LAND REQUIREMENTS

 

13.01    The County Council ceased to exist after 31st March 1996 when local government in the area was reorganised.  Prior to this the County Council was responsible for providing services that are usually provided at County level and this Plan safeguards the land requirements of various County Council departments.  If it is decided during the life of this Plan that any of these reservations are not needed, the Local Planning Authority will decide whether to re-designate the site through an Alteration to the Plan, or leave any applications for development to be considered on their merits.

 

	13.02	POLICY ACC1
	THE CITY COUNCIL WILL SAFEGUARD THE SITES SHOWN ON THE PROPOSALS MAP FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION AND LIBRARY PURPOSES.

 

 

          COUNTY COUNCIL SUBJECT PLANS

 

            MINERALS LOCAL PLAN

 

13.03    The County Council is the Authority responsible for planning for minerals in the County.  The Mineral Working in Avon Local Plan was put on deposit in September 1988.  Proposed Modifications were published in February 1990, and a Public Inquiry held in Summer 1991.  Avon County Council published the Inspector's Report of the Public Inquiry, and their Response to Recommendations and Proposed Modifications in June 1992.  The Mineral Working in Avon Local Plan was adopted in 1993.

 

13.04    Two minerals which are extracted commercially have been identified in the Bath area.  These are limestone (Bath Stone) and Fullers Earth.  The Minerals Local Plan includes policies in respect of these minerals and reference must be made to this document.

 

            WASTE DISPOSAL LOCAL PLAN

 

13.05    This sets out the general principles which will be followed by the County Council when considering planning applications for the establishment of waste disposal facilities by landfill or land raising.  A Consultation Draft was published by the County Council in 1990, but this was withdrawn in 1993 and replaced by Supplementary Planning Guidance pending the preparation of a new Waste Disposal Local Plan, following a review of the County Council's strategic planning policies in relation to Waste Disposal.  This Local Plan should not be confused with the Waste Disposal Plan, prepared in accordance with the Control of Pollution Act 1974, to set out the way in which the County Council proposes to fulfil its obligations under the above Act to manage the disposal of was

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te.  This Plan was adopted by the County Council in 1989.

            IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND PROPOSALS

 

14.01    The policies and proposals of the Bath Local Plan are intended to guide the development of the City up to the year 2001.  The Local Plan sets out detailed policies and specific proposals for the development and use of land, and gives guidance in the determination of planning applications.

 

14.02    The framework of policies in the Local Plan will be one of the means of identifying projects in the City Council's capital programme.  It is not intended that the Plan should set out a detailed programme of works with firm lists of proposals.  The City Council has taken a promotional approach in preparing this Plan and anticipates that it will not be the only agency to implement its policies.  In order to achieve this, the Plan seeks to co-ordinate and direct the efforts of other agencies.

 

14.03    Some of the problems facing the City are complex.  As land becomes increasingly scarce, difficulties may arise as various potential users compete for land and buildings.  This is illustrated by the conflict over the development of existing open space for housing or the question of appropriate use of land on the fringe of the central shopping area.  The City Council can play an important role in ensuring that appropriate development takes place by promoting opportunities on sites and by resolving problems or preparing development briefs well in advance of the sites becoming available.

 

14.04    The achievement of many of the proposals in the Local Plan may require a contribution from the City Council.  The City Council can adjust the existing level of services to take on board some new proposals, or it may include some projects within its capital programme.  The City Council's resources, including finance, manpower, and land and property, can all be applied in various ways, for example by:-

 

i)          extending its existing services (such as the provision of leisure facilities, parks or allotments);

 

ii)          extending improvement programmes or conservation work; and

 

iii)         investing in projects (for instance, the development of small industrial units).

 

14.05    The City Council also has various legislative powers available to it to enable the implementation of the Local Plan.  These can often be used in a complementary fashion; for example, statutory planning powers and landlord controls can both play their part in ensuring an appropriate balance of commercial activities in the City Centre.

 

	14.06	POLICY I1
	THE CITY COUNCIL WILL USE ITS AVAILABLE POWERS AND RESOURCES TO SECURE THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE PROPOSALS AND POLICIES OF THE BATH LOCAL PLAN.

