SUBJECT MATTER Publication of the Council s Annual Planning Monitoring Report, covering the year April 2015 to March 2016.

Transcription

1 Subject: Great Yarmouth Annual Monitoring Report 2015/16 Report to: Local Plan Working Party 14 th February 2017 Report by: Kim Balls, Senior Strategic Planner SUBJECT MATTER Publication of the Council s Annual Planning Monitoring Report, covering the year April 2015 to March RECOMMENDATIONS That the Local Plan Working Party notes the content and publication of the Great Yarmouth Annual Planning Monitoring Report 2015/16 1. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND 1.1 Local Planning Authorities have an obligation to monitor the extent to which policies set out in their Local Plans are being implemented and their intentions being achieved, and progress in preparing new plan documents against the timetable set in the Local Development Scheme and, and to publish a report on these matters at least annually. 1.2 Great Yarmouth Borough Council publishes annually (usually in December) a planning Monitoring Report (APMR) for the preceding financial year April to March. This is a factual document reporting against indicators set by the Local Plan Core Strategy and Local Development Scheme. 1.3 The latest AMR covers the monitoring period between 1st April 2015 and 31st March This is attached to this Report and also available on the Council s website at 2. HEADLINE SUMMARY 2.1 The AMR includes 2015/16 results against indicators relating to the local economy, housing, transport & community infrastructure and the environment. 2.2 Members should particularly note the continuing inadequate levels of housing permissions. Provisional figures were previously presented to the Local Plan Working Party and Economic Development Committee, but the AMR confirms 212 new dwellings (net) were completed between April 2015 and March This represents a serious shortfall of 88 dwellings, or 29% of the original Core Strategy reduced target of 300 target for this year alone, and a 50% shortfall against

2 the average annual target for the whole plan period. 2.4 It also means a cumulative shortfall of 347 dwellings, or 39%, against the cumulative housing requirement April 2013 March In order to both make up the shortfall to date and meet the future annual targets, the Borough would need to develop nearly 500 dwellings every year until For comparison, only 239 (net) residential permissions were granted during the year 2015/16 covered by the AMR. 2. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS None. 3. RISK IMPLICATIONS 3.1 The continuing shortfall, and increasing backlog, of housing completions identified in the AMR risks (a) increases the of homelessness, sub-standard housing, and the growth of the local economy, and (b) Local Plan policies affecting housing being treated as out of date under national policies and given little weight. The latter could have adverse consequences for the sustainable development of the Borough and for the protection of its qualities and features. While very many local planning authorities across the country currently find themselves in this predicament, it also has potential reputational risks for the Council. 4. RECOMMENDATIONS That the Local Plan Working Party notes the content and publication of the Great Yarmouth Annual Planning Monitoring Report 2015/16. Area for consideration Monitoring Officer Consultation: Section 151 Officer Consultation: Existing Council Policies: Financial Implications: Legal Implications (including human rights): Risk Implications: Equality Issues/EQIA assessment: Crime & Disorder: Every Child Matters: Comment n/a n/a Great Yarmouth Local Plan Core Strategy. None. None. See Section 3 above. None. None. None.

3 Annual Planning Monitoring Report December 2016

4 Contents 1.0 Introduction What is the Annual Planning Monitoring Report? Why is it important to monitor? How is the report structured? Understanding the Borough Introduction The Economy Built Environment Natural environment Important Projects for and beyond Local Economy Introduction What do the figures mean? Deprivation Employment Retail and Leisure Development Great Yarmouth Waterfront Area Museum Visits Housing Introduction New housing Gypsies and Travellers Transport and Community Infrastructure Introduction Access to Key Services Infrastructure Plan Design and Environmental Quality Introduction Protecting the natural environment Protecting the built environment Crime Rates Data Collection Why is the data monitored? How do we collect data? Monitoring plan making Changes to national planning policy

5 9.0 Monitoring the Duty to Cooperate Introduction Local economy Housing Transport and community infrastructure Design and environmental quality Figure Contents Figure 1 Local Economic Indicators Figure 2 Housing Indicators Figure 3 Number of Affordable Homes Completed 2015/ Figure 4 Percentage of Dwellings Completed on Previously Developed Land (PDL) 2015/ Figure 5 Housing Completions & Targets Table 2015/ Figure Housing Completions & Targets Graph Figure 7 Transport and Community Infrastructure Indicators Figure 8 Acceptable Walking and Public Transport Distances to Key Services Figure 9 Design and Environmental Quality Indicators Figure 10 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) 2015/ Figure 11 Crimes per 1,000 people

