Lewisham Council - Unitary Development Plan

• sets out the land use strategy for the Borough;
• sets out policies which will be used to help determine planning applications;
• gives a degree of certainty to those who may want to invest in the Borough as they know how their planning applications will be dealt with;
• provides a degree of positive encouragement for investors who can be directed to areas of the Borough most suitable for their needs, for example, Defined Employment Areas or Town Centres;
• sets out a number of proposals sites for future development;
• protects certain land uses, such as open spaces, from built development;
• provides the opportunity for local people to have a say about what they want by involving them in the process of plan preparation; and
• provides the land use and development strategy which guides various other strategies and bidding activities.

2. The role of the town planning system is (PPG 1, 1997 para. 39) “to regulate the development and use of land in the public interest.” The Lewisham UDP is a legal document which sets out the land use policies and proposals for the Borough. It has been prepared within the framework of guidance set out in a number of statutes, the most significant of which is the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Regulations 1999. Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPGs) published by the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) have been taken into account while drafting this Plan. (see Note 1)

3. An amendment to the 1990 Act at Section 54A introduced the Plan Led System. According to Section 54A where an adopted UDP contains relevant policies an application for planning permission or a planning appeal shall be determined in accordance with the Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Conversely, applications which are not in accordance with relevant policies in the Plan shall not be allowed. This means that the first consideration when considering a planning application is the relevant policy in the adopted UDP. This makes the UDP a very significant document in terms of changes to the environment of Lewisham.

Duration of the Plan

4. In accordance with Government Guidance in PPG 12: Development Plans (December 1999) Part I policies will remain valid for a period of 15 years and Part II policies for a period of 10 years from the date of adoption. However, the Council is required to keep under review matters which may affect the development and use of land within the Borough over the Plan period. Accordingly, the policies and proposals of the Plan will be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis and the Council would expect to commence a replacement of the UDP within 10 years. To assist in this process and in accordance with Best Value Performance Indicators a comprehensive set of indicators and targets based on the strategic objectives of the Plan have been set out in Chapter 10: Implementation, Resources and Monitoring.

The Format of the UDP

5. The UDP is composed of a Written Statement and a Proposals Map. The Written Statement is divided into two parts. Part I states in broad terms the general policies and proposals of strategic importance for the development and use of land in the Borough. It provides a strategic framework and a context for Part II which sets out detailed policies and proposals together with a reasoned justification for both the Part I and Part II policies.

6. The Proposals Map shows the location of development proposals listed in Schedule 1 and also identifies specific parts of the Borough where area based policies will apply. For example it identifies Conservation Areas and areas of open space such as Metropolitan Open Land.

7. In Part I a statement of the overall strategy for development and use of land in the Borough is set out. This is within the context of sustainable development objectives, regeneration requirements and the quest for equality of opportunity for all. Part I also indicates how development will be served by transport and other infrastructure.

Lewisham in Context

8. Lewisham is one of 33 local authorities which make up the Greater London administrative area (see Map 1.1). Many planning issues are of more than local significance and decisions made by one borough can have implications across borough boundaries and even affect London as a whole. The main structural elements which show Lewisham in its wider context are set out in a key diagram (Map 1.2). The remainder of this section sets out the strategic policy framework which has been taken into account in preparing the UDP.

LPAC

9. The London Planning Advisory Committee (LPAC) was created, after the abolition of the Greater London Council (GLC), to advise the London boroughs on planning and development issues and to advise the Government and other bodies of the views of the boroughs on such matters.

10. In 1994 LPAC published Advice on Strategic Planning Guidance for London which was based on a four fold vision and twenty objectives to achieve the vision. The four elements of the vision were:

A Strong Economy : London should be recognised as a capital and world city. It should have an economy with a regenerated and broadened base, and strengthened business, manufacturing, arts, culture and entertainment, creative, education and tourism industries.

A Good Quality of Life : London should nurture safe and healthy communities, places for people to enjoy living, working and visiting. It should have a high urban quality, based on the conservation and improvement of its green and built environment. London should possess good quality transport and other infrastructure.

A Sustainable Future : London should be a city that strives to be more environmentally sustainable.

Opportunities for All: London should be a city where the potential of all who live here is recognised and realised.

