1.1. The Borough of Wellingborough Local Plan is prepared by the Borough Council of Wellingborough under the provisions of part II of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991. It relates to the whole of the Borough as shown on Figure 1.1. The Plan is intended to cover the period 1988 to 2006.
1.2. The Borough of Wellingborough is located in the eastern half of Northamptonshire and lies about 65 miles from both London and Birmingham between the M1 and A1. Wellingborough is well served by excellent communications. The A45 dual carriageway which provides an east-west route leads directly to junctions 15, 15A and 16 of the M1 whilst the A509 provides a north-south route, which links to junction 14 of the M1. The Borough will also benefit from the improved communication links provided by the M1/A1 link (A14) six miles to the north of the town improving access to the east coast ports and completed in 1994. Wellingborough's railway station is on the Midland Main line linking London with Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield; the average journey time to London (St Pancras) is 50 minutes. Convenient access is also available to East Midlands, Birmingham, Luton and Stanstead airports. (see Figure 1.2).
1.3. The 1991 (Census) population of the Borough was 67,789; that for the town was 42,893, a considerable growth of some 14,000 over the previous 25 years. Housing development has been accompanied by other development opportunities and the local employment base is now highly diversified by comparison with its earlier reliance upon traditional industries such as shoes and clothing. In association with this growth, town centre redevelopment schemes have been undertaken including the covered Swansgate shopping centre. Wellingborough still retains the character of a free standing market town. Mature public open spaces in the form of both traditional parks and an extensive linear park system greatly enhance the town's environment.
1.4. Despite the growth of Wellingborough and nearby towns such as Northampton, Kettering and Rushden, much of the Borough remains essentially rural. It is primarily comprised of gently undulating farmland, a significant proportion of which is of very good quality (Grade 2 under the National Agricultural Land Classification). The River Nene bisects the district from south west to north east and deposits of sand and gravel are in the process of being worked out in the valley.
1.5. The majority of the rural population (of 24,896, Census 1991) lives within the nineteen villages which range in size from Earls Barton and Irchester, each with a population of approximately 5000, to Strixton, population approximately 20. Northamptonshire is renowned for its attractive villages and the Borough is no exception. Besides traditional agricultural associations, several settlements developed in association with the boot and shoe trade and retain a visual element of the small 'red brick town'. With the decline of employment in agriculture and other traditional industries, the majority of the rural population work in Wellingborough and nearby towns. The larger villages, however, retain some industrial enterprises.
1.6. The Northamptonshire County Structure Plan, incorporating Alteration No.1, covers the period to 2006 and was approved in January 1992.
The general strategy of the Structure Plan is to:
conserve the natural resources of the County, protect and enhance the environment and make full use of under-utilised land and buildings within urban areas;
concentrate new development in or closely related with the large or small towns, limit new development in the villages and severely restrain development in the open countryside;
selectively develop the transportation system to provide good links between the main towns and to the national road and rail networks, serve areas of new development, relieve traffic flows in towns and villages and provide the dispersed rural population with access to the towns.
1.7. The guiding principles of the Plan are set out below: in the broadest terms as 'Aims'; and more precisely as 'Objectives', by which those issues considered to be of particular relevance to the detailed land use planning of the Borough are highlighted. The general strategy, expressed in detail within the policies and proposals, can be viewed in terms of the balance which is to be drawn in resolving potential conflicts between the objectives.
To provide for development which will secure economic well-being in the local economy and the housing requirements of population growth equated to the natural increase of the local population and net inward migration as provided for in the County Structure Plan.
To enhance the quality and amenity of the local environment in the interests of all residents of the Borough.
To ensure that, in providing for the need for homes, work and other activities, the best of the local environment is safeguarded and that natural resources are conserved for future generations.
Provide for the development of 7,000 dwellings in the Borough during the Plan period of sufficient variety in terms both of sites and dwelling types appropriate to the needs of the population.
Provide for the development of 144 ha. of employment land in the Borough during the Plan period on a variety of sites to support an increased diversity of employment opportunities.
Ensure a balance between the relative growth of housing and employment development.
Facilitate opportunities for investment required to support economic growth by exploiting and enhancing Wellingborough's strengths of good transportation links, land availability and infrastructure capacity.
