Knottingley & Ferrybridge Delivery Plan 2012-2015 - Wakefield

1 FinalKnottingley & FerrybridgeDelivery plan 2012 -2015 ContentsPage 2 1. IntroductionPage 3 2. Purpose of the Delivery PlanPage 4 3. Vision and ObjectivesPage 5 4. Action at Strategic LevelPage 11 5. Delivery Programme 2012 -2015 Page 16 6. FundingPage 17 7. Project Management ArrangementsPage 18 8. Action plan AppendicesPage 21 Appendix 1 Historical Context Page 22 Appendix 2 Socio-Economic Profile Page 27 Appendix 3 Character ZonesCopyright GeoPerspectives 2009 The following key themes for action have been identified by the Steering Group:Employment, Business and Skills; Transportation and Highways; Housing; Sport/Culture, including Community Facilities; Town Centre Environment and Public Realm; Education. ContextKnottingley has been important historically both in transport terms and for a range of intensive industrial uses, however its growth over the last hundred or so years is typified by a number of large residential estates.

2 These housing areas often lack facilities and do not physically relate well to one another. They surround and engulf older heavy industry which would not be located in the heart of settlements today. The result is a relatively poor urban form where residential areas have poor connectivity to the local centre of the settlement. The Warwick Ahead initiative funded through the Big Lottery provides an opportunity for the local community to shape their neighbourhood and address needs within the Warwick estate over the course of the next 10 years. It is important that other neighbourhoods are also reviewed as part of the character zone analysis moving town has dispersed retail and community facilities with no one identifiable town centre. However Knottingley does benefit from the natural assets of the river Aire and the Knottingley Canal which provide an opportunity for environmental improvements and leisure activities.

3 Knottingley suffers from the impact of heavy traffic, particularly commercial traffic, along the A645 which runs through the Hill Top area of town. Transport infrastructure is a major geographical constrictor, with the M62 to the south, the River Aire bounding the north and the A1 to the west. Added to this, a main railway line runs parallel to the A645 through the centre creating an island effect, cutting the town off and hindering movement. Opportunities are presented by the new A1(M) which runs west of Ferrybridge power station. There are also opportunities through new development to improve the pedestrian connectivity of different parts of the town in order to reduce the dominance of the recent years Knottingley has been prey to economic stagnation, lack of investment, out of town competition, and poor quality new development.

4 The town suffers from high levels of unemployment and high levels of deprivation. Conversely the historic background to the area adjacent to Ferrybridge power station means that there is also a highly skilled engineering background amongst an element of the local workforce which could be utilised. The demise of the chemical industry and the legacy of derelict brownfield land this has created combined with the current and potential future power generation that could be accommodated could provide a USP for Knottingley as a green energy are several key employers in the area including SSE and Lafarge at Ferrybridge , ADM Milling, Allied Glass, Ardagh Glass and Stolzle Flacconage in Knottingley and new investors coming forward on the site of the former Oxiris chemical works. A socio-economic profile of the town is provided in Appendix to dateFour public consultation events took place in late 2009 and early 2010 including a workshop with young people at the former Knottingley High School (now De Lacey Academy) and feedback from these events has informed the early projects to be implemented.

5 On-going consultation with the community, local stakeholders and businesses will take place as the Delivery plan and individual projects overall long-term vision for Knottingley emerged from the Urban Renaissance Five Towns Strategic Development Framework (SDF), which was prepared in partnership with the community by consultants to the former Yorkshire Forward. The SDF was approved by Wakefield Council and the Towns Team in July 2005 as a broad vision to guide regeneration in the area. In September 2012 the Council adopted the Site Specific Policies Local plan which forms part of the Local Development Framework (LDF) and approved the Jobs and Growth plan which sets priorities and a programme of action to stimulate investment in people, places and business across the Wakefield District.

