Emerging Draft v 4.5 · Web viewEmerging Draft v 4.5 Dartington Neighbourhood Plan October 2019 Photo by Jane Parrish, Dartington Neighbourhood Plan Photography competition winner

Emerging Draft v 4.5

Dartington Neighbourhood PlanOctober 2019

Photo by Jane Parrish, Dartington Neighbourhood Plan Photography competition winner

Contents:Historical Context of the ParishPlanning ContextNational contextDesignated NP area TimescalePlan preparationSupporting evidence – appendices to be sorted and citedDartington Neighbourhood Plan ContextVision The Aims of the planMonitoring and Review

KeyYellow= to note and doGreen = newBlue = redrafted Pink = caution - may need verifying or rethinking

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General comments:

The final edit has not been carried out and therefore issues with numbering, typos, nuances, variation in style etc will be addressed later.

Aims have been re-ordered so that it’s more logical - developers can see that the principles in Aims 1 & 2 link to what they are expected to deliver in Aim 3.

The economy section has been rewritten Facts quoted and assertions made about ‘how things are’ in the parish

need to be current, relevant and evidence-based with sources clearly identified.

Policies need to identify the objective they deliver Sections and paragraphs will need to be numbered There are gaps

Historical context of the parish

The parish of Dartington is in South Devon. Largely an agricultural area of low wooded rolling hills, it is bounded on the east by the river Dart, to the south by Totnes and the South Hams and to the north the higher tors of Dartmoor are visible. Predominantly, land holdings are large, and settlement is widely scattered in small hamlets and farmsteads. It covers an area of approximately 4.75 square miles with a boundary of about 12 miles.

Today the parish is crossed by an ancient network of small footpaths and lanes, with faster and more modern through routes going mainly east/west and connecting settlements outside of the parish. Many residents travel to work outside the parish using the road and railway network, but there is an increasing number and range of businesses here building an intertwined localised economy ranging from food production to computer services.

Archaeological evidence shows human occupation here 10,000 years ago. Almost 7000 years later their descendants constructed in North Woods the Iron Age fort to protect their produce and to watch over the ancient trade route which wound down from the moor to sea routes. The fort was abandoned but probably re-occupied by the Romans as they pushed westwards.

The first written record dates from AD 833. In 1086, Domesday Book shows a settlement pattern which stayed largely the same until the coming of the railways in the mid19th century. From then explosive changes began in transportation and settlement.

In the second millennium AD Dartington’s fate was often tied to affairs of state in faraway London. In 1388 King Richard II granted the property (land?) to John Holand who built Dartington Hall to reflect his status and wealth. King Henry VIII granted the Estate to two of his wives in 1541 and 1542-8. By 1559 the Champernownes were the new occupants and their focus was on helping family (eg the Raleighs) in their piratical seafaring activities. By the 19th century the family had more domestic interests and remained owners until the 1920’s

Their sons used to bring College friends home to the estate for holiday retreats, reflecting on current scientific and spiritual conjecture. One son for example, was to become the naval architect William Froude, whose hull designs grace most modern cargo ships. One of their visiting friends was John Henry Newman, who became a leader of the Oxford Movement and was beatified in 2010 in

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recognition for his services to the Catholic Church in England. The family remained owners of the estate and much of the surrounding land until the 1920’s.

Their reflections seem to have prefigured the 20th century scientific/economic regeneration undertaken by the Elmhirsts who bought the Estate in the 1920’s. Keenly aware of the social and cultural responsibilities their great wealth gave them, they restored and augmented its ancient infrastructure for a growing population. They built a cider mill, a sawmill and a textile mill and set up a building business, all now gone. They modernised the agricultural and forestry practices and began various educational initiatives, all creating pressure for more housing.

Soon they started building modern dwellings for the workers and their families, installing turbines in the River Dart to generate electricity and wells to pump water so all properties received these modern services.

This experimentation with housing and community design by The Dartington Hall Trust continued into the 1970s. The parish now boasts a range of innovative small housing clusters which, together with the nature of the community which has evolved here, act as magnets for craftspeople, artists and musicians, ecologists and educators, therapists and entrepreneurs….

Planning Context

National Planning Context:

A Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) is a community-led framework for guiding the future development of an area. It is about the use and development of land and is based on an extensive process of identifying local needs and priorities. If an NDP successfully passes scrutiny by an independent examiner and then is subsequently approved by a local referendum, the Local Planning Authority will be required to take the Plan into account in the consideration and determination of planning applications and any subsequent appeals.

Neighbourhood Plans must:Have regard to national policiesContribute to the achievement of sustainable developmentGenerally conform to strategic policies for the development of the areaBe compatible with EU legislation etc

Para 13 of the revised (Feb 2019) NPPF says: The application of the presumption has implications for the way communities engage in neighbourhood planning. Neighbourhood plans should support the delivery of strategic policies contained in local plans or spatial development strategies; and should shape and direct development that is outside of these strategic policies.

Dartington Parish Council has made a Climate Emergency Declaration (March 2019. See appendix XX for text) and takes the view that its Neighbourhood Plan will enhance the strategic policies of the Local Plan by responding to this climate crisis and building support to plan for a zero-carbon future.

