Part One: Spatial Strategy and Policies (Regulation 19)
Healthcare Infrastructure
Policy DLP9 Healthcare Infrastructure Comment
- New Healthcare facilities should be:
- Well-designed and complement and enhance neighbourhood services and amenities;
- Well-served by public transport infrastructure, walking and cycling facilities and directed to a centre appropriate in role and scale to the proposed development, and its intended catchment area, in accordance with policies DLP24 and DLP25. Proposals located outside centres must be justified in terms of relevant policies such as DLP26 and DLP27, where applicable;
- Wherever possible, located to address accessibility gaps in terms of the standards set out in Policy DLP11, particularly where a significant amount of new housing is proposed;
- Where possible, co-located with a mix of compatible community services on a single site.
- Existing primary and secondary healthcare infrastructure and services will be protected unless it can be demonstrated that:
- The loss of the existing facility has a satisfactory replacement, or,
- Where healthcare facilities are declared surplus or identified as part of an estates strategy or service transformations plan where investment is needed towards modern, fit for purpose infrastructure and facilities, there will be no requirement to retain any part of the site in a healthcare use.
- New or improved healthcare facilities and services will be provided, in accordance with requirements agreed between the Local Planning Authority and Local Health Organisations.
- Proposals for major residential developments of 10 units or more must be assessed against the capacity of existing healthcare facilities and/or services. Where the demand generated by the residents of the new developments would have unacceptable impacts upon the capacity of these facilities, developers will be required to contribute to the provision or improvement of such services. Where is it not possible to address such provision through planning conditions, a planning agreement or planning obligations may be required.
- In the first instance, infrastructure contributions will be sought to deal with relevant issues on the site or in its immediate vicinity. Where this is not possible, an offsite (commuted sum) contribution will be negotiated.
- The effects of the obligations on the financial viability of development will be a relevant consideration. Where necessary, financial viability assessments will be required to be submitted.
7.20. Meeting Dudley's future housing needs will have an impact on existing healthcare infrastructure and generate demand for both extended and new facilities across the Plan area, as well as impacting upon service delivery as population growth results in additional medical interventions in the population.
7.21. Health Services in Dudley are currently experiencing limitations on their physical and operations capacity, which inhibit their ability to respond to the area's health needs.
7.22. Dudley Council and its partners, including other healthcare infrastructure providers, have a critical role to play in delivering high-quality services and ensuring Dudley Borough's healthcare infrastructure amenities and facilities are maintained, improved and expanded[5].
7.23. As the borough grows and changes, social and community facilities must be developed to meet the changing needs of the borough's diverse communities. This will in turn mean that, new, improved and expanded healthcare facilities will be required. It is proposed to support and work with the NHS and other health organisations to ensure the development of health facilities where needed in new development areas. Opportunities will be explored for the co-location of health and other community facilities such as community centres, libraries and sport and recreation facilities.
7.24. Funding for many healthcare infrastructure projects will be delivered from mainstream NHS sources, but for some types of infrastructure, an element of this funding may also include contributions from developers. This may relate to the provision of physical infrastructure, such as premises, or social infrastructure, such as the delivery of additional services. These contributions would be secured through planning agreements or planning obligations, in line with the relevant regulations in operation at the time; these are currently the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Regulations 2010 (as amended). As set out in the latest national guidance and any local guidance, contributions will be sought initially to support infrastructure on-site, with alternatives being considered where this is not possible.
7.25. In establishing the needs for and level of any developer contributions, residential developments will be assessed against the ability of nearby primary healthcare provision to be delivered without being compromised by demand from additional residents. Assessment of the capacity of existing healthcare facilities to meet the demand generated by residents of new development, uses an established method adopted by the Integrated Care Board (ICB). Applicants should consult the ICB in advance of the submission of a planning application where a significant amount of housing is to be provided. It is proposed to produce separate guidance as part of an SPD, on the methodology used for calculating the appropriate level of developer contributions.
7.26. As part of viability considerations, depending on the extent of other planning obligations required, such contributions may not be viable on some sites, where it can be proved that it is not viable for a housing developer to fund all its own healthcare needs, alternative funding sources will be sought.
Evidence
- Black Country Integrated Care Board, Primary Care Estates Strategy
- Black Country Integrated Care Board, Primary Care Estates Strategy, Dudley Estates Pack
- Black Country ICB, Integrated Care Strategy.
- The Black Country STP Draft Estates Strategy, Black Country and West Birmingham Sustainability and Transformation Partnership, July 2018.
- Summer 2019 STP.ICS Estates Strategy Check-point Return, Black Country and West Birmingham Sustainability Transformation Partnership, July 2019
- Health Infrastructure Strategy, Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group, May 2016
- Planning for Health in the Black Country: Evidence Base for the Black Country Plan Health and Wellbeing Chapter, 2021.
Monitoring
|
Policy |
Indicator |
Target |
|
DLP8 |
Number of HIAs received. Number of applications approved contrary to HIA assessments |
0% |
|
DLP9 |
Loss of Health Care capacity during the plan period |
None |
[5] The infrastructure strategies of these partner organisations have helped inform this policy
