Core Strategy for Central Lincolnshire The Growth Agenda Comment from Cllr Marianne Overton; Some people blame the press for the negative public view of the effect of the Localism Act on planning, dubbed by some as a “free for all”. Many people are reading what is written in the actual legislation, not reading the politician’s lips. We have yet to see how regulations can be fashioned in the hope of softening the legislation, Like other villages, in Welbourn, we are seeking small scale, affordable housing that fits the requirements of our village, and in the right place. Can we get that, and only that? Nationally and carried out through the core strategy covering Lincoln, West Lindsey and North Kesteven, there is the clear intention to increase building houses as a way of increasing economic development. However, we fear that to make them cheap enough to purchase, would result in an infrastructure levy that is not enough to support the extra needed, such as roads, health, schools etc. It also increases people’s personal debt, perhaps more than they can afford and makes our banks less secure. There is also the clear intention through the core strategy to encourage people to come to this part of Lincolnshire - 82,000 of them. That is four fifths of North Kesteven’s population added. In theory, it is spread over 26 years, but we saw what happened in practice last time. Once the planning rules are lifted, developers naturally move in as fast as they can, but at the same time, asking to be let off the infrastructure levy, and then wanting more land. It did not work in Ireland. They have great swathes of half-built or even completed empty houses, falling derelict and a risk to anti-social behaviour. Same in a number of other places. Just building houses is not good enough. We need to have a wide range of thriving enterprises as our economic engine of the future. We do want big, productive companies like Siemens, but some big businesses arrive and just push out the small shops. Big companies can come and go, leaving unemployment and brown field sites in their wake. A range of small businesses, changing to meet the markets, are a relatively sustainable bedrock for rural counties. As they grow in success, then building will follow naturally and in proportion, cutting according to our cloth, without damaging the very things about rural Lincolnshire that we know and love.

Core Strategy for Central Lincolnshire The Growth Agenda Mike Braithwaite 19 January 2012

Central Lincolnshire Joint Planning Committee refresh West Lindsey, North Kesteven & City of Lincoln in partnership with County Council prepare one Joint Statutory Development Plan –4 Authorities one joint plan..... –Central Lincolnshire Local Plan or LDF Stage one – Central Lincolnshire Core Strategy

Role of the Local Plan or LDF Range of documents – 1.Core Strategy (principles and strategic aims) 2.Allocations (specific sites and their requirements) 3.Development Management (detailed policies) 4.Area Action Plans (Strategic aims for a specific area) Saved Policies National Planning Policy Framework Neighbourhood Plans? Supported by evidence, Community Infrastructure Levy and Integrated Impact Assessment.

Progress so far Consulted on Issues and Options December 2010 Response was reported Report to Joint Committee Feb 2011, support for Level and distribution of Growth Promoting renewable Energy – local solutions Co-ordinate Infrastructure provision Local approach to determining growth in villages Jan 2012, Joint Committee approved draft policies for informal consultation

Draft Policies, Key Messages NB: Figures will be refined further in the Draft Plan to be published later this year, however the current evidence suggests targets will be close to these requirements SettlementNumber of new dwellings, 2011/ /31, and area to which target relates Area of employment land, 2011/12 – 2030/31, and area to which target relates Lincoln18, ha Gainsborough10,00025 ha Sleaford4,50020 ha Smaller Towns and Rural Settlements 9,50025 ha TOTAL42, ha

Draft Policies, Key Messages Above all promotes growth (homes, economy, infrastructure whilst safeguarding the environment) Promote Sustainable development informed by what is needed and can be achieved locally Promotes low carbon and the delivery of energy through renewable sources A joint approach to infrastructure funding and delivery Promotes affordable homes at 40% of the overall target where viable

Next Steps Formal Consultation on the Draft Core Strategy Formal representations considered Examination in public...late Adoption of the Core Strategy 2013 Consulting on the first stage of the Site Allocations document later in 2012 depending on progress with the Core Strategy

How to keep up to date Newsletters Joint Planning Unit Website The Joint Planning Committee Meeting Minutes and Agendas Drop in sessions Lincoln Drill Hall, 24 Feb Sleaford, The Source, 06 March, Gainsborough, Guildhall, 13 March, Further events planned for when the draft plan is published.

Questions Tel : or visit the Joint Planning Unit Offices at Lincoln City Hall or North Kesteven in Sleaford during working hours