6 1.0 Introduction 1.1 What is the Annual Planning Monitoring Report? This is the twelfth Annual Planning Monitoring Report (APMR) produced by Great Yarmouth Borough Council, and covers the period 1 st April 2015 to 31 st March The purpose of the APMR is to share the performance of the Borough Council s planning service with the local community The Council is in the process of replacing the remaining saved policies from the old Borough Wide Local Plan (2001) with a new Local Plan formed of two main planning documents; the Local Plan Part 1 The Core Strategy which was adopted in December 2015; and, the Local Plan Part 2 The Detailed Policies and Site Allocations which is currently under preparation. This APMR reports on the current effectiveness of policies in the Local Plan Core Strategy The Broads Authority is the local planning authority for the Broads national park, part of which lies within Great Yarmouth Borough. It produces a separate local plan and monitoring report for the Broads area. For simplicity this will not be repeated throughout the document, and references to the Borough as a plan area should be taken to exclude the Broads. 1.2 Why is it important to monitor? The APMR has a key role in the plan making process as it helps to measure the efficacy of plans and policies and to gauge whether they are performing as expected. Monitoring helps to identify areas where planning objectives are or are not being met. The APMR demonstrates where real policy outcomes have been gained by measuring, for example, how many new homes or jobs have been created. It is also used as a tool to measure the effectiveness of current policies, where necessary recommending future changes to policies or their implementation The APMR is used to monitor the progress of the Borough Council in producing Local Plan documents against the timetable set out in the Local Development Scheme (which includes estimated dates for different Local Plan documents to be published). This provides local residents and other stakeholders with an annual update on the progress of the Local Plan The APMR also monitors how the Council is co-operating with other local planning authorities in the preparation of local planning documents on strategic matters. This is further explained later in the report under the Duty to Cooperate. 3

7 1.3 How is the report structured? The report is structured as follows: Section 1 introduces the Annual Planning Monitoring Report and explains why it is used. Section 2 is a profile of the Borough which sets out its social, economic and environmental characteristics and gives an idea of the key issues affecting the area. Sections 3-6 of the APMR contain the main body of monitoring data used to assess the effectiveness of Local Plan policies. They are split into four main sections covering the following: Local economy Housing Transport and community infrastructure Design and environmental quality. Section 7 explains how data is collected and monitored as well as outlining the different studies and projects that are used to provide data for the APMR. Section 8 monitors the production of Local Plan documents. It gives an overview of the recent changes in national planning policy and reviews the progress of documents against the milestones set out in the Local Development Scheme timetable. Section 9 reports on progress made as part of The Duty to Cooperate. 4

8 2.0 Understanding the Borough 2.1 Introduction The Borough of Great Yarmouth is situated on the east coast of Norfolk, and includes part of the Broads national park. According to the 2011 Census, it had a population of 97,300, which is a 6.9% increase since the 2001 Census. The Borough s resident population is mainly concentrated in the towns of Great Yarmouth and Gorleston. These are classified as the Main Towns in the Local Plan Core Strategy. The remaining population is distributed among the Key Service Centres such as Bradwell and Caister-on-sea, Primary Villages such as Belton and Hemsby and Secondary and Tertiary Villages such as Rollesby, Filby and Burgh Castle The town of Great Yarmouth is the Borough s principal centre for retail, services and employment, including port related activities and support services for the offshore energy sector. Great Yarmouth is a popular holiday destination and is one of the most popular seaside resorts in the United Kingdom. At the same time, parts of the Borough suffer from high levels of deprivation. In 2015 the Borough ranked as the 20 th most deprived local authority nationally (out of 326) in terms of the proportion of its neighbourhoods (26.2%) in the most deprived 10 per cent The demographics of the Borough, publicised in the 2011 census, show a higher than average proportion of people above the age of 60, while there is a relatively lower percentage of those under the age of 14. Great Yarmouth Seafront at Dusk Source: Great Yarmouth Media Centre (Photograph by: Keiron Tovell) 1 (Indices of Multiple Deprivation, 2015). 5

9 2.2 The Economy Great Yarmouth has been a seaside resort since the late 18th century. Today it is one of the most popular British seaside resorts and has over 70,000 available bed spaces and caters for around 5 million visitor nights each year. The tourism industry, although seasonal in nature, remains a significant sector in the Borough s local economy. The visitor economy is wide ranging in its offer, including Great Yarmouth and other seaside towns found along the coast. Furthermore, the Broads offer a natural form of tourism. Seals in front of Scroby Sands offshore wind farm, Source: Greater Yarmouth Tourist Authority (Photograph by: David Street) The Borough has experienced a rise in the prominence of the offshore renewable energy sector over recent years with many energy companies choosing Great Yarmouth and Gorleston as a base for their operations. Great Yarmouth and Gorleston have become attractive locations for this burgeoning sector with a 24- hour deep water outer harbour that acts as a main supply base for the offshore gas industry in the southern North Sea and for offshore windfarms. The designation of Enterprise Zone status at Beacon Park, Gorleston and South Denes, Great Yarmouth are designed to make these two areas more attractive for companies and businesses involved in the offshore energy, port and logistics sector. Beacon Park has continued to progress over the last monitoring year with new commercial units related to the energy sector developed and the site benefitting from the 3m of road infrastructure invested in the previous year. To the northwest of Beacon Park, the Local Plan Core Strategy has allocated 1,000 new homes to be built by 2030 in addition to the completion of a new link road between the A12 and A143. At the end of March 2016, 42 dwellings had been completed on site and the opening of the A12/A143 link road having been achieved in December