Designated Neighbourhood Area

The designated area for our Neighbourhood Plan is bounded by the Dartington parish boundary. This area shown on the map below was designated by the Local Authority on 5/6/14. Map needs permission

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Plan period monitoring and review

The Neighbourhood Plan covers the period from 2014-2034. This is the same timescale as the Joint Local Plan. Dartington Parish Council, as the Neighbourhood Plan authority, will be responsible for maintaining and periodically revisiting the Plan to ensure relevance and to monitor delivery.

Plan preparation

The preparation of this NP has been informed throughout by a comprehensive programme of meetings and consultation. These are listed in the Consultation Statement in Appendix XX and have built on previous consultations in the parish such as the 1999 Parish appraisal and the 2010 Dartington Community Action Plan.

Neighbourhood Plan meetings have included specific Task Group meetings open to all which report to the Steering Group meetings. Steering Group meetings have also been open to all and during 2015 and 2016 were held monthly. Less frequent, but specifically focused Steering Group meetings have been held during 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Significant consultation events have included the following:

October and November 2014 to identify and set up task groups; The Future Homes Conference February 2015; Destination Dartington Open day in February 2015; Parish consultation meeting of June 2015; Energy in Neighbourhood Planning consultation March 2016 in conjunction with Totnes Neighbourhood Plan; April 2016 consultation and Parish Housing Needs Survey event; Open Space

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Sport and Recreation Strategy consultation September 2016; Business survey (date) 2017; Traffic survey (date); March 2017 Emerging Draft Consultation; Quiet Roads Survey October/November 2017.

The Neighbourhood Plan employs a coordinator, has a dedicated NP website and regular input into the quarterly parish magazine delivered to all parishioners. All consultations, meetings and events will be detailed in the consultation document/consultation statement. Appendix XX

The consultations are summarised for the ‘Consultation Statement’, as required by the NP legislative requirements and are available in Appendix XX

The outcomes of the consultations – key priorities (which have enabled us to create the vision etc) to be drafted.

Supporting evidence

Dartington’s NP is supported by a variety of other documents and information sometimes referred to in this document. The key supporting document is the ‘Summary of Evidence’ document which outlines outcomes from the various consultation exercises and evidence gathered. (incomplete).

All supporting documents and evidence base are also available on the Dartington NP website (mostly on the emerging drafts page but not yet in a logical order)

The Dartington Neighbourhood Plan context :

Dartington is a parish in the South Hams District Council area of South Devon. The local strategic context is therefore set by the Joint Local Plan prepared by Plymouth, South Hams and West Devon Councils.

Dartington Parish is within easy reach of many key services largely in the nearby town of Totnes. There is a significant amount of employment in the parish which supports a thriving economy. Dartington Hall Trust, a registered charity and social enterprise, employs about 350 people and currently (Webbers Yard, Lescaze, Tweed Mille update needed) provides a home for about 170 commercial tenants and 120 residential tenants. Education, training, business and professional services and agriculture are particularly well represented. Several micro businesses cater for visitors to the parish offering bespoke products from music tuition to carnival costumes. We are fortunate to have a beautiful parish with many assets and facilities which we hope our NP can celebrate and protect.

Dartington Hall Estate is a significant part of the parish. In 1925 the Elmhirsts bought the, then neglected, estate and put their financial resources into the “Dartington Experiment” which aimed to regenerate the rural community: restoring buildings, creating employment, educational and artistic projects which attracted worldwide attention. The Trust has shaped housing, employment and learning in the parish since then and continues to be a major influence. Trust holdings in the parish amount to 1200 acres which includes the core estate and other landholdings including parkland and farmland. There is a year-round programme of arts, craft and film; learning and short courses. that illustrate the importance of the estate as a significant ‘destination’ in the South Hams for visitors and those wanting to take part in its broad programme of activity.

In recent years the Trust has been working hard to ensure a sustainable future for the Dartington estate, in the process seeking to embody Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst’s founding ideas encapsulated in what they referred to as their ‘English Experiment’.

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The Trust is currently developing a new 5 year strategy designed to restore the Trust to a strong financial footing and focus activity in order to deliver against its vision to become a test-bed for a just and sustainable society. A range of exciting new projects in learning and arts are being developed, and there are plans to continue to improve visitor attractions (including the hotel, restaurants and more) as well as explore new development potential (including housing) as identified through the Estate Framework which has been formalised by the Joint Local Plan in Policy TTV23 reword this sentence proper references needed

As in many similar parishes, statistics show that more young people are moving out of the parish than are moving into it and there is a net inflow of those in the 65+ age group. 26% of the population is over 65 compared to 16% nationally. This has implications for the success of a viable, balanced, rural community which our NP hopes to address.

Dartington parish is bisected by two major trunk roads, the A384 and A385. Traffic passes through the village from Totnes and the rapidly expanding Torbay conurbation towards the A38, Dartmoor, Exeter, Plymouth and beyond, and vice versa. Totnes is also the primary vehicular access route into and out of the South Hams. Traffic issues are a concern for many residents. Traffic and private car use is also a significant barrier to building a low carbon economy and the NP hopes to work with others in the parish to provide an integrated transport and movement strategy to identify the issues and find solutions.

The Overall Neighbourhood Plan VisionOur vision is for Dartington to be known internationally as a model of a strong and cohesive community, grasping the challenge of climate change and taking measures to reduce its impact. Dartington will continue to be a rural Parish retaining its distinct rural character with a clear physical identity where new development will achieve a balance between social, economic and environmental impacts. The health and wellbeing of parishioners will be supported through the provision of improved community, sports, recreation and play infrastructure.

