Core StrategyPreferred Options Summary

Consultation: January - March 2006

WakefieldLocal Development Framework

A new vision for developing Wakefield District

Wakefield Metropolitan District CouncilSpatial Policy Group, Regeneration & Housing Services

PO Box 92, Newton Bar, Wakefield, WF1 1XS.

Tel: (01924) 306616 / 306620 / 306417Fax: (01924) 306660

www.wakefield.gov.uk/ldf

Supplementary Planning Documents

Annual Monitoring Report

The Council is introducing a new type of plan, known as the Local Development Framework (LDF). It will replace the Unitary Development Plan First Alteration adopted in January 2003. Together with the Regional Spatial Strategy, which is being prepared by the Yorkshire and Humber Assembly, it will be used to guide development throughout the District.

The LDF will include policies and proposals up to 2021. It will link closely to Wakefield District Partnership's Community Strategy, Fast Forward, with the aim of making the District a more attractive and prosperous place to live, and will provide the policy framework for determining planning applications.

This leaflet is a brief summary of what we are proposing (the 'Preferred Options') for the main LDF document, the Core Strategy. The full Core Strategy Preferred Options Report also includes details of alternative choices that we are not proposing to take forward. No decisions have been taken yet and we need your views on whether we are adopting the right approach. You can view and comment on the report and the accompanying Sustainability Report on the Council's website at www.wakefield.gov.uk/ldf. Alternatively you can download the documents or request copies from us and send in your comments.

The LDF Core Strategy

The Core Strategy will:

define the spatial vision for Wakefield District to 2021;

set out a series of objectives designed to achieve the vision;

include a spatial development strategy to meet the objectives and accommodate new development;

include strategic policies to guide and control the overall scale, type and location of new development and transport investment; and

include a statement of the number of additional homes to be provided.

It will not include details of land allocations nor primary development control policies, these will be in separate documents. All other documents will have to conform with the Core Strategy.

The LDF is like a folder and will be made up of a number of separate documents.

Local Development Scheme

Statement of Community Involvement

Core Strategy

Site Specific Proposals

Adopted Proposals Map

Other Development Plan Documents

Area Action Plans

Regional Spatial Strategy

The Local Development Framework

Development Plan Documents

The Development Plan

How Do I Get Involved?

If you have comments on the Council's preferred options for the vision, objectives, development strategy and policies put forward in this leaflet or the full report or you wish to suggest alternatives, please:

comment online on the Council's web-site at www.wakefield.gov.uk/ldf; or

complete the comments form provided with the Core Strategy Preferred Options Report and return it to the address below; or

e-mail your comments to stratpoludp@wakefield.gov.uk

This leaflet and the full Core Strategy Preferred Options Report are the latest stage of consulting you on the preparation of the LDF. We have listened to the views that we received at the earlier Issues & Options consultation in January - March and these have been taken into account.

All comments should reach us by:5.00 p.m. on Wednesday 1st March 2006.

Send your comments to:

Wakefield Metropolitan District CouncilSpatial Policy GroupRegeneration & Housing ServicesPO Box 92Newton BarWakefieldWF1 1XSFax: (01924) 306660

What Happens Next?

All the comments we receive will be considered carefully and taken into account in preparing the Core Strategy to be sent to the Secretary of State in Autumn 2006. To help you know how the Council has responded to your views a report of the Preferred Options consultation will be issued at that time.

If you think that your views have not been reflected adequately there will be another opportunity to make comments which will be considered by an independent inspector at a Public Examination. The Inspector will then let us know his findings which will be binding on the Council.

It is important that we get your views

“By 2021 Wakefield District will be a more attractive, prosperous and sustainable place with improved quality of life. The District will make a significant contribution to the prosperity and diversity of the region and will benefit from the expansion of the sub-regional economy by taking advantage of its accessibility to Leeds and the national transport network.

The demand for new development generated by continuing economic growth will be accommodated in a sustainable way, by ensuring that the benefits are spread throughout the District, particularly to deprived communities, and that the environment is protected and enhanced. More sustainable patterns of living will be achieved through the creation of balanced communities, where individual settlements have a range of housing, jobs and services to meet local needs, appropriate to their size and function, and where other jobs and higher level services can be accessed conveniently by sustainable means of transport.

Wakefield, Castleford and Pontefract will continue to be the main centres of the District where most homes, jobs and services are located. The other urban areas of the District will become more attractive and viable, being the focus of local shopping, employment and service provision. Investment and new activities will be located in the city and town centres where they will contribute to urban renaissance and other regeneration initiatives. In villages and the smallest settlements new development will be very limited, aimed particularly at supporting the rural economy, providing community facilities and increasing the availability of affordable housing.

