St Austell and Surrounding Parishes Town Framework

Options Consultation April 2014

April 2014

Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1

1.1 The document .................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Background to the area .................................................................................... 2 1.3 Town Structure ................................................................................................ 3

2. Vision and Objectives ............................................................................................ 6 3. St Austell’s Future Spatial Strategy Options .......................................................... 8

3.1 Overarching strategy ........................................................................................ 8 3.2 Economic Strategy ......................................................................................... 10 3.3 Retail Strategy ............................................................................................... 12 3.4 Housing Strategy ........................................................................................... 16

4. Infrastructure ....................................................................................................... 23

4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 23 4.2 Education ....................................................................................................... 23 4.3 Utilities ........................................................................................................... 25 4.4 Transportation Strategy ................................................................................. 25 4.5 Green Infrastructure ....................................................................................... 29

Guide Questions and ways to make representations ............................................... 30

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1. Introduction

1.1 The document The St Austell and surrounding parishes Town Framework is a consultation document that sets out a Vision and options for the future development and change of the urban area of the town and its immediate hinterland. (The document is referred to as the St Austell Town Framework through the remainder of the document). The document is intended to guide development over a 20 year period from 2010 to 2030. A number of options have been identified and considered through a St Austell and surrounding parishes Member Steering Group who have assisted in preparing the document; as it is recognised that the future prosperity of St Austell and the surrounding Parishes are inextricably linked. Parishes that have been represented in the Steering Group along with St Austell Town Council include: St Austell Bay; Charlestown; Carlyon; Pentewan Valley; St Mewan; Treverbyn and Trewoon Following this options consultation a preferred strategy for St Austell will be prepared which will be subject to further public consultation. The St Austell Town Framework document sets out the following:

- A vision and aspirations for the town - Strategy options highlighting the potential scale and locations for

different types of development - The infrastructure that will be required to ensure it meets the need

of the existing and future population. The document will help to inform the delivery of the Cornwall Local Plan and other Council documents. This document will also inform the Cornwall Site Allocations Document (DPD) which is being prepared for submission stage consultation later in 2014. The St Austell Framework Plan and any subsequent allocations proposed in the DPD will supersede the existing Regeneration Plan for the purposes of considering urban extensions to the town for the broad area that the Framework Plan covers. Cornwall Council is seeking feedback on the options that are set out in this document. A series of questions are highlighted throughout and at the end of the document. The closing date for comments is Monday 19 May 2014 you can either submit your responses by post, by hand or by email to: E-mail: delivery@cornwall.gov.uk

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Post: St Austell Town Framework Consultation FAO Helen Nicholson, Room 208a, St Austell One Stop Shop, 39 Penwinnick Road, St Austell, PL25 5DR

This document is available on the Councils website along with additional background information [Link no longer available]

1.2 Background to the area St Austell sits in the centre of Cornwall and is the largest town in Cornwall in terms of population. The area has traditionally been dominated by China Clay mining and has a rich industrial heritage. China clay workings, both current and historic are spread in an arc to the north, north-east and north-west fringes of the town.

Figure 1: St Austell’s Location

- The current population estimate for St Austell Town is 34,700 and it is the second largest area in terms of population in Cornwall1

- Median workplace earnings in the wider St Austell and Newquay parliamentary constituency are £17,813 which are 81% of the national average £21,9052

- In total there are 2,285 people in St Austell that are receiving health related benefits (18% of the working age population)3

- St Austell has one area identified in the highest 10% in the Index of Multiple deprivation and a further two areas within the top 20%4

1 (ONS 2011 from Cornwall Council website) 2 : Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2013 Provisional Results, 12 December 2013. 3 Benefit Claimants working age clients for small areas (Disability, ESA and Incapacity), DWP, Feb 2012(Nationally =England and Wales) 4 Cornwall Council Website, CNA Profile

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- Over a 20 year period between 1990 and 2010 around 2800 dwellings were built in St Austell which is just over but comparable to build rates in Cornwall’s other main towns.

As of Dec 2013 there were 1100 families with a local connection to St Austell in housing need on the Councils HomeChoice Register. Furthermore due to social trends and people living longer it is resulting in a continued reduction in average household size; in particular the aging population is making a significant contribution to the number of single person households. This means a number of new homes will be needed just for the existing population moving forward. As well as the need for a small number of new homes beyond those that already have planning permission, the area’s infrastructure both at present and in the future will require improvement. The local member steering group have identified the improvement of infrastructure as the key aspiration for St Austell. Details of infrastructure assessments underway and potential requirements are set out in section 4. Traffic congestion is a particular issue through the south of the town along the A390 with resulting poor air quality issues. The area is also subject to an Air Quality Management Zone. While these are challenges for the town to address there are many opportunities for the town and its surrounding areas to embrace. Some of the larger employers in the town have continued to thrive and expand, and a major project awaiting delivery in the surrounding area is the St Austell and China Clay Eco-communities, which are proposed to deliver new homes, jobs, community facilities and accessible open space, all to a high environmental standard. The focus of the Eco Communities is a proposal at West Carclaze with an application anticipated for 1500 homes in late 2014. Industrial development has generally taken place to the east of the town centre around Holmbush, with recent investment also being focussed to the north with the development of the St Austell Enterprise Park. These proposals and other initiatives such as the Eden Project have acted as a catalyst for investment in renewable technologies and associated industries, to the extent that there is a burgeoning employment and investment movement that is defining the area as the ‘Green Heart’ of Cornwall. This represents a significant opportunity for the area to diversify its industrial base and invest in sustainable employment and business opportunities, as well as promote additional jobs in the town centre. 1.3 Town Structure In preparing a strategy for an area’s future it is important to consider how it currently operates including the structure of its neighbourhoods and facilities (see Figure 2). St Austell is made up of several different neighbourhoods and it is important to recognise, support and enhance them. St Austell town centre retains much of its historic character with the

