Neighbourhood Plan...VISION The Morpeth Neighbourhood Plan Aspects of the MNP Area that are recognised as being important include: • essentially rural setting of our historic market

The Morpeth Neighbourhood Plan

What is the Neighbourhood Plan?The Morpeth Neighbourhood Plan (MNP) will shape development in our area over the next 20 years. Neighbourhood plans are part of the Government’s reforms to devolve greater power to local communities to manage development in their area and have the potential to become part of the statutory development plan, which must be taken account of in planning decisions. MNP is a proactive approach to manage change on the basis of the local community’s priorities rather than relying on a reactive approach, often in the form of resisting change, in response to developer pressure.

What has happened since the launch last October?Since the launch residents who volunteered to help with the MNP have been working within topic areas to gather information and examine the key issues facing Morpeth and its adjoining communities - Pegswood, Hebron, Hepscott and Mitford. They have now produced a series of topic reports and their findings have been consolidated into an ‘Issues and Options Consultation Report’. A series of open public workshops have also been held to help with the process.

What is this consultation about?We’re not setting out preferred options or any detailed proposals at this stage - it’s more a check that we’ve identified the issues that need to be addressed, and to get feedback on options or initial ideas. A formal six week consultation with local communities and key stakeholders starts on 18th September and ends on 30th October 2013.

How is this leaflet and questionnaire set out?This leaflet sets out a table for each topic area, the key issues (i.e. what needs to be addressed) and options (what might be done to deal with the issues). Please complete the Short Questionnaire at the end of this leaflet and send it back to us by 30th October 2013.

What documents are available apart from this leaflet?The issues and options in this brief leaflet only give an overview. A more detailed questionnaire, the main ‘Issues and Options Consultation Report’ and the technical Topic Group reports are available online at:

www.themorpethneighbourhoodplan.org.uk

(Documents are also available in paper form to view on request at Morpeth Town Hall)

Action: This is a crucial stage in the MNP process and your views are vital. If you can, please take the time to look at the main Consultation Report and answer the Main Questionnaire.

What will happen after this consultation?Your responses and comments, and responses from key consultation partners, will help us prepare a draft MNP that we intend to publish and consult on next Spring.

Issues and Options Short Questionnaire

MORPETH | PEGSWOOD | HEBRON | HEPSCOTT | MITFORD

Our CommunityOur FutureOur Plan


VISION

The Morpeth Neighbourhood Plan

Aspects of the MNP Area that are recognised as being important include:• essentially rural setting of our historic market town and villages

• wide range of heritage assets

• green, open aspects of all approaches to the town

• character of the river upstream, through the town and downstream of Morpeth

• Carlisle Park, especially the way it combines well tended and wooded areas

• woodland embedded within the town and well established street trees

• open green spaces

• wildlife corridors

• panoramic views - landscapes, townscapes and treescapes

The Vision for the MNP Area is to:• maintain Morpeth’s strong sense of place and local identity, its character and setting – as an historic market town

• maintain and strengthen its role and competitiveness as a rural service centre, with a strong retail sector and broad mix of local visitor attractions – a place to live, work and play

• maintain and protect its integrity – its rural setting and green approaches that extend into the town

• develop Pegswood as a more sustainable settlement, with more housing choice, a better range of services/facilities, more local employment and a more vibrant village centre

• retain existing characters and identities of Mitford, Hepscott & Hebron; they will continue to look to Morpeth as a local service centre, but retain their separateness from the town

Like many historic market towns Morpeth’s heritage interest and local environment setting are its defining assets, and local residents are proud and protective of those features that give the town its sense of place and sense of identity.

EnvironmentIssues OptionsProtect the place-defining characteristic setting of Morpeth and the surrounding villages

Retain current ‘designated protected sites’ and consider designating more local nature reserves

Designate Tommy’s Field allotments, some or all of Morpeth Common, the central field at Lancaster Park and open land at Kirkhill as Local Green Spaces

Leave green corridors along the road approaches to Morpeth including around the proposed Morpeth Northern Bypass

Recognise and protect open water courses and other wildlife corridors

Protect and make use of the general environment

Make buildings, infrastructure and the siting of development resilient against climate change and energy instability and move towards zero carbon systems

Join footpaths into a more comprehensive network

Actively seek to reduce overall flood risk

Have a more stringent flood prevention policy with flood assessment plans for developments, considering their impact on whole catchment areas and the capacity of the sewerage network

Issues OptionsProtect our historic characterful buildings, monuments and their environment

