London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames - Unitary Development Plan
Unitary Development Plan - Adopted 1 March 2005
 
   

The UDP has been extended beyond 11th March 2008, with the exception of certain policies and proposals which will not be saved beyond that date. The policies which have not been saved are shown as striked through text, the proposal sites not saved have been removed from the proposals map.

The Core Strategy was adopted on 21st April 2009 and supersedes some UDP policies, which are now shown as striked through text. View the Core Strategy
   

Chapter 2

FRAMEWORK FOR PLAN POLICIES
   
2.1 Part I of the Plan must have regard to current national and regional planning policies and Strategic Planning Guidance for London (RPG 3 1996). Although this Plan was largely completed before the production of the Draft London Plan (SDS), which currently is in draft form (June 2002), it does take into account earlier policy development by the London Planning Advisory Committee. Other more local factors have also been taken into account, in particular social and economic trends, views of local residents, the availability of resources, and the overall strategy of the Council. This chapter considers the policy context within which the Plan has been developed, and its underlying principles.
   
 

POLICY CONTEXT
 

NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY

2.2 Planning Policy Guidance Note 1: General Policy and Principles (PPG1 1997) sets out the Government's priority for sustainable development. It reaffirms the role of the planning system in meeting the needs of the economy and protecting the natural and built environment. It promotes mixed-use development and high quality design. Where appropriate, relevant legislation or statutory instruments are referred to in relation to specific policies, and national policy guidance in the form of Planning Policy Guidance Notes are summarised in the relevant chapters of the Plan.
  The Government's document 'A better quality of life: A strategy for Sustainable Development in the United Kingdom' (1999), includes the widely-used international definition of sustainable development as 'development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'. It identifies four objectives:
  (i) social progress that meets the needs of everyone;
  (ii) effective protection of the environment;
  (iii) prudent use of natural resources;
  (iv) maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.
   
 

REGIONAL PLANNING POLICY
2.3 Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG 9 2001) was issued after the main stages in Plan preparation, however the draft Guidance issued in 1999 was taken into account in the preparation of this Plan. The key development principles can be briefly summarised as follows:-
 
  • urban areas should become the main focus of development;
  • greenfield development should normally take place only after other alternatives have been considered;
  • the pattern of development should be less dispersed;
  • London's World City role should be developed;
  • economic opportunities should be increased by raising skills and reducing disparities between different parts of the region;
  • sufficient housing, including mixes of sizes, types and tenures should be provided;
  • Development should be located and designed to enable more sustainable use of the region's natural resources
 

STRATEGIC PLANNING GUIDANCE FOR LONDON
2.4 The Government issued Strategic Planning Guidance for London (RPG 3) in May 1996. Its purpose is to give London Planning Authorities formal guidance on the review of their UDPs. It sets land use planning issues in a broader context by identifying important developments which Boroughs are required to take into account in framing their UDPs. By identifying the approach to development which the government hopes to see taking place, the guidance sets out the strategic context within which all players involved in the future development of London and its buildings, activities, environment and transport systems should make their own decisions.
2.5 The Government's objectives of particular relevance are:
  a) to promote London as a world city;
  b) to maintain and enhance the competitiveness of business, encouraging manufacturing, services, tourism, culture and the arts;
  c) to encourage land use patterns which minimise harm to the environment and reduce the need to travel especially by car;
  d) to promote urban regeneration;
  e) to enhance town and other local centres as shopping and community facilities accessible to all;
  f) to maximise housing provision to meet the changing needs of the population;
  g) to maintain and improve the natural and open environment;
  h) to improve the quality and attractiveness of London's urban environment;
  i) to seek to improve air quality, reduce waste, pollution and the use of energy, and to encourage recycling;
  j) to facilitate the development of safe, efficient transport systems.
  k) to protect the ten strategic views of St Pauls as set out in an annexe to RPG 3 (this includes the view from King Henry VIII's mound in Richmond Park).
   
2.6 Guidance identifies the development pressure that Heathrow Airport exerts in the area particularly on distribution, high tech industry, offices and tourism. Therefore development should be accommodated in those parts of west London where it will capitalise on its locational advantages and create manufacturing employment opportunities of benefit to London as a whole and to the Region. Developments which add to traffic congestion will not be encouraged.
2.7 It requires boroughs to assess housing need, to set out policies for meeting it, and identify locations and sites suitable for affordable housing. Guidance also sets out Richmond upon Thames required minimum additional net dwelling target as 4,860 for the period 1997 - 2016.
   
 

STRATEGIC PLANNING GUIDANCE FOR THE RIVER THAMES
2.8 The Government issued RPG 3B/9B in February 1997, covering planning policies for the River Thames from Windsor to the sea. It presents a vision to provide a land use planning framework for enhancing its status and vitality. The Guidance is summarised in more detail in chapter 5.
 
