Canterbury District Local Plan


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Chapter 1
KEY VISION AND STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES

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OUR DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES

1.1	This first review of the Canterbury District Local Plan has a long term vision for the District to concentrate development within the urban areas of Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay thus enabling urban (and suburban) renaissance; to provide mixed and balanced communities that are inclusive, sustainable and promote the well-being of the District’s residents; to promote a thriving and sustainable countryside; and to protect the heritage and environment of Canterbury District. There is a strong emphasis on regeneration and renewal.
1.2	Although this Local Plan is a guide for development control decision-making, it is also a plan that supplements other key Council objectives through the Canterbury City Corporate Plan and draft Community and other Corporate Strategies. There is therefore a hierarchical relationship with national and regional planning policy guidance as well as a complementary relationship with other locally based objectives for Canterbury.
1.3	As part of the Council’s Community Strategy, the establishment of Local Strategic Partnerships should assist in identifying the process for developing comprehensive District-wide strategies for the economic, social and environmental well-being of each local community. The City Council is committed to the vision behind Community Strategies and will seek to meet the development needs arising from the consultation processes between partners.
1.4	To fulfil the City Council’s vision and to apply the principles of the key objectives, as set out in the Introduction, the City Council considers that Strategic Development Objectives are required. The Strategic Development Objectives briefly set out fundamental development principles for the implementation of the vision and key objectives. Consequently, the particular objectives of all other policies in the Local Plan are to be interpreted as having been formulated not to contradict or undermine the Strategic Development Objectives.
1.5	This Local Plan Review sets out the Council’s spatial strategy for new development and growth across the District, which supplements the above objectives. The Council considers that investment and growth should occur within our existing areas to enable regeneration and renewal, whilst protecting the setting of urban areas, villages and the countryside.

HOUSING
1.6	The Council views the residential development of sites within the urban areas as an opportunity to develop quality housing that is sustainable, accessible and makes the best use of the urban fabric by changing and improving the nature and quality of places.
1.7	The Council’s Urban Housing Capacity Study (2003), a study of potential residential development sites within the urban boundaries, indicates a significant proportion of the housing land requirement for the Plan period can be met by the release of previously-developed land in the urban areas. However, some “greenfield” sites will also need to be released to ensure the full housing requirement is met.


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ECONOMIC GROWTH
1.8	The Council's spatial strategy for economic growth has also been reviewed. Under the previous Plan, economic growth had been encouraged along the coast, both to create local employment opportunities and to aim towards sustainable patterns of travel, by promoting local employment opportunities for local people. This encouragement has been by way of employment allocations along the A299 and A2990 Thanet Way and the A28 corridorand whilst this approach has continued, it has been extended elsewhere in the District, by a number of other initiatives.
1.9	In this Local Plan, the Council has a timescale up to 2011, but a longer term vision to achieve and maintain higher and stable levels of economic growth and employment across the District and in East Kent overall. Traditionally, investment in Canterbury has mainly been limited to retail, residential, educational and leisure development. With very low average wage levels and an increasing gap between the District, West Kent and the remainder of the South East there is little prospect of changing this without planning policy intervention. This Local Plan proposes to address this.
1.10	In particular, the City Council sees the opportunity for a growing knowledge-based industry to derive from the international reputations and recognition of the Universities and Colleges. Greater links between businesses, and between business and University or College-based research and technology is therefore required.
1.11	Whilst protecting and keeping the important historic setting and environment of Canterbury and the Canterbury image, the Council seeks to lay the ‘foundations’ to create the right conditions for the development of a knowledge-based economy and an increase in prosperity that will improve the quality of life for the District and surrounding areas, and help shape the attractiveness of East Kent for future investment.

RURAL AREAS
1.12	Through this Local Plan the City Council seeks to ensure that the rural areas thrive and provide opportunities for sustainable rural villages in a managed and enhanced environment. As such, the City Council’s key development objective for the rural area is to retain and support development that promotes sustainability and adds, or will add, vitality and viability to the rural communities.
1.13	The Council also recognises the need, as expressed in Planning Policy Statement 7 (PPS7), to protect the countryside for the sake of its intrinsic character and beauty, the diversity of its landscapes, heritage and wildlife, the wealth of its natural resources and so it may be enjoyed by all.
1.14	The rural areas of the district are defined essentially as all those areas outside the built-up areas of the towns and villages. In these areas the general countryside policies set out in this Plan, the South East Plan and Kent & Medway Structure Plan, will apply. The urban areas are defined in the Local Plan by urban area boundaries shown on the Proposals Map. Village boundaries are not specifically defined on the Proposals Map.

CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
1.15	Building on Canterbury’s international reputation, the Council will promote the District as a cultural location and will encourage initiatives and investment that promote and enhance an evolving and diverse culture.


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REGENERATION ZONES
1.16	The basic regeneration strategy of the Plan focuses on key areas across the District to enhance Canterbury’s role as an attractive place to live, work and visit.

Canterbury City
1.17	Certain areas around Canterbury City have been allocated on the Proposals Map (Insets 1 & 2) as Regeneration Zones. These areas at Wincheap, Kingsmead, Canterbury East and West Stations and along parts of the ring road have a poor visual quality and under perform in terms of their potential to meet regenerative objectives such as better design and layout of buildings and spaces, environmental enhancements, employment, accessibility and attractive areas to live, shop, work and visit.
1.18	It is unlikely that if developed in an ad hoc way, these Regeneration Zone areas will realise their regenerative potential and the Council’s objectives to enhance the attractiveness of the City. However, a planned approach to these areas should provide certainty for investment, which should lever regeneration funds and vision to achieve the full potential of areas.

Herne Bay
1.19	Herne Bay is a seaside resort and much of its attractiveness for residents and visitors comes from the seafront. The Council is striving to improve the local economy by allocating employment sites and creating job opportunities, and is seeking further developer interest and investment.
1.20	To promote and diversify the economy of Herne Bay and to enable further regeneration into the resort, the Council’s Strategic Development Objective for Herne Bay is to encourage investment in the business and leisure sectors through the development of additional hotels and associated spin offs. This should enhance the attractiveness of the resort to visitors and, coupled with the development of existing employment sites, boost the local economy.

Whitstable
1.21	Whitstable retains its distinctive character as a small fishing and sailing town, and has undergone a renaissance more recently as an attractive place to live and visit. The Whitstable Harbour Strategy (1997) promotes the development of the Harbour with the South Quay for additional leisure and harbour-related activity. The Horsebridge development in the centre of Whitstable has been a key part of the renewal of the area, which will help to promote this coastal town as a location for further investment.
1.22	The Council’s Strategic Development Objectives for Whitstable are to encourage investment and further development on and around the harbour area and High Street that will add to the attractiveness of this location for business and leisure industries.


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CONCLUSION
1.23	The Council’s Strategic Development Objectives for the District will carry more weight than other policies in the Local Plan. The Council is committed to these objectives and will continue to promote these throughout the Plan period. This should supplement the Council’s general approach to encourage investment in Canterbury District in order to achieve urban renaissance, quality housing for all, balanced and sustainable rural communities and regeneration and renewal for the well-being of the District’s residents and the attractiveness of Canterbury and East Kent generally.

1.24	The Council’s Strategic Development Objectives are set out as follows:
	(a)	To focus sustainable housing development within the defined urban areas on previously developed land, seeking to protect the environment and green space.
	(b)	To retain and add to the existing allocated employment land across the District, while seeking to protect the environment.
	(c)	To encourage and locate business innovation associated with research and development activities of the Universities and Colleges.
	(d)	To identify and promote opportunities in the District for business growth and investment.
	(e)	To promote sustainable rural communities and enhanced and managed environments, and to protect the countryside for its own sake, and for the benefit of all.
	(f)	To support investment that will promote the District’s heritage and local distinctiveness, and to achieve cultural-related development and enhancement across the District and the wider East Kent area.
	(g)	Within the Regeneration Zones in Canterbury City, to encourage investment that will achieve the regenerative objectives of the area.
	(h)	To secure investment in Herne Bay and Whitstable Harbour to promote business and leisure development whilst protecting the wildlife of the adjacent internationally important sites.
	(i)	To look to provide development arising from the consultations and objectives of the Local Strategic Partnerships.




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