11. LPAC have divided London into broad structural sectors. Lewisham falls within the group of boroughs classified as the Inner East London Policy Area. This area of London includes the main concentration of areas in need of regeneration.

12. LPAC itself was abolished in April 2000 and its functions were transferred to a directly elected Greater London Authority (GLA) comprising a Mayor and Assembly. The Mayor for London will produce a Spatial Development Strategy which will replace LPAC’s 1994 Advice and the Government Office for London’s 1996 Strategic Guidance for London Planning Authorities (RPG3).

Central Government

13. In May 1996 the Government Office for London published Strategic Guidance for London Planning Authorities (RPG3). The Lewisham UDP has taken account of this Guidance and it is reflected in the policies in the Plan. The Government’s objectives are set out in paragraph 1.14 of RPG 3. They are to:

• promote London as a world city, recognising its role as a world class business, commercial, educational and heritage centre;
• maintain and enhance the competitiveness of business, including encouraging manufacturing, services, tourism, culture and the arts;
• encourage a pattern of land use and provision of transport which minimises harm to the environment and reduces the need to travel especially by car, consistent with the principles of sustainable development;
• promote urban regeneration, particularly in areas requiring physical improvement or the enhancement of employment opportunities, within the objectives for the South East Region as a whole;
• enhance the vitality, viability and character of town and other local centres as shopping and community facilities that are accessible to all;
maximise housing provision in London, consistent with maintaining environmental quality, to meet the changing needs of the population;
• maintain and improve the natural and open environment, including the green belt, Metropolitan Open Land and areas of national and international significance including the River Thames;
• improve the quality and attractiveness of London’s urban environment to benefit those who visit, live, work and do business in London;
• facilitate the development of transport systems which are safe and efficient, and which contribute to the achievement of competitiveness, regeneration and environmental quality; and
• seek to improve air quality, to reduce waste, pollution and the use of energy, and to encourage recycling.

14. In 2000 the main responsibility for producing new strategic guidance for London was transferred from the Government Office for London to a directly elected Greater London Authority (GLA) comprising a Mayor and Assembly. The Mayor for London will produce a Spatial Development Strategy known as the London Plan which will replace LPAC’s 1994 Advice and the Government Office for London’s 1996 Strategic Guidance for London Planning Authorities (RPG3).

Planning Policy Guidance Notes

15. The Government has published a series of new or revised PPGs since the first UDP was adopted in July 1996. Revised PPG6 Town Centres and Retail Developments was published in June 1996 and therefore did not have an impact on the adopted Plan. The series of PPGs includes: PPG1: General Policies and Principles (February 1997); PPG 3: Housing (March 2000); PPG 8 Telecommunications (August 2001); PPG 10: Planning and Waste Management (September 1999); PPG 11: Regional Planning (October 2000); PPG 12: Development Plans (December 1999); PPG 13: Transport (March 2001); PPG 17: Sport, Open Space and Recreation (July 2002); and PPG 25 Development and Flood Risk (August 2001). The content of these new, revised and draft PPGs have been taken into account in the formulation of the policies in this Plan.

Best Value

16. The Local Government Act 1999 gives local authorities a duty of Best Value under which they are required to produce Best Value Performance Plans showing their record in delivering services and their plans for improving them. Authorities will have to review the performance of all their services, including town planning, over a five year period. Each service is considered against the 4Cs:

• Challenge, why and how a service is being provided;
• Compare their performance with others;
• Consult local people and businesses about the quality of the service; and
• use fair and open Competition to procure the service.

To facilitate the Best Value review of this Plan a comprehensive set of targets and indicators have been set out in Chapter 10. These will form the basis for monitoring the implementation of the Plan policies.

Community Strategies

17. Part 1 of the Local Government Act 2000 places a duty on local authorities such as London Boroughs to prepare “community strategies”, for promoting or improving the economic, social and environment well being of their areas, and contributing to the achievement of sustainable development. Part 1 of the Act came into force on 18 October 2000.

Development plans and community strategies need to be complementary. Government advice is that in preparing community strategies local authorities need to take account of the policies in any adopted development plan. Once a community strategy has been established, the development plan will provide the means of taking forward those elements of its vision and priorities that concern the physical development and use of land.