 

DRAFT LONDON PLAN (SDS)
2.9 The draft London Plan (SDS) was issued in June 2002 after the main stages in the preparation of the Unitary Development Plan. The SDS will replace strategic planning guidance and after it is published the Unitary Development Plan will be required to be in general conformity with the SDS. The SDS will be subject to Examination in Public early in 2003 and the Mayor for London aims to achieve adoption of the Plan later in the year.
2.10 The objectives of the London Plan are as follows;
 
  • maintaining the most sustainable and efficient use of space in London; encouraging intensification and growth in areas of need and opportunity;
  • making London a better city to live in;
  • making London a more prosperous city with strong and diverse economic growth;
  • promoting social inclusion and tackling deprivation and discrimination;
  • improving London's transport;
  • making London a more attractive, well-designed and green city.
 

LOCAL POLICY CONTEXT
 

CORPORATE PLAN
2.11 The Community Plan 2002-2005 vision is based on Richmond upon Thames being a Borough where people can;
  - have pride in the borough;
  - feel safe;
  - live in a clean and pleasant environment;
  - enjoy good quality services that are value for money.
   
  Objectives and targets are based on the following broad areas;
  - Education and Leisure - a Borough where people learn and achieve;
  - Environment - a Borough where people live in a clean and pleasant environment;
  - Social care, housing and health - a Borough where people are healthy and well-cared for;
  - Combating crime - a Borough where people feel safe;
  - Community leadership - a Borough where the Council and its partners show leadership.
   
  Other relevant documents from the Council's policy framework are as follows;
  Interim Transport Plan 2002-3
  Local Agenda 21 Strategy 1997
  Health and Social Care Improvement Plan 2001-2
  Corporate Asset Management Plan 2002-5
  Housing Strategy 2003
  Community Safety Strategy 2002-5
   
  Strategies relating to specific service areas are also referred to in the Plan. The Thames Landscape Strategy (1994) prepared with other authorities & agencies is also a key strategic document.
   
 

LOCAL TRENDS

2.12 Long term trends which have had an influence on the Plan are:
  Population: after a significant fall in the Borough's usual resident population from 175,578 in 1971 to 161,800 in 1981, the fall to 160,732 in 1991 was relatively small. The period up to the 2001 Census shows a significant increase in population to 172,335 residents. The proportion of those aged 85 and over remains one of the highest in London.
2.13 The population of Richmond upon Thames, in general, enjoys a good health status, which rates above the national average. However, there are some variations within the Borough and various indicators suggest that wards with lower economic status experience more ill health and shorter life expectancy. Economic and social measures will be required alongside healthcare interventions to address inequalities.
2.14 The number of households rose from 65,820 in 1971 to 67,250 in 1981 to 70,270 in 1991. The main increase has come from one person households, which formed 34% of all households in 1991, and will probably continue to increase to over 40% into the next century.
2.15 Housing: demand for housing will continue to exceed supply. High house prices will continue to mean that many households have difficulties in obtaining access to suitable housing. The increase in single person households will lead to further demand for smaller dwellings. Homelessness will remain a serious problem.
2.16 Environment: a concern for the quality of both natural and built environments are long-standing priorities of residents and the Council. It is accompanied by demands to shape patterns of land use and transport provision in environmentally friendly terms, to provide a high quality environment, and to ensure and promote access to green areas for pleasure and play.
2.17 Retailing: shoppers will continue to seek high quality, more accessible shopping environments that offer a range of amenities and facilities. Although the Borough's centres are relatively healthy and buoyant compared to other areas, some centres are less so, and would benefit from additional investment. This is partly a result of competition from large stand-alone convenience stores as well as other changes in the way we shop.
2.18 Employment: in the second half of the 1990s, economic buoyancy has led to some economic 'overheating' characterised by labour shortages and traffic congestion. The Borough continues to reflect the London-wide trend away from manufacturing to service based industries. There is pressure on older employment sites to be redeveloped for housing, yet there continues to be a shortage of small-scale business units. The estimated economically active population of 96,700 in 1998 is projected to remain stable, then decline marginally from 2002, to a figure of around 92,800 in 2016.
2.19 Leisure, recreation, culture and tourism: demand from residents and visitors for facilities will grow as mobility, income and leisure time increase. Interests such as wildlife, and the built environment have become popular leisure pursuits, while traditional activities, such as shopping, are increasingly perceived as recreation. The Borough is an important tourist destination and an increasing number of tourists and visitors will be attracted by the Borough's heritage.
2.20 Travel and transport: during the last decade car ownership and demand for travel by car have continued to grow, with associated adverse impacts on traffic congestion and the environment both locally and globally. After many years of decline, public transport services have improved in recent years.
 
