Essentially a key thrust of the NPPF is the need to balance the effects of development taking account of economic, social and environmental issues to achieve sustainable development. The NPPF therefore needs to be applied as a whole. Although much of the focus of the NPPF is on the approach taken by local authorities in their plan-making and decision-taking roles within the planning system the NPPF remains an important part of the context for the East Midlands Gateway Proposal despite it being subject to a different decision making process given that it is an NSIP. In these circumstances the following sections of the NPPF are considered relevant in any assessment of the East Midlands Gateway: - Section 1 – Building a strong, competitive economy; Section 3 – Supporting a prosperous rural economy; Section 4 – Promoting sustainable transport; Section 7 – Requiring good design; Section 8 – Promoting healthy communities; Section 10 – Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change; Section 11 – Conserving and enhancing the natural environment; Section 12 – Conserving and enhancing the historic environment; The NPPG contains further, often more detailed guidance on a wide range of planning policy issues. This includes guidance about the importance of undertaking assessments of the need for development land. For example, the section on “Housing and economic development needs assessments” places an emphasis on plan-makers liaising closely with the business community to understand their present and potential future employment land needs (para 030 of that section). The NPPG refers to the importance of assessing the existing stock of employment land as part of the assessment of demand for and supply of land, and as part of the process for determining the likely business needs and future market requirements. Explicitly, this includes ensuring plan making and employment land assessment reflect an understanding of “the locational and premises requirements of particular types of business (para 030 of the above section).” Paragraph 032 also emphasises the importance of comparing the existing supply of land with particular sectoral or other requirements “so that ‘gaps’ in local employment land provision can be identified.” Regional and Sub-Regional Evidence Base It is identified that the East Midlands Gateway has its origins in the former East Midlands Regional Planning Guidance, and Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) policies regarding Strategic Distribution. While the RSS policies themselves have been revoked, some of the associated evidence base remains valid and of relevance, and continues to inform local planning policy within the East Midlands.
Whilst this impact of mineral sterilisation could not be mitigated against the Local Authorities would not object to this impact of the development given the minor area of sterilisation. Cultural Heritage and Archaeology Mitigation In principle the Local Authorities consider that a suite of appropriately worded requirements providing for a stage programme of archaeological mitigation including further exploratory investigation, excavation, analysis, archiving, publication and dissemination, will adequately address the impact of development upon their importance and specific significance. In order to secure the future integrity of the affected heritage assets and historic environment, it is essential that the proposals makes all necessary provision for the curation and appropriate treatment of the archaeological archive generated in response to the impact of development. This should include opportunities for public, and particularly local community engagement, and display and presentation of the results. The draft SoCG currently being finalised with the Local Authorities will agree the requirements which would need to be included within the DCO although the general principles of requirement no. 13 are considered to be satisfactory. It is, however, considered that requirement no. 3 is amended to include archaeology as part of the agreed phasing of the development in order to ensure that areas of the site which contain currently unrecorded heritage assets are investigated thoroughly prior to the construction of the development. This is vital to further enhancing and understanding the site’s archaeological significance. As outlined in Paragraph 9.12 the success of the overall landscaping strategy will be paramount to the screening of the development. It should make provision for the identification and recording of significant historic landscape feature, including where possible their integration into the proposals; most significantly, however, it acts as the mitigation for the impacts of the built forms, in particular the warehouses, on the setting of designated heritage assets. The sentiments of Paragraph 9.12 are therefore reiterated and the Local Authorities will continue discussions with the developers in order for this to be achieved as part of the East Midlands Gateway. The agreed landscaping scheme will also assist in the preservation of the setting of the ‘Wymeshead Scheduled Ancient Monument’ which lies within close proximity to the eastern end of the Kegworth bypass where it joins the A6. The importance of this is noted within Paragraph 5, Point 5 of the English Heritage SoCG given that it is acknowledged that the development would result in a change in the setting of this designated heritage asset.