1.1 This Plan is the second section of a two part Local Plan for Colchester, which is a diverse and growing borough, with a vibrant town centre, attractive villages and important natural landscapes. Over the next 15 years the Borough will face many challenges, such as population growth and change, evolving economic trends and the need for more sustainable transportation. The Local Plan addresses these challenges to meet the needs of current and future generations whilst also protecting and enhancing the environment and people’s quality of life.
1.2 The Local Plan sets out a vision, strategy, objectives and policies for planning and delivery across the Borough. It is in 2 Sections (contained in separate documents) with Section 1 providing a shared strategic policy context and addressing cross boundary matters for North Essex together with Braintree and Tendring Councils. The North Essex Authorities’ Shared Strategic Section 1 Plan comprises the Section 1 of the Colchester Local Plan. This was adopted by Colchester Borough Council on 2 February 2021.
1.3 The second part of the Plan is set out in this document comprising The Colchester Local Plan Section 2 which provides the policy framework, site allocations and development management policies for the Borough up to 2033. This was adopted by Colchester Borough Council in July 2022.
1.4 Taken together, these two sections of the Plan combine to provide a spatial framework that brings together and co-ordinates a range of strategies prepared by the Council, its partners and other agencies and authorities. It includes policies for deciding development proposals. It takes account of projected changes in the economy, employment, housing need, transport demand, and seeks to maintain the quality of the natural and built environment as well as its historic environment. It provides the strategy and policies for shaping the Borough until 2033 and beyond.
1.5 The production of the Local Plan represents years of work, starting with extensive technical evidence, significant public engagement, negotiation and co-operation from many partners and stakeholders including developers, campaign groups and local residents. Finally, it was subject to scrutiny from an Independent Government Inspector from the Planning Inspectorate to ensure the Plan is legally compliant, sound and consistent with national policy. Following Submission in October 2017 and independent Examination in April 2021, the Colchester Local Plan Section 2 was found to be legally compliant and sound subject to Main Modifications which have all been incorporated.
1.6 This Local Plan like all others has benefitted from a significant number of contributors over a number of years. There are 2 individuals who sadly passed away during 2021, who both had a significant influence on shaping and informing the content or process, which has enriched the final Plan:
Tributes
1.7 The Borough cannot be planned in isolation. The Local Plan has been developed in the context of a range of other plans and strategies operating at the national, county, and local levels.
1.8 The Local Plan must reflect the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) issued by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Further national guidance on planning policies is provided in Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). The NPPF establishes a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which the Local Planning Authority will implement in making its planning decisions. It is a statutory requirement for the Local Planning Authority to produce planning policies for the Borough. The policies must comply with national planning policy unless there is overwhelming evidence to demonstrate why this is not the case.
1.9 To bridge the gap between the national and local levels, business-led Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have been established across the country. The South East LEP (SELEP) includes the Colchester Borough and comprises the areas of Essex, Kent and East Sussex. Whilst the LEP has no statutory land use planning powers, it is responsible for determining local economic priorities and undertaking activities to encourage economic growth and local job creation.
1.10 The following County level plans provide a relevant background to the Local Plan.
Essex Local Transport Plan
1.11 The Essex Local Transport Plan contains the Essex Transport Strategy and sets out the 15 year vision to improve travel in the county and underlines the importance of the transport network in achieving sustainable, long term economic growth and enriching the life of residents. It is supplemented by delivery strategies for public transport, highways, cycling and public rights of way.
Economic Plan for Essex and North Essex Economic Strategy
1.12 The Economic Plan for Essex is based on the collective ambitions of all local authorities in Essex with a Strategy for North Essex prepared more recently - The North Essex Economic Strategy, covering Colchester, Braintree, Tendring and Uttlesford, which aims to ensure the area can rise to the economic challenges and opportunities.
Essex Minerals Local Plan
1.13 Essex County Council is the Minerals Planning Authority for the Borough, and is responsible for preparing planning policies, and also for assessing applications for mineral development. The Essex Minerals Local Plan (2014) is a statutory Development Plan and should be read alongside the Colchester Local Plan. The role of the Minerals Local Plan is to identify sites for the extraction of sufficient quantities of mineral within Essex to facilitate development over the Plan period.
1.14 There are active quarry sites in the Borough as well as currently unworked sand and gravel and brick clay deposits which are subject to a Minerals Safeguarding policy within the Minerals Local Plan. The safeguarding policy requires the Minerals Planning Authority – Essex County Council – to be consulted on development proposals covering 5 hectares or more within the sand and gravel minerals safeguarding area and greater than one dwelling for the brick clay safeguarded area. The Minerals Safeguarding Areas which may apply within Colchester Borough are highlighted on the relevant Policies Maps, sign posting to the Essex Minerals Local Plan for more information. Refer to the Essex Mineral Local Plan for information about potential Minerals Safeguarding Areas in parts of the Borough outside the scope of the Local Plan Policies Maps. Regard should be had to the requirements of the Minerals Local Plan where a development falls within a Minerals Safeguarding Area.
