Community and Social Infrastructure in the Garden Community

Here you can view our policy for Community and Social Infrastructure. To see the Draft Plan in full (PDF), or to see other polices in our Draft Plan - please refer to the useful links on this page.

COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

THE GARDEN COMMUNITY WILL BE KNOWN FOR ITS HEALTHY AND HAPPY COMMUNITY. IT WILL HAVE A VARIETY OF DIVERSE COMMUNITY SPACES, PLAY SPACES, GREAT LOCAL SCHOOLS AND A NETWORK OF SPORT AND LEISURE FACILITIES. IT WILL ESTABLISH LONG TERM AND PARTICIPATIVE STEWARDSHIP OF INFRASTRUCTURE FROM THE OUTSET.

This chapter contains the Councils’ expectations and policy on ensuring the Garden Community is served by community services and facilities of the right type in the right location, including schools and sports facilities; as well as access to health services and how the development will incorporate measures to encourage inclusive, healthy, and happy lifestyles.

1. Section 1 Local Plan

Under the theme of Community and Social Infrastructure, some of the main requirements expected to be covered in this draft Plan, as set out in the policies of the adopted Section 1 Local Plan include:

Establishment of new district and neighbourhood centres of an appropriate scale and easily accessible by walking, cycling and public transit to the majority of residents of the Garden Community – each containing community meeting places.
New secondary school, primary schools and early-years facilities.
Measures for increasing capacity in, and accessibility to, primary health care – either through new infrastructure or the improvement, reconfiguration, extension, or relocation of existing medical facilities.
Creation of healthy communities through the pattern of development, urban design, access to local services and facilities, and safe places for active play and food growing.
The provision of new indoor leisure and sports facilities and/or contributions towards the improvement or expansion of existing facilities in the wider area.
New community parks, allotments, a new country park and the provision of sports areas and play areas with associated facilities.
An infrastructure delivery strategy and phasing plan that sets out how infrastructure, services and facilities will be provided.

2. Principles

A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE CAN FEEL AT HOME

The Garden Community will be home to a multi-generation and multi-cultural community for people of different ages, ethnicities, interests and lifestyles. A variety of spaces for social interaction will encourage existing and new communities to meet with facilities designed to be accessible and inclusive.

A PLACE WHERE IT’S EASY TO BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY

The Garden Community will be designed to make it easy for residents and visitors to live well. It will be about far more than the delivery of healthcare services but focused on creating environments that promote healthy living, are regenerative, restorative and relaxing - being active and tranquil will come naturally.

A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE CAN LEARN

The Garden Community will be planned with lifelong learning in mind. While early years, primary and secondary education will all be planned for it will also develop a more holistic place that creates opportunity for lifelong learning, training and local opportunities with employers and key institutions such as the University of Essex.

A PLACE TO PLAY AND HAVE FUN

In addition to purpose-built sport and leisure facilities the Garden Community will include opportunities for recreation and activity including for children and young people.

A PLACE WHERE LONG TERM STEWARDSHIP IS CONSIDERED FROM THE OUTSET

Long term stewardship and governance will be considered and built-in from the initial stages of planning and designing the Garden Community. A clear understanding will be established from early on, of how the assets generated by the development process will be managed on behalf of the community in perpetuity and how income streams will be generated. Meaningful community participation will be established from the outset to enable people to engage in the management of their infrastructure. Community needs and opportunities will be identified in a participative manner and there will be local representation on delivery teams and partnerships.

3. Engagement Feedback

What we heard

Throughout our engagement processes, people emphasised a holistic view of how health and general wellbeing can be supported in the Garden Community. People outlined how all aspects of the Garden Community can affect mental and physical wellbeing and emphasised the links between recreation and inclusivity to mental health. People said they wanted the Garden Community to foster community spirit and a sense of shared responsibility among future residents. People also focused on the importance of providing for the needs of all residents and ensuring that the community remains vibrant.

When thinking about Community and Social Infrastructure in the Garden Community, our visioning workshops, survey, and postcard from the future participants:

Wanted all aspects of the Garden Community to support mental and physical wellbeing.
Felt that interaction with nature and green space was essential for the wellbeing of residents.
Wanted indoor and outdoor recreational spaces.
Wanted the Garden Community to be accessible and provide opportunities for all people.
Wanted to protect existing local infrastructure, particularly health and secondary education provision, from the pressures of increased population.
Wanted the Garden Community to plan for the challenges of the future.
Wanted the Garden Community to run community stewardship and development projects alongside the building process.
Were divided on maintenance fees and how the development should be stewarded.
Wanted a range of community spaces that cater to different types of groups.
Felt that the development should foster social interaction.
Wanted spaces specifically designed for children and young people.
Felt that the wellbeing of existing residents should be a priority.