Promote Wellingborough's town centre as a flourishing sub-regional centre.
Support the agricultural economy, promote the vitality of local communities and the rural economy in general.
Ensure that new development is in sympathy with the surrounding area in general and makes a positive contribution to it.
Enhance the character of the built environment, promoting higher standards of design and landscaping, protecting and enhancing valuable open space in settlements, refurbishing the town centre and conserving listed buildings and their settings, other buildings of local character, Conservation Areas and the local historical and archaeological heritage.
Conserve the essential scale, form and character of villages and prevent the coalescence of settlements.
Provide a more pleasant, safe, secure, and accessible built environment and protect residents and workers within the Borough from the detrimental effects of noise, fumes and other environmental pollutants and protect and enhance the effective operation of the local transport network.
Protect existing community and recreational facilities, provide for additional facilities commensurate with population change and encourage an increased range of these facilities and shopping facilities which are readily accessible to all members of the local community.
Protect and enhance the character of the open countryside and its local amenity for quiet recreation, conserving areas of local landscape importance, enhancing its value in terms of wildlife habitats and encouraging tree planting.
Promote improved access to open spaces and to the countryside in general.
Conserve natural resources in general, protect Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Ancient Woodlands, protect, enhance and provide other areas of natural environmental value such as Sites of Nature Conservation Value, provide and encourage the establishment of local nature reserves and new areas of broadleaved woodland and protect the best and most versatile agricultural land.
Ensure the effective use of existing development, retaining the full use of the bulk of the existing development stock, make full use of existing, committed and planned infrastructure, buildings and other capital investment and bring vacant/underutilised land into beneficial use.
Promote the logical, orderly, and sustainable location of development, balancing different uses to serve local needs and limiting undefined urban sprawl to avoid the wasteful use of land and water resources.
Ensure people and goods are able to move efficiently between land uses, reduce local travel needs between home, work and other activities and encourage the use of energy efficient modes of transport and promote energy efficiency in general, consistent with the principles of sustainability.
1.8. The Borough has made significant contributions to the accommodation of population migration, dating from London overspill agreements in the 1960s. This has resulted in considerable inward investment to the benefit of the area; however, sustained development pressures intensified by continued substantial inward migration during the Plan period could unduly compromise the overall character of the local and natural built environment.
1.9. Accordingly a positive stance towards development will be maintained, giving priority to development which will sustain the local economy and promote enhanced employment opportunities, but subject to an overall growth provision primarily related to the scale of natural increase of the local population and limited net inward migration.
1.10. In view of past growth and the proximity of the major centres of population in the County there is an increasing case to protect the local open countryside for its own sake, although it is not of outstanding merit in national terms. Opportunities to contain new development within the existing built-up area of the town are, however, limited without serious detriment to its amenity and character by settlement cramming. Great importance, for example, is attached to conserving the existing framework of linear open space corridors within the town.
1.11. The bulk of new development will be directed, therefore, to major development areas on the periphery of the town but contained within clearly defined limits and utilising 'brownfield' or 'urban fringe' land so as to protect the rural area from widespread impact and urban sprawl. Urban orientated growth accords with Government advice contained within Planning Policy Guidance 1, Planning Policy Guidance 7 and Planning Policy Guidance 13.
1.12. Although the rural area will be subject to development restraint, some provision will be made to ensure that the rural economy can retain vitality, especially in the light of agricultural change. In this regard, development will be limited principally to the specific local needs of the rural area.
1.13. In order to promote development which will make a positive contribution to the Borough's needs, it is considered that more precise and selective definition of those aspects of the local environment which are of particular importance, either in terms of protection or enhancement, should be a fundamental part of the Plan strategy. Local designations are established - in addition to those applied nationally, such as listed buildings or Sites of Special Scientific Interest - whereby, for specific sites or areas, cumulative limits to the development capacity, the type, scale, form and location of development or compensatory measures required for development to take place are made explicit.
1.14. An environmental appraisal of the policies and proposals of the Plan, in the form set out in D.O.E. "Environmental Appraisal of Development Plans - A good practice guide", 1993, has been published separately.