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Planning
Introduction
PUSH wants both existing and new communities in South Hampshire to be sustainable. The planning system has a major role to play in shaping places, translating clear vision and values into what happens on the ground.
PUSH’s work on planning is led by a theme group comprising planning officers from each of the authorities, and overseen by a Planning and Sustainability Members’ Panel. This section describes the main issues for PUSH and the work being done.
Planning for growth
PUSH’s target of achieving 3.5 per cent annual economic growth (GVA) by 2026 will require land for business expansion and house building. Around 80,000 new homes and nearly 2 million square metres of additional business floorspace are proposed, most of which are to cater for people and firms already resident in South Hampshire. Accommodating this new development whilst also protecting the area’s environment is a major challenge.
This is what the South Hampshire sub-regional strategy, drawn up by PUSH and now incorporated into the draft South East Plan, aims to do. The strategy gives priority to urban regeneration by focusing growth on Portsmouth, Southampton and the other existing urban areas. However, previously-developed “brownfield” sites alone cannot accommodate all the necessary development; some building on greenfield land must be planned for. A limited number of extensions to existing urban areas are proposed during the next 10 years, but most greenfield development will take place after 2016 in two Strategic Development Areas (SDAs) – one proposed to the north of Fareham and the other to the north/north east of Hedge End. As well as a wide choice of new homes, each SDA will have jobs, shops, community facilities and good transport links to the nearby city (Portsmouth or Southampton).
Links:
South Hampshire Sub-Regional Strategy Final Advice – December 2005.pdf 
PUSH North of Fareham SDA feasibility study report.pdf
PUSH N-NE Hedge End SDA Feasibility Study Report.pdf
Planning for economic and business development
The economic growth target of 3.5% annual GVA growth by 2026 is ambitious but achievable so long as public authorities carry out a range of actions. The key one in relation to planning, is providing enough land of the right type and in the right locations to enable business development to take place. The South Hampshire sub-regional strategy quantifies the amount of offices, manufacturing and warehousing to be planned for in South Hampshire as a whole; PUSH has undertaken work to split those totals amongst its constituent authorities. The work can be found on the Policy and Strategy page of the website and will inform the preparation of Local Development Documents.
Part of PUSH’s overall growth strategy is that it should be “cities led”: in other words, the priority for new development, particularly in the first 10 years, is to support regeneration of Portsmouth, Southampton and the other existing urban areas. Policies to this effect have been included in the draft South East Plan, drawing upon research on Town and City Centres carried out for PUSH by DTZ Consulting.
Links
South Hampshire Town Centres - Sub-Regional Study - Volume 1.pdf
South Hampshire Town Centres - Sub-Regional Study - Volume 2.pdf
South Hampshire Town Centres - Sub-Regional Study - Volume 3 Appendices.pdf
PUSH Policy SH6 Town and City Centres - approved final draft.pdf
Planning for housing and communities
Much of the new housing proposed in South Hampshire is for existing residents and to accommodate forecast population growth and demographic change. New developments will improve the availability and choice for people who want to own or rent their own home, as well as bringing life back into areas that need regenerating. Some additional housing is needed for people moving into the area, bringing with them the skills and expertise needed by businesses and services in South Hampshire.
There is a growing need for affordable housing, both to cater for future needs and to house the backlog of around 5,000 households who need such accommodation. PUSH has set a target that 30 to 40 per cent of new homes should be affordable housing: this is reflected in policy SH13 in the draft South East Plan. More details of this are in the housing section. Achieving that target will require substantial support from Government, as well as contributions from developers.
PUSH is also seeking assurance from Government that funding will be made available for the new schools, health facilities, transport and other infrastructure that are needed if sustainable communities are to be created. The Partnership is determined that the pace of new development must be conditional on, and determined by, the provision of transport and other infrastructure. More detail is given in the section on Infrastructure. The mechanisms for managing the relationship between economic development, housing and infrastructure, including managing the rate of land releases for development, has been set out in the PUSH Business Plan which has being prepared and will appear on this website shortly.
Planning and the natural environment
The substantial urban development proposed in South Hampshire must respect the area’s natural assets including its biodiversity, high quality but vulnerable water resources, changing coastline and important historic features. It must also minimise resource use during construction and throughout the lifetime of the development. PUSH has proposed demanding policies and targets to ensure environmental sustainability, and is undertaking some important research studies to guide policy development, decision-making and investment. These are described in more detail in the sustainability section.
Progress and achievements in relation to planning