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medieval radial street pattern still visible. It is positioned to the west of the town, with the majority of the residential parts of town occupying the eastern half of the town. The size and scale of these residential areas, along with the distance from the town centre, have led to numerous neighbourhood centres forming, offering a limited provision of services and amenities. Greenspace in the town makes a unique contribution to the area’s character. A mature treescape shapes many parts of the towns’ skyline. The landscape is characterised by the granite upland of Hensbarrow to the North with its disturbed industrial landscape and to the south is an undulating plateau with deep and wooded river valleys in places. The town has also been shaped by two rivers; the Gover Stream rising to the north-west of the town and the St Austell, or White River, rising to the east. The two watercourses meet within the town and take water out to the south, via the Pentewan Valley to the coast at Mevagissey Bay. In terms of transport and access, the East-West A390 is the town’s principal road, with the A391 (North East Distributor Road) taking traffic north towards the A30. The town is relatively well served by public transport with a railway station and adjacent bus station near the town centre. Distance and access to the A30 is often cited as being a threat to business development and expansion, with other more favourably located sites taking business away from the town. The town also suffers from sporadic traffic flow and congestion through and around the town. Figure 2: Neighbourhood & Facilities Map

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St Austell supports a number of smaller settlements at the outer edges of the town boundary, most notably Trewoon to the west, along with Duporth, Charlestown and Carlyon Bay to the south. The relationship with these settlements makes development in certain locations particularly sensitive, with their character and separate identities an important consideration.

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2. Vision and Objectives A draft vision for St Austell has been developed. The vision originates from a draft by the Town Council and has now been updated by local elected Members, town and parish councillors and is included in the Framework Plan to reflect what St Austell will be like by 2030; the vision is meant to be aspirational but also deliverable: “In 2030 St Austell will be an inspiring town that reflects its historic past but has adapted and embraced the future. It will have a diverse thriving economy based upon a wide range of industries and lives up to its label of ‘Green Heart of Cornwall’. St Austell will be a balanced and inclusive community, proud of its social and industrial heritage, yet keen to further realise its potential. It will have excellent leisure and cultural facilities and make the most of its resources, both human and natural. The different character and identity of the neighbourhoods that make up the town will have been protected and enhanced, along with the natural and physical environment. Smaller settlements around St Austell whose boundaries overlap with the town will have benefitted from and contributed to a more prosperous town while protecting and enhancing their own identities and community infrastructure. St Austell will have become a lively, vibrant town centre with a range of facilities making it a welcoming, engaging destination for both visitors and local residents. Housing, transport and other infrastructure will have adapted to the changing character of the town and be robust enough to support a more prosperous population.” Vision Do you agree with the vision for St Austell in the Framework? A number of strategic objectives have also been set out in the Cornwall Local Plan for the St Austell Community Network Area; these are: Objective AU4 – Infrastructure Enable the delivery of community infrastructure including new community facilities and in particular address transport congestion issues and links to the A30. Objective AU5 – Environment Conserve the south coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, World Heritage Site at Charlestown and other heritage assets. Objective AU6 – Flooding Consider flooding issues, particularly at Mevagissey, Pentewan and in the Sandy Hill and Holmbush areas of St Austell.

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Objective AU2 – Affordable Housing Promote the delivery of affordable housing. Objective AU3 – Economy Support the regeneration of the local economy and the town centre. Objective AU1 – New Development Identify the locations for new growth to provide a range of housing, employment and other facilities. The Vision and objectives for St Austell set the context for the development and infrastructure options that follow that could meet existing and future requirements of the town.

