Back to Contents - Back to Introduction     Chapter 8 ENSURING IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND REVIEW   Page 140   8.1 This Local Plan has been prepared to incorporate the City Council’s key objectives for the District for the period until 2011.  Although the Local Plan will systematically be replaced by Local Development Documents as part of the new planning system, the vision of the City Council remains long-term, and the Plan will have a long-term impact.  There is a strong commitment to achieving these objectives and to continue with them for as long as necessary. For example, the City Council is committed to focussing housing development within the built up areas to assist urban renaissance and to protect the countryside for its own sake; the City Council is committed to economic regeneration, social well-being and environmental improvements; and the City Council is committed to effectively managing traffic in and around the built up areas and villages of the District. 8.2 A key factor in seeking to implement the City Council’s objectives is the presence of other Corporate Strategies and partnerships. The Local Plan is located among other key strategies of the City Council, and it is expected that the Local Plan will deliver alongside these other strategies. 8.3 To ensure that the Local Plan plays its part in delivering the City Council’s objectives, it is essential that there is a built in system to indicate how the Local Plan objectives and policies are being implemented, monitored and reviewed. 8.4 The City Council has learned that its Local Plan should not only seek to influence development choices, but it should also facilitate continuous monitoring and review to enable the Local Plan and subsequent Local Development Documents to be up-to-date, relevant to changing circumstances and in accordance with regional and national planning guidance. The Local Plan should also be flexible enough to take account of the evolution of Council strategies, studies and changes in corporate policy. Some objectives and policies set out in the Local Plan will therefore need to be reviewed earlier than others, to reflect the evolution of other and emerging corporate changes. 8.5 As such, the City Council considers the evaluation of how its objectives and policies are implemented, monitored and reviewed as integral to a successful Local Plan.     IMPLEMENTATION     8.6 The implementation of the City Council’s Local Plan objectives and policies are not reliant on one party or function of the City Council.  This Plan has been prepared knowing that there are many partners and contributors essential to achieving targets and arriving at objectives.  A number of City Council Strategies are key to this process.  These include the Corporate Plan, the Community strategy, the Tourism Strategy, the Local Cultural Strategy, the District Transport Action Plan, the Walking and Cycling Strategy, the Coastal Management Strategy, the Open Space Strategy and the Housing Strategy.  8.7 The following partners and contributors are recognised as some of those who will enable these strategies and objectives to take place and be achieved: Kent County Council, Kent County Constabulary, City Centre Partnership, Natural England, Kent Wildlife Trust, Highways Agency, central Government, Environment Agency, Southern Water, Mid-Kent Water, East Kent National Health Trust, Primary Care Groups, the Voluntary Sector, Community Groups, other East Kent Councils, South East England Development Agency, Chamber of Commerce and English Heritage. This enabling comes, for example, through direct funding, grants, loans, advice, partnerships, guidance, direct provision, joint programmes and services.     top Page 141     8.8 In land use planning terms the City Council will use the measures set out as follows to enable implementation of some of its policies and objectives.     Compulsory Purchase Powers 8.9 Canterbury City Council considers that to promote urban and suburban renaissance and to maximise the development of previously developed land and other land within the urban areas, it should adopt a proactive approach to assisting site assembly and land acquisition through negotiation, and when necessary, through its use of Compulsory Purchase Orders. The City Council will seek to work in partnership with landowners and developers to bring land forward to assist development and different uses, and to achieve residential, commercial or environmental objectives for the proper planning of an area. 8.10 The City Council will seek to acquire land by negotiation before embarking on compulsory purchase. When making an Order the City Council will demonstrate that the land is required to implement the proposed development, or to fulfil the stated purpose or purposes, which are necessary to achieve the comprehensive planning of the area. 8.11 With regard to realising residential development on urban land, the City Council considers that within its urban areas and predominantly on previously developed land, there is the potential and capacity to meet the great majority of the District’s strategic housing targets, set by the Kent and Medway Structure Plan. These sites and their capacity are identified in the City Council’s Urban Housing Capacity Study. Should these identified sites come forward it should ensure that no major residential development in the countryside, needs to be developed. 