Erewash Borough Council Core Strategy Review – Submission Version November 2022

Contents:

Spatial Portrait 
Strategic Policy 1 – Housing 
Strategic Policy 1.1 – Strategic Housing Sites 
Strategic Policy 1.2 – South Stanton 
Strategic Policy 1.3 – Acorn Way 
Strategic Policy 1.4 – North of Spondon 1
Strategic Policy 1.5 – South West of Kirk Hallam 
Strategic Policy 1.6 – North of Cotmanhay 
Strategic Policy 2 – Employment 
Strategic Policy 2.1 – Stanton North 
Strategic Policy 3 – Town, Local and Village Centres 
Strategic Policy 4 – Transport 
Strategic Policy 5 – Green Infrastructure 
Development Plan Policies to be Replaced by the Proposed Core Strategy

Spatial Portrait

The spatial structure of Erewash is as follows:

• The Long Eaton Urban Area, including Long Eaton, Sandiacre, and Sawley, is part of the Nottingham Conurbation.
• The Ilkeston Urban Area, including Kirk Hallam and the former Stanton Ironworks, is a freestanding town.
• The villages and hamlets of Borrowash, Breadsall, Breaston, Church Wilne, Dale Abbey, Draycott, Hopwell, Little Eaton, Morley, Ockbrook, Risley, Stanley, Stanley Common, Stanton-by-Dale and West Hallam comprise the Rural Area.

Erewash Borough has a population of 115,300 (ONS 2020), with around three quarters living in the two Urban Areas adjoining the county boundary with Nottinghamshire. Ilkeston and Long Eaton make up the majority of the Urban Areas. The Long Eaton Urban Area geographically forms part of the Nottingham conurbation, sharing its NG postcode. In contrast the Ilkeston Urban Area to the north is spatially separated from the conurbation, with its own Derbyshire postcode.

The remainder of the Borough is predominantly rural, with 15 villages and hamlets being located within the Erewash countryside. Nearly all of this countryside is designated as Green Belt, amounting to over 70% of the land within the Borough. This is an important component of the wider Nottingham-Derby Green Belt, the main function of which is to prevent the merger of those two conurbations. The settlements on the western edge of the Borough, including Borrowash, Breadsall, Little Eaton, Morley and Ockbrook, are strongly related to and influenced by services, facilities, and transport provision which help to connect them to the city of Derby.

Erewash is well linked to the strategic road and rail network. A combination of trunk and motorway routes pass through the Borough including the M1, A52, and A38, which provide connections to nearby towns and cities. Sandiacre, at the northern end of the Long Eaton Urban Area, directly adjoins Junction 25, an important road interchange between the M1 and A52, whilst Sawley, at the southern end of the Long Eaton Urban Area, has direct access to the A50. The opening of the last phase of the Awsworth By-Pass has enhanced road accessibility between Ilkeston and Junction 26 of the M1.

Long Eaton railway station provides direct services to Nottingham and Derby, but also further afield to Sheffield, Birmingham and London. The re-opening of Ilkeston Railway Station in 2017 has restored direct rail services from that town to Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds. Frequent bus services operate across Erewash, with the two main towns having regular direct links to the city centres of Nottingham and Derby. The central and north west rural parts of the Borough are not as accessible as a result of indirect road links. Consequently, the range of public transport routes serving these areas is more limited.

East Midlands Airport is only three miles south of the Borough. The domestic and international passenger and freight services from the airport add to the Borough’s general level of accessibility.

The Borough is bounded to the east, south and west by the Erewash, Trent and Derwent rivers. Extensive parts the Borough form part of the functional floodplains of those rivers, and thus contribute to natural flood management. However, extensive parts of the built up areas of Long Eaton and Sawley are also subject to flood risk, which is controlled by the Left Bank Scheme, a major flood defence along the River Trent floodplain.

Strategic Policy 1 – Housing

1. Erewash Borough has an Objectively Assessed Housing Need of 5,800 net new homes over the time period 2022 and 2037.
2.  The settlement hierarchy to accommodate this growth is as follows:
   
   
   1. Growth within Long Eaton Urban Area (conurbation);
   2. Growth within Ilkeston Urban Area (town);
   3. Growth within the Rural Area settlements (villages);
   4. New Settlement on brownfield land not in the Green Belt (former Stanton Ironworks);
   5. Extension of conurbations into the Green Belt (Derby and Nottingham); and
   6. Extension of towns into the Green Belt (Ilkeston).