The historic character of the parish will be respected. This character is made up of different elements including the Dartington Hall Estate, the separate and very individual housing estate developments, the oldest and newest buildings in the parish as well as its open spaces, interlinking footpaths, cycle ways, wildlife corridors and views.

Key Landscape and biodiversity features of the countryside will be identified and protected. New development will contribute positively to social cohesion, the surrounding countryside, landscape and ecosystems.

We recognise that transport is a major and rapidly growing source of greenhouse gas emissions and congestion so Dartington will be a place where people are encouraged to use private cars less. We aim to make Dartington parish a destination rather than a through route and local economic empowerment will contribute to the emergence of a sustainable, co-operative and vital low carbon economy.

Revisit vision to include DHT estate wide vision? Currently “Dartington will bring together people and ideas to become a testbed and model for a sustainable society”

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The Aims of the PlanOur vision outlines the aspirations for the Neighbourhood Plan and to enable us to turn this vision into reality, four Aims have been identified.

1. To conserve and enhance the character of the neighbourhood as defined by its environment, landscape and heritage;

2. To create a sustainable and low carbon neighbourhood;3. To ensure new development reflects the community’s needs and values

its assets;4. To maintain and strengthen the local economy;

The Aims relate to Objectives which the supporting text explains. The Policies which may relate to more than one Objective will be the means of delivery. More explanation clearly linking the aims to the objectives and the policies is needed here.

Aim 1: To conserve and enhance the character of the neighbourhood as defined by its environment, landscape and heritage;

Objectives supporting this Aim:

1. To ensure future development complements the existing natural environment, sustains and enhances natural habitats and retains much loved local views;

2. To prioritise local distinctiveness (define this – in the design guide?) and ensure the protection of heritage assets while maintaining the functionality of this heritage;

3. To ensure future development complements and enhances the existing built environment;

4. To maintain the character of the parish.5. To safeguard our natural environment and increase biodiversity through

sensitive development.6. Where new development is considered, appropriate mitigation must be

built in to designs to avoid adverse impact on natural habitats, biodiversity, landscape and heritage.

Dartington parish has an exceptional natural environment, which is valued by local people and visitors. The area is noted for its beauty and for the wildlife that lives there. Residents cite the quality of the environment as being significant in their decision to live in the parish.

The mature landscape of rolling fields, woodlands, hedgerows, streams and winding lanes frames existing buildings, many of which are of great historic significance. The River Dart forms the north eastern boundary and local streams feed into this. Many sustainable agricultural, horticultural and

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experimental growing projects are a feature of the landscape and economy of the area, benefiting the diversity of the fauna and providing local food and other produce to the community.

Devon Wildlife Trust records (ref) show there are a number of endangered species, including the Greater Horseshoe Bat and dormice, which rely on high quality habitats. There is no formal survey of fauna, but residents report widespread siting of deer and otters as well as many much-loved bird species. Protection of these is considered a priority when considering development.

In addition to the Grade 2* listed gardens at Dartington, there are records of 260 veteran trees on the Estate, or which 21 are considered ancient. Hedgerows abutting roads throughout the parish contain large oak and beech trees and there are several mature plantations and copses, much of which were established by the Elmhirsts in the 1920s and 30s.

Some landscape elements have become degraded due to insensitive development and farming practices. We are keen for the plan to identify opportunities to improve these areas through new investment and improved quality of landscape management.

Local people consider Dartington to be a rural parish and wish to safeguard this for the future. Protecting the green area between the settlements of Totnes and Dartington from development is a concern for many Dartington residents. That the parish has a clear boundary and green space in between it and the settlement of Totnes is valued as an indicator of the rural nature of the parish. Development continues to threaten the fields in this gap especially as the Totnes town boundary is drawn very tightly around the built environment of the town. The Transition Homes site is a departure site which sits in Dartington parish in this gap and is a development with many qualities valued by the Neighbourhood Plan. However, this development is very much an exception to the NP aspirations to prevent coalescence and it is not envisaged that other development will be permitted in this green gap. The plantation site needs to be mentioned in this explanatory text here

The areas which will not normally be acceptable for development are marked on the policy map. To be done.

These sites on the map below are in the JLP and directly contradict the policy they illustrate so a fuller explanation of these sites is needed and a stronger justification for having this policy is needed here.

Policy 1:

PREVENTING THE MERGING OF DARTINGTON AND TOTNESCite obs covered.

In order to prevent the coalescence of Dartington and Totnes, development on land identified on the map (better map and permissions needed) will not be permitted within the plan period. (The yellow striped areas are identified in the JLP).

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Also key to maintaining a rural feel to the parish is the need to protect parts of the parish from light pollution. Darkness at night is one of the most important differences between urban and rural areas. The South Hams is currently the 14th darkest district out of the 326 districts in England and parts of Dartington parish are very dark which many residents value.

Light pollution is unnecessary artificial light shining where it is not needed or wanted, for example light that spills beyond the boundary of the property on which a light is located, sometimes shining through windows and curtains, and uncomfortably bright light sources resulting in glare.

Light can spread for miles from its source disrupting the rural environment and causing irritation to humans too. Lighting the sky wastes money and causes unnecessary carbon emissions. Nocturnal species such as bats are particularly sensitive to even low levels of light pollution.