8.12 During the Plan period the City Council will monitor annually how its strategic housing targets are being met. If it appears that there is a shortfall in the number of new housing completions or a shortfall in sites identified in the Urban Housing Capacity Study coming forward, the City Council will be proactive in using its powers to help bring sites forward for residential development in partnership with landowners and developers.  The City Council will also use its powers to bring other sites forward that would achieve other corporate objectives such as regeneration within a specified area. 8.13 The City Council intends therefore to be at the forefront of setting the development agenda for the District to aid regeneration of our City and towns, whilst improving the quality of life for all.   POLICY IMP1 The City Council will intervene as and when it is necessary to assist in bringing land forward for development in partnership with landowners or developers through the use of Compulsory Purchase Orders.   top Legal Agreements 8.14 Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 defines the role of planning agreements, which are a means of securing planning benefits for the community such as affordable housing and community facilities. 8.15 It is the City Council’s view that planning obligations or agreements have a positive role to play in the planning system. Where development will create a need for additional or improved facilities it will be expected that developers will meet, or where it can be proved such contributions cannot be legitimately afforded, contribute towards, the cost of this provision. This should ensure that new development does not detract from the existing facilities, infrastructure or initiatives in an area.     top Page 142     8.16 Planning applications will be determined on their merits, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Plan and the Kent and Medway Structure Plan and subject to other material considerations. Planning obligations will only be sought where they are relevant to and commensurate with the scale and type of development and essential to the granting of planning permission. Unacceptable developments will not be made acceptable by the applicant offering benefits.  The Kent Planning Officers Group has prepared guidance relating to the provision of certain community facilities, such as those listed for the development types above, through development contributions.  8.17 The City Council has produced a draft Supplementary Planning Document on its approach to planning agreements. This will make clear the mechanism for prioritising developer contributions and will set out what will be necessary to be provided as a result of certain development.   In the Plan, the City Council has set out that the expectation that new development should contribute towards associated new physical or social infrastructure, or direct economic or environmental benefits.  The following list gives examples of the type of infrastructure to be provided, which will arise from certain development.   a) Provision of affordable housing, education and community facilities (as defined in the Glossary) to meet local needs;   b) Improvement of the District’s transport and physical infrastructure system to include traffic and flood alleviation measures;   c) Provision of commercial or community buildings, open space, play areas, pedestrian access and other facilities for the use of the public which are related to the development itself, which achieve an appropriate mix of development, complement the fulfilment of policies elsewhere in the Local Plan, or to the pedestrian movements which are generated and attracted;   d) Conservation of buildings or places of historic, architectural or archaeological interest and areas of nature conservation significance;   e) Provision of leisure facilities for use by the public, especially less profitable uses in the fields of the arts and recreation;   f) The provision of childcare, medical and other indoor community facilities relating to the development or where the development is likely to increase demand for such provision;   g) The provision of rear servicing when considered advantageous to the proposals. Arrangements should be complementary to, but not necessarily dependent upon, construction of any proposed rear service roads;   h) The cessation of non-conforming uses which detract from local amenity;   i) The provision for promotion of art and tourism within the District for the benefit of the public.   j) Employment skills training and initiatives towards life-long learning. 8.19 Moreover, in broad terms the following types of development should provide for the following types of infrastructure, in addition to what might arise as a result of site specific requirements:   New housing development: Affordable housing, education contributions, open space/play space provision, transport infrastructure/traffic management, and other relevant community facilities that arise as a direct result of the development.     