3. In keeping with the settlement hierarchy, a minimum of 5,800 new homes (2022-2037) will be distributed as follows:

1. Around 700 homes within the Long Eaton Urban Area;
2. Around 1,400 homes within the Ilkeston Urban Area;
3. Around 350 homes within the Rural Area
4. Around 1,000 homes in a new settlement at South Stanton;
5. Around 800 homes as extensions to the Derby conurbation on land deallocated from the Green Belt, including around 600 homes on land west of Acorn Way and around 200 homes on land north of Spondon; and
6. Around 1,550 homes as extensions to the town of Ilkeston, on land deallocated from the Green Belt including around 1,300 homes on land south west of Kirk Hallam and around 250 homes on land north of Cotmanhay.

The spatial strategy flows from the spatial portrait set out earlier in the document. It is aspirational but realistic, and has been positively prepared to meet the objectively assessed development requirements of the area as set out in the evidence base, and provides a framework and context for the other policies of the plan.

Strategic Policy 1.1 – Strategic Housing Sites

Applications for strategic housing developments of 200 or more homes shall:

1. Establish a coherent and quality design for the proposed new neighbourhood that respects its settlement context;
2. Maintain and enhance, where possible, existing hedgerow and tree belt boundaries with the open countryside;
3. Integrate sufficient tree planting, sustainable drainage infrastructure, suitable play areas and other safe and functional public open spaces into the layout and design;
4. Deliver an appropriate level of biodiversity net gain;
5. Be based on a network of streets that prioritise walking, wheelchair use and cycling over motorised transport;
6. Provide at least one off-street parking space per new home served by an electric vehicle charging point; and
7. Ensure that each parking space provided is well related to the home it is intended to serve, and does so without dominating the street-scene.

The National Planning Policy Framework has been amended to take account of the findings of Living with Beauty, the report of the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission. This is further implemented by the National Design Guide and the Model National Design Code, which set out the factors that need to be considered in order to ensure that new development contributes towards beautiful, safe, sustainable and distinctive places.

The strategic housing allocations of this plan provide unique opportunities for creating beautiful and sustainable places, as would other proposals of a strategic scale. Developers will be expected to produce their own design codes that set out their vision of how they will make the most of those opportunities. The requirements of this policy set out clear expectations for such codes, and for the quality of development produced in accordance with them.

Each strategic site has its own settlement context, either as an extension to an existing settlement or by creating a new settlement. Consequently each proposal will need to take account of its own unique set of historical contexts, whilst also contributing its own distinctiveness to that context.

Strategic sites will be expected to include suitable greenspace that takes account of local context, improves biodiversity, and adapts to climate change through providing seasonal shade and sustainable drainage infrastructure. The need for green space and space for trees in particular should be designed into layouts, such as squares, crescents and avenues, and not just left to undevelopable areas under power-lines, over sewers, or in inaccessible corners.

The street is an urban form that has proved successful since the dawn of civilization. Though streets include roads, the road should never be the dominant design feature. With the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles being banned by 2030, off-street vehicle recharging will be necessary to future proof new homes as well as to contribute to the mitigation of climate change. Poorly located car parking provision does not make for safe or comfortable neighbourhoods. Street frontages dominated by forecourt parking will not be acceptable.

Strategic Policy 1.2 – South Stanton

Land at South Stanton as shown on the Policies Map is allocated for strategic residential development of around 1,000 new homes, a new primary school, and new village centre across 47 hectares of land. The development will form a new community associated with the Ilkeston Urban Area.
Development shall provide the following:

1. Comprehensive remediation of the land to a suitable standard to support residential development;
2. Multiple vehicular accesses onto Lows Lane;
3. Financial contributions to provide a new roundabout to replace the Lows Lane / Sowbrook Lane / Ilkeston Road junction;
4. Financial contributions to provide bus services to the new development
5. Enhanced and new bus halts with safe pedestrian access, including suitable pedestrian crossings where appropriate;
6. A pavement along the east side of Littlewell Lane to Stanton-by-Dale;
7. Suitable pedestrian links to Stanton-by-Dale Footpaths 5, 7 & 9 to link the new development to the wider countryside, including a safe pedestrian crossing of Littlewell Road to Stanton-by-Dale Footpath 9;
8. A new village centre on Lows Lane with safe pedestrian and cycling access;
9. A new primary school well located within the site to encourage access by active travel;
10. Financial contributions towards the provision of additional pupil capacity at nearby schools where necessary; and
11. 10% of the homes provided to be for affordable home ownership, subject to viability.

This policy should be read alongside Strategic Policies 3 (Town, Local and Village centres) and 4 (Transport).

The former Stanton Ironworks has been considered suitable and available for housing by both the Local Planning Authority and the current landowner for over 10 years. Nevertheless, development has yet to be achieved and is not anticipated in the first 5 years of this plan. The slow progress of the site has been largely due to market uncertainty over the cost of mitigating land stability issues from its mining legacy, and land contamination from its industrial legacy.

