A Sustainable Direction for the City
1.1. Leicester City Council’s Strategic Direction guided the authority from 1997; placing integrity and sustainability at the heart of all its activities. In November 2000 the Leicester Partnership for the Future published a Community Plan for the City; this was subsequently reviewed in 2003 and work is now underway by the Partnership on a further review of the Community Plan. Sustainability and integrity remain central to the Community Plan, which also recognises the role of the planning system in protecting and enhancing our environment. The aim of the Replacement City of Leicester Local Plan is to facilitate the future development of Leicester in a sustainable way, a way which addresses the pressures and opportunities the City will face over the period to 2016 and seeks to resolve them successfully. This should be achieved without compromising the ability of future citizens to meet their own needs.
The International Context
1.2. The 1990s saw an increase in political awareness of “sustainable development” as it rose to the top of the planning policy agenda. In 1997 the Treaty of Amsterdam confirmed that achieving sustainable development was a key objective of the European Union. It underpins the work of the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) and remains central to the challenges facing Leicester as an important European city moving into the new Millennium. The ESDP identifies sustainable development as one of the three fundamental goals of spatial development policy alongside economic/social cohesion and balanced competitiveness within European territory.
1.3. Sustainable development, first defined by the Bruntland Commission in 1987, was at the heart of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, at Kyoto six years later and Johannesburgh in 2002. It was adopted as a basic goal of EU policy in Article 2 of the Maastrict Treaty:
“The Community has the task of promoting.....a harmonious and balanced development of the economic activities in the Community as a whole, a sustainable growth, non - inflationary and respectful of the environment.”
1.4. However many European cities despite their economic success are failing, through a lack of social cohesion and worsening environmental problems. They do not pass the essential test of modern development - economic, social and environmental sustainability.
1.5. In Leicester the Local Agenda 21 process has been used to carry forward the sustainability initiative with some success. In 1996 the European Sustainable City Award recognised Leicester City Council had achieved:
“outstanding progress in the development of a long term action plan towards sustainability.”
The National and Regional Context
1.6. The UK Government’s vision of sustainable development was spelled out in “A Better Quality of Life, A Strategy for Sustainable Development for the United Kingdom” (DETR 1999). It defined sustainable development as a “better quality of life for everyone now and for generations to come” and its four objectives were:
1. Social progress which recognises the needs of everyone;
2. Effective protection of the environment;
3. Prudent use of natural resources; and
4. Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment.
1.7. This is an ambitious agenda for sustainability; it cuts across people and places, policies and sectors, the present and the future. To succeed it needs to carry public acceptance and tap into underlying cultural attitudes. Its influence must be felt regionally and sub-regionally as well as locally. Following the Local Government Act 2000 local authorities now have a statutory duty to produce Community Plans working in partnership with others to promote economic, social and environmental well being. Clearly then the proper integration of Community Plan and Local Plan will be critical in the quest for truly sustainable development.
1.8. The Community Plan consultation process identified 6 priorities; Equality, Safety, Health and Social Care, Education, Environment and Jobs and Regeneration. The Local Plan can give a land use based policy impetus in most if not all of these areas. Richard Caborn, when Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning in 1998, covered much of this ground. He said he was seeking a much more positive role for planning in terms of growth, competition and innovation:
“We want to focus new development in town centres to secure their revitalisation, to ensure greater social inclusion and to achieve environmental benefits, particularly less dependence on the car. This is not a pious hope. It is a fundamental question about what kind of vision we have for our town and city centres. And what opportunities we want to secure for the less advantaged and less mobile in society.”
1.9. Clearly there are many potential conflicts between current lifestyle aspirations and sustainable living, such as the desire for more space, wealth and mobility. Many of the control mechanisms for advances in quality of life issues are outside the scope of land use planning. The onus of this Plan must be to ensure that the physical and economic systems of Leicester help to promote more sustainable lifestyles, whilst maintaining and where possible, improving the quality of life of people living, working or visiting in Leicester.
