The inaugural Structure Plan Monitoring Report was published in 2002. As the Structure Plan contains very few targets/indicators, it was necessary to establish a suite of indicators in order to measure the success of the Plan's policies. The second Structure Plan Monitoring Report published in November 2004 charts positive progress in relation to 22 of the same 33 indicators: a significant advance on the position two years previously.

Progress is being made on regenerating urban areas. The number of vacant properties in Hampshire, including Portsmouth and Southampton, has almost halved since the start of the Structure Plan in 1996. A total of 70% of new homes are now being built on brownfield land, putting Hampshire well ahead of the Government's target of 60% by 2008. Two-thirds of retail and office development is now taking place in city/town centres compared to around 40% in the mid-1990s.

Over one million square metres of new office, industrial and warehouse space has been built since 1996, with the pace of development having increased since the previous Monitoring Report in 2002.

As explained in more detail elsewhere on the agenda, housebuilding during 2003/04 exceeded the target in Regional Planning Guidance and that is forecast to continue until 2011. Almost half of all homes being built in Hampshire now have only one or two bedrooms.

Green travel plans are increasingly being adopted by schools and firms to encourage more people to walk, cycle or use public transport. The rate of traffic growth has slowed slightly, but there is still some way to go to achieve the target of halving the rate of growth.

Summary of individual topics

Urban Regeneration - Although it is too early to assess the success of the Governments' `urban renaissance' initiative, monitoring of the Structure Plan has indicated that in many areas (such as the number of new dwellings on previously developed land, the conversion of buildings to residential and the reduction in vacant and derelict land) progress is being made via policies to Regenerate and re-develop existing urban areas.

One notable exception continues to be office development, where a substantial amount of floorspace was developed between 1996 and 2003 in out-of-centre locations.

Town Centres - Well over half of all retail floorspace completed between 1996-2003 was located within existing town centres. This indicates that Structure Plan policy may be influencing the location of such developments in favour of town and district centres, thereby supporting the aim To maintain and enhance the vitality and viability of town and district centres.

Although a qualitative assessment of Hampshire town centres has been undertaken, other measurements to assess their vitality and viability are required to present a more rounded view of their overall economic health.

New Forest Heritage Area - There have been no significant departures to the Structure Plan arising from planning approvals, and the aim to Protect and enhance archaeological, geological, ecological and landscape character of the New Forest Heritage Area is on course.

Major Development Areas - Monitoring the current round of local plans is being undertaken to ascertain whether they are meeting the policy aim to Successfully implement the four baseline Major Development Areas and the Winchester North (Reserve) MDA, should it be required. Although some progress has been made, the recent Second Deposit Eastleigh Borough Local Plan does not make provision for an MDA (as required by the Structure Plan) although Eastleigh Borough Council has identified alternative provision of this housing in the Borough.

Economy - Monitoring indicates that, whilst the policy aim To provide opportunities for a range of locations, types and size of development and to provide a framework to stimulate and encourage economic growth is broadly being delivered, future monitoring should examine in detail issues of quality, location and loss of existing employment land to other uses.

Transport - Targets for changing modal choice have been set, projects are being developed and monitoring mechanisms put in place. The next few years should see real progress made towards the aim to Reduce the need to travel through locating new development where there are opportunities to reduce the dependency on private cars and the promotion of public transport, walking and cycling alternatives.

Housing - the housing policies have, to date, performed moderately well in seeking to meet the aim to Provide sufficient housing to meet Hampshire's needs, including an appropriate proportion of affordable housing and accommodation to meet particular needs.

Whilst there are positive signs that more smaller properties are being built, the percentage of affordable housing provided was generally below the targets recently set by the unitary authorities and district councils. This is expected to rise on the back of up-to-date housing needs surveys and local plan policies.

The number of houses built 1996-2004 was more than the Structure Plan's baseline requirement. The number of properties built in 2003/2004 exceeded the annual target in Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) and Hampshire is on track to satisfy the RPG requirement up to 2011.

Recreation, Sport and Tourism - Monitoring of this topic has shown that the aim To maintain and improve recreational, sporting and tourist facilities is broadly on course.

Rural Hampshire - The County Council is actively engaged in a range of projects and initiatives relating to countryside issues. However, the absence of monitoring information relating to the impact development may be having on the countryside has made it difficult to ascertain the full extent to which progress has been made towards the policy aim To safeguard and improve the quality and character of the rural areas, whilst accommodating and managing necessary changes.

Coastline and Estuaries - Progress is being made towards the aim To protect, conserve and enhance the special qualities of the coastline and estuaries and improve the environmental quality of `run down' areas through regeneration of the urban coast, although improved monitoring of developments within the coastal belt is desirable.

Water - The aim To safeguard the quality of groundwater and surface water and reduce the risk to people, buildings and the environment from flooding and coastal erosion is generally being delivered.

Energy - The Councils are actively engaged in a range of projects and initiatives relating to energy reduction. A wide range of comprehensive monitoring information is beginning to emerge but measurement of the success of the aim To reduce energy consumption by locating new development closer to the people it serves remains difficult.

Nature Conservation - It is evident from sensitive allocations in local plans and planning decisions, that the identification of Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation in Hampshire, in addition to international and nationally designated sites, is providing a robust framework for the protection of biodiversity. Progress is being made towards the aim To maintain and enhance the quality of the county's biodiversity, including important habitats, species and natural features.

Minerals - Monitoring indicates that the aim of Structure Plan policy To make provision for an appropriate contribution towards national, regional and local needs for minerals from sources within Hampshire is generally being delivered.

Waste - Monitoring indicates that significant progress is being made towards the aim To make provision of sufficient facilities to meet the need for the management of all unavoidable waste (excluding special waste) arising in Hampshire; and to reduce the quantity of waste requiring treatment or disposal, particularly landfilling of non-inert waste..

Local Plans Progress - The successful implementation of the Structure Plan is, to a significant degree, dependent upon the translation of strategic policies into the local arena via local plans. Although progress is being made towards the production of comprehensive up-to-date local plan coverage in Hampshire, it is likely that by the end of 2004 only half of the 14 local plans covering the Structure Plan area will have been adopted . The aim To support the adoption of local plans that are in conformity with the adopted Structure Plan is therefore being achieved, although progress is slow.

The Structure Plan Monitoring Report 2004 can be purchased price £10 plus £1 postage and packing from the Director of Environment, Hampshire County Council, The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire SO23 8UD (payment with order please - cheque payable to `Hampshire County Council'.)