It is anticipated that successful development of North Stanton for employment as proposed elsewhere in this plan will establish the degree of market challenge posed by historic mining and industrial activity at the former Stanton Ironworks, and thus increase market confidence in this site.

Lows Lane provides the main vehicle route alongside the site to both Ilkeston and towards Nottingham, and is envisaged as the principal point of access to the local road network. Multiple vehicle access points will be required onto Lows Lane in order to provide network resilience for the new development.

Traffic modelling has shown that the redevelopment of this site will push the existing junction at Lows Lane / Sowbrook Lane / Ilkeston Road into failure. Provision of the replacement junction proposed elsewhere in this plan will therefore be required.

South Stanton is poorly served by local bus routes, with just the subsidised hourly No.14 service running along Littlewell Lane to Ilkeston and Sandiacre. A substantial improvement in bus services will be required, either as a reinforcement of services along Littlewell Lane, new services along Lows Lane, or a combination of both. These services will require improved and new bus halt provision.

Development of this scale is sufficient to support a new primary school, which should therefore be provided by the development. The primary school will provide for educational needs, but will also make a major contribution to the establishment of the new community at South Stanton.

Children living in the new development could attend secondary schools in Kirk Hallam, Ilkeston or Sandiacre. Where there are insufficient available places at those schools to accommodate those new pupils, financial contributions from the new development will be required to increase the capacity of the receiving schools.

Government policy requires 10% of new homes on large sites to provide affordable routes to home ownership, where this is viable. Viability will be limited by the relatively low housing values in Ilkeston, the abnormal development costs imposed by the mining and industrial legacy here, and the need to provide the other infrastructure and facilities described above.

Strategic Policy 1.3 – Acorn Way

Land west of Acorn Way as shown on the Policies Map is allocated for strategic residential development of around 600 homes across 26 hectares of land that will extend the Derby neighbourhood of Oakwood.

Development shall provide for the following:

1. Creation of at least two new vehicular junctions with suitable pedestrian access onto Morley Road;
2. Financial contributions to increase the frequency of bus services along Morley Road;
3. Improved multi-user crossings of Acorn Way to encourage safe use of Morley Byway 29 and Morley Foot Paths 31 & 32 into the open countryside;
4. Financial contributions towards the provision of additional pupil capacity at schools in Oakwood and Chaddesden where necessary; and
5. 10% of the homes provided to be for on-site affordable home ownership, and a financial contribution towards off-site affordable housing in lieu of providing up to 20% of the homes as additional affordable housing, subject to viability.

This site is suitable and available for housing, and will form a natural and logical extension to the Derby neighbourhood of Oakwood.

Access onto Morley road is available, and would help to integrate the new development with the existing neighbourhood of Oakwood. Such junctions should include pavements and be linked to additional pavements and crossings on Morley Road to allow safe pedestrian access to the existing Besthorpe Close and Morley Gardens bus halts. These facilities should also provide for safe pedestrian through journeys onto Oakwood Drive, Besthorpe Close, and the footpaths leading to Bassingham Close / Gainsborough Close / Kirkstead Close and Kirkstead Close / Fiskerton Way / Seagrave Close. An internal road network with at least two interconnected junctions on to Morley Road is the minimum necessary to provide network resilience for the new development. Vehicular access onto Acorn Way should be avoided to prevent harm to the substantive tree belt feature here, and to avoid feeding traffic directly into the congested Acorn Way / Derby Road roundabout.

Morley Road is currently only served by one bus each way per hour, the Black Cat service between Derby and Mansfield. A financial contribution to support additional services per hour, either a more frequent Black Cat service or an alternative service to Derby, will be required to make public transport use a viable option for the residents of the new development.
Access into the open countryside is available along Morley Byway 29 and Morley Footpaths 31 & 32. Improved safe crossings of Acorn Way, which has a 60mph speed limit and limited forward visibility, will be required to encourage use of those links to enjoy the wider Erewash countryside.

Children living in the new development are likely to attend nearby schools in Oakwood and Chaddesden. Where there are insufficient available places at those schools to accommodate those new pupils financial contributions from the new development will be required to increase the capacity of the receiving schools.

Government policy requires 10% of new homes on large sites to provide affordable routes to home ownership. Erewash planning policy requires that up to an additional 20% should be provided for other forms of affordable housing. However, as the demand for affordable housing in this part of Erewash is limited, that public benefit would be better utilised by accepting a financial payment in lieu of on-site provision in order to fund provision in locations of higher demand.