Consultation in April 2018 asked parishioners about the importance of dark skies and 100 percent of respondents were in favour of a policy to safeguard night-time darkness and reduce light pollution for the surrounding area. (See appendix xxx for consultation)

The Neighbourhood Plan would like to encourage the use of the correct type of lighting for the purpose and ensure that lighting should be used only when and where it is needed. New development proposals requiring external lighting installation must be able to demonstrate that they include lighting schemes which are designed and maintained to minimise light spillage.

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Policy 2:

SAFEGUARDING DARK SKIES

Any new development proposals must ensure that its lighting requirements do not result in the loss of night-time darkness or light pollution for the surrounding area.

Cite obs covered

Future development should complement the best quality of the existing environment. It will be expected to make positive contributions to enhancing the special environment in which we live for residents, local businesses and visitors. All new development will be required to demonstrate how it will conserve, protect and enhance the natural environment of the site, both during and after construction. (Say how)

New development will be expected to be designed to minimise the visual impact on the landscape and make use of new planting and effective green boundaries to assist in this. Boundaries are expected to be designed to fit in with existing hedgerow patterns, be of sufficient size to provide effective natural habitat as well as privacy for residents and protection from road traffic noise and fumes. Green spaces which contribute to the network of linked open spaces and quiet walking routes and lanes should be considered.

Environmental Statements and plans are encouraged for all development sites. In addition to the requirements of these set out in national policies and the Joint Local Plan, these Environmental Statements should identify significant features of the natural environment and consider how the development will treat these.

Policy 3: Needs work and cross referencing with higher legislation. DEFRA 25 for example (new development should result in net biodiversity gain)

CONSERVE, PROTECT, AND ENHANCE THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Proposals for development should demonstrate through an Environmental Statement how the proposed development conserves, protects and enhances the natural environment.

Environmental Statements are encouraged to addresses the following.

1. Wildlife corridors that pass alongside or through the site (for all species) shall be identified and development shall be designed to ensure these are properly retained and managed in future.

2. Established boundary features such as Devon banks and hedgerows shall be maintained and enhanced within the development and protected for perpetuity with effective on-going management agreements. Such areas shall be fully protected during the construction period.

3. Wetlands within development sites should include a management plan to protect and enhance the diversity of flora and fauna.

4. Provide an assessment of the impact on long views into and across the parish shall be undertaken and agreed. The view of significant landscape features (such as Yarner Beacon, North Woods, church spires and other historic buildings) shall be respected in design. As these sites are DHT owned and stipulations are being asked this needs discussion with DHT

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Dartington Hall Trust’s Estate Framework – needs working on

Dartington Hall Estate is an essential part of the parish and the future prosperity of the Estate is closely linked to that of the parish. The Neighbourhood Plan would support appropriate development that enables the objectives of the Estate Framework of the Dartington Hall Trust, which might include an integrated transport strategy, redevelopment of the shops at Dartington and the identification of a “Village Centre” in addition to development on the Core Estate.

Main points to note are:

1. The recently adopted Plymouth and SW Devon Joint Local Plan includes a new policy for the Dartington Hall Estate (Policy TTV23).

2. The policy covers development on the Dartington estate (including in the order of 120 houses) which supports the estate’s long-term future including its historic buildings and landscape.

3. The new policy requires the publication of an ‘estate framework’ which will identify wider issues including the estate’s physical, economic and environmental characteristics and significant historic and landscape assets.

4. Future estate-based planning decisions including housing and any larger-scale developments will be required to show compliance with the estate framework.

5. Initial work on the estate framework, which will be subject to public consultation in the summer of 2019, is being developed by the Trust working with South Hams District Council and Historic England.

Aim 2. To create a sustainable and Low Carbon Neighbourhood.

Objectives: to address climate change/to become a zero-carbon

neighbourhood by 2030; to support an integrated transport strategy which aims to reduce

CO2 emissions; to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors by increasing

resilience to climate change; to explore all the renewable energy resources in the parish so that

renewable energy projects could come forward in the future

Policies 4&5 need more introductory text

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Parishioners show a high level of commitment to reducing any contribution to climate change. CO2 emissions for the South Hams were 8.3 tonnes/capita in 2012. A significant contribution to this in areas such as Dartington comes from transport, as people have to travel out of the village for shopping and work.

Policy 4:

MINIMISE CONTIBUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND PLAN FOR ITS POSSIBLE IMPACT

1. All new developments are encouraged to use green transport plans to demonstate how the deveopment will minimise CO2 emissions by residents and business.

2. Developers are encouraged to design all buildings for minimal energy useage through orientation, maximum insulation and provision of renewable energy.

3. All new developments shall include sustainable drainage schemes which should take into account the likely impacts of climate change and flooding.

In addition, proposals will be supported where: 1. New development encourages the best use of resources and innovative

technologies with the greatest energy output without harmful impacts. 2. New development enables community ownership providing that mechanisms

are in place to ensure the project continues to deliver for the community over its lifetime

Policy 5:

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Proposals for individual and community scale energy from hydro-electricity, solar photovoltaic panels, anaerobic digestions and wood fuel products will be supported subject to the following criteria:

1. the siting and scale of the proposed development is appropriate to its setting and position in the wider landscape;

2. the proposed development does not create an unacceptable impact on the amenities of local residents;

3. the proposed development does not have an unacceptable impact on a feature of natural or biodiversity importance;

4. the potential for community ownership, wholly or partly, is explored; and that if such a project is delivered there should be an agreement to ensure that the project can deliver its objectives.