When thinking about Community and Social Infrastructure in the Garden Community, our statutory stakeholders, engagement website, and social media participants spoke of:

The importance of ‘community’ in a general sense.
Involving residents within the community in the management of green space (not necessarily ‘mown’ green space, but wildflower etc too) and developing community cohesion, as well as bringing people together through things like community orchards.
People talked about how the design of a community can foster interaction.
The importance of making community facilities within good reach of active travel was mentioned.
Linked to this, the importance of a community focused layout/design was mentioned.
The importance of taking a strategic approach to planning things such as sports provision.

What we’ve done

The Councils agree that the Garden Community should promote health and wellbeing and the draft Plan has had regard to the Healthy New Towns principles. Developing a strong, inclusive community is important and the draft Plan requires that a strategy for stewardship is agreed to ensure that open spaces and community assets are managed in perpetuity. Community and social infrastructure covers a wide range of services and facilities and this is reflected in the draft policy, which refers to a range of different uses, the importance of multifunctional facilities and the need for up to date assessments of need. The Councils recognise the importance of interaction with nature and green space. A green infrastructure network will be provided and biodiversity enhancement measures, including biodiversity net gain are required (see the Nature policy). Green infrastructure has multiple benefits, including encouraging active travel. The Councils have discussed the education and health needs of the Garden Community with the lead authority for education and the local NHS commissioning teams and the policy reflects these discussions.

4. Policy 6: Community and Social Infrastructure

The Garden Community will provide a full range of services and facilities (e.g. schools, community uses, recreation), funded and delivered as part of the new development in a timely manner comparable with the phasing of the new community. The Garden Community will promote wellbeing and a happy, healthy community that is engaged, empowered and socially inclusive. Stewardship will be important to ensure that the new community has a stake in the long-term development and management of the Garden Community.

POLICY 6: COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

The Garden Community will deliver local community services and facilities, including opportunities for joint provision and co-location to provide services which best meet people’s needs, are accessible to all and which are multi-purpose and innovative. The community and social infrastructure needs of the Garden Community will be determined in accordance with detailed assessments and strategies, prepared and/or approved in writing by the Councils in partnership with the developer and infrastructure providers having regard to up to date evidenced need, informed by bespoke demographic studies. Phasing of the delivery of community and social infrastructure will be aligned with other aspects of the development to ensure that the needs of the community are met from the outset and that the development meets the principle of ‘infrastructure first’.

Part A: Centres

Each of the three neighbourhoods must include at least one district or local centre. All centres must be accessible by a comprehensive sustainable travel network (walking and cycling) and have good access to one or more of the Rapid Transit System halts. All centres must include a diverse range of uses, including, but not limited to, education, retail, community space and a dedicated or flexible space to enable activities to support the wider determinants of health. All centres must include community meeting places, which can provide for a range of community uses and needs. All centres should be designed to meet local, day-to-day needs. Buildings should be designed flexibly to ensure they are resilient to respond to changing needs over time. The upper floors of buildings in centres may be used for residential uses where it can be demonstrated that there will be no harm to residential amenity arising from noise, pollution or other impacts of the ground floor uses. The public realm must be inclusive and create a sense of place, safety, and interaction with nature.

Part B: Community Buildings and Spaces

Multifunctional community buildings and spaces must be provided throughout the Garden Community, including within each of the centres. Community buildings and spaces must be convertible and flexible to accommodate a variety of users, including faith groups, social prescribing activities, community fitness, and play. Community buildings and spaces must be inclusive and accessible to all, including those with mobility and sensory issues. Schools may be an appropriate location for such uses.

Part C: Education and Early Years and Childcare Nurseries

The Garden Community will provide for schools and early years and childcare facilities that are located centrally to the neighbourhoods they serve and away from primary traffic routes. Land and commensurate financial contributions are required for:

At least one, and up to two new secondary schools each on 7.9 hectares of suitable land allocated for education use.
At least five new primary schools, each with a co-located early years and childcare nursery and each on 2.1 hectares of suitable land allocated for education and childcare use.
At least five new 56 place stand-alone early years and childcare nurseries, each on 0.13 hectares of suitable land allocated for education and childcare use.
One new 30 place stand-alone early years and childcare nursery on 0.065 hectares of suitable land allocated for education and childcare use.
One new 26 place stand-alone early years and childcare nursery on 0.058 hectares of suitable land allocated for education and childcare use.