Strategic Policy 1.4 – North of Spondon

Land north of Spondon as shown on the Policies Map is allocated for strategic residential development of around 200 homes across 12.3 hectares of land that will extend the community of Spondon.
Development shall provide for the following:

1. Creation of a new vehicular junction and pedestrian access on to the A6096 Dale Road, associated pair of bus halts, and a pavement along the west side of the A6096 Dale Road to Spondon. To be achieved whilst minimising disturbance to the Dunshill Shelterbelt local wildlife site along part of the site’s eastern boundary;
2. Provision of a suitable interface between the development and Spondon Wood, to include a semi-natural buffer zone, to protect the biodiversity interest of the wood;
3. An extension of Dale Abbey Footpath 58 into the site;
4. Financial contributions towards the provision of additional pupil capacity at schools in Spondon where necessary; and
5. 10% of the homes provided to be for on-site affordable home ownership, and a financial contribution towards off-site affordable housing in lieu of providing up to 20% of the homes as additional affordable housing, subject to viability.

This site is suitable and available for housing, and will form a natural and logical extension to the community of Spondon.Access directly onto the A6096 is available and suitable to serve the development. Pavements and bus halts will provide sustainable access to the facilities available in Spondon.

Spondon Wood includes areas of ancient woodland. To protect its flora and fauna a suitable interface will avoid private gardens backing onto the site, expose the edge of the wood to natural surveillance, and prevent unregulated vehicular access.

Children living in the new development are likely to attend schools in Spondon. Where there are insufficient available places at those schools to accommodate those new pupils, financial contributions from the new development will be required to increase the capacity of the receiving schools.

Government policy requires 10% of new homes on large sites to provide affordable routes to home ownership. Erewash planning policy requires that up to an additional 20% should be provided for other forms of affordable housing. However, as the demand for affordable housing in this part of Erewash is limited, that public benefit would be better utilised by accepting a financial payment in lieu of on-site provision in order to fund provision in locations of higher demand.

Strategic Policy 1.5 – South West of Kirk Hallam

Land south west of Kirk Hallam as shown on the Policies Map is allocated for strategic residential development of around 1,300 new homes, a new primary school, a new local centre, an extension to the Pioneer Meadows Local Nature Reserve, and a relief road across 50 hectares of land. The development will form an extension to the community of Kirk Hallam. An additional 27ha of open land between Kirk Hallam and the former Stanton Ironworks is allocated as Green Belt.

Development shall provide for the following:

1. Multiple vehicular accesses from the associated Kirk Hallam Relief Road;
2. Additional bus halts on the A6096 Ladywood Road with safe pedestrian access from the new development, including a suitable crossing of the A6096 Ladywood Road;
3. Pedestrian and cycling access from the new development to bus halts on St Norbert Drive;
4. Enhancement of Dale Abbey Footpath 2 and Dale Abbey Footpath 49 that link Kirk Hallam and the new development to the wider countryside, including safe pedestrian crossings of the Kirk Hallam Relief Road;
5. A green corridor through the site to link Pioneer Meadows Local Nature Reserve to the wider countryside;
6. A new local centre at the junction of the Kirk Hallam Relief Road with the A6096 Ladywood Road with safe pedestrian and cycling access;
7. A new primary school well located within the site to encourage access by active travel;
8.  Financial contributions towards the provision of additional pupil capacity at schools in Kirk Hallam where necessary; and
9. 10% of the homes provided to be for affordable home ownership, subject to viability. This policy should be read alongside Strategic Policies 3 (Town, Local and Village centres), 4 (Transport) and 5 (Green Infrastructure).

This site is suitable and available for housing. Land to the south east of this site is added to the Green Belt to ensure the continued separation of Kirk Hallam from Stanton. The housing development here is required to fund the proposed Kirk Hallam Relief Road. Conversely the housing proposals require the Kirk Hallam Relief Road to provide vehicular access, and to provide the defensible boundary with the Green Belt required to help justify development of this site. Consequently the delivery of the housing and the road will require careful phasing. Multiple vehicle access points will be required onto the relief road in order to provide network resilience for the new development.

Kirk Hallam is well served by existing bus routes, but pedestrian improvements will be required to enable residents living in the new development to access them. Access to the Ilkeston to Derby services along Ladywood Road will require a new pair of bus halts served by pavements and a suitable road crossing. These facilities should be further integrated into safe walking and cycling access along Ladywood Road to help link the new development, including the proposed local centre, into Kirk Hallam. Existing pedestrian access points onto Wirksworth Road also need to be enhanced to provide onward access to the frequent bus services to Heanor via Ilkeston on St Norbert Drive. These improvements should be integrated with the existing public rights of way across the site to provide a comprehensive walking and cycling network. This will need to include safe crossing of the Kirk Hallam Relief road to encourage recreational access into the open countryside.

