Gedling Borough Replacement Local Plan

6. COMMUNITY SERVICES CHAPTER

C1	COMMUNITY SERVICES GENERAL PRINCIPLES
C2	COMMUNITY FACILITIES FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT
C3	NURSERY FACILITIES
C4	LOSS OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES

INTRODUCTION

6.1

Many community services are provided by the County Council who are responsible for social services, education and libraries, and the Health Authorities who are concerned with all aspects of health care including the provision of hospitals, health centres and the registration of private facilities. Most of the Borough falls within the area of Nottingham Health Authority, with Ravenshead Parish covered by the North Notts. Health Authority. The County headquarters of both the Police Service and Fire Service are located in the Borough at Sherwood Lodge and Bestwood Lodge respectively. Additional specialist community services are provided by a variety of voluntary agencies and organisations.

6.2

The Nottinghamshire Structure Plan Review includes a policy relating to provision and location of these services. Policy 8/1 states that 'Provision will be made in Local Plans for suitable sites for all necessary educational, social, health, protective and community facilities as close as possible to the centre of the community they serve.' It also refers to the need for such sites to be accessible. There is a County Policy (8/A) in the Explanatory Memorandum which states:

'The availability of spare capacity in educational, social, health, protective and other community services and facilities will usually be taken into account in considering the appropriateness of the scale and location of new residential development.'

6.3

The need for new community services and facilities stems from the distribution and structure of the population. Whilst the capacity of these facilities can influence the scale of housing developments, the location of community services often responds to development rather than being an influence upon it. In the consideration of identifying new development sites existing provision has been an important factor (see the Housing Chapter). However, when considering proposals for new community services and facilities the Borough Council will seek, wherever possible, to support the providing authorities and organisations with suitable sites. It will be necessary to take account of other local plan policies along with environmental and traffic considerations to ensure that development would not cause parking, amenity or other problems in the locality.

6.4

The dual use of buildings and land for community services is to be encouraged by the Borough Council and such proposals will be judged in the light of Policy C1, other local plan policies and environmental and traffic considerations.

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POLICY C1 COMMUNITY SERVICES GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Objectives
Community Services		1, 2, 3

Planning permission will be granted for proposals to improve community services and facilities provided that:-

they are not detrimental to the amenity of adjoining and nearby property; and

their location is within or near to local/district centres or easily accessible to local residents.

HEALTH CARE

Hospitals

6.5

There are two privately run hospitals in the Borough, the Park Hospital at Burntstump, and the Nottingham Nuffield Hospital, Woodthorpe. Both sites are fully developed and significant changes are not anticipated. The Park Hospital lies in the Green Belt and any development will be subject to Green Belt policies. In both cases further development proposals will be considered in the light of Policy C1.

Health Centres

6.6

No changes are currently proposed for any of the health centres in Gedling Borough. However the proposed new housing developments will have an effect on existing provision. In certain cases extra G.P's will need to be added to existing practices. Any proposal to expand or develop any such facilities will be assessed in the light of Policies C1, C2 and the relevant policies contained in the Housing Chapter.

Doctors and Dentists Surgeries

6.7

Surgeries for more than one doctor or dentist are best located in or close to shopping centres so as to benefit from facilities such as public transport, car parking and chemists. Surgeries can also be accommodated in residential areas, although there is a need to ensure that the amenity of occupiers of nearby properties is not unduly affected. An application for planning permission is not necessary in the case of doctors or dentists operating from one room within their own home.

Care in the Community; residential nursing homes

6.8

Any proposals to extend or develop this type of service and other types of residential institution including care homes will be considered in the light of policy H13 in the Housing Chapter.

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POLICY C2 COMMUNITY FACILITIES FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT

Objectives
Community Services		1, 2, 4
Sustainability		7
Transport		7

In considering applications for new development the Borough Council will have regard to the need for the provision of community facilities arising from the proposal. Conditions will be imposed, planning obligations or legal agreements will be sought, in order to secure appropriate community facilities, or financial contributions thereto, reasonably related to the scale and kind of development proposed.

