Policy INF1: Infrastructure

Local Plan Update (Regulation 18)
Closed22 Jan, 2024, 10:00am - 4 Mar, 2024, 11:59pm

Policy INF1:  Infrastructure

Developers and landowners must work constructively with the council, infrastructure providers/operators and existing communities throughout the planning process, to identify and address the infrastructure needs arising from the proposal (including the cumulative effects of nearby sites) to ensure that the right infrastructure is provided at the right location and time to make the development acceptable in planning terms. The provision of suitable infrastructure will support the creation of sustainable communities in line with the council’s climate emergency and ecological emergency declarations.

New development must ensure that sufficient infrastructure is in place to support it. Development will be required to set out the infrastructure needed, where and when this will be delivered, and to provide and contribute towards the provision of additional services, facilities and infrastructure to serve future occupiers and users at a rate, scale and pace to meet the needs and requirements that are expected to arise from that development.

Development proposals will be permitted where the developer has clearly demonstrated in agreement with the relevant infrastructure providers/operators (including suitable delivery, future management and maintenance arrangements) that infrastructure can be provided and phased (if necessary) to support the infrastructure requirements of the proposed development, including that identified in paragraph 6 below (as appropriate). This includes mitigating any adverse impacts on existing communities, infrastructure networks, services and facilities. Infrastructure provision or improvements should be provided on-site as an integral part of a development. Site specific mitigation measures will be secured by planning obligations.

Where off-site measures are proposed they should meet identified needs, and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) or its successor will be the primary mechanism to secure the necessary financial or equivalent contribution from development.

New and improved infrastructure should be provided prior to occupation of the development, or in larger schemes, prior to the occupation of the phase of the development for which it is needed to serve the occupants and users of the development. This will be secured by appropriate planning conditions, s.106 planning obligations including bonds and the council’s procedures with respect to the use of CIL revenue.

To ensure that infrastructure is provided on a comprehensive basis and taking into account the cumulative effect of new homes on services and facilities, the council will resist proposals that bring forward piecemeal development of individual plots of single dwellings as components of a larger site.

The requirements for strategic and local infrastructure are set out in the council’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP), and Supplementary Planning Documents. This will also include development briefs, codes and masterplans associated with allocated sites. A summary of green space, sport and recreation standards applied on development are set out in Appendix 2.

9.3 The council will work proactively with infrastructure providers/operators to enable the delivery of new and improved infrastructure to meet the needs of new and existing communities and businesses within the borough.
9.4 To achieve this, developers and landowners must work constructively with the council, infrastructure providers/operators and existing communities throughout the planning process, to successfully identify and address the infrastructure needs arising from the development, including the cumulative impacts upon neighbouring communities, to ensure that the right infrastructure is provided at the right location and time to make the development acceptable in planning terms.
9.5 New development must ensure that sufficient infrastructure is in place to support it. Therefore, developer’s proposals must identify clearly the infrastructure needed, where and when this will be delivered in agreement with the relevant landowners, stakeholders and infrastructure providers/operators (including suitable delivery, future management and maintenance arrangements), how they will accommodate growth, and the provision of the necessary infrastructure in the creation or enhancement of sustainable communities.
9.6 Developers are required to follow a comprehensive and coordinated approach to infrastructure planning and delivery. This must set out the infrastructure needed to serve the scale of the development, where and when this will be delivered to ensure that the right infrastructure is provided at the right location and time. Where there are multiple landowners, developers and other relevant stakeholders, it is essential that suitable arrangements are in place to demonstrate and ensure the delivery of this required infrastructure for the whole of the development area, and its phasing over the development period.
9.7 The council is preparing, in consultation with infrastructure providers/operators including Hampshire County Council, an updated Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) in support of the Local Plan Update setting out the infrastructure needs associated with development growth, together with how and when these items are to be delivered and funded. The IDP will be reviewed on a regular basis throughout the life of the Local Plan Update.
9.8

Infrastructure includes matters such as:

