Quicklink Equality Impact Assessment

Part 1: Screening

When reviewing, planning or providing services, Bassetlaw District Council needs to assess the impacts on people; this includes both residents and staff. This is an assessment of how it works, or is planning to work, in relation to things like disability. It has to take steps to remove/minimise any harm it identifies. It also has to help people to participate in its services and public life. “Equality Impact Assessments” (EIAs) prompt people to think things through, considering people’s different needs in relation to the law on equalities.

The first stage of the process is known as ‘screening’ and is used to come to a decision about whether and why further analysis is, or is not required. EIAs are published in line with transparency requirements.

A few notes about the laws that need to be considered are included at the end of this document. Helpful questions are provided as prompts throughout the form.

Name of policy / activity / project / practice

The Draft Bassetlaw Local Plan 2020 which will be a new policy document once adopted.

Screening undertaken

Person undertaking EIA: Hanna Toth

Lead Officer for developing the policy/activity/practice: Karen Johnson

Other people involved in the screening (this may be people who work for BDC or a related service or people outside BDC): Debbie Broad, Luke Brown, Will Wilson, Richard Gadsby, Steve Brown.

Version 2.0 January 2020

Brief description of policy / activity / project / practice: including its main purpose, aims, objectives and projected outcomes. Who is it intended to affect or benefit (the target population)? How do these fit in with the wider aims of the organisation?

Main Purpose: The Draft Bassetlaw Local Plan’s (DBLP) main purpose is to set out and deliver the strategic planning priorities for Bassetlaw. It includes policies which will deliver sustainable development to meet Bassetlaw’s identified development needs and objectives up to 2037. This includes policies for the delivery of new housing and employment. The Plan identifies where development should be located and how and when it will be delivered.

It also sets out how local centres are going to be supported and improved, and it identifies any additional infrastructure that is needed to support new development and contains a strategy for when and how this will be delivered.

Once the DBLP is adopted, it will replace the Bassetlaw Core Strategy and Development Management Policies Development Plan Document (DPD). It will form the overall development plan for Bassetlaw District alongside ‘made’ neighbourhood plans and adopted minerals and waste local plans.

After adoption, the new local plan will be the ‘starting point’ for considering whether planning applications can be approved.

Aims: The Aims of the DBLP are to:

make Bassetlaw District a vibrant, prosperous place that supports a high quality of life by providing a variety of good quality housing that addresses housing needs.
provide a wider range of high skilled jobs supported by high quality services and facilities by 2037.
promote a District-wide healthy and active lifestyle within a low carbon environment.
have a diverse and thriving economy in Worksop, Retford, Harworth and the five large rural settlements (Blyth, Carlton in Lindrick, Langold, Tuxford, and Misterton).
improve the quality and access to Bassetlaw’s countryside, as well as improve the range of open space available for visitors and residents.
improve the District’s resilience to the impacts of climate change such as reducing the carbon footprint of Bassetlaw and promoting sustainable transportation methods such as cycling and public transport.

Objectives:

SO1: To locate new development in sustainable locations and through new settlements that respect the environmental capacity of the District, support a balanced pattern of growth across urban and rural areas, make the best use of previously developed land and buildings and minimises the loss of the District’s highest quality agricultural land

SO2: To provide a choice of land to ensure that the District’s housing stock better meets local housing needs and aspirations of all residents by providing a range of market, affordable and specialist housing types, tenures and sizes in appropriate and sustainable locations

SO3: To encourage and support sustainable economic growth by promoting a competitive, diverse and stable economy by providing the right conditions, land and premises to meet District and sub-regional employment needs and those of inward investors, while helping to create more jobs, education and training opportunities that meet local employment needs and aspirations

SO4: To support the sensitive regeneration of previously developed, vacant or underused sites and spaces, within urban and rural Bassetlaw to facilitate their comprehensive redevelopment for housing, employment and leisure, to secure social, environmental and landscape improvements, and deliver positive amenity benefits for all

SO5: To promote the delivery of a new sustainable landscape-led Garden Village developed around well-connected locally distinctive neighbourhoods and spaces, which have all the benefits of quality place-making, with innovation and smart low carbon living at its core.

SO6: To promote rural Bassetlaw as a living and working landscape, by protecting and improving opportunities for homes, jobs, services and community infrastructure so that the District’s rural settlements continue to support their local communities, and so that quality countryside is retained but utilised appropriately

SO7: To support and enhance the vitality and vibrancy of town centres and local centres as places for shopping, leisure, cultural, commercial, community and residential activities, and secure their positive regeneration by promoting an appropriate mix and scale of development and environmental improvements which maximise their potential for residents, businesses and visitors alike

SO8: To ensure new development, places and spaces are of high quality and sustainable design which reflects local character and distinctiveness, respects residential amenity and enables people to live safe, healthy, accessible, green and active lifestyles

SO9: To promote more healthy communities and help to reduce health inequalities, by minimising locational disadvantage, promoting healthy and active lifestyles and reducing human exposure to environmental risks to achieve equitable outcomes for all

SO10: To protect and enhance the District’s diverse historic built and natural environments, the distinctive separate character of settlements and their wider landscape and townscape settings, thereby recognising the important contribution heritage assets, their settings and archaeology make to securing a high quality environment and to the visitor economy.

