Policy ID1: Infrastructure and delivery The Council will work with infrastructure providers, developers and other key stakeholders to support the delivery of the infrastructure necessary to enable the development set out in the Local Plan. To achieve this, the delivery of development may need to be phased to reflect the delivery of infrastructure. Planning permission will be granted subject to the provision of (or appropriate funding towards) the required level of infrastructure to support the development. This will be secured through by entering into an appropriate legal agreement and/or the use of Grampian conditions27. The collection of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) will continue to be required as set out in the most up-to-date charging schedule. Existing social and community facilities The Council will resist the loss or change of use of existing facilities where it can be demonstrated that: the facility is no longer needed for its existing purpose or viable for any other social or community use; the services can be re-provided in a facility of better quality on the same site or in an alternative location that is equally accessible to the community served; and there is no requirement from any other public or voluntary service provider for an alternative community or social facility that could be met through a change of use or redevelopment. [27] i.e. prohibiting development authorised by the planning permission or other aspects linked to the planning permission (eg occupation of premises) until a specified action has been taken (such as the provision of supporting infrastructure). Such conditions should not be used where there are no prospects at all of the action in question being performed within the time-limit imposed by the permission.

Sustainability Appraisal Indicators

Definitions

Infrastructure is a broad term and includes but is not limited to:

Transport and physical infrastructure: local and strategic road network, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, rail network and stations, bus services, utilities, telecommunications, flood risk minimisation, waste water treatment.

Social and community facilities: schools and other education facilities, health and social care facilities, libraries, museums, cultural facilities, emergency services, advice centres, clubs, societies, places of worship, sport and leisure activities, youth facilities and community centres.

Reasoned Justification

The provision of suitable, adequate infrastructure is vital to the well-being of the Borough's population and economy. The Spelthorne Infrastructure Delivery Plan (forthcoming) outlines the capacity and quality of existing infrastructure, including planned improvements. Growth within the Borough has often out-paced the provision of necessary infrastructure and there are parts of Spelthorne where existing infrastructure is at or near capacity or of poor quality and in need of improvements.

In order to redress this, the infrastructure will be provided in a timely manner to support the new occupants and/or mitigate the impacts of the development. Where it is demonstrated that individually or cumulatively there is anticipated to be a significant impact on the existing community, development will be phased to ensure provision meets demand and needs.

Maintenance of infrastructure and expansion to meet requirements is generally the responsibility of the relevant infrastructure provider. Most providers operate to statutory requirements and have set timescales for plans.

The planning system allows the Council to ensure that there is adequate infrastructure in place to support new development. Developers, where required, will have to demonstrate that their proposed developments incorporates adequate wastewater capacity and surface water drainage both on and off site. Where there is an infrastructure capacity constraint, the Council will require the developer to clearly set out the appropriate improvements required to facilitate the development and how this will be delivered. The planning system has mechanisms to secure timely provision such as through the imposition of Grampian-style conditions which relate to restricting development to phases.

To ensure the scale of development set out in the Local Plan can be delivered, the impacts of the Plan policies and other requirements must be viability tested. As part of this, the Council require that these impacts and related costs are accounted for the in the price for the land (or any agreement in place to acquire the land). In line with paragraph 57 of the NPPF, applicants will be required to justify the need for a viability assessment at the application stage and these should be made publicly available.

The Council have adopted the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in order to fund the provision, improvement, replacement, operation or maintenance of infrastructure to support the development of its area. The Council is required to produce an Infrastructure Funding Statement to outline the Council's spending priorities.

Monitoring Indicators

Indicator	Target	Data Source
Annual CIL receipts	N/A	Annual monitoring
Annual CIL spending	N/A	Annual monitoring
Discharge of S106 obligations	To collect payments and spend as required	Annual monitoring

Key Evidence

• CIL Infrastructure Funding Statement (forthcoming)
• The Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010, as amended
• Spelthorne Infrastructure Delivery Plan (forthcoming)
• Local Plan Viability Study (forthcoming)

Sustainability Appraisal Alternative Options

Alternative Option 1: Include a policy on infrastructure provision. Take a strategic approach to infrastructure provision and introduce a policy which, working with partners, enables the timely delivery of infrastructure. Where required phase development to ensure infrastructure delivery coincides.	Preferred approach. This will ensure infrastructure will be delivered when it is needed and that in some instances will be provided during or before development to take account of a gradual increase in population or where early mitigation is required. This also recognises that the Council will need to work with a range of infrastructure providers to ensure the timely delivery of facilities/ services. This approach ensures development contributes to infrastructure provision.
Alternative Option 2: As above but do not require phased development to coincide with infrastructure delivery.	Reject alternative. This option is not preferred as it could result in infrastructure provision being delivered too late to be effective, or where impacts are required to be addressed during or before development.
Alternative Option 3: Do not include a policy on infrastructure provision. Maintain the 'status quo' of current provision.	Reject alternative. Spelthorne could rely on national policy for guidance on infrastructure, however a specific local policy strengthens the ability to ensure that any proposed infrastructure is sensitive and acceptable. This may help to deliver improvements to the wider infrastructure and connectivity of the Borough.

