Compliance Statement
Contents
- Introduction
- Strategic Context
- Legal Requirement
- Record of Meetings and Statement of Common Ground
- Key Strategic Issues
- Evidence Produced Through Joint Working
- Appendices
Introduction
The draft Bassetlaw Local Plan sets out the overarching spatial planning framework for the future growth and development of the District to 2037. It will play a leading role in delivering sustainable development in appropriate locations and in helping to protect the countryside, important green spaces and the built and natural environment from inappropriate development, thus enhancing the quality of life for people and communities in the district. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) indicates that local plan strategic policies can be produced jointly, working with neighbouring planning areas, or individually. Whilst Bassetlaw District Council has produced an individual plan which only covers Bassetlaw District, some strategic policies may impact on neighbouring local planning authority areas.
The NPPF indicates that local planning authorities and county councils in two-tier areas are under a duty to cooperate with each other, and with other prescribed bodies, on strategic matters that cross administrative boundaries. Strategic policy-making authorities should collaborate to identify the relevant strategic matters which they need to address in their plans. They should also engage with their local communities and relevant bodies including Local Enterprise Partnerships, Local Nature Partnerships, the Marine Management Organisation, county councils, infrastructure providers, elected Mayors and combined authorities (in cases where Mayors or combined authorities do not have plan-making powers).
Effective and ongoing joint working between strategic policy-making authorities and relevant bodies is integral to the production of a positively prepared and justified strategy. In particular, joint working should help to determine where additional infrastructure is necessary, and whether development needs that cannot be met wholly within a particular plan area could be met elsewhere.
In order to demonstrate effective and ongoing joint working, strategic policymaking authorities should prepare and maintain one or more statements of common ground, documenting the cross-boundary matters being addressed and progress in cooperating to address these. These should be produced using the approach set out in national planning guidance, and be made publicly available throughout the plan-making process to provide transparency.
This Statement of Compliance identifies the key strategic planning matters of the Bassetlaw Local Plan and demonstrates how Bassetlaw District Council has worked with neighbouring authorities and other prescribed bodies to ensure strategic planning matters have been satisfactorily addressed.
Strategic Context
Bassetlaw District forms a vital part of the wider Nottinghamshire and Sheffield City Region economies, and has a successful history of working in partnership to create the best conditions for economic growth in the District. The D2N2 LEP covers Bassetlaw and the Local Authority areas for Derby and Nottingham as well as those that sit within Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Bassetlaw District adjoins Nottinghamshire authorities Newark and Sherwood District, and Mansfield District to the south and west of the district.
Bassetlaw district forms part of a housing market area (HMA) with Bolsover District, North East Derbyshire District, and Chesterfield Borough Council areas. This is known as the Bassetlaw and North Derbyshire HMA. Each local authority has opted to produce a Local Plan independently rather than jointly. Strategic matters have been addressed collaboratively and a Statement of Common Ground identifies areas of agreement between the HMA authorities. This Statement of Common Ground is currently under review due to the emerging Bassetlaw Local Plan.
The Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority includes the eight Local Authority areas of Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, Barnsley, Bassetlaw, Bolsover, Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire. As a result, the District sees a substantial level of out-commuting to work by residents, although there is a significant amount of in-commuting of people from neighbouring authorities to work in the District. Bassetlaw does not sit within a stand-alone Functional Economic Market Area, nor does anyone centre clearly identify a strong single centre of influence over Bassetlaw. Nevertheless, a statement of common ground has been signed by all of the City Region authorities to address strategic matters and areas of agreement.
To the east of Bassetlaw, across the River Trent, the district shares a substantial boundary with West Lindsey in Lincolnshire. To the north, Bassetlaw shares a relatively short border with North Lincolnshire District. A Statement of Common Ground is in place with North Lincolnshire. This is being updated to reflect the emerging Local Plan.
Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between Bassetlaw District Council and the neighbouring authorities:
Legal Compliance
The duty to cooperate was introduced by the Localism Act 2011, and is set out in section 33A of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. It places a legal duty on local planning authorities and county councils in England, and prescribed public bodies to engage constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis to maximise the effectiveness of local plan and marine plan preparation in the context of strategic cross boundary matters.
The Duty to cooperate is a legal requirement for the Council to cooperate with other local planning authorities and other public bodies in preparing and developing development plan documents and other local development documents so far as it relates to a strategic matter 1. Section 33A(4)of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (PCPA 2004) indicates that Local Planning Authorities have a duty to cooperate with prescribed bodies identified in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) or subsection (9) of the PCPA 2004. This approach is also a requirement of national planning policy. Paragraph 35 of the National Planning Policy Framework seeks to ensure that the Local Plan is deliverable over the plan period, and based on effective joint working on strategic matters that have been dealt with rather than deferred, as evidenced by the statement of common ground.