SO11: To protect, restore and enhance the quality, diversity, character, distinctiveness, biodiversity and geodiversity of the District’s natural environment, by creating links within and to the green/blue infrastructure network to create a series of high quality, multifunctional, well-connected spaces, sites and landscapes that improve people’s quality of life and where biodiversity can thrive, respond and adapt to change

SO12: To support Bassetlaw’s transition to a low carbon District through the careful planning and design of new development, making more sustainable use of land and resources, promoting tree and woodland planting, reducing exposure to flood risk, promoting energy and water efficiency, minimising waste generation and promoting the use of low carbon, renewable energy, and other alternative technologies, with sustainable construction methods

SO13: To make efficient use of the existing transport infrastructure and improve accessibility for all to jobs and facilities by sustainable and public transport, to help reduce the need to travel by car, make travel as easy and affordable as possible, both within the District and along key routes to and from Bassetlaw

SO14: To ensure that new settlements and new development contributes to the provision of necessary physical, social and green infrastructure to deliver planned levels of growth at the right time and to mitigate its impacts on existing communities and the environment.

Projected Outcomes: By the end of the plan period 2037, new development will have been delivered in the most sustainable locations. The key projected outcomes are:

Worksop will have grown sustainably, with new road and community infrastructure in place to support the needs of the new residents and existing community alike.
Worksop town centre and the associated wider area would have seen extensive regeneration and associated environmental improvements resulting in improved access to retail, culture, and leisure offers District wide.
The character of the historic market town of Retford will have been retained and enhanced through a significant public realm intervention and a seen a boost to the visitor economy.
Harworth town centre will be regenerated with additional services to retail and town centre provision with the transit of heavy goods vehicles through Harworth reduced, improving the environmental quality in the area.
These three towns as well as the five large rural settlements Blyth, Carlton in Lindrick, Langold/Hodsock, Misterton and Tuxford will have been the main focus for development. Residential development will have been delivered to meet strategic and local needs. Furthermore, the necessary infrastructure and community facilities needed to support this growth will have been delivered.
Significant remediation and reclamation will have been completed at Cottam enabling a new Garden Community to develop there in the longer term. Development of the new settlement will be well advanced to reinvigorate the site, with facilities to support the new and existing community alike.
There will have been small scale, sensitively located development in small rural settlements throughout the District to support local community development objectives and aspirations.
The beginnings of the new Bassetlaw Garden Village will be growing around a new transport hub and employment offer, which will help to put Bassetlaw on the map as a destination to live and work in the future.
The economic base of the District will have been strengthened through the fostering of new enterprise and the sustainable growth of existing businesses. Infrastructure will be in place to support the growth of the businesses.
The District will have full high-speed broadband coverage benefiting businesses and local residents.
Strategic employment sites, benefitting from their proximity to the A1 and Sheffield Doncaster Airport will have attracted significant investment into Bassetlaw District.
New sectors including modern methods of construction, low carbon energy generation at High Marnham will be developing across the District bringing with them new opportunities for better paid, higher skilled employment for residents, encouraging more people to live and work in the District.
New housing provision will have met local needs in terms of type, size and tenure and enable equality of access to suitable accommodation by all.
Communities throughout the District will have access to well designed, safe, inclusive, high quality improved social, recreational, sports, health, educational facilities and a multifunctional green and blue infrastructure network close to home, benefitting the health and wellbeing of all. Existing valued spaces would have been retained, and necessary new ones delivered to keep pace with development.
New Development will have helped minimise the District’s health inequalities, pockets of deprivation and skills gaps to create a more prosperous, desirable, equal place for residents to live, work, and enjoy.

Intended to benefit: The DBLP is intended to benefit all residents, employees, and visitors of Bassetlaw, regardless of gender, faith, race, disability, sexuality, age, rural isolation and social deprivation.

Impact

Every policy in the DBLP is intended to positively impact all residents, employees and visitors of Bassetlaw regardless of gender, faith, race, disability, sexuality, age, rural isolation and social deprivation. It will promote improved equal access to opportunities throughout the District. For example, Policy ST2 is aiming to increase the access to various retail, culture and leisure opportunities as well as access to suitable housing of various types and tenures in rural Bassetlaw, minimising the equal opportunity gap between urban and rural communities.

