Local Plan Revision for Derbyshire Dales

If you have ever been involved in anything to do with local government planning, you will know how important 'Local Plans' (and also Neighbourhood Plans) are in the planning process.

In essence these documents are legally binding rules that aim to govern the decision making process which governs what can be built and where.

Contrary to popular belief, once a Local Plan is agreed, weight of public opinion cannot be guaranteed to influence a planning decision.

This is why it is so important to ensure that Local Plans are fit for purpose and can shape the development of towns and villages for the benefit of communities.

The existing Local Plan was adopted in 2017 (after a long period of debate and one failed attempt to produce a plan). It is not perfect and its limitations are frequently revealed at planning committee meetings.

This Local Plan is now being revised and one of the first stages of that is to allow the public a say on the broader aspects of how they want development to occur.

A link to the consultation can be found here.

Removal of the housing number obligation.

Our position on the proposal to remove the Planning Inspector's veto over housing numbers per local authority.

There is a need for an obligation on each local authority since history tells us that without that obligation, insufficient houses were built. However, there will always be local issues. Planning Inspectors need to be more understanding and accepting of the local constraints on housing numbers. Thus, in Derbyshire Dales, housing numbers are largely determined by the actual and forecast economic activity in the whole District including the National Park, yet virtually all housing is allocated to Derbyshire Dales LPA and almost none to the Peak LPA. THIS IS UNFAIR. The impact of this obligation is:

• Increased commuting in and out of the Park by workers who have to live elsewhere with a consequential impact on the environment

• Little or no housing for family members who wish to remain close to their roots within the Park

• Loss of green field sites and landscapes the equal of those in the Park and with more biodiversity (according to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust)

• Urban sprawl around the towns and villages outside the Park particularly Ashbourne, and central Derbyshire Dales from Wirksworth to Rowsley

• Additional congestion and pressure on services and infrastructure in those areas

Location of additional housing.

Locations for additional housing need to take account of:

• Location of jobs

• The types of housing required associated with those jobs and other occupations (eg affordable, sheltered, family, young persons / singles, retirement, etc)

• The environmental impact - direct and indirect - ie biodiversity, land drainage, loss of green space, air quality arising from the housing itself but also from the required activities arising from its location - eg commuting for work, education, shopping, entertainment and other activities,

Taking those factors into consideration, we feel that new housing needs to be located near to where jobs are being created, and that will be largely in the south of the District. Whether they are located in a single village or multiple additions to existing settlements will be dependent on a wide variety of factors. But overall, we suggest that a fifteen minute town approach is followed. This dictates that the main commutes can be made by individuals in ten minutes walking or cycling. Matlock and Ashbourne approach this - they are largely fifteen to twenty minute towns, although any new development will be well beyond that. So, if a fifteen minute town cannot be achieved in existing settlements, the implication would be that a new settlement complete with the shops and other services people need would be required.