10 Development progress at Beacon Park and Bradwell urban extension, Source: Great Yarmouth Borough Council (Photograph by: Mike Page) Great Yarmouth is the Borough s principal centre for retail, services and employment. There is also a good range of retail and services in Gorleston and other shopping facilities in smaller centres around the Borough. The poor financial climate has had an impact on the local economy and has seen an increase in the number of vacant units in Great Yarmouth s town centre; however in Gorleston, this has remained consistently lower over the last 5 years Unemployment levels in the area continue to fluctuate with the seasons and are at their lowest during the summer months. In the borough of Great Yarmouth, the average level of unemployment (based on claimant count) during this monitoring period was 3.2%, more than doubling the Norfolk rate at 1.3%. However, despite demonstrating a slower recovery rate than the county average, unemployment levels are at their lowest in the Borough since the early 1990s. This is a huge achievement for the Borough and the gradual strengthening of the local economic base will help to militate the impacts of the recession, which remain apparent in less affluent areas. 2.3 Built Environment The northern area of the Borough is a mix of part-modern, traditional Norfolk countryside villages such as Martham and Filby, coastal villages such as Wintertonon-Sea and coastal holiday centres such as Hemsby. Caister-on-Sea fulfils the role of Key Service Centre in this area, providing a mixture of day to day services and facilities In contrast to the rural nature of the northern parishes, settlements in the southern parishes are for the most part more sub-urban in character. This is primarily due to the rapid expansion of settlements such as Belton and Bradwell during the 1960s and 1970s to meet housing needs at the time. 7

11 2.3.3 Within the Borough there is a significant legacy of historic buildings and monuments linked to its maritime heritage, including two Roman sites at Burgh Castle and Caister-on-Sea and a 14 th century medieval town wall in Great Yarmouth. Great Yarmouth is also home to the Tolhouse, which dates back to the late 13th century and is said to be the oldest municipal building in Britain. Overall there are 429 listed buildings in the Borough, including 13 scheduled ancient monuments. There are also 19 conservation areas South Quay consists of an extensive row of buildings ranging from the Victorian Town Hall and Elizabethan House Museum to many 17 th and 18 th century former merchants houses, intersected with the Rows; a unique medieval street pattern. Across the river in Gorleston, the quayside structures include a range of predominantly 19 th century buildings: the Ocean Rooms, a lighthouse, the Gorleston Pavilion and the old Lifeboat Shed The recently completed King Street Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) scheme was a conservation-led regeneration project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund undertaking comprehensive repairs of historic buildings and to find new, sustainable and viable end uses for redundant and neglected buildings. The scheme was underpinned with training and community engagement activities and brought back in to use 4,362m 2 of vacant floor space, removed 8 buildings from the Heritage Buildings at Risk Register, delivered 280 training days, created 4 apprenticeships and invested 3.5m into the local area. The conversion of 131 King Street into an art gallery was a particular highlight of the project. St George s Theatre, renovated as part of the Townscape Heritage Initiative, has gone from strength to strength. It has won several awards including a 2014 RIBA National Award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in recognition of its architectural excellence. Source: Great Yarmouth Borough Council. 8

12 2.3.6 The Council are supporting the Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust to deliver a conservation and training project at the St Margaret s Church ruin. The ruin is a grade II* mediaeval church on the Heritage Buildings at Risk Register, which was at the point of collapse. The project is consolidating the ruin, which will then be open to the public and act as a form of community space and heritage asset for both village residents and visitors. Importantly, the entire project from survey to completion is being undertaken by volunteers and trainees under the guidance of experts. This provides a broad range of meaningful training opportunities and ensures a unique community involvement with their heritage. The first phase of the project is now complete and during the remainder of 2016 final repairs to gables will be finished and the security fence removed. The project is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic England and Pilgrim Trust. Hopton St Margaret s ruined church. Source: Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust 2.4 Natural environment The Borough s natural environment is one of its greatest assets, with several internationally recognised nature designations, a wealth of nationally and locally significant nature conservation sites including; Special Protection Areas, Sites of Specific Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserves, Norfolk County Wildlife Sites and Local Nature Reserves The administrative area of the Borough includes parts of the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the Broads national park which are nationally protected for their landscape and scenic beauty. The Broads not only give significant opportunities for water-based recreation but also a rich range of wetland habitats. However, the Broads lie outside the Borough Council s planning area, as does most of the AONB The landscape of the Borough outside the Broads and the Norfolk Coast AONB is a lowland rural and transitional wetland landscape, including mixed farmland and wooded areas. Many coastal areas are coming under increasing threat of coastal erosion. In addition, some parts of the Borough are at risk of tidal flooding. However existing coastal and flood defences reduce the current risk from that which would otherwise pertain. 9