Pioneer Meadows Local Nature Reserve is a highly valued local asset. To maintain its wildlife interest a green corridor through the development site along the Sowbrook to the open countryside will be required. This green corridor will also provide flood management and recreational access benefits, and should be positively managed so that it can be added as a physical extension of Pioneer Meadows Local Nature Reserve.

Development of this scale is sufficient to support a new primary school, which should therefore be provided by the development. The primary school will provide for educational needs, but will also make a major contribution to the establishment of a new community in this part of Kirk Hallam.

Children living in the new development will expect to attend secondary schools in Kirk Hallam. Where there are insufficient available places at those schools to accommodate those new pupils, financial contributions from the new development will be required to increase the capacity of the receiving schools.

Government policy requires 10% of new homes on large sites to provide affordable routes to home ownership, where this is viable. Viability will be limited by the relatively low housing values in Kirk Hallam, the abnormal development costs of providing the new Kirk Hallam Relief road, and the need to provide the other infrastructure and facilities described above.

Strategic Policy 1.6 – North of Cotmanhay

Land north of Cotmanhay as shown on the Policies Map is allocated for strategic residential development of around 250 homes across 7.2 hectares of land that will widen the range and choice of housing to buy in Cotmanhay, and make Cotmanhay Wood accessible as an enhanced community asset.

Development shall provide for the following:

1. Widening and otherwise improving the access along Woodside Crescent to Heanor Road to provide a suitable and safe vehicular and pedestrian access to the development;
2. Provision of a suitable interface between the development and Cotmanhay Wood, to include a semi-natural buffer zone, to protect the biodiversity interest of the wood;
3. Bringing Cotmanhay Wood into use as a Community Woodland through active management, including the provision of managed public access with a link to and enhancement of Ilkeston Footpath 5;
4. Biodiversity improvements to Cotmanhay Wood to suitably offset the biodiversity impacts of the development, including extending the wood onto the field to the north-east if required;
5. Financial contributions towards the provision of additional pupil capacity at local Ilkeston schools where necessary; and
6. 10% of the homes provided to be for affordable home ownership, subject to viability.

This site is suitable and available for housing. In an area characterised by 3-bed social and privately rented houses the new neighbourhood here would provide additional opportunities for aspirational residents to stay in the area. The development provides an opportunity to enhance the neglected asset of Cotmanhay Wood.

The current access along Woodside Crescent is not adequate to support a development of this scale, and will need to be significantly improved to meet the requirements of the County Highway Authority.

Cotmanhay Wood includes areas of ancient woodland. To protect its flora and fauna, a suitable interface will avoid private gardens backing onto the site, expose the edge of the wood to natural surveillance, and prevent unregulated vehicular access.

Managed pedestrian access will encourage appropriate use of the wood and, through increased natural surveillance, discourage inappropriate use.

Positive woodland management, including selective thinning to allow trees to grow to maturity and increase light to the woodland floor, will improve the biodiversity of this ancient woodland. The field to the north-east is already surrounded by the woodland on three sides and could form a natural extension to the wood.

Children living in the new development will normally attend Cotmanhay Junior & Infants School and the Ormiston Ilkeston Enterprise Academy. Where there are insufficient available places at those schools to accommodate those new pupils, financial contributions from the new development will be required to increase the capacity of the receiving schools.
Government policy requires 10% of new homes on large sites to provide affordable routes to home ownership, where this is viable. Viability will be limited by the relatively low housing values in Ilkeston, the abnormal development foundation costs involved in redeveloping this former opencast site, and the need to provide the infrastructure and facilities described above.

Strategic Policy 2 – Employment

The economy of Erewash will be maintained, strengthened and diversified with new development being provided to meet restructuring, modernisation and inward investment needs. This will be achieved by:

1. Protecting the following strategic employment sites to maintain a supply of good quality land and premises for industrial and warehouse uses:

• Acton Road/Fields Farm Road Industrial Estate (32ha);
• Quarry Hill Road Industrial Estate (22ha);
• Gallows Inn Industrial Estate (10ha); and
• Manners Industrial Estate (27ha).

2. Providing at least 40 hectares of high quality employment development at Stanton North to meet the identified needs for new and relocating industrial and warehousing/logistics uses (use classes B2 and B8).
3. Supporting economic development of an appropriate scale to diversify and support the rural economy.

Four strategic employment sites, three in Ilkeston and one in Long Eaton, totalling 91 hectares in size have been identified in recognition of the major contribution each makes to the Borough’s economy. Each area supports a sizeable and diverse range of industrial operations offering significant employment opportunities. Protecting these four strategic employment areas is therefore necessary to safeguard the land and premises within them for industrial and warehousing uses over the long-term.

The provision for 40 hectares of high quality employment uses at Stanton North originates from work undertaken by the 2021 Employment Land Need Study. The study was prepared in conformity with provisions from the National Planning Practice Guidance setting out how councils should calculate future employment land requirements.