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Aim 3: To ensure new development reflects the community’s needs and values its assets;

Objectives: To ensure new homes are delivered in sustainable locations (needs

definition or identifying on a map) meeting the future needs of residents of Dartington without compromising the setting or the natural environment;

To sustain and improve local open space and recreation facilities to maintain a strong, active, healthy and vibrant community;

to improve pedestrian and cycle connectivity within and to and from the parish;

To seek opportunities for improving infrastructure (including utility infrastructure, digital connectivity and green infrastructure (define)) to make Dartington more sustainable for those who live, work and visit the parish;

Dartington has a long and rich history, which can be seen today in its buildings and landscape features. It defines the character of the parish and is something of which local people are very proud. In addition to ancient and medieval heritage, we are fortunate to have an unusual high quality legacy of 20th Century architecture (both housing and employment space) in the village and on the Dartington Hall Estate.

The parish has over 100 listed buildings and scheduled sites. Add references in an appendix. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/ There are also numerous small features of local historic significance, such as bridges, walls and minor buildings.

Dartington is a parish comprised of several hamlets, each with a distinct character. As is the case in many parishes, there has been gradual growth over the centuries, but the impact of the Elmhirst‘s “Dartington Experiment” on the parish and local housing stock has been dramatic.

The 1930s workers housing developments of Broom Park and Huxhams Cross were cheaply built to house the growing numbers of estate workers in the parish. The iconic 1930s modernist buildings of High Cross House and the houses on Warren Lane sit beside the impressive restoration of mediaeval buildings and the Dartington version of the Arts and Crafts movement displayed in the design of the estate cottages and other DHT buildings. The Trust hoped that 1970s Hunter’s Moon development could be replicated through the parish, but this proposal did not meet with the approval of the Planning Authority at the time.

This pragmatic approach to design and building means that the parish does not have a vernacular to follow, apart from the adherence to good design which allows function and economy. These Dartington Trust built houses are highly sought after and one aim of the Neighbourhood Plan is to encourage would be designers and developer to take some of this pragmatic innovation and use it today.

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The situation, design and layout of new settlements can contribute to the functionality of the settlement in terms of community cohesion and interaction. There are good examples in the parish of settlement layouts encouraging interaction between neighbours.

Dartington parish is set to grow significantly over the Plan period and this growth has been determined by the housing allocations identified in the Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan. As a result of the amount of housing Dartington is allocated in the Joint Local Plan over the plan period, the Neighbourhood Plan will not be allocating additional housing sites. However, the Neighbourhood plan would like to encourage careful consideration of building design and layout which benefits the community and is sensitive to the historic and natural environment and has produced a Design Policy. Development which makes a positive contribution towards the distinctive character and form of Dartington Parish and relates well to its site and its surroundings will be encouraged and design which respects local distinctiveness and reinforce Dartington’s sense of place through innovative approaches will be encouraged.

This Policy is accompanied by a Design Guide.

Policy 6:

DESIGN POLICY:

Proposals for development must demonstrate through a Design and Access Statement and accompanying documents how the proposed development complements and enhances the character, form and qualities of Dartington Parish.

Proposals for new development are encouraged to demonstrate in their Design and Access Statement and accompanying documents that they have researched the history of the site and show how they are taking it into account in their proposals.

Therefore, there will be support for development which: Respects the context, setting, topography and landscape character of Dartington

Parish, and; Creates, or enhances, a sense of place, and; Demonstrates the highest standards of design, and; Ensures the visual impact on the countryside and of views from the countryside are

enhanced. Prioritises local distinctiveness and ensures the protection of heritage assets while

maintaining the functionality of this heritage, and; Ensures future development complements the good quality of the existing built

environment.

Development must reflect the increasing importance of the principles of low carbon, sustainable development.

Therefore, there will be support for development which:• Provides well-designed energy efficient buildings and places, and;• Aims to meet a high level of sustainable design and construction, and;• Optimises energy efficiency aiming for zero carbon emissions, and;• Improves and extends the existing green corridors, walking and cycling routes, and• Safeguards and where possible enhances biodiversity and wildlife opportunities.

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The word infrastructure covers many services, for example education, health, water, roads, which are necessary for development, but which are outside the scope of a Neighbourhood plan as they are the remit of the County Council. For this plan, infrastructure can only refers to those land-based uses that a neighbourhood plan can determine, and chiefly relates to improving connectivity (ie footpaths). While the NP has no role in the strategic infrastructure delivery, it is nevertheless important that infrastructure is in place before development is completed. More needed

Green Infrastructure is made up of natural and semi-natural features, such as cycle paths, footpaths, parks and water courses that cross the built environment and link to provide routes for people and wildlife. If well planned and managed, this infrastructure can enhance the quality of life and wellbeing of local communities and wildlife.

Effective Green Infrastructure will improve connectivity and protect local green spaces which in turn, can be of direct benefit to the health and wellbeing of both residents and visitors alike. The Neighbourhood Plan hope is that Dartington’s green infrastructure is enhanced, extended, promoted and managed to maximise its contribution to our high quality natural and historic environment, our health and well-being, our economy, our resilience to climate change and to a better quality of life for all.