6.9

The Borough Council will seek to ensure that developer contributions are negotiated as part of proposals for new developments. Contributions will be in accordance with Circular 1/97 which states that they should be necessary, relevant to planning, directly related to the development proposed, reasonably related in scale and kind to the development and reasonable in all other respects. Developer contributions for the major residential allocations are dealt with in the following policies:

Gedling Colliery/Chase Farm H3
Stockings Farm H4
Teal Close /North of Victoria Park H5
Top Wighay Farm H6

6.10

The supporting text to Policy H2 sets out the specific requirements for the smaller residential allocations.

6.11

Policies relating to affordable housing, integrated transport measures, appropriate access and open space provision in new developments are contained in the Local Plan and the Borough Council will liaise with the necessary organisations to determine the provision of education, health, infrastructural requirements and any other aspect which is necessary to facilitate the development proposed. Nottinghamshire County Council have in place an Interim Transport Planning Statement which sets out the thresholds for Integrated Transport Measures in new developments. This Statement will be used as the guidance for transport infrastructure requirements.

6.12

Specific developer requirements will be established either at the stage of preparing a development brief or when the planning application is submitted. Where developer contributions are required the assumption will be in favour of on-site provision, however if this is not considered feasible by the Borough Council, this may be required either off-site or in the form of commuted sum.

EDUCATION

School/College premises

6.13

In the academic year 1997/98 there were 44 maintained primary schools and 7 secondary schools in the Borough along with the further education College of Arnold and Carlton. Currently the Local Education Authority does not have a published plan of commitments or changes to the provision of existing/new school premises and playing fields. The Borough Council will seek to continue consultation and monitoring of education facilities in conjunction with the Nottinghamshire County Council Education Department. The need for additional school places is determined by the County Council which has its own standards with regard to the relationship between new housing and the number of school age children that this is likely to produce. There have been continuing discussions with the Education Authority about the need for new school provision generated by proposed housing developments. These have taken account of the current capacity and the need for new sites, buildings and extensions. Details are contained in the Housing Chapter. In these areas and elsewhere, where new permanent or temporary buildings are proposed, they will be assessed against policy C1. The same principles would apply to new buildings on school grounds for community uses.

6.14

Many community activities are provided in buildings in multiple use. Formal arrangements for 'joint use' of certain facilities exist at Carlton Forum, Calverton Leisure Centre, Lambley Lane Playing Fields, Redhill Leisure Centre and Lambley Lane Primary School. Many schools already offer after school clubs and activities both for pupils and also the general public (particularly with regard to sporting activities). School playing fields are protected from development by policy R4 in the Recreation chapter. Schools have the added advantage of ample parking facilities and separate grounds, with minimal effect on the amenity of the neighbouring properties.

Dual Use

6.15

Dual use of buildings is to be actively encouraged by the Borough Council, especially in areas that are deficient in facilities and/or have limited scope for new buildings, although clearly the final decision will normally rest with the School Governors.

Private Schools

6.16

Within the Borough there are also some private schools which occupy small sites in the urban area. Any proposals to develop the existing sites further, or establish new sites will be considered against Policy C1.

Nursery Schools

6.17

The Gedling Area Guide to Schools 1998/99 (Produced by Notts. County Council Education Department) shows 21 primary or infants schools with a nursery unit with a further 16 private nursery schools on the Notts. County Council register. There were also a further 34 playgroups or childminders on the public register held at County Hall in 1991. Nurseries have, by nature, a small catchment area and generally provide for residents local to them. Nursery provision on a local level rather than concentrated in more sizeable centres helps to remove the reliance on the private car. This can be further reduced by locating this provision in proximity to public transport routes. The need for public transport accessibility will be important in judging the acceptability of new sites for nursery provision but it will not be the only factor to be judged. Sites removed from local centres whilst not offering the possibility of multi-purpose trips may in some circumstances be acceptable subject to the other requirements set out in the policy. Greater choice of provision of nursery schools also allows for earlier return to work by parents no longer required to remain at home with the children. This has obvious economic benefits for the community and the Borough as a whole.