In this regard, the Council and others are required to engage constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis. The national planning policy framework (NPPF) states that "strategic policy-making authorities should collaborate to identify the relevant strategic matters which they need to address in their plans." 2
A strategic matter is defined as "sustainable development or use of land that has or would have a significant impact on at least two planning areas, including (in particular) sustainable development or use of land for or in connection with infrastructure that is strategic and has or would have a significant impact on at least two planning areas". 3
The NPPF strengthens the concept of the Duty to cooperate by requiring Local Planning Authorities to produce and publish one or more Statements of Common Ground (SoCG). These documents should be kept up to date by authorities and prescribed bodies and neighbouring authorities to document cross boundary matters and the progress made on them (paragraph 27). This is detailed further in the government’s Planning Practice Guidance (PPG).
The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Amendment Regulations 2012 sets out a list of prescribed bodies; it applies to all Local Planning Authorities, County Councils and a number of public bodies.
Bassetlaw DC has the Duty to cooperate with the following neighbouring authorities and public bodies:
- Nottinghamshire County Council
- West Lindsey Council (Joint Central Lincolnshire Planning Authority)- Combined Authority for Lincoln
- Newark and Sherwood District Council
- Mansfield District Council
- Bolsover District Council
- Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
- Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council
- Environment Agency
- Highways England
- Natural England
- Historic England
- Highways England
- Network Rail
- Bassetlaw Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
- Integrated Transport Authorities
- Environment Partnerships (incl. Canal and River Trust and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust)
- Utilities – Water Companies (Severn Trent and Anglian Water) and Western Power Distribution
In addition, as described in the Regulations are bodies that should ‘have regard to’ includes the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) and Local Nature Partnerships. In relation to Bassetlaw DC this includes:
- D2N2 – Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Local Enterprise Partnership
- Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority (Sheffield City Region MCA) and the LEP - Combined Authority for South Yorkshire
- Lowland Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Local Nature Partnership
- National Trust – relating to Clumber Park
- Emergency Services (Fire, Police and Ambulance)
Record of Meetings and Statement of Common Ground
Bassetlaw District Council regularly attend multi-agency and authority group meetings to discuss strategic issues and cross border matters. A full list of meetings is included in Table 2 in the Appendices.
Table 2 in the Appendices is a summary of all the key meetings and discussions with key stakeholders during the preparation of the emerging Local Plan, carried out up to the start of the consultation period on the 9 June 2021. These discussions related to the Local Plan timetable, regular updates and specific meetings relating to strategic policy matters and cross border issues as well as strategic policy matters relating to the preparation of the Worksop Central DPD. More recently there have been discussions and meetings relating to the preparation of specific draft Statements of Common Ground agreements with organisations.
Statements of Common Ground (SOCG) set out areas of agreement with key bodies and organisations in relation to the Local Plan, the wording of policies and site allocations. These provide a good indication of the ongoing contact and agreements made with Duty to cooperate bodies during the Local Plan process and outlines any outstanding disagreements on key strategic issues or matters, or where discussions and work may be ongoing.
Some SOCG are already in place in response to neighbouring authorities’ Local Plans or strategy preparation and include:
- North Derbyshire and Bassetlaw Housing Market Area (HMA); Bassetlaw DC, Bolsover DC, NE Derbyshire DC, Chesterfield DC, May 2018 on the Housing Market Area;
- Draft North Lincolnshire District Council Statement of Common Ground, August 2020
- Sheffield City Region Combined Mayoral Authority, Statement of Common Ground, January 2019; authorities within Sheffield City Region
- Sheffield City Region, NE Derbyshire DC, Bolsover DC, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council and Highways England (October 2018) covering M1 J30 and Treble Bob Roundabout
- Mansfield DC and Bassetlaw DC Statement of Common Ground, January 2020
- Doncaster MBC Local Plan and Bassetlaw DC Statement of Common Ground, February 2020
- Nottinghamshire County Council Minerals and Waste and Bassetlaw DC Statement of Common Ground, January 2020
Bassetlaw District Council’s draft Statements of Common Ground have been prepared with the above statements in mind; either referring to them or updating them to avoid duplication. They are live documents which are to be kept up to date during the Plan preparation period and will be signed prior to the plan’s submission for examination.
In addition to the list of meetings in Appendix, there has been communication of an informal nature during the plan period between the Council and neighbouring District Councils, County Councils and bodies in relation to the overall Local Plan, site-specific issues or specific policies. These communications have taken place through telephone calls, emails and more recently online meetings due to COVID-19 restrictions between March 2020 and June 2021.