List the Green Infrastructure assets. See GI audit

Dartington contains shops, three industrial estates, several schools, a community centre, recreation facilities and the Dartington Hall Estate with its associated enterprises and activities.

This makes Dartington attractive for commuters and businesses, but also creates a challenge as heavy goods vehicles, buses, farm vehicles, commuters, locals and tourists all compete for the same roads daily. Although the parish is reasonably well served with bus services, many of the businesses in the parish rely on private vehicular transport and there are times of the day when, with the addition of commuter through traffic, congestion is acute.

Roadside footpaths are not common, particularly in the many minor lanes in the parish, some of which are single width and being contained by Devon banks or high hedges, lack verges. Some lanes follow old field patterns and have frequent twists and blind bends, making all forms of transport challenging. A lot of movement within the village is on foot, the narrow lanes being shared by pedestrians, cyclists and motorised vehicles.

Consultation has repeatedly identified the need to tackle traffic congestion and pedestrian safety on roads in the parish, especially Cott Road, Longcause and Barracks Hill. Air quality along the A385 is perceived as a longstanding issue and the desire is to ensure that wherever possible new development does not create further traffic problems.

Residential, business and school parking are seen as issues. Parking solutions in new developments needs to be appropriate and sensitive to the character of the parish and not exacerbate current parking problems.

Safe routes through the parish for pedestrians and cyclists need to be promoted and public and community transport which meets local needs and provides sustainable, healthy modes of travel will be encouraged. Future development should provide for the easy movement of pedestrians throughout the whole parish.

Discouraging through traffic from using the back lanes through the village as rat runs is important to protect existing pedestrians and cyclists and to encourage more residents out of their cars to walk and cycle to and from Totnes and within Dartington village. Cott Road is already subject to traffic

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calming and a 20mph speed limit restriction, but this does not seem to be enough to deter through traffic. An alternative approach is necessary.

If people are to be encouraged reduce use of private cars, safe pedestrian routes through the parish need to be identified. The parish has existing footpaths which are extensively used for leisure as well as “commuting” and there is a network of footpaths through the village linking Cott to Huxhams cross (show on a map). The National Cycle Network path 2 section between Totnes and Dartington and on to South Brent and the Steiner School runs through the parish. The road between Totnes and Dartington along Longcause and Barracks Hill is used daily by pedestrians, including schoolchildren from the age of 11 upwards, but has no footpath.

Policy 7PEDESTRIAN PRIORITY/ALL ACCESS PATH

All new housing developments must provide safe pedestrian access that links with existing or proposed footpaths or footways to ensure that residents can walk safely to village facilities.

Proposals for development which will impact Cott Rd/Longcause/Barracks Hill will be required to provide and contribute towards measures for traffic calming along these roads and/or make contributions towards provision of a pedestrian footpath along these roads.

To update, renew, maintain and promote the Access for All path as a year-round facility for all members of the community – pedestrians, cyclists, elderly and frail people, wheelchair users and blind and partially sighted people – thus maintaining a safe, convenient and interesting traffic-free route linking Dartington to the rail station, secondary school and centre of Totnes.

At the last national Census in 2011, there were 790 permanent dwellings in Dartington, accommodating 1755 parishioners. The number of homes has since increased to 943. Planning permission for 27 houses at Clay Park and 32 homes (a net increase of 14 homes) at Forder Lane has been granted. Taken together, this represents a 23% increase in housing numbers in the last 7 years. The Joint Local Plan has since identified Dartington as a growth area for new housing, allocating 284 new houses and flats to the parish from March 2017 until the end of the plan period

The Parish Housing Needs Survey conducted in 2016 identified 18 households that could not afford to buy or rent within the parish and calculated that 22 Affordable Houses would be needed over the following 5 years. This calculation identified only those in the greatest need and who qualify for affordable housing. It did not identify those who do not have the means to buy a house and do not qualify for affordable housing. Local housing statistics indicate that by far the greatest need in the affordably rented sector is for one bedroomed homes, followed by two bedroomed homes (see appendix xx).

There is also significant interest locally for custom-build projects. Interest in such projects in this area is probably higher than in many other places because of the local incidence of this type of development. However, the skills, knowledge and understanding of what such a project entails is probably quite low even though aspirations may be high.

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There are many reasons to encourage this way of development starting with building skills and fostering a sense of community. Other outcomes can be that houses built in this way are more affordable and energy efficient compared to those produced by traditional volume house builders. Self-build housing often offers opportunities for energy efficiency, variety in design using local materials and suppliers and builds a sense of community. Designs are often the result of community consultation and collaboration and incorporate the needs of residents.

In Dartington the Transition Homes Community Land Trust is developing a scheme of 27 eco-homes at Clay Park. The majority of the homes (70%) are affordable for rental and shared ownership for local people. The remaining proportion is market housing required to subsidise the Affordable houses.

Collective or community-led development such as this has enabled future residents to be closely involved in the design, planning and construction of their homes. The proposal also includes community buildings, sites for growing food, improved biodiversity and will create a strong, outward-looking community The Neighbourhood Plan is keen to support and encourage similar initiatives.