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3. St Austell’s Future Spatial Strategy Options 3.1 Overarching strategy The spatial strategy for St Austell is to protect and enhance the environment while identifying the levels of growth required for housing, employment and retail to ensure that the area continues to thrive, and the most suitable locations for each type of development. The overarching aim of the strategy is to generate and maintain sustainable economic growth for St Austell that helps to meet the identified needs for the area, including an appropriate range of housing that will provide for the existing and future needs of the local community, including affordable housing. Economic growth opportunities should help to achieve the Green-Heart aspirations of St Austell. This consultation document aims to identify the most suitable alternatives for delivering the required growth for St Austell up to 2030. There may be some opportunity to redevelop brownfield sites within the urban area although larger opportunities may be limited; therefore this Plan has undertaken a full assessment of sites adjoining the current town boundary. Resulting options are identified to the north, south and east adjoining the town, which could provide for new development and infrastructure. Some of these areas overlap adjacent Parish boundaries - the Framework aims to ensure that the separation and identity of smaller nearby settlements is retained while benefitting from the enhanced services and amenities of St Austell. An area at the south west of the town near Penwinnick Rd is identified as a possible location for future commercial growth, including appropriate employment uses with an option for some retail uses. The promotion and enhancement of the town centre is a key regeneration aspiration of the Framework; much work is underway which this consultation aims to support. A further option is identified to the north of the town, with two smaller options to the east and south east. A fundamental element of the future regeneration and growth of St Austell will be its supporting infrastructure and the delivery of the Transportation and Green Infrastructure (GI) Strategies and the expansion of education facilities where required. Further details regarding these elements are outlined in Section 4 of this document.

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3.2 Economic Strategy St Austell has many opportunities and potential to enhance its aspiration to be the ‘Green Heart of Cornwall’ including the Eden project, nearby Eco proposals, and the areas spectacular natural and built environment. The wider St Austell Bay area is an attractive destination which the town can capitalise on to attract both visitors and investors. While mining and traditional industries have declined other industries have expanded. The Holmbush area of the town is the largest employment area within the town, while there are also numerous smaller employment areas across the town. Further employment areas to the east of the town, which while not being specifically identified or included in the Town Framework area are important areas of focus for employment opportunities across the wider area. The recent St Austell Enterprise Park at the north of the town is a high quality business park which is a further important site adjacent to the town. The Cornwall Local Plan sets out a requirement between 2010 and 2030 for 25,350 sq m of new employment space for St Austell. Since 2010 approx 12,500 sq m of new employment space has been built or has an existing planning permission. Therefore the Framework has assessed areas that could provide for approx 13,000 sq m of further space to meet the Local Plan target. As a guide, sites for a further approx 10,000 sq m of industrial use may be required within the wider community network area, and a further 3,000 sq m as a minimum for office space may be required. Several existing sites are identified in the 2010 Cornwall Employment Land Review (which can be viewed on the Council website). However of those sites only one remains that is undeveloped, which is an area near Penwinnick Road and to the rear of the existing Cornwall Council Offices. Existing employment areas including the Holmbush area and St Austell Enterprise Park are at capacity with no potential for further expansion. It is proposed that an area to the rear of the Council Offices is considered as an option for future employment uses, along with the Town Centre area and two other urban sites (SAE2 & SAE3) if they became available for redevelopment in the future. SAR1: St Austell Town Centre – as well as the options below and in line with national policy, there is will be no restriction on appropriate office development within the town centre, although this should be on upper storeys in the primary retail area. Restoring the historic skyline in Fore Street, in line with the Conservation Area Management Plan, would be encouraged.

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Employment Site Options Office • SAE1: Penwinnick Road, behind the Council Offices, - this area could

provide up to approx 13,000 sq m of employment space. Due to the surrounding uses in this area appropriate employment uses would likely be in the provision of B1a office use. 13,000 sq m would exceed the Local Plan requirement for office space however it is presented as an option to support the town’s economic aspirations. A key consideration will be to ensure any employment development is part of a wider masterplan for this area, which may consist of a number of uses as part of a potential wider urban extension to the town as set out in section 3 of this document. Isolated employment proposal not considered within the wider site context would not be supported.

SAE2: Sedgemoor Office - if this site became available in the future it could be suitable for redevelopment for office or retail uses due to its location within the town centre area. SAE3: Carlyon Road Office & Car Park – if this site became available in the future it could be suitable for employment or as a mixed used site with a small amount of residential. Industrial/Manufacturing After reviewing all of the apparent options larger industrial or storage and distribution uses should seek to locate in more industrial areas of the town such as Holmbush where replacement or intensification allows, or in existing industrial areas outside and to the east of the town within the wider community network area, unless appropriate sites within the town can be identified. Figure 4: Distribution of employment sites and options

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Economic Do you agree with the proposed economic strategy for St Austell? Which of the employment site options do you think should be prioritised? Are there other sites that might be more suitable for employment use? If so, please state, plus briefly indicate the reasons why? 3.3 Retail Strategy The retail sector is an important employer for St Austell. In 2010 the Cornwall Retail Study concluded that St Austell town centre “is a centre with considerable potential given its place as the town with the largest population in the County (2001 Census). Figure 5 shows the extent of the primary shopping area in St Austell. St Austell is currently ranked 5th best retail centre in Cornwall. The White River Place shopping centre opened in October 2009 and currently contains some national retailers and cafes, there is however some vacant space within the town centre and White River Place. Many of the smaller retail units in the town centre provide an important local presence and individuality of retail offer within the town. The Cornwall Retail Study (2010) recommends around 4,900 sq m net sales of Convenience (food & drink/Supermarket) space and 16,650 sq m of net sales Comparison (other/general retail) for St Austell to maintain its position in the retail hierarchy up to 2030. Since 2010 approx 6,500 sq m net of new convenience floorspace has been built or given planning permission (including a new Morrisons Store), which therefore suggests that there isn’t a need for further convenience floor space particularly in the short to medium term. Approx 2,071 sq m net of new comparison floor space has been given planning permission since 2010. Therefore one option for the town could be to identify locations for up to approx 14,500 sq m of primarily comparison retail floorspace. The above should also be considered within the current vacancy rates within St Austell town centre. While The Cornwall Retail Study recommends that the town centre should remain as the focus for comparison (non-food) shopping provision in St Austell, and does not consider that sites away from the Town Centre should accommodate significant levels of new comparison (non-food) floorspace, this Framework presents options for consideration.

