East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy 2005/06

Data Analysis
8.39 Although there is no specific number of
affordable houses given in the data, the implications
from the data and the number of houses with
occupancy restrictions demonstrate progress being
made towards providing affordable housing in the
Peak District.
8.40 Employment rates in the High Peak and
Derbyshire Dales are above that for the East
Midlands. Comparison over time is again
complicated by the move to the APS from the LFS.
The ABI data shows that between 2004 and 2005,
employment in Derbyshire Dales grew by 7.0% while
that in the High Peak fell by 1.0%.
8.41 Two sources of information have been used to
look at the number of visitors to the Peak District and
visitor spend. The STEAM model (Scarborough
Tourism Economic Activity Monitor) provides
estimates for 2003, 2004 and 2005. However, it covers
the Peak District and Derbyshire county and therefore
overestimates the numbers and spend in the Peak
District. What it suggests is that the average spend
per visitor has remained fairly constant. The data
from the Peak District National Park Survey suggests
much lower spend by day visitors than is estimated in
the STEAM model. The relationship between the
average spend for staying visitors between the two
data sources is more difficult to unravel as one refers
to the spend per stay and the other to the daily spend
per day. What is apparent is that staying visitors
according to the 2005 survey spend approximately
five times more than day visitors, largely due to the
accommodation costs incurred.
Policy Commentary
8.42 There are a host of plans and strategies
covering the Peak Sub-area, either in part or as a
whole. All of these plans are required to help to
secure the conservation and enhancement of the
National Park. Many have either recently been
reviewed or are currently under review.The National
Park Authority is ensuring that the organisations
involved in the production of the plans and
strategies are made aware of the National Park’s
special status when required. All six Local Transport
Plans that cover the Park have recently been
reviewed to cover the period 2006 to 2011.Three of
these recognise the need to conserve and enhance
the National Park. However, it is reasonable to expect
that recognition of the National Park will vary among
plans according to the extent of coverage of the Park
within their respective areas.The publication of the
new National Park Management Plan for the Peak
District in 2007 will place further emphasis on the
need for partners to work together to ensure
conservation of the Park for future generations.
8.43 In addition to plans, partnerships have and are
being set up to aid conservation of the Peak District,
including the South Pennines Integrated Transport
Strategy (SPITS), the Moors for the Future Project and
local rural transport partnerships.
8.44 The social and economic needs of the Peak
District National Park also need to be addressed in
plans and strategies that cover its geography. Several
partnerships exist that attempt to address these
issues, including the Rural Action Zone and the Peak
District Rural Housing Forum.
8.45 The Peak District National Park Authority
monitors housing development in the Park on an
annual basis to assess if the pattern of supply is
sufficient to meet local need without causing undue
damage to the area. In the National Park, annual
dwelling completions remain above the notional 50
identified in the current Regional Spatial Strategy.
Due to the high number of completions during
2005/06 that had restricted occupancy, the average
figure of dwelling completions with an occupancy
condition is now above the RSS target for affordable
housing which equates to approximately 25% of
development.
8.46 With regards to provision for businesses, the
Peak District National Park Authority undertakes a
survey of businesses on a 5 yearly basis in order to
identify need for new premises.The findings of the
survey will inform the Local Development
Framework for the National Park.
8.47 No new road developments are planned to
direct traffic around the National Park at present.
Plans to build a bypass around Mottram and
Tintwistle have been delayed due to the large
number of objections received.The Public Inquiry is
now due to commence in May 2007.
East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy Annual Monitoring Report 2005/06
151