The rural part of the Borough plays an important role in supporting Erewash’s economy. The continued importance of agriculture, recreation and other countryside-related activities contribute to Erewash’s economic diversity. Development which helps to strengthen Erewash’s rural economy and which provides a source of local employment opportunities will be supported. National planning policy provides guidance on the appropriate form and scale of rural development and advises on how best to encourage proposals that will help the rural economy to diversify.

Strategic Policy 2.1 – Stanton North

Land at Stanton North as shown on the Policies Map is allocated for strategic employment development across 80 hectares of land. The development shall include:

1. Appropriate site remediation to safeguard human health and the environment;
2. Reconnection of the site to the national rail network via the Stanton Branch Line to widen options for the movement of freight to and from the site;
3. Preservation and enhancement of the existing green infrastructure features on site through integration with the adjacent Nutbrook and Erewash Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridors;
4. Offsetting measures as necessary to achieve appropriate biodiversity compensation; and
5. Safeguarding of land to allow the installation of a new roundabout to replace the existing junction of Sowbrook Lane, Lows Lane and Ilkeston Road, and off-site works as appropriate to safeguard the amenities of Stanton-by-Dale, Risley and Sandiacre from increased traffic.

This policy should be read alongside Strategic Policies 4 (Transport) and 5 (Green Infrastructure).

This 80ha site is expected to deliver up to 55ha of employment land, which is more than adequate to meet the assessed needs of the Borough. The rest of the site is needed to contribute towards transport and green infrastructure priorities.

Stanton’s long industrial history has left a legacy of ground contamination across the wider site. Within the extent of the Stanton North allocation, ground conditions have been recently assessed as part of previous efforts to secure permission for site redevelopment. Comprehensive ground surveys have ascertained the type and specific locations of contaminants present on or close to the site’s surface. Prior to the allocation’s development, a comprehensive remediation strategy must show how ground contamination is to be dealt with through a site wide remediation strategy.

The reconnection of a direct rail spur linking Stanton North to the national rail network will be required. The utilisation of the rail spur by freight services would help to minimise the number of HGV movements to and from the site, reducing pressure on the local road network.

Parts of the site make a direct contribution to the Nutbrook and Erewash Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridors respectively. Those existing flood plain, biodiversity and recreational route assets should be maintained and enhanced by integration into a managed network of green spaces across the site, creating a link between the two Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridors where possible. In particular, an improved link between the Nutbrook Trail and Erewash Valley Trail should be provided. Sustainable drainage infrastructure, where compatible with the remediation strategy, should also be integrated into this network as should on-site biodiversity enhancements.

Notwithstanding the potential to preserve and enhance the biodiversity interest of parts of the site, redevelopment of the redundant ironworks site will result in the loss of habitats and species that have partly reclaimed it, including parts of the designated Ilkeston Road Pond & Nutbrook Canal Local Wildlife Site, and of the Stanton Ironworks Local Wildlife Site. Where that loss cannot be avoided or mitigated on-site, then off-site enhancements will be required to offset that harm to biodiversity.

Strategic Policy 3 – Town, Local and Village Centres

The following hierarchy of centres is designated on the Policies Map:

• Town Centres – Ilkeston and Long Eaton;
• Local Centres – Borrowash and Sandiacre; and
• Village Centres – Breaston, Draycott, Little Eaton, and West Hallam.

In addition, the following new centres are proposed on the proposals map:

• Proposed Local Centre – Kirk Hallam (including a local supermarket of around 1,000-1,500 sqm gross internal area and a parade of smaller shops amounting to a similar floorspace); and
• Proposed Village Centre – South Stanton (including a neighbourhood convenience store of around 500-750sqm gross internal area and a parade of smaller shops amounting to a similar floorspace).

Within designated and proposed centres, the following types of development will be encouraged at a scale appropriate to the position of that centre in the hierarchy:

• Ground floor commercial, service and community uses, including pubs and takeaways;
• Offices and studios;
• Upper floor residential uses;
• Public realm enhancements;
• Sustainable transport provision; and
• Proposals to revitalise existing markets

In rural areas and villages without a designated centre, the re-use of existing buildings for retail, office and indoor leisure uses of an appropriate scale will be supported.
Other applications for retail, office or indoor leisure uses outside designated centres will be refused where:

1.  a suitable site in an appropriate town, local or village centre is available, or;
2. for proposals in out of centre locations, a suitable edge of centre site is available; or
3. the impact on investment, vitality, viability or local consumer choice of centres within the catchment of proposals of 2,500m2 of gross floorspace or more is significantly adverse.

