ldf: local development framework - ashfield district · an axe in the uk in 1817. he was the leader...

Many of the documents referred to in this report are repeated throughout the text, usually in abbreviated form. The most commonly used ones are described below to help. The full glossary can be found on page 58. ALPR: Ashfield Local Plan Review: created by individual Local Authorities to outline local development. The current Local Plan adopted in November 2002 with a timescale to 2011. AMR: Annual Monitoring Report: this document, produced at the end of December each year. Core Strategy: The main document in the LDF which outlines the policies for the whole District. Although originally due for publication in 2013, this has been put on hold until further notice. Core Indicators: outline what Local Authorities should be monitoring and contain within the AMR, They will assess the performance of the saved policies in the Local Plan and highlight areas which need to be improved. Development Plan: similar to the local plan, but includes the regional plan. DPD: Development Plan Documents: outline the key development goals of the Local Development Framework. Development plan documents taken together are broadly equitable to Local Plans. EMRP: East Midlands Regional Plan: adopted in March 2009. This sets out regional targets, and the Core Indicators which are monitored within the AMR JSP: Joint Structure Plan: The Nottinghamshire and Nottingham Joint Structure Plan, establishing the interim strategic policy context for Development Plan Documents. Will be superseded by the next Regional Spatial Strategy.

LDF: Local Development Framework: ‘Portfolio’ of local development documents which collectively deliver the spatial planning strategy for the local planning authority’s area. LDS: Local Development Scheme: Statement detailing the timescales and arrangements for the preparation of local development documents. LDD: Local Development Documents: the documents that make up the LDF, including the Core Strategy, Proposals Map, and AMR. Local Output Indicators: The Local Output Indicators are developed on a local basis by each individual council. Ashfield District Council has based their indicators on relevance to issues of specific local importance. These indicators address the aims within the council’s corporate strategy. Local Plan: Comprises a Written Statement and a Proposals Map. The Written Statement includes the Authority’s detailed policies and proposals for the development and use of land together with reasoned justification for these proposals. RSS: Regional Spatial Strategy: Strategic planning guidance for the Region that development plan documents have to be in general conformity with. SCI: Statement of Community Involvement: Local authority’s policy for involving the community in the preparation of local development documents and for consulting on planning applications, SPD: Supplementary Planning Documents: Provide supplementary information in respect of the policies in Development Plan Documents. They do not form part of the Development Plan and are not subject to independent examination.

Most Confusing Abbreviations Used in This Document

Executive Summary 3 Introduction 5 The Local Development Framework 6 LDS Documents 7

Local Development Scheme (LDS) 7 Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) 7

Development Plan Documents (DPD) 7 Ashfield Local Plan 8 Saved/Unsaved Policies 8 Planning Appeals 8 Ashfield – an overview 9 District Background 9 Local Profile 10

Population 10 Age Profile 10 Ethnicity 10 Crime 11 Health 11 Conservation Areas 12 Greenbelt 12 Countryside 12

Sutton-in-Ashfield 13 Overview 13 Index of Multiple Deprivations 14 Benefit Claimants 14 Free Meals 14 Population 15 Empty Properties 16 Councillors 16 Kirkby-in-Ashfield 17 Overview 17 Index of Multiple Deprivations 18 Benefit Claimants 18 Free Meals 18 Population 19 Empty Properties 20 Councillors 20 Hucknall 21 Overview 21 Index of Multiple Deprivations 22 Benefit Claimants 22

Table of Contents

Annual Monitoring Report

Annual Monitoring Report December 2010

1

Free Meals 22 Population 23 Empty Properties 24 Councillors 24 The Villages 25 Overview 25 Index of Multiple Deprivations 26 Benefit Claimants 26 Free Meals 26 Population 27 Empty Properties 28 Councillors 28 Core Indicators 29 Core Indicators 29 Local Output Indicators 29 Sub Areas 29 Business Development 30

Business 30 Employment 33 Use Class Order 35

Local Services 36

Retail 36 Open Space 41

Housing 42 Housing Overview 42 Housing targets, completions and future supply 42 Greenfield and Brownfield sites 46 Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation 46 Affordable Housing 46 Households 48 Transport 50 Renewable Energy, Biodiversity, Flood Protection and Water Quality 51 Flood Protection and Water Quality 51

Biodiversity 51 Renewable Energy 51

Evidence Base 52 Local Output Indicators 56 Conclusion 61 List of Abbreviations and Glossary 62


2

Jeremiah Brandreth, from Sutton, was the last person

to be publicly beheaded with an axe in the UK in 1817. He was the leader of the

Pentrich Uprising – the last rebellion on English soil.

This Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) has identified a number of evidence based documents which are now either formally adopted by the Council, or currently being prepared. Information contained within the adopted documents has been included in the preparation of the AMR. The Council is currently approximately three years behind the timetable laid out in the Revised Local Development Scheme (LDS, see page 6) which was formally adopted by the Council in November 2006. The slippage in the timetable is partly due to the more recent publication of best practice guidance and other LDF related guidance by the Planning Inspectorate, Planning Officers Society and Central Government and partly due to the agreement to ‘align’ Ashfield’s Core Strategy with those Council’s in the Nottingham Core Housing Market Area. The new advice contained within the more recent guidance lead to uncertainty issues regarding the ‘soundness’ of the documents already produced by the Council. As such it was decided that some documents may need to be re-written to ensure conformity with the new guidance. It is anticipated that the LDS will be revised over the coming year. The East Midlands Regional Plan (EMPR)was adopted in March 2009, and outlines local targets in a regional context. The AMR reports on the RSS targets. In July 2010 the RSS was abolished by the Coalition Government, and subsequently reinstated following a high court ruling in November 2010. However the Government have stated through the Localism Bill that the RSS will be

abolished when the Bill receives Royal Ascent, which is likely to take place in summer 2011. This abolition is likely to impact significantly on future reports. Employment land figures have not been provided for the Districts in the RSS which indicates that it is for local studies to identify employment land requirements. Employment land studies have been undertaken at a Sub Regional Basis with the Nottingham City Region Employment Land Study which includes Hucknall and the Northern Sub-Region Employment Land Review coving the rest of the District.

Business development within Ashfield and in

Nottinghamshire generally follows a typical pattern responding to the national and local economic situation, and

this trend can only be established over a

reasonable time period. A total of 3,321 m² of floor space has

been constructed in the District over the year, mainly extensions to existing units. The Council currently monitors employment land development on an annual basis and this information has been used within this document. The Ashfield LDF is being progressed on the basis that the overall scale of housing should be at the level proposed in the RSS. This amounts to a net additional 11,200 dwellings to be provided in the District over the period 2006 to 2026. Houses already provided for (either already developed, with planning permission or estimated additional development taken from the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment) total

Executive Summary



3

5,135; this results in a balance of 4,555 dwellings to be provided to 2026 throughout the District. Housing development in the Hucknall part of the District has an average completion rate of 140 dwellings per year (for the period 2006 – 2009). For the District excluding Hucknall it is 324 dwellings per year. Ashfield District has a population of 116,439 (mid 2009 resident population estimate, Office for National Statistics) with an age profile similar to the national picture. Unemployment rates within the District are currently lower than that of both the County and United Kingdom, but the employment profile highlights that Ashfield is generally weighted towards skilled trades, manufacturing and retail sectors and is lacking in professional and senior officials. There is a significantly higher proportion (compared to the county and national averages) of unqualified residents within the Ashfield area and a lower proportion of people who are qualified to at least NVQ level 4 or above. Shopping within the District has similar patterns to the national picture whereby there is an increase in the development of large ‘one-stop’ shops; these changes have caused increasing levels of vacancy within the town centres. There are a number of vacant units within the shopping centres; the majority of these vacancies are concentrated within Kirkby Town Centre and other small retail areas. Crime levels in the District have generally fallen compared with the previous year, but violent crime and robbery within Ashfield have risen. The increase in drug related offences has slowed compared to last year. Fear of crime within the District is high with a recent survey highlighting that whilst 95.8% of the population felt safe/fairly safe walking

alone during daylight, only 62.8% did so after dark (statistics from 2008/09). The Local Output Indicators contained within Section 7 of this document have been developed because of their relevance to issues of specific local importance they show that, in the main, Ashfield has achieved satisfactory targets with regard to these indicators and the indicators will be retained for 2009/10. The UK as a whole is currently facing a recession, which has resulted in an increase in unemployment and dependency on welfare benefits, and a reduction in the amount of development taking place and public spending. This document has been prepared by the Planning Policy and Projects section at Ashfield District Council. If you wish to know more about the Annual Monitoring Report or any aspect of the Local Development Framework you can contact us in a number of ways: Visit the web-site: www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk/ldf

E-mail us at: [email protected]

Write to us at: Ashfield District Council Planning Policy and Projects Urban Road Kirkby-in-Ashfield Nottinghamshire NG17 8DA

Telephone us at: 01623 457381

Fax us on: 01623 457474



4

Hucknall is the final resting place of Lord Byron, who

died in 1824

Following the adoption of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, Annual Monitoring Reports (AMR) became part of the Local Development Framework. Its purpose is to assess the implementation of the Local Development Scheme (LDS) and the extent to which policies in local development documents are being successfully implemented. This AMR is also designed to be a reference document for information on the District as a whole, and will contain all necessary information. The AMR addresses the period of the year from 1st April 2009 to 31st March 2010 and presents an analysis, taking into account the core output indicators set out in the national monitoring guide, it refers to the Local Development Scheme (LDS) and also considers local output indicators that are particularly relevant to the Ashfield District. Review and Monitoring are key aspects to the Governments ‘plan, monitor and manage’ approach to the planning system. The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) requires the District Council to prepare an Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) which will help the Council to understand the wider social, environmental and economic issues affecting the area and key drivers of spatial change. This report is part of the Local Development Framework (LDF) and aims to establish what is happening now and what may happen in the future and then compare these trends against existing policies in the LDF to determine whether changes need to be made to the policies to reflect these trends.

