The Plan
What is a Development Plan Document?
Development Plan Documents (DPDs) are statutory planning policy documents. They help to guide development within a designated area by setting out the detailed planning policies, which planning officers use to make their decisions on planning applications. Bassetlaw District Council are in the process of producing two separate Development Plan Documents: The Bassetlaw Local Plan and the Worksop Central DPD.
What is the difference between the Worksop Masterplan and the Worksop Central DPD?
The Worksop Masterplan was adopted by the Council on 4th March 2021. This document provides the overarching vision and key themes for the area which were developed
The key difference between the adopted masterplan is that it sets the corporate vision and thematic headlines, whereas the Worksop Central DPD is a more detailed planning policy document which includes a set of detailed policies to guide future development and regeneration within the area.
What is the plan period for the document?
2021 - 2040
Housing
How many houses will be delivered through the Plan?
The Plan will deliver a minimum of 660 new homes over the plan period on various allocated sites throughout the area. The housing will provide a good mix of types and tenures to support local needs and aspirations.
Will there be any affordable housing and if so how much?
The regeneration strategy seeks to improve the access to housing and its quality. This includes the delivery of affordable housing, accessible housing for older people or those with disabilities, live/work accommodation for people with small businesses or those working from home and the renewal of existing housing so that everyone has a decent standard of housing in the area.
Will the housing be sustainable?
The Plan seeks to encourage the use of sustainable materials and renewable energy technology on new and through the retrofitting of existing buildings and spaces.
What type of land will be used for the different site allocations?
All land used for development and regeneration will be brownfield. Some of this is currently vacant, but some have existing buildings. The regeneration will include a good mix of uses such as residential, commercial, educational, recreational and cultural.
Employment and Skills
Will the scheme generate new employment for local people?
The regeneration seeks to improve the area for people to live, work and visit. This includes supporting existing businesses and encouraging new businesses to open.
How will the plan help provide new skills and training for local people?
The training of local people is important to improve local skills and educational attainment. Worksop Central is close to North Nottinghamshire College, Bassetlaw Hospital and includes a new medical education campus at the WASH on Bridge Place. This, along with other initiatives will help to diversify local skills and provide improve access to local jobs.
Infrastructure and design
Can the existing infrastructure cope with this proposed development?
The regeneration strategy looks at all issues, including infrastructure. Along with new development, the Plan is proposing a set of proposals to improve the road layout, public transport services and walking and cycling connections.
How will design help to tackle issues such as anti-social behaviour?
The plan to improve the public realm (such as lighting, street furniture and signage), green spaces and connections in-between will help create a safe and attractive environment which will encourage more people to use the area and limit the number of unsafe spaces.
Transport infrastructure – will the existing road networks be able to cope with the addition of the proposed developments?
The proposed development will contribute towards some improvements to the road network, but the biggest projects will come via the regeneration strategy. The Plan proposes to reconfigure elements of the existing road network to improve the flow of traffic and make areas more people and cycle friendly. By achieving this, the area should become less car dominated and therefore improving local air quality and the environment.
Will the delivery of the Plan help improve accessibility to public transport?
The reconfigured road network will include more bus stops and open-up new routes and services. The less car dominated spaces will help people to access the area more easily and safely to access key public transport infrastructure such as the Bus Station and Railway Station.
Will the Plan support current and create new cycling networks in and around the Central Area?
The Plan seeks to enhance the walking and cycling infrastructure by focusing on improving the north-south and east-west connections across the area. In addition, a safer and more attractive environment will help encourage more people to walk or cycle rather than use their car or travel elsewhere to access services and facilities.
How does the Plan address the issues and risks associated with flooding in the Central Area?
It is important that the delivery of the regeneration supports improvements to the wider flood management of the area. It is important that the regeneration of Worksop Central does not increase the risk of flooding. To ensure this doesn’t happen, the Council is working closely with relevant flood authorities to reduce the risk and impact of flooding in the area. This includes safeguarding land for flood management and phasing the delivery of allocated sites so that they complement any future flood management infrastructure.
Will protected structures such as Listed Buildings be protected?
Buildings that have been designated for their heritage value are protected by national and local legislation. The Plan seeks to enhance the historic environment by improving historic buildings such as shopfronts and spaces such as cultural signage or opening up heritage sites such as The Castle so that people are reconnected with the area's heritage.
What are the 7 Neighbourhoods?
The seven neighbourhoods are shown on the map:
Each have been designated due to their role in the regeneration strategy, their local features and character. The aim is that they’ll help to distinguish different parts of the area and help to create a sense of place.
Will the green spaces be improved?
A key part of the regeneration strategy is to enhance the quality, usability and accessibility of the existing green spaces. This includes building better and safer connections between spaces, enabling spaces to become multifunctional and improving those spaces that are currently underused.
Last Updated on Thursday, February 22, 2024