Joint Core Strategy Public consultation Reg25

9. Implementation and Monitoring

Reasoned Justification

Implementation

9.1 Implementation of the policies in this plan will depend on the co-ordinated activities of a number of agencies. It is essential that necessary infrastructure is provided in tandem with new development. The precise timing will be a matter of judgement in each case, but the underlying principle will be to avoid placing an undue strain on existing services and to ensure that residents of new developments do not form patterns of behaviour which ultimately threaten the viability of new services.

9.2 Significant investment will be required to implement the strategy. Developer contributions will be sought through a combination of a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and contributions through planning obligations. Table 1 shows the range of infrastructure and the expected contribution mechanism.

9.3 The scope for a CIL charge will be subject to further work. It will apply to both residential and commercial development and the method of calculation will need to consider different forms of development equitably.

9.4 The Growth Infrastructure Study identified the key infrastructure required to accommodate the two proposed development scenarios in the Norwich policy area. The Study identified that the cost of the infrastructure required is likely to exceed probable revenue from a CIL and current mainstream funding, so the upper limit of CIL is likely to be determined by viability rather than the cost of the necessary infrastructure. Further work is being carried out to assess viability so the Community Infrastructure Levy can be set at a realistic level. Table 2 indicates the broad categories of infrastructure investigated by the consultants.

9.5 The exact mechanism of the CIL and its interaction with planning obligations will be developed. It will ensure that where development provides infrastructure and/or affordable housing, there is provision to vary the contributions sought to reflect infrastructure provided.

9.6 The local planning authorities, in consultation with stakeholders, will from time to time review the infrastructure needs of this Joint Core Strategy and development values to ensure that the level of CIL achieves an appropriate contribution, but does not threaten the viability of development. This will be achieved through the preparation and review of a supplementary planning document. Between these reviews, the CIL sought will be adjusted in line with the BERR output price index for public works: all public works.

9.7 Subject to the outcome of the continuing research into scope for a CIL, it is expected that the CIL will be charged at a uniform rate across the plan area, and will not differentiate between previously developed land and greenfield sites

9.8 The strategic infrastructure to be funded by the CIL will be set out in detail in an Integrated Development Plan (IDP) which will be published by the Greater Norwich Development Partnership and be subject to consultation with stakeholders and formal agreement by partner organisations. This IDP will set out the key packages and projects identified as necessary for delivery of the housing and jobs targets for Greater Norwich. The IDP will include an explanation of its development and a description of the main packages and projects and how they link to the evidence base. The IDP will outline priorities, anticipated cost, sources of funding, agencies responsible and the expected timing on implementation.

9.9 Spending decisions on strategic infrastructure will be made by a group set up by the Greater Norwich Development Partnership and reporting to member organisations. The spending programme will be used as a mechanism to forward fund infrastructure where necessary to ensure timely provision.

9.10 The Greater Norwich Development Partnership will co-operate with utility providers to ensure that their asset management plans take full account of the infrastructure needed to accommodate the development proposed in this plan. It will seek to maximise investment from other mainstream public sector funding streams and explore innovative ways to fund capital investment of necessary infrastructure.

9.11 The developers of major strategic growth areas will be required to participate in an accredited participatory design process to determine the form of the development, guarantee its development in full, and enter into an ongoing commitment to support community development to bring about a genuinely sustainable community including fostering the growth of community and voluntary organisations.

9.12 All developers will be expected to guarantee the long term maintenance of physical and social infrastructure provided on the site or built or improved elsewhere as part of the development.

9.13 Where it proves necessary to achieve the plan's objectives, the councils will be prepared to intervene using the powers available to them.

Monitoring

9.14 The Joint Core Strategy includes a monitoring framework to ensure the policies are still relevant, that we are moving in the right direction and making progress in achieving the objectives of the plan.

• Are the objectives still relevant?

• Are the policies achieving the outcomes that they were designed for?

• Are the policies delivering sustainable development?

• Are our targets being achieved?

9.15 The Greater Norwich Development Partnership will publish an Annual Monitoring Report (AMR). The AMR is a check on the performance of the Plan and gives the opportunity to adjust policies as appropriate and to revise the programme of Plan preparation, (the Local Development Scheme) in the light of circumstances. The outcomes will inform the need for reviews of the IDP and this Joint Core Strategy and to make judgments about the conformity of other Development Plan Documents with this Joint Core Strategy.

Performance Indicators

9.16 A number of 'Performance Indicators' have been developed to help judge the success or otherwise of the policies and objectives. Some of these indicators are Core output indicators, which the Government require us to collect. The other 'local' indicators are equally important and have been developed to address matters relevant to this area. Many of the indicators derive from the Sustainability Appraisal, as sustainability must be at the heart of the plan.

Contextual Indicators

9.17These are intended to illustrate the nature of the environment within which the plan's proposals are set and the changes to that environment. A Local Area Agreement has been established in Norfolk and a set of 35 indicators prioritised reflecting the key local concerns relating to the area's well being.

The following table identifies several initial core output indicators and local indicators. Together these need to provide an assessment of whether the strategy is moving towards its objectives and whether the policies are achieving what they set out to do.

The Greater Norwich Development Partnership will need to set appropriate targets against which movement towards or away from policy objectives can be measured over time.

Table 1

Table 2

Nature of Infrastructure Likely To Be Funded Through a Community Infrastructure Levy

The growth infrastructure investigated in the Growth Infrastructure study covering the Norwich Policy Area fell into the following categories. Further work is being undertaken to quantify the investment likely to be needed over the whole plan area and taking into account the local effects arising from the distribution of development proposed in this document. The work undertaken by the consultants is set out in full in their study which is a one of the background documents to this document.

• Early years facilities

• Primary schools

• Secondary schools

• Primary health care facilities

• Dentistry facilities

• Indoor and outdoor sports facilities

• Green infrastructure including informal recreation facilities

• Community facilities

• Library facilities

• Crime prevention facilities including police facilities

• Fire and ambulance facilities

• Improved pedestrian facilities

• Improved cycling facilities

• Improved public transport ( bus and rail) facilities

• Public transport interchange facilities

• Review of potential for LRT as a public transport mode

• " Soft measures" such as travell awareness campaigns and improved information

• Review of parking facilities in Norwich and review of capacities at park and ride sites

• Local and strategic improvements to the road network including junction to improvements and the Norwich Northern Distributor Road

• Resolution of infrastructure limitations which inhibit the development of strategic employment sites (primarily access and utilities)

• Investment in labour force the skills and development particularly aimed at potential growth sectors

• Inward investment strategy

• Utility services including electricity, gas, water, and sewerage