top Page 143       New retail development outside the town centres:  Town centre improvements, signage, employment training, transport infrastructure/traffic management/Park and Ride, and other community facilities that will be directly affected by the development. New development in the Regeneration Zones: Wincheap - Traffic management/road infrastructure, environmental improvements; Canterbury East/St Georges - Pedestrian links into the town centre, signage, environmental improvements; Canterbury West – Pedestrian links to the town centre, signage, environmental improvements; Kingsmead and Riverside - Riverside improvements, signage, pedestrian links, transport infrastructure/traffic management. New development in Whitstable Harbour:  Traffic management/access improvements, improvements to public areas. New development in Herne Bay town centre:  Environmental improvements to the seafront, improvements to public areas. 8.20 This following policy has been developed in the light of the KPOG guidance on planning obligations and development contributions.   POLICY IMP2 The City Council will seek through sums paid or other means set out in S106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 contributions from developers that are necessary and directly relate in scale and kind to the development granted planning permission.  Such contributions might relate to the provision of social, recreational or community facilities (including affordable housing, education, transport or utilities infrastructure), which may arise either at the development site, or at another suitable location elsewhere.  A planning obligation will be sought or conditions imposed by the City Council to secure these contributions.   top     SUSTAINABILITY APPRAISAL AND STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT     8.21 Canterbury City Council is committed to the objectives of sustainable development. Although this term is used all too frequently, and many definitions exist, the importance lies in what improvements are made to people’s quality of life both now and in future generations. 8.22 In view of this commitment each stage of the Local Plan Review has been undertaken with sustainability in mind. 8.23 The great majority of the District’s strategic housing requirements can be met within the urban areas, and predominantly on previously developed land. As such, proposed development of any sort is expected to make the most efficient use of land and be accessible by a variety of modes of transport throughout the District. In short, the Local Plan has been prepared with equal regard to best practice and guidance on social, economic and environmental issues.     top Page 144     8.24 This process was formalised by undertaking a systematic appraisal of policies and proposals included in the Local Plan, in terms of their potential impact on the sustainability of people’s quality of life. This appraisal tests policies and proposals against a number of criteria, which reflect national, regional and local objectives towards the District’s economic, social and environmental well-being. The appraisal process is described below.     Sustainability Appraisal 8.25 During preparation of this Local Plan, Government guidance advised that Local Planning Authority appraisal of development plans should encompass the notion of sustainable development. One such guidance document, titled Proposals for a Good Practice Guide on Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Planning Guidance (DETR 1999), made the following statement: “This reflects the Government’s objective of ensuring that the goal of sustainable development shapes decisions at every level of plans and policies, programmes and projects. A sustainability appraisal is a means of ensuring that thinking about sustainable development is ingrained in the strategy making process, and thereby influences subsequent decisions.” 8.26 The methodologies used for sustainability appraisal encompassed the four objectives of sustainable development as set out by the Government in 1999, in its UK Strategy for Sustainable Development, A Better Quality of Life.  These are shown below:   Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone; Effective protection of the environment; Prudent use of natural resources; Maintenance of high and stable economic growth and employment. 8.27 At that time, PPG12 stressed the importance of the appraisal, which should run in parallel with every stage of the development plan process. The process should be iterative, and result in a clear set of sustainability objectives, which then inform each part of the development plan. There should be transparency in how and why policy and proposal options have been chosen, and the appraisal of the Local Plan should be subject to public consultation at the deposit and revised deposit stages. The responses to this consultation should then be used to inform the next stage of Plan preparation.     Sustainability Appraisal 8.28 In addition to national policy guidance, the European Union (EU) has produced Directive 2001/42/EC, which requires development plans to be subject to Strategic Environmental Assessment, “where it is likely that those plans will have significant effects on the environment”.  This Directive was incorporated into national policy by the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004.  Although the preparation of the Local Plan preceded these regulations, the Sustainability Appraisal of the Local Plan nevertheless represented an effective and worthwhile process, which contributed to achieving a good balance between environmental, social and economic issues in the District. 