How Far Local Development Plan of Bristol Has Incorporated Principles of Sustainable Development - Assignment Example

Topic: Evaluate how far local development plan of Bristol has incorporated principles of sustainable development. Introduction The principles of sustainable development, known as the Belagio principles provide guidelines for initiating the assessment over sustainable development by integrating the options and design of indicators, their explanation and communication of the outcome. The Brundtland Report (WCED 1987: 5) has focussed on certain aspects of the definition of sustainable development, which is for “ensuring a better quality of life” to be achieved through better economic and environmental conditions. Benefits of sustainable development should be “for everyone”, ensuring socially sustainable development. Focus of sustainable development is “for future generations”, which means all the three aspects, social, economic and environmental should be sustainable for achieving intra-generational equity. There are four leading principles of sustainable development, first being establishing a vision of sustainable development and determining goals to fulfil that vision (CIAB, 2006). Bristol city faces a number of challenges that need to be resolved by formulating a strategy for various issues for the development of the city, which has to be achieved by understanding the traits of the Bristol city. Bristol is one of the eight core cities in England. Especial about the people of Bristol is that the growth rate is estimated to increase 26% between 2006 and 2026. Sustainable development of Bristol requires a vision first of all over its core strategy, the objectives and the performance strategy (BDFCS, 2011). T o attain sustainable development, the Bristol City Council needs to resolve various social, economic and environmental issues. The core strategies for spatial vision of Bristol are derived from the city features recognised from the evidence and reflections of people along with the City Council’s dream for Bristol, “Our City in 2026”. The spatial vision is also integrated to the Bristol’s Partnership Sustainable Community Strategy, “The 20:20 plan – Bristol’s Sustainable City Strategy”, the purpose of which is to build Bristol one of the 20 top sustainably developed cities of Europe (BDFCS, 2011). The second aspect on principles of sustainable development is associated with the content of any assessment to create a complete system by focussing on issues of highest significance. These principles are linked to taking a holistic approach with the aim of creating a wholesome view over the role and impression of utility services. The focus of the second aspect of the sustainability principle is to dwell largely on issues of priority and if possible to be in sync with latest scientific knowledge to safeguard from environmental risks caused by the damage. The purpose behind is to ensure economic growth, environment improvement and equal social distribution of policy benefits. A deadline should be fixed including human and eco-system time-scales if possible. All local and long-term effects of the measures taken should be recorded in that wider time-frame. Strategies, processes and evaluations should be such that make it workable to perform and fulfil the leading targets (CIAB, 2006). To see whether the sustainable development of Bristol city in its overarching social, economic and environmental issues’ management provides positive outcomes or not, we need to analyse these issues by relating them to the policy objectives and their delivery strategy policies to derive critical meanings. Environmental Integration for Sustainable Development Regarding environmental integration of BCS policies for sustainable development, it is observed that focus has been on environmental issues throughout, which is more than just “balancing” the economic and environmental issues. Each policy fulfils the expectations over its degree of integration with the environment policy. There could emerge the need to trade-off between the current democratic processes and the functional aims of robust sustainable development, as “A ‘strong presupposition’ in favour of environmental concerns vis-à-vis other sect oral concerns cannot be converted to an ‘extra-democratic’ mandate” (Lafferty/Hovden as cited by Miele, 2012. p 6). According to the European Environmental Agency, as policy implementation progresses through the EPI process, the shift of the policy takes place towards the cause of environmental issues, from the “end of pipe” environment ministries to “driving force” sector ministries” (European Environmental Agency, as cited by Miele, 2012, p. 7). In the UK, EPI is traditionally defined as ‘the creation of procedures and mechanisms, political and administrative, which … ensure that environmental priorities … are built into the planning and execution of policies in other non-environmental spheres’ (Lenschow, as cited by Miele, 2012, p. 7). In the context of Bristol city development framework, any sustainable development related to the Bristol City Strategy (BCS) needs to be environmentally integrated. It is very critical to integrate various sectoral policies