 

RESOURCES
2.21 In the chapters that follow references will be made to the fact that the Council will have very little money to spend on development in the foreseeable future due to continuing restraint on public expenditure. Thus, implementation of the Plan will rely heavily on the Council working with, and influencing development by, the private sector and other organisations to achieve the objectives of the Plan. The Council will continue to seek the co-operation of the many local community groups and organisations in the Borough whose assistance in achieving the objectives of the Plan will be a valuable resource.
   
 

PUBLIC SECTOR
2.22 Under the 1989 Local Government and Housing Act the Government controls the amount which can be borrowed through the issuing of credit approvals. These can be supplemented through the use of a fixed percentage of capital receipts. Specific capital grants (e.g. transport supplementary grant towards capital spending on appropriate highway schemes) and contributions from revenue can also be used to supplement credit approvals.
2.23 The Council has relied heavily in recent years on financing capital projects from the receipts generated by the sale of assets, as its borrowing approvals have been cut. This will make it difficult for the Council to continue to supplement the capital programme through significant capital receipts in future years, although the government has very recently eased the restrictions on the spending of non-housing receipts. In addition, credit approvals are likely to be tightly controlled despite new Government plans to increase capital spending. So the capital programme will remain constrained and the Council might not be able to incur capital expenditure at levels it might wish.
2.24 Some of the projects and policies in the Plan will affect the way the Council runs its services, and thus the amount and nature of its revenue expenditure. In 1998/9 the net budgeted revenue expenditure of the Council was £125.1m, of which just over 4% was capital financing costs on past and present capital projects. The majority of the Council's finance is still controlled by central government, with the Borough being responsible for raising only 45% of its revenue from Council Tax. Moreover, the expenditure capping criteria further constrain the Council in its ability to implement improved services through increases in Council Tax. Although the Government has stated that it will abolish the present capping regime it is likely that tight controls over local authority revenue spending will remain in place.
 
 

MAP 1 - KEY STRATEGY

  Map 1
  Click map for a larger image
   
 

VOLUNTARY SECTOR
2.25 In view of the limited resources available to the Council to finance capital projects, the major charities based within the Borough will continue to provide a vital source of finance. Local voluntary organisations will also be important in implementing and maintaining certain facilities.
   
 

NATIONAL ECONOMIC PROSPECTS
2.26 Any future growth in public spending will be fundamentally dependent on growth in the domestic economy. A slowdown in economic growth could add to the pressures to limit public spending incurred by local authorities.
   
 

PRIVATE SECTOR
2.27 The level of private sector investment in land and buildings depends upon the willingness of private individuals and firms to risk investment capital. Their decisions are influenced at the national level by such factors as the cost of borrowing, the rate of inflation, trends in growth of output and consumption, and changes in taxation and economic policy. At the local level, investment decisions will be influenced by the income and expenditure of local residents, and the attractiveness of the Borough as a location in terms of its accessibility and general environment.
2.28 The location and accessibility of the Borough to central London, Heathrow Airport, and the M3/M4 motorways, and its pleasant environment, will ensure that the Borough remains extremely attractive for private sector investment. However, it will be important to ensure that future development is constrained, both to prevent local overheating in the economy and to ensure that economic growth is spread more evenly across London in order to redress existing East-West imbalance. It is likely that the implementation of the Plan's proposals, particularly for residential and commercial development, will be primarily through this sector. In view of the limited public sector resources, the private sector will be encouraged to provide a range of land uses, and other land related benefits, to meet the needs of the local community.
   
 

LAND RESOURCES
2.29 Land availability for development is very limited. There are very few sites in Council ownership and the main opportunities for development will be on land that is no longer needed to provide public services. The proposal sites identified within the Plan provide the main opportunities for development. Together with small sites and conversions, the proposal sites and the sites with outstanding planning permission are sufficient to meet the strategic dwelling target and to maintain the established balance between jobs and economically active population, without encroaching on the Borough's open land.
   
 

CONCLUSION
2.30 There is obviously considerable uncertainty about the effect that central government policy and the economic situation will have on future investment in the Borough. This will affect implementation of the proposals, as well as the rate at which some of the Plan's policies can be pursued. The Plan has been prepared on the reasonable assumption that restrictions on public expenditure will continue for the foreseeable future. The proposals to be paid for by the public sector are either in the current capital programme of the Council, or another body, or are proposals the Council intends to pursue if, and as, resources become available. The availability of resources will be an important factor in monitoring the Plan.
   
 

PUBLIC CONSULTATION
2.31 Representations have generally supported a continuation of the main principles of the adopted Plan, with strengthening of some policies. The Plan seeks through the Local Strategies and Plan Proposals to respond to local issues of concern to residents.
   