Redefine existing boundaries of the Morpeth Conservation Area in the light of current and perceived future threats

Develop a list of unprotected-buildings that are valued locally and consider the best ways to give them some additional protection

Protect green spaces such as allotments, communal parks and gardens, other areas of open green space and historic yards and alleyways

Consider whether a radical alternative to the current traffic, parking and pedestrian/vehicle relationship systems would benefit Morpeth’s historic centre

Protect key vistas, especially those under threat from development

Carry out a visual appraisal to identify key vistas, such as the view of Morpeth Castle from the Chantry footbridge and Wansbeck Street, that should be protected

Influence decisions on new development

Set up local design reviews to help in assessing planning applications and consider sites where regeneration would be beneficial to the local heritage

Reduce the visual impact of ‘street clutter’ (street furniture, bins, signposts etc.)

Identify ‘street clutter’ and consider ways to reduce its impact

Protect prominent heritage features and areas of special character and greater than average visual quality

Identify specific areas - possibly to include the Wansbeck Valley east and west of Morpeth; Catchburn together with Howburn Wood, Cottingwood and Cottingwood Common; Mitford Castle and Hall with its associated parklands; River Wansbeck and Font areas of Mitford - where development would not be permitted

Have a clear demarcation between settlement and countryside, and prevent urban spread and sprawl

Ensure that new development outside settlement boundaries (once determined) is not permitted

Resist threats to green-lined approach roads to settlements

Protect, enhance and promote social heritage assets

Create a permanent heritage centre


Heritage

Issues Options

Housing growth: acknowledge Morpeth as a main town for future population growth, with further development in Pegswood to strengthen its own position as a centre for local services

Plan to achieve minimum housing target set by County Council for new development over next 20 years: WHAT, WHERE, and HOW

Work to latest indication from 1,500 to 1,950 new houses in the 20 year plan period

Ensure new development is in best possible locations through detailed appraisal of potential sites, taking into account 13 Guiding Principles set down within MNP; these include minimising use of greenfield sites, and maintaining integrity of surrounding villages to avoid coalescence with Morpeth town

Concentrate future development to the north of Morpeth, placing particular emphasis on St George’s Hospital site, where significant areas of land are available; Northgate Hospital grounds; and opportunities presented by new Morpeth Northern Bypass, currently scheduled for completion by Autumn 2016

New sites to be measured against range of sustainability factors, e.g. distance from services; availability of public transport

Identified need for good quality ‘affordable housing’, either to buy or rent

Work to 30% target on all new sites, encouraging ‘mixed tenure’ developments through housing associations; also encourage non-profit making, community-based organisations such as ‘community land trusts’, and developers’ own affordable housing products

Reduce housing under-occupation by enabling moves to more appropriately sized properties, with focus particularly on younger and senior age groups’ needs

Propose % specification for type, size and tenure; or an ‘enabling’ policy which requires a range of type, size and tenure to be determined on a scheme by scheme basis

Promote provision of specialist accommodation for older people, such as sheltered and ‘Extra Care’ housing

Plan new developments in line with best practice quality design principles

Ensure best possible house design, energy efficiency, landscaping and street layout, accessibility, appearance and public spaces are incorporated in future planning approvals

Housing

Issues Options

Morpeth should be primarily a rural service centre with vibrancy of the town centre acting as an economic driver

Make the town a key ‘hub’ in the region’s tourism economy with a range of employment sites and business accommodation to develop a more sustainable economy

Maintain strong retail offer with its mix of independent stores, national multiples and quality shopping environment

Develop Pegswood’s local economy to make it a more sustainable community

Promote the growth and diversification of the rural economy

Develop larger scale visitor attractions to strengthen the visitor economy, as well as hotels, leisure facilities and food and drink establishments

Have sufficient employment development sites to enable economic growth

Recognising Morpeth’s commercial potential due to its proximity to Tyneside and connectivity to the rest of South East Northumberland; provide more employment land at Fairmoor and potential new mixed use developments in and around the town centre

Local Economy


OptionsIssuesDeal with increasing traffic congestion on the approaches to the central area, not just at peak hours, but at all times throughout the day

Consider new roads, possibly a link road over (or under) the railway between County Hall and Stobhill and a north facing access onto the A1 from the Whalton road

Remove the traffic lights recently installed at the junction of Bridge Street and reinstate some form of mini-roundabout

Consider a one-way system for Bridge Street - Newgate Street - Manchester Street - Dacre Street

Fully or partially pedestrianise Bridge Street

Have plans for sufficient car parking as trade increases and more visitors come to the town