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In arriving at options for consideration within the Framework, the National Planning Policy Framework has been reviewed alongside the 2010 Cornwall Retail Study. Sites within and adjacent to the town centre have also been reviewed for the potential to accommodate retail uses in line with the sequential approach to planning for retail sites. Two broad Framework Plan options for consideration could be: Retail Strategy Option 1: Town Centre only St Austell concentrates efforts on town centre regeneration initiatives, promoting comparison (non-food uses) and building on the emerging aspirations proposed through the Chamber of Commerce and Town Council, in doing so not supporting further retail in out of town locations.

- Potential advantages for this approach include: potential to maximise investment opportunities for strengthening the town centre, however

- Potential disadvantages could include: if further town centre sites are not deliverable in the longer term, not providing for the needs for the growing community could mean more retail spending is lost to other centres; it may also limit longer term retail related job creation opportunities.

By supporting this option, the town centre would continue to be promoted for retail development (SAR1) including the potential reuse of SAR2:

SAR1 - St Austell Town Centre - in line with national policy support will be given to retail uses within or on the edge of the town centre, subject to appropriate design quality being achieved. Proposals for change of use or redevelopment will only be permitted on the Primary Shopping Frontage or within the Primary Shopping Area, if the proposal adds to the attractiveness of the centre and does not reduce the predominance of A1 retail uses. The use of disused or underutilised premises above shops for retail, employment or residential will also be encouraged.

SAR2 – Sedgemoor Offices - (to be read together with SAE2 employment proposal): While this site provides a good location for its office use, it could also provide for new retail uses with a focus on comparison (non-food) uses if it becomes available, due to its location within the town centre. Equally it could be a mixed use regeneration opportunity providing employment as well as retail use. A high quality of design would be required in this location.

Retail Strategy Option 2: Town Centre & sequential edge or out of town centre location An alternative retail strategy could be to continue to promote retail uses in the town centre, but in addition, identify an edge or out of centre site, or sites, that could provide for retail development for all or some of the 14,500 sq m of predominantly comparison floorspace.

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- Potential advantages: if town centre sites are not available this option could provide for more of the retail needs of the population and assist in retaining retail spend in the St Austell area;

- Potential disadvantages: if sites are not located within or adjacent to the town centre, they would have a negative impact upon the town centre; could have an impact on the deliverability of SAR2 site in the town centre.

In identifying an appropriate site for consideration within this retail strategy option, the following was taken into consideration: the National Planning Policy Framework; the Planning for Town Centres: practice guide on need, impact and the sequential approach (2009), the 2010 Cornwall Retail Study; the landscape impact and urban design assessments; and the sequential approach to planning for retail uses. As a result of this work, the following site was identified:

SAR3 – Area south of Penwinnick Rd – this area around and potentially including at least part of the existing Council Offices site is part of a wider option for development of the town. The Cornwall Retail Study states (2010) that “it is likely to be the largest potential development site in terms of distance to the town centre area”. There are a number of existing commercial uses in relatively close proximity to the town centre and a recent permission for a supermarket. Due to the lack of larger areas within the town or located on the edge of the town centre this area could be an option for future retail provision up to the remaining 14,500 sq m recommended through the Cornwall Retail Study. A focus should predominantly be for larger footprint comparison (non-food) provision where it is firstly demonstrated that it cannot be accommodated within the town centre area. Cornwall Council is currently reviewing its strategy for office locations across Cornwall and it is not currently known whether the Council Offices (which are within this wider site area) will be retained or made available for redevelopment. It is the aspiration of local Members to retain a Cornwall Council Office and facilities for Council meetings within the Town. Any retail proposals in this area would need to be planned as part of a wider mixed use masterplan, incorporating retail, employment, community facilities and potentially residential. Proposals in isolation from the wider site context would not be supported.

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Figure 5: St Austell Town Centre and possible retail options

Retail Which of the proposed retail strategy options for St Austell do you think should be prioritised? Option 1: Promotion of the existing Town Centre area and sites If you support Option 1: • Do you support the promotion of site SAR2? • Are there any other town centre sites that you think should be

promoted?

Option 2: Promotion of Town Centre & further retail uses in close proximity to the town centre if town centre sites are not available If you support Option 2: • Do you support the site identified SAR3? • Alternatively, are there any other sites that you believe would

be more suitable for retail use, if so, please state, plus briefly indicate the reasons why?

If you believe there is a further alternative retail strategy that should be progressed, please briefly explain

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3.4 Housing Strategy Between 2010 and 2030 the Cornwall Local Plan anticipates that St Austell will need to provide around 2,000 dwellings. There is an aspiration for a range of high quality housing with a focus on affordability. For comparison around 2,000 dwellings were built in St Austell between 2000 and 2010 at an average build rate of 200 dwellings per year. Between 2010 and 2030, delivery of 2,000 dwellings over a 20 year period will slow the build rate to an average of 100 dwellings per year. Since 2010 approximately 580 new dwellings have been built with approximately a further 1,180 dwellings having obtained planning permission. Therefore only a minimum of a further 240 dwellings may be required. It should be noted that this figure could increase however if a percentage of existing permissions are not built out. It should also be noted that new dwellings planned in relation to the eco-communities proposals are within a different Community Network Area and will contribute to the wider area housing requirements as set out in the Cornwall Local Plan. Planning for infrastructure provision however requires consideration of developments within and around St Austell including the potential eco-communities proposals. Affordable Housing Low wage levels and relatively high house prices result in many people struggling to get a foothold on the housing ladder. Currently there are approximately 1,100 families on the Council’s HomeChoice Register that have a local connection to St Austell. More information on HomeChoice and how housing need is classified can found on the Council’s website. Of those dwellings already built or given planning permission since 2010 around 300 of them or 17% of the total are affordable. With a further 200 to 300 dwellings required to 2030 a percentage of which will be affordable, this will continue to make some contribution towards existing demand for affordable homes in the area, but will not meet existing or predicted demand. (Please refer to the Cornwall Local Plan for information on affordable housing policies). Housing Mix Larger developments of 10 units or more should provide a mix of housing sizes to reflect the needs of the local community. As a guide a typical larger development should seek to provide a mix similar to 10% flats; 40% 2 bed houses; 40% 3 bed houses; and 10% 4+ bed houses. An appropriate mix can be sought by negotiation. Proposals for Live / Work units will also be supported in appropriate locations. Location of housing development St Austell has experienced a rate of development just over but comparable to other main towns in Cornwall over the last 10 and 20 years, and many sites within the existing urban area have been developed for housing or other uses. An approach of firstly identifying suitable urban brownfield sites has been adopted, however not all future development will be able to be accommodated within the urban area on brownfield or

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undeveloped sites and some areas on the edge but adjoining St Austell may be required to meet future development needs. A detailed assessment of all the land immediately surrounding St Austell has been undertaken. The following map (Fig 6) shows all of the land adjoining St Austell that has been assessed: Figure 6: Areas assessed around St Austell

From this assessment two larger areas have been identified as options in this document along with two smaller areas. At this stage these are options for consideration as sites for future development of the town. Not all of the identified options would be required to meet the current Local Plan target for the town. The remaining land around the town has been discounted as options due to either, landscape quality, environmental assets and designations, flooding constraints, and or accessibility issues in terms of connectivity and physical separation. The urban extension assessment report can be viewed on the Councils website. Urban sites A number of relatively large brownfield and undeveloped sites have been developed in the last few years in St Austell within the urban area. Due to this there are no remaining larger sites that are available or suitable for this consultation document to identify. Smaller redevelopment sites may occur and an estimate of these is included in the overall estimate of remaining urban capacity for the town. Furthermore, other brownfield sites if they become available may be more appropriate for employment

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or retail purposes (e.g. the Sedgemoor Office site) and have been highlighted in the previous section. Urban Extension Options As a result of St Austell’s urban capacity, locations for around 240 dwellings would need to be accommodated on greenfield areas adjoining the town to ensure we are able to meet the Local Plan target of 2,000 dwellings in the plan period. In assessing the appropriateness of all land immediately adjoining St Austell’s urban area, 4 potential options have been identified. Collectively all of the areas would deliver in excess of the extra 240 dwellings required to meet the 2,000 dwellings target. The strategy for delivery of housing could be to deliver the 240 dwellings on one site or a combination of sites. Generally it is viewed that larger areas with related infrastructure provision are preferable to smaller and more scattered provision where it can be more difficult to ensure that adequate infrastructure is provided. To illustrate there could be three different scenarios for delivering the housing requirement for the town; all three scenarios include development coming forward on urban Brownfield sites, along with one of the following: Scenario 1: delivery of the urban extension south east of the town (SUEA1) Scenario 2: delivery of the urban extension to the north of the town (SUEA2) Scenario 3: delivery of the two smaller urban extensions (SUEA3 & 4) The following sets out a brief assessment of each of the urban extension site options:

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SAUE1: Trewhiddle / Penwinnick Road expansion option

This area at the south west of the town could provide in the region of 300 dwellings at an average net density of approx 35 dwellings per hectare. (Net density is calculate on 60% of the area for all urban extension options, as it is assumed that 40% of a site will be required for other uses i.e. roads, facilities, open space etc). The site is relatively flat at its north eastern extent and increasingly rises to create a bowl to the south west. The area could form a well contained expansion area in good proximity to the town centre. This area could accommodate a mix of commercial uses at its north eastern extent as outlined in the previous employment and retail sections. The site area broadly identified includes the existing Council Offices as well as a large area of undeveloped land. Access may need to be created at the west of the site; north east possibly through the Council Office area, and at the South East onto Pentewan Road. In delivering a development in this location, it provides an opportunity to develop a road linking through the site from Pentewan Road to the A390 Truro Road, which could have potential to alleviate some congestion issues at the Edgcumbe Triangle and the Penwinnick Road double roundabout. Access may also be possible opposite the Edgcumbe Triangle if the current office site became available as part of this wider site. An area would need to be safeguarded to the rear of Pondhu School to enable education expansion. Development in this area would need to be of high quality retaining and enhancing the green infrastructure features that exist across the site.

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SAUE2: Mt Stamper Road / Northern expansion option

This area at the north east of the town could provide in the region of 300 dwellings at an average net density of approx 35 dwellings per hectare. The area sits relatively high towards a ridge line and any proposed development would need to sit under this ridge line for it to appear contained in the landscape. Access to this area may need to be created through the College site from Tregonissey Road. At the site’s southern extent access is more constrained and would not be suitable as a main vehicle route; it would however provide relatively good access to the town centre for pedestrians. There are known site drainage issues which impact on the existing urban area and any proposed development would need to demonstrate how it would mitigate these.

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SAUE3 & SAUE4:

SAUE3 Trenowah Road / Adjacent to the Cricket Ground option This smaller expansion area at the east of the town covers an existing brownfield site as well as some undeveloped land. It could accommodate around 70 dwellings at an average net density of approx 35 dwellings per hectare. This site due to its proximity to access onto the A391 could also be considered for employment uses or as mixed use proposal as well as a residential proposal. There are some known drainage issues in relation to this site and the estate to the west as the land drains to the south where there is an existing cricket pitch. Any proposals would be required to demonstrate any mitigation required to ensure that there would be not be any adverse impacts on the current site of the cricket pitch, which is a well used and important sports facility within the town. An aspiration exists for community facilities in this area of St Austell to be improved. SAUE4: Holmbush Road option This area south east of the town and adjacent to the A390 Holmbush Road could provide in the region of 170 dwellings at an average net density of approx 35 dwellings per hectare. It should be noted that at the time of drafting this document a residential planning application had been submitted to Cornwall Council which was subsequently refused at Planning Committee. However, it is included as an option for long-term consideration within the framework at this stage. This option would require a safe and appropriate access from the A390 Holmbush Road. Holmbush Road in this area suffers from congestion and

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air pollution at certain times and any proposal would need to demonstrate how the site would mitigate these issues. The main rail line forms the southern boundary to this site. To the east is a large areas of trees and the site is covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), there are some large trees across the site which should be retained. Housing Which of the proposed housing options do you think should be prioritised? Are there any other sites that could be more suitable for future residential use? If so, please state, plus briefly indicate the reasons why it is more suitable than the sites identified in this document

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4. Infrastructure 4.1 Introduction When planning for the long term regeneration, growth and change within the St Austell area, it is vital that new development is planned alongside the appropriate infrastructure. Work is on-going to understand the impact of the proposed growth and what mitigation will be required. The Local Member Steering Group has also raised an aspiration that existing infrastructure weaknesses be addressed alongside proposed development. The information gathered is based on the provision of an additional 2,000 new dwellings up to 2030. This level of growth, together with the nature of the age groups that it will affect, has been considered to assess potential impacts. The Council has also been working closely with service providers to identify the impact that development would have on the area. The results of this ongoing work are summarised below. In addition, further information can be accessed from the St Austell Infrastructure Delivery Plan, which is available on the Cornwall Council website. 4.2 Education Initial assessments have been undertaken to understand the education capacity in the St Austell area, and further work is required. Primary Education St Austell is served by 7 primary schools which have the combined capacity to accommodate just over 2,200 pupils. All of the schools are at capacity and oversubscribed. On the basis of current Local Authority pupil population forecasts it is anticipated that approximately 2,400 primary school places will be required by September 2016 – a shortfall of 200 places against current capacity. In the short-term the Local Authority has commissioned a scheme for the expansion of Pondhu Primary School by 210 places (1 form of entry) to ensure it is able to accommodate 420 pupils by September 2015. As part of this scheme, additional land adjacent to the school is required for the provision of playing field in order to ensure compliance with minimum guidelines for school sports provision. In terms of accommodating future demand for primary school places, based on the provision of an additional 2,000 new dwellings for St Austell there is and estimated need to plan for a minimum of 270 additional primary school places. It is likely that the primary place requirements resulting from new dwellings built since 2010 are incorporated into the Local Authority pupil population forecasts to September 2016 and will therefore be accommodated by the Pondhu school expansion scheme.

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However, with the remaining dwellings to be built to 2030 there is an anticipated need to plan for a minimum of 210 additional primary school places. In the medium-term the Local Authority is planning for the expansion of Charlestown Primary School by a minimum of 120 places (0.5 form entry). This will aim to accommodate primary place requirements from recent and planned housing development in and around Charlestown. The scheme will be funded through S106 education contributions received for the expansion of this school. In terms of longer future expansion of existing schools, there are extremely limited opportunities to expand Mount Charles School, Sandy Hill Academy and Carclaze CP School given the physical constraints on these sites. A high level feasibility study has identified some potential capacity to expand on site at Bishop Bronescombe CE School and St Mewan CP School; however, further investigation would need to be undertaken to confirm whether these schools are suitably located to serve strategic housing growth in St Austell. In the long-term therefore a site for a new primary school may be required. Secondary Education St Austell town and the remaining St Austell CNA settlements are served by 2 secondary schools, Penrice Community College and Poltair Community School which have the combined capacity to accommodate just over 2260 pupils. Neither of the schools currently offers sixth form provision. On the basis of current Local Authority pupil population forecasts it is anticipated that there is sufficient combined capacity to accommodate demand in the short- to medium-term; with a combined surplus of over 190 places is forecast by September 2016. In terms of accommodating future demand for secondary school places generated by housing growth, there is an estimated need to plan for a minimum of 200 secondary school places. Expansion of either Penrice or Poltair may be required in the long term; however it is estimated that any expansion required may not be significant. It should be noted that in order to ensure that secondary provision is planned strategically, the Local Authority is looking at options for meeting education infrastructure requirements across the whole St Austell-St Blazey-China Clay Regeneration Plan Area. This area includes the designated areas for Brannel School and Fowey Community College in addition to Penrice and Poltair. Depending on levels of overall development across this area there may be an estimated need to plan for a minimum of 620 secondary school places (excluding post 16). A holistic area options appraisal will need to be

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undertaken which involves the designated areas of the four secondary schools.

4.3 Utilities Work is continuing with the service providers to understand the extent of the impact that the proposed growth will have on water, gas and electricity supply. Providers have indicated however that any improvements should not require significant works. Drainage and Flood Risk and Mitigation Flood zones and areas that could be at risk of flooding have been considered as part of developing the consultation options in this document. The Council is continuing to work with the Environment Agency and South West Water to further assess what flood risk mitigation, surface water drainage, foul drainage and treatment infrastructure will be required. Projects that have been identified include refurbishing the flood defence scheme at the Sandy River and work on the banks of the White River to raise flood defence standards. Healthcare It is estimated that up to 1 additional GP will be required to cater for the projected growth in population. The Medical Centre and surgeries are considered to be already under pressure, and may require expansion or a new surgery being provided. An option proposed for consideration is to potentially amalgamate the hospital and the medical centre. Leisure Facilities St Austell is not currently identified as an area that has issues with access to most leisure services. The Polkyth Leisure Centre is centrally located near the train station, and includes an indoor swimming pool. The centre is likely to need investment during the plan period. Other sports clubs and pitches are distributed evenly around the town. There is an identified shortage of open space/ facilities for teenagers across the town. 4.4 Transportation Strategy The transport measures that have been identified to support the growth in housing and employment in St Austell town are based on Connecting Cornwall: 2030 policy; the 20 year transport vision for Cornwall designed to support economic prosperity and a move towards more sustainable travel with less reliance on the private motor car. The aim of the Transport Strategy for St Austell is for an accessible and safe town environment supporting stronger transport links to other communities in Cornwall.

St Austell benefits from a main line rail station located in the centre of the town and is also well connected with bus services. However the town has a constrained local road network which already experiences congestion at key points during peak hours. The transport strategy is underpinned by a transport model which has calculated the likely impact of development on these key junctions. Where it is possible there are highway schemes

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proposed which will assist in maintaining an improved flow of traffic through these junctions. However, the improvements are limited by physical constraints (e.g. no land capacity or existing development creating a barrier) and larger schemes would also prove prohibitively expensive. With consideration of these points, the approach for the transport strategy in St Austell will be focussed on:

• Minimising congestion on the strategic road network where it is feasible

• Encouraging inter-urban and long distance trips by rail • Supporting the switch to bus, walking and cycling for local trips

In this way the strategy will focus on maximising the existing transport opportunities available to the town. Bus service improvements will be prioritised towards routes which will better serve commuters between key destinations in the peak hours. This will assist in alleviating peak hour congestion on the road network. Improvements are therefore likely to focus on services between St Austell and Bodmin, St Austell and Newquay, St Austell and Truro and also a town service is proposed to serve residential areas and provide a link to the rail station. Cornwall Council is working on plans for strategic rail improvements for the county which will result in connectivity benefits for St Austell, improving links between the town with local and national destinations. The council is currently working with Network Rail to develop a number of projects, which once delivered, will facilitate the provision of a half hourly mainline frequency alongside improvements in capacity and journey time reliability. The transport model for St Austell is currently being reviewed to reflect the current consultation options for future growth in the town. 2,000 houses are proposed for the town, of which a large majority are already committed. This has an impact on the transport strategy as it limits the amount of financial contributions which can be sought from developers to pay for improvements and means that the strategy will rely on public sector funding or external grant funding to deliver most of what is proposed. Whilst further assessment is required, the measures which will come forward will focus on delivering solutions for the following areas of the local highway network, which are predicted to experience congestion and delay hot spots:

• A3058/ B3234 Edgcumbe Road/ Truro Road traffic signals • A390 corridor – A391 to Mount Charles junction • A390/ B3273 Pentewan Road junction • Slades Road/ Sandy Hill junction • Treverbyn Road/ Tregonissey Road

Furthermore specific transport measures which are currently being considered are as follows-

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• A scheme for an Urban Traffic Control system which will integrate and coordinate traffic signals at the Holmbush area of the A390. This is a cost effective way of building additional capacity into this part of the highway network and should result in less queuing traffic.

• A road proposal (which would be developer led) through the Trewhiddle development which would provide an estate road link between Truro Road and Pentewan Road once the development area is fully built out.

• A walking and cycling feasibility study is currently investigating a prioritised list of schemes/ improvement works in preparation for consultation and delivery. The network is expected to deliver advantages over the use of the car for short local trips by providing convenient, direct and comfortable routes which will link residential areas with key employment sites and other destination points, such as schools and colleges.

• Bus priority measures and service improvements. • A scheme to deliver an improvement to Slades Road/ Sandy Hill

junction which could see the signals being replaced with a double mini roundabout.

• A scheme will be considered for the Pentewan Road junction which takes into account the Morrisons development and replaces the existing double mini roundabout with a larger roundabout.

Please indicate your priority for transport improvements in St Austell

• Bus service improvements • Rail improvements • Enhanced walking and cycling routes • Local highways improvements

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4.5 Green Infrastructure A Green Infrastructure (GI) Strategy for St Austell is being prepared. It will seek to provide a positive approach to the management and enhancement of the town’s network of green assets. Green Infrastructure can cover many different areas, but the strategy focuses on four key elements: Parks & play areas; Green Links, walking and cycling; Flood Attenuation, sustainable drainage, and Biodiversity areas of habitat and corridors The overriding principle of the strategy is to deliver a range of integrated green infrastructure functions. This will ensure increased usage, confidence in developer requirements, easier and cheaper maintenance, and better use of valuable land assets. New developments will be required to make a contribution to open space provision. An assessment of provision of open space in St Austell has highlighted the following:

• St Austell has the lowest level of formal open space amongst Cornwall’s main towns - 29% lower than the average.

• The wider area has a typical level of natural open space, the majority of which is beach or coastal environments, which aren’t easily accessed by people living in much of St Austell. Accessibility standards will play a crucial role in evaluating future needs.

• There is a higher than average level of children’s play areas (15%). Investment has benefited a number of sites in recent years; however several of the sites captured have very little or no play value remaining and some strategic rationalisation would be appropriate.

• Provision for teenagers is at a low level - 59% below average. • Allotment provision is also low - 54% below average, but

assessment suggests additional capacity at the private site on Sawles Road.

• There is a higher than average level of private sports space, the majority of which is golfing in nature. However there is a lower than average level of public sports provision.

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Guide Questions and ways to make representations Below is a list of guide questions. Please feel free to highlight any other points if you feel the questions don’t enable you to address any issues that you would like to raise. The deadline for comments is 19 May 2014. Vision and aims Do you agree with the vision for St Austell in the Framework? Economic Do you agree with the proposed economic strategy for St Austell? Which of the employment site options do you think should be prioritised? Are there other sites that might be more suitable for employment use? If so, please state, plus briefly indicate the reasons why? Retail Which of the proposed retail strategy options for St Austell do you think should be prioritised? Option 1: Promotion of the existing Town Centre area and sites If you support Option 1: • Do you support the promotion of site SAR2? • Are there any other town centre sites that you think should be

promoted?

Option 2: Promotion of Town Centre & further retail uses in close proximity to the town centre if town centre sites are not available If you support Option 2: • Do you support the site identified SAR3? • Alternatively, are there any other sites that you believe would be

more suitable for retail use, if so, please state, plus briefly indicate the reasons why?

If you believe there is a further alternative retail strategy that should be progressed, please briefly explain Housing Which of the proposed housing options do you think should be prioritised? Are there any other sites that could be more suitable for future residential use? If so, please state, plus briefly indicate the reasons why it is more suitable than the sites identified in this document

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Transportation Please indicate your priority for transport improvements in St Austell

• Bus service improvements • Rail improvements • Enhanced walking and cycling routes • Local highways improvements

Other Please make any other additional comments on the Town Framework options consultation You can either submit your responses by post, email or by hand to the following addresses: E-mail: delivery@cornwall.gov.uk By hand or post: St Austell Town Framework Consultation, FAO Helen Nicholson, Room 208a, St Austell One Stop Shop, 39 Penwinnick Road, St Austell, PL25 5DR

If you would like this information in another format please contact:

Cornwall Council County Hall Treyew Road Truro TR1 3AY

Telephone: 0300 1234 100

Email: enquiries@cornwall.gov.uk

www.cornwall.gov.uk