Working closely with prescribed bodies, the Council has drafted several Statements of Common Ground. The draft Statements of Common Ground currently in progress include:
- Bassetlaw District Council and Mansfield District Council SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council and Newark and Sherwood District Council SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council and D2N2 LEP SOCG
- Bassetlaw District and North Derbyshire Housing Market Area SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council and Sheffield City Region Mayoral Combined Authority SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council and Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council and Highways England SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council, Natural England and Notts Wildlife Trust SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council and Historic England SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council, Environment Agency, Nottinghamshire Lead Local Flood Authority, the Water Management Consortium covering Bassetlaw District, and the Canal and Rivers Trust SOCG
- Bassetlaw District Council and Network Rail
- Bassetlaw District Council, North Lincolnshire District Council, Central Lincolnshire Planning Authorities, and Lincolnshire County Council
These Statements of Common Ground will be finalised and published prior to the submission of Bassetlaw Local Plan for examination to the Secretary of State.
Key Strategic Issues
This document sets out the Strategic matters likely to apply to the Local Plan and sets out how these matters have been discussed over the plan preparation period through Partnership meetings and form the subject of the Statements of Common Ground for key bodies. The table below sets out the key strategic matters. The next section sets out the ongoing work undertaken with partners (set out in a table 1) to appropriately address any issues identified. It also highlights areas of agreement, or matters which require further work.
Key strategic priorities of Bassetlaw Local Plan:
- Identifying Bassetlaw’s Housing Requirement;
- Fully meeting the housing requirement within Bassetlaw District by 2037
- Identifying Bassetlaw’s economic development needs and fully meeting this within Bassetlaw District by 2037
- Delivering Apleyhead Strategic Employment site allocation
- Infrastructure delivery – including health, education, transport, highways, flood alleviation, and utilities
- Regeneration of Worksop Central Area
- Promoting Vitality and Viability in all Town Centres
- Identifying the accommodation Needs of Gypsy, Travellers and Show people and fully meeting this within the District by 2037
- Protection and enhancement of the natural and historic environment
- Mitigation and adaptation to Climate Change
- The commencement of development at Bassetlaw Garden Village by 2037.
Housing need in Bassetlaw
Bassetlaw DC sits within the North Derbyshire and Bassetlaw HMA. North Derbyshire HMA Authorities consist of North East Derbyshire District Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, and Bolsover District Council, all of which are non-constituent members of Sheffield City Region MCA.
The draft Bassetlaw Local Plan sets out a requirement for 589 homes per annum over the Plan period, up to 2037 (10,013 dwellings from 2020 to 2037) and this will be fully met within Bassetlaw district. This is based on the results of the Bassetlaw Housing and Economic Needs Assessment undertaken by G L Hearn (November 2020) and takes into account housing delivery trends from the past five years in Bassetlaw. This approach accords with the National Planning Policy Framework and Housing and Economic Assessments Planning Practice Guidance. 4
Bassetlaw District Council has not agreed to accommodate any neighbouring authorities’ housing development needs. All neighbouring Local Planning Authorities are proposing to fully meet their assessed needs.
Economic Development and Apleyhead Strategic Employment Allocation
The Bassetlaw Local Plan is proposing to meet the district’s general employment needs (168.6ha) in full by 2037 with an appropriate level of flexibility built in. This is based on the results of the Bassetlaw Housing and Economic Needs Assessment undertaken by G L Hearn (November 2020). Discussions and consultation on the Local Plan with neighbouring authorities and Sheffield City Region MCA/LEP, and the D2N2 LEP have not raised any concern relating to general employment needs, delivery of potential allocations and their associated infrastructure.
In addition to the general need, the draft Bassetlaw Local Plan proposes to allocate 118.7 hectares of land at Apleyhead on the A1/A57 junction, to the east of Worksop. The proposed employment uses are Class E(g), B2, and B8. Bassetlaw DC and the D2N2 LEP consider the site will support the delivery of D2N2 LEP’s Growth and Recovery Strategy including the development of growth sectors, such as digital adoption for logistics. The length of the A1 and A57 within Bassetlaw district is increasingly seen by the market as an important location for the development of the warehousing/distribution and logistics sector.
The draft Bassetlaw Local Plan proposes to allocate Apleyhead Junction for strategic employment use to meet significant indigenous growth and/or national and regional investment to meet exceptional, unanticipated strategic needs by 2037. This is based on the results of the Bassetlaw Housing and Economic Needs Assessment undertaken by G L Hearn (November 2020). The Bassetlaw Local Plan proposes to meet the housing requirement generated by the additional jobs identified for Apleyhead (up to 5358 jobs) in the District by 2037.
In May 2020, Bassetlaw DC along with the other constituent and non-constituent members of the Sheffield City Region MCA agreed the Sheffield City Region Strategic Employment Land Appraisal. This recognised the need for the SCR authorities to collaborate on strategic B Class needs including the potential for further land supply in Bassetlaw where strategic B8 needs could be met, and where the authority can make the most of their strategic road connectivity whilst reducing the pressure for B8 in other parts of the city region where other employment uses may be attracted.
