Knowsley Replacement Unitary Development Plan - Knowsley Council

VISION AND OBJECTIVES
VISION AND OBJECTIVES
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
Objective 1
To provide additional housing in a range of
locations consistent with the requirements of the
Regional Spatial Strategy for the North West.
Knowsley’s history of depopulation and outmigration
since the early 1970s (see chapter 2
“Key Issues and Influences”) has been linked to a
lack of choice and low demand within the housing
market. The Regional Spatial Strategy for the
North West establishes that new housing
development within Knowsley should be at an
annual average rate of 230 dwellings per year
(net of demolition replacements). Due to falling
household sizes, this rate of house-building is
unlikely to be sufficient to maintain a stable
population over the period to 2016. Within these
constraints, however, the Council will maximise
the opportunities for retaining population by
providing for a range of new housing sites which is
attractive to the market and to serve the different
townships within the Borough.
Objective 2
To provide a better choice of housing in terms of
tenure, type and market sector which will meet
the needs and aspirations of the community.
The Council has identified an increasing “lack of
fit” between the types of housing which are
available in the Borough and that which is needed
to meet the needs and aspirations of the
community (see chapter 5 “Housing”). The Plan
therefore makes provision for the remodelling of
the housing stock, including:
• The clearance of up to 4,000 unpopular or
unsuitable dwellings (mainly within the social
rented sector) and their replacement with new
housing of other types and tenures which are
better suited to current needs; and
• The comprehensive remodelling of areas of
particular need including North Huyton and
Tower Hill, Kirkby.
Objective 3
To provide a comprehensive range of employment
sites and premises of different sizes, types and
locations, and to safeguard existing employment
land and buildings that are needed.
The economy of Knowsley and Merseyside has
recovered considerably since the recession of the
1970s and 1980s. However, the unemployment rate
in Knowsley is still higher than it is for Merseyside,
which in turn is higher than it is for the rest of the
North West. The UDP therefore identifies a range
of sites for employment development, of different
locations, sizes, and types, to meet the need for
new development.
Objective 4
To facilitate development that safeguards or
creates employment, particularly in the
North West Development Agency’s target
growth sectors.
Target economic growth sectors have been
identified by the North West Development Agency,
and are described in chapter 6 “Economic
Development”. There is an under-representation of
these sectors in Knowsley - the range of sites
identified in the UDP for economic development
will therefore aim to meet the needs of these
target growth sectors, as well as other more
established sectors.
Objective 5
To improve the provision of shopping, leisure and
other uses normally associated with town centres,
consistent with local needs, whilst protecting and
enhancing the viability and vitality of town, district
and local centres in Knowsley.
Government policy requires that new shopping and
leisure uses should preferably be located in
existing town or smaller centres, and should be
appropriate to the scale and role of the centre
concerned. The UDP identifies current shopping
needs, together with a range of sites for new
shopping and other town centre uses within
existing centres at Kirkby, Huyton, Prescot, and
smaller district centres including Ravenscourt
(Halewood). The Plan discourages out of centre
development for these uses unless it is clearly
established that the need for the development
cannot be met within existing centres.
Objective 6
To accommodate improvements to the transport
network (consistent with the proposals set down
in the Merseyside Local Transport Plan),
which will support the regeneration objectives
of the Plan.
Transport linkages are seen as integral to the
Council’s regeneration and development objectives.
The UDP (in chapter 8 “Transport”) contains a
number of strategic proposals, such as the
improvement to junction 6 of the M62 and the
proposed Merseytram scheme which will
support these.
Objective 7
To protect and where possible increase
opportunities for education, recreation, exercise
and play for people in the borough where a need
is demonstrated.
Following the review of schools provision in
Knowsley (see chapter 2 “Key Issues and
Influences”), proposals are being developed to
transform school provision within Knowsley.
The precise location of new schools has yet to be
determined. The UDP will aim to ensure that new
schools, as well as sporting, recreational
community, health and cultural facilities, are
built in sustainable locations that best serve the
local area.
Objective 8
To locate major new development where it is
accessible by a choice of walking, cycling and
public transport, thereby minimising the need to
travel by car.
The rate of traffic growth in Knowsley is currently
higher than in many parts of the country. The UDP
will therefore, in conjunction with the Merseyside
Local Transport Plan, seek to:
• Minimise adverse environmental effects from
this traffic growth; and
• Ensure that people have the choice of using
good quality public transport, walking or cycling
to access new development.
Objective 9
To make efficient use of previously developed
land and buildings in providing land for new
development.
An important role of the UDP is to ensure that the
use of greenfield land for new development is
minimised. This will be achieved by focussing new
development primarily towards previously
developed (brownfield) land and buildings in the
urban area. The sites identified in the UDP for new
development (e.g. for new housing, industry or
town centre uses such as shopping) are therefore
mainly on brownfield sites.
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KNOWSLEY REPLACEMENT UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN: Adopted June 2006
KNOWSLEY REPLACEMENT UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN: Adopted June 2006
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