Urban White Paper

18. In November 2000 the Government published its Urban White Paper ‘Our Towns and Cities: the Future’. This White Paper follows on from the Report of the Urban Task Force ‘Towards an Urban Renaissance’ published in June 1999. The White Paper sets out a new vision of urban living “of towns, cities and suburbs which offer a high quality of life and opportunity for all, not just the few. We want to see:

• People shaping the future;
• People living in attractive, well kept towns and cities which use space and buildings well;
• Good design and planning which makes it practical to live in a more environmentally sustainable way, with less noise, pollution and traffic congestion;
• Towns and cities able to create and share prosperity; and
• Good quality services – health, education, housing, transport, finance, shopping, leisure and protection from crime.”

Many of the objectives of the urban renaissance the Government wants to achieve are reflected in the Plan (see the Council’s Strategy later in this Chapter).

Thames Gateway

19. The Thames Gateway (TG) is the name given to the area that extends from Lewisham and Tower Hamlets in London to Tilbury in Essex and the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. This area has been identified by Government as the main area for development growth in the South East. Lewisham is part of the Thames Gateway and a member of the London Partnership set up to achieve social, cultural, economic and physical regeneration in this part of London and beyond. See Map 1.3 The Thames Gateway London Partnership Area.

20. In 1995 the Government published the Thames Gateway Planning Framework (RPG 9a). This document provides a context for boroughs within the area to take into account when reviewing their UDPs. These objectives have been taken into account and reflected in the policies and proposals contained in this Plan. RPG 9a seeks to:

• Establish a set of principles for development proposals and environmental enhancement;
• Set out strategic objectives for the economy, housing, transport and the environment; and
• Outline a new land use vision for the sub-region.

21. Unlike other areas within the TG, Lewisham does not have large tracts of vacant or derelict land that could be brought back into economic use. However, it does share many of the characteristics of other boroughs in the Partnership. Lewisham has an ethnically diverse population, relatively high levels of unemployment and poverty. The Borough’s economically active residents mostly commute to other areas of London for their employment. Therefore good public transport including rail links is very important to Borough residents. A key objective of TG shared by Lewisham is to improve the quality of physical development and enhance the environment. These objectives are reflected in the Urban Design, Transport and Employment chapters in particular.

New Mayor and Assembly

22. The democratic infrastructure of London has changed with the election of a Mayor and Greater London Authority (GLA) in May 2000. The Mayor decides policy and strategic direction for the GLA, sets budgets and ensures action while the Assembly scrutinises the Mayor’s activities and policies. The Mayor has been preparing a number of strategic plans for London on economic development, transport, biodiversity, spatial development, culture, waste management, air quality and ambient noise and energy. In May 2001 the Mayor published ‘Towards the London Plan – Initial Proposals for the Mayor’s Spatial Development Strategy’. The Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) includes the Mayor’s general policies for the development and use of land in London. Borough’s UDPs will have to be in general conformity with the Mayor’s Spatial Development Strategy. The draft London Plan, published in June 2002, represents the second stage of the Mayor’s SDS. In Spring 2003 an Examination in Public of the draft London Plan was held. The Panel Report into the Examination was published in July 2003.

23. The London Development Agency (LDA) has been created to promote economic development and regeneration in London. It is responsible for formulating and delivering the Mayor’s economic development and regeneration strategy for the capital. Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for many of the transport services in London including the buses, Docklands Light Rail, Croydon Tramlink, the GLA road network and the Underground, once the Public Private Partnership has been agreed. In July 2001 the Mayor published the ‘Transport Strategy’ and the ‘Economic Development Strategy’. In July 2002 the ‘Biodiversity Strategy’ was released followed by the ‘Air Quality Strategy’ in September 2002. In September 2003 the ‘Municipal Waste Management Strategy’ was issued by the Mayor.

Lewisham Council

24. Lewisham Council is the largest single employer in the Borough. The Council is pivotal in many activities that fundamentally affect the lives of Lewisham residents, including the quality of the environment, life-long learning, community care, and housing. As a framework for implementing the Council’s many functions a number of strategy documents are produced. Some of these such as the Housing Investment Programme (HIP), the Interim Transport Plan and Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) schemes are used to both set out policy and bid to central government for finance. Some are statutory such as the Economic Development Plan and others are informal such as the Community Safety Plan. Many of the Council’s activities involve other partners and often strategic documents are produced in co-operation with these partners. The Local Agenda 21 Plan; the Biodiversity Action Plan and the Lewisham Challenge Partnership are all examples of cooperative approaches to problem solving.