1.15 The Minerals Local Plan also designates Mineral Consultation Areas at a distance of 250 metres around active quarries, mineral infrastructure and mineral deposits permitted for extraction. Essex County Council will be required to be consulted on all non-mineral related development within these areas.
Essex and Southend-on-Sea Waste Local Plan
1.16 Essex County Council is the Waste Planning Authority for the Borough, and is responsible for preparing planning policies, and also for assessing applications for waste management development. The Essex and Southend-on-Sea Waste Local Plan (2017) is a statutory Development Plan which should be read alongside the Colchester Local Plan. It sets out where and how waste management developments can occur and is the planning policy against which waste management development planning applications are assessed.
1.17 The Waste Local Plan covers the period to 2033. The Waste Local Plan allocates new waste development at Bellhouse Farm, Stanway; Fingringhoe Quarry and Wivenhoe Quarry. It also identifies Areas of Search to meet the need for additional small scale waste management facilities. These Areas of Search are existing industrial estates within the Borough and are located away from residential and other uses sensitive to amenity impacts such as schools, retail, leisure and office development.
1.18 The Plan also designates Waste Consultation Areas at a distance of 250 metres around waste management facilities. Essex County Council will be required to be consulted on all non-waste related development within these areas.
1.19 The Local Plan brings together the spatial elements of a number of key Borough strategies and provides a focus for future development.
Colchester Borough Council Strategic Plan
1.20 This plan sets out the direction and future potential for the Borough, with the aim of making the Borough a vibrant, thriving, prosperous and welcoming place.
Colchester Economic Strategy
1.21 This plan provides an overarching vision and framework for economic interventions in Colchester, including guidance on partnership work and prioritising resources.
Colchester Environmental Sustainability Strategy
1.22 This provides information about the Council’s approach to environmental issues. It responds to the increasing importance of environmental issues recognising that the Council has a key role to play at a local and regional level in promoting environmental sustainability.
1.23 Other Strategies which form part of the evidence base, for example, Playing Pitch Strategy, Indoor Sports Strategy, Green Infrastructure Strategy and draft Cultural Strategy also provide guidance and context for planning policy.
1.24 In preparing the Local Plan, the Local Planning Authority co-operates with a range of other bodies to ensure a co-ordinated approach in the development of its policies in line with national guidance, in the context of strategic cross-boundary matters. These bodies include Essex County Council, the neighbouring districts of Braintree, Tendring, Maldon and Babergh, together with agencies responsible for transport, health and the environment.
1.25 Further information on the duty is provided in The North Essex Authorities’ Shared Strategic Section 1 Plan, which discusses the strategic approach to Local Plan issues across Colchester, Braintree and Tendring.
1.26 Policy development goes hand in hand with the development of an evidence base of research and information. The Evidence Base contains documents from local, county and national levels. National guidance is not listed to avoid repetition, given that the Local Plan has been produced in accordance with national planning policy. The evidence gathered from the documents covering topics including housing, economy, natural and built environment, climate change, transport, infrastructure and site specific matters where relevant, has been employed in the formulation of the Spatial Strategy and Policies. Evidence is kept under review and updated where necessary. All of the evidence base can be viewed on the Council’s website.
1.27 Policy development has been carried out in the light of a Sustainability Appraisal, incorporating a Strategic Environmental Assessment. The Sustainability Appraisal tests the sustainability of the Plan options throughout the production process. It does this by considering how different policy choices perform against a range of ‘sustainability’ criteria. For example, it looks at whether policies or allocations would provide new jobs, make efficient use of land and help to improve health and wellbeing. The Sustainability Appraisal also helps to identify amendments to policies, or measures that could help to minimise any negative impacts identified and maximise the sustainability of the Local Plan.
1.28 The Habitats Regulations Assessment is the process for determining whether a plan or project will have adverse effects on European sites. The Local Planning Authority carried out a Habitat Regulations Assessment screening opinion and concluded that a high level of growth, regardless of location, has the potential to lead to adverse effects on European sites in the Borough, primarily owing to increased levels of recreational disturbance. The draft Local Plan was re-screened with input from Natural England in 2016, and policies and issues were identified to be assessed for likely significant effect in the appropriate assessment.
1.29 An appropriate assessment was undertaken, which concluded that the Local Plan, alone and in-combination, will not adversely affect the integrity of European sites.
1.30 All this evidence is made publicly available. The Local Planning Authority will keep the evidence base under review and monitor the implementation of the Local Plan’s objectives and policies. Monitoring reports on key Local Plan issues will be published on an annual basis and will highlight whether circumstances have changed sufficiently to require a review of the Local Plan in its entirety or a review of selected policies.
1.31 Development Plan Documents for Colchester will comprise:
1.32 The Local Plan is accompanied by a number of other planning documents that provide policies, guidance and feedback: