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Ansty Staplefield and Brook Street Neighbourhood Plan: Draft Sustainability

Appraisal Scoping Report

October 2014

Ansty, Staplefield and Brook Street Neighbourhood Plan: Sustainability Appraisal Scoping Report

1. INTRODUCTION

This document forms the Scoping Report (SR) for a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) incorporating the requirements for a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) that will be used to guide the formulation of the Ansty, Staplefield and Brook Street Neighbourhood Plan. It seeks to identify the sustainability issues within the Neighbourhood Plan Area that can be used to determine how the Neighbourhood Plan will look to address some or all of these issues. The Ansty, Staplefield and Brook Street Neighbourhood Plan (ASBNP) objectives are in compliance with the Strategic Objectives of the Mid Sussex District Plan, and consistent with local and national planning policy, while taking into account the local circumstances and needs of the ASBNP area.

This document will be the subject of consultation with Mid Sussex District Council, the Environment Agency, Natural England and English Heritage before the draft Neighbourhood Plan and accompanying SA. The outcome of the consultation on this SR may result in further issues being identified.

The commitment to the achievement of sustainable development has been set out in legislation introduced at both European and national level. In 2004 the European Directive on SEA was implemented in the UK. This sets out the requirement for SEA, which has been incorporated into the SA process. Section 39 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires Local Development Documents, to be prepared with a view to contributing to the achievement of sustainable development. This SA incorporates the SEA process – for ease, this report is referred to as the SA from now on in this document, although it incorporates the elements required for SEA.

Sustainable Development is about ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come. It is about considering the long-term environmental, social and economic issues and impacts in an integrated and balanced way. The UK Government has set five guiding principles to achieve the sustainable development purpose. These principles form the basis for policy in the UK and are as follows:· Living within Environmental limits· Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society· Building a strong, stable and sustainable economy· Promoting good governance· Using sound science responsibly

One of the means by which sustainable development can be achieved is through the land-use planning process. The ASBNP which is currently being prepared will need to be in conformity with the existing Local Plan 2004 and the emerging Mid Sussex District Plan. It will be adopted under the framework of the District Plan and will comprise part of the planning policy framework for the district. The ASBNP can help to achieve sustainable development as it aims to ensure that development meets the needs of people living and working in the parish, while at the same time helping to ensure that adverse environmental impact is minimised. This SA will help inform the ASBNP to ensure that the plan prepared is the most sustainable possible, given all alternative options for the plan’s overall strategy and the policies within it to deliver the strategy.

The ASBNP is being produced by a Neighbourhood Plan group comprising two Parish Councillors and one representative from each of the three residents associations. These representatives have recruited volunteers from the community to assist with the process.

The majority of the District wide data has already been collected for the Sustainability

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Appraisal for the Mid Sussex District Plan and had been obtained from the various sources best placed to provide accurate data in their relevant area of expertise. This information has enabled the environmental, social and economic issues facing both the district and ASBNP area to be established. Where local data was not available, this has been collected by the Neighbourhood Plan Group through open public sessions and through a Neighbourhood Plan questionnaire and Housing Needs Survey. A second open session and questionnaire focussed specifically on sites that have been put forward for housing. In addition, the Ansty and Staplefield Parish Plan published in 2007 established issues and key priorities for the parish.

Mid Sussex District Council has published a set of 18 Sustainability Objectives in its ‘SA Consultation Draft, November 2011’ and this document uses and expands upon those that are relevant to the issues relevant to the ASBNP area. In particular, local issues and objectives have been identified, and the indicators used to measure these are from local sources at a local scale where possible. These will help assess the sustainability issues facing the parish, to be addressed where possible in the Neighbourhood Plan.

2. PLAN AREAThe ASBNP covers the whole of Ansty and Staplefield Parish with the exception of a section in the south-west corner.

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3. POLICY CONTEXTThe ASBNP will need to comply with both national and local planning policies. The Mid Sussex District Plan SA, reviews all programmes, policies strategies guidance and Initiatives that have influenced the development of the District Plan. The ASBNPASBNP and SA will need to be in conformity with the District Plan and it is therefore not proposed to review in this scoping report all international, national and local documents that are relevant.