Community Plan

25. At a conference in March 1999, 200 local people and representatives of a range of local organisations came together to discuss how to make Lewisham a better place. The results of that discussion and other consultation were used to formulate the first draft Community Plan for the Borough. This was published in June 2000 and is based on a number of issues identified by residents as being of concern to them. These issues form the basis of the Community Plan together with a summary of action being taken by the Council and its partners and certain targets for improving the situation. The issues were:

• A Healthy Community, promoting health and well being of all residents;
• A Place to Learn, providing quality education and learning throughout life;
• A Cleaner, Greener Lewisham, improving the environment;
• A Diverse Community, including everyone and celebrating different cultures;
• A Place You Can Feel Safe In, reducing crime in Lewisham;
• A Caring Community, looking after vulnerable people;
• A Place to Work, Live and Relax, creating good economic, housing and recreational prospects.

New Deal for Communities

26. The Government’s vision for narrowing the gap between deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of the country is set out in ‘New Commitment to Neighbourhood Renewal – A National Strategy Action Plan’ published in January 2001. The Government’s Neighbourhood Renewal Unit is responsible for implementing the strategy and programmes such as New Deal for Communities which aims to direct resources to some of the poorest areas. Its principal aims are to improve health, education, job prospects and crime in deprived neighbourhoods. Local residents, Lewisham Challenge Partnership, Voluntary Action Lewisham and the Council were successful in gaining approval for an outline plan for New Deal in the New Cross Gate area of the Borough. If the full delivery plan is accepted by the Government this could result in up to £50m of Government money being invested in the area over the next 10 years.

SRB6 Urban Renaissance in Lewisham

27. In July 2000 the new Mayor for London approved an SRB Round 6 bid for a comprehensive regeneration programme for the northern part of Lewisham Town Centre. The bid was submitted in collaboration with Lewisham Challenge Partnership and the London Thames Gateway Partnership. It was successful in obtaining funding of £15.9m over 7 years for a package of physical improvements, infrastructure development and business and skill projects which will together enhance the passenger transport interchange and improve residents and business access to economic opportunities in the Town Centre.

28. The role of the UDP in relation to the Council’s activities is to set out the land use strategy and to provide guidance and advice on the land use implications of the Council’s other strategies, plans and proposals.

Vision for Lewisham in the 21st Century

29. The Council’s vision for the future of the Borough is that “together we will make Lewisham the best place to live, work and learn.”

30. The Council’s values are:

• Put people first - we will serve the interest of the people of Lewisham and secure best value services
• Invest in employees - we will train, develop and equip our employees with the skills needed to serve the public
• Value diversity - we will draw on the diversity of our communities to create a more inclusive Lewisham
• Promote openness and honesty - we will be open, accountable and responsive in all we do.

31. The role of the UDP is to set out clearly the land use implications of this vision for Lewisham. Government guidance is that UDPs should not contain policies for matters other than land use and should not duplicate provisions in other legislation. Clearly there are many ways in which the use of land and buildings will contribute towards the implementation of this vision. Protection and enhancement of the built and natural environment to help make Lewisham a great place to live, making provision for business to be established or expanded, and ensuring that development is located close to good public transport, are all ways in which the Lewisham vision will be achieved.

The Council’s Strategy for Land Use and Development

32. The Councils strategy for development and the use of land involves three main themes that are woven into the content of this Plan. They reflect Government objectives as set out in the Urban White Paper, those of LPAC, those of the Association of London Government (ALG) and those of the Urban Task Force. These are to drive regeneration; to ensure that development is sustainable; and to promote equality of opportunity, in the land use planning system.

33. These themes run throughout the Plan and are reflected in the policies and proposals contained in the document. Although identified as three themes they should not be seen as independent but rather as integrated in a close relationship each with the other. The Council’s Strategy section at the beginning of each Chapter makes more explicit the relationship of these themes to the policies.