There are sites within the parish on DHT land which are identified for custom, self-build or community housing. The NP is supportive of that other sites might come forward and recognises that these might be departure sites where development would not normally be permitted

Policy 8:SELF-BUILD AND CUSTOM BUILD SITES

Self-build and custom build development (both need to be defined) will be permitted on non-allocated sites providing:

1. it can be demonstrated via a landscape assessment that the development will not have an adverse impact on the character of the area and local landscape setting;

2. the proposals contribute to meeting the affordable and social rented needs of people with a local connection;

3. the land is held in trust as a community asset in perpetuity;4. development will make the most of solar gain and passive cooling though orientation layout

and design.

Note – Proposals will need to adhere to the Design Policy

Aim 4. To maintain and strengthen the local economy

Objectives:

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To maintain and strengthen the quality of life and range of facilities/activities which contribute to Dartington being a successful and distinctive rural employment hub;

To create a strong, easily identifiable village centre.

Dartington is a parish where there are wide and varied employment opportunities in business, education, agriculture, social enterprise, arts and culture.

Relative to other rural parishes, Dartington may be considered economically successful. This is reflected in significant local employment for people in and outside the parish, above average skills and activity rates of the local workforce and low levels of people on benefits. Source: Nomis Ward Labour Market Profile 2013 CHECK statement is correct. A diversified economic base with employment in a number of sectors including agriculture, services, education, manufacturing and retail supports a significant amount of self employment and the quality of Dartington as a place to live boosts the Parish’s ability to attract new investment in premises and business start-ups. This reflects its:

a) Location, offering accessibility by road to Plymouth, Torbay, Newton Abbot and Exeter via A385, A381, A380 and A38 Devon Expressway and its proximity to Totnes which is a main service centre in this part of the South Hams with mainline rail services to Bristol, London, Birmingham and beyond.

b) The heritage of Dartington Hall estate which was a pioneer in rural regeneration, education and the arts and remains both a national and international destination for learning and events and a centre of innovation with a significant legacy of business floorspace.

c) Quality of life (linked to a) and b) above) which attracts and retains people who seek lifestyle and livelihoods based on the expression of a particular set of values (‘a many sided, socially and environmentally responsible life’).

It is important to ensure that young people and disadvantaged groups have the skills to take advantage of employment opportunities locally by facilitating self-employment, the ability to working from home and encouraging small business start-ups.

The 2011 Census figures show that there were 789 economically active residents aged 16 to 74 years who were working in a broad range of sectors though many of these residents will be working outside the Parish. Most worked in Human Health and Social Work Activities (17.8%), followed by Education (16.5%) and Manufacturing (13.4%). Wholesale & Retail Trade and Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities were next listed.

The numbers employed in Agriculture, Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities, Education and Human Health and Social Work Activities are significantly higher than the corresponding figures for the South West and for England. Correspondingly there is a lower percentage of the Parish population in non-skilled occupations.

The Dartington Hall Trust (DHT) is a significant employer and provider of employment space in the parish. Existing non-agricultural business activity is mainly concentrated on and around land owned by the Trust on its core estate and at Shinner’s Bridge where the Shops at Dartington, Webbers Yard industrial units and the Lescaze Office Building and Lower Tweed Mill are situated together

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with extensive community and recreation facilities The Dartington Collaborative Network (DCN) Directory on www.dartington.org/about/dcn listed 171 business tenants in June 2018.

An independent report of July 2014 described six avenues through which Dartington Hall Trust has an economic impact on the surrounding area by the impact of its commercial and charitable activities, its supply chain expenditure, businesses situated on the Estate, its role in attracting people to the area on a short and long-term basis, the large-scale volunteering that takes place and the creation of a Dartington legacy.

The 2014 report estimated that DHT has an impact on the regional economy of circa £19.4m (£24.9m nationally) in gross value added and helps to support 597 full time equivalent jobs (716 nationally). In addition, the wide range of volunteering opportunities made an estimated contribution to the local economy of £250,000 per annum. A rough estimate of employment in the Parish suggests that around two thirds of the jobs are directly dependent on DHT and on its tenants.

Employment also thrives elsewhere in the Parish on privately owned land at Shinner’s Bridge where the Village Stores, post office and petrol filling station are located. Public and private schools are situated at Shinner’s Bridge, Yarners and Hood Manor and light industrial units, offices and stores at Beacon Park, Venton Cross and Brook House. In addition there are businesses scattered through the village e.g. Cott Inn, three Care Homes, a childcare nursery and a physiotherapy clinic. The Rating List for the Parish, obtained under a Freedom of Information request in 2015, listed 180 business premises of which six were schools. Policies in the Joint Local Plan allocate new employment sites in the Parish for a total of 13,000 sq m of employment floorspace at three locations - Ashburton Road, Higher Tweed Mill and Beacon Park. Future new employment space may also be brought forward under the DHT Estate Framework Policy.

While these sites will provide modern business space in the parish they will significantly increase traffic on the A385 through the village and on the rural back lanes. Careful design, management and screening, to mitigate the adverse effects on the community, the environment and ecology, will be required on a long term basis.

The 2011 Census showed that 143 people worked mainly at or from home and that the proportion of self-employed is double the average for England as a whole. This figure is likely to have increased since 2011 and includes many professionals, skilled tradespeople and residents providing tourist accommodation.