Appendix A at the end of this report, provides a summary of the local programmes, plans and other documents which influence the ASBNP, in addition to those outlined above. Key objectives and indicators have been identified from the District Plan and these have been incorporated into the sustainability framework and used to inform baseline data and the identification of key issues.

The aims, objectives and indicators from these policy documents have been used to influence the ASBNPASBNP sustainability objectives set out in this SR. The objectives have also been derived primarily from the key sustainability issues identified through the scoping process. It should be noted that the policy context for the ASBNP SA is not static. Therefore, as further relevant plans or programmes are developed, they will be reviewed and incorporated within the assessment at future stages of publication of this SA report

4. NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The vision for the parish, which has been confirmed through public consultation is:

We want to keep the village feel of our communities, and keep it a thriving and attractive Parish, a desirable place to live, work and visit. Our aim is to maintain, and where possible, improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of our area and the quality of life for all, now and in the future.

The community consultations have highlighted some broad issues that could be addressed through the ASBNP:

Lack of affordable housing for local people in the parish. Need for some open market housing. Need to preserve the landscape setting and rural characteristics of the parish including open

spaces, AONB etc. Need to retain gap between settlements (fear of creep from Northern Arc and other

developments around the periphery of the parish). Need to protect against the impact of traffic from the large developments around the

peripheral of the parish. Need to revitalise the villages

From these some more detailed objectives have been developed. These may be refined as the process continues, including as a result of this report. The current objectives are:

To ensure an adequate supply of housing in the parish, including some affordable housing. To maintain strong communities by encouraging younger people to stay in the parish and

balancing out the housing profile by providing some smaller housing units.

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To reduce the inappropriate and harmful development of urban extensions into the open countryside that risk substantially altering the individual settlement boundaries.

To promote well designed developments that reflects the character of the villages. To ensure that new developments and existing settlements are well connected to local

facilities through safe vehicular and pedestrian access.

5. PARISH CHARACTERISTICS AND ISSUES

5.1. Introduction.Ansty and Staplefield parish is the largest in West Sussex, covering just over 38 square kilometres of attractive countryside. It is unusual in having three distinct rural settlements as well as including the very edges of Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill. A large part of the parish is within AONB.

5.2. Nature ConservationThe parish has a rich and varied pattern of habitats, species and biodiversity, recognised by the extensive and varied landscape and nature designations that cover land within the parish. These are illustrated on the map on the following page and include:

SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest): Nyman’s GardensSNCI (Site of Nature Conservation Importance) Heaseland and Broxmead Park or Gardens of Historic Interest: Borde Hill Gardens, Nyman’s GardensRecreation Grounds: Ansty and Whitemans GreenConservation Area: StaplefieldFlood Zone: South of Staplefield, north of Brook Street, south of AnstyCommon Land – Staplefield Common and Staplefield Upper CommonAncient Woodland

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5.3. Landscape

The top two thirds of the parish, including Staplefield and Brook Street, is within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which was designated in 1983.The landscape of the parish is typical of the High Weald AONB, being characterised by the dispersed historic settlement pattern, with farmsteads approached along ancient tracks and route ways, along with ancient woodland and irregular shaped fields, enclosed by deciduous hedges.

Ansty is a small scattered settlement, situated at the junction of the A272 and B2036 one mile south west of Cuckfield. The village lies at the eastern end of a ridge of high ground just to the south of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are fine views to the north across the open countryside of the Weald.

Staplefield is located approximately 3 miles to the northwest of Cuckfield on the B2114 Handcross Road. The village is centred on and dominated by the large green known as Staplefield Common. The National Trust owned Nyman’s Gardens is to the north west of Staplefield.

The small hamlet of Brook Street lies close to the northern edge of Cuckfield, within the AONB. Borde Hill gardens are to the east of Brook Street.