This report will include assessments of;

progress in terms of Local Development Document (LDD) preparation against the timetable in the Local Development Scheme (LDS);

whether policies and related targets in the LDD's have been met or progress is being made towards meeting them and if they are not being achieved, reasons why;

what impact the policies are having in respect of national, regional and local policy targets and any other targets identified in LDD's;

the extent to which any local development order, where adopted, is achieving its purposes;

whether the policies in the LDD need adjusting or replacing because they are not working as intended;

whether the policies need to be changed to reflect changes in national or regional policy; and

If policies need changing, the actions needed to achieve this.

It is important that the preparation of the Local Development Framework is based on a sound knowledge of the economic, social and environmental characteristics of the District. Gathering information will form an essential stage of the process in order to develop a sound evidence base for the LDF. A summary of these documents is on Page 53. This report will address a number of practical issues, particularly the lack of consistent and relevant information, and the complexity of multiple influences and the choice of suitable timescales. These issues have been considered as part of the District Council’s approach to the monitoring and it has become apparent that it will take time to establish a fully developed ‘spatial’ planning monitoring framework.


Introduction


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The Local Development Framework (LDF) is a spatial planning strategy introduced in England and Wales by the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The LDF is the collection of local development documents produced by the local planning authority which collectively delivers the spatial planning strategy for their area. The Core Strategy is the key plan within the Local Development Framework. All the Greater Nottingham local planning authorities (Ashfield District Council, Broxtowe Borough Council, Erewash Borough Council in Derbyshire, Gedling Borough Council, Nottingham City Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council) have agreed to align their Core Strategies; however it is not currently planned to prepare a single Joint Core Strategy. The first stage for preparing the core strategy, publishing and consulting on aligned Issues and Options (based on a single evidence base for matters of common concern) took place in June and July of 2009, and a Spatial Growth Options was consulted on in October 2009 and the core strategy preferred options was published in March 2010 and consulted on for an 8 week period. In July 2010 the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government confirmed the abolition of Regional Strategies and the return of decision making powers on the amount of housing development within

local authority areas to local councils. Although this decision was overturned by the Courts in November 2010, the Government have subsequently confirmed that they will introduce legislation in the Localism Bill to allow their lawful revocation (likely to be in summer 2011). As a result, Ashfield District Council have decided to review housing provision levels to be included in the Core Strategy. Work has now commenced on the new evidence base, to begin with a review of the Government’s 2008-based household projections, which were published in November 2010. A new

timetable for publication of the Core Strategy has yet to be agreed. Local development frameworks should be continually reviewed and revised and the annual

monitoring report will be the main mechanism for assessing the Framework’s performance and effects. The changes have not had an impact on the data contained within this document as the abolition occurred after the data period; however it is likely to have significant impacts on future AMRs. More information regarding Local Development Frameworks is available in Planning Policy Statement 12 on the DCLG website – www.dclg.gov.uk.

The Local Development Framework



6

7

The Local Development Scheme(LDS) sets out the programme that the Council will follow in establishing a new, locally distinctive planning policy framework for Ashfield. This framework is known as the Local Development Framework. The Revised LDS was adopted by the Council in November 2006 and lists 3 main elements of progress that will require monitoring. These are: • Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) • Development Plan Documents (DPD's) and • Supplementary Planning Documents (SPD's)

The Council’s Revised LDS is now significantly out of date. This is predominately due to changes in Government best practice guidance and the emergence of the East Midlands Regional Plan. The Government guidance, which was published earlier this year (2008), placed a much greater emphasis on the need for joint working on Core Strategies (which is part of the LDF), brought into effect several procedural changes and also highlighted the need for a complete and robust evidence base prior to the production of Development Plan Documents (DPD). These additional requirements have inevitably delayed the LDF process and as such the Council will need to prepare a further revised LDS. The East Midlands Regional Plan (EMRP) was published in March 2009. The EMRP advises that the Council should work more closely with the local authorities that make up Greater Nottingham (The Hucknall part of Ashfield, Broxtowe, Erewash, Gedling, Nottingham City and Rushcliffe) to ensure that

boundaries do not get in the way of good service delivery. This has resulted in the need to review the timescale for delivering the Local Development Framework to accord with the other Greater Nottingham Authorities.

The Statement of Community Involvement sets out how the council intends to involve communities and other stakeholders in planning in Ashfield. It identifies who needs to be involved and the techniques required to effectively involve them. Ashfield’s SCI was formally adopted in November 2006. A revised SCI underwent public consultation on the revisions in December 2009. In October 2010 a revised SCI document was published in which the main objectives of the adopted SCI (2006) remain unchanged.

A Local Development Framework must include Development Plan Documents (DPDs) which outline the key development goals of the Local Development Framework. These documents include;

• Core Strategy • Site Specific Allocations • Adopted Proposals Map • Generic Development Control Policies

DPDs are subject to community involvement, consultation and independent examination. Once adopted, application decisions must be made in accordance with the DPDs unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Local Development Scheme

Local Development Scheme

Statement of Community Involvement (SCI)

Development Plan Documents (DPD’s)


7

8

The main tourist attraction in Sutton

is the largest sundial in Europe

in Portland Square.

The Ashfield Local Plan Review sets out detailed policies and proposals which cover the District to guide day-to-day planning decisions to the year 2011. All proposals must accord with the appropriate policies contained within the Local Plan Review. The Ashfield Local Plan Review, Adopted November 2002, retained development plan status for period of three years from the commencement date set out by Government guidance (Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004). Where it has not been necessary to replace the policies contained within the Local Plan through the LDF process, the Secretary of State has agreed to extend some policies

Several policies in the Ashfield Local Plan Review were not ‘saved’, and therefore no longer form part of the development plan for the District. However, the emphasis of the policies which have not been ‘saved’ are covered by planning guidance/policies within

National Planning Policy in the form of Planning Policy Statements/Planning

Policy Guidance Notes, the Regional Spatial Strategy and The East Midlands Regional Plan

To view the saved policies please visit the Local Plan Review 2002 on the

Council website www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk.

(known as ‘saved’ policies) set out in the Local Plan to 2011.

2008-2009 2009-2010

Planning appeals received on

applications

30

33

Dismissed

14

29

Allowed

15

4

A full copy of the Local Plan, including further information on the saved and not saved policies is available at: http: //www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/environment/planning-policies-and-projects/planning-policy/ashfield-local-plan-review/

Saved/unsaved Policies

Ashfield Local Plan

Planning appeals


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Location Ashfield District is located on the western side of Nottinghamshire. It adjoins five districts within the County including Nottingham City to the south and Mansfield to the north as well as 2 Districts in Derbyshire. The M1 motorway passes through the west of the District with junctions 27 and 28 close to the three main urban centres. The A38, A611, A608 and the MARR are primary highway routes within the District. The Robin Hood railway line (which runs from Nottingham to Worksop) has stations at Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Hucknall and Sutton Parkway. Hucknall is also a terminus for the NET tram route to Nottingham. History All of the main urban areas and some of the smaller settlements share strong historic, economic and cultural links based around the growth and subsequent decline of coal mining, textiles and engineering industries. The legacy of this industrial past is being tackled with the close proximity of the M1 and major cities including Nottingham proving a strong incentive to employers investing in the District. The designation of the Sherwood Business Park close to junction 27 of the M1 as an Enterprise Zone in 1995 and the completion of the Mansfield Ashfield Regeneration Route (MARR) in 2005 have and will continue to assist the District’s transformation. Makeup The urban make up of the District is centred on the three main towns; Hucknall, Sutton-in-Ashfield and Kirkby-in-Ashfield.

About 50% of the District is rural in nature, concentrated mainly in the west and including some very attractive landscapes and important nature conservation areas. The smaller villages in this area tend to cater only for local needs and services but continue to be attractive locations to live. Ashfield District has a wide variety of environments from areas of poor urban quality and dereliction, particularly in its settlements, often associated with the legacy of the coalmining industry, to rural and urban areas worthy of conservation. Approximately half of the District lies within the Nottingham Derby Green Belt (policy EV1 of the Ashfield Local Plan Review, November 2002), a statutory Green Belt around Nottingham which was first approved in principle in 1980 with the approval of the first Nottinghamshire County Structure Plan, the detailed boundaries for the Green Belt were first set out in the adopted Nottingham Green Belt Local Plan adopted by the County in 1989. The remainder of the District is generally covered by Countryside (Policy EV2 of the Ashfield Local Plan Review, November 2002).

Ashfield – an Overview

District Background


9

The 2001 Census provides the basis of the social and economic structures of Ashfield District. This information is only produced every 10 years and as such annual changes resulting from the implementation of LDF strategies cannot be easily monitored.* In 2009;

• 116,439 people resided in Ashfield. • 48.9% were male. • 51.1% were female. • 5.75% of the resident population of

Ashfield are Children under five. • 19.9% of the resident population in

Ashfield were of retirement age compared with 19.1% in the United Kingdom.

The graph opposite shows the number of people who move to Ashfield outside the UK (International Migration) and from other parts of the UK (Internal Migration). Ashfield’s age profile can be seen on the table below, it shows that the District has;

• Slightly higher than average proportion of residents who are between the ages of 45 to 64

• Slightly lower proportion between the ages of 15-24

• On the whole the profile is similar to the Region and the UK as a whole

The 2001 Census revealed that the UK as whole is more culturally diverse than ever

before. The people from a variety of non-white backgrounds are not evenly distributed across the country, tending to live in large urban areas.

Ashfield District has a larger than average proportion of white people at 97.2% compared to the East Midlands and England at 91% and 88% respectively. The other contrast when comparing Ashfield with the County and England is the smaller proportion of Asian groups (1% in Ashfield and over 5% in England).

Ashfield – Local Profile

Population

Age Profile

Ethnicity


10

Crime levels have decreased in Ashfield over the past year in line with Nottinghamshire and National figures with the exception of criminal damage and drug offences. Drug offences in particular have increased considerably beyond National averages. The graph (below) shows the change and type of recorded crime in Ashfield compared with Nottinghamshire.