Consider where and in what form any additional car parking provision might be provided; this might include multi-storey provision

Encourage more people to use alternatives to the car

Adopt a concerted and coordinated approach to enhance and promote walking, cycling and public transport use

Develop a network of traffic free pedestrian routes and cycle routes, including safe walk and cycle links for school children

Improve bus and rail services to provide better transport options for residents, commuters and visitors

Respond to residents’ concern about the pressure on transport systems and increased traffic congestion arising from new housing developments

Resist residential development south of the town to prevent more pressure on the ‘pinch points’ at the railway station and over the river

Transport

InfrastructureIssues OptionsNew development will require investment in the provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure

Work to decide where any money raised under the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) should be best spent (25% of money raised from new development under CIL, when introduced, will be able to be passed on to the community)

Increased capacity in sewage treatment and sewerage in Morpeth and Pegswood to support new development and mitigate flood risk

Include funding of sewage treatment, sewerage and surface water drainage capacity in decision-making about all new developments

Consider including ‘grey water’ systems in new developments

EducationIssues OptionsMaximise the potential of our schools as a contributor to economic success

Support the Morpeth Partnership of schools to maximise the potential of our schools, taking advantage of the current options for freedom from both national and local government control

Maintain viability of Morpeth schools by ensuring that they continue to attract pupils from the widest possible area

Support Pegswood’s aspiration to become a formal part of the Morpeth Schools’ Pyramid

Retain sufficient places in Morpeth First schools to provide continuity from their associated nursery, so that both nurseries and schools can maximise and sustain their regular intake of children

Goosehill School urgently requires investment

Encourage the County Council to play a full and proper part in finding a suitable way forward for Goosehill School to provide a new building

Sports, Arts and LeisureIssues Options

Well served with wide range of sports available across age groups, but quality of facilities variable and could benefit from more ‘joined up’ interactions/sharing

Improve sports and leisure facilities, and actively encourage more ‘joined up’ partnerships

Scattered and limited facilities for arts/performance type activities

Create a modern theatre/arts centre for performance of drama, music, dance, film screenings etc. (similar to Maltings, Berwick)

PegswoodIssues Options

Make the village a more sustainable community with a stronger sense of identity

Increase housing choice, provide a better range of local services, provide more local employment sites and create a more vibrant village centre

Take advantage of opportunities for growth arising from the Morpeth Northern Bypass

Allow Pegswood to play a complementary role to the Morpeth housing market

Include Pegswood First School within the Morpeth Pyramid

Enhance public transport services, including the development of a ‘park and ride’ connection for Morpeth

Retain a strong green buffer between Pegswood and Morpeth

Expand sports and leisure facilities in Pegswood

Develop Welfare Park playing fields and pavilion, and improve footpath provision

Hebron, Hepscott and MitfordIssues Options

Preserve the integrity of the villages so they do not merge with Morpeth town

Retain the existing settlement boundaries

Allow only limited infill and the development of obsolete farm buildings in rural areas

Protect Hebron from development pressure arising from the Morpeth Northern Bypass

Retain open countryside between Hepscott and the southern edge of Morpeth (A196)

Please complete and send back to us by 30th October 2013

The Morpeth neighbourhood plan will influence how Morpeth and the surrounding villages develop over the next 20 years - Your views are important

Having seen the Issues and Options summary, please indicate below how you feel in general terms about the work that has been done so far on the 10 topic areas of Morpeth Neighbourhood Plan.

Thank you for taking the time to fill in this Short Questionnaire. The Short Questionnaire is also available for other members of your household online or in paper form from Morpeth Town Hall.

If you have the time, please read the more detailed ‘Issues and Options Consultation Report’ and complete the Main Questionnaire, which covers all the topic areas in depth. The detailed report and questionnaire are online at www.themorpethneighbourhoodplan.org.uk and also available from Morpeth Town Hall.


Please tell us below if there are:-

• Any issues that you think have been missed or have not been properly covered • Any options that you feel particularly strongly about (whether in favour or not in favour)

Age range Under 20 20-39 40-59 Over 60

First name Surname

House number or name Postcode

Very Satisfied Neither Satisfied Dissatisfied Very Satisfied Nor Dissatisfied Dissatisfied

Environment

Heritage

Housing

Local Economy

Transport

Infrastructure

Education

Sports, Arts & Leisure

Pegswood

Hebron, Hepscott & Mitford

The Morpeth Neighbourhood Plan Team

Town Hall Morpeth NE61 1LZ