Core Strategy 2009 policies to be replaced

• Policy CO1: Providing Community Facilities
• Policy CO2: Provision of Infrastructure for New Development

Policy ID2: Sustainable Transport for New Developments Development Proposals The Council will expect development proposals to facilitate sustainable and active modes of travel. This will be achieved by: provision of, or contributions towards, the improvement of public and community transport; provision of vehicle parking standards, as set out in the Council's latest Parking SPD, and the provision of electric vehicle charging points which are set out in the latest Surrey County Council guidance (replicated below); provision of secure, accessible and convenient on site cycle parking as set out in the Council's latest Parking SPD; providing improvements to or contributions towards improving the capacity of cycle parking at the Borough's public transport interchanges; providing funding to deliver the transport projects and highways improvements required to support the spatial strategy as set out in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (forthcoming); providing a transport assessment and travel plan for all major development proposals, in order to promote the delivery and use of sustainable transport. The Travel Plan should set out how it will facilitate the use of sustainable and active transport modes, including but not limited to; car clubs and employee shuttle bus schemes between public transport interchanges and employment areas. Borough-wide sustainable transport The Council will work with stakeholders including Surrey County Council (as the highways authority) to promote and enable schemes and development proposals which facilitate sustainable and active travel. This will include: provision of new and accessible, safe and attractive sustainable transport networks and routes; provision and improvement of public and community transport; securing improvements to cycle parking at the Borough's transport interchanges; securing funding to deliver the transport projects and highways improvements required to support the spatial strategy as set out in the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (forthcoming); Staines-upon-Thames Development within Staines will be subject to bespoke standards, as set out in the latest Parking SPD, to take account of the anticipated level of development and provision of sustainable and active travel modes.

Sustainability Appraisal Indicators

 

Definitions

Sustainable and active travel is defined as any efficient, safe and accessible means of transport with overall low impact on the environment, including walking and cycling, low and ultra-low emission vehicles, car sharing and public transport.

Public Transport Interchanges are defined as rail stations and bus stations within the Borough and are shown on the Policies Map (forthcoming).

Reasoned Justification

The planning process for new developments provides the opportunity to maximise the use of sustainable and active travel modes such as walking, cycling and the increased use of public and community transport. This also provides an opportunity to ensure that people with disabilities are able to access all modes of transport. This is consistent with the NPPF. Due to the relatively small nature of the Borough, cycling has the potential to replace short car journeys. By providing safe and accessible routes this will encourage the increased use of cycles to facilitate this modal shift.

The Council will work with stakeholders and Surrey County Council as part of the forthcoming Infrastructure Delivery Plan, which will set out the key infrastructure required to support the delivery of the Local Plan, including sustainable transport and highway schemes. Growth over the Plan period will give rise to increased traffic volumes and it is therefore required that this be mitigated as far as possible. The policy sets out the measures by which the Council will seek to militate against the impacts and will require new developments to adopt the relevant standards to achieve this.

With respect to parking, the policy takes account of the NPPF in paragraph 106. The Council's standards are set out in the latest Parking Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). This allows for the setting of maximum parking standards where there is a clear and compelling justification that they are necessary for optimising the density of development in town centres that are well served by public transport. The policy does not preclude developers from bringing forward proposals for new development that is car-free.

All major developments require the submission of a Transport Assessment and Travel Plan. These documents set out the potential transport impacts of the proposals, how these will be addressed and how sustainable travel will be delivered in the long term. There may be occasions where smaller developments have lower impacts and therefore a Transport Statement may be necessary unless it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Council that the changes are minor. Such assessments will be subject to liaison between the Council and the highway authority or authorities.

Monitoring Indicators

Indicator	Target	Data Source
Walking, cycling. bus and rail modal share for travel to work of Spelthorne residents	Increase in modal share over time	Census - every 10 years Local surveys
Peak time traffic flows on local road networks	Decrease over the plan period	Annual average daily flow

Key Evidence

• Spelthorne Local List of Information Requirements (2015)
• Spelthorne Borough Council Local Plan Strategic Highway Assessment Report (Surrey County Council, 2019)
• Vehicular and Cycle Parking Guidance (Surrey County Council, 2018)

Sustainability Appraisal Alternative Options

Alternative Option 1: Have a transport policy that seeks to prioritise active and sustainable travel over private motor vehicles. Seek opportunities to minimise private vehicle use and promote active and sustainable travel and clean technology.	Preferred approach. This approach encourages the use of more sustainable modes of transport. It is expected to have a positive impact on improving the population's health, on pollution and transport.
Alternative Option 2: Do not include a policy on transport. Maintain the 'status quo' of current provision.	Reject alternative. This approach would not support improvements to public transport, walking or cycling in policy and would be contrary to the NPPF. This option would lead to negative impacts on health, pollution, transport and climate change.

Core Strategy 2009 policies to be replaced

• Policy CC2: Sustainable Travel
• Policy CO2: Provision of Infrastructure for New Development
• Policy CC3: Parking Provision