Age, sex and genetic make-up influence people’s health potential. Other factors can potentially be modified to achieve a positive impact on population health:

• individual lifestyle factors such as smoking habits, diet and physical activity have the potential to promote or damage health;

• interactions with friends, relatives and mutual support within a community can sustain people’s health;

• Wider influences on health include living and working conditions, food supplies, access to essential goods and services, and the overall economic, cultural and environmental conditions prevalent in society as a whole.

Lifestyle indicators in Ashfield are generally worse than the average for England. The table below shows average life expectancy in Ashfield at birth 2006 – 2008. Smoking kills about 226 people in Ashfield each year.

Ashfield (years old)

East Midlands

(years old)

UK (years old)

Men 76.5 77.84 77.9

Women 80.7 81.81 82 Conservation Areas are designated for their special architectural and historic interest.

Health

Crime



11

Within these sites, permitted development rights are limited. Ashfield currently has 4 conservation areas; Bagthorpe, Kirkby Cross, Teversal and Annesley. The District also holds a variety of nature conservation sites, including;

• 17 Mature Landscape Areas (MLA); • 9 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); • 4 Local Nature Reserves (LNR); • 199 Sites of Importance for Nature

Conservation (SINC); • 9 Ancient Woodlands; • 9 Ancient Monuments and

Archaeological Sites; • 77 Listed Buildings; • 3 Historic Parks and Gardens.

These are located throughout the District within the Main Urban Areas, settlements and also in the more rural areas. Ashfield is made up of a large proportion of Greenbelt land, which restricts the development in rural areas of the district. Hucknall, the southern part of Kirkby and the Villages are all surrounded by designated greenbelt. There are five purposes of including land in Green Belts:

• to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;

• to prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another;

• to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;

• to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and

• To assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.

Government guidance dictates once the general extent of a Green Belt has been approved it should be altered only in exceptional circumstances. The greenbelt review in Ashfield is carried out on a 10 year basis, and as such will take place in autumn 2010. A map showing the location of the Greenbelt can be found on page 9.

Countryside refers to any land outside named settlements or urban areas, and Greenbelt as identified in the Local Plan. It often consists of low density housing and population. The countryside in Ashfield is to the north of the District, surrounding Sutton-in-Ashfield and the northern half of Kirkby-in-Ashfield. The countryside has restricted permitted development rights.

Conservation Areas

Greenbelt

Countryside



12

Sutton-in-Ashfield is the largest of these centres functioning as a sub-regional shopping and service centre. It is most strongly influenced by the close proximity of Mansfield which also partly influences employment and housing in this part of Ashfield.

Sutton-in-Ashfield 2009 - 2010

Area (Wards) 4,125.9 ha

Area of Greenbelt 503.5 ha

Area of Countryside 2,192.4 ha

Open Space 175 ha

Population (mid 2009) 45,942

Population density 14.7 people per ha

Households 21,870

Rights of Way 39.5 miles

Sutton-in-Ashfield

Overview

“ On Saturday The Lawn flower beds looked beautiful. The Café was delightful – the toilets very dfferent from the smelly ones of 60 years ago!” “ We were impressed by the quality and standard of the childrens play area, tennis courts and bowling greens filled with people of all ages enjoying themselves” Letters received July 2009 regarding Sutton Lawn


13

The Index of Multiple Deprivation takes a number of factors covering a range of health, economic, social and housing issues and combines them into a single deprivation score for each small area in England. This allows areas to be ranked according to their level of deprivation, 1 being the most deprived. The highest levels of deprivation in Sutton are located in the central and west ward, and a small area of the east ward. The south of West Ward also contains the lowest level of deprivation surrounding Alfreton Road.

Benefit claimants include any person who receives a welfare benefit from the Government. The graph (to the right) shows the number of people in Sutton who currently received benefits.

Nottingham County Council is responsible for providing free school lunches. Parents are not required to pay for school meals for their children if they are on certain types of welfare benefit. For more information please visit the DirectGov website www.directgov.co.uk.

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Benefit Claimants

Free School Meals

Sutton-in-Ashfield


14

Sutton as whole has a significantly higher number of Working Age people than Pension Age and 0-15 Age Group. This will lead to a high number of pensioners in the near future, putting extra pressure on pension claims and working age people to provide for them. This is particularly apparent in the East Ward where the number of current working age people is increasing significantly, and the number of 0-15 age group is consistently much lower. In the West Ward the number of pension age people is increasing dramatically, whereas

although the 0-15 age is increasing it is at a much slower rate. Since 2007 the number of working age people has become consistent with a slight decrease. The Central Ward and North Ward are fairly similar in their population structure. Since 2001 the working age has slowly increased, as has the pension age. The 0-15 age group has decreased slightly, but on the whole the population structure has changed very little in the two wards. For more information on the population changes within Ashfield, please visit the Office of National Statistics website www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk

Population

Sutton-in-Ashfield


15

Sutton-in-Ashfield

The chart (left) shows 777 vacant houses in Sutton at the end of the financial year 2009/10. There were; • 392 long term empty properties

(both council and privately owned) • 275 short term empty properties

(again both council and privately owned).

• The remaining 110 units are vacant but are awaiting probate, post probate, structural alterations or in the process of repossession.

Under the Housing Act 2004, enforcement action can be carried out to bring eligible long term empty properties back into use.

From Council Tax

Empty Properties

Ward Councillors

Ashfield's District Councillors ensure that the District Council provides the services it is responsible for. The last elections for all District and Parish Councillors took place on 3rd May 2007, and the next are due May 2011.


16

Kirkby-in-Ashfield is to the south of the A38, and is the smallest of the three main centres and is strongly influenced by Sutton-in-Ashfield in terms of the provision of retail and service facilities. It does however perform an important local function in terms of jobs, shopping, leisure, health and other services.

Kirkby-in-Ashfield 2009 - 2010

Area (Wards) 3,666 ha

Area of Greenbelt 2,077 ha

Area of Countryside 629 ha

Open Space 903 ha


Population density 7.4 people per ha

Households 11,898

Rights of Way 35 miles

Overview

“It’s a lovely place for Kirkby people and others to come.” “Everything is amazing. Green and very pretty everywhere. I love it.” Consultation comments regarding Portland Park 2009 “It’s a brilliant park and so good having the café next to it.” “Lovely café in park, very pleasant. Very reasonably priced. Service very friendly and accommodating.” Consultation comments regarding Kingsway Park 2009

Kirkby-in-Ashfield


17

The Index of Multiple Deprivation takes a number of factors covering a range of health, economic, social and housing issues and combines them into a single deprivation score for each small area in England. This allows areas to be ranked according to their level of deprivation (1 being the most deprived). The highest levels of deprivation in Kirkby are located in the East and West Ward. The south of West Ward however, also contains the lowest level of deprivation to the north of the ward.

Benefit claimants include any person who receives a welfare benefit from the Government. The graph (to the right) shows the number of people in Kirkby who currently received benefits.

Nottingham County Council is responsible for providing free school lunches. Parents are not required to pay for school meals for their children if they are on certain welfare benefits. For more information please visit the DirectGov website www.directgov.co.uk.


Benefit Claimants

Free School Meals

Kirkby-in-Ashfield


18

Similar to Sutton, Kirkby as a whole has a significantly higher number of Working Age people than Pension Age and 0-15 Age Group. The number of working age people in each ward has remained fairly consistent with only a small variation since 2001, whereas the pension age group is increasing and 0-15 age group population are decreasing. The central ward has remained most consistent across the age groups between 2001 and 2009 particularly the age group 0-15, although the pension age has increased slightly. The east ward has seen a slight increase in the number of working age and pension age

population and a decrease in the 0-15 age group, indicating an ageing population within this ward. The west ward of Kirkby has a consistently high working age group which has changed very little between 2001 and 2009. The pension age group has also remained extremely consistent with only a minor variation. The 0-15 age group however has decreased year on year since 2001. The Woodhouse Ward matches the west ward as it also has a consistently high working age group which has changed very little between 2001 and 2009. However, the pension age group has increased significantly since 2002, in contrast to the 0-15 age group which has decreased at a similar rate since 2002. .

Population

Kirkby-in-Ashfield


19

Kirkby-in-Ashfield

The chart (left) shows 459 vacant houses in Kirkby at the end of the financial year 2009/10. There were • 223 long term empty properties

(both council and privately owned)

• 164 short term empty properties (again both council and privately owned).



From Council Tax

Empty Properties

Ward Councillors



20

Hucknall is the second largest settlement in Ashfield and being located in the south of the District is strongly influenced by Nottingham for employment, shopping and other facilities. The opening of the Robin Hood Railway Line and the Nottingham Express Transit tram system has reinforced this connection and Hucknall has been a focus for strong recent house building activity.

Hucknall 2009 - 2010

Area (Wards) 1,615.3 ha

Area of Greenbelt 682.6 ha

Area of Countryside 0

Open Space 87.8 ha


Population density 19 people per ha

Households 14,846

Rights of Way 10.9 miles

Hucknall

Overview

"You created such a positive launch for the Hucknall adiZone, everyone at Ashfield is so positive and it’s clear you understand what adiZones are all about – it’s great to work with teams like Ashfield." “The long and hard work the Grounds Staff have put into the Bowling Green makes it we believe to be the main feature of the park, and one we are proud of. “ (Letters received September 2010)


21

The Index of Multiple Deprivation takes a number of factors covering a range of health, economic, social and housing issues and combines them into a single deprivation score for each small area in England. This allows areas to be ranked according to their level of deprivation (1 being the most deprived). The most deprived areas within Hucknall are in central West Ward and the East Ward. The least deprived areas are in the North Ward and the north of the West Ward.

Benefit claimants include any person who receives a welfare benefit from the Government. The graph (to the right) shows the number of people in Hucknall who currently receives benefits.