In their response to the November 2020 Regulation 18 Bassetlaw Local Plan consultation, Sheffield City Region MCA and the South Yorkshire authorities considered further work would be required to justify the need for a strategic employment site in Bassetlaw with the mix of uses proposed to ensure the impact on the economic strategies of neighbouring authorities and the Sheffield City Region MCA/LEP is appropriately considered.
At meetings of the Sheffield City Region MCA Heads of Planning and also the Sheffield City Region MCA Planning Policy Managers in February 2021, Bassetlaw DC proposed to undertake a Logistics Study of the length of the A1 corridor in Bassetlaw District, including a well-defined impact area of the A1, including within the Doncaster boundary and Newark & Sherwood. This aligns with the findings of the Sheffield City Region SELA 2020. In April 2021 Bassetlaw DC liaised and agreed with Sheffield City Region MCA and the S Yorkshire authorities the brief for the Logistics Study prior to commissioning. Upon completion of the draft report, the Council will also share the draft findings of the Logistics Study with the Sheffield City region MCA/LEP and S Yorkshire authorities and will facilitate meetings to discuss key findings.
Bassetlaw DC has agreed to continue to ensure that the proposed Apleyhead Strategic Employment site allocation provides significant economic benefits to the Sheffield City Region MCA/LEP and the D2N2 LEP and does not adversely impact the delivery of their economic strategies.
The Bassetlaw Local Plan and the Infrastructure Delivery Plan set out the infrastructure needed to deliver the proposed employment allocations. Bassetlaw DC will continue to liaise with Sheffield City Region MCA/LEP, neighbouring authorities and infrastructure partners in relation to infrastructure, particularly highways infrastructure relating to new development proposed through the draft Bassetlaw Local Plan.
High Marnham and Cottam former power station sites
Former Cottam Power Station is located on Bassetlaw district’s boundary with West Lindsey district in Lincolnshire, adjacent to the River Trent. High Marnham is also relatively close within approximately 3 miles of Bassetlaw’s boundary with West Lindsey District and Newark and Sherwood District. Marnham is identified as making provision for the Bassetlaw Green Energy Hub which will deliver new employment, and Cottam as a broad location identified as a Priority Regeneration Area.
Without appropriate mitigation, proposals for High Marnham, and Cottam Power Station sites have the potential to have an adverse impact on heritage setting, highways and flood risk in West Lindsey, Lincolnshire. It could also potentially have an impact on highways in Newark and Sherwood due to the sites' proximity to the district boundary. Bassetlaw District Council has undertaken a Transport Assessment, Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (Level 1 and 2) and heritage assessment which inform Local Plan policies. The Bassetlaw Infrastructure Delivery Plan also identifies necessary infrastructure to support development. Bassetlaw District Council’s Conservation team has assessed both sites and have confirmed that they consider appropriate mitigation can be achieved. The draft Bassetlaw Local Plan will ensure the necessary site specific assessments are undertaken and this will inform planning decisions through the planning application process. Nottinghamshire County Council Highways team has also indicated that they consider the Transport Assessment has appropriately assessed impact on the highway network. The Transport Assessment does not identify any strategic matters which need to be addressed between Bassetlaw and West Lindsey or Bassetlaw and Newark and Sherwood.
Bassetlaw Garden Village
Located strategically at east of the A1/A57 junction on a strategic growth corridor, the Bassetlaw Garden Village contributes to achieving the wider aspirations of the D2N2 Growth and Recovery Strategy and Bassetlaw’s emerging Local Industrial Strategy, increasing the productivity of the local economy and increasing the number of better paid jobs. The Garden Village provides a genuinely long-term sustainable growth plan for Bassetlaw, beyond the lifetime of the Local Plan. A minimum of 500 dwellings will be provided by 2037 providing greater resilience in housing delivery through increased choice and competition whilst contributing to significant infrastructure.
The Council is working closely with statutory partners to identify and understand the issues and opportunities of a Garden Village in this location. A governance structure is in place: at a strategic level the Bassetlaw Garden Village Consultative Group consists of all key statutory agencies, partner organisations and the landowners. The Bassetlaw Garden Village Project Group provides the detailed technical outcomes to deliver the ambitions of the Consultative Group. Decisions made by the Consultative Group will go to BDC Cabinet for approval. A Parish Council Group comprising directly affected Parishes provides local information and scrutiny.