Policy ST29 regarding gypsies, travellers and travelling show aims to provide equal opportunity and access to transit sites to the affected groups. The policy also has the intention to include these isolated and deprived groups to eliminate discrimination and promote inclusivity with the affected communities.

Many of the housing policies such as Policy ST26 and ST27 aim to promote equal opportunity of access to affordable housing as well as a varied housing mix, type and density throughout the District of Bassetlaw. Policy ST28 deals with specialist housing to address the needs of the elderly and disabled with easily accessible housing that is suitable for their needs and requirements.

Policy ST39 and Policy ST40 will allow equal opportunity for all residents of Bassetlaw to access sport facilities and community facilitates. Furthermore, it promotes and allows residents to live a healthy lifestyle. These policies are in place to address the evident spatial inequality in Bassetlaw.

The initial draft version of the DBLP was consulted on for a six-week period in October 2016. Following the consultation, comments received were taken into consideration and amendments were made where necessary. An updated DBLP was produced and consulted on in January 2019 for a six-week period. Both rounds of consultation were widely publicised, and consultation events were held across the District. This provided Bassetlaw residents, employees, visitors and key stakeholders/partner organisations with an opportunity to find out about the DBLP. This was done to give equal opportunity to all residents, employees, visitors and other key stakeholders to comment on the proposed development policies and encourage participation in the planning process.

Within this table, state whether the policy or function will have a positive or negative impact across the following factors and provide any comments

	Positive Impact	Neutral Impact	Comments
Age (including children, youth and older people	Positive		The DBLP supports the provision of a suitable mix and range of housing in terms of size, type and tenure to reflect local housing need and demand, particularly the needs of an ageing population and those with specialist needs. The DBLP is intended to apply to all age groups (as any age can experience disabilities that require a form of specialist accommodation), with the needs of older people highlighted because of the significant population growth expected in this age group over the plan period to 2037. Sustainable development is at the core of the document and will help all demographic groups understand, and identify which housing and employment may be suited to individual and collective needs. The DBLP is aiming to enhance the quality of life and overall health and well-being in the District by encouraging low-carbon living and sustainable methods of transport in Bassetlaw.
Sex		Neutral	The aim of the DBLP policies is to promote sustainable development, which will benefit all residents. However, it is not anticipated that the DBLP will give rise to any particular impacts specifically in respect of this protected characteristic. The DBLP is expected to generate a neutral impact against this criterion. No further action is required, although policies will be subject to monitoring and review as required.
Gender Reassignment		Neutral	The aim of the DBLP policies is to promote sustainable development, which will benefit all residents. However, it is not anticipated that the DBLP will give rise to any particular impacts specifically in respect of this protected characteristic. The DBLP is expected to generate a neutral impact against this criterion. No further action is required, although policies will be subject to monitoring and review as required.
Race		Neutral	The DBLP supports equal opportunity to housing, retail, and employment and community facilities regardless of race. The DBLP is expected to generate a neutral impact against this criterion. No further action is required, although policies will be subject to monitoring and review as required.
Religion/Belief (or No Belief)		Neutral	It is considered that the DBLP will have a neutral outcome to all in regard to religion and beliefs. The DBLP is expected to generate a neutral impact against this criterion. No further action is required, although policies will be subject to monitoring as required.
Sexuality		Neutral	It is considered that the DBLP will have a neutral outcome to members of this equalities group. The DBLP is expected to generate a neutral impact against this criterion. No further action is required, although policies will be subject to monitoring and review as required.
Socio Economic (including rural and poverty)	Positive		The DBLP supports the provision of a suitable mix and range of housing in terms of size, type and tenure to reflect local housing need and demand, particularly the needs of an ageing population and those with specialist needs. The DBLP also supports the provision of a range of various suitable mix of employment to address the local need and also attract a larger highly qualified workforce to Bassetlaw. This will be helped by the strategic employment site allocations within the policy document. The plan also has ambitions to regenerate all three town centres to enhance vitality and vibrancy as well as increase the provision for retail and employment in the town centres; increasing footfall on the high-streets and in the town centres overall. The DBLP has ambitions to create economic growth in Rural Bassetlaw. The plan will encourage the diversification of available business and job vacancies in Rural areas by promoting Rural Bassetlaw as a place to live, work and enjoy. Better connectivity via infrastructure will allow for easier access to said businesses which will allow for greater footfall.
Disability	Positive		The DBLP supports the provision of a suitable mix and range of housing in terms of size, type and tenure to reflect local housing need and demand, particularly the needs of the disabled and those with specialist needs in Bassetlaw. The plan makes specific references for specialist accessible housing on proposed allocation sites that allows ease of access and equal opportunity for all. All new proposed infrastructure developments within the proposed allocation sites are done so by keeping in mind equal opportunity to access all services and community facilities. The DBLP is intended to apply to all age groups (as any age can experience disabilities that require a form of specialist accommodation). Sustainable development is at the core of the document and will help all demographic groups with varying capabilities to understand, and identify which housing and employment may be suited to individual and collective needs. The DBLP is aiming to enhance the quality of life and overall health and well-being in the District by encouraging low-carbon living and sustainable methods of transport in Bassetlaw as well.
Marriage & Civil Partnership (applies only to work matters)		Neutral	There is no direct impact on this protected characteristic arising from the DBLP. The DBLP seeks to ensure that all services, housing and employment are accessible to all.
Pregnancy and Maternity (including breastfeeding)	Positive		The DBLP supports the provision of a suitable mix and range of housing in terms of size, type and tenure to reflect local housing need and demand. This will include providing housing for those with specialist needs that are pregnant or with young families. The DBLP ensures that all services, housing and employment is equally accessible to all users.
Human Rights	Positive		The DBLP will have a positive outcome to all in regard to human rights as it aims to enhance the overall quality of life in Bassetlaw. None of the policies intent on stripping any group of Bassetlaw’s communities of their human rights.
If you have identified negative impacts a FULL Assessment (Appendix 2) MUST be completed. Not applicable.