  • Transport
  • Flood defences
  • Education including skills and training initiatives
  • Health provision, including dentists
  • Social care
  • Community, leisure and recreation and cultural facilities, incl. library services and art
  • Sports facilities
  • Green space, green infrastructure
  • Affordable housing, incl. specialist housing and gypsy and traveller sites
  • Utility services
  • Telecommunications particularly superfast broadband across the borough
  • Energy (including heat)
  • Waste and recycling storage and collection facilities
  • Cemetery provision
  • Water service infrastructure including an effective sewerage disposal
  • Fire and emergency service facilities
  • Community safety
  • Public realm improvements
9.9 It also includes a wide range of other social, environmental and economic infrastructure, which will have been provided to support existing and new communities and will be of benefit to all. Failure to make sufficient provision for this infrastructure could result in an unacceptable burden on existing communities and the environment.
9.10 The Government is committed to securing a world-class communication system and the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that broadband is essential infrastructure, including facilitating working and learning from home. Therefore, access to fast and reliable broadband connectivity is vital to help communities stay connected, drive inclusive recovery and create quality jobs (Local Government Association, Sept. 2021). Currently, the main barrier to this is the limited availability of super-fast and higher speed (e.g. ultra and gigabit) broadband services.
9.11 Development proposals should therefore contribute towards the provision of infrastructure suitable to enable the delivery of super-fast and higher speed (e.g. ultra and gigabit) broadband services across the borough, particularly in rural areas, as well as 5G mobile communications. Facilities supporting mobile broadband and Wi-Fi in development should be included where possible and viable.
9.12 Developments should provide for the physical requirements of communication infrastructure, allowing for future growth in service infrastructure. According to a White Paper from BT (Jan. 2011), it is estimated that around 80% of the cost of deploying new infrastructure is associated with civil engineering costs. Therefore, as a minimum, suitable ducting should be provided to the public highway that can accept fibre optic cabling.
9.13 Where power lines cross the development, developers will be required to liaise with utilities companies aiming for undergrounding of overhead cabling wherever possible.
9.14 The council recognises the role of art in improving the quality of the environment and the overall design in new development proposals which can contribute to the creation of a sense of place and local identity in public buildings, commercial developments, housing, streets and parks.
9.15 Developers will need to demonstrate that existing, planned and/or committed infrastructure is sufficient to accommodate new development proposals, including the cumulative impacts on the wider community, to serve the needs of the future occupiers and users. This includes demonstrating that there is adequate water supply, surface water drainage, foul drainage and sewage treatment capacity both on and off site to service the development whilst looking to achieve no adverse impact on water quality. Necessary improvements to sewerage water treatment infrastructure will be programmed by the water companies and need to be completed prior to occupation of the development. This is to ensure that such infrastructure is in place to avoid unacceptable impacts on the environment such as sewage flooding of residential and commercial property and pollution of land and watercourses. In some circumstances this will make it necessary for developers to arrange for appropriate studies to ascertain whether the proposed development will lead to the overloading of existing local infrastructure. Where there is a capacity problem in the local network developers will be expected to requisition or otherwise fund local infrastructure improvements.
9.16 The council will work in partnership with infrastructure providers/operators, stakeholders and cross border partners to identify and deliver the requirements for strategic infrastructure in the borough to meet forecast demands including any identified infrastructure deficits.
9.17 Where existing infrastructure is considered insufficient to accommodate new development, the council will seek contributions or measures in line with government guidance, either in the provision of on-site facilities and/or a contribution towards enhancement of off-site facilities including strategic infrastructure. Where on-site provision or financial contributions are made, arrangements for the on-going maintenance of facilities will be required. Early implementation of infrastructure is needed including the upgrading of infrastructure where an existing capacity issue exists where relevant.
9.18 Opportunities to share resources and premises between different services will be prioritised to ensure local service provision works for, and supports, local communities. This could include, for example, health-care provision linked to a community hall, or a school providing opportunities for community use or adult learning.
9.19 This infrastructure provision will be secured either through conditions or a planning obligation or mechanisms set out in the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations. The type and amount of infrastructure sought from each development will be appropriate and reasonable and directly related to the scale of development and the council will take into account the economic viability of the development proposal. The council will continue to work with infrastructure providers and stakeholders to identify the infrastructure required to facilitate the development set out in the Local Plan, including by what means this is to be delivered to ensure that the spatial strategy remains robust in terms of delivery.
9.20 The investment necessary to meet demand will come from a variety of sources, including the private development industry, public agencies, utility service providers and government funding. Priority will also be given to the opportunity for resources and infrastructure to be shared between different services.
9.21 The council will continue to work with other partners to facilitate economic growth in the region. This will also involve cross-border working and considering development outside the borough which may facilitate growth to benefit the borough and the wider area.
9.22 Following the introduction of the CIL Regulations in 2010 local authorities are empowered to charge a levy on most types of new development. The council’s operation of the CIL came into effect Summer 2018 to raise funds from new development to meet the strategic infrastructure needs of the borough. The various CIL rates and the types of eligible residential development for which CIL is chargeable are set out by the Charging Schedule. In accordance with the CIL regulations, a proportion of the raised CIL funds are passed to the relevant parish or town council to form a Neighbourhood Fund to be spent on local priorities. Following the implementation of the council’s CIL, the use of planning obligations has typically been limited to those necessary to make development acceptable in planning terms and in accordance with the statutory tests, the Infrastructure List and the ‘Planning Obligations for Infrastructure’ Supplementary Planning Document.
9.23 All planning obligations will continue to be carefully assessed to ensure that they meet the tests contained in paragraph 57 of the National Planning Policy Framework and the CIL Regulations.
Implementation and Monitoring

The policy will be implemented through:

  • The preparation of an updated Planning Obligations SPD.
  • Inclusion of any specific land use requirements for infrastructure in masterplans for strategic sites, including the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) identifying the key infrastructure projects required to support the delivery of the Local Plan. The infrastructure schedule will be maintained on the council’s website and will be updated as further infrastructure requirements or projects are identified.
  • The council’s future review and publication of a CIL Charging Schedule and Infrastructure List.

The policy will be monitored through:

  • Annual monitoring and updates to the IDP and Infrastructure List,
  • The Infrastructure Funding Statement; and
  • Monitoring of relevant Legal Agreements as planning obligations are triggered.

Representations

8 representations have raised comments relating to this chapter

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