to improve upon the general environmental degradation, avoid policy failures from ineffective regulatory methods, avoid their inefficiencies and implementation drawbacks for structural handicaps. By environmental policy integration (EPI), it means that environment related objectives should be assimilated into various stages of policy making in other policy areas by particularly identifying this objective as the leading principle for the planning and implementation of policy. Policy makers should strive to get maximum assumed environment outcomes from a comprehensive evaluation of the policy. Any issues arising from the integration of environmental with sectoral policies needs to be resolved by giving preferential treatment to the cause of environment over the sectoral policy (Miele, 2012). “The relevance of integration for moving towards sustainable development is straightforward: if environmental factors are not taken into consideration in the formulation and implementation of the policies that regulate economic activities and other forms of organisation, a new model of development that can be environmentally and socially sustainable in the long term can not be achieved” (Liberatore, as cited by Miele, 2012). EPI is, therefore, the top-ranking operation principle to enforce and regularise the concept of sustainable development. This report on sustainable development of Bristol city considers in details the environmental, social and economic sustainability objectives that could impact the cause of sustainable development positively or negatively. Social sustainability of Bristol To ensure a sustainable future for Bristol, four major social issues have been identified, first being the provision of homes against the expected increase in the population of Bristol in future and present demand of houses with a varied range of house size and tenure kind to provide homes to the people as per their earning potential, particularly in such areas where demand is high and supply is low. The second issue on the social front deals with the provision of standard and deliverable local services and facilities, ensuring that vulnerable commercial establishments run smoothly with the promise of furthering the current and future development opportunities around these centres. The third social issue stresses on creating the right environment for healthier living and attending to social and health related anomalies in South Bristol, the Inner East area and the Northern Arc and lastly, the provision of standard education services to all citizens across Bristol. To fulfil the sustainable development objectives pertaining to social sustainability of Bristol city that include the objectives of creating mixed, balanced and sustainable communities, better health facilities, suitable housing provision, better connectivity and enabling sustainable economic development, a number of delivery strategy policies serve these objectives, take for instance Policy BCS1. Evaluating Policy BCS1 to 4 on the second aspect of the sustainability development principle, these policies addresses a number of issues of highest significance. The spatial strategy functions along with development principles by selecting the priority areas, as given in Policy BCS1 to 4 by taking a holistic approach. Not only South Bristol, the city centre, the regeneration areas of the Northern Arc and Inner East, and Avonmouth & Bristol Port are covered for the housing provision, transport and retailing services but the whole of Bristol also comes in the range of these facilities to serve the sustainability principle of taking a holistic approach based on better quality of life for present and future generations. The Policy BCS6 on green infrastructure covers the entire city, considering the significance of Green Belt at the periphery of the city. The policy delivery will be managed by the Site Allocations and Development Management DPD and will be guided by future supplementary planning documents so that tasks not accomplished within a given time frame could be focussed. The Site Allocations and Development Management DPD will shortlist the particular sites for development to serve and fulfil the housing, employment, community and green infrastructure needs. Another critical feature of sustainable development principles is the participation of other stakeholders in the appraisal process. The Bristol City Council works together with the Home and Communities Agency and the South West Regional Development Agency to meet the third aspect of the principle on sustainable development. The Council holds working in partnership very critical to meet the policy objectives. It plans to use capital from the European Development Fund’s Urban Enterprise Strategic Investment Framework (2007-2013) to help boost industry and strengthen new enterprises, including micro and small and medium sized enterprises. Other partners include Job Centre Plus, the Skills Funding Agency, the Young People’s Learning Agency and local community-based institutions for promoting employment opportunities in these regions and providing relevant education and training so that more employment possibilities could be generated from the new