5.3 Land Use
5.3.1 The strategic physical planning context for LTP2 is the Regional Spatial Strategy(RSS), the Regional Economic Strategy (2006), the Manchester City Region Development Programme and the Northern Way Growth Strategy (Moving Forward - The Northern Way Growth Strategy, 2004)
5.3.2 The approved final version was published on 30 September 2008. The Regional Funding Allocation will be reviewed in early 2009. Significantly higher housing growth figures than in the preceding RSS are proposed in the new RSS. Furthermore, AGMA has submitted a New Growth Point bid for housing focusing on Manchester, Salford, Bolton and Trafford. All these amount to a substantial potential extra load on the sub-region's transport networks.
5.3.3 To ensure that transport investment is co-ordinated with planned housing and employment growth, we intend to model the transport impact of planned developments across Greater Manchester, jointly with the Highways Agency. The results will be used to inform the 'evidence base' of the Districts' Local Development Frameworks, as well as transport investment programmes and air quality effects.(see Chapter 8 - Air quality and the Environment)
5.3.4 At a local level, GMPTE works with the ten Local Planning Authorities to ensure that access considerations are given due weight in development control decisions, particularly those that will create significant travel demand. An online guidance document ‘ Land Use Planning and Public Transport’ was published in 2006 and promoted to local authorities and developers (see Case Study 12). An example of this joint working is the decision to extend the Eccles Metrolink line into the Media City development at Salford Quays.
5.3.5 It is important to consider the extent to which new development taking place over the reporting period can be served by a range of transport modes:
- Between 98% and 100% of new residential development in Greater Manchester constructed during 2006/07 was located within 30 minutes' public transport travel time of employment areas, retail centres, schools and GP's surgeries.
- Access from new housing to hospitals within 30 minutes' public transport travel time was less consistent; in the north of Greater Manchester, the figure fell below 30%, with 9% ,14% and 29% being recorded in Bolton, Rochdale and Bury respectively. This reflected the continuing rationalisation and centralisation of medical facilities driven by the Health Service, and the absence of a mechanism which enables Health Trusts to fund the public transport spend required as a result of these rationalisation programmes. It also illustrated the findings of the Government's Social Exclusion Unit report (Making the Connections,2003). This sought to address access to health care facilities as a priority. Transport authorities have instead had to deal with this by attempting to maintain access through DRT services and by raising awareness of public transport services through bespoke leaflets for hospitals.
Case Study 1
Kingsway Business Park, Rochdale
Introduction
The Kingsway Business Park is a regionally significant development on a 170 ha site, carried out in a joint venture between private sector developer Wilson Bowden Developments Ltd and the North West Development Agency (NWDA) in association with Rochdale MBC and the Rochdale Development Agency. These parties are working together as the ‘Kingsway Partnership’. The development aims to provide industrial, office, storage, distribution, hotels, retail, housing and leisure facilities.
Problems and issues prior to implementation
Being located close to the motorway network, Kingsway needed to be developed so that generated traffic would not adversely affect residential neighbourhoods. In addition, as a peripheral site, it needed to demonstrate that sustainable transport policies were being put in place.
The approach taken
- A direct access to the M62 at junction 21 was provided, and continued through the site as the spine road, connecting at its northern end with Kingsway. This provides an alternative route from M62 into Rochdale, and complements recent significant Quality Bus Corridor improvements in the area.
- An additional stop has been identified on the nearby Metrolink Phase 3a extension, subject to planning and funding approval.
- Cycle lanes, crossings and pedestrian access to the site have also been included in the design.
- Bus access improvements have been identified, for implementation as the site develops
To promote the use of the site's sustainable travel facilities, a KBP Travel Plan has been developed and a site specific Travel Co-ordinator appointed before the bulk of the development takes place. A Kingsway Transport Steering Group oversees these measures, and includes the local planning authority, GMPTE, the developers and the Highways Agency.
Funding sources
The full development cost is likely to exceed £400M. This includes:
- Phase 1 infrastructure costs (2005–07) were £30M, financed by a £6M ERDF grant and a £30.5M UK government grant channelled via the NWDA towards the site assembly.
- Enabling Works Contract (2005) £800,000
- Phase 2 Works (2007 – 2008/09)£10M
- Phase 3 Works (expected 2009/10)£8M
Targets and objectives met
The targets for 2010 modal split , to which each new business will be required to contribute,are :
- Single Occupancy vehicles: 45%
- Car share: 20%
- Public Transport: 20%, with 30% using this at least once per week.
- Walking and cycling: 15%
In addition, trip lengths should be 10% below the average for both commuting and business trips, and the opportunity should be created for 10% of staff to work from home or work flexitime by 2010.
No monitoring has yet been possible owing to the limited current development of the site.The scheme will contribute to LTP targets in relation to congestion and area wide traffic, while meeting local objectives to increase employment opportunities and to develop and promote an environmentally sustainable site
5.3.6 Finally, the percentage of office, retail and leisure development completed in town centres is also an important indicator of the extent to which development is facilitating a choice of mode. 95%-100% of such new development during 2006/07 was located in town/city centres. 1
5.3.7 Transport can assist with the regeneration of specific sites, and we have worked closely with regeneration agencies to integrate transport into plans at an early stage. For example one of the biggest developments in prospect is Mediacity:uk at Salford Quays, currently under construction. 1,500 BBC jobs will move here, with a prospect of 15,500 jobs in the full development. A Metrolink extension from the Eccles line will serve the site, supported by £8M contribution from the NWDA. Another example is that New East Manchester, with 6000 more new homes in the pipeline will be served by Metrolink. This area will eventually be five times larger than Manchester City Centre. Case Study 1, Kingsway Business Park, shows our approach to developing strategic sites more sustainably, facilitating a range of non-car modes for commuting purposes, whilst also having efficient access to the national road network for commercial vehicles and cars.
5.3.8 Manchester Airport anticipates handling 37M-38M passengers per annum by 2015. In that year, it is estimated there will be 26,000 related jobs on site and another 60,000 employed directly or indirectly over the wider area. The Airport's Ground Transport Strategy recognises that to accommodate this increase will require an increase in the proportion of trips to the site by non-car modes. The strategy is, therefore, multi-faceted, and includes measures to promote car-sharing, use of public transport, cycling and walking. A third platform has been constructed at the station to improve service the reliability of rail services.(see Public Transport Improvements)
5.3.9 Developments in higher education will lead to major new projects at expanding universities such as in Bolton, where an £8M development phase will start. The University will be working jointly with Bolton Council to create a 4000-job Innovation Zone. A Town Centre Transport Strategy has been adopted which will improve access to these jobs and improve the environment of the area. This includes better pedestrian linkages, cycle routes, a shuttle bus,and a new transport interchange.