13 2.5 Important Projects for and beyond The next few years will involve a number of key projects within Great Yarmouth Borough. Below are just some of the examples: Enterprise Zone: Great Yarmouth Borough Council will continue to actively promote the offshore energy related New Anglia Enterprise Zone, including the two sites within the Borough at South Denes, Great Yarmouth and Beacon Park, Gorleston. Sub-regionally the Enterprise Zone, which has recently been extended to March 2018, has created c.850 jobs and attracted 29 million of investment, proving to be one of the most successful nationally. South Denes Energy Park: The Energy Park lies within the South Denes Local Development Order and has been designated as a simplified planning zone to improve the efficiency of development relating to the offshore energy industry. A Delivery Plan is in place to enable a holistic approach to development assembly across the whole site, led by demand from the offshore energy sector. Beacon Park: The Council will continue to draw upon Government Infrastructure Grants to further progress development at Beacon Park, capitalising on the momentum generated from the speculative completion of two large industrial units in To date, 100,000 square feet of new business use floor space has been so far delivered with a further 150,000 square feet in the pipeline bringing the total investment to over 30 million. East Anglia Offshore Wind ONE: Planning permission for this 300km 2 offshore wind farm, the biggest in the world, was granted permission by the Planning Inspectorate in June It is anticipated that development at South Denes Energy Park will provide the requisite space to ensure that the significant industry relating to the wind farm will be based in Great Yarmouth, creating many jobs in the area, especially as Great Yarmouth has been recognised by the Council as having Centre for Offshore Renewable Energy (CORE) status. The Government have awarded Assisted Area Status in 11 economically disadvantaged wards throughout the Borough, providing financial aid to small and large businesses located there until July The project is still in the early stages, but enquiries have increased and the availability of assistance is improving the offer of non-enterprise Zone sites. Better Broadband for Norfolk: With funding from Norfolk County Council, national government and BT, broadband accessibility is being improved throughout Norfolk including the Enterprise Zone where implementation has already started. 10

14 3.0 Local Economy 3.1 Introduction This section of the Annual Planning Monitoring Report monitors the effectiveness of Local Plan policies relating to the local economy. It assesses the extent of economic activity and unemployment in the Borough and measures economic development (development that creates employment and investment in the leisure, retail, tourist, industrial or any other sector). Aerial Picture of Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour Source: Great Yarmouth Borough Council (Photograph by: Mike Page) 3.2 What do the figures mean? The Borough Council aims to improve the result of each indicator year on year. Figure 2 shows the different local economic indicators monitored and the current output for the latest monitoring period. The trend column shows whether the indicator has improved, declined or stayed the same when faired against the previous monitoring period. Trend data may not be available for indicators which are new or are not monitored on a yearly basis (i.e. data taken from the national census carried out every ten years). Data is also not yet available for certain indicators related to the new Local Plan, with the expectation that new indicators will be gradually populated in the coming years. 11

15 Figure 1 Local Economic Indicators. Indicator Output 2015/16 Trend 2014/15 CS6 Total amount of developed floor space in safeguarded local employment areas by use class. (Source: NCC Employment Land Report, 2016) Hectares No trend available CS6 Economic activity rate: (Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS 2016) CS6 Unemployment rate (Source: ONS 2016) CS6 Total number of businesses that are VAT registered (Source: ONS Business Demography, 2015) 72.4 % Decrease from 75.9% 5.2% Increase from 3.6% 3,055 Decrease from 3,065 CS7 Amount of new permitted/completed floor space for town centre uses (A1, A2, A3) outside of designated centres Information not currently available See Section 3.5 Information not currently available See Section 3.5 CS7 Amount of new permitted/ completed floor space for town centre uses (A1, A2, A3) in or adjacent to designated centres. This indicator will not be monitored in the future. Indicator partly duplicates Measurement above CS7 number of vacant units in the town centres. (Source: GYBC Town Centre Survey, 2016) CS7 Percentage of ground floor units in retail-based uses (A1, A2, A3) in designated centers (Source: GYBC town centre survey, 2016) CS8 Museum visits per year* (Source: Norfolk County Council, 2016) *Museums include: Tolhouse, Elizabethan, Time and Tide Great Yarmouth 92 units Gorleston 9 units Great Yarmouth 71.8% Gorleston 82.1% 49,739 Visits per year. Great Yarmouth stable at 92 units Gorleston increase from 6 units Increase by 1% decrease by 1% Increase from 45, % increase 12

16 CS8 Total number of applications successfully approved to upgrade or create new key tourist, leisure and cultural facilities CS8 Total number of bed spaces in designated holiday accommodation areas Information not currently available Information not currently available Information not currently available Information not currently available CS8 Total tourism Value (Source: GYBC Economic Development Team,- 2015) CS8 Total actual tourism-related employment (GYBC Economic Impact on Tourism, 2016) 577,506,398 No trend available 11, 736 Actual Jobs 8,678 Full time employment Increase from 11,475 Actual Jobs Increase from 8,488 Full time employment 3,058 Part time jobs. Increase from 2987 part time employment Proportionally 74% FT, 26% PT Proportionally 74% FT, 26% PT CS7 Plan Progression CS8 Number of cultural events hosted within the borough Refer to Section 4.5 Information not currently available Refer to Section 4.5 Information not currently available CS17 - Document progression - Adopt the Great Yarmouth Waterfront Supplementary Planning Document by 2017 CS17 - Number of applications successfully refused because they failed to respond appropriately to the objectives and overall regeneration ambitions of Policy CS17 Components of proposed SPD will be absorbed, where necessary, in the Site Allocations and Detailed Policies document. Information not recorded Timescale in line with revised Local Development Scheme The Key Site has not yet been progressed through the Local Plan 13