8.29 The full Sustainability Appraisal of this Local Plan was published as a background document at the first and revised deposit stages of the Plan. The Sustainability Appraisal made useful contributions to Local Plan policies and proposals.     Methodology 8.30 The Sustainability Appraisal for this Plan followed a methodology broadly in line with Government guidance and examples of best practice from other Local Planning Authorities.     top Page 145         Stage 1  Establishing a set of sustainability criteria/objectives by which to systematically appraise the policies and proposals in the Local Plan Review.     Stage 2  Scoping the review of all national and regional Planning Policy Guidance and the Kent Structure Plan, and whether the Local Plan Review, and sustainability criteria, are in accordance with the guidance.     Stage 3  Appraisal of all First Review Deposit Draft Local Plan policies and proposals against sustainability criteria.     Stage 4  Amendment of policies/proposals where appropriate. Application of mitigating measures to policies and proposals where appropriate.     Stage 5  Sustainability Appraisal to be available for public consultation as part of the deposit process.     Stage 6  Reassessment of policies following public consultation at deposit stage. Publication of revised Sustainability Appraisal in conjunction with revised deposit version of Local Plan Review.     Stage 7  Develop a range of indicators for the measurement of key sustainability criteria within the monitoring/review process. Monitor and review the Local Plan throughout its life with reference to Sustainability Appraisal.     Sustainability Appraisal in the New Planning System 8.31 A key element of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act (2004) is a requirement for local planning authorities to undertake their functions with a view to contributing to the achievement of sustainable development.   As part of this new system, all Local Development Documents are required to be subject to Sustainability Appraisal, which will incorporate the requirements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive.  The Council has already prepared the Scoping Report for appraisal of the Local Development Framework using a new collection of guidance, which includes the following:    The Strategic Environmental Directive (2001/42/EC): A Practical Guide to the Strategic Environmental assessment Directive Guidance; Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive: Guidance for Planning     Authorities; Sustainability Appraisal of Regional Spatial Strategies and Local Development Documents (Consultation Paper 2004); 8.32 Consideration of Sustainable Development must also refer to the UK Strategy for Sustainable Development.  The Government built on the 1999 UK Sustainable Development Strategy and published a new strategy titled ‘Securing the Future’ in 2005.      THE MANAGED RELEASE OF HOUSING SITES     8.33 The City Council is committed through this Plan to meeting the Structure Plan housing requirements up until 2011. A total of 5,000 new dwellings are required to be provided within the District between 2001 and 2011. In accordance with central Government Planning Policy Guidance, the City Council has carried out an Urban Housing Capacity Study to establish how much housing can be accommodated within the urban areas for the period up to 2011, and whether any undeveloped or greenfield land outside the urban areas needs to be identified and allocated in the Local Plan. 8.34 The Urban Housing Capacity Study gives a strong indication that the housing requirements set by the Structure Plan can largely be accommodated within the existing urban areas of Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay and predominantly on previously developed land.     top Page 146     8.35 The Urban Housing Capacity Study therefore forms the basis of the City Council’s policy in determining the location of new housing schemes. This Study, in guiding the City Council’s decisions on new housing development, will be implemented consistently and transparently, and will be the subject of regular evaluation, monitoring and review, as described in the Study. 8.36 Through the Housing Land Study (HLS) and the Urban Housing Capacity Study, the Council has identified sufficient housing development opportunities to meet the strategic housing requirement and as a result, the great majority of housing targets can be met within the urban areas and predominantly on previously developed land.  However, it is necessary to monitor the rate at which land comes forward for development to ensure that the housing need is being met. This monitoring will be carried out through the annual HLS.  Should the HLS identify any significant underperformance in the rate of housing land coming forward it will be necessary to take remedial action.     Reusing Urban Land and Buildings 8.37 To help achieve development in sustainable locations, and in accordance with national guidance and good planning practice, the City Council is committed to the principle of maximising the reuse of previously developed land and empty properties and the conversion of non-residential buildings for housing in order to promote regeneration and minimise the amount of greenfield land being taken for development. 8.38 The City Council therefore supports the national target that by 2008, 60% of additional housing should be provided on previously developed land and for example, through conversions of existing buildings.     