The quality of the District's rich historic and natural heritage, its diverse wildlife and habitats and the character of its landscape and open spaces will be protected and enhanced and the Green Belt will be maintained. Improved standards of design and management will improve the quality of the built and natural environment.”

Spatial Objectives

These will help to measure the success of the strategy:

To ensure that all development is sustainable and improves the quality of life for District residents;

To meet the needs of the District by building on its strengths and the opportunities provided within the Leeds City Region;

To locate development where it will minimise the need to travel and is accessible by walking, cycling and public transport;

To increase transport choice and improve public transport;

To provide sufficient good quality housing to meet identified needs;

To encourage development to create attractive, successful and accessible city and town centres;

To support the growth of a dynamic local economy which increases prosperity for all sections of the community;

To provide a range of high quality, accessible cultural, recreational and leisure opportunities;

To protect and enhance the historic heritage, character and identity of the individual settlements of the District;

To protect and improve the District's natural environment, including wildlife habitats and landscape character;

To improve the environment by reducing waste, avoiding pollution, ensuring efficient use of resources and promoting high quality design in all new development.

Wakefield's LDF Spatial Vision

The spatial development strategy will guide development to help achieve the vision and objectives. This is a key part of the LDF.

A settlement hierarchy is proposed, based on the role and function of each settlement, to identify those where most development should take place and others where development ought to be limited.

Settlement Hierarchy

Urban AreasWakefield City - sub regional centreCastleford - principal service centrePontefract - principal service centreFeatherstoneHemsworthHorburyKnottingley (inc. Ferrybridge)Normanton (inc. Altofts)OssettSouth Elmsall/South KirkbyStanley/Outwood

Local Service CentresAckworth (Moor Top)CroftonFitzwilliam/KinsleyRyhill/HavercroftUpton

VillagesBadsworthDarringtonHall Green/ChapelthorpeHigh & Low AckworthKirkhamgateMiddlestownNethertonNorth FeatherstoneNottonSharlstonSouth HiendleyStreethouseThorpe AudlinWaltonWest BrettonWoolley

Urban Areas: settlements which are most accessible, offering the highest level of services and employment opportunities.

Wakefield offers the greatest range of services and employment and has a high degree of accessibility by public transport. The aim should be to enhance the city's role as a sub-regional centre within the Leeds City Region and ensure that more new development takes place within Wakefield than in other places. The city centre should be the focus of new development in the District to support its urban renaissance, a high priority of the Community Strategy.

In the Five Towns new development should support urban renaissance and enable the towns to develop together as a network of inter-related urban areas. Castleford and Pontefract are the two largest settlements, identified as principal service centres in the Regional Spatial Strategy, and should be the focus for new development.

In the South East the aim should be to maintain the open nature of the area and to concentrate new development within Hemsworth and South Elmsall/South Kirkby. The scale and location of new development should reinforce their roles as service centres, improve sustainability and support housing market renewal. Improving accessibility is essential to the success of the strategy in this area.

Ossett, Horbury and Stanley/Outwood have developed as commuter settlements for Leeds largely as a result of recent housing growth, giving rise to pressures on existing infrastructure and facilities. The aim should be to limit new development to that needed to create and maintain a balanced range of services and facilities appropriate to each settlement's size and function, and within the capacity of existing or proposed infrastructure.

The Spatial Development Strategy

The Spatial Development Strategy continued.

larger settlements in the more rural parts of the District where employment, housing and services can be provided to meet the needs of the immediate area.

The aim should be to create balanced, sustainable communities by allowing limited new retail, employment and housing development to maintain and enhance the level of services and jobs and meet local housing need, to the benefit of the settlement and its immediate area. Key aims should be to diversify the local economy to increase job opportunities and improve public transport accessibility.

smaller settlements where some small scale development should take which helps to diversify the rural economy or provides new or improved community facilities. New housing should be of a scale appropriate to the settlement and necessary to meet identified local needs or to maintain the viability of existing services, without adding to the need to travel.

small settlements and groups of buildings which are not identified as villages but are not washed over by the Green Belt. In these places only very limited new development should be permitted.

Local Service Centres:

Villages:

Other Settlements:

The Strategic Spatial and Topic Policies (CS) are set out in full in the main document. A summary of the intentions of each Policy is given here.

Strategic Spatial Policies

Strategic Spatial Policies - SummaryThese policies set out the broad principles that development should satisfy to help deliver the Spatial Development Strategy.