Tourism, though difficult to quantify, is an important sector of the local economy. Hotel accommodation is available at Dartington Hall and Cott Inn and there are many Bed and Breakfast providers, Airbnb offerings and a few letting cottages in the Parish. Tourism numbers are boosted significantly by the 250,000 visitors (DHT Impact Report 2017) that DHT welcomes to its facilities, events and courses every year and by the reputation of South Hams as an attractive and distinctive holiday destination with a wide range of tourist attractions within a relatively short travel distance. DHT plans to increase its offering as a ‘destination attraction’ with its camping site, more events and festivals and potentially an eco-hotel.

The growth in employment and tourism will have an impact, both good and bad, on the Parish and needs careful management to ensure in happens in a planned and sustainable way. It will also be important to diversify the business offering to reduce the dependency of the Parish on employment arising (directly and indirectly) from the activities of DHT.

Over the last 20 years various consultations have been carried out to assess local economic issues. Details of consultations and surveys since 2010/ 2011 are set out in Appendix ? The findings of a Business Survey carried out in 2016 support the continuing role of Dartington as a rural employment centre highlighting:

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The importance of a diversified local economy based on education and training, land based businesses and retail, health and social care, business and professional services and construction

The predominance of smaller and micro businesses (less than 5 employees) alongside DHT which directly employs 350 staff (Impact Report 2017) and 306 volunteers (2017-2018 figures)

The strong linkage between home and work with 60% of businesses reporting that their journeys to work are contained within 5 miles

Attractiveness of Dartington as a place from which to run a business based on quality of life considerations alongside the availability and cost of premises, car parking and local ethos

The main constraints to business activity were reported as inflexible transport links, the coverage and quality of broadband and mobile communications and a shortage of business space of an appropriate standard. Demand for modern business and industrial units in the Parish appears steady to strong, evidenced by the rate of letting of new light industrial units at Webbers Yard and Beacon Park in 2017 and the extent of employment space being planned in the Parish.

These findings are reflected in the consultation responses on the NP which prioritise:

1) The creation of more small-scale workshops and offices2) Support for enterprise and innovation and the provision of job opportunities for local people3) The conversion and reuse of existing buildings for employment use in preference to greenfield

development in order to preserve the rural landscape4) Strengthening economic links to Totnes whilst maintaining the different character and offering of

Dartington.

Taken together with community and business initiatives, the survey figures paint a picture of an active rural parish where education and training, agriculture, retail and health & social care activities are strong and where arts and culture thrive.

Future challenges ****work on with DHT****Looking forward it seems likely that Dartington will continue as a significant centre of rural employment. Critical in this regard are:

1) The limited opportunities for non-town centre employment growth in Totnes due to the lack of available employment sites within the town boundaries. This could result in demand being diverted to sites and premises in Dartington

2) The strategy being pursued by DHT to strengthen its role as a destination with proposals being brought forward for the Shops and Dartington Hall including refurbishment of the hotel, the creation of a new Elmhirst visitor interpretation centre, a new eco hotel and reinvigoration of its arts and learning programmes involving the reuse of underutilised buildings on the core estate

3) New employment developments on allocated sites at Ashburton Road, Beacon Park and Higher Tweed Mill and continued investment in established employment sites at Webber’s Yard/Lescaze/Woodlands Yard

4) The planned housing growth under the Joint Local Plan which is also likely to increase demand for local employment and services

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While a continuing strengthening of the local economy is to be welcomed it is not without its challenges. Increased pressure on the local highway network creates peak hour congestion backing up from the Totnes Redworth junction and adversely impacts air quality in the Parish. The back lanes of the parish are increasingly used by rat running traffic to the detriment of local environment and pedestrian safety. Parking problems affect movement on the main traffic routes and increasingly impact local residents. Also, and importantly, increased housing and business development in and around the Parish has significant potential landscape and ecological impacts and the amenity of residents are affected by operations and movements both in and outside normal working hours.

The JLP contains development policies to ensure the Plan Area has a vibrant and diverse economy. More specifically Policy DEV15 ‘Supporting the rural economy’ lists eight criteria to improve the balance of jobs and diversify the rural economy while other policies focus on protecting local shops and services, provisions for local employment and skills, maintaining vitality and viability and criteria regarding development in the countryside.

The evidence in this NP illustrates that Dartington Parish has a vibrant and diverse economy with allocation of development land to accommodate the growth of employment floorspace during the Plan Period. The evidence informs the economic objectives of the Neighbourhood Plan which are listed at the beginning of this Economy Section and the Policies below

Policy 9:NEW BUSINESS SPACEDevelopment proposals for small scale business uses on land at Shinners Bridge, Webbers Yard, Woodlands Yard, Ashburton Road, Beacon Park, Higher Tweed Mill, Lower Tweed Mill, Lescaze will be supported subject to the following criteria:

The impact of the scale, design and nature of the proposals would complement the existing natural environment, amenities and adjoining activities;

The impact of the scale, design and nature of the proposals would complement the historic environment and visitor attractions;

ecology of the parish or on the local community; The scale and nature of the proposals would complement existing agriculture and

other land-use activities; A Design and Access statement which shows how the NP Design Guide has been

taken into consideration is submitted as part of any development proposals. Innovative and appropriate local business infrastructure, especially in relation to

Information Technology To focus on the delivery of new, high-quality employment opportunities and initiatives

which create opportunities for employment training especially for young people living locally

The loss of business space will not be permitted unless:

It is to be replaced with business space of an equal or higher quality on the site or on another appropriate site within the parish;

The proposed alternative use would provide equal or greater benefits to the local economy and community.

Chris’ list from the RTPI SW Report.

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