The Consultative Group identified the following key strategic planning constraints that would need addressing:
- Highway improvements (evidence/advice provided by Highways England and Notts County Council);
- Nature conservation (evidence/advice provided by Natural England, National Trust and Notts Wildlife Trust)
- Utilities (evidence/advice provided by Severn Trent, Anglian Water, Western Power, National Grid, Open reach)
- Flooding/drainage (evidence/advice provided by Environment Agency, Severn Trent, Anglian Water and Notts County Council Lead Local Flood Authority)
- Sport and recreation provision (evidence/advice provided by Sport England and BDC)
- Health and Education provision (evidence/advice provided by NHS Bassetlaw, Notts CC Health and Wellbeing and Notts CC Education Authority)
- Sustainable and Public Transport (evidence/advice provided by Notts County Council, Stagecoach, Sustrans, Northern Rail and Network Rail)
- Heritage (evidence/advice provided by Heritage England, Lincs CC – Archaeology, NCC Historic Environment Record, and BDC)
This work is ongoing. It has informed the policies in the Local Plan and a draft Vision Statement for the Bassetlaw Garden Village which has undergone a stakeholder and public consultation in January 2020 and is expected to be adopted by BDC in September 2021. Together this evidence and ongoing work will inform the masterplan framework for the site and future planning applications.
Worksop Central DPD
The Local Plan identifies the Worksop Town Centre and the surrounding area as a Priority Regeneration Area. Delivery of the regeneration and growth strategy for the area was set out in the Worksop Town Centre Masterplan vision, adopted by the Council in March 2021. This involved partnership working with a number of statutory partners. The Council has continued to work closely with these partners and a number of others to produce the Worksop Central Development Plan Document. Key priorities and issues affecting the area include:
- addressing flood risk - parts of the Town Centre and outlying areas are located within the highest flood risk areas (Floodzones 2, 3a and 3b): evidence/advice provided by Environment Agency, Notts CC Lead Local Flood Authority, Severn Trent, Anglian Water;
- conserving and enhancing heritage assets – Worksop Conservation Area and a number of Listed Buildings, a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and archaeology: evidence/advice provided by Notts CC Historic Environment Record, Historic England, Lincs CC – Archaeology and BDC.
- protecting and enhancing biodiversity, and green and blue infrastructure – the River Ryton, Chesterfield Canal LWS, Sandhill Lake LWS, The Canch and Castle Hill: evidence/advice provided by Natural England, Notts Wildlife Trust, Canal and River Trust, Chesterfield Canal Trust, Environment Agency, Anglian Water, Severn Trent, BDC.
- supporting and enhancing the local economy by diversifying the economic offer to provide better paid, higher skilled jobs and provide opportunities for local businesses to start and grow: guidance/advice provided by D2N2 LEP, East Midlands Chamber of Commerce, Notts CC Economic Development and BDC.
- supporting the delivery of the Worksop Central housing requirement in the Local Plan for 660 units: guidance/advice provided by Homes England, Western Power, Open reach, Nottinghamshire Police, NCC Adult Care
- delivering transport improvements that will ease traffic movement and promote walking and cycling and public transport use: guidance/advice provided by Notts CC Highways Authority, Highways England, Sustrans, Stagecoach, Network Rail and Northern Rail.
- Flood management measures via the delivery of the River Ryton Flood Alleviation Scheme, including the safeguarding of land outside the DPD area: guidance/advice provided by the Environment Agency and Nottinghamshire County Council Lead Local Flood Authority. Further discussions will be had with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council about potential cross boundary issues.
Infrastructure Delivery
Bassetlaw District Council has worked with Nottinghamshire County Council (the Local Highway Authority) and Highways England in gathering evidence to assess the impacts of growth in Bassetlaw. The Bassetlaw Transport Study has identified impacts on links and junctions that would be above their operating capacity in 2037 with proposed new development on site allocations identified in Bassetlaw Local Plan. Mitigation measures have been identified that seek to minimise impacts of growth to a level that would have been expected as a result of background growth without development (2037 reference case). Bassetlaw District Council will continue to work with Nottinghamshire County Council and Highways England on highway matters associated with the Local Plan development proposals to ensure any associated impact is appropriately mitigated.
Nottinghamshire County Council has a statutory responsibility to ensure there is sufficient provision for school places to meet the needs of Nottinghamshire. This responsibility includes managing the supply and demand of primary and secondary school places. The Department of Education allocates capital funding to enable local authorities to provide sufficient school places. Bassetlaw District Council has worked with Nottinghamshire County Council Education to identify education requirements associated with proposed development. No insurmountable school capacity issues have been identified as a result of the proposed levels of growth in the Local Plan. However, NCC identify that land should be safeguarded at three strategic sites to ensure provision can be delivered in the long term to meet the needs of sites which may deliver over two plan periods. These include Peaks Hill Farm, Worksop; Ordsall South, Retford and the Bassetlaw Garden Village. As part of the process of reviewing the Local Plan, an assessment will be undertaken within five years of adoption to determine the effectiveness of the Local Plan policies and whether a review is required, in accordance with the NPPF. Part of this review will include infrastructure delivery including education.
Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs in Bassetlaw
The requirement for Gypsy & Traveller accommodation in Bassetlaw District between 2020 and 2037 is for 40 permanent pitches. The Bassetlaw Local Plan identifies land for 29 pitches through the extension of four existing authorised gypsy sites to meet identified needs for the first ten years of the Plan (to 2030). After year 10 provision will be met through the provisions of the windfall policy in the Local Plan. BDC has not requested assistance from Nottinghamshire County Council or its HMA partners to help meet the unmet need.
Bassetlaw District Council has agreed an Emergency Stopping Protocol for managing unauthorised Gypsy or Traveller encampments. Bassetlaw District Council will continue to work with Nottinghamshire County Council and other partners, including Nottinghamshire Police and neighbouring authorities, to agree an appropriate, but temporary stopping location for the Gypsy and Traveller community within the District.
Protection and enhancement of the natural environment
In January 2020, at Regulation 18 stage of the Local Plan preparation, Natural England expressed concern about the potential impacts of Bassetlaw Garden Village on Clumber Park Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Concerns were expressed about the provision of 4,000 homes within 950m of the Clumber Park SSSI boundary and the potential recreational impact additional residents could generate on the protected characteristics of the SSSI.
Natural England also identified concerns about potential impact from development on Birklands and Bilhaugh SAC in Newark and Sherwood District. The Bassetlaw Habitats Regulation Assessment considered impacts on SAC designations within a 15 km area. Birklands and Bilhaugh is just outside that distance and was therefore screened out of the January 2020 HRA. Natural England requested robust evidence to show that the proposal will not damage or destroy the interest features of the SAC.
Bassetlaw DC have commissioned a Recreational Impact Assessment (RIA) on the Clumber Park SSSI and Sherwood Forest NNR, and include Birklands and Bilhaugh SAC, in partnership with Newark & Sherwood Council to determine the individual and cumulative impacts from development within the District and Newark & Sherwood as well as the other authorities within a 15km zone of either protected site. A partnership group consisting of the commissioning authorities, Natural England and the impacted authorities of Bolsover District Council, Mansfield District Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Ashfield District Council and Gedling Borough Council, as well as the National Trust and the RSPB (landowners of the respective affected sites) will deliver the project. All were consulted on the brief for the RIA and meet and agree each subsequent stage, including the mitigation measures that evolve from the findings of the report.
The baseline report has been prepared, and survey work is now underway following an unavoidable delay as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Natural England have provided advice and guidance throughout the delay to ensure that a robust strategy can be put in place to address potential recreational impacts linked to the Garden Village, and that these are appropriate to the stage of the Local Plan. The relevant policy wording relating in the November 2020 draft Bassetlaw Local Plan has the support of Natural England.
The updated Bassetlaw November 2020 HRA concludes that the screening assessment identified potential effects as a result of increased recreational pressure at Birklands and Bilhaugh SAC, particularly in proximity to the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre. The Appropriate Assessment concluded that, given the protections now provided by Bassetlaw Local Plan Policy ST42 – Biodiversity and Geodiversity and the ongoing Recreational Impact Assessment work, adverse effects on integrity of the SAC should be able to be ruled out at the Regulation 19 stage, both as a result of the plan alone and in-combination with other plans and programmes. As such, no adverse effects on integrity of any European site would occur as a result of the development of Bassetlaw Local Plan site allocations.
In response to the November 2020 public consultation on the Bassetlaw Local Plan (Regulation 18), Natural England welcomed the positive approach taken to the Garden Village.
Protection and enhancement of the historic environment
At the January 2021 Regulation 18 Bassetlaw Local Plan Consultation, Historic England raised concern regarding the consideration of heritage assets during the Plan making process. The information set out in the Council’s Land Availability Assessment and Local Plan Sustainability Appraisal contained an assessment of the impact upon heritage assets but, Historic England indicated that the nature of potential impact on the historic environment lacked clarity and it was unclear the measures to be put in place to ensure that harm is minimised.
To ensure it is clear that the impact on the significance of designated heritage assets has been appropriately considered Historic England recommended that further assessment work be undertaken in the SA, and/or within a Heritage Paper as part of the evidence for the Local Plan to ensure that it meets the requirements of the NPPF.
The Council has had several discussions with Historic England to agree the approach to the assessment of heritage assets within the background paper. The Council has produced a draft Heritage Assessment and is in discussion with Historic England to seek agreement and finalise its content. It will be published alongside the next version of the Local Plan.