34. Regeneration does not make good sense if it is not sustainable and does not incorporate issues of equality that contribute towards a more cohesive and inclusive society. Thus the needs of the poor and the unemployed as well as those of other disadvantaged groups need to be considered alongside those of business and narrowly defined economic efficiency. Regeneration is a complex business but in part it is about physical change. It is at this level that the town planning system is most obviously involved. However, no one organisation can deal with the multiple problems that are encompassed by the term regeneration and so a partnership with all relevant stakeholders is essential. The Council through its land use policies aims to influence and contribute to the wider regeneration objectives held for Lewisham.

35. There are many definitions of sustainable development (see note 2), but what is emerging from more recent thinking is that it is not just the environment that is important but social and economic considerations as well. It is generally acknowledged that the planning system has a vital role to play in ensuring that land use and other resources are used more sustainably. The opportunity to create a more sustainable environment is promoted throughout this Plan. In particular, through policies on urban design; encouraging conservation of energy and natural resources; the construction of housing which is suitable for long term needs; through policies on mixed use development in town centres; through a sustainable transport strategy which integrates land use and transport and promotes greater use of public transport; by introducing more flexible housing densities in identified Sustainable Living Areas. The locational policies for new development also reflect sustainable development principles.

36. The third theme equality is also complex. Lewisham is a multicultural society inhabited by a wide mixture of social groups with different ethnic, religious and lifestyle affiliations. The challenge for town planning policies is to facilitate development which is not socially divisive. The Council will ensure that the Plan promotes inclusion and is implemented with due regard to the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and relevant Government policy advice. Developing an inclusive society is a key theme of the Government. This was reflected in the Urban Task Force Report. This theme has many strands only some of which are land use related. For example, the rich can exclude themselves by buying property in development which has no links with its surrounding area or community. Property in enclaves with high walls and security guards at the entrance is as undesirable as concentrations of poverty and unemployment in social housing. Policies on affordable housing are one way of securing a more balanced social mix which is capable of fostering community stability. Policies on mixed use residential areas are one way to influence development patterns. Access to a job is one of the main ways people feel included in society and the Plan sets out policies that protect employment land from inappropriate development, and support public transport improvements such as the East London Line Extension which will benefit commuters and others.

37. Crime and fear of crime are regularly mentioned in surveys of issues that concern local residents. By focusing on this issue the question of designing out crime in all forms of development can be considered. Personal safety is a major consideration in relation to an integrated transport strategy particularly as people will only cycle or walk more if the routes are considered safe. The Plan sets out policies that provide a framework for taking these considerations into account when development is proposed. The quality of life and social inclusion for people with mobility difficulties need to be seriously considered when planning the built environment. The Plan sets out policies to ensure physical access is provided to all public buildings for people with mobility difficulties as this is an obvious way of including them in the community. An accessible environment for all is an objective of this Plan.

38. The above section sets out some examples of how the UDP aims to integrate the three themes of regeneration, sustainability and equality into the land use planning process. Clearly other activities have much more to say about these issues and it is acknowledged that this is only part of the solution. The next two sections develop these themes in more detail by setting out the Council’s objectives and strategic policies.

Strategic Planning Objectives

39. Lewisham’s UDP aims to meet local needs and aspirations with regard to the use of land and buildings while also making the Borough’s contribution towards meeting the needs of London as a whole. The Plan gives special consideration to protecting what is best in our environment and improving the standard of built development within the principals of sustainable development. The following objectives give rise to the policy position in both Parts I and II of the UDP.

The Strategic Objectives (STR.OBJ) of the UDP are:

STR.OBJ 1: To protect and enhance the natural and built environment including important heritage features

40. Consultation for the preparation of this Plan and other consultation regularly undertaken by the Council, shows the importance local people attach to environmental issues. The UDP can have an influence on these issues of concern. Policies are included on protecting Sites of Nature Conservation Importance, open spaces, reducing pollution (including contributing to the improvement targets for air quality), influencing the design of individual buildings and the urban design of wider areas, and on sustainable transport and parking issues.