17 CS17 - Total amount of employment floor space delivered in the Great Yarmouth Waterfront Key Site CS17 - Total amount of retail and leisure floor space delivered in the Great Yarmouth Waterfront area CS18 - Planning application: Production of a comprehensive masterplan for the site CS18 - Total amount of employment land delivered in the Beacon Park Extension Key Site 0 Hectares/Square metres 0 Hectares/Square metres In progress. Phase 1 under construction, Phase 2 submitted The Key Site has not yet been progressed through the Local Plan The Key Site has not yet been progressed through the Local Plan On-going. Subject to completion and marketing of units 0 Hectares. No tend available 3.3 Deprivation The borough of Great Yarmouth includes some of the most deprived areas nationally. Some of the more rural communities continue to experience difficulty accessing certain services such as healthcare, schools or supermarkets, with the lack of regular public transport to the main towns as being the key concern Core Strategy Policy CS2 seeks to direct a larger share of new development to areas where there are the widest range of shops services and employment opportunities available, helping to reduce the need to travel. In balance, the Policy will direct a portion of new development to smaller areas to help maintain the viability of existing local services and facilities. 3.4 Employment The Borough s economic activity rate (i.e. the proportion of those aged 16 to 64 either actually or potentially economically active) was 72.4% for the period April 2015 to March This is a small decrease from the previous year of 75.9%. This compares with an average for the Eastern region. In general, economic activity levels since 2006/07 has risen year on year in Great Yarmouth, therefore a slight reduction during does not signal alarm but will continue to be monitored to ascertain any emerging trends. 14

18 Modern business units at Beacon Park: Source Great Yarmouth Borough Council Unemployment remains a key issue for the Borough. In Great Yarmouth the ONS model-based estimate of unemployment, which includes both those receiving Job Seeker s Allowance and those not in receipt, was 5.2% for 2015/16. This compares to 3.8% in the East of England Whilst unemployment in the borough remains higher than regional and national averages, it is considered that the burgeoning offshore energy sector will continue to create local employment opportunities, helping to provide higher skilled jobs. The challenge for emerging planning policies is to help broaden the tourism and leisure sectors throughout the year to reduce the borough s seasonal economy. To facilitate, the work of local organisations such as EnterpriseGY has helped around 100 business start-ups during the period, many of which employ a small staff team There has been 5.9 hectares of employment land developed during the current monitoring period. This is a significant increase on last year where 1.2 hectares had been completed, mostly at the Beacon Park Enterprise Zone which is a large site providing significant employment land alongside the South Denes Enterprise Zone. Both Enterprise Zone areas have been geared up to encourage economic investment in businesses related to offshore energy, ports and logistics through reduced business rates and relaxation of planning regulations. 3.5 Retail and Leisure Development Over the last 12 months Great Yarmouth and Gorleston town centres have continued to be challenged by competition from nearby out-of-town retail parks and the strengthening of Norwich as a major retail and leisure destination within Norfolk Notwithstanding this, the refurbishment and opening of Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Ponden Home and Peacocks in the former Co-op building on the Market Place is a celebrated win for the town centre, and the 2015 Christmas Fayre was recorded as being the busiest in recent years. 15

19 Christmas Fayre 2015 Source: Great Yarmouth Borough Council In Great Yarmouth town centre the number of empty units continues to be significantly higher than the national picture; however the year on year increase has slowed down. The proportion of town centre units in core retail use (i.e. A1, A2 and A3) has slightly improved this year suggesting some strengthening in the town centre retail offer, such as the recent opening of high street stores Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Ponden Home and Peacocks In Gorleston town centre, the number of vacant units has slightly increased this monitoring year, but remains significantly lower than average national vacancy rates. The town centre s vitality has also been strengthened by the widening of its food and beverage offer by the relocation of The Olive Tree restaurant from Great Yarmouth and its close proximity to the Seafront where a number of premium based restaurants and hotels have opened or continue to operate Core Strategy Policy CS7 has been created to ensure viable centres and to reduce vacancy rates. This policy will aim to safeguard the retail function of each centre while enhancing the quality of the town centre environment. Furthermore, the policy will promote the short and long term reuse of vacant buildings as well as an extension of the Great Yarmouth town centre into The Conge and parts of North Quay Since early 2015 the Council has been preparing the Great Yarmouth Town Centre Masterplan as a clear, coherent and compelling vision to transform Great Yarmouth s central area and make it more attractive for residents, visitors and investors The masterplan also forms the longer element of the Council s Town Centre Initiative which has already achieved much in the past 12 months to boost footfall, 16

20 better marketing, visual and environmental improvements, and a shopfront improvement grant scheme The Masterplan is anticipated for completion in early 2017 and will articulate how Great Yarmouth s unique and historic central spaces can evolve over the next 15 to 20 years to strengthen the whole town centre as a commercial and cultural hub, meeting the needs and aspirations of the local community. 3.6 Great Yarmouth Waterfront Area Core Strategy Policy CS17 identifies 3 key sites along riverside frontage at North Quay, Cobholm and Southtown for waterfront-style regeneration, including a mix of residential, commercial, retail and leisure development It is anticipated that further details as to the design, mix and delivery of the waterfront sites will be incorporated within the emerging Detailed Policies and Site Allocations (DPSA) document. 3.7 Museum Visits Museum visits are highly seasonal (up to 60% in three summer months) because Great Yarmouth is a seaside resort. The Time and Tide museum is once again the most successful in terms of visitor numbers, recording over 49,739 visits during the monitoring year; though this was a slight decrease on the year previously. Policy CS8 in the emerging Core Strategy safeguards and supports development of tourism, leisure and culture facilities. 17