developments. Evaluating the Policy BCS1 on how it will help in the delivery of major projects leading to regeneration, an analysis of the Knowle West Regeneration Framework, which is in the initiation stage, shows that it is focussed to plan the future of the Knowle West to be developed in the next 20 years. It indicates that the project is bound by a deadline of 20 years with the possibility of taking long term measures through supplementary planning document; the time frame is wide enough for including any changes as per the development process to be enforced. Planning will focus on the ways of energising the economy via the new investment. It also plans to create a supplementary planning document, leading to the reinforced growth of the Knowle West area. Targets to be attained are outlined along with indicators. For Policy BCS1, it is proposed to achieve the completion of leading projects and minimisation in deprivation, to be reviewed in the annual monitoring report. Policy BCS8 overlooks the economic aspects of this policy in its target and indicators section, which proves how various policies serve different sustainable development purposes. The logistic aspect of the policy is covered by Policy BCS10 as well under its targets and indicators section. Economic sustainability of Bristol The economic sustainability of Bristol depends to a large extent on the solutions of the major economic issues. These include making provision for the land, as emerging from the needs of a booming economy while at the same time fulfilling the equal demand needs of land for residential, employment, social and physical infrastructure by creating employment possibilities, as based on specific needs of varied employment alternatives. Other leading issues include better transport infrastructure to meet the employment and communities’ needs, particularly the public transport connectivity for specific community areas including Lockleaze area and in South Bristol within the Hartcliffe, Hengrove, Knowle and Whitchurch areas and by reducing the traffic in the centre. Focus of the economic issues is only on selected areas that demand urgent attention in the matter of regeneration and renewal projects for the entire city. Thus, the Bristol Council is adhering to the principles of sustained development by segregating critical and non-critical areas of development. The spatial vision, which is the first determinant of sustained development, is common for all the issues, which is to develop Bristol as one of the top 20 cities of Europe through sustained development. Economic issues could be many but the Council has focussed only on six issues of urgent attention, which is in sync with the principles of sustained development. Spatial vision for resolving economic issues of top priority include industrial renewal to be equilibrated with environmental security at Avonmouth, promoting Bristol centres, regeneration in North and Inner East Bristol and making it a city of sustainable transport. Thus, separate spatial visions have been identified as per the requirements of specific economic issues. A number of policies, including Policy BCS2 City Centre, Policy BCS4 Avonmouth and Bristol Port, Policy BCS5 Housing Provision and a number of other policies till the end of the policy ladder, including Policy BCS21 Quality Urban Design are dedicated to achieve the economic sustainability of the city. Evaluating the economic sustainability of the development plan of Bristol on the parameters of the principles of sustained development, an analysis of the Policy BCS2 Bristol City Centre will be attempted. The delivery strategy of Bristol City Centre integrates a number of objectives, namely 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8 of the core strategy and strives to resolve issues 1, 2, 5, 7, 8 and 10 while a number of policies form part of the delivery strategy such as BCS1, BCS2, BCS3, BCS4, BCS5, BCS, 7, BCS8, BCS9, BCS10, BCS12, BCS13, BCS20 and BCS21. It indicates how various policies are being leveraged to serve the common cause of sustainable development of Bristol. It also proves that various Bristol city regeneration objectives are planned to be delivered holistically, as per the principles of sustainable development. The policy delivery will be accomplished through the Bristol Central Area Action Plan (AAP) by offering a framework on the new development along with drawing a line to mark the boundary of the city centre. Site distribution by the AAP will be based on new proofs as based on urban context analysis, an improved retail research and additional research on strategic flood risk and management. Support of various supplementary planning documents will be taken to show the way in the making of development proposals in the city centre such as SPD1 “Tall Buildings” (January 2005), SPD3 “Future of Redcliffe” (July 2006), SPD8 “Nelson Street – Regeneration Framework” (March 2006), SPD10 “Planning a Sustainable Future for St. Paul’s” (December 2006) and SPD11 “University of Bristol Strategic Master plan” (July 2006). Referring to the past documents helps the concerned agency to work systematically on issues of topmost urgency, as given in the second aspect on