Hucknall


Benefit Claimants

Free School Meals


22

The West Ward of Hucknall has seen the most dramatic changes in population structure since 2001. The west ward has seen a decrease in the number of working age (although it still remains significantly higher than the other wards) and 0-15 age group. In comparison to this, the pension age group has seen a continuous increase since 2001, resulting in a higher number of pensioners than 0-15 year olds in 2009. The East Ward of Hucknall was stable across all ages until 2004. From then, all the age

groups have steadily increased; pension age at a less rate than 0-15 and working age. Between 2001 and 2009 both the Central and North Ward have increased and decreased with little overall change. Simillar to the other wards, they have a significantly higher working age group compared to pension age and 0-15 age group. For more information on the population changes within Ashfield, please visit the Office of National Statistics website www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk.

Population

Hucknall


23

Hucknall

From Council Tax

The chart (left) shows 466 vacant houses in Hucknall at the end of the financial year 2009/10. There were • 213 long term empty properties





Empty Properties

Ward Councillors



24

The Villages refers to the rural local centre’s that are within the district of Ashfield. This includes Selston, Jacksdale, and Underwood. The villages have few shops and rely on the larger centres of Sutton, Kirkby and Hucknall for employment and shopping. All the Villages are surrounded by Greenbelt, meaning development is limited to these centres.

Villages

2009 – 10 Selston

2009 – 10 Jacksdale

2009 – 10

Underwood

2009 – 10

Total Area (Wards) 590.4 ha 369.6 ha 589.5 ha 1,549.5

Area of Greenbelt 431.9 ha 307.8 ha 518.2 ha 1,257.9 ha

Area of Countryside 0 0 0

Open Space 8 ha 3.9 ha 5.7 ha 17.6 ha

Population (mid 2009) 6687 3157 2951 12,795

Population density 11.3 per ha 8.5 per ha 5 per ha 8.3 per ha

Households 3,011 1,424 1,358 5,793

Rights of Way 7.2 miles 5.7 miles 5.5 miles 18.4 miles

The Villages in Ashfield


25

The Index of Multiple Deprivation takes a number of factors covering a range of health, economic, social and housing issues and combines them into a single deprivation score for each small area in England. This allows areas to be ranked according to their level of deprivation (1 being the most deprived). The Villages are the least deprived areas of the District, particularly the Underwood Ward.

Benefit claimants include any person who receives a welfare benefit from the Government. The graph (to the right) shows the number of people in Hucknall who currently receives benefits.




Benefit Claimants

Free School Meals


26

As a whole, the number of people in each group has remained fairly consistent, with little overall change between 2001 and 2009. Selston has a significantly higher number of working age people compared to Jacksdale and Underwood. The pension age has seen a slight increase, in comparison to a decrease in the 0-15 age group in Selston.

Jacksdale and Underwood have a fairly similar 0-15 age, working age and pension age group; although their working age group is much higher than the other two groups. For more information on the population changes within Ashfield, please visit the Office of National Statistics website www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk.


Population


27


The chart (left) shows 168 vacant houses in The Villages at the end of the financial year 2009/10. There were • 80 long term empty properties





From Council Tax

Empty Properties

Ward Councillors



28

Originally a Danish settlement, Kirk-by

translate as “Church Town” in Danish.

The Core Indictors are used to outline what Local Authorities should be monitoring and contain within the AMR, as set out in The Local Development Framework Monitoring Good Practice Guide (2005) by ODPM. The purpose of the Core Indicators is to create consistency across planning in terms of what is being monitored and presented in the AMR. They will assess the performance of the saved policies in the Local Plan and highlight areas which need to be improved. The Core Indicators are;

• Business Development • Housing • Transport • Retail • Biodiversity • Flood Protection and Water Quality • Renewable Energy

The Core indicators are shown in the following sections for the two Sub-Areas.

The Local Output Indicators are developed on a local basis by each individual council. Ashfield District Council has based their indicators on relevance to issues of specific local importance. These indicators address the aims within the council’s corporate strategy and can be found in detail on page 56.

Ashfield District as a whole is contained within the Nottingham Outer Housing Market Area (HMA).

However the District is split across two Sub Areas; the Hucknall part of the District is within the 3 Cities Sub-Area; the remainder of the District is in the Northern Sub-Area

Core Indicators

Core Indicators

Sub Areas

Local Output Indicators

© Crown copyright All rights reserved 100018975 (2010)


29

tp99978

Typewritten Text

Monitoring of Business Development indicators takes place as part of Ashfield District Council’s Employment Land Monitoring and Property Enquiry Trends Report. This study monitors planning permissions and completions over the period 1st April to 31st March. Strategic guidance for employment land is set out in the East Midlands Regional Plan (EMRP) March 2009 which replaced the Nottinghamshire and Nottingham Joint Structure Plan, February 2006. The EMRP does not set out any strategic land requirements., but states “Local authorities, EMDA and sub-regional strategic partnerships should work together in housing market area groupings to undertake and keep up to date employment land reviews to inform the allocation of a range of sites at sustainable locations” (Policy 20). The Council has adopted a similar approach to housing in relation to employment land with, two employment land studies providing evidence of future supply and demand requirements in the District;

• The Nottingham City Region Employment Land Study, February 2007 includes the Hucknall wards of Ashfield District Council.

• The Northern Sub Region Employment Land Review, March 2008, includes the rest of the District. (The wards of Kirkby in Ashfield, Sutton in Ashfield, Woodhouse, Selston, Underwood and Jacksdale)

Over the last few years the UK, including Ashfield, has been in a recession impacting on employment, housing, incomes, and businesses. The credit crunch and the economic recession have resulted in a very difficult period for the property market. Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners “Economic Outlook” May 2010 identified that the response of many businesses to the recession has been to reduce investment in new production capacity. With the likelihood of weak economic growth it can be expected that the limited activity within the industrial property market is likely to continue over the next 12 months. This is reflected in very little development activity in Ashfield during 2009/2010. No new space has been developed on the employment land allocations. A number of new units are available on various sites including

• Blenheim Park 500 sq m to 2,171m², • Gateway 28 Oddicroft Lane 2,832m², • Kirkby in Ashfield and units of 3,562 m²

(Unit 4a) • Castlewood Business Park, Pinxton

Lane 2,536 m² (Unit 4b). Office space is currently available at H2O and Lakeview at Sherwood Park. Given this existing supply, the current market conditions and the impact of empty rates legislation, it is unlikely that speculative development will be undertaken in the near future.

Business

Core Indicators – Business Development


30

The Pretty Polly brand of hosiery

originated in Sutton in around

1919.

A total of 3,321m² of floor space has been constructed in the District over the year (Table 2). This has largely consisted of extensions to existing units (2,923ft²) with the balance being accounted for from a change of use for agricultural buildings to a B8 storage use. Virtually no floorspace is under construction at the year-end. Steel work was erected for a unit off Penny Emma Way, Kirkby in Ashfield in the spring of 2009 but work on the unit subsequently stopped.

The following tables refer to the Core Indicators set out by the Government, which outline what information must be presented in

the AMR. For more information regarding Business and Employment please refer to the Employment Land Review on the council

website www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk. .



31

District Total

Use Class Hucknall Wards m2

The rest of the District

m2 m2

B1 858 - 858

B2 - 337 337

B8 398 - 398

Total amount of land developed for employment by type.(Gross employment floor space)1

Mixed* - 1728 1728

B1 858 - 858

B2 - 337 337

B8 398 - 398

Mixed* - 1728 1728

BD1

Net Additional Floorspace 2

Total 1256 2065 3321

Use

Class Hucknall Wards m2

The rest of District m2

District Total m2

BD3

Employment land availability3 (includes sites allocated for employment and land granted planning permission, 2007/0252, for employment purposes.)

Mixed* 32.2 84.4 116.6

*Mixed refers to development where it cannot be identified if the type is B1, B2 or B8.

Use Class Hucknall Wards m2

The rest of the District

m2

District Total

m2

B1 858 - 858

B2 - 337 337

B8 398 - 398

Mixed* - 1728 1728

BD2

Total amount of employment floor space on previously developed land

Total 1256 2065 3321



32

Ashfield is generally weighted towards skilled trades, manufacturing and retail sectors and is lacking in professional and senior officials. The unskilled or Elementary Occupations have shown a marked decline this year. This is detrimental to the District which has a large low skilled workforce. Ashfield has a higher than average proportion of people qualified to NVQ level 1 equivalent in contrast a lower proportion of people are qualified to at least NVQ level 4 (see table below). The levels are as follows: Level 1 - Foundation skills in occupations. Level 2 - Operative or semi-skilled occupations. Level 3 - Technician, craft, skilled and supervisory occupations. Level 4 - Technical and junior management occupations. In 2009/10 the median gross weekly earnings for the United Kingdom was £491, in Ashfield it was £409.5, and the median weekly pay for East Midlands was £460.5.

Employment



33

The number of people aged 16+ unemployed in Ashfield has risen and fallen significantly between 2004 and 2009. In comparison to this, Nottinghamshire and the rest of the UK tended to maintain an increase in the number of unemployed. However, since decreasing between 2007-08 and 2008-09 the unemployment rate has increase very little in Ashfield, unlike Nottinghamshire and the rest of the UK which have seen a steep rise in unemployment. For more information regarding employment in Ashfield, please visit the Council website www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk.



34

The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2006 groups land uses into various categories and is used to establish if a change of use has taken place.

Use Classes Order Including 2005-6

Amendments Description

General Permitted Development

(Amendment) Order 2005

A1 Shops

Shops, retail warehouses, sandwich bars, hairdressers, undertakers, travel and ticket agencies, post offices, dry cleaners, showrooms, domestic hire shops, funeral directors, internet cafés etc.

No permitted change

A2 Financial and Professional Services

Banks, Building societies, estate and employment agencies, Professional and Financial Services, betting offices

Permitted change to A1 where a ground floor display window exists.

