Vision and Objectives
Introduction
| 3.1 | The Plan needs to consider the sort of place Basingstoke and Deane should be by 2040 and beyond, and how to achieve this. The vision and objectives for the Plan are set out below: |
2040 VisionIn 2040, Basingstoke and Deane will be an exemplar, carbon-neutral borough that will be resilient to the impacts of climate change. The borough will be locally distinctive, recognising its valued natural environment, including its special landscapes and waterways, which will be protected, restored, reconnected and enhanced to also enable biodiversity to thrive. The borough’s towns and villages will have clear identities and cohesive communities, with residents that are proud of where they live. There will be a sustainable number of new, well-designed and affordable homes built to high housing standards that will meet residents’ needs, and these will be supported by the right infrastructure. The local economy will be thriving, with high quality jobs and a well-educated and highly skilled local population, supported by a new university, with vibrant town and village centres, and a wide range of local amenities that enable all residents to enjoy an excellent quality of life. |
Objectives
| 3.2 | The following sixteen objectives have been identified to help to deliver the Vision. |
Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change
| a | To introduce an ambitious Plan that tackles the council’s Climate Emergency Declaration and makes the fullest possible contribution to achieving a carbon neutral borough by 2030. Whilst recognising that new development and growth results in increased greenhouse gas emissions, climate change impacts will be mitigated by: reducing emissions through sustainably located development; ensuring good connectivity; providing sustainable travel options; introducing requirements that would deliver exemplar sustainable design and construction principles including homes with a net zero energy use; and promoting renewable and low carbon energy technologies in suitable locations. |
| b | To ensure that new development enhances the borough’s resilience to the impacts of climate change, with consideration to the welfare of residents and enhancement of the natural environment. |
Delivering the Spatial Strategy
| c | To ensure a sufficient supply of land to meet the borough’s need for homes, employment and other uses. This will enable the borough to maintain a rolling five year supply of deliverable housing sites. The strategy will take account of relevant constraints, prioritising brownfield development and growth around Basingstoke town and promoting a sustainable pattern of dynamic and healthy places in a way that maintains the local distinctiveness of settlements and their communities, and sustains their vitality. Local communities will be empowered to shape the future of their local areas through the promotion of neighbourhood planning. |
Protecting and Enhancing the Natural Environment
| d | To protect and enhance the environment, in support of the Ecological Emergency Declaration and in recognition of the wider benefits gained from the borough’s natural assets, by enhancing biodiversity through connected networks and the achievement of at least 10% biodiversity net gain from new development; and by protecting and enhancing the locally distinctive character of the landscape including that which is particularly valued and the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. |
| e | To improve air quality and conserve, manage and improve the borough’s water resources, reducing the risk of flooding and consequences of pollution through partnership working, active flood management and appropriate mitigation approaches. This includes protecting and enhancing the special qualities of the borough’s waterways including the River Loddon, Test and Enborne corridors and ensuring nutrient neutral development in the River Test and Itchen catchment to protect the Solent and River Itchen nature conservation sites. |
Supporting a Thriving Local Economy
| f | To maintain and enhance the borough’s position as a prosperous economic centre and grow jobs and wages. There will be a focus upon clean growth, supporting a diverse economy as well as key local sectors through the availability of employment land and premises of the right quality, type, location and size, and facilitating opportunities to grow new dynamic and innovative sectors. This will be delivered through the protection and regeneration of Basing View and the other established strategic employment areas, and the allocation of well-located and accessible new employment sites to meet identified need. |
| g | To facilitate a well-educated and highly skilled local population and workforce with strong connections to the local business community and support opportunities to access high quality education through the delivery of a university. |
| h | To revitalise Basingstoke town centre and ensure it is a well-connected, vibrant and attractive centre offering an exciting shopping, leisure and cultural experience. The town centre will be competitive and appealing to new inward investment and able to adapt to changing needs and trends, while supporting the town’s distinctive cultural and historic identity. |
| f | To promote a thriving rural economy with a network of vibrant towns and villages where centres remain attractive and viable destinations, building upon their specific characteristics and rural businesses are supported to grow sustainably. Local homes, services, jobs and infrastructure will be provided to meet the needs and aspirations of local communities. |
Creating Sustainable and Infrastructure-rich Communities
| j | To create healthy, active and strong communities, supported by high quality facilities and services. Development will promote healthy lifestyles, including protecting and enhancing local community, health, cultural, leisure, sport and recreational facilities. Improvements will make the Leisure Park fit for the 21st century. |
| k | To ensure growth is supported by high quality infrastructure that is delivered alongside development. This will meet the changing needs of residents and employers, and ensure the quality of life of existing residents is not compromised. To also facilitate the provision of strategic infrastructure including a new hospital and associated opportunities. |
| l | To work collaboratively with local communities to promote and support successful regeneration and renewal schemes that will improve the built and natural environment. These will tackle inequality, benefit local residents and improve housing and employment areas. |
| m | To reduce the need to travel by planning for well-connected and safe neighbourhoods which promote walking and cycling. Where travel is necessary, to encourage and support better, greener transport including a self-sustaining public transport network with fast and direct services. To work in partnership to address local and strategic road network issues and ensure a safe and efficient highway network including the M3. |
Providing Homes for All
| n | To provide a choice of homes incorporating a mix of tenure, size and type, with a particular focus upon the delivery of social rented housing, in addition to other low-cost home ownership tenures where they would meet the identified needs of local communities. All new homes will be built to high housing standards and will meet minimum internal space standards. The provision will include a choice of suitable and desirable accommodation for older people, people with disabilities, smaller households, families, people wishing to build their own home and gypsies and travellers. |
Creating High Quality and Distinctive Places
| o | To ensure a high standard of design, through the use of tools such as masterplans and design codes, to create beautiful and distinctive places through high quality architecture, place-making and public and private amenity space within a greener environment. Development will enhance local character and create places that residents are proud of. |
| p | To proactively manage the borough’s rich historic and built environment and to protect and enhance its quality and distinctiveness while accommodating change such that historic buildings and places are respected, used and valued as part of the council’s ambitions for environmental sustainability, and to contribute to cultural, economic and social wellbeing. |
The table below outlines which Local Plan policies will help to deliver or facilitate each objective.
Figure 3.1: Local Plan Policies by Objective Reference
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Objective Reference |
Local Plan Policy |
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CLC1, SPS5, ENV11, ENV12, ENV13, INF2, DES1, DES2, DES3
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CLC1, ENV11, ENV12, ENV13, DES1, DES2, DES3
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SPS1, SPS2, SPS3, SPS4, SPS5, SPS6, SPS7, SPS8, SPS9 |
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ENV1, ENV2, ENV3, ENV4, ENV5, ENV6, ENV7, ENV8, ENV9, ENV10
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ENV9, ENV14
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SPS9, SPS10, EMP1, EMP2, EMP3, EMP4
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SPS9, EMP1, EMP2, INF1
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SPS3, SPS4, EMP3, DES6
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SPS6, EMP3, EMP4, EMP5, INF3, INF4, HSG1, HSG3, HSG4
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SPS5, SPS11, INF1
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SPS5, INF1
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SPS2, DES1, DES2, DES3
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SPS5, SPS12, INF1, INF2
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HSG1, HSG2, HSG3, HSG4, HSG5, HSG6, HSG7, HSG8, HSG9, DES4, DES5
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SPS3, SPS5, DES1, DES2, DES3
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DES6
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