HILLINGDON UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN - London Borough ...

Hillingdon show that secondary school numbers are expected to rise dramatically by 18.8% by the year
2003. The numbers of young children in the borough have also increased dramatically over the past 9
years, i.e. from 1988-1996, with the number of children admitted to schools at 5 increasing by 26% during
this period. This trend is set to continue to the turn of the century and beyond. This rise within the next 4
years is expected to exceed 11%. The large increase in the numbers aged over 75 years is expected to
continue until after 1991 after which some small decrease is expected. Although there is by no means a
uniform age structure throughout the Borough, in general terms it can be said that the north of the Borough
has and will continue to have a higher proportion of elderly persons, while the highest proportion of
children and young adults remains in the central part of the Borough.
2.29 Whilst population fell between 1981 and 1991, the number of households rose to a total of
90,999, the result of further declines in average household size. The number of single parent families
increased from 2% to 3%, and the number of pensioners living alone increased from 12% to 14% of all
households between 1981 and 1991, although the percentage of all-pensioner households fell slightly over
the same period. Further increases for lone parent and one person households and a small decrease for
married couples are projected, and a further downward trend in household size is expected.
2.30 The size of the economically-active resident population increased between 1981 and 1991. The
proportion of men who were economically active fell from 80.9% to 77.9%, but the proportion of
economically active women rose from 50.8% to 55% resulting in an increase in the total number.
Projections of the economically active population show a reversal of the decline in numbers of men and
further increases for women.
2.31 The expected increase in Hillingdon's total population is likely to create additional demand for
housing, employment, education facilities, shopping, recreation and other services. As the increase is not
uniform across all age groups, particular demands by specific groups can be identified. For example,
elderly people are likely to have continuing demands for special services. It should not be overlooked that
Hillingdon's neighbours are also increasing in population and this feature too may have an impact on the
Borough in terms of demand for employment, shops, recreation and leisure facilities, road space and other
transport facilities. Additional secondary school places are being provided for September 1996 in order to
accommodate the increases in pupil numbers. There will be a further demand for secondary school places
by the year 1999.
2.32 The UDP itself cannot provide the means of meeting all of these needs and demands; it has to
confine itself to land use matters and cannot, for example, include matters such as financial support,
consultation arrangements and methods of implementation among its policies and proposals. Even where
matters are the proper responsibility of the Local Planning Authority, it has to have regard to resource
constraints (see paras 2.75 - 2.77) and needs to balance demand for development with the need to maintain
the local environment. Nevertheless, this Plan seeks to provide a framework for guiding and co-ordinating
development in the interest of the community.
2.33 Central Government guidance on town centres and retail development is contained in PPG6
(Revised 1996). On planning for town centres and retailing it emphasises a plan-led approach to promoting
development in town centres, both through policies and the identification of locations and sites for
development; the sequential approach to selecting sites for development, for retail, employment, leisure and
other key town centre uses; and supports local centres.
2.34 In promoting development in town centres, guidance advocates that the sequential approach is
adopted. This means that the first preference should be for town centre sites, where suitable sites or
buildings suitable for conversion are available, followed by edge-of-centre sites, district and local centres
and only then out-of-centre sites in locations that are accessible by a choice of means of transport. In
selecting sites, developers and Local Planning Authorities should be able to demonstrate that all potential
town centre options have been thoroughly assessed before less central sites are considered for development
for key town centre uses.
London Borough of Hillingdon Unitary Development Plan