A3 Restaurants and cafés Restaurants, snack bars, cafés Permitted change to A1 or

A2

A4 Drinking Establishments Public house, wine-bar or other drinking establishment Permitted change to A1,

A2 or A3

A5 Hot Food Takeaways The sale of hot food for consumption off the premises Permitted change to A1,

A2 or A3

B1 Business Offices not within A2, Research and development, studios, laboratories, high technology, Light Industry

Permitted change to B8 where no more than

235 m2

B2 General Industry General Industry Permitted change to B1 or B8

B8 Storage or Distribution Wholesale warehouses, distribution centres, repositories Permitted change to B1no

more than 235 m2

C1 Hotels Hotels, boarding and guest houses No permitted change

C2 Residential Institutions

Residential schools and colleges, Hospitals and convalescent/nursing homes, communal housing of elderly and handicapped people.

No permitted change

C3 Dwelling Houses

Dwellings, small businesses at home. (Does not include households consisting of more than six residents not in a family or households where care is provided for the residents).

No permitted change

D1 Non-residential Institutions

Places of worship, Church Halls, Clinics, health centres, crèches, day nurseries, consulting rooms, Museums, public halls, libraries, art galleries, exhibition halls, Non - residential education and training centres

No permitted change

D2 Assembly and Leisure

Cinemas, music and concert halls, Dance, Sports halls, Swimming baths, skating rinks, gymnasiums Other indoor and outdoor sports and leisure uses, bingo halls,

No permitted change

Sui Generis

Theatres, night-clubs, casinos, Hostel, Shops selling and/or displaying motor vehicles, retail warehouse clubs, launderettes, taxi or vehicle hire businesses, amusement centres, petrol filling stations

No permitted change

Use Classes Order


35

The monitoring of retail development indicators takes place annually. The Council monitors new builds and changes of use over the period 1st April to 31st March and produces a Retail Floorspace Survey each year. The highest densities of retail uses are located within District Shopping Centres and Local Shopping Centres identified below.

DistrictCentres Local Centres Sutton Outram Street

Huthwaite (Market Place) Stanton Hill (High Street)

Hucknall Annesley Road, Hucknall Watnall Road, Hucknall

Kirkby Jacksdale Village Centre

The pattern of shopping provision has been affected over recent years due to changes in retail developments. These changes include an increase in the amount of large food stores that provide reduced frequency ‘one-stop’ shopping trips; retail warehouses accommodating furniture, electrical goods and bulky DIY items; and large regional shopping centres that provide a whole range of retail and leisure facilities. These changes in retail development have caused increasing levels of vacancy within town centres across the country due to the relocation of shops to bigger sites and the customers’ ability to purchase most high street goods. The following page shows the figures from the Retail Floorspace Survey 2010 in comparison to the previous year. In terms of future retail, office and leisure development, there are two pending planning

applications for major retail development within Ashfield. Tesco submitted an application at Lowmoor Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield in January 2010. This was refused at Planning Committee as the site is outside the main shopping area, and was later withdrawn. There are a number of vacant units in most shopping centres of the District. The move towards large food stores and retail warehouses has created competition that many smaller shops cannot compete with. It is supported by the fact that there are many small butchers and delicatessens in the centre of Kirkby-in-Ashfield. Ashfield was traditionally a mining town, and the closure of the mines, (the last just after the Millennium), contributed to economic and social deprivation within the District. It also caused a mismatch between local skills and those required by new business, meaning that the only jobs available for most residents are unskilled and low paid. The low spending power that has been created has inhibited new investment and contributed to poor health and low self-esteem. Due to the downturn in the economy, The Council is actively seeking to bring vacant units back into use through the implementation of various grant schemes. The Government has awarded the Council with a grant for £52,632 to tackle the decline of town centres within Ashfield. Consequently, the Council are now in the process of implementing a scheme which is specifically aimed at bringing vacant units back into use. There are also two other grant schemes which are aimed at improving the appearance of existing, and vacant retail units within Kirkby in Ashfield town centre, Huthwaite town centre and Stanton Hill.

Retail

Core Indicators – Local Services


36

Area

Vacant Units 2009

Percent of Vacant Units

2009

Total Units 2010

Vacant Units 2010

Percent of Vacant

Units 2010 Percent Change Total A1

Sutton Total 56 13.50% 450 70 15.56% 2.06% 268

Kirkby Total 46 19.00% 244 52 21.31% 2.31% 137

Hucknall Total 41 14.20% 306 43 14.05% -0.15% 182

Small Retail Areas Total 27 18.80% 141 24 17.02% -1.78% 86

ASHFIELD DISTRICT 141 12.90% 1141 189 16.56% 3.66% 673

2010 2009 A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 VACANT A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 VACANT

Sutton District Centre 110 26 12 3 7 29 116 26 8 1 5 20Sutton Local Centre 54 7 5 0 7 22 59 6 6 0 11 12Sutton Edge of Centre 18 0 2 2 7 1 18 0 2 0 5 0Sutton Out of Centre

86 7 5 9 11 18 68 3 4 0 9 24

450 268 40 24 14 32 70 261 35 20 1 30 56Kirkby District Centre 67 18 3 1 6 33 73 17 3 0 7 26Kirkby Edge of Centre

19 1 2 0 7 8 37 2 2 0 6 6Kirkby Out of Centre 51 2 3 1 7 11 54 2 0 1 5 14

244 137 21 8 2 20 52 164 21 5 1 18 46Hucknall District Centre 68 19 2 6 9 16 74 20 5 0 3 8Hucknall Local Centre 41 2 7 0 6 12 41 1 5 0 5 14Hucknall Edge of Centre 26 1 1 0 1 2 23 0 2 0 0 4Hucknall Out of Centre

47 6 4 0 11 13 48 5 2 1 10 14

306 182 28 14 6 27 43 186 26 14 1 18 40Huthwaite 23 2 2 0 8 12 25 2 2 0 7 12Jacksdale 20 1 2 0 1 2 20 1 0 1 1 2Selston 14 1 0 0 2 0 14 1 0 0 2 1Skegby 7 1 2 0 2 1 8 1 1 0 2 1Stanton Hill 16 1 3 0 2 8 17 1 2 0 2 9Underwood 6 0 0 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 2

141 86 6 9 0 15 24 89 6 5 1 14 27DISTRICT TOTAL 673 95 55 22 94 189 700 88 44 4 80 169



37

The following tables show the breakdown of retail uses in each area of the district in 2010. A1 Shop uses and Vacant units make up the largest proportion, with A4 Drinking Establishments as the lowest (mainly because most public houses are also hotels, so they are classified as C1. For a definition of each use class see page.35 For more information regarding retailing in Ashfield, please view the Retail Floorspace Survey 2010 on the Ashfield District Council website www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk.


59%

9%

5%

2%

9%

14%Hucknall

60%

9%

5%

3%

7%

16%Sutton-in-Ashfield

56%

9%3%

1%

8%

21%

Kirkby-in-Ashfield

61%

4%

6%

0%

11%

17%The Villages


38

Hucknall

Kirkby-in-Ashfield

Sutton-in-Ashfield



39

tp99978

Typewritten Text


Hucknall Local Shopping Centre (Watnall Road) Sutton in Ashfield Local Shopping (Outram Street)

Hucknall Local Shopping Centre (Annesley Road)



40

tp99978

Typewritten Text


St. Helens Church in Selston dates back to 1150 AD

The Projects Team at Ashfield District Council are responsible for the ongoing improvements to open space within the district. A considerable amount of time is spent designing and consulting with members of the public on the space to create places that can be used and enjoyed by a variety of people. Play areas improved in 2009/2010 include;

• Wood Nook Skate Park • David St • BFP Play Trail • Riley Rec • Lawn adiZone • Westwood BMX

Public Realms improved in 2009/10 include;

• St. Michael's war memorial • Skegby Heritage Trail

Green Flag Awards The Green Flag Award is the national standard for parks and open spaces, recognising and rewarding the best green spaces in the UK. The Awards are run by environmental charities, Keep Britain Tidy, GreenSpace and BTCV. Five of Ashfield's parks have been awarded the highly prestigious Green Flag Award;

• Sutton Lawn (Sutton-in-Ashfield) • Kingsway Park (Kirkby-in-Ashfield) • Titchfield Park (Hucknall) • Brierley Forest Park (Huthwaite) • Portland Park (Kirkby-in-Ashfield)

Space Shaper Earlier this year, Ashfield used a new national consultation tool to explore how local people felt about three recreation grounds in north

Sutton-in-Ashfield, and how they could be improved. The Spaceshaper method turns local people into park inspectors and enables them to rate a space on a range of different themes such as appearance, maintenance and activities. These scores are then discussed in a group, giving us a clear idea of the local issues – what people value about the space and what people dislike about the space. AdiZone AdiZones are designed to provide sporting facilities inspired by Olympic and Paralympic sports that include a basketball, football and tennis area, a climbing wall, an outdoor gym and an open area to encourage dance, aerobics and gymnastics. The 150k project was funded

by a successful bid for £75,000 to government; with match funding provided by Nottinghamshire County Council and Section 106 developer

contributions. The Lawn adiZone is one of the first to be opened outside

London and the first in the East Midlands. The Lawn AdiZone in Sutton-in-Ashfield was opened in November 2009. A further AdiZone in Hucknall is hoped to be created in 2010 at Albert Street adjacent to Hucknall leisure centre. More information regarding Green Flag Awards, Space Shaper and AdiZone is available on Ashfield District Council’s website www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk.

Open Space



41

The monitoring of housing development indicators is undertaken on an annual basis. The Council monitor planning permissions, completions, conversions and change of use, demolitions, previously developed land, dwelling type and tenure over the period 1st April to 31st March and produce an annual Housing Land Monitoring Report (HLMR - available on the Aashfield District Council website www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk).

