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Local Plan - Chapter 2: Strategy and Aims

Introduction

2.1 - The preparation of a district-wide Local Plan gives an opportunity to review how the Borough has developed in the recent past and to set out a vision for the way in which our town, villages and countryside should respond to pressures for change in future years.

2.2 - A first concern is for the well-being of local communities and for the improvement of quality of life within the plan area. The Council is committed to an active programme of community development and the Local Plan can play its part by delivering development opportunities for employment, housing, shopping, leisure and community facilities. The Local Plan is written so as to ensure that adequate opportunities for appropriate types and scales of development exist throughout the area over the plan period.

2.3 - A further concern is to promote sustainable development. This can be defined as: 'Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.' Sustainable development is internationally recognised as a vital response to well documented global environmental concerns. The Council will become increasingly involved in local initiatives to protect and enhance the environment and to reduce the impact which local activities can have on the global environment, through the process known as 'Local Agenda 21'

2.4 - The Local Plan is the most important means by which the Council can promote a sustainable pattern of development in future years. One major task is to consider how the location of new development will affect the number of car journeys generated and continued reliance upon the private car. It is the policy of the Government that the emission of greenhouse gases should be reduced and the planning system is prescribed an important role in putting forward development strategies which do not encourage dependence upon the use of the car.

2.5 - Local Plan Policies will be subjected to an on-going environment appraisal.A copy of the Environmental Appraisal Matrix prepared in association with the draft plan is published as an Appendix to this document. This represents only a starting point in ensuring that the Local Plan is promoting a sustainable pattern of development. THE

Local Plan Strategy

2.6 - The Local Plan is by statutory requirement a land-use plan and its policies are concerned with the way in which land will be developed and used over the plan period.

2.7 - The general strategy of the Local Plan can be expressed as follows: 'To provide sufficient opportunities for development to meet the anticipated needs of the present and future population.' and at the same time : 'To create a sustainable pattern of development which promotes community development, safeguards the environment and reduces the overall need to travel.'

2.8 - The Local Plan has been able to put forward a development strategy which successfully balances the need for sustainable development with the pressure for growth. This has been achieved with the help of Local Plan Aims which relate to the specific chapters of the Local Plan.

Local Plan Aims

2.9 - The Local Plan Strategy is developed into specific policies on Housing, Transport, Employment, Tourism, Shopping, Open Space, the Natural and Historic Environment, Regeneration and Community Development, which are set out in the next 10 chapters.

2.10 - Each of these 10 Chapters contains policies which seek to achieve the following aims:

Housing Development (CHAPTER 3)

2.11 - AIM 1: To provide sufficient opportunities for new housing development in order to meet the envisaged scale and range of housing needs, including affordable housing, over the plan period.

2.12 - AIM 2: To direct the great majority of new housing development to Oswestry Town and the larger villages in order to promote a sustainable form of development, strengthen existing local centres, reduce the overall need to travel and protect the environment of the Borough.

Transport (CHAPTER 4)

2.13 - AIM 3: To promote a pattern of development which will help reduce the overall need to travel and encourage the use of modes of travel other than the private car.

2.14 - AIM 4: To promote a convenient, adequate and properly integrated system of public transport to serve the needs of the Borough's population.

2.15 - AIM 5: To improve road safety and improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists by promoting effective traffic management in settlements and particularly in central Oswestry.

The Local Economy (CHAPTER 5)

2.16 - AIM 6: To direct the great majority of employment development to allocated sites in or near the town and major villages which are highly accessible to the Borough's workforce.

2.17 - AIM 7: To promote the growth and diversification of the local economy and the creation of new employment opportunities, especially in rural areas, and to reconcile these with the need to protect the environment and promote a sustainable pattern of development.

Tourism Development (CHAPTER 6)

2.18 - AIM 8: To promote the development of appropriate new tourist facilities and attractions within the area whilst acknowledging the need to sustain the quality and amenity of the local environment upon which the tourism industry depends.

Shopping (CHAPTER 7)

2.19 - AIM 9: To promote the viability and vitality of the town centre by strengthening Oswestry's role as a thriving market town providing a full range of shopping, commercial and leisure facilities for the catchments area and to ensure that these are accessible by a choice of means of transport.

Open Space (CHAPTER 8)

2.20 - AIM 10: To protect and enhance the contribution made by open spaces to the character and amenity of settlements.

AIM 11: To secure the provision of sufficient land for formal and informal recreation for all sections of the community.

The Countryside and the Natural Environment (CHAPTER 9)

2.21 - AIM 12: To ensure effective conservation of the Borough's countryside and natural environment by:

• Promoting a pattern of development which avoids undesirable and unnecessary development within or on the edge of settlements and in open countryside;
• Protecting and enhancing important natural landscape features, wildlife and wildlife habitats both within and outside settlements.
• Protecting the environment, both within settlements and in the countryside, from degradation and pollution.

Historic Environment (CHAPTER 10)

2.22 - AIM 13: To preserve and enhance the architectural and historic character of the Borough.

Regeneration (CHAPTER 11)

2.23 - AIM 14: To support the appropriate regeneration of vacant, under-used or unsightly land and buildings within the Borough in order to : i) improve the appearance of the Borough's settlements, ii) reduce the need for development on 'green-field' sites', and iii) bring about economic and community benefits.

Community Development (CHAPTER 12)

2.24 - AIM 15: To encourage the development of community facilities in the town and villages and protect existing facilities currently at risk.

2.25 - AIM 16: To ensure that all new development is designed to provide proper access for persons with disabilities.

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