21 4.0 Housing 4.1 Introduction This section monitors policies relating to housing, which aim to plan, monitor and manage the delivery of new housing in accordance with the Local Plan. There is a national objective to achieve a better balance between housing availability and the demand for housing, including improving affordability whilst protecting valuable countryside around our towns, cities and in the green belt. Figure 2 Housing Indicators Indicator Output 2015/16 Trend 2014/15 CS2 Number of dwellings built on previously developed land 121 units Increase from 118 units CS2 Number of dwellings built/delivered in the Main Towns 85 units Stable at 85 units CS2 Number of dwellings built/delivered in the Key Service Centres CS2 Number of dwellings built/delivered in Primary Villages CS2 Number of dwellings built/delivered in the Secondary and Tertiary Villages. CS3 Total number of dwellings delivered in the borough CS3 Net additional specialist and/or supported housing units CS3 The total number of net additional dwellings that are deliverable as a percentage of the planned housing provision (in net additional dwellings) for the 5 year period, monitored through the Five Year Housing Supply Statement. 59 units Increase from 52 units 51 units Increase from 27 units 17 units Decrease from 29 units 212 units Increase from 193 units 0 No trend measured 103% 112% Or 5.17 year supply Or 5.63 year supply CS3 Total number of empty homes 443 units Decrease from 545 units CS4 Total number of affordable dwellings 18 units Decrease from 49 units CS4 Total number of applications in each affordable housing sub-market area that 1 application in sub market area 2-3 New trend 18

22 have secured an appropriate amount of affordable dwellings, in accordance with Policy CS4 CS5 The total number of net additional traveler pitches that are deliverable as a percentage of the planned traveler pitch provision (in net additional pitches) for the 5 year period monitored through the Five Year Housing Supply Statement CS5 Total number of traveler pitches built/delivered in the borough, monitored through the Annual Planning Monitoring Report units 06/13/0643/F 0 units No change 0 pitches 10 pitches allocated in Local Plan Core Strategy CS17 - Total number of dwellings delivered in the Great Yarmouth Waterfront Key Site CS18 - Total number of dwellings delivered in the Beacon Park Extension Key Site 0 dwellings The Key Site has not yet been progressed through the Local Plan 43 Completed At current completion rate 75% of development would be completed by 2030 *Some of these indicators are based on policies in the emerging Core Strategy, so data is only available starting from this year. Therefore trend comparisons are not yet possible. 4.2 New housing The Core Strategy establishes how many new dwellings will need to be built between 2013 and 2030 the plan period in order to meet the forecasted increase in the borough s resident population Between April 2015 and March 2016 there were 212 new dwellings completed throughout the borough, a slight increase from 193 dwellings in the previous year. For comparison, only 239 (net) residential permissions were granted during the year 2015/ Despite an increase in the completion rate it remains overall short of the Core Strategy s annual completion target of 300. In summary, the year-end shortfall of 88 dwellings, taken together with completion shortfalls in 2013, 2014 and 2015, mean that there is a cumulative shortfall of 347 dwellings against the total housing requirement in the plan so far (See figure 5) This cumulative shortfall would require 643 dwellings to be completed in the next monitoring year to return to target, which is most unlikely to be achievable. Returning the target within five years would require 351 dwelling completions per 19

23 annum (blue line on the graph in figure 6), while the remaining requirement spread over the whole plan period is for 470 units to be completed every year until 2030 (orange line on the graph in Figure 6). (Note the original Core Strategy annual target increases substantially from 2020, illustrated by the purple line on the graph, in Figure 6) The Borough Council will continue to seek to increase its housing delivery to meet its identified housing needs. The Council is currently preparing Part 2 of the Local Plan, the Detailed Policies and Site Allocations plan in order to bring forward the most suitable sites for housing development. In the meantime, the Borough Council s Interim Housing Land Supply Policy provides a temporary basis on which to consider suitable sites for housing development in accordance with the adopted Core Strategy The Council has been proactive in seeking to achieve housing delivery in suitable locations. Its earlier delivery of a link road helped bring forward a core strategy strategic allocation at land to the south of Bradwell. Furthermore, the Council continues to engage with the owners of stalled sites to stimulate delivery There have been a total of 18 affordable houses developed during this monitoring period. This is a significant decrease from the previous year which reflected the completion of new blocks of affordable accommodation at Trafalgar House, Great Yarmouth and the former White Horse pub in Gorleston. The figures have returned to levels (See figure 3). 4.3 Gypsies and Travellers Core Strategy Policy CS5 seeks to provide 10 or more pitches for gypsies, travellers and travelling show people. There have been no new pitch applications or completions this monitoring year; equally the number of unauthorised gypsy pitches has remained at zero. 20

24 Percentage of PDL Number of affordable dwellings Figure 3 Number of Affordable Homes Completed 2015/ Affordable Housing Affordable Housing Year Figure 4 Percentage of Dwellings Completed on Previously Developed Land (PDL) 2015/ % 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% Yearly Percentage of Previously Developed Land Brownfield Year 21