5.4. HeritageThere are 83 Grade 11 listed buildings in the parish.

Houses in Ansty front onto the main roads and Deaks Lane stretching some distance from the centre of the village. A built-up area boundary is defined for Ansty, primarily running along a short length of the A272 and Cuckfield Road, which seeks to conserve the rural setting of the village and to protect the surrounding countryside from harmful development. The centre of Staplefield was designated a conservation area in 1984. The overall character of the village is of low density housing interspersed with open spaces and fields with many trees particularly along the west and northeast sides of the Common. A little to the east along Brantridge Lane is a further group of housing, physically and visually separated from the rest of the village and known as Upper Staplefield Common. This comprises a varied group of informally arranged houses facing onto a small green and including two listed buildings, together with housing facing onto Rose Cottage Lane to the south. Again trees and open spaces form an important feature of this part of the village. At present there is no built-up area boundary around the settlement which means that the current Countryside Area of Development Restraint policies will be applied within, as well as around, the village.

Brook Street comprises a scattered collection of dwellings lying along the B2036. At present there is no built-up area boundary around the settlement.

5.5. Air and ClimateThe main sources of atmospheric pollution arise from the proximity to Gatwick Airport, and busy roads such as the A23 and A272. There are no Air Quality Management Areas within the Parish.

The climate of the parish is described as a local variant of the British sub oceanic climate.

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5.6. WaterThe water in the parish comes from local aquifers and is topped up when necessary from Ardingly reservoir, which is just north of the parish. Designations as Local Nature Reserve and Site of Nature Conservation Interest help to protect this local resource.

The Parish Falls within a region known for water scarcity.

5.7. SoilsThe geology of the parish largely comprises weald clay and sand.

5.8. Human characteristics Ansty and Staplefield parish is a not a deprived area when measured against national statistics. The net weekly household income after housing costs is £551 compared to £485 in West Sussex and £423 nationally. There are below average numbers of people living on low incomes. However some residents find it difficult to access the benefits enjoyed by others, and there are some elements of the community, particularly the elderly and those who live alone, who do not enjoy the same level of prosperity or access to services.

The population of the parish was 1755 at the date of the Census in 2011. The Parish has a slightly higher proportion of children under 16 and older people over 65 than the national average. 60% of the population is of working age, compared to 64% nationally. 47% of the parish population live in married households compared to 32% nationally. This suggests that the parish is a popular place for families to live, perhaps because it is within reach of some good schools and employment opportunities.

5.9. Roads and Transport The A272 runs through part of the parish and the A23 runs close to the western edge of the parish. This means that many parts of the parish are adversely affected by the volume and speed of traffic and this is likely to get significantly worse when around 3500 additional houses are built in the south east of the parish at the Burgess Hill Northern Arc. Speeding and pedestrian safety was identified as an issue in all three settlements in a parish wide survey completed by the Parish Council in 2012. The Parish Council is hoping to work with other affected parishes to ensure that the traffic impact of the Burgess Hill Northern Arc is minimised.

In common with other rural areas the parish is poorly served by local bus services. As a result the parish has high levels of car ownership with 66% of households owning two or more cars, compared with 39% in West Sussex and 32% nationally. Only 5% of households in the parish have no car compared with 18% in West Sussex and 26% nationally. The nearest railway stations are at Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Balcombe. 18% of parish residents commute more than 40km to work, compared to just 5% nationally.

5.10. Infrastructure

AnstyAnsty has a recreation ground, including football and cricket pitches and a Sports and Social Club providing snooker, darts and social facilities. Ansty also has a Village Hall which hosts a number of local clubs and social activities. The Village Hall and Sports and Social Club share a wooden mission hut used during the 1914-1918 war which was imported from France in 1922. The building is now in a very poor state of repair and a joint project has been established to try and build a new Ansty Village Centre. Next to the recreation ground is a small children’s play area. The only pub in the village closed in 2011. Ansty has one garage with a small shop.

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StaplefieldAlthough no longer containing any shops, the village is a thriving community with two churches, a village hall, a primary school, two public houses, a children’s play area and a large common with a cricket pitch and pavilion.

Brook Street Brook Street has a picture gallery and three small garage workshops. There is a restaurant and tea room at Borde Hill gardens.

ParishThere is one other pub on the southern edge of the parish near Burgess Hill. There are a few small businesses around the parish but no other shops. There are no health services in the parish.