 

14.07    Circular 16/91 and any subsequent revisions gives advice on the proper use of planning obligations made under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as substituted by Section 12 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991).  The Council will seek appropriate improvements to support the proposed development through agreement with developers.  Promoters of major development projects will be encouraged to contribute to the general improvement of the City's social, cultural and physical infrastructure by, for example, supporting the Council's own initiatives and meeting some of the local community needs where these are necessary to the granting of planning permission, and are reasonably related in scale and kind to the proposed development.

 

	14.08	POLICY I2
	THE CITY COUNCIL WILL, WHERE APPROPRIATE, USE ITS PLANNING POWERS TO SEEK APPROPRIATE IMPROVEMENTS TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH AGREEMENT WITH DEVELOPERS.  PROMOTERS OF DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS WILL, WHERE APPROPRIATE, BE ENCOURAGED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GENERAL IMPROVEMENT OF THE CITY'S SOCIAL, CULTURAL AND PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH THE PROVISION OF A WIDE RANGE OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS WHERE THESE ARE NECESSARY TO THE GRANTING OF PERMISSION, AND ARE REASONABLY RELATED IN SCALE AND KIND TO THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.

 

 

          FINANCIAL RESOURCES

 

14.09    The Local Plan has been prepared when the Government is trying to reduce Local Government expenditure in real terms, and it would be prudent to work on the basis that no additional resources, also in real terms, will be made available to Local Government over the ten year period.  The Local Plan has examined the policies which were brought forward in the climate of recession of the early 1980's to judge their effectiveness in the 1990's.  If conservation is to be retained as an overriding theme, then a market-led economy may have to be restrained in order to safeguard the heritage of the City.

 

14.10    The recent past has seen major change in local authority finances with the introduction of new controls on capital spending, the implementation of Community Charge, and the move to Council Tax.  Local taxpayers now bear only a small proportion of the cost of local councils.  Central Government has therefore a strong influence on locally available funds.

 

14.11    The emphasis will probably continue to move to the local authority being an effective enabler rather than a direct provider of services, but the financial outlook is uncertain because of Local Government Reorganisation.  It is hoped that resources will continue to be made available for the present Council's considerable Investment Estate, and such external sources as the European Union and the Millennium Fund.

 

14.12    In its last year (1995/96) Bath City Council has again funded its activities without the need to levy Council Tax on its own behalf.  It is hoped to spend £1 million from its resources on the Lambridge Park and Ride Scheme, and a further £3.3 million of reserves on other capital projects.

 

14.13    In putting forward the proposals in the Local Plan, the City Council has attempted to be realistic, but the rate of progress in achieving many of the proposals will be subject to the level of resources available from year to year.  The Local Plan will assist the City Council in making the best use of its various resources, by providing a framework through which priorities can be selected for future budgets.

 

14.14    Whilst work can be carried out to achieve some of the proposals in the next few years, others may extend beyond the plan period.  Some policies safeguard land for a particular use for a longer period, for instance the designated Green Belt.

 

14.15    At the time of writing, the uncertain availability of financial resources in the next few years presents difficulties in preparing a firm programme of work to be undertaken.  It will be necessary for the City Council to prepare "rolling programmes" which will be frameworks for establishing priorities for annual budgets according to the level of available resources each year.  Such a programme can reflect the resources and projects of other public bodies, and respond to initiatives in the private sector.

 

 

          MONITORING AND REVIEW

 

14.16    The progress towards achieving various objectives must be continuously monitored.  It is proposed that, in conjunction with the monitoring process, the Local Plan should be regularly reviewed.  It may be necessary to change or update policies if they become inappropriate or are overtaken by events.  These reviews should be periodically published with recommended changes.  As it is intended that the Local Plan should become a statutory local plan, any changes will have to be subject to an appropriate consultation process.

 

 

          FURTHER STUDIES

 

14.17    Some policies in the Local Plan are broad based statements which will require further detailed reports to the City Council before they are implemented.  Other policies will require the evolution of an implementation strategy to set out how and when the more detailed matters are to be undertaken.  The City Council has already agreed an Annual Housing Strategy which is reflected in the Plan, but strategies for economic development, landscape management and the management and control of environmental issues such as pollution, will be required.  These strategies can reflect the needs and priorities of the various neighbourhoods within the City.  Notwithstanding provisions for environmental appraisals in existing legislation, the City Council will bring forward an environmental strategy to control matters such as pollution and conservation of resources.

 

	14.18	POLICY I3
	TO SECURE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS POLICIES, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL PREPARE DETAILED IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND OTHER STUDIES.

 

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