Each of the three neighbourhoods must include at least one primary school and provision for stand-alone early years and childcare nurseries. Each secondary school site should be co-located with a primary school/early years and childcare nursery to provide for the option of an all through school. Additional space must also be provided for co-located Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision and any community uses being delivered by the school. Proposals should have regard to the Essex County Council ‘Developers’ Guide to Infrastructure Contributions’ and ‘Garden Communities and Planning School Places’ guide.

Vehicle free ‘school zones’ must be provided around schools, with the area around the main pupil entrance entirely traffic free and connected by safe and direct walking and cycling routes to the community/ neighbourhood the school serves. All schools should be well connected to the natural environment to provide the option of providing forest school sessions.

Part D: Sports, Recreation and Open Space

The sports and recreation requirements of the Garden Community, as set out in the Colchester and Tendring Sports, Recreation and Open Space Strategy (2022) or any updates to this Strategy, must be met in full in terms of the typology, quantity, quality, and location of facilities provided. Opportunities should be taken to deliver multipurpose facilities well integrated into the built environment and well designed in terms of their landscape settings. The Councils will only consider offsite provision where it is well connected to the Garden Community and/or where it will deliver multiple benefits, including benefits to existing communities.

Part E: Health

The Garden Community will create an active environment that promotes health and wellbeing and builds a strong community. The conditions for a healthy community will be provided through the pattern of development, good urban and public realm design, access to local services and facilities, opportunities for local employment, high quality open space and landscape design and safe places for active play, biodiversity and food growing, and which are all accessible by walking, cycling and public transport. Proposals must take account of the healthy new towns principles, the developing integrated neighbourhood model of working, as well as Sport England’s Active Design principles.

Increased healthcare provision to serve the Garden Community will be achieved through the use of flexible space within centres and community buildings, and enhancements to existing facilities, including the wellbeing hub at the University of Essex. This should ensure that the facilities are flexible enough to be used as key assets in responding to the particular needs of the new community.

Proposals must be supported by a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) prepared in accordance with the advice and best practice as published by Public Health England and locally through the Essex Planning Officers’ Association HIA Guidance Note, using the most up to date guidance. Any mitigation measures identified in the Health Impact Assessment should be incorporated into the proposed development.

Developers should enter into early conversations with the local NHS commissioning teams (Integrated Care Board post April 2022), the North East Essex Health and Wellbeing Alliance, and other relevant partners to ensure that proposals reflect current health and social care models.

Part F: Stewardship

To help establish a strong community, arrangements for the sustainable long-term governance and stewardship of community assets must be agreed prior to the approval of any planning permissions related to the site (with the exception of those applications related to the provision of the A120-A133 Link Road or RTS). Provision will also need to be made and agreed to ensure Community Development Workers are employed to oversee the governance and stewardship. The preferred solution for community governance will need to be determined before the first planning consent is granted.

Developer contributions will be required to fund the initial set up and running costs, including staff, premises, and equipment costs. This support will need to be provided for a minimum of 10 years from occupation of the first home or until community funding and stewardship has been established.

Part G: Planning Application Expectations

Proposals for the development of the Garden Community must include planning obligations enabling the phased delivery of community and social infrastructure.
Proposals must include a Phasing and Implementation Strategy, which explains how the rate of development will be linked to the provision of the necessary social, physical, and environmental infrastructure. This must be based on the latest evidence from infrastructure providers, statutory bodies and governing bodies and will include the employment of community development workers.
Proposals must be supported by bespoke demographic studies commissioned by the developer to provide a consistent evidence base for the planning of all social and community infrastructure.
Proposals must be supported by a Health Impact Assessment, prepared in accordance with the latest advice and best practice.
Proposals must be supported by a Healthy Living and Play Strategy. This Strategy should demonstrate how the development will be designed to encourage active lifestyles, independence, and wellbeing, through the provision of sites, facilities, and informal opportunities for people to play, socialise, play sport, keep fit and have fun.
A detailed strategy, supported by a business case, will need to be prepared and agreed in writing with the Councils which will need to establish the scope of the stewardship and community governance arrangements, how it will evolve and develop over time, and the long-term financial sustainability of the model. This strategy will need to show how the arrangements proposed would successfully interact with and work alongside existing town/parish councils.
Proposals should explain how information on a range of issues will be passed on to future residents, this could be by digital means such as a dedicated app developed for the Garden Community.

