Appendix B Community Plans
B.0.1 The Joint Core Strategy should reflect the Sustainable Community Strategies (formerly known as Community Plans) that are in place in the area and help to deliver them. These Strategies are produced by the Local Strategic Partnerships. There are four Local Strategic Partnerships and Sustainable Community Strategies in West Northamptonshire covering each of the Council boundaries.
Joint Local Strategic Partnerships' Vision for West Northamptonshire
B.0.2 The three Local Strategic Partnerships for West Northamptonshire have agreed upon the following, set out below:
Vision for West Northamptonshire 2007
The three Local Strategic Partnerships for West Northamptonshire's joint vision is:
"Our vision is that West Northamptonshire will become a model of sustainable community planning and development. The opportunity now exists for the network of three growing towns - Northampton, Daventry and Towcester - to have revitalised town centres with substantial investment in shops, housing, community and cultural facilities in a quality environment. The towns will be connected by improved public transport and interurban road systems. Development in the rural areas and market towns will be targeted at places where local people have been seeking further investment and growth. There will be a major programme of green infrastructure development and enhancement. In line with the principles of sustainability, development in towns or urban extensions will meet strict design and sustainability criteria ensuring that new building is backed up by jobs, transport, affordable housing and community facilities.
Northampton
The principal town of Northampton will be a dynamic, regional commercial, cultural and tourist centre with high quality residential accommodation, which meets the needs of the existing and future population. There will be high performing academic and vocational education and training to enable those who live and/ or work there to lead fulfilling lives. There will be a locally vibrant economy, supported by a well-educated and trained populace, and it will be noted for its excellent transport infrastructure. It will be a healthy town, with higher than average life expectancy, contributed to by an energetic and integrated community in which poverty is eliminated.
Daventry
The historic town of Daventry will be a multi regional centre heading towards a 40,000 population, with a vibrant commercial core meeting the economic, social, environmental, health and leisure aspirations of those who live and work in its district and attracting new visitors.
Towcester
Towcester will become a more vibrant, self contained and sustainable town, through revitalising the town centre, the development of the high tech business sector, the improvement of its social and physical infrastructure and the conservation of its heritage and environmental character.
Investing in West Northamptonshire
The five areas where collectively activity and investment needs to be focused to achieve this vision are environmental quality, civic pride and a sense of place, infrastructure, design and public services."
B.0.3 There is significant read across from this vision to the vision for this emergent strategy at paragraph 5.3. Northamptonshire has recently adopted a Sustainable Community Strategy a that covers the whole of the county. The vision and ambitions it contains are as follows:
Vision and Ambitions for Northamptonshire
We want Northamptonshire to be recognised by everybody as a successful county where people and communities want to do well, where they take up new ideas and friends, but also celebrate history, heritage and local identity. It will be a county where people will want to invest, work and enjoy life.
- By 2020 by managing growth carefully, Northamptonshire will have become the leading economy of the East Midlands and a model example of sustainable development;
- By building on the skills and ambition of our varied and growing population, and by making the most of our location, by 2030 we aim to become one of the top five counties in England in terms of health and environmental quality of life.
Aims for Northamptonshire
The aims for Northamptonshire are:
- To be successful through sustainable growth and regeneration;
- To develop through having a growing economy with more skilled jobs;
- To have safe and strong communities;
- To have healthy people who enjoy a good quality of life.