1.10. This Plan will draw on the principles set out in national Planning Policy Guidance Notes and Statements (PPGs and PPSs) to address these conflicts, especially PPS1 “General Policies and Principles”. It will also reflect Regional Planning Guidance Note 8 (RPG8) “Regional Planning for the East Midlands” (subsequently renamed Regional Spatial Strategy or RSS8). Also, to reflect the importance of the links and movement between all land use elements, the Plan will draw on the contents of the Transport White Paper - “A New Deal for Transport - Better for Everyone” (July 1998). The Plan will also embrace the principles and ambitions described in the government’s Urban White Paper.
1.11. The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act came into force in September 2004. This has significant implications for the future preparation and appearance of Local Plans, which will be known in future as Local Development Frameworks (LDFs). The City Council believes this Plan already fits many of the principles of the new system and could be redrawn readily, to fit with the emerging requirements of LDFs. However subsequent advice from ODPM has indicated that it
will not be desirable to seek to restructure significantly a draft plan to follow the LDF format where plan preparation has already reached first statutory deposit stage. In light of this advice the City Council has prepared this Plan under the transitional arrangements.
The Local Context
1.12. The City Council has been working closely with Leicestershire and Rutland County Councils to prepare a joint replacement Structure Plan and a joint Waste Local Plan. It has also prepared a Local Transport Plan for Central Leicestershire (LTP) that builds on the Transport Policy for Leicester and Central Leicestershire adopted in 1998 following the Central Leicestershire Transport Study (CALTRANS). A second LTP 2006-2011 is in preparation and again this work has been in partnership with the County Council. As with the East Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy, work has been undertaken to test the sustainability of Structure Plan policies through a rigorous appraisal process. The same methodology has been applied to policies in this Plan and its predecessor.
1.13. Partnership has also been central in taking work forward. Leicester’s Local Agenda 21 programme involved extensive consultation in 1994 under the “Blueprint for Leicester” badge. This culminated in 1999 with the adoption of an Environmental Policy for the City and its implementation, in relation to the activities of the City Council, through the Eco Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) and a set of Action Plans.
1.14. There are several other important strategies which underpin this Plan; in particular the Leicester Regeneration Company’s MasterPlan (2002), the joint City Council and English Partnerships (now East Midland Development Agency’s) Investment Strategy (1998), the City Council’s own Regeneration (1999) and Air Quality Strategies (1998), the Crime & Disorder Strategy, the Local Transport Plan, the Central Leicestershire Retail Study (2003) and the Housing Strategy. These are referred to in more detail in the body of the Plan.
1.15. The policies of this Plan attempt to integrate the social, economic, environmental and spatial pressures facing Leicester and shape the City Council’s response to development proposals
Leicester’s People
1.16. The 2001 census gave Leicester’s population as 280,000. It is clear that the City will continue to generate a significant level of dwelling need; a need which cannot be entirely accommodated within the City’s boundaries because of insufficient development opportunities and land availability.
1.17. Leicester’s Community Plan has been built in part on the community participation carried out as part of the Agenda 21 initiative. It identifies the following concerns and priorities for action:
• traffic levels and air pollution; their impact on the quality of the living environment;
• economic prosperity and job opportunities;
• the quality and quantity of available housing;
• community safety;
• further improvements to the City Centre; and
• continued improvement to Leicester’s buildings, green spaces and townscape.
1.18. Local Agenda 21 Action Plans address these concerns, and see the replacement of the Local Plan as a main action to ensure a sustainable future for the City.
1.19. At the time of the 2001 census 36% of the population belonged to the City’s ethnic minorities the highest percentage of any local authority outside London. Given the household size and other characteristics of Black and Minority Ethnic communities, particular needs have been identified in different parts of the City these include:
• larger family homes and smaller self-contained accommodation for older people;
• local job and shopping opportunities, minimising the need to travel;
• measures to secure crime prevention;
• public transport priority, coupled with parking provision for traders; and
• continued need for community facilities.
Work
1.20. Between 1971-1991 Leicester experienced a dramatic change in its economic structure and the types of jobs available. Part time working and an increase in female employment followed the growth of the service sector. By and large there has been a decline in the City’s workforce and a corresponding rise in that of the surrounding County. At the same time the number of white collar jobs in the City has grown, creating the conditions for an increase in the level of in-commuting. Blue collar jobs on the other hand are increasingly to be found on the outskirts of the City, producing a counter flow of outward commuting. Overall, however, 3.5 commuters come into Leicester daily for every one travelling out.