Evidence Base for Screening

List the evidence sources you have used to make this assessment (i.e. the known evidence) (e.g. Index of Multiple Deprivation, workforce data, population statistics, any relevant reports, customer surveys Census 2011, equality monitoring data for the service area.)

Vision 2030: D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan, D2N2 Local Economic Partnership, 2018
Draft Bassetlaw Local Industrial Strategy, BDC, 2019
National Planning Policy Framework, MCHLG, 2019
Spatial Strategy Background Paper, BDC, 2019
Spatial Strategy Options Paper, BDC, 2016
Initial Draft Bassetlaw Local Plan, BDC, 2016
New Settlement Study, ADAS, 2018
Draft Bassetlaw Local Plan: Strategic Plan, BDC, 2019
Bassetlaw Land Availability Assessment, BDC, 2020 Bassetlaw Sustainability Assessment, LUC, 2019
Bassetlaw Core Strategy and Development Management Policies DPD, BDC, 2011
Harworth and Bircotes Neighbourhood Plan, Harworth and Bircotes Neighbourhood Plan Group, 2015
Council Plan, BDC, 2019
Bassetlaw New Settlement Study Addendum, BDC, 2019
Bassetlaw Whole Plan Viability Assessment, NCS, 2019
Housing Needs Assessment PPG, 004, 2018
North Derbyshire and Bassetlaw Strategic Housing Market Assessment, GL Hearn, 2017
Bassetlaw Economic Development Needs Assessment, GL Hearn, 2019
5 Year Housing Land Supply Report, BDC, 2019
Bassetlaw Retail and Leisure Study, Nexus Planning, 2019
Rural Settlements Study Update, BDC, 2019
Neighbourhood Planning PPG, Paragraph: 097, 2018
Nottinghamshire Mineral Local Plan (Publication Version), Nottinghamshire County Council, 2019
Bassetlaw Habitats Regulation Assessment, LUC, 2019 Bassetlaw Infrastructure Delivery Plan, BDC, 2020
Bassetlaw Transport Study, White Young Green, 2019
Bassetlaw Economic Development Needs Assessment, GL Hearn, 2019
Bassetlaw Employment Land Availability Assessment, BDC, 2020
Bassetlaw Transport Study Part 2, White Young Green, 2019
Bassetlaw Landscape Capacity assessment and Green Gap Study, Carroll Planning and Design, 2019
Bassetlaw, Whole Plan Viability Assessment, BDC, 2019
Nottinghamshire Visitor Economy Strategy, Nottinghamshire County Council, 2019
Bassetlaw Retail and Leisure Study, Nexus Planning 2017

Are there any significant gaps in the known evidence base? If so what are your recommendations for how and by when those gaps will be filled?

There are no significant gaps in the evidence base.

Consultation

For this DBLP, the Council will be undertaking a six-week consultation with 14 events to allow affected Statutory Bodies as well as the general population of Bassetlaw to review and comment on the plan. The consultation events will allow all interested bodies to interact with the material as well as to make comments on not just the Local Plan but also the supporting material that goes with it.

The Planning Policy Team and Communications Team has been involved with the organisation of Consultation events and publicity. Planning Policy Team, Communications Team, Regeneration Growth Team and Planning Administration team have all been involved with the management and staffing of all consultation events. All the Councillors from all levels (County, Local, Parish) have all been involved with the consultation process, having visited some of the Consultation events themselves.

Head of Service/Senior Manager

I am satisfied with the results of the EIA

* The findings will be referred to within Service Plans and targets built around these. I agree to review the Action Plan after 12 months.

Last Updated on Wednesday, May 8, 2024