6 There are a number of key employment and housing sites identified within the Local plan document which will help to form the basis of regeneration in Knottingley . This Knottingley and Ferrybridge Delivery plan builds upon the SDF vision to bring forward a coherent set of deliverable development and economic growth proposals to attract private sector investment, improve the environment and benefit the community whilst reflecting the prevailing downturn in the economic climate and the new National Planning Policy Framework background. It will identify opportunities for encouraging and co-ordinating investment which will support and sustain regeneration within the town. The regeneration of Knottingley will be a long term initiative, with a 15 to 20 year timescale. The plan is timely in that it compliments the substantial investment planned at Ferrybridge power station and the former Oxiris site in Knottingley .

7 The plan seeks to build upon this investment by harnessing the advantages that these changes present to renew economic growth, create stronger more vibrant local centres, a community strengthened by opportunity and provision of high quality housing Delivery plan outlines proposals for the next three financial years of activity from October 2012 until March 2015, together with some broad longer term external Knottingley Regeneration Steering Group chaired by a local ward Member has been established and this is supported by an internal officer group. The Steering Group's role is to help oversee the preparation and implementation of a comprehensive regeneration programme for the town, including the provision of overall strategic direction for the regeneration and advice on the development of the Knottingley and Ferrybridge Delivery plan .

8 The Officer Group supports the Steering Group and helps co-ordinate activity and to facilitate this, both groups will meet on a regular IntroductionKnottingley is a key settlement in the north eastern part of Wakefield District and is one of Wakefield Council's priority regeneration areas. Knottingley & Ferrybridge Delivery plan Page 22. Purpose of the Delivery PlanThis Delivery plan for the Knottingley and Ferrybridge regeneration area has a number of purposes:-1. To set out the rationale and content of the regeneration programme's three year objectives, strategic development, Delivery programme, budget and resources for the period 2012 - To demonstrate integrated planning for the To be used as basis of communication with key stakeholders about the purpose and programme for the Knottingley and Ferrybridge regeneration area, including:Relevant Committees of Wakefield Council, together with local district councillors;Existing and future residents of Knottingley and Ferrybridge ;Existing and prospective private housing developer and Registered Provider (RP) partners;Existing local businesses and prospective investors and employers;Key partners - the Homes and Communities Agency, the Canal and River Trust, the Environment Agency.

9 Key Wakefield Council services - Economic Growth and Housing, Planning, Sport and Culture, Transportation and Highways, Education, Legal and To be used to communicate with staff and Delivery teams. The three year Delivery plan will be reviewed annually. The Delivery plan will be put before Wakefield Council's Cabinet Members for approval and before the Knottingley Steering Group for endorsement. Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey 100019574 Delivery plan BoundaryThree Year Objectives: 2012 - 2015 Over the next three financial years the focus of activity will be Delivery of projects where funding has been identified and/or where additional feasibility work is required. Progression of further planning work and funding bids will be a key activity to ensure the acceleration of Delivery on the ground.

10 Our three year objectives are:To continue to firm up the long term plan for Knottingley and Ferrybridge to deliver our objectives of renewed economic growth, a transformational housing market and neighbourhood change;To work up a series of Character Zone interventions based on more detailed work and community consultation - see appendix 3;To work in partnership at stakeholder and community level to ensure that our work is integrated and co-ordinated with all other strands of neighbourhood regeneration to deliver long term sustainability which contributes to the economic regeneration of the locality;To encourage development of eco-friendly, high quality, mixed tenure family homes, which are attractive to existing and new residents from all walks of life;To strengthen fragile housing markets and improve the visual amenity of key existing housing areas in Knottingley through investment in environmental and highways works and targeted area based neighbourhood management;To support communities undergoing change, particularly through building their capacity to participate in the regeneration process and addressing issues of crime, anti-social behaviour and environmental nuisance through neighbourhood management and co-operation with other Outcomes by March 2015 Economic growth proposals in the energy sector underway at Ferrybridge in the west and Oxiris in the east creating thousands of construction jobs and an increase in full-time equivalent permanent jobs in the locality.