MONITORING     8.39 Monitoring is an essential component to help measure the success and effectiveness of this Local Plan, and to keep it up-to-date by indicating where changes are required.  The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires the Council to produce an Annual Monitoring Report, which will monitor the performance of the City Council in implementing its land use policies and objectives set out in the Local Plan and the emerging Local Development Framework.  Government guidance has been produced which aims to explain how the local development framework monitoring requirements of the Act, the Local Planning Regulations, the SEA Regulations and PPS12 can be achieved by local planning authorities.  The Council will seek to ensure that its monitoring proposals are in accordance with Government requirements and set out below are a set of key indicators which should be monitored as part of assessing the performance of the Local Plan / Local Development Framework.   Business Development   Amount of floorspace developed for employment by type; Amount of floorspace developed for employment, by type, in employment or regeneration areas; Amount of floorspace, by type, which is on previously developed land; Employment land available by type. Losses of employment land in (i) development/regeneration areas and (ii) local authority area. Amount of employment land lost to residential development.     top Page 147       Housing   Housing trajectory showing: (i) net additional dwellings over the previous five year period or since the start of the relevant development plan document period, whichever is the longer; (ii) net additional dwellings for the current year; (iii) projected net additional dwellings up to the end of the relevant development plan document period or over a ten year period from its adoption, whichever is the longer; (iv) the annual net additional dwelling requirement; and (v) annual average number of net additional dwellings needed to meet overall housing requirements, having regard to previous years’ performances. Percentage of new and converted dwellings on previously developed land. Percentage of new dwellings completed at: (i) less than 30 dwellings per hectare; (ii) between 30 and 50 dwellings per hectare; and (iii) Above 50 dwellings per hectare. Affordable housing completions.   Transport   Amount of completed non-residential development within UCOs A, B and D complying with car-parking standards set out in the local development framework. Percentage of new residential development within 30 minutes public transport time of a GP, hospital, primary and secondary school, employment and a major retail centre(s).   Local Services   Amount of completed retail, office and leisure development. Percentage of completed retail, office and leisure development in town centres. Percentage of eligible open spaces managed to Green Flag Award standard.   Flood Protection And Water Quality   Number of planning permissions granted contrary to the advice of the Environment Agency on either flood defence grounds or water quality.   Biodiversity   Change in areas and populations of biodiversity importance, including: (i) change in priority habitats and species (by type); and (ii) change in areas designated for their intrinsic environmental value including sites of international, national, regional, sub-regional or local significance.   Renewable Energy   Renewable energy capacity installed by type. 8.40 The Council will also develop other indicators to both measure changes in the wider social, economic, and environmental background against which policies operate and additionally to measure the direct effect of some policies.  The development of indicators as part of the Sustainability Appraisal process will also make a contribution.     top Page 148     Sustainability Objectives 8.41 The sustainability objectives form part of and are integral to the evolution of the policies in the Plan. Some of the above indicators arise from the performance targets of sustainable development objectives.  How the Plan performs against the principles of sustainability and environmental objectives will be monitored continuously.  A range of baseline data and evidence with be prepared as part of the Sustainability Appraisal process for the Local development Framework, together with indicators to be used for measuring sustainability impacts.     REVIEW 8.42 The review of the Local Plan will arise through its replacement with Local Development Documents as part of the new planning system.  The implementation of policies and objectives; monitoring their success; and reviewing the plan accordingly, following evaluation of the implementation and monitoring processes, will remain important in determining the order in which the local plan is replaced by Local Development Documents. 8.43 The continuous monitoring and rolling programme of review, will mean that the different parts of the Local Plan will be systematically replaced by Local Development Documents. The order in which the sections of the Local Plan will be reviewed is set out in the Local Development Scheme for the District. 8.44 The means and processes identified in this Chapter should also ensure that the City Council continually seeks to improve the function and performance of the Local Plan and the subsequent Local Development Framework, through the principles of best practice and best value.   top