STR.OBJ 2: To support and promote sustainable patterns of development

41. The planning system has a vital role to play in promoting more sustainable land use patterns and use of resources. The Brundtland definition of sustainable development is “development which meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to achieve their own needs and aspirations.” The Government has also endorsed in June 1992 the ‘Rio Declaration’ which sets out 27 principles of sustainable development and also signed Agenda 21, an action plan specifying what would be needed to achieve sustainable development in the 21st Century.

42. The idea of sustainable development is that social and economic development should not take place if the environment is destroyed in the process. However, it is not against economic development or wealth creation. It is important in that it links social and economic development explicitly with environmental considerations. Sustainable development is a strong theme running throughout the UDP from policies to protect open space and Sites of Nature Conservation Importance through to promotion of public transport and restraint based car parking standards.

STR.OBJ 3: To facilitate an efficient and more balanced economy and influence urban regeneration that will contribute towards this objective.

43. The largest employment sector in the Borough is the public sector including local government, education and the health sector. The manufacturing sector has declined considerably while the service sector has expanded in recent years. While this is true for London as a whole it nevertheless means that the local economy is heavily biased towards the public sector. With unemployment levels above the Greater London average the planning system must aim to do what it can to facilitate improvements in this situation.

44. Lewisham does not have large areas of vacant or derelict land that can be brought back into employment uses. It is therefore important the few viable opportunities that do exist for creating employment are protected. All the main employment areas have been surveyed and advice taken on likely future demand. Taking a realistic position the best opportunities for employment are protected by policies in the Plan particularly by the designation of Defined Employment Areas in the Employment Chapter. The Council will encourage a range of job opportunities especially in town centres and on identified sites. It will promote new economic growth sectors such as the creative and cultural industries which includes culture media and arts. Modern information technology means that there is scope for more people to work from home and this will be encouraged subject to the protection of residential amenity.

STR.OBJ 4: To provide decent and affordable homes for all residents

45. A principal objective for the UDP is to make provision for additional housing need over the plan period both to meet local need and to contribute towards meeting London wide needs. The projected growth in households is such that the RPG 3 housing target figure, of an extra 8,400 dwellings over the period 1992-2006, is to be treated as a minimum and the UDP must show how the Borough intends to achieve and surpass this figure. The UDP will have a life of 10-15 years and therefore account has also been taken of the likely household growth and the need to make provision for about 11,000 new residential units in the period 1997-2016.

46. Policies are therefore included to:

• protect existing housing stock,
• ensure a balance between the size and type of accommodation available and the range of housing needs including special needs,
• ensure that all new housing is built to a high standard of design; encourage housing in mixed use schemes and,
• provide for higher density residential developments in suitable locations with good public transport links.

STR.OBJ 5: To promote accessibility to everyday facilities for everyone

47. The policies in the UDP take into account the needs of all sections of the community and especially aim to provide for access to buildings and public facilities for people with disabilities. However, there is a wider question of access to everyday facilities such as town centres, local centres and shopping parades, schools and medical facilities and these need to be improved so that people with mobility problems can access the full range of community facilities. When people arrive at their destination they need to move between buildings easily and safely, therefore, urban design needs to consider the whole environment. This involves policies on transport and urban design that can ensure that such ease of movement is taken into account and provided. Access to the Major and District Town Centres and to transport interchanges is considered very important and the Council will direct efforts towards improvements in these locations.

STR.OBJ 6: To promote the integration of all forms of transport, but particularly public transport and land use planning.

48. Sustainable transport objectives involve seeking to reduce the number of car journeys in order to reduce congestion, reduce road accidents, improve public transport reliability, improve air quality and allow improvements for business operations. A key way to achieve these objectives is to ensure that land uses such as houses or businesses are located close to good public transport so people have the choice of using these services rather than the private car. Policies are included which seek to implement these objectives.

STR.OBJ 7: To improve safety for all residents and visitors.

49. Lewisham has achieved great success in recent years in relation to crime reduction and recorded the second lowest number of crimes per 100 residents in inner London (Lewisham’s Community Plan, June 2000). However, despite this achievement, crime and fear of crime are regularly among the list of issues of most concern to local people. The Lewisham Community Safety Plan and Crime and Disorder projects aim to reduce all forms of crime in the Borough. The UDP sets out policies to deal as far as possible with the physical dimension to crime prevention. Policies in the Plan seek to promote the design of buildings and public places that make people feel safe and attracts usage. However, the Council wants design to be used carefully so that lighting is used sensitively and landscaping does not result in a sterile environment.