25 2013/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /30 Figure 5 Housing Completions & Targets Table 2015/16 Year Annual Completions Annual target Variation from annual target Cumulative target Variation from cumulative target Manage: Annualised residual requirement to return target within 5 years Manage: Annualised residual requirement to meet target within plan period Affordable housing completions (*anticipated) * 26* 42* 52* 58* 57* 51* 62* 67* 66* 66* 66* 66* 64* 22

26 Number of dwellings Figure Housing Completions & Targets Graph 600 Housing Completions & Targets 500 Actual Housing Completions 400 CS Annual Target Annualised Residual Requirement to meet CS Total Target within Plan Period 100 Annualised Residual Requirement to return CS Target within 5 years 0 Year 23

27 5.0 Transport and Community Infrastructure 5.1 Introduction This section monitors policies relating to the provision of transport infrastructure and the delivery of new community facilities. These are two important factors that help to create a sense of place and to improve the sustainability of new development by making places more accessible and reducing the need to travel. Figure 7 Transport and Community Infrastructure Indicators Indicator Output Trend CS14 Planning application approvals and Section 106 monitoring CS15 Number of new community buildings approved/delivered CS15 Areas of new open space and/or play space delivered through development CS15 Number/hectares of designated open spaces lost to meet development needs See Norfolk County Council Planning Obligations Standards 2016 CS15 Number of applications to convert community buildings to other uses successfully refused because they failed to meet the criteria set out in Policy CS15 CS15 AND CS16 Percentage of new of dwellings approved within easy access* of a GP, food store, primary school, secondary school, further education and workplace *30 minute GP: 93.8% Major foodstore: 77.7% Primary School: 97.4% Secondary School: 90.2% Further Education: 77.7% Workplace: 77.7% GP: 4.2% decrease Major foodstore: 12.8% decrease Primary School: 2.6% decrease Secondary School:0.7% increase Further Education: 16.2% decrease 24

28 travel time by sustainable transport modes CS14 and CS16 Progress on infrastructure scheme delivery Workplace: 11.5% decrease See paragraph See paragraph CS18 Progress on infrastructure scheme delivery: A12/A143 link road complete by April 2015 Completed. A12/A143 link road opened December n/a *Significant change to monitoring method see paragraph Access to Key Services The aim of locating new development within 30 minutes of local services is to promote public transport as a chosen means of travel, to promote good accessibility to jobs and services and to reduce the need to travel by private car. The figures are influenced by any changes to public transport times and public transport routes so they offer guidance only The monitoring method reflects the indicators used in the Sustainable Settlements Study. Providing a score for each settlement based on their accessibility to key services 2. Of note, the recommended walking and public transport distances to key services have been agreed by Norfolk County Council (as the local highway authority) as indicated in Figure 8. Figure 8 Acceptable Walking and Public Transport Distances to Key Services Service Walk (on a route with a footpath or public right of way) GP 1 mile 30 min Primary School 1 mile - Major Food Store 1 mile 30 min Secondary School 2 miles 60 min Further Education 2 miles 60 min Employment 2 miles 60 min 5.3 Infrastructure Plan Public Transport (bus journey with sufficient services at appropriate times) New infrastructure should be delivered in a measured and timely way to plan for prosperous and sustainable development. In March 2014 the Council adopted the Infrastructure Plan with the purpose of identifying physical, social and green infrastructure needs and specifying what different infrastructure requirements should be brought forward and when they should be delivered to support the borough s growth ambitions set out in the Local Plan between 2013 and Sustainable Settlement Study (2012, Great Yarmouth Borough Council) 25

29 5.3.2 During a number of projects listed in the Infrastructure Plan have begun to advance, helping to implement the policies of the Core Strategy The dualling of the A47 trunk road remains a key transport priority and a long-term ambition of the A47 Alliance which brings together businesses, local authorities, MPs and stakeholders along the route to campaign for improvements. The dualling principal is fully supportive through the Local Plan Core Strategy, as is improvements to the Vauxhall Roundabout where the A47 links to the A12 but suffers from chronic peak time congestion. Recently funding for significant improvements to the Vauxhall Roundabout ( m) was secured in the 2014 Autumn Statement and a dedicated right turn out of the rail station/asda junction ( 350k) has secured Highways England funding The Council has also been working in partnership with Norfolk County Council, capitalising on 2m from the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (NALEP) Local Growth Fund to improve the arrival experience and pedestrian connection between Great Yarmouth railway station and the market place. This project helps to fulfil the objectives of Core Strategy Policies CS16 and CS17 and is a key component of the emerging Great Yarmouth Town Centre Masterplan (see paragraph 3.5.6) In December 2015 the A12/A143 link road was opened to the public providing enhanced access to the existing Enterprise Zone at Beacon Park and fully unlocked the proposed Key Site at the land south of Bradwell, helping to fulfil the objectives of Core Strategy Policies CS16 and CS18. 26