The primary school in Staplefield has 82 pupils and many children in the parish attend schools at Cuckfield or Burgess Hill.

5.11. SWOT assessment.The following table has been informed by data gathered in the Community Profile and issues identified in the public consultation questionnaire and Visioning Days carried out in early 2012.

STRENGTHSSense of community in all settlementsExcellent village school ( in Staplefield)2 Churches in StaplefieldOutstanding landscape settingPanoramic viewsLeisure/sporting facilities in Staplefield and AnstyLarge area of AONBStaplefield Conservation areaPubs and other businessesFootpathsStrong residents associationsVillage clubs

WEAKNESSESVery limited public transportTraffic speed through villagesHigh reliance on carsHigh cost of housingLack of smaller homesLack of affordable and low cost housingOnly one small shop in garage at AnstyOne pub recently closed in AnstyNo health facilities

OPPORTUNITIESLocalism Bill (extended powers for local communities)Provision of smaller homes if proven local needImprove pedestrian safety, Implement trafficmanagement, Strengthen identity and pride in community

THREATSCreeping urbanisationLoss of agricultural landLoss of biodiversityPossible waste site/large business or retail park near parish boundaryThreat of over-development leading to loss of rural characterIncreasing traffic resulting from expansion of Burgess Hill and Haywards Heath.Loss of local distinctiveness

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6. KEY SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES

Challenges Facing Ansty, Staplefield and Brook Street

Effect without the Neighbourhood Plan

Potential future need for small housing units for local residents

Unsuitable sites brought forward by landowners

Lack of affordable housing for parish residents.

No suitable sites for housing local people would be allocated.

Pressure for development in countryside District Plan policies are strategic in nature and may not provide adequate protection.

Need to maintain and enhance the high quality natural environment, wildlife networks and biodiversity of the parish

Strategic policies may not give adequate protection

Problems with traffic volume and speed due to expansion of Burgess Hill. Ansty likely to be worst affected.

Could get worse with no policy on transport infrastructure

Need to maintain distinctive village identities despite expansion on north side of Burgess Hill

Strategic polices may not give adequate protection

The lack of capacity of local services and infrastructure to accommodate significant new development

Unsuitable sites put forward without consideration of sustainability issues

Infrastructure improvements such as roads, Ansty Village Centre, Staplefield pavilion, play parks

Funding for infrastructure requirements may not be achieved

7. SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES

The issues for the ASBNP and the Objectives for the SA, have been informed by the policy documents identified in section 2 (in particular the Mid Sussex Local Plan adopted in 2004, Mid Sussex District Plan, consultative draft Nov 2011, and the results of the two household surveys in 2012 and 2013, the Housing Needs Survey 2012, the baseline information collected in section 4 and the sustainability challenges for Ansty and Staplefield Parish identified in section 5. The objectives and the indicators used to measure them, are collectively known as the Sustainability Framework.

The SA will measure the sustainability of the ASBNP through the identification of objectives and indicators. These will be used to predict the sustainability effects of the strategy for the ASBNP, and the policies to deliver the strategy. The next stage of the SA will include consideration of alternatives and information about likely future changes that will occur even without a new Neighbourhood Plan. These alternatives will be assessed against the Sustainability Framework in order to determine which option is the most sustainable. This will be used to inform the drafting of the ASBNP in order to make sure it is the most sustainable plan possible, given all realistic alternatives.

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The SA will be carried out by considering the ASBNP policies against the Sustainability Objectives, which are in effect a measure of sustainability. Each policy will be tested by applying a number of “indicators” to it. This will help to judge the performance of the policy against each of the sustainability objectives. It is proposed that the performance of the policies in the ASBNP will be measured against the objectives as follows: Minor positive / Major positive / Neutral / Negative / Major negative / Uncertain In order to undertake the SA process for the ASBNP, it is necessary to identify sustainability objectives and indicators to enable an assessment to be made of the emerging options and allow for recommendations and mitigation measures to be proposed. The sustainability objectives have emerged through the following considerations:

Through the review of documents listed in Appendix A as identified in the baseline section to help address sustainability issues known locally to help address the ‘weaknesses’ outlined in the SWOT analysis

The proposed sustainability objectives and indicators (Sustainability Framework) for the SA of the ASBNP are as follows:

Social Objectives

Objective 1/SocTo ensure that those in housing need with a genuine local connection to the parish have the opportunity to live in a decent, sustainably constructed and affordable homeIndicators:- number of affordable housing units delivered- financial contribution made towards affordable housing provision- number of smaller/ low cost homes.