STR.OBJ 8: To improve the quality of life for Lewisham residents

50. Many things help make up the quality of life. Some obvious factors are a good home, reasonable income, good health, access to leisure facilities, good prospects for your children. As part of the consultation on this document people said they liked living in Lewisham because of its open spaces, residential environment and good public transport links particularly train links. As set out above, many policies in the UDP aim to protect and enhance what is best in our environment and ensure that new development improves the environment and does not detract from it. In these varied ways the quality of life for residents can be maintained and improved. Improvements to the physical environment creating interest and variety can promote the image of Lewisham as a good place to live, work and learn and provide the right context for business investment in the Borough.

STR.OBJ 9: To attract resources to implement the Plan

51. The vast majority of development that takes place in the Borough is funded by organisations other than the Council including private individuals or businesses or by other public sector bodies such as the Health Authority. This situation will continue in the future. Large parts of the Borough are multiply deprived. The Indices of Deprivation 2000 produced by the DETR provides a measure of multiple deprivation. Groups of Indicators include measures of income, employment, health, housing and education. The Indices identify four wards – Bellingham, Downham, Evelyn and Grinling Gibbons – as being amongst the worst 10% of wards in England. The UDP aims to direct resources towards these areas and improve conditions for those living within them.

52. By providing a land use strategy the UDP also provides a framework for other proposals which in part involve physical development such as National Lottery or SRB bids. The Council will also use Planning Obligations under S106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to ensure that the adverse effects of any development are minimised. Policy IRM 3 in Chapter 10 sets out in more detail the Councils approach to community benefit and planning loss in relation to S106.

7.0 STRATEGIC PLANNING POLICIES

URBAN DESIGN AND CONSERVATION

STR.URB 1 The Built Environment

To create a built environment through new development and alterations to existing buildings that are well designed, safe to use and accessible to all.

STR.URB 2 Conservation

To preserve and enhance buildings of architectural or historic interest and their settings, and preserve or enhance the character or appearance of Conservation Areas.

STR.URB 3 Archaeology

To protect and enhance the archaeological heritage and the valuable elements, strategic and local, of the Borough’s environment.

STR.URB 4 Regeneration Areas

To protect the best in our environment and enhance and improve the environment in areas of the Borough where social and environmental conditions are poorest.

STR.URB 5 River Thames

To respect the special character of the River Thames and Deptford Creek and to improve the vitality, urban design and environmental quality of the River, its foreshore and its adjoining areas.

OPEN SPACE

STR.OS 1 Open Space

To protect all open space in the Borough from inappropriate built development.

STR.OS 2 New Open Space

To seek to provide additional open space in the Borough, particularly in areas identified as deficient in accessible provision.

STR.OS 3 Biodiversity

To protect and wherever possible enhance nature conservation and biodiversity in the Borough.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

STR ENV.PRO 1 Waste

To minimise the generation of waste and encourage greater reuse of materials and recycling of waste and to ensure that schemes for waste disposal are environmentally acceptable.

STR ENV.PRO 2 Pollution

To reduce levels of environmental pollution, improve air and water quality and located activities which have the potential to pollute so as to minimise any environmental impact.

STR ENV.PRO 3 Energy and Natural Resource Conservation

To encourage energy and natural resource conservation and promote environmentally acceptable forms of energy generation, in particular renewable forms of energy, and resource consumption.

STR.ENV.PRO 4 Contaminated Land

To use the planning system, where appropriate, to facilitate improvement and decontamination of poor quality, degraded and contaminated land.

STR.ENV.PRO 5 Flood Risk

To protect areas liable to river or tidal flooding and to control surface water drainage.

HOUSING

STR.HSG 1 Preventing Loss of Housing

To prevent the loss of viable residential property as a consequence of development, change of use or redevelopment schemes and where a loss is considered acceptable to ensure that at least equal provision is made elsewhere in the Borough.

STR.HSG 2 Residential Amenity

To protect and enhance the character and amenity of residential areas while providing for higher density in defined Sustainable Living Areas.