CS2 Sustainable DevelopmentProvides a set of requirements for assessing development to ensure that it is sustainable in terms of the District's identified needs and potential impact on local communities and the environment.

CS3 Development CriteriaIncludes a checklist to help ensure that provision is made for additional or improved infrastructure, services and facilities made necessary by new development, and for their future maintenance.

CS4 High Quality DesignRequires that all development should include high quality, sustainable design and landscaping that respects and enhances its surroundings, protects and enhances local amenity, distinctiveness and character, and takes account of the needs of people with special needs.

CS1 Principles Determining the Location of DevelopmentSets out the broad framework for the scale and location of development in the District to help create sustainable communities.

Topic Policies - SummaryWhere appropriate, these policies indicate the scale and location of development anticipated in the period to 2021. They also form the basis for identifying sites for development and detailed polices for determining planning applications that will be included in other LDF documents.

Topic Policies

Housing

CS5 The Scale of Additional HousingSets a target of 1,320 new homes to be built each year until 2011 and then 1,380 each year until 2016.

CS6 The Distribution and Location of HousingRequires that most new homes should be built within Wakefield, Castleford and Pontefract, with smaller numbers in other urban areas in relation to their size and needs, a limited number in local service centres and only a few in villages and elsewhere.

CS7 Housing AllocationsIndividual sites should be identified in the Site Specific Policies and Proposals document to meet the housing targets.

CS8 PhasingRequires new housing should be released in three phases: April 2004 - March 2007;April 2007 - March 2012; and after April 2012.

CS9 Greenfield Windfall Housing SitesSets tight controls on the development of greenfield land that is not identified for housing in the LDF.

CS10 Brownfield Windfall Housing SitesSets out the criteria for supporting the development of brownfield land that is not identified for housing in the LDF

CS11 Housing MixEnsures a mix of new homes to meet local needs in terms of type, size and tenure.

CS12 Affordable Housingensures that all developments involving housing above specified thresholds include an element of affordable housing, up to a maximum of 30%.

CS13 Affordable Housing on Exception SitesAllows affordable housing in rural settlements to met identified needs.

CS14 Existing HousingGives support to the improvement of the District's housing stock and the redevelopment of existing housing where it conforms with the LDF.

Economy and Employment

CS15 Scale of Employment LandProvides for 265 hectares of employment land to be developed by 2016, including: 75 hectares for commercial offices; 80 hectares for light and general industry; and 110 hectares for wholesale and freight distribution.

CS16 Location of Employment DevelopmentPromotes most employment development in urban areas, particularly within city and town centres where commercial offices will be encouraged, existing Employment Zones and on sites identified for employment in the Sites Specific Policies and Proposals document.

CS17 The Rural EconomySets out types of development and activities that will be supported to help the rural economy, including: small scale employment development, re-use of land and redundant buildings for employment, farm diversification, tourism, improvements to infrastructure and public transport.

CS18 Protection of Existing Employment Sites in Rural AreasResists the loss of employment sites to non-employment uses unless specific criteria are met.

CS19 Employment ZonesEnsures land and buildings are used for employment purposes unless specific criteria are met.

CS20 Supporting the Local EconomySupports activities and sustainable development that will help to create a dynamic local economy, to help achieve the aims of the Community Strategy.

Topic Policies

Transport and Travel

CS21 Transport and DevelopmentEnsures that development should be located where it will help reduce the need to travel, minimise the use of the car and improve access by public transport, cycling and walking, and that it contributes towards transport improvements.

CS22 Walking and CyclingEnsures proper provision should be made for cyclists and pedestrians.

CS23 Public TransportProvides commitment to secure an integrated, safe and attractive public transport network and that development should contribute to planned public transport improvement schemes.

CS24 The Highway NetworkProvides a commitment to manage and improve the road network to support the LDF.

CS25 FreightSeeks to make the best use of rail and water transport for moving freight by retaining existing facilities and opportunities and encouraging the provision of new facilities.

CS26 Demand ManagementProvides commitment to develop a co-ordinated approach to the management of travel demand, particularly by controlling car parking and by introducing park and ride facilities on major public transport routes together with service improvements.

CS27 Disused Railways and WaterwaysProtects disused railway lines and waterways from development that would stop their use as transport links for commercial or leisure purposes.

Town Centres

CS28 Retailing and Town Centre UsesSupports development that increases the vitality and viability of city and town centres, particularly retail, leisure, office, cultural and tourist uses within defined retail areas and city/town centres. Supports development in local centres, local service centres and villages that provides local shopping or other services to meet day-to-day needs.

