areas also provide important agricultural, tourism and recreational opportunities that support local economies and communities. The Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty extends into the northern part of the Borough and has the highest status of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty.

This policy reflects Government Guidance (for example PPS7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas, PPS9: Biodiversity and Geological Conservation, PPG15: Planning and the Historic Environment, PPG16: Archaeology and Planning and PPS25: Development and Flood Risk).

The Council has statutory obligations under the Habitats Directive to protect important habitats and species designated as Natura 2000 sites. This policy aims to protect the undeveloped areas of the Colne Estuary and coast and support regeneration that enhances the river’s recreation and nature conservation values.

The Coastal Protection Belt is a county-wide designation that protects the sensitive character of the undeveloped coastline which could be harmed by development that might otherwise be acceptable in a countryside area. 

The green infrastructure network of open spaces and links is important in providing alternative areas of accessible natural green space to alleviate pressure on Natura 2000 sites as well as contributing to the landscape character of Colchester Borough.  The LDF will make a major contribution towards achieving the objectives of the Essex Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).

A major threat to these low lying coastal and estuary areas is rising sea levels as a result of climate change. This will be addressed through increasing the network of green corridors and sites to aid the dispersal of species that will need to move as climate change renders their existing habitat unsuitable. Climate change will also be addressed by accommodating future flood waters without harm to the built environment.

The risk from flooding to property and people will be minimised by applying the sequential test in accordance with PPS25. New developments will be directed away from areas at risk from fluvial and coastal flooding, as identified in the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA). Where development occurs in areas with a known flood risk, practical and safe mitigation measures will need to be adopted to alleviate risk to people and property.

The policy aims to control development outside settlement boundaries to protect open stretches of countryside around and between existing settlements to prevent coalescence and retain settlement identity.The Landscape Character Assessment will inform the detailed application of the relevant policy criteria.

The historic environment will be protected across the Borough with reference to studies including the Townscape Character Assessment, the Urban Archaeological Database and the emerging Historic Environment Characterisation Study.

Detailed policies concerning the control of development, encouragement towards enhancement and design matters will be contained in the Development Policies DPD. The boundaries of specific areas, such as the Coastal Protection Belt will be identified in the Site Allocations DPD and shown on the Proposals Map.

Explanation
Rural communities in Colchester comprise the villages identified in the Settlement Hierarchy (SD1 Appendix B). 

National evidence indicates that villages in the catchment area of larger towns struggle to retain facilities, even when more housing is built. Colchester Town is the main provider of shopping, services, employment, and community facilities for the Borough as a whole.  Elsewhere in the Borough, only Wivenhoe, Tiptree and West Mersea provide a sufficient level of shops, services and employment to maintain a reasonable level of self containment. In general, rural communities do not provide sufficient shops, services and facilities to support significant growth.

Within rural communities, appropriate development that optimises the sustainability of villages by increasing rural employment opportunities, and by contributing towards community facilities, open space will be supported. Affordable housing will also be supported on rural exception sites where supported by a Local Housing Needs Assessment. The Council is also seeking to sustain and enhance local employment and rural enterprises.

Neighbourhood Plans which were introduced through the Localism Act in 2011, will be adopted as part of the Development Plan for Colchester, if they pass a referendum, while Village Design Statements and Parish Plans will continue to be adopted as planning guidance.

5.8 Energy, Resources, Waste, Water and Recycling

Explanation 
Sustainable Development is at the heart of the Local Development Framework, and the Council is seeking to create communities that use natural resources sustainably, and minimise waste. Developments that are sustainably designed and constructed can (not exclusive):

• provide local renewable energy sources
• use less energy
• minimise heat loss
• use less water
• optimise natural light
• facilitate better recycling
• provide sustainable urban drainage systems
• use recycled construction materials

New developments need to help address the challenges of climate change and sustainability, and therefore contribute positively towards the future of Colchester. National policy seeks to achieve zero carbon homes by 2016 with a progressive tightening of the energy efficiency building regulations in 2010 (25%), 2013 (44%) and 2016 (zero carbon).The delivery of zero carbon homes from 2016 will reduce Colchester’s greenhouse gas emissions and help stimulate a sustainable economy. The initial targets of a 3 star Code rating and a ‘Very Good’ BREEAM rating are cost effective and achievable. As the development costs of sustainable homes and buildings are reduced by economies of scale, improved knowledge and technology, the cost of delivering higher standards will also become achievable.

The Water Cycle Study assesses the impact of planned Haven Gateway growth on the area’s water resources to ensure its sustainable management. In recognition of the increasing demand for water the Council will encourage developments that incorporate water saving measures, in line with the Code for Sustainable Homes, to help conserve the Borough’s water resource.

As part of the Council’s Community Strategy commitment to reduce its carbon footprint, the Council will promote the delivery of renewable energy and low carbon technology in the Borough, including micro-generation. Developments will be encouraged to incorporate on-site or local renewable/LCT energy to supply part of their energy demand.  Stand alone renewable energy projects that are sympathetic to landscape character and local amenity will also be supported.

The Sustainable Construction SPD provides developers and the broader community with guidance on renewable energy technology and sustainable construction issues to support the implementation of this policy.

The Council also seeks to achieve its aspirational target of 60% recycling of household waste by 2021. At present approximately 31% of household waste is being recycled. The Council will be improving services and information to increase our recycling over the plan period. Development will support this by providing better recycling facilities.

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