30 6.0 Design and Environmental Quality 6.1 Introduction This section monitors indicators relating to design and environmental quality. Great Yarmouth and the surrounding area is characterised by a number of historic buildings that significantly add to the quality of the built environment. Meanwhile, the town and surrounding area contain a number of protected and designated natural landscapes, which add environmental value to the Borough. Figure 9 Design and Environmental Quality Indicators Indicator Output Trend CS9 Number of preapplication discussions undertaken by the development control team CS9 Number of applications successfully refused on design grounds (citing Policy CS9) CS9 Number of recorded crimes per 1,000 people (Source: Norfolk Constabulary) CS10 Number of listed building at risk Information not currently available Information not currently available Information not currently available Information not currently available 74 per 1,000 people Stable at 74 per 1,000 people 2.8% (12 listed buildings & structures) Stable at 2.8% CS10 Document progression Conservation Area Appraisals CS11 Percentage of approved applications achieving no net loss CS11 Percentage of all waters (inc. estuaries, coastal waters, groundwater and lakes, as well as rivers) rated bad to high No documents currently under progression. Information not currently available High 0% Good 0% Moderate 50% Poor 42% Bad 8% No documents currently under progression Information not currently available Information not currently available 27

31 CS11 Implementation of the Natura 2000 sites and the monitoring and mitigation strategy. Document is being progressed. No trend available CS11 Percentage of total area of SSSIs in positive management/with a net gain in biodiversity CS11 Number and total area of SSSI sites (Source: Natural England) CS11 Percentage of total area of County Wildlife Sites in favourable/unfavourable condition Source: Norfolk Wildlife Trust (2014/15) CS11 Percentage of new development (excluding domestic applications) in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty CS11 Percentage of total area of County Geodiversity Sites in positive management 74.5 % Favourable condition 25.5% Unfavourable 3 SSSI sites covering hectares. This year there was a decrease from 82% favourable condition 50% New trend Information not currently available Stable at hectares. Information not currently available 0 There are no county Geodiversity sites currently designated in the borough CS11 Number of BAP (Biodiversity action plan) priority habitats and species CS11 Percentage of approved applications achieving a net biodiversity gain CS12 Renewable energy capacity installed in Megawatts Information not currently available Information not currently available 0 megawatts, no new renewable energy projects. Existing megawatts of power. Information not currently available Information not currently available No change 28

32 CS13 Number of inappropriate planning applications approved in areas at risk of coastal change Information not currently available Information not currently available CS13 Percentage of new developments incorporating Sustainable Drainage Systems CS13 Number of planning applications approved subject to sustained objections from the Environment Agency on flood risk grounds and water quality Information not currently available 2 Applications: 06/15/0584/O 06/15/0587/O Information not currently available New Trend. See paragraph CS15 Number of beaches awarded Blue Flag status per year CS15 Number of green spaces awarded Green Flag status per year 0 No trend available 0 No trend available CS18 - Level of 'sustainability' achieved at the Beacon Park Extension Key Site Information not currently available Information not currently available *Some of these indicators are based on policies in the emerging Core Strategy, so data is only available starting from this year. Therefore trend comparisons are not yet possible. 29

33 6.2 Protecting the natural environment Within Great Yarmouth Borough Council s planning area there are 3 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (previously 8 SSSIs were monitored; but 5 of these are located fully within the Broads national park where the Broads Authority is the local planning authority). Two of the sites are in good condition with 100% of the area considered favourable, and therefore meet the Public Service Agreement target of 95% of the area considered favourable. Figure 10 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) 2015/16 SSSI Sites Hall Farm Fen, Hemsby Great Yarmouth, North Denes Winterton- Horsey Dunes (part) %Area Favourable Condition % Area Unfavourable Recovering Condition % Area Unfavourable No Change % Area Unfavourable Declining % Area Destroyed/ Part Destroyed % 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% % 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 67.92% 9.88% 22.20% 0.00% 0.00% 6.3 Protecting the built environment During 2015/16, two applications were approved by the Council s Planning Committee subject to sustained objections from the Environment Agency. Both objections were lodged upon technical guidance regarding finished floor levels rather than against the location of the proposed developments. The applications were approved on 15 December 2015 and included a set of conditions to manage the risk of flooding There are a total of 429 listed buildings and structures and 13 scheduled ancient monuments within the Borough, and one registered park/garden. Of the 429 listed buildings and structures, a total of 12 (2.8%) are at risk. This figure has increased slightly from the previous monitoring period which was 9 listed buildings at risk (2.1%). However the trend is a marked improvement since 2006 when 83 listed buildings (20%) were at risk in the Borough. This is due in part to Great Yarmouth s Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) which has helped to restore and conserve the historic environment around King Street. 30

34 Townscape Heritage Initiative on King Street. Source: Great Yarmouth Borough Council 6.4 Crime Rates This indicator is measured by recording the number of crimes per 1,000 people. Crime rates in this monitoring period have increased and remain higher than the county average. Figure 13 shows that crime rates had largely improved each year since 2006/07, with the exception of 2011/12 and the current monitoring year. To help plan out crime, Core Strategy Policy CS9 seeks to provide well designed buildings and public spaces that are safe, attractive functional places to limit the opportunities for crime. Figure 11 Crimes per 1,000 people 2007/ / / / / / / / / Source: Police.uk 31