The information collected is summarised in the table below. In addition to the HLMR, a number of studies have been undertaken to help inform the scale, type and distribution of future housing in the District. These are namely two Strategic Housing Market Area Assessments (SHMA's), two Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessments (SHLAA), the Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE) study (Hucknall area only), and an Affordable Housing Viability Assessment (all of which can be found on the Ashfield District Council Website www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk).

Housing Targets The source for the housing target used is the East Midlands Regional Plan (EMRP) adopted March 2009. The EMRP has a plan period of 2006-2026 therefore a proportion of the requirement has already been met through completions between 1st April 2006 – 31st March 2009.

The graphs on page 46 shows how Ashfield is expecting to meet the housing target. The trajectories set out on Pages 45 and 46 indicate that at 31st March 2010 housing completions since 2006 exceeded the EMRP requirement the first years of the EMRP plan period, but have fallen below the cumulative requirement for the reportingyear (2009/2010). This outcome reflects the current economic climate and subsequentdownturn in the housing market, rather thana restriction of suitable land for development.

Northern Sub-region (Kirkby, Sutton, Villages)

3 Cities Sub-Region (Hucknall)

Total

Completions - total 233 129 362

New Builds 214 126 340

Conversions/ Change of use 22 4 26

Demolitions 3 1 4

Housing Target (between 2006 and 2026

7600 3,600 11,200

Housing Overview

Core Indicators - Housing

Housing Targets, completions and Future Supply


42

Land Supply In terms of future housing supply, the trajectories have taken into consideration those sites with current planning permission, in addition to sites currently being assessed through the SHLAA (including outstanding residential allocations from the Ashfield Local Plan Review 2002, and sites put forward through by landowners earlier this year). All of these sites have been assessed using a methodology agreed in partnership with the neighbouring local authorities of Mansfield and Newark and Sherwood, in terms of suitability and deliverability. Expected delivery dates have then been attributed to all sites using the best information available. No method for predicting future growth is an exact science, but the resulting trajectories do give a good indication of what could be achieved. The SHLAA is available on the Ashfield Website www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk or at the Council Offices in Kirkby. Building for Life No information is currently available with regard to Building for Life Assessments. However, it is intended that ADC will monitor the number and proportion of total new build completions on sites reaching very good, good, average and poor ratings against the Building for Life criteria in the forthcoming years. The 5 year land supply is a Government requirement (as outlined in Planning Policy Statement 3) which gives responsibility to the Local Authority to demonstrate a 5 year land supply for the development of housing for the district. If there is less than five years supply of deliverable sites, they should consider favourably planning applications for housing.

The following trajectories are based on housing requirements contained in the East Midlands Regional Plan for the 20 year period 2006-2026. This amounts to a total of 11,200 dwellings across the Ashfield, split into 3,600 for Hucknall and 7,600 for the rest of the District. The projected completions consist of outstanding ‘committed’ sites with planning permission, together with additional sites taken from the SHLAA which are deemed to be deliverable without a need for any changes in policy. Assumptions for when these sites may come forward have been made based on a combination of information gathered from landowners/developers and a standardised set of criteria which take into account details such as site size, estimated number of developers, type of housing, type of planning permission, and whether or not the site has been started. The Strategic Allocation has been divided into tranches in order to best reflect the current downturn in delivery due to the economic climate, gradually increasing to achieve the total requirement at the end of the 20 year period. The basis for figures used is set out below.

Strategic Allocation Tranches

Tranche 1

Years 1 - 5

Requirement based on the average completion rate of years 1-4, projected forward for year 5.

Tranche 2

Years 6 - 10

An increased annual requirement based on the East Midlands Regional Plan annualised requirement.

Tranche 3

Years 11-20

Annual requirement based on the balance of the EMRP requirement, annualised over the remainder of the plan period.


Housing Trajectory


43



44



45

Housing Completions on Greenfield Sites and PDL

54% 60%51%46% 49%

40%

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

District Total Northern Sub-Region

(Ashfield exc.Hucknall)

3 Cities Sub-Region

(Hucknall)

GreenfieldPDL

Greenfield sites refer to land which has never been developed on in the past. Brownfield sites are previously developed land or buildings (also known as Previously Developed Land). Dwelling completions on Previously Developed Land (PDL) for the Reporting year 2009/2010 account for some 51% of the total completions District wide, and is illustrated in the graph below. These figures are taken from ‘gross’ completions, i.e., new build plus gains from change of use and conversions (as per CLG guidance).

However, the scale of development on PDL is likely to decrease in future years as the District has a limited supply of suitable ‘Brownfield’/PDL sites. This trend is demonstrated by the current ‘commitments’ (i.e., those sites with current planning permission for residential development), illustrated in the charts below. These figures represent ‘gross’ commitments, i.e., new build plus gains from change of use and conversions (as per CLG guidance).

There have been no new pitches delivered in Ashfield for the year 2008/2009. A Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) covering the whole of Nottinghamshire (excluding Bassetlaw) was produced in May 2007. This study assessed the current situation and future needs on a District basis. The recommendation for Ashfield is 0 new pitches to the year 2011. An independent review, commissioned by EMRA, was undertaken in September 2008 to test the

robustness of all GTAA and has found the Nottinghamshire Assessment to be sound. However, the EMRP (2009) has superseded the above study and sets out a minimum additional pitch requirement of 8 in Ashfield District A partnership group of Local Authority officers and key stakeholders has been established to monitor Gypsy and Traveller accommodation needs on an annual basis. This information will ultimately feed into a review of the GTAA recommendations post 2011.

The Government is committed to providing high quality housing for people who are unable to access or afford market housing, for example, vulnerable people and key workers

Greenfield PDL Total District Total 198 168 366 Northern Sub-Region (Ashfield exc. Hucknall) 120 116 236 3 Cities Sub-Region (Hucknall) 78 52 130

Greenfield and Brownfield Sites

Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation

Affordable Housing



46

47

as well as helping people make the step from social-rented housing to home ownership. The government state affordable housing is necessary to meet the needs of the whole community in terms of tenures and price ranges. This should include affordable housing, both social rented and intermediate, in order to; – provide high quality homes in mixed sustainable communities for those in need; – widen the opportunities for home ownership; – offer greater quality, flexibility and choice to those who rent. The Ashfield Local Plan Review (Policy HG4) set out the criteria for affordable housing throughout the District. It identified a need of 18.5% of new dwelling completions in Hucknall and 6% for the rest of the District to be provided on sites of 25 dwellings or more (or 1 hectare or more). However, this requirement has now been superseded by a new Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), adopted by Ashfield District Council in July 2009 in order to reflect current national guidance and Council objectives.

The new targets as set out in Policy SPD 1 are as follows:-

Hucknall Wards: 25% of new units on sites of 15 or more

Selston, Jacksdale, Underwood Wards: 25% of new units on sites of 4 or more

Remainder of Ashfield: 10% of new units on sites of 15 or more

It is not anticipated that the effect of the new SPD policy on delivery will be reflected for a number of years due to the large number of outstanding commitments that already have the benefit of planning permission under Policy HG4 of the Local Plan. The table below shows the number of affordable housing units (as per PPS3 definition) provided in the reporting year 2009 to 2010. These figures are set against total completions on ‘large’ sites. However, it should be noted that the definition of a ‘large’ site for the purposes of this report is one comprising 10 or more dwellings and is therefore not directly comparable to Policy HG4 resulting in a lower percentage rate than that actually achieved in terms of policy targets. Despite this fact, the table indicates that the targets set out in the ALPR have been exceeded in the past year.

Affordable housing Completions 1st April 2009 – 31st March 2010 Hucknall Rest of Ashfield District Total

Social Rented Homes provided

63

48

111

Intermediate Homes provided

0

42

42

Total Affordable Homes provided 01/04/2009 to 31/03/2010

63

90

153


NB The table shows new build only and does not include acquisitions.

Household Structure The average household size in Ashfield is ranked 225th out of 410 Local Authorities. In terms of household structure, Ashfield is slightly below average with an average household size of 2.39 compared to 2.41 Regionally and Nationally (source: The State of the County Report – March 2005).

Income The Local Futures Audit (the Audit Commission, the Local Government Association and individual local authorities) considers prosperity in terms of a range of indicators including total income, house prices, number of cars per household etc. The weekly earnings in Ashfield can be found in the Employment Section (page 33).

Council Tax Ashfield District has a much higher than average proportion of dwellings in Council Tax Band A as shown below. This impacts on the supply of smaller affordable homes for first time buyers.

House Prices Average house prices are well below the national and Nottinghamshire averages For the 1st quarter of 2009 average house prices were:

Ashfield - £90,250 Nottinghamshire - £120,000 England - £159,995

Households



48



49

Ashfield has a variety of public transport methods both from outside and within the District. The Robin Hood railway line (which runs from Nottingham to Worksop) has stations at Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Hucknall and Sutton Parkway. Hucknall is also a terminus for the NET tram route to Nottingham. The A38 cuts across the centre of the district between Sutton and Kirkby, as well as the M1 to the west of the district, meaning access to Junctions 28 and 27 easily accessible from the district., as well as surrounding areas.

The percentage of completed non-residential development complying with car-parking standards set out in the Local Plan is 100% due to maximum car parking standards being applied in line with PPG13: Transport. The table above shows that all new residential development within the District is within 30 minutes public transport time (including walking and cycling) of the key basic services. A threshold of 0.4ha or 10 dwellings has been applied to the new residential development. The Council is currently awaiting guidance on thresholds for future years. When calculating the proportion of completed non-residential development complying with car parking standards, this figure will always be 100% due to the council applying maximum car parking standards in line with PPG13.

Transport

Core Indicators - Transport


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Core Indicators – Renewable Energy, Biodiversity, Flood Protection and Water Quality

Ashfield District Council takes regard of advice provided by all Statutory Bodies including the Environment Agency and if any development is likely to be at risk from or to exacerbate flooding or may affect the water quality in any way then planning permission will either be refused or amendments will be made to the development before the application is granted. There was 0 number of planning permissions granted contrary to the advice of the Environmental Agency on either flood defence grounds or water quality between 2009 and 2010.