Objective 2/SocTo ensure that the community has a high quality and healthy lifestyle.Indicators:- number/ area of green spaces within walking distance of houses- number of footpaths, cycle paths and bridleways accessible to all- availability of public transport

Objective 3/SocTo ensure the communities have adequate access to the services and infrastructure it needs including shops, schools, pubs, sport and leisure facilities, village halls.Indicators:- distance the population of the parish live from services- capacity and quality of local services and facilities

Environmental Objectives.

Objective 4/Env To protect the outstanding landscape setting and architectural heritage of the villages Indicators:

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- re-use of previously developed sites – brownfield sites- preservation of AONB- quality and quantity of agricultural land lost to development- settlement pattern of villages- number of Listed Buildings in parish - MSDC conservation officer/ English Heritage assessment

Objective 5/EnvTo reduce the parish’s impact on climate change.Indicators:- number of green energy developments and installations- proportion of journeys made by sustainable methods

Objective 6/EnvTo reduce impact of traffic in villages, improve pedestrian safety and encourage people to walk or cycle locallyIndicators- walking and cycling routes to village centres- proportion of journeys by sustainable methods- speed and traffic data from police- number of safe crossing points

Objective 7/EnvTo protect the historic environment of the parish, and to enhance the village streetscape and local distinctiveness. Indicators: - conservation area in Staplefield preserved- historic settlement pattern of the villages maintained

Objective 8/EnvTo maintain and enhance the countryside and open spaces of the parish in terms of its

geology, landform, water systems and climate, settlement pattern and historic farmsteads, ancient woodlands and field patterns ancient rights of way (footpaths, bridleways, tracks and lanes) landscape character diversity of wildlife peace and quiet available amenity open spaces

Whilst ensuring any changes benefit the community as a whole. Indicators:- area of Ancient Woodland within the parish - condition of Ancient Woodland in the parish - number of trees with preservation orders in the parish - condition and accessibility of public footpaths - loss of any of these features through grant of planning consent- data from Sussex Biodiversity Records Office

Objective 9/EnvTo retain the character and distinctiveness of villages and small settlements and the gaps between

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them whilst encouraging some organic growth which addresses deficit dwelling stock (young families, older people) and complements their surroundings. Indicators: - proportion of housing developments which address housing needs - historic views preserved- development within or adjacent to settlement boundaries

Economic Objective

Objective 10/ EconTo provide opportunities to work locally.Indicators: - number of existing businesses retained- data on local employment

7. NEXT STEPS As the ASBNP is developed, the strategy and policies will be tested against these sustainability objectives, to identify appropriate policies for inclusion in the Plan. All realistic policy options will be appraised against the Sustainability Framework set out in Section 7 of this report, in order to ensure that the policies chosen for the ASBNPASBNP are the most sustainable, given all realistic alternatives. This document sets out the baseline information on the parish, the plans and policies influencing the production of the ASBNP, current sustainability issues that are facing the settlements and the sustainability objectives that the ASBNP should strive to achieve.

The proposed timetable for the ASBNP is set out in the timeline below. It is intended that the SA and draft ASBNP will be published together in spring 2015, enabling them to be published for joint consultation. Consultation responses on this SR will be taken into account when preparing the final sustainability framework on which to test the emerging policies. Where necessary, further assessment of the options will be undertaken, along with any updating of baseline data, plans and policies.