Social Exclusion
1.21. Almost 60% of Leicester residents in employment are low paid, receiving less than the Council of Europe’s decency threshold. Average pay is only three quarters that of the East Midlands region, which is itself one of the lowest paid regions in Britain. Low paid jobs in declining industries are especially common amongst ethnic minority workers and these aspects of social exclusion are even more pronounced when gender is considered.
1.22. Low skills levels, lack of qualifications or training, poor health and very low levels of car ownership are also symptoms of social exclusion. Disadvantaged groups are also more likely to be victims of crime and here Leicester has a poor record; being in the worst 20% of local authorities nationally.
The Purpose and Nature of the Plan
1.23. Change is a natural and essential component of life in a major European city like Leicester, but the impact of that change on the urban environment is often difficult to anticipate. This Plan takes as its base 2001 information and contains land use, transportation and minerals guidance for development in the City to 2016. It forms part of the policy background against which planning applications will be judged. It is predictable in its intentions, but adaptable in implementation. It comprises this Written Statement and a Proposals Map; placing emphasis on the use of criteria based policies, but avoiding unnecessary detail. It contains fewer policies than its predecessor and does not propose policies for every eventuality.
1.24. Seeking the creation of a sustainable City means amongst other things, prioritising development on previously developed land in preference to ‘greenfield’ land. Facilitating regeneration and urban renaissance are key themes of the Plan. In some cases the City Council will seek to ensure the remediation of land through the Remediation Notice procedure set out in Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
1.25. At the same time the Plan acknowledges and reassesses previous commitments for new housing and employment land.
Working in Partnership
1.26. As in many other cities, partnership working has become fundamental to the future of Leicester. A number of partnerships involving the public, private and voluntary sectors are now in operation. The Leicester Partnership oversees much of the City’s regeneration work, including external funding programmes. The Leicester Economic Regeneration Partnership (LERP) provides a focus for inward investment and aftercare. The City Centre Forum brings together various interests to promote and enhance the City Centre. The Transport Business Partnership for Leicester and Leicestershire, the Freight Quality partnership and the Quality Bus Partnerships have been established to develop a modern transport system and improve access and business potential in a more sustainable way. These and other partnerships will be the key to securing the future successful development of the City. The role of the Leicester Regeneration Company (LRC) will be especially important and the City Council will work closely to ensure that the aims and objectives of this Plan and the LRC’s Masterplan are mutually supportive. The Leicester Shire Economic Partnership (LSEP) has also been established to help implement the objectives of the East Midlands Development Agency’s (EMDA) Regional Economic Strategy – this is an important initiative and one which the City Council is determined to work alongside to achieve sustainable economic prosperity.
1.27. The achievement of the Council’s planning objectives and priorities is heavily dependent upon appropriate private sector investment taking place. Development proposals individually or collectively requiring expenditure for new or improved infrastructure or services should not rely on the public purse. However the Council’s own spending priorities, combined with those of other public sector agencies, can help to pave the way and provide confidence in areas where it may currently be lacking. Chapter 12 provides further guidance on implementation.
1.28. A number of public-private sector partnership programmes to improve health and education facilities throughout the City have been developed. These are the:
• “Pathway Project” - this will improve the services of the three main hospitals through a £800 million rebuilding and refurbishment programme between 2006 and 2011; this Pathway project is the largest private finance initiative (PFI) scheme in the country;
• “Leicester LIFT” programme – the Department of Health’s Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) will focus on developing new health and social care centres and extend existing GP surgeries across the city over the next 20 years, to enable a wide range of services to be provided closer to the patients’ home; and
• “Building Schools for the Future” (BSF) - Leicester City Council has secured funding from the DfES to deliver a £236 million programme for rebuilding and refurbishment of 15 secondary schools in the City. The BSF programme will be delivered in four phases during the period 2006 to 2012.