The change in areas recorded for the sites designated for their environmental value are all Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation and Geological Significance (SINC's), these sites relate to surveys carried out by the Nottinghamshire Biological and Geological Records Centre (NBGRC) on behalf of the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Audit Steering Group. For the period 2008-2009 Ashfield recorded a loss of 1 site (0.19ha) and 2 sites gained (8.5ha and 0.9ha). Ashfield’s total SINC area for 2009/10 is 2431.95 compared to 2323.29ha in 2008/09. There were no applications adversely affecting SINCs in 2009/10. The change in priority habitats and species is almost impossible to identify, records are kept for those sites which have been developed where they hold some environmental value, but it is impossible to work out the change in

priority habitats and species on land adjacent to developments for example.

The measure of Renewable Energy capacity considers only commercial undertakings which export to the National Grid and does not include small scale householder developments. No proposals were approved within the District between April 2009 and March 2010.

Flood Protection and Water Quality

Biodiversity

Renewable Energy


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Evidence Base

The following table shows the background information that has been used to put the AMR together. The documents are available in full on the council website www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk, or at the Council Offices in Kirkby-in-Ashfield.

Document Title Description of work area covered by document Timescale

Affordable Housing Viability Assessment

This work will provide the Council with a financial viability model which will assess the viability of development and affordable housing targets (sub-areas), use of thresholds, guidance on on-and-off site provision and the use of commuted sums and the impact of affordable housing tenure split (between intermediate and social rented) on viability. The model will be used to formulate planning policy as well as provide a basis for individual site negotiations.

Completed November

2009

Nottingham Core Strategic Housing Market Area Assessment

This document, written by B.Line Consultants, is an in-depth assessment of the characteristics of the Nottingham Core Housing Market Area

Completed April 2007

Northern Sub-Region Strategic Housing Market Area Assessment

This document, written by Fordhams is an in-depth assessment of the characteristics of the Northern Sub-area Housing Market Area

Completed Sept. 2007

ADC Housing Land Monitoring Report 2008

This document is produced annually and provides information on housing completions and commitments from 1st April to 31st March.

Completed July 2008

Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (Nottingham Outer)

This document identifies and assesses potential sites for new housing development in the remainder of the District outside Hucknall. This is a factual assessment and does not allocate sites for new housing development. Joint methodology prepared with the Nottingham Outer Housing Market Area authorities (Mansfield and Newark).

Completed March 2009

Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (Nottingham Core)

This document identifies and assesses potential sites for new housing development. This is a factual assessment and does not allocate sites for new housing development. Joint methodology prepared with the Nottingham Core Housing Market Area authorities (Ashfield (Hucknall part), Broxtowe, Erewash, Gedling, and Notts. City and Rushcliffe).


Sustainable Urban Extensions -Hucknall only

This study was carried out by Tribal Consultants & provides advice on the most suitable location or locations for the development of Sustainable Urban Extensions adjacent to the Principle Urban Areas and Sub Regional Centres of Hucknall & Ilkeston.

Completed June 2008


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Nottingham City Region Employment Land Study

This work, undertaken by Roger Tym and partners, assesses identified employment land in the Nottingham area and assesses whether there is sufficient land available to meet employment needs up to 2026.


Northern Sub Area Employment Land Study

This work, undertaken by OVE ARUP and partners, identifies employment land needs at the sub-regional and district levels, as well as identifying broad locations to meet these needs.


ADC Employment Land Monitoring Report 2008

Employment Land Monitoring Report and Property Enquiry Trends Report now combined. This document is produced annually and provides information on employment completions and commitments from 1st April to 31st March it also provides information on demand and supply of employment properties.

Completed May 2008

Notts. Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessment

This document assesses the accommodation needs for Gypsies and Travellers in Nottinghamshire.

Completed May 2007

Nottingham Core and & Ashfield Infrastructure Capacity Study

This strategy will identify deficits in infrastructure provision through out the Nottingham Core Authorities & the whole of Ashfield, therefore ascertaining what infrastructure is needed to support the level of growth. The strategy is currently being prepared with the Nottingham Core Authorities (Ashfield, Broxtowe, Erewash, Gedling, Nott's City and Rushcliffe),

Completed June 2009

ADC Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)

This document provides an overview of the flood risk for the District and will be used to inform planning policies and planning applications.

Completed Feb 2009

ADC Retail Study

The purpose of this study is to inform and guide retail planning in the District, and in particular, to input into the preparation of the Local Development Framework. The study was undertaken by GVA Grimley consultants.


Greater Nottingham Retail Study

This study doesn't cover Ashfield but does provide useful links to the ADC Retail Study.

Completed

Town Centre Masterplans for Sutton and Kirkby

The Masterplans are intended to help promote, guide and maximise the future development and regeneration potential of the town centre’s and provide the physical framework for changes to support the future vitality and viability of the two town centre’s. The work was undertaken by ARUP.

Completed Feb. 2007


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Masterplan Study for Hucknall

Work undertaken by URBED consultants. The study aims to develop ideas and urban strategies for the future development of Hucknall town centre.

Adopted October

2009

ADC Retail Floorspace Survey 2008

The Retail Floorspace Survey, undertaken on an annual basis, is intended to monitor changes within the retail sector in the district.

Completed Sept. 2008

ADC Green Infrastructure Strategy

This document will look at nature conservation and biodiversity and the way that green infrastructure links areas together. Work to be undertaken 'in-house'.

Expected Completion March 2011

ADC Landscape Character Appraisal

The Regional Spatial Strategy now requires landscape character appraisals as part of the evidence base. Further investigation work will be needed as to the requirements for this study.

Completed October

2009

ADC Green Space Strategy

This strategy will provide a focus for the continued improvement of green spaces in Ashfield and provide guidance on the provision of new green space and associated facilities through the development process.

Adopted Oct 2008

ADC Play Strategy This document sets out future priorities for play and adventure throughout the district.


ADC Playing Pitch Strategy

This document sets out the strategic framework for the development of playing pitches with community access across the District. It will provide guidance on the provision of new playing pitches and associated facilities through the development process.

Adopted Oct 2008

ADC Allotments Monitoring Report 2007

This document will monitor the districts allotments. An Allotments Working Group has been set up to ensure that sufficient allotments are available.

Completed Feb. 2008

Teversal Conservation Area Appraisal

This update to the Teversal Conservation Area Appraisal will provide an analysis of the area and a management plan for future change.

Expected completion - Summer

2011

Annual Monitoring Report This document will monitor the progress towards policy objectives.

December 2009


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Nott’s Sustainable Energy Policy Framework

The framework is being produced jointly with the other 8 Nottinghamshire Authorities, it will feature a declaration of the commitment to tackle climate change, an evidence base to support future Climate Change policy formulation (this work has been completed by ECOS), a suggested minimum target percentage for renewable/low carbon energy above a given threshold, indications of types of areas where a higher or lower percentage may apply, a recommended model policy approach & guidance on implementation.

Published November

2009

Ashfield and Mansfield: Economic Analysis

An economic analysis of the two districts undertaken by Experian. The evidence from this Study is applied in the Mansfield and Ashfield Joint Property Strategy undertaken by Innes England.

Completed June 2009

Greater Nottingham and Ashfield Accessibility of Settlements Study

The purpose of the Greater Nottingham and Ashfield Accessibility of Settlements Study is to assess the level of accessibility of existing settlements, particularly in terms of their residents access to jobs, shopping, education and other services by walking, cycling and public transport.

Completed January 2010

Mansfield and Ashfield Districts Joint Property Strategy

Mansfield and Ashfield District Councils commissioned Innes England to produce a property strategy for each district to establish a balanced property portfolio to meet the current and future demand for commercial and industrial property together with the authorities' regeneration aspirations.

Completed December

2009

Greater Nottingham and Ashfield Outline Water Cycle Study

A study of the infrastructure associated with water resources, water supply, water quality, the disposal of waste water and the protection of homes from possible flooding in Ashfield and Greater Nottingham. Link to the document

Completed February

2010

Greater Nottingham Landscape Character Assessment

On website (www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk) – see Landscape Character Assessment.

Completed July 2009

Supplementary Planning Document on Affordable Housing

This document details Ashfield's requirements for affordable housing and the methods and means by which the Council will secure affordable homes.

Completed July 2009


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Environmental Local Output Indicators

Indicator Target Performance Trend Further information

Action

Secure public open space within new residential development on sites over 2Ha

All new residential developments above 2 Ha to provide a minimum of 10% open space

2 applications of this type were approved, both secured open space provision.

P. 42

Retain Indicator for future monitoring

Secure public open space within new residential development on sites less than 2Ha and more than 5 dwellings

Residential sites less than 2Ha and more than 5 dwellings to provide open space and/or commuted sum to facilitate off-site provision

15 applications of this type were approved, 14 secured open space provision. I was refused and won on appeal

P. 42


Protection of Green Belt land from inappropriate development

Safeguarding the countryside from encroachment

There were 496 applications given planning permission 2009-10, 37 of these were in the green belt, none were inappropriate.

P.12


Protection of ‘Countryside’ from inappropriate development

Safeguarding the countryside from encroachment

32 application were given planning permission in the Countryside, none were inappropriate.