Evidence Produced Through Joint Working
The Council has worked collaboratively with organisations and neighbouring authorities to produce a number of pieces of evidence to support the Local Plan on a range of strategic matters; these are ongoing and some are still be updated as set out in Table 1.
|
Strategic Matter/ Cross Border Issue |
Joint Work |
Organisations |
SOCG Status |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Strategic Housing Needs
|
North Derbyshire and Bassetlaw Strategic Housing Market Assessment, 2017
Nottinghamshire Supported Housing Strategy, Nottinghamshire County Council, 2019
|
North Derbyshire and Bassetlaw Strategic Housing Market Area
|
HMA SOCG agreed and signed
Draft HMA SOCG Review in progress |
|
Strategic Economic Growth Needs
|
D2N2: Recovery and Growth Strategy (2020)
Sheffield City Region Trade and Investment Plan, Sheffield City Region 2019
Sheffield City Region Strategic Employment Land Appraisal, Lichfields, 2020
Nottinghamshire Visitor Economy Strategy, Nottinghamshire CC, 2019
|
Bassetlaw DC, D2N2 and all authorities of Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
Sheffield City Region MCA
All Local Authorities within Nottinghamshire County |
Draft SOCG with D2N2 in progress
SOCG agreed and signed with MCA
Draft SOCG with Sheffield City Region MCA in progress
SOCG agreed and signed with Doncaster MBC
Draft SOCG with Doncaster MBC in progress
Draft SOCG with Rotherham MBC in progress |
|
Transport and Infrastructure - Strategic road network - Local road network - sustainable transport
|
Joint Transport Study: local highway network 2019
BDC Rail Feasibility Technical Note, 2019
Bassetlaw Transport Study, 2019, 2020, 2021 |
Doncaster MBC and Bassetlaw DC
Nottinghamshire County Council
Network Rail |
Draft SOCG with Nottinghamshire County Council in progress.
SOCG agreed and signed with Doncaster MBC
Draft SOCG with Doncaster MBC in progress
Draft SOCG with Highways England in progress
Draft SOCG with Network Rail in progress |
|
Education Requirements
|
Several meetings with NCC Education and NCC (developer contributions) during 2020 on school provision
Meeting with NCC planning policy in 2021 on education provision |
Nottinghamshire County Council
|
Draft SOCG with Nottinghamshire County Council in progress |
|
Flood Risk
|
Bassetlaw Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Level 1 and Level 2
Humber River Basin Management Plan, DEFRA 2015
Several meetings with EA, Canal & River Trust in 2020/21 about flood management and use of the canal |
Environment Agency
Nottinghamshire County Council Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA)
Canal & River Trust |
Draft SOCG with EA, LLFA, WMC and DEDB, Canal and River Trust in progress
Draft SOCG with Rotherham MBC in progress |
|
Town Centre Regeneration
|
Draft Worksop Central DPD
Worksop Town Centre Masterplan |
Environment Agency
Canal & River Trust
Chesterfield Canal Trust
NCC Highways
Stagecoach
Northern Rail
Homes England |
Draft SOCG with EA, Canal & River Trust and Nottinghamshire County Council in progress
|
|
Bassetlaw Garden Village
|
Bassetlaw Garden Village Vision Statement |
Bassetlaw Garden Village Consultative Group and Project Group (range of organisations)
|
Neighbouring authorities, Natural England, and Historic England SOCGs in progress |
|
Site Allocations
|
Various discussions with neighbouring authorities/ organisations
|
All neighbouring authorities, Environment Agency, Nottinghamshire County Council, Natural England, Historic England, Network Rail, Highways England |
Various SOCG in progress (see paragraph 3.7) |
|
Natural Environment - Green and blue infrastructure
- Biodiversity
|
Draft Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Opportunity Mapping- Bassetlaw, Idle Valley
Recreational Impact Assessment for Clumber Park SSSI, Bilhaugh and Birklands SAC and Sherwood Forest NNR (ongoing) |
Notts Wildlife Trust, NCC
Bassetlaw DC, Newark and Sherwood DC, Natural England, Notts CC, Bolsover District Council, Mansfield District Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Ashfield District Council and Gedling Borough Council |
Natural England and Notts Wildlife Trust SOCG in progress.