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Appendix A: Summary of local programmes, plans and other documents that have influenced the ASBNP sustainability objectives and will be used to write the Neighbourhood Plan

Name of Document Broad aims/ relevant policies Requirements of the document in relation to the Neighbourhood Plan

National Planning Policy Framework, March 2012

This document sets out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. It provides a framework for District and Neighbourhood Plans

The Neighbourhood Plan (NP) will need to pay particular regard to this new Planning Framework.

Mid Sussex Local Plan, 2004 This document was statutorily adopted in 2004. It defines built up area boundaries and contains some policies that have been retained in the District Plan.

The built up area boundaries will need to be considered in the NP.

Mid Sussex District Plan, Draft 2013.

The draft District Plan has been written in the context of the Localism Act and changes to the planning system. It sets out strategic policies and provides the framework for subsequent planning documents including Neighbourhood Plans.

The NP must comply with the strategic aims and policies of the District Plan.

High Weald AONB Management Plan, 2014-2019

Identifies the important features of the AONB and sets out guidance and objectives on the ways in which these features can be protected, restored and enhanced.

As a large area in the north of the parish is located within the AONB, the NP will need to take full account of the aims of the AONB designation and the land and countryside management issues in this document.

Mid Sussex Landscape Character Assessment, 2005

This document looks in detail at the landscape character of the District and contains detailed management guidelines.

The management guidelines will need to be taken into consideration in the NP.

Ancient Woodland inventory for Mid Sussex 2007

Identifies the areas of ancient woodland within Mid Sussex.

Ancient woodland is a key biodiversity asset for the parish and needs to be recognised in the NP.

Mid Sussex Rural Affordable Housing Strategy

Identifies a strategy to enable the Council to meet the housing needs of local residents in rural areas.

The NP will consider how it can contribute to this in the light of a new Housing Needs Study.

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Biodiversity Action Plan for Sussex

Focuses resources to conserve and enhance biodiversity in Mid Sussex by mean of local partnerships, taking account of nation and local priorities.

The NP will need to take account of nature conservation and biodiversity issues.

Mid Sussex Economic Development Strategy 2013

Lists objectives for economic development and states how the Council will assist in meeting these aims.

The NP will need to be in broad compliance with the economic development and tourism policies of the District Plan.

Mid Sussex infrastructure Development Plan, draft 2013

Sets out infrastructure requirements that development will be expected to contribute towards.

The NP should contain a policy on infrastructure to comply with these requirements.

Mid Sussex Landscape Capacity Study 2007

Identifies the capacity of the Mid Sussex landscape to accommodate strategic development.

The study has been a key piece of evidence in the formulation of policies concerning the District’s landscape.

MSDC Strategic Flood Risk Assessment 2008

Identifies areas at risk of flooding

The NP will need to take account of risk areas.

MSDC Transport Study Stages 1 and 2 2013

Assesses impact of land use on transport network.

The NP will need to take into account potential transport network issues.

MSDC Strategic Housing Market Assessment 2009 and update 2012

Review of current and future housing market.

The NP will need to consider this when assessing housing requirements including affordable housing.

MSDC Local Housing Assessment 2011

Local level assessment of future housing need.

The NP will need to consider this when assessing housing requirements including affordable housing.

MSDC Housing Land Supply 2011/2012 and current revision

Assessment of strategic land availability.

The NP will need to consider this when assessing housing requirements

Register of Listed Buildings. Lists and describes the buildings included in the List of Buildings of Special Architectural and Historic interest.

The NP will take account of the need to protect and conserve this asset.

West Sussex Sites of Nature conservation importance register.

Identifies and describes sites of importance.

The NP will need to contain policies to protect these sites.

Ansty and Staplefield Parish Council Housing Needs Survey 2012.

Identifies affordable housing need.

The NP will need to consider provision of affordable housing.

Ansty and Staplefield Parish Plan 2007.

This community led plan contains aims and actions identified by the community.

The issues identified will be used to inform the Neighbourhood Plan.

Ansty and Staplefield Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Survey 2012

Survey of parish residents identifies aims and priorities for living in the parish.

This will help identify the NP vision and objectives.

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Ansty and Staplefield Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan sites survey 2013

Survey of parish residents identifies preferred location of housing

Results will be used alongside sustainability objectives and site assessments to help select sites for development.

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