P.12


Number of Green Flag awards

Maintain or increase the number of green flag awards

5 awards obtained (Brierley Forest Park and Sutton Lawn, Titchfield Park, Hucknall & Kingsway Park)

P. 41



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Households Local Output Indicators

Economy Local Output Indicators


Action

Percentage of 15 year olds achieving 5 or more GCSE’s (grades A* - C)

Increase in the percentage of 15 year olds with 5 or more GCSE’s by 2010

62.8% of all pupils achieved this target, 62.4% boys and 65.8% girls

P. 33


Unemployment rate

Decrease in the unemployment rate for Ashfield by 2010

Unemployment has risen from 5.3 to 5.6%

P. 34



Action

Number of local businesses advised/supported

Achieve over 100 businesses by 2008

Not applicable at present


Number of VAT registered businesses per 1000 population

Increase in the amount of businesses per 1000 population by 2010

ONS no longer keep this record, It has been replaced by the number of active enterprises in the District. This was 3000 in 2009

Page 30

Change indicator to Active Businesses


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Area Local Output Indicators

Retail Local Output Indicators

Indicator Target Performance

Trend Further information

Action

Average life expectancy

Increase in life expectancy of Ashfield’s general public by 2008

76.5 years for men 80.7 years for women

P. 11


Total crime offences per 1000 population

Reduce crime offences in Ashfield by 2010

89 offences per 100 of population in 2009-10

P. 11



Action

The number, floor space and proportion of shops which are vacant

Reduce vacancy rate of shops in District Shopping Centres

2009-2010 189 vacant out of 1141 16.5% vacant

P. 36



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Transport Local Output Indicators


Action

Secure developer contributions towards transport improvements

a. Residential development exceeding 0.4Ha or 50 bedrooms (whichever is the lower) b. Retail development exceeding 1,000m2 gross floor space c. Office development exceeding 2,500m2 gross floor space d. Employment development 5,000m2 gross floor space e. Commercial, leisure, tourism, health or education uses where transport impact is significant

1 application of this type, transport contributions were secured 2008/09 - No planning applications above threshold. 2008/09 - No planning applications above threshold. 2008/09 - 100% achieved 2008/09 - No planning applications above threshold.

P.50


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Housing Local Output Indicators


Action

Density of residential developments on sites larger than 0.4 Ha

a. 40 dwellings per hectare within 400m of district shopping centres, train stations or NET stops b. 34 dwellings per hectare within 1km of district shopping centres, train stations or NET stops c.30 dwellings per hectare elsewhere

2009 -2010 100% achieved 2009 -2010 100% achieved One application in the rural area had a density of 22 dwellings per ha

P.42


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Conclusion

There were numerous external data sources for the measurement of indicator performance; these include the 2001 Census, Nottinghamshire Employment Bulletins, Nottinghamshire Local Area Labour Force Survey, Condition of Nottinghamshire Report, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Accessibility Study and the Nottinghamshire Biological and Geological Records Centre. Most of the data however was available from Ashfield District Council, mainly from the Development Control and Regeneration sections. The information gathered has included employment take up, housing completions and densities, reuse of Brownfield land developer contributions, local business information, life expectancy and crime issues. The Local Profile section clearly shows that parts of Ashfield have areas of multiple social and economic deprivations, unemployment is generally lower than the National average but the profile highlights that Ashfield is generally

weighted towards skilled trades, manufacturing and retail sectors and is lacking in professional and senior officials. There is a significantly lower proportion (compared to the county and national averages) of people who are qualified to at least NVQ level 4 or above. The profile clearly shows that the average life expectancy in Ashfield is lower than the National and Regional averages, the health score rank for the District was 348th out of 410 Districts. Crime levels are currently high compared with both the Regional and National averages although violent crime is currently below the National and Regional pictures. Economic regeneration for the District remains a priority in the future involving skills training and education, supporting the creation and ensuring the survival of local businesses through the development of incubation centres, grants schemes and other initiative to develop the knowledge economy.


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Affordable Housing: Affordable housing includes social rented and intermediate housing, provided to specified eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Affordable housing should:

• Meet the needs of eligible households including availability at a cost low enough for them to afford, determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices.

• Include provision for the home to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households or, if these restrictions are lifted, for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.

Allocation: Land identified in Local Plan as appropriate for a specific land use. ALPR: Ashfield Local Plan Review: The current Local Plan adopted in November 2002 with a timescale to 2011. Biodiversity: The range of life forms which constitute the living world, from microscopic organisms to the largest tree or animal, and the habitat and ecosystem in which they live. Brownfield: A general term used to describe previously developed land or buildings. Also referred to as Previously Developed Land (PDL) Census of Population: A survey of the entire population of the United Kingdom, undertaken on a ten- yearly basis. Commuted Sum: One-off payment made instead of providing facilities or a service, and which takes away responsibility to make such provision. Core Strategy: The main document in the LDF which outlines the policies for the whole District. Although originally due for publication

in 2013, this has been put on hold until further notice. Core Indicators: The Core Indictors are used to outline what Local Authorities should be monitoring and contain within the AMR, as set out in The Local Development Framework Monitoring Good Practice Guide (2005) by ODPM, and create consistency across planning in terms of what is being monitored and presented in the AMR. They will assess the performance of the saved policies in the Local Plan and highlight areas which need to be improved. Countryside: The rural parts of the District lying outside the defined Main Urban Areas and Named Settlements excluding land designated as Green Belt. Density: The intensity of development in a given area. Usually measured, for housing, in terms of number of dwellings per hectare. District Shopping Centre: An area identified within the Ashfield Local Plan Review as containing the principal shopping areas of the three towns of Hucknall, Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Sutton-in-Ashfield. East Midlands Regional Plan (EMRP): The Regional Plan adopted in March 2009. This sets out regional targets, and the Core Indicators which are monitored within the AMR Employment: For the purposes of this document, the term will normally refer to land intended for use within Classes B1 to B8, as defined in the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order, 1987. General Permitted Development Order (2005): This order outlines the development which would require planning permission and which are permitted change (do not need planning permission). Also see Use Classes Order.

Glossary and Abbreviations


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Green Belt: An area of land surrounding a City having five distinct purposes:

• to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built up areas;

• to prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another;

• to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;

• to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns, and;

• to assist in urban regeneration by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.

Greater Nottinghamshire Planning Authorities: These include Ashfield District Council, Broxtowe Borough Council, Erewash Borough Council in Derbyshire, Gedling Borough Council, Nottingham City Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council Ha/ha: Hectares Hectare: An area 10,000 sq. metres or 2.471 acres. Housing Trajectory: Means of showing past and future housing performance by identifying the predicted provision of housing over the lifespan of the Local Development Framework. Intermediate Affordable Housing: Housing at prices and rents above those of social rent, but below market price or rents. These can include shared equity products (e.g. HomeBuy), other low cost homes for sale and intermediate rent. JSP: Joint Structure Plan: The Nottinghamshire and Nottingham Joint Structure Plan, establishing the interim strategic policy context for Development Plan Documents. Will be superseded by the next Regional Spatial Strategy.

LDF: Local Development Framework: ‘Portfolio’ of local development documents which collectively deliver the spatial planning strategy for the local planning authority’s area. LDS: Local Development Scheme: Statement detailing the timescales and arrangements for the preparation of local development documents. Local Output Indicators: The Local Output Indicators are developed on a local basis by each individual council. Ashfield District Council has based their indicators on relevance to issues of specific local importance. These indicators address the aims within the council’s corporate strategy. Local Plan: Comprises a Written Statement and a Proposals Map. The Written Statement includes the Authority’s detailed policies and proposals for the development and use of land together with reasoned justification for these proposals. Main Urban Areas: For the purposes of this document, the three towns of Hucknall, Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Sutton-in-Ashfield. Monitoring: Regular and systematic collection and analysis of information to measure policy implementation. Named Settlements: The settlements of Jacksdale, Selston and Underwood, New Annesley, Brinsley and Bestwood. Open Space: General term including all space for formal and informal recreation activities with access generally open to the public. Planning Appeals: Appeals occur when permission has not been granted and the applicant disputes the decision. An appeal can then be allowed (meaning the refusal is overruled and the application is granted) or dismissed (meaning the refusal still applies)



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Renewable Energy: The term ‘renewable energy’ covers those resources which occur and recur naturally in the environment. Such resources include heat from the earth or sun, power from the wind and from water and energy from plant material and from the recycling of domestic, industrial or agricultural waste, and from recovering energy from domestic, industrial or agricultural waste. Retail Development: Refers to uses generally occurring within Classes A1–A5 (inclusive) of the Town and County Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (revised April 2005). RSS: Regional Spatial Strategy: Strategic planning guidance for the Region that development plan documents have to be in general conformity with. Saved/Unsaved Policies: The Local Plan contains a number of policies which guide the development in Ashfield. In 2007, the policies were reviewed, and were deemed either still applicable and therefore saved, or no longer necessary and therefore unsaved. SCI: Statement of Community Involvement: Local authority’s policy for involving the community in the preparation of local development documents and for consulting on planning applications, SPD: Supplementary Planning Documents: Provide supplementary information in respect of the policies in Development Plan Documents. They do not form part of the Development Plan and are not subject to independent examination. Social Rented Housing: Rented housing owned and managed by local authorities and registered social landlords, for which guideline target rents are determined through the national rent regime. It may also include rented housing owned or managed by other persons and provided under equivalent rental

arrangements to the above, as agreed with the local authority or with the Housing Corporation as a condition of grant. South Nott’s: A sub-area of the Structure Plan containing the Greater Nottingham Conurbation. Includes the Hucknall part of Ashfield, the City of Nottingham and the Districts of Broxtowe, Gedling and Rushcliffe. Take-Up- Rates: The rate at which land is developed. Usually measured in the number of dwellings per annum or hectares of development per annum. Targets: Thresholds which identify the scale and change to be derived from policies over a specific time period. Use Classes Order: The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 2006 groups land uses into various categories and is used to establish if a change of use has taken place. Changing the use of land or premises to another use in the same class does not normally require planning permission. Please see page 43 for the categories. West Nott’s: A ‘sub-area’ of the Structure Plan including all of Ashfield (north of Hucknall), Mansfield and parts of Newark and Sherwood District



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Visit our website at: www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk


Visit our website at: www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk

Ashfield District Council Urban Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottingham, East Midlands, NG17 8DA

Tel: (01623) 450000 Fax: (01623) 457585

If you require translation or interpretation into sign language, Braille, languages other than English or other accessible formats such as large print, please contact the Planning Policy and Projects Section at Ashfield District Council on 01623 457383.