Ilkeston town centre has recently supported notable residential development including the conversion of the upper floors of the former Co-Op Department Store and on land rear to the former Poplar Inn, with similar regeneration programmes being encouraged to help meet the Borough’s housing supply. Ilkeston had vacancy rate of 10% of town centre units recorded in 2020, which is on a par with the national average. Regeneration projects are encouraged throughout the town centre to bring vacant units back into vibrant uses.

Long Eaton has successfully secured £24.8million of government funding for the Long Eaton Town Investment Plan, which includes a range of regeneration projects to transform the town centre. Though 11% of all town centre units were vacant in 2021, this is only marginally more than in Ilkeston, and is comparable to the national average. Opportunities exist to diversify the centre, such as encouraging food and drink establishments on the High Street and Market Place and utilising outside space to add to the vibrancy of the centre. This will be facilitated by proposals in the Town Investment Plan to create an improved pedestrian zone in the town centre.

The local centres of Borrowash and Sandiacre serve important roles in meeting the retail needs of communities in the two locations. Vacant and underused sites in Sandiacre local centre provide regeneration opportunities that should support the local centre’s continued vitality.

A new local centre will be created on land deallocated from the Green Belt immediately to the west of Kirk Hallam, in conjunction with the development of a new neighbourhood there. The local centre scale and prominent location on the A6096 Ladywood Road is intended to create a sustainable centre that can serve the whole of Kirk Hallam, despite its edge of settlement location.

Breaston, Draycott, Little Eaton and West Hallam have well established village centres which provide essential services to local residents. They should continue to be attractive retail and service destinations. New residential development may also be appropriate at upper floor levels but should respect the character and vitality of the centres.

A new village centre will be created at South Stanton as part of the new community proposed there. A prominent location on Lows Lane will help to support the sustainability of that centre, which is necessary to make the South Stanton proposal a functioning new community.

In smaller villages and wider rural areas that do not benefit from a designated village centre, small scale re-use of existing buildings for retail, office and indoor leisure uses can be appropriate to support rural diversification and village vitality. The Use Class Order defines a shop for local community use as being of less than 280 square metres in size, and that is considered to be a suitable upper limit on the acceptable scale of such facilities.

The NPPF sets out a national requirement to subject main town centre uses to a sequential test that directs such investment to appropriate designated centres.

Strategic Policy 4 – Transport

The following transport infrastructure will be provided:

1. The Kirk Hallam Relief Road linking the A6096 Ladywood Road with Sowbrook Lane will be provided by the strategic housing development of land south west of Kirk Hallam. The relief road will provide vehicular and multi-user access to the strategic housing development, maintain recreational access from Kirk Hallam to the wider countryside along existing public rights of way, and incorporate tree and hedge planting along its south western boundary to reduce its landscape impact on the open countryside beyond;
   
   
2. The Borough Council will utilise funding opportunities including developer contributions to replace the Lows Lane / Sowbrook Lane / Ilkeston Road T-junction with a roundabout in a new location to the north-east of the current junction. Land for the new roundabout and its access roads shall be safeguarded from development that would prejudice the delivery of this project;
   
   
3. To provide for high quality walking and cycling networks and widen transport choice, the Borough Council will utilise funding opportunities, including developer contributions, to accommodate the improvement of the Trent Valley Way and Great Northern Greenway to multi-user standard to the extents shown on the Policies Map.

These three transport infrastructure priorities, in culmination, will work to mitigate impacts from proposed growth within the Borough by improving sustainable transport provision in coordination with planned growth.

The Kirk Hallam Relief Road Priority is a policy response to the spatial strategy and proposed growth in Ilkeston, particularly at land south west of Kirk Hallam. Apart from providing direct access to the housing allocation south west of Kirk Hallam, it is required to ensure growth at this location is sustainable and to provide a new defensible Green Belt boundary as well as a landscape buffer between the Green Belt and housing allocation.

The replacement roundabout junction at Lows Lane / Sowbrook Lane / Ilkeston Road is a policy response to the proposals for the new settlement at South Stanton. Transport modelling of proposals here have shown a propensity for strong growth in traffic turning down Sowbrook Lane, with consequent failure of this already sub-standard junction. Redevelopment of the South Stanton site will therefore require this junction to be upgraded to a roundabout to accommodate those increased flows. Such a junction improvement on the site of the existing junction would be detrimental to the setting of the Grade II listed New Stanton Cottages, known locally as Twelve Houses, so the new roundabout and its approach lanes would need to be located on safeguarded land to the north-east of that junction.

Two strategic recreational routes are identified for upgrading to multi-user (walking, cycling and horse riding) standards. The Great Northern Greenway is a long standing proposal of Derbyshire County Council that has been partly implemented. The policy proposes its completion, including the link to the recently improved route over Bennerley Viaduct. The proposal to upgrade the Trent Valley Way would effectively extend the Big Track from Attenborough Nature Reserve to Trent Lock, and thus connect to the Erewash Valley Way along Erewash Canal.