STR.HSG 3 Residential Mix

To ensure a mix and balance of residential provision to meet the full range of identified housing need in the Borough including single people, families of different size, persons with special needs and for affordable homes.

STR.HSG 4 Additional Dwellings

To make provision for at least an additional 8,400 dwellings in the Borough between 1992 – 2006 and to recognise the likely need for a minimum of 11,178 new residential units in the period 1997-2016.

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT AND PARKING

STR.TRN 1 Land Use and Transport

To co-ordinate land use and development with the provision of transport and car parking, so as to minimise the need for car travel; provide good access to premises, especially in Town Centres; and safeguard the environment and amenities of residential areas.

STR.TRN 2 Public Transport

To seek improvements to the public transport provision in the Borough which benefit residents and minimise any adverse impact on the environment.

STR.TRN 3 Cyclists and Pedestrians

To ensure that adequate and safe provision is made for cyclists, pedestrians and people with disabilities in new development and to improve access and facilities to and within existing land uses for people using them with particular reference to safety issues.

STR.TRN 4 Car Parking

To adopt an integrated car parking strategy which contributes to the objectives of road traffic reduction while protecting the operational needs of major public facilities, essential economic development and the needs of people with disabilities.

EMPLOYMENT

STR.EMP 1 Employment Sites

To protect and increase the number, quality and range of local employment opportunities having regard to the availability and sustainability of sites and buildings, including appropriate provision for live work units.

STR.EMP 2 Employment Opportunities

To protect a range of suitable sites for business including industrial uses, in line with sustainability and environmental objectives, especially for new growth areas of the economy.

STR.EMP 3 Creative and Cultural Industries

To promote business clusters particularly for the creative and cultural industrial sector.

SHOPPING AND TOWN CENTRES

STR.STC 1 Town Centres

To sustain and promote the vitality and viability of the existing shopping centres in the Borough and ensure that the level and range of facilities are appropriate to the role and function of the particular centre in the shopping hierarchy.

STR.STC 2 Location of Retail

Town Centres are the preferred location for large scale retail development and proposals for other locations will be critically evaluated and subject to the sequential test and a demonstrable need for the proposal.

STR.STC 3 Shopping Environment

To seek improvements to the attractiveness, accessibility, and environment of the shopping centres in the Borough on a scale appropriate to their status within the retail hierarchy.

LEISURE, COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND EDUCATION

STR.LCE 1 Provision of Education and Community Facilities

To ensure that there are sufficient education and community facilities to enable the Council, and other protective and public authorities to meet their statutory obligations and duties.

STR.LCE 2 Leisure and Education Facilities

To ensure that leisure, community, arts, cultural, entertainment, sports, health care, child care, protective and public service and education facilities are located in appropriate places that contribute to sustainability objectives and provide easy access for users.

STR.LCE 3 Loss of Leisure and Education Facilities

To prevent the loss of valuable existing leisure, community, arts, cultural, entertainment, sports, health care, child care and education facilities as a consequence of redevelopment or change of use.

STR.LCE 4 Tourism

To promote the Borough’s potential for tourism and encourage the provision of hotel accommodation and tourist related attractions in appropriate locations.

IMPLEMENTATION, RESOURCES AND MONITORING

STR.IRM 1 Monitoring and Review

To monitor and review the UDP regularly so as to ensure it remains up to date.

STR.IRM 2 Resources

To attract the resources necessary to implement the Plan.

STR.IRM 3 Consultation

To consult the public about longer term planning issues and day to day development control decisions and to facilitate communication between local residents and groups and the Council.

Note 1 Legislation

The primary legislation governing the planning process is contained in three Acts of Parliament:
The Town and Country Planning Act 1990;
The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990; and
The Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990.

Each of these Acts has been amended by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991.

The main instruments of subordinate legislation are: the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987; and the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Regulations 1999.

Note 2 Sustainable Development

The following definition from the Expert Group on Urban Environment of the European Commission is quoted in the ALG report ‘The London Study’ published November 1998.
“A development that offers fundamental environmental, social and economic services to all the residents of a community without compromising the proper functioning of the natural, settlement and social system on which the supply of these services depends.”

Map 1.1

Map 1.2

Map 1.3