Newark and Sherwood SOCG in progress
Rotherham SOCG in progress
Mansfield SOCG in progress
HMA SOCGs in progress |
|
Gypsy, Travellers and Show people |
Meeting held to discuss Bassetlaw GTAA with neighbouring authorities in October 2019
Discussions ongoing with NCC
|
Bassetlaw DC and neighbouring authorities
|
Neighbouring Local Authority and HMA SOCGs in progress |
|
Historic Environment |
Bassetlaw Heritage Assessment 2021 |
Bassetlaw District Council, Historic England, Lincolnshire County Council Archaeology |
Bassetlaw and Historic England SOCG in progress |
Appendix
|
Authority/ organisation |
Reason(s) for DTC |
Date of meeting(s) |
|---|---|---|
|
Bolsover District Council |
|
12/05/2016 09/12/2016 30/01/2017 20/8/2019 22/1/2020 22/4/2020 21/10/2020 7/4/2021 Ongoing |
|
Chesterfield Borough Council |
|
12/05/2016 09/12/2016 30/01/2017 20/8/2019 22/1/2020 22/4/2020 7/4/2021 Ongoing
|
|
North East Derbyshire Council |
|
12/05/2016 09/12/2016 30/01/2017 20/8/2019 22/1/2020 22/4/2020 7/4/2021 Ongoing
|
|
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council |
|
21/12/2015 23/08/2016 31/03/2017 11/9/2019 20/9/2019 Ongoing
|
|
Mansfield District Council |
|
29/04/2016 07/04/2017 3/10/2019 28/11/2019 Ongoing
|
|
North Lincolnshire District Council |
|
16/12/2016 22/8/2019 Ongoing |
|
West Lindsey District Council (Central Lincolnshire Joint Planning Authority) |
|
21/11/2016 10/1/2020 Ongoing |
|
Newark and Sherwood District Council |
|
11/05/2016 04/08/2017 03/02/2018 07/10/2020 17/11/2020 Ongoing |
|
Nottinghamshire County Council |
|
11/12/2017 05/06/2018 29/06/2018 22/5/2019 25/6/2019 25/9/2019 17/10/2019 08/01/2020 21/8/2020 15/10/2020 19/11/2020 11/1/2021 2/02/2021 4/2/2021 15/2/2021 17/2/2021 09/04/2021 Ongoing |
|
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council |
|
10/12/2015 10/11/2017 11/10/2019 18/3/2021 Ongoing
|
|
Environment Agency |
|
18/12/2015 11/01/2016 24/10/2017 Several discussions/ meetings have taken place from March 2020 to June 2021 between JBA Consultants, BDC, and the EA regarding the Bassetlaw SFRA Level 1 and 2 7/4/2021 11/5/2021 24/5/2021 Ongoing |
|
Network Rail |
|
23/06/2016 21/08/2017 14/9/2020 2/3/2021 Ongoing |
|
Natural England |
|
15/06/2016 31/3/2020 11/10/2020 Ongoing
|
|
D2N2 (Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire)
|
|
11/10/2020 10/06/2020 16/02/2020 22/2/2021 Ongoing |
|
Sheffield City Region (SEP) |
|
30/7/2019 14/10/2019 29/11/2019 2/5/2020 30/5/2020 02/06/2020 30/06/2020 28/07/2020 26/1/2021 8/2/2021 Ongoing |
|
Western Power Distribution |
|
14/04/2017 27/06/2018 Ongoing
|
|
Bassetlaw CCG |
|
17/03/2017 08/10/2018 23/05/2018 07/09/2018 16/01/2020 03/09/2020 15/12/2020 Ongoing |
|
Northern Powergrid |
|
11/07/2018 13/09/2018 Ongoing
|
|
East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) |
|
04/07/2018 Ongoing |
|
Nottinghamshire Police Service |
|
26/06/2018 ADD date |
|
Nottinghamshire Fire Service |
|
26/06/2018 22/01/2021 Ongoing |
|
Anglian Water |
|
23/05/2018 05/07/2018 07/09/2018 28/08/2019 Ongoing |
|
Severn Trent Water |
|
05/07/2018 03/09/2018 28/08/2019 12/3/2020
Ongoing |
|
River Idle Management Partnership |
|
06/09/2016 26/01/2017 09/10/2017 09/04/2018 08/01/2018 Ongoing |
|
Nottinghamshire Ecological and Geological Data Partnership |
|
28/03/2017 11/09/2018 Ongoing |
|
Nottinghamshire Planning Officers Group |
|
Meets twice per annum Ongoing
|
|
Bassetlaw Rural Conference (Parish and Town Council discussions) |
|
23/09/2016 17/01/2019 16/1/2020 30/11/2020 |
|
Historic England |
|
11/07/2017 12/10/2018 12/3/2020 21/09/2020 18/2/2021 Ongoing |
|
Highways England |
|
February 2020
12/3/2020
Ongoing |
|
Notts Wildlife Trust |
|
16/9/2019
28/01/2020
31/03/2020
April 2021
Ongoing |
1 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, section 33A (3) and NPPF 2019 paragraph 24.
2 DCLG (February 2019) National Planning Policy Framework, paragraph 25
3 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2001, section 33A(4)(a)
4 GOV.UK - Housing and Economic Development Needs Assessment
October 2020
Last Updated on Tuesday, March 19, 2024