CS29 Mixed Use DevelopmentEncourages mixed use development in city and town centres, as well as the Special Policy Areas and Mixed Use Zones identified in the Site Specific Policies & Proposals document (to be published later).

Community Facilities and Services

CS30 Community Facilities and ServicesProvides a commitment to secure good quality, accessible community facilities and services. Development that would result in the loss of a facility or service should not be supported and new development should contribute to necessary improvements or additional provision.

Leisure, Recreation and Open Space

CS31 Leisure, Recreation and Open SpaceProvides a commitment to secure good quality, accessible facilities and open space. Development that would result in the loss of facilities or open space should not be supported and development should contribute to necessary improvements or additional provision.

Topic Policies

Community Safety

CS32 Community SafetyEnsures that development and transport proposals reduce opportunities for crime and provide safe living environments.

Green Belt and Safeguarded Land

CS33 Green BeltSafeguards the existing Green Belt boundary. Only in exception circumstances will land be taken out of the Green Belt before 2021.

Environment

CS34 Protection and Enhancement of the Historic and Natural Environment, Landscape and Bio-DiversityEnsures the protection, enhancement and management of the historic and natural environment, landscape and bio-diversity, including identifying a Wildlife Habitat Network.

CS35 Environmental ImpactEnsures that development deals with the potential adverse effects of natural forces and human activity, including climate change, risk of flooding and pollution, on occupants, communities and the environment.

CS36 Efficient Use of Natural ResourcesEnsures that development makes efficient use of natural resources and encourages the use of renewable energy sources, including on-site generation.

CS37 Waste ManagementProvides a commitment to ensure an integrated approach to waste management, promoting waste reduction, re-use and recycling, and to provide sites for waste management facilities.

CS38 The Protection of Mineral Reserves Other Than CoalProtects identified reserves from development.

CS39 The Provision of Minerals Other Than CoalSeeks to secure and protect mineral reserves and minimise the environmental impact of mineral extraction.

CS40 Coal MiningSets out a presumption against coal mining activity unless it provides environmental and community benefits.

A650

A61

M1

M1

M62

M62

M62

A642

A638

A638

A642

A637

A636

A61

A636

A655

A638

A645

A645

A628

A639

A645

A1

A1

A628A638

A639

38

39

40

41

29/42 30

31 32

33

Wakefield

Castleford

Pontefract

Knottingley

South Elmsall

South Kirkby

Hemsworth

FeatherstoneOssett

Normanton

Horbury

OutwoodStanley

Middlestown

Hall Green

Walton

RyhillHavercroft

South Hiendley

Kinsley

Fitzwilliam

AckworthMoor Top

Badsworth

Upton

ThorpeAudlin

Darrington

LowAckworth

HighAckworth

Sharlston

Crofton

Kirkhamgate

Chapelthorpe

North Featherstone

Notton

Streethouse

West Bretton

Woolley

Netherton

Paragon Business Park

Marsh Way

WestgateSilkwood Park

Waterfront Former Power Station

Calder Park

Former Lambsons Chemicals

Castleford Town Centre

Glasshoughton

Normanton Industrial Estate Former Prince of Wales Colliery

Pontefract Town Centre

Green Lane

City Estate

Hemsworth Town Centre

South KirkbyBusiness Park

Westfield Lane

Former C6

National MiningMuseum

YorkshireSculpture Park

Nostell Priory

Dewsbury

Grange Moor

Birstall

Batley

Churwell Middleton

Thornhill

Earlsheaton

Morley

Rothwell

Oulton

Mickletown

Methley

Allerton Bywater Ledston

Fairburn

Womersley

Clayton West

Denby Dale

Skelmanthorpe

Emley

Flockton

Hooton Pagnell

ClaytonCudworthMonk Bretton

Staincross

Great Houghton

Grimethorpe

Darton

Gildersome Woodlesford

Great Preston

Hunslet

Stourton

Swillington

Kippax

Garforth

Ledsham

South

Milford

Monk

Fryston

Wortley

Leeds

Beal

Based upon the Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.© Crown copyrightUnauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings.Licence No. LA 100019574 2006

© WMDCJanuary 2006

Greenbelt Boundary (Indicative)

Built Up Areas

Proposed Settlement Classification

Sub - Regional Centre

Principle Service Centres

Other Urban Areas

Local Service Centres

Villages

Road Hierarchy

Trunk Road

Principal Road

Mixed Priority Road

Proposed Road Links

Proposed A1/M62 Upgrade

Rail Stations

Bus Stations

Key to Symbols

Key Development Sites

Key Visitor Attractions

Wakefield City Area Action Plan

Yorkshire Bus Initiative Network

Wakefield Key Diagram