principles of sustainable development. For example, to resolve problems related to flooding, the policy is focussed on conducting additional strategic research on flood management, creating the possibility of employing latest scientific knowledge to reduce damage from the floods. On the transport issue, Policy BCS10 is firmly positioned to develop better transport resources around the city centre. Policy BCS17 and Policy BCS18 are dedicated to the provision of mix housing types and tenures with the support from the supplementary planning document on housing mix to guide the implementation of policies on housing in the city centre. There is a proposal under the AAP to add to the public realm of Bristol through the Legible City move. Economic sustainable development of Bristol has been assured by partnering with other stakeholder agencies such as Environment Agency, English Heritage, the Homes and Communities Agency and the South West Regional Development Agency. Further, the completion deadlines of major projects are pre-determined as opening of a museum by 2011. Various indicators include Annual Monitoring Reports for major projects and intermittent health checks of the primary shopping areas to be carried out in 2016 and 2020 for reporting in the AMR besides other policies stipulating economic concerns as in Policy BCS8 and housing concerns attended to with targets and indicators assigned through Policy BCS5. Definitely, transparency level heightens when other stakeholder agencies cooperate in the economic sustainable development of Bristol and reporting in the AMR to help renewed strategising for tasks not met. Environmental sustainability of Bristol The Bristol Council has selected certain environmental issues to be resolved for their critical value. They include safeguarding and adding to the historic environment, provision of sustainable urban design, safeguarding the natural environment and securing open spaces for the needs of the people, reducing the reasons of climate change and managing their effects, specifically the situation arising out of flooding in Avonmouth and the city centre. Other major issue is pollution control whether it is air, water, noise or light pollution in the inner city and particular regions such as the Air Quality Management Areas. Other focus areas include sustainable waste management and crime control for sustainable communities. Policy BCS21 focussed on high quality urban design is set to deliver the mission of sustainable development through the development management process by using the Design and Access Statements. All stakeholders are part of the policy proceedings. It also plans to take help from national, regional and local institutions such as CABE, South West Design Review Panel and Bristol Urban Design Forum. It is also positioned to give due consideration to all supplementary planning papers and supplementary planning guidance till further review over their relevance is made. These include: SPD1 “Tall Buildings” (January 2005), SPD2 “A Guide for Designing House Alterations and Extensions” (October 2005), PAN8 “Shop-front Guidelines” (1997) and PAN15 “Responding to Local Character – A Design Guide” (1998) (BDFCS, 2011). Further, national methodologies including Building for Life and Lifetime Homes will be used for appraisal against the nationally settled Building for Life criteria by CABE-accredited assessors. Appraisal of design proposals will be based on CABE best practice guidance and government guidance initiated in “Manual for Streets” (BDFCS, 2011). The Policy BCS21 has determined timelines for all major developments of 10+ houses to attain a score of 14/20 till 2012 for Building for Life Good, which will increase to 15/20 by 2013-15 and very good standard score of 16/20 from 2018 onwards. Conclusion Analysis of various BCS policies has led to the belief that local development plan of Bristol has very well employed the principles of sustainable development and their environmental integration for the overall development of Bristol city. Latest good news for the Bristol city is that it has become one of the top three European cities, selected for the bid of European Green Capital in 2014. The remarks of Council leader Barbara Janke create the confidence to believe in the capacity of the Bristol City Council to lead the European cities by setting an example: “To have made it to the final three when we were up against such strong competitors is a huge achievement and a reflection of how much progress Bristol has made on its environmental agenda” (This is Bristol, 1 May 2012). References: BDFCS, 2011. Bristol Development Framework Core Strategy. CIAB, 2006. Case studies in sustainable development in the coal industry, OECD. Available from: http://www.iea.org/papers/2006/CIAB_Case_Studies_2006.pdf Miele, M. (2012). The Concept of environment policy integration, from CP0232Environment Policies and Planning. Cardiff University, School of City and Regional Planning on 2 February. This is Bristol, 1 May 2012. Green capital bid is backed. Northcliffe Media Limited. Available from: http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/Green-capital-bid-backed/story-15968054-detail/story.html Read More