Part B Development Management Policy - Draft Local Plan for Buckinghamshire (Reg 18)

2. Development Management Policies - Infrastructure

2.53 Infrastructure delivery

2.53.1 The NPPF states that Local Plans should include strategic policies to deliver, amongst other things, the provision of infrastructure, and should plan positively for the development and infrastructure required to meet the objectives, principles and policies of the NPPF.

2.53.2 It is vital that the required infrastructure is delivered to support new development. To support future growth in Buckinghamshire, providing the necessary infrastructure at the right time is essential. Infrastructure includes:

• Emergency Services - including ambulance, police, and fire and rescue.
• Healthcare - including hospitals, and GP surgeries.
• Utilities – including broadband, mobile technology, electricity, and gas.
• Waste Management – including household recycling centres.
• Education – including early years and childcare, primary and secondary schools, Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND), adult learning, and higher education.
• Crematoriums and Cemeteries
• Parks and Green Spaces
• Leisure, Sports and Recreation
• Community Services
• Green and Blue Infrastructure
• The Water Cycle – including water supply, wastewater treatment, and drainage.
• Transport – including, trains (lines, stations, and services), buses (stops, and services), roads, pedestrian paths, and cycling (paths, lanes, and storage).
• Facilities for criminal justice

2.53.3 Infrastructure needs may change over the lifetime of the plan as different options for meeting needs could become available or if new requirements came into force. These would need to be assessed at the planning application stage.

2.53.4 Through consultation with various infrastructure providers, a Baseline Infrastructure Study has been completed which gives an initial picture of infrastructure issues and opportunities across the area. A more detailed Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP) is being developed to inform the Local Plan and viability testing. The IDP outlines:

• What infrastructure is needed
• How much infrastructure is required
• Where infrastructure is needed
• Infrastructure costs and funding sources
• Delivery responsibility and timing

2.53.5 Infrastructure will be delivered by various stakeholders either individually or in partnership, including developers/landowners, the Council, government departments, public agencies, and utility service providers. Collaboration among these parties is crucial to align funding sources and ensure timely delivery.

2.53.6 Developers must take account of infrastructure requirements arising from their developments, and where appropriate, incorporate infrastructure delivery into their development proposals. They are responsible for engaging in the planning process, considering costs (including profit expectations and risks), and ensuring compliance with Local Plan policies. However, developers are only responsible for infrastructure related to new growth, not for addressing existing deficiencies, unless the development will make them significantly worse.

2.53.7 In determining planning applications, the need for infrastructure will be assessed taking into account relevant local and national policies as well as other relevant evidence (such as modelling) and site-specific assessments.

2.53.8 The Council mostly prefers direct delivery of infrastructure by developers (the provision of schools and school places is one exception to this). The provision or improvement of infrastructure needed to support development will usually be secured through the use of planning conditions attached to a planning permission, or through legal agreements. In some cases, such as when the cost of infrastructure requires contributions from different developers to be pooled, the Council will consider accepting financial contributions secured through a legal agreement. Where developers rely on the Council to provide infrastructure, contributions must take account of all relevant project costs, including for officer time, design and feasibility work, land acquisition and consultation.

2.53.9 In addition to the above, a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a charge levied on new developments by Buckinghamshire Council to help fund supporting infrastructure. This levy is applied across Buckinghamshire, except in the former Aylesbury Vale District Council area, where its introduction is in the process of being considered. The Council also has a duty to pass on 15% of the collected CIL funds to town and parish councils to support the development of their local area, with this percentage increasing to 25% in areas with an adopted Neighbourhood Plan in place.

2.54 Water infrastructure

2.54.1 Water resources need to be safeguarded from the potentially negative impacts of development. This includes pollution from wastewater.

2.54.2 The Local Plan for Buckinghamshire provides information on the growth required and estimated during the plan period and the National Planning Policy Framework supports the need to make sufficient provision for water supply in those locations.

2.54.3 Buckinghamshire Council working in partnership with key stakeholders has developed a Water Cycle Study that sets out existing issues at the time of the study and where upgrades are needed. The outcome of the Water Cycle Study is fed into the Local Plan which then can be used by water companies to finalise future asset management plans.

2.54.4 Early engagement between developers and water supply and wastewater companies through their developer advice service, as well as with the council, to demonstrate adequate infrastructure capacity is / will be in place before development coming forward is necessary and will have to be evidenced.

2.54.5 The council will use phasing conditions to ensure development only proceeds to completion and occupation with adequate water services infrastructure.

2.55 Telecommunications Infrastructure

2.55.1 Telecommunications is the general term for the transfer of information over varying distances using technologies such as telephone, television, radio, mobile phones and the internet. High quality communications infrastructure includes the recent advances in broadband and wireless technologies.

2.55.2 Improved access to high-speed broadband and new communications technologies across Buckinghamshire will be encouraged and facilitated. The importance of delivering superfast broadband to rural areas is recognised.

2.55.3 The council expects high quality communications infrastructure to be incorporated into the design of all new housing and commercial development, ensuring the futureproofing of telecommunications, enabling them to be easily provided and/or upgraded in the future.

2.55.4 The council will therefore expect developers to explore the option of providing on-site infrastructure, including ducting for broadband and new masts to improve the capacity of mobile networks in any new residential, employment or commercial development, for efficient connection to existing networks. If such measures cannot be delivered, the developer will need to submit evidence to justify the reasons why this is the case.

2.55.5 High quality telecommunications are important for economic growth – attracting new businesses and allowing existing businesses to remain competitive. Telecommunications also have social benefits – increasing social inclusion through better access to internet-based services. Full fibre broadband can also encourage homeworking. Focus on developing networks in urban areas has however led to rural areas being relatively disadvantaged.

2.55.6 The importance of delivering superfast broadband to rural areas is recognised, and development should facilitate where possible the growth of new and existing telecommunications systems to ensure people and rural businesses have a choice of providers and services.

2.55.7 At the same time any adverse impact on the character of the locality and the environment should be minimised. Nevertheless, the Government has given permitted development rights to some telecommunications development, and they cannot be addressed by policies in this Plan. Applications for prior approval for new telecommunication masts will be expected to demonstrate that all other alternative sites have been considered, and that development has been designed to minimise its impact on the character, appearance and visual amenities of the surrounding area.

2.55.8 The NPPF requires planning policies to set out how high-quality digital infrastructure is expected to be delivered.

2.55.9 Planning for new development should be co-ordinated with the telecommunications infrastructure it requires with consideration for the capacity of existing infrastructure. Delivery of infrastructure will be dependent upon maximising the contribution from the development process, whilst recognising that a contribution from both the public and private sector will be necessary. This includes the Government's role in providing the necessary investment to achieve sustainable growth, including appropriate revenue support to those agencies required to manage or serve such development.

2.55.10 In determining all applications for telecommunications installations, the council is required to consider its decisions in the light of site-specific issues, such as siting, design, effect on the street scene and highway safety. The council is also required to make its decisions in accordance with nationally established policy. National planning policy provides guidance on planning for telecommunications development - including radio masts, towers and antennas of all kinds.

2.55.11 In undertaking installations, the telecommunications operators must comply with the requirements of Part 16 of Schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 as amended by subsequent legislation (GDPO), which gives deemed planning permission subject to exclusions and conditions.