Archived decisions

1. Introduction

1.1 The Regional Assembly requires each sub-region to provide its sub-regional advice in the form of a report setting out the background, explanation and proposals in respect of District-level housing figures, the amount and broad location of employment, and infrastructure including transport. In addition, the Assembly requires the proposals to be articulated in the form of sub-regional policies for inclusion the South East Plan. This requirement relates only to the defined sub-regions, which in Hampshire are South Hampshire and the Western Corridor & Blackwater Valley. The Assembly will incorporate the District-level housing figures for Central Hampshire & New Forest into a region wide policy about housing provision.

1.2 It was only possible to compose the text of the sub-regional policies after the policy approaches on housing distribution, employment and transport began to take shape. The latter only began to crystallise in the last week, and consequently the draft sub-regional policies are only now emerging.

1.3 Thus, most of the emerging sub-regional policies simply articulate in a different format, the policy approaches set out in the appendices relating to South and North Hampshire (appendices 3 - 6 and 7) which were circulated with the report. A few deal with other topics and those are the focus of this report.

2. Western Corridor & Blackwater Valley Sub-regional policies

2.1 The majority of the 9 proposed sub-regional policies for the Western Corridor & Blackwater Valley are either policies which are unchanged from those previously submitted by the Sub-regional Members Steering Group or deal with matters which are covered in the appendices to the report to this Cabinet meeting. The only new policy is for the Colne Valley Park on the Berkshire/Buckinghamshire/Hertfordshire/Greater London border; an issue of no relevance to Hampshire. The draft policies will be finalised for submission to the Regional Assembly at the Western Corridor & Blackwater Valley Sub-regional Members Steering Group meeting on 30 November 2005.

3. South Hampshire Sub-regional policies

3.1 Similarly, many of the 14 proposed sub-regional policies for South Hampshire are unchanged from those submitted in June 2005. Changes are proposed to 5 policies, to incorporate the two proposed Strategic Development Areas and the distribution of house building across the sub-region, the amount and location of employment, and the emerging transport strategy. All those matters are covered in the appendices to the report to this Cabinet meeting. The other 3 changes however deal with other matters, as follows.

3.2 Strategic Gaps

The first of those policy changes on other matters is to include a list of locations for Sub-regional Gaps. A policy submitted to the Assembly in June 2005 set out the overall policy approach but included a statement that the location of the Gaps would be submitted to the Assembly in December 2005. The list now proposed for inclusion includes all the Strategic Gaps in South Hampshire which are in the Hampshire Structure Plan, with the addition of two new Gaps associated with the proposed Strategic Development Areas (SDAs) . One of these proposed new Sub-regional Gaps is between the Fareham SDA and Wickham to the north. The maintenance of a clear gap between the two was promised in the consultation document `Where Shall We Live' and in the special `Hampshire Now'. Similarly, Sub-regional Gap(s) would be appropriate between the Hedge End SDA and neighbouring settlements. However, at this stage, with less certainty about the location of the SDA compared to the Fareham SDA, it is not yet possible to identify the detailed locations. Therefore in this submission to SEERA, it is proposed to flag the principle of Sub-regional Gap(s) related to the Hedge End SDA, but that the specific locations will be submitted next year once further technical work has been undertaken to more clearly identify the location of the SDA.

3.3 Environmental Sustainability

The second policy change is the addition of a new policy about environmental sustainability. This proposed new policy pledges the PUSH authorities to protect and enhance South Hampshire's natural and man made resources. It aims, for example, to set exemplar standards for energy conservation and renewable energy generation, water use and efficiency, and the use of recycled materials and sustainable drainage systems. The draft policy (copy attached as Annex A) is consistent with the work which Hampshire County Council has been undertaking in these fields.

3.4 Town and City Centres

The other policy change is a proposed policy for South Hampshire's city and town centres. The preparation of that new policy is being led by Southampton City Council and the draft has not yet emerged. It is anticipated that it will be available in time for consideration, along with the other policy changes, at the PUSH Leaders meeting on 1 December.

4. Conclusion

4.1 Subject to sight of the proposed policy for South Hampshire's city and town centres, the emerging draft policies for both sub-regions are in line with the stance taken by the County Council to date and should therefore be submitted to SEERA.

1.

ANNEX A

SOUTH HAMPSHIRE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY POLICY

The PUSH authorities will:

- produce a common framework, for incorporation into Local Development Frameworks, that establishes density ranges for development related to accessibility to services and public transport, that favours development around transport hubs and community infrastructure within a reasonable radius to encourage pedestrian and cycle movement, and where possible joins development to the natural environment through linked and accessible open spaces that promote both recreational opportunities and high biodiversity;

- jointly plan the infrastructure and approaches necessary to make effective management and use of natural resources an integral part of a growing economy in the sub-region;

- co-operate on assessment of and planning for effective coastal zone management to address the risk of sea level rise, and co-operate to minimise the risk of other forms of flooding;

- require new commercial and residential buildings in the sub-region to achieve at minimum an equivalent rating to Ecohomes/BREEAM Very Good, and post 2012 an equivalent rating to Ecohomes/BREEAM Excellent, with particular emphasis on water efficiency, unless such requirement is impractical due to the size of the development or other factors;

- adopt measures to encourage the use of recycled materials in all construction;

- require developments to incorporate passive solar design principles to the extent possible, promote high standards of energy in new and existing development, and require developers to provide at least 10% of energy demand from renewable sources in housing schemes of over 10 dwellings and commercial schemes of over 1000 square meters;

- deliver a minimum of 100 MW of renewable energy in the sub-region by 2020; and

- achieve a decrease of at least 8% in water use (compared to the national average in 2005) for all new developments, help promote more efficient water use in existing developments and require implementation of sustainable urban drainage systems where feasible in all new developments.

The PUSH authorities will develop common policies to achieve these aims in their Local Development Frameworks.