(64) 3 Strategic Vision

3.1 The Council's Vision for Warwick District (which we share with our partners), as set out in the Sustainable Community Strategy, is "to make Warwick District a Great Place to Live, Work and Visit".

3.2 In December 2011, the Council agreed its Corporate Development Strategy "The Strategy for the Future and Sustainable Prosperity of Warwick District". This sets out some key principles for the future development of the area. The Local Plan is a key tool in helping to deliver this Strategy.

3.3 In overall terms the strategy seeks to ensure that by the end of the Plan period, the District will be known as a place of sustainable "Garden Towns, Suburbs and Villages" with a successful, dynamic broad based economy, catering for the needs of its growing and diverse communities.

3.4 In particular the strategy seeks to:

• Facilitate the growth of the local economy.
• Provide for the growth of, and changes within, the local population.
• Provide the basis for strong management of local development requiring:
• Low carbon environmental sustainability.
• Care for our built, cultural and natural heritage.
• Regeneration of areas in need of improvement.
• Protection of areas of special significance.
• High quality design.
• Provide for the appropriate and necessary transport, public service, green and other infrastructure.

3.5 The Local Plan Strategy sets out some specific principles relating to the key elements of Sustainable Development as follows:

Economy:

• Facilitating the growth and development of the local economy to support a dynamic, flexible, low carbon mixed economy.
• An agreement to pursue the potential for a sub-regional employment site in the vicinity of Coventry Airport.
• The need to provide new employment land in and around the District's main towns to meet local needs and encourage the creation of jobs.
• A commitment to maintain and promote thriving town centres.
• A commitment to maintain the current strengths in the District's economy.
• Promoting the regeneration of the more socially and environmentally deprived areas and supporting the rural economy.

Social - Providing for growth and changes within population:

• Meeting the housing need of the existing and future population of the District, including identifying land for around 550 new homes per annum on new allocated sites.
• Providing for diversity, including affordable homes, homes for the elderly and vulnerable, sites for gypsies and travellers and other specialised needs.
• Providing for neighbourhoods that are well designed, distinctive and based on the principles of sustainable garden towns, suburbs and villages.
• Providing for homes and neighbourhood designs that are sustainable, low cost and carbon efficient.

Environment:

• Distributing development across the District.
• Avoiding coalescence.
• Ensuring new development is based on the principles of Sustainable Garden Towns, Suburbs and Villages.
• Protecting biodiversity, high quality landscapes, heritage assets and other areas of significance.

Emphasis on infrastructure

• Developing an effective and sustainable transport package.
• Ensuring parks, open spaces, the countryside and areas of importance for wildlife and informal recreation are maintained and improved.
• Ensuring education is provided for in major new developments.
• Ensuring community activities, health services and other key services are provided for in new developments.
• Develop sustainable communities with strong local centres and/or community hubs.

3.6 The delivery of the vision will also be achieved through the development of Sustainable Community Strategy

Delivery Plans covering:

• Housing
• Jobs, Skills and Economy
• Health and Wellbeing
• Sustainability
• Safer Communities

3.7 The diagram in Figure 1 shows how the Local Plan fits in with the Council's overall vision and the Sustainable Community Strategy Delivery Plans.

Figure 1