 

THE PLANNING STRATEGY
2.32 The Council considers the primary concern of the Unitary Development Plan should be to protect and enhance the character of the Borough as an attractive residential area, and preserve and enhance its natural and manmade heritage for the benefit of visitors as well as residents. Therefore this Plan generally gives priority to environmental matters, to meeting the needs of residents and safeguarding their interests both in the immediate and longer term. This includes the maintenance of commercial life, jobs and services and to the development of the Borough's recreational role. The Council will, through the planning process, ensure that there is a co-ordinated approach to the various land use elements including transport, infrastructure, open space and town centres, which take account of strategic guidance.
2.33 Should any conflict occur when proposals are being considered the needs of the environment will figure highly in the Council's considerations. Normally, the retention of housing will be required, but there will be some occasions when a loss of housing may be allowed to achieve the development of some other land use which the Plan seeks to encourage.
2.34 The guiding principles of the Plan are:-
   
 

PUBLIC CONSULTATION
1. Giving a high priority to involving local residents and businesses in the planning of the Borough and the implementation of the Plan's objectives, particularly, in decisions which affect their local area.
   
 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
2. Endeavouring to ensure that residents of all parts of the Borough including those with special needs, have an adequate range of opportunities, particularly in access to housing, employment, shopping, community and leisure facilities and transport.
   
 

APPEARANCE AND DESIGN
3. Enhancing, and where appropriate, conserving the environment including retaining the character and appearance of established residential areas, ensuring that new development is of a high standard and complements its surroundings, and recognising the contribution the Borough's special character makes to London as a whole.
   
 

RESOURCE EFFICIENT BUILDINGS
4. Ensuring that new development, including alterations and additions to existing buildings, maximises the effective use of resources including water and energy resources, and assists in reducing impact on the environment in terms of pollution, waste and water.
   
 

ACCESSIBLE ENVIRONMENT
5. Ensuring the environment, including new buildings, is designed to be conveniently accessible to everyone, including people with mobility difficulties, such as those with physical disabilities or hearing or sight loss, young children and elderly people.
   
 

SAFETY
6. Ensuring that the design of new buildings and the built environment, including roads, takes personal safety fully into account.
   
 

OVERALL STRUCTURE
7. Maintaining broadly the existing pattern of land use by resisting, in particular, encroachment on to open land and by maintaining and where appropriate enhancing the mixed use character in the Borough.
   
 

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES
8. Protecting basic resources of air, water and soil, minimising the use of energy, resources and materials through minimising waste and providing for re-use and recycling.
   
 

TOWN CENTRES
9. Maintaining and reinforcing the role of shopping centres as focal points in the community by ensuring they are attractive to residents and by guiding to appropriate locations within the centres complementary services that people visit, such as banks and cafes. In particular, developing the social and recreational role of district centres and Richmond Town.
   
 

HOUSING
10. Ensuring there is a suitable stock of sound housing to meet the needs of all residents, especially those who have difficulty finding and affording appropriate housing, and including provision for people with special needs.
   
 

EMPLOYMENT
11. Affording local business the space it needs to maintain a range of jobs in the Borough, but restricting large scale office and business development to appropriate locations that are accessible by public transport.
   
 

NATURE CONSERVATION
12. Protecting land and water which supports wildlife and creating new habitats where opportunities occur.
   
 

OPEN SPACES AND PARKS
13. Retaining and improving open space and parks to provide space for sports, games and quiet enjoyment, to protect the general townscape, and to provide for wildlife.
   
 

LOCAL SHOPPING AND COMMUNITY USES
14. Ensuring that services needed by the community are available and that there are adequate opportunities for leisure, entertainment, sport, cultural activity and the development of community life. Local shops, parks and playgrounds should be available within walking distance (400 m).
   
 

TRAVEL
15. Seeking to make all areas of the Borough accessible by safe, convenient transport for all people, including those with disabilities, through a balanced transport strategy. Reducing congestion and pollution through improved use of road space and encouraging people to use public transport, walk or cycle, through improved services and facilities.
   
 

THE RIVER THAMES AND IT'S TRIBUTARIES
16. Protecting the special environment, views and wildlife habitats provided along the Thames and its tributaries whilst seeking to make them accessible to pedestrians, providing compatible opportunities for recreation and encouraging the use of the river for passenger and freight transport.
   
 

MANAGEMENT
17. Achieving the most effective use of the limited amount of land likely to be available for development and encouraging the retention and efficient use of land and buildings already developed.
   
 

TOURISTS AND VISITORS
18. Facilitating provision of accommodation, and managing the many visitors to the Borough so they do not harm the amenities of residents and so that the maximum economic benefits are obtained particularly through support for facilities valued by residents.
   
 

IMPLEMENTATION
19. Encouraging and seeking the co-operation of residents, businesses, local organisations and groups and private developers in achieving the objectives of the Plan, to supplement the Council's limited resources and powers.
 
 
London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames - Unitary Development Plan
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