5. Justification

The Garden Community will be underpinned by a package of community and social infrastructure that is based on up-to-date evidence of need, to enable residents to meet the majority of their day-to-day needs. The Garden Community is an opportunity to explore, with service providers, new ways to provide and deliver the education, health and other community and social infrastructure needed to support the new community, and the Councils have worked with service providers throughout the production of the draft Plan.

Community and social infrastructure covers a wide range of facilities, such as health; education; sports, recreation and greenspace; places of worship; community halls; public houses and cultural infrastructure. Green infrastructure is another important element of community and social infrastructure and requirements for this are included in the Nature policy.

Infrastructure first is a Garden Community principle. The policy is clear that necessary community and social infrastructure will be provided but is flexible enough to respond to changing approaches to service provision as the Garden Community develops over time.

The provision of a centre within each of the neighbourhoods will provide residents with access to services and facilities, reducing the need to travel and contributing to the creation of ‘walkable neighbourhoods’. Social interaction will be promoted through a mix of uses and layouts that allow for easy pedestrian and cycle connections. This policy plans positively for the provision and use of shared space, multifunctional community facilities and other local services.

The availability of good quality schools is consistently ranked as amongst the most important indicators of a high quality of life. Schools will be an important part of the Garden Community and it is key that the size and location of each is carefully considered as part of the masterplanning process.

The scale of the Garden Community will require the provision of new education facilities that are comparable with the total number of homes built and the housing mix delivered. Garden Communities by their nature are unique developments and the precise level and pattern of demand for school places may differ from the norm that has been observed on other developments. Therefore, it is important that the planning of new schools is informed from the outset by bespoke demographic studies commissioned by the developer to provide a consistent evidence base for the planning of all social and community infrastructure.

Essex County Council’s ‘Garden Communities and Planning School Places’ guidance document and the ‘Developers’ Guide to Infrastructure Contributions’ provide detail on school and early years and childcare requirements and specifically new schools serving new Garden Communities in Essex. The Department for Education have published guidance, titled ‘Education Provision in Garden Communities’, which should also be read in conjunction with these documents. There is an expectation that school buildings will be carbon positive, deliver exemplar learning environments and generate low lifetime costs.

Healthy new towns principles and Sport England’s Active Design principles have been incorporated throughout this draft Plan. The policy explains the conditions for a healthy community will be provided through the pattern of development and good quality placemaking and design. Green infrastructure, sports facilities, local shops, allotments, and layouts that encourage walking and cycling are all important for healthy lifestyles, and these are incorporated into the policies of this draft Plan. To ensure proposals plan positively and address the determinants of health from the outset, proposals will be required to carry out a Health Impact Assessment (HIA). The purpose of the HIA is to identify opportunities for positive health impacts and potential negative impacts and how they might be mitigated. The conclusions and recommendations of the HIA will need to be incorporated into proposals.

New community and social infrastructure, including open spaces, need to be managed and maintained in perpetuity. Stewardship is the term for the long-term management of an asset, it means ensuring that the asset is properly looked after in perpetuity. For the Garden Community, the Councils consider that stewardship also includes the development of the community as a friendly, inclusive, happy, and healthy community where residents interact.

There are numerous stewardship models and types of stewardship bodies, and it is important for the long-term development of the Garden Community that stewardship is considered early on. The Section 1 Local Plan includes policy requirements to establish long term governance and stewardship arrangements for community assets, including the provision of community support workers for a minimum of 10 years. Whilst a preferred stewardship model has not yet been established, the draft Plan takes this policy requirement a step further by requiring a strategy for stewardship for the whole Garden Community to be agreed prior to granting any planning consent and funding of this to be secured through the s106 agreement.

6. Alternative approaches

The Councils have considered the following alternative to this policy:

Alternative 1: No policy in the Plan and reliance on the requirements of the Section 1 Plan, which are summarised at the beginning of this chapter.

The Councils have rejected alternative 1 as the draft Plan is an opportunity to add further detail to the policy requirements in the Section 1 Plan and include policy that reflects discussions with statutory consultees, including the lead authority for education and local NHS commissioning teams.