Strategic Policy 5 –Green Infrastructure

Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridors are designated on the proposals map as follows:

• Trent Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor;
• Erewash Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor;
• Nutbrook Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor; and
• Derwent Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor

The objectives of the Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridors are to provide:

•  Sustainable flood water management;
• Biodiversity improvement, including natural carbon capture;
• Active travel; and
• Open space recreational uses.

Proposals within in the Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridors that further the objectives set out above will be supported. Proposals within the Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridors that detract from these aims will normally be refused.

Natural England describes Green Infrastructure as a strategically planned and delivered network comprising the broadest range of high quality green spaces and other environmental features. It should be designed and managed as a multifunctional resource capable of delivering those ecological services and quality of life benefits required by the communities it serves and needed to underpin sustainability. Its design and management should also respect and enhance the character and distinctiveness of an area with regard to habitats and landscape types. Green Infrastructure includes established green spaces and new sites and should thread through and surround the built environment and connect the urban area to its wider rural hinterland.

The Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridors designated here provide multiple natural assets including functional flood plains, land of designated wildlife importance, recreational facilities and recreational route ways. Due to their location adjacent urban areas these assets have a high social value, and the capacity for further enhancement.

The Trent Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor lies to the south of Long Eaton and Sawley and borders Broxtowe to the east, and is made up of the River Trent and surrounding washlands. This corridor encompasses eight Local Wildlife Sites including seven wetlands and an area of neutral grassland. Trent Meadows Local Nature Reserve also sits within this corridor, as does the Spring Lakes and Trent Lock leisure facilities. Both the Trent Valley Way and Erewash Valley Trail run through this Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor.

The Erewash Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor runs along the eastern edges of Long Eaton and Ilkeston. This Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor is fragmented in Erewash Borough due to its interrelationship with the main built up area, but achieves continuity through additional land in the adjacent Broxtowe Borough. The corridor includes the River Erewash washlands, and 14 Local Wildlife Sites including eight wetlands, five neutral grasslands and an area of secondary woodland. There are also Local Nature Reserves at Stanton Gate and Trowell Marsh, as well as the recreational facility of the Erewash Canal and associated National Cycle Route 67 along its towpath, forming part of the Erewash Valley Trail.

The Nutbrook Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor includes the Nutbrook tributary to the Erewash River. Due to the culvert under part of the former Stanton Ironworks at Crompton Lane, the Nutbrook washlands covered by this corridor are not contiguous with those of the River Erewash. The Nutbrook Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor incorporates 14 Local Wildlife Sites, including six wetlands, four secondary woodlands, two neutral grasslands and two areas of mosaic habitat. There are also five Local Nature Reserves: Pioneer Meadows, Straws Bridge, Pewit Carr, and Manor Floods. The Nutbrook Trail runs through the corridor carrying National Cycle Route 67 from the Erewash Canal south of Ilkeston to Shipley Country Park in Amber Valley Borough to the north of Erewash Borough.

The Derwent Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor runs between Little Eaton and the western boundary of Erewash Borough with Derby City. The corridor incorporates the River Derwent washlands that are designated as part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site on account of their relict landscape quality. The Derwent Strategic Green Infrastructure Corridor includes two Local Wildlife Sites, a wetland and a woodland, and part of the Derwent Valley Heritage Way long distance footpath.

Enhancement to the green infrastructure in these corridors, including natural flood management, biodiversity improvement, new recreational facilities and improved and extended recreational route ways will be sought, encouraged and supported.

Erewash Borough Council will look to prioritise biodiversity enhancements within these areas, including through off-site provision of biodiversity enhancement generated by development elsewhere in the Borough.

Development Plan Policies to be Replaced by the Proposed Core Strategy

Erewash Core Strategy Policy 2: The Spatial Strategy
Erewash Core Strategy Policy 4: Employment Provision & Economic Development
Erewash Core Strategy Policy 6: The Role of Local and Town Centres
Erewash Core Strategy Policy 7: Regeneration
Erewash Core Strategy Policy 12: Local Services & Healthy Lifestyles
Erewash Core Strategy Policy 16: Green Infrastructure, Parks and Open Space
Erewash Core Strategy Policy 20: Stanton Regeneration Site
Erewash Local Plan Policy E5 - West Hallam Storage Depot
Erewash Local Plan Policy T5 – Disused Transport Routes
Erewash Local Plan Policy R1 – Recreational Trails
Erewash Local Plan Policy R6 – Pewit Golf Course
Erewash Local Plan Policy R8 - Water Recreation
Erewash Local Plan Policy C1 – School Sites