· Local disposal arrangements should be facilitated and supported through positive provision in the LDD.
· Identify land and property for disposal and development/re-development.
· Development should be focused within the Island’s urban areas, to foster accessibility to employment, housing and services.
· Seek to achieve at least 60% of new development on either previously developed land and through conversions of existing buildings.
· The Isle of Wight is designated a Special Policy Area – “Regeneration Area” – due to its Island status and particular problems, therefore policy must be particularly regeneration focused.
· Sufficient employment land should be allocated to meet the needs of new business start-ups, growing businesses and inward investors. Land should be allocated in areas that: minimise commuting and maximise public transport use, encompass primarily brownfield land, promote mixed-use development, and a closer relationship between jobs and labour supply, and minimise loss or damage to environmental capital.
· Be supportive of the agricultural, horticultural and forestry industries, and rural economic diversification and non-land based business proposals.
New and existing regional policies on issues:
· Encourage the enhancement and upgrade of existing visitor attractions.
· Include policies to help determine applications (for all new and also changes to visitor attractions) that will have a significant local impact. Policy criteria may include the need for the development to: reinforce local distinctiveness, be accessible by public transport, extend the tourist season (through wet weather facility provision), and facilitate regeneration.
· Policy should reflect the diversity of the accommodation sector.
· Consider: hotel developments; the appropriate location for relevant accommodation subsectors; hotel extensions; the protection of accommodation stock; provision of affordable staff accommodation as part of new and existing accommodation facilities; and the upgrading of existing unserviced accommodation.
· Identify areas that would benefit from the development and implementation of visitor management, and address tourism-related travel demand.
· Seek complementary approaches to the development and management of tourism so as to upgrade facilities, promote diversity and reduce seasonality and improve access, whilst retaining and enhancing the natural character of the Island (as stated in the Regional Spatial Strategy for Tourism).
· Housing allocation strategies should be created.
· Avoid large single-tenure neighbourhoods, favouring mixed-use developments.
· Encourage development on previously developed land.
· Identify suburban and rural areas in need of renewal, and give consideration to the benefits of encouraging housing development or redevelopment in such areas.
· Make provision for housing development in rural areas to meet economic and social needs.
· Increase the level of affordable housing on the Island. Targets for the provision of affordable housing should be set, taking into account the results of local housing needs assessments and the overall regional target that 25% of all new housing should be social rented accommodation and 10-15% other forms of affordable housing.
· Where justified by needs assessments, the LDD should specify the tenure of housing being sought.
· Small-scale affordable housing sites (within or well related to settlements) should be identified in rural areas.
· Higher housing densities are to be encouraged, with the regional target of 40 dwellings per hectare being reflected in this.
· Guidelines should be prepared for the design of new housing, to encourage the use of sustainable construction methods and address the implications of changing lifestyles for new housing design.
· Seek to facilitate an appropriate range of housing opportunities in terms of a mix of housing types, sizes and tenures.
·
Identify areas that suffer from particular problems of
empty and run-down dwellings that would benefit from an Area Action approach.
· Include management policies that: are consistent with and supported by, appropriate mobility management measures; promote non-car modes as a means of access to services and facilities; and encourage development designed to reduce journey length.
· Facilitate sustained economic growth, environmental enhancement and promote social inclusion.
· Support and develop the role of regional hubs by: prioritising measures that increase accessibility by public transport, cycling and walking; encouraging concentrations of high density developments with high accessibility to create ‘living centres’; and making high quality interchange facilities between transport modes a priority.
· Actively promote opportunities presented by communications technology to reduce the need to travel.
·
Secure the efficient distribution of goods; safeguard
wharves and depots; and promote the development of sites adjacent to railways,
ports and rivers.
NRM1: Sustainable Water Resources & River Quality Management
· Take account of other plans and strategies including statutory water company plans, The Environment Agency’s Regional Water Resources Strategy etc.
· Ensure that the development rate accords with the existing water supply and sewage treatment systems, and development incorporates measures to enhance water efficiency etc.
· Land identified for reservoir development should be safeguarded from other uses.
NRM7: Air Quality
· Achieve improvements in local air quality through: ensuring consistency with Air Quality Management Plans; minimising the impact of development; reducing exposure to poor air quality through design; and encouraging best practice during construction activities.
· Ensure the incorporation of high standards of energy efficiency in all development.
BE3: Managing the Urban Rural Fringe
· Identify issues and opportunities that require specific attention to ensure better management of the urban rural fringe.
· Be proactive in identifying opportunities for sustainable developments – encourage urban extensions in the urban rural fringe, the preservation of pockets of quality countryside, the interlacing of green spaces with the built environment.
BE4: The Role of Small Rural Towns
· Support and reinforce the role of market towns as local hubs for employment, retailing and community facilities.
· Provide for small-scale housing, develop public transport networks, and protect and enhance the character of market towns.
·
Positively provide for limited small-scale affordable
housing, business and service development in villages to meet defined local
needs and protect or extend key local services.
· Introduce positive measures to improve the health of the Island’s people and reduce social exclusion and poverty.
· Embrace preventative measures and tackle the causes of ill health at the source, taking into account health impact assessments and advice on public health.
· Consider the effects of an ageing population by assessing and planning for housing and other needs that arise, and the location of specialist facilities with access to public transport and services.
· Encourage the increased and sustainable participation in sport, recreation and cultural activity.
Encourage the mixed use of community facilities to make effective use of resources and reduce travel.