Structure Plan Monitoring Report 2002 - Summary version

Structure Plan is on course!

The adopted Structure Plan is on target to achieve most of its aims according to latest monitoring information. 25 of the 46 indicators in the recently published Structure Plan Monitoring Report 2002 show positive progress in steering development and environmental change, with only 4 showing a step backwards.

The Report covers the period 1996 - 2002 and is structured into 19 topic areas including Urban Regeneration, Town Centres, Coastline and Estuaries, Built Heritage, Economy, Transport, Housing and Minerals.

Key areas showing progress include urban regeneration and town centre development. Housing policies have performed moderately well, although the actual number of dwellings built were below targets set in Regional Planning Guidance.

The amount of office floorspace being developed in out-of-centre locations and the absence of a Major Development Area within the Eastleigh Borough First Deposit Local Plan were both at variance to Structure Plan policy.

A number of indicators showed no overall movement towards meeting policy aims. In many cases this may be due to the lead-in time required for policy changes to take effect and influence development on the ground.

The analysis also shows that, due to a lack of data, it has not been possible to assess how some Structure Plan policies have performed. It will be necessary to build on current information gathering processes to improve future monitoring of the Plan.

The overall conclusion of the first annual monitoring report is that the adopted Structure Plan is generally performing well. However, its full effectiveness may only be felt when all the Hampshire local plans have been reviewed to take account of its policies.