6.18

PPG13 encourages forms of development that maintain and improve choice for people to walk, cycle or catch public transport rather than drive themselves. It also mentions limiting parking provision to further encourage walking to the facilities. This has important ramifications for the development control process, with PPG13 stating that, when considering planning applications, local authorities should use parking policies, alongside other planning and transport measures, to promote sustainable transport choices and reduce reliance on the car (para 6 (7)). A Circular letter on Pre-school education (March 29, 1996) places a further emphasis on local definitions of need and therefore of the importance of a policy on nursery provision. "Government policy is that the level, pattern and range of day care services for young children (including nurseries) should be worked out locally by local authorities in consultation with others." It should be recognised that any application must first satisfy criteria of the Social Services Department before a certificate will be granted. This is not a planning matter and any criteria that must be met need not be duplicated by the planning system.

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POLICY C3 NURSERY FACILITIES

Objectives
Community Services		5
(see justification in paras. 6.17 & 6.18)

Planning permission will be granted for change of use to day nursery or expansion of existing day nursery facilities provided that:-

the residential amenity of adjoining users is not unduly affected;

appropriate provision is made for parking and vehicular access; and

there is adequate enclosed garden/play space.

Library Provision

6.19

Within the Borough there are nine libraries serving the community. The largest according to number of issues (1996/97 figures in brackets) are Arnold and Carlton (396,774 and 158,190 respectively). Calverton (77,109); Ravenshead (64,792) and Mapperley (79,019) may be described as of medium size. The other four libraries are smaller; Burton Joyce (41,144), Woodthorpe (34,979), Carlton Hill (45,815), and Gedling (22,391). Any proposals to extend or improve the existing facilities will be supported by the Borough Council in accordance with Policy C1.

EMERGENCY SERVICES

Police Service

6.20

In 1997 the Carlton Police Station was replaced with new premises on Cavendish Road. The Police Headquarters at Sherwood Lodge are located in the Green Belt in an area adjoining the Park Hospital. There are also tree preservation orders on many of the trees within the site. For these reasons proposals to extend the facilities at Sherwood Lodge will need to take account of the special character of the locality, in addition to the Green Belt policy affecting the site.

Fire Service and Ambulance Service

6.21

It is understood that the Fire Service have no plans for significant redevelopment within the Borough in the next ten years. However, in common with the Police, their County H.Q. is in the Green Belt in an area of high amenity value. Consequently, whilst proposals to extend or improve these facilities will be supported, in accordance with Policy C1, they will need to take account of the Green Belt status and amenity value of the site. Proposals to extend existing buildings or provide new sites for the Ambulance Service will be supported in accordance with Policy C1.

OTHER COMMUNITY SERVICES

Places of Worship

6.22

It is recognised that churches often provide a variety of community uses along with religious use on their sites. Places of worship are generally distributed throughout the Borough and are not restricted to town/village centre sites. Most churches are accommodated in permanent buildings, and where alterations and extensions are proposed, including extensions onto adjoining sites, they will be assessed against Policy C1. Proposals for new church buildings will be assessed on a similar basis. Locations in or close to town and village centres will offer advantages in terms of parking and amenity considerations especially where the new use involves a significant element of community centre type activities. Proposals affecting listed buildings and conservation areas will be subject to appropriate design criteria as set out in the Environment Chapter.

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POLICY C4 LOSS OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES

Objectives
Community Services		1, 5
Sustainability		2
Transport		7

Planning permission will not be granted if development would lead to the loss of community facilities resulting in increased car journeys to the next available facility.

6.23

Other organisations concerned with the provision of community services and facilities occasionally request assistance in finding new sites. Such proposals will generally be welcomed in accordance with Policy C1.

6.24

Given the need for sustainable communities it is important to recognise that any loss of community facilities which would lead to people being forced to drive to the next nearest facility, could be interpreted as running against the Government's policy on sustainable development.

6.25

As well as the need to retain those community facilities described under policies C1, C2 and C3, other facilities including Public Houses, shops and Post Offices in rural locations should also be retained. The loss of such facilities will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances. PPS6, paragraph 2.61 states that 'local planning authorities should be aware of the extent of the rural population which is dependent on a particular centre or facility, such as a village shop, and seek to protect existing facilities and promote new ones accordingly'. PPS7 advises local planning authorities on planning polices for the countryside, including the need to sustain economic activity in rural areas. Village shops whether standing alone or ancillary to other uses, e.g. pubs, petrol stations or farms, play a crucial role in maintaining villages as viable communities.

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