Planning for the Role and Future of Smaller Settlements in Cornwall

St Germans Testing Area Report

Revised

c4g, Roger Tym & Partners, Rural Innovation

December 2009

www.c4g.me.ukwww.tymconsult.com

www.ruralinnovation.co.uk

Contents1 Introduction................................................................................................................................1

1.1 This research........................................................................................................................11.2 Critical Context - climate change – a new frame for everything............................................11.3 A structure for thinking and policy.........................................................................................3

2 The St Germans testing area.....................................................................................................53 Current position ........................................................................................................................7

3.1 Living within environmental limits..........................................................................................73.2 Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society...........................................................................93.3 Achieving a Sustainable Economy......................................................................................13

4 Sustainability state and potential............................................................................................154.2 Current State......................................................................................................................154.3 Potential..............................................................................................................................15

5 Workshop Feedback ...............................................................................................................17

1 Introduction

1.1 This research

1.1.1 This study is about the smaller settlements in Cornwall, and will inform the forthcoming Core Strategy of the Local Development Framework (LDF) – the replacement for the Structure Plan and the Local Plans. This, in principle, covers all of the towns other than Camborne/Pool/Redruth, Falmouth-Penryn, and Truro. These are recognised as Strategically Significant Cities and Towns in the Regional Spatial Strategy, which leaves the rest of the Cornish towns and villages to be covered by locally-based policy.

1.1.2 It has been agreed with Cornwall Council that this study will deal with settlements identified as of local significance. This leaves all of the remaining towns and villages with the exception of Newquay, Penzance and St Austell which have been identified as Sub-Regionally Significant Towns. So the study’s reach extends to some of the very smallest villages and hamlets in the county. This is because the majority of the County's population (64%) live outside Camborne/Pool/Redruth, Falmouth-Penryn, Truro and the other larger towns (Newquay, Penzance and St Austell, Bodmin. Saltash and Torpoint).

1.1.3 This work is intended to provide this by examining a range of available data to see what we can find out about the sustainability of smaller settlements, and how new development and other measures might make then more sustainable in future.

1.1.4 Part of this work involves testing areas, of which St Germans is one, where data is brought together for the settlements in the testing area, and the testing area as a whole, to provide and assessment of its current sustainability, and to help determine its future sustainability potential. We anticipate that there will not be a 'one size fits all' solution for the Cornish smaller settlements. Conditions vary across the county and policy and decisions will need to take account of this. For this reason the nine testing areas have been picked to be different from one another.

1.1.5 The testing meeting is an opportunity to:

• check that the data we have collected is right / makes sense• fill in understanding that the data cannot provide but which local people might be able to• consider together the sustainability potential of the area as a whole and settlements

within it• identify any particular opportunities or challenges the settlements or area have

1.1.6 Information from the meeting will be fed back into the main report, which will be finished by the end of November. The report will be taken into account as the Council works from that point forward to put together the LDF.

This is a research report to inform Cornwall Council's planning work. The following reflects our analysis, for discussion. It will be for the Council to decide how the discussions and conclusions from this work will be used to develop Council policy and plans.

1.2 Critical Context - climate change – a new frame for everything

1.2.1 The Climate Change Act (2008) set the target for a 80% cut in Greenhouse Gasses (GHG) by 2050. More recently (July 2009) we have had the first national GHG budget in support of the Act, contained in the climate change White Paper, The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan, and a suite of supporting strategies (transport, economy) and evidence.

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1.2.2 It is very clear from this raft of national policies and programmes that by 2020 the ways in which we harvest and use energy, how our homes and workplaces are supplied with energy, heated and can conserve energy, and our means and patterns of transport will be quite different from those we know today and the trends which have led to then over the preceding years. What is not yet clear is what this will specifically mean for smaller settlements in rural areas – market towns and villages and therefore much of Cornwall.

1.2.3 Part of the job of this research is to start working this out. The LDF period lasts to 2026 – six years after 2020 – which means that this LDF has to be a 'Low Carbon Transition' LDF - moving us firmly towards and era of much reduced GHG emissions, with greater reach than the national strategies. In addition, for planning, the Supplement to Planning Policy Statement 1 - Planning and Climate Change (2007) has already filled in some detail.

1.2.4 The main way in which rural areas and settlements differ from urban ones is in terms of transport use. Rural residents have more cars, use them more often and travel longer distances in them1. This is a 'chicken and egg' issue – the real cost of motoring has been in decline for decades (see graph overleaf), and continues to do so. Rural settlements have lost services, facilities and employment sites while their populations have grown2. The cheapness of the private car has brought greater mobility to rural households, and changed their behaviour. They are now travelling further to work and to access services. Rural residents have become increasingly dependent on high mobility – but does it have to be this way?

The Real Cost of Motoring – Transport Trends 2008

1 National Travel Survey series, DfT2 State of the Countryside series, CRC

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1.2.5 However the new national strategies, The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan and Low Carbon Transport: A Greener Future both make it clear that transport emissions need to be reduced (they are currently increasing). This, then, raises stiff challenges for rural areas. Fundamentally, this means that the high levels of personal and other mobility currently characterising rural life will have to be reduced, starting soon and accelerating though the coming decades. So, is this a threat or an opportunity? Rural life has only relatively recently been characterised by high mobility and car-dependence. It is by no means a pre-condition of rural life. The basic sustainability challenge, then, is to maintain and improve the wellbeing of rural communities, and the economies which support them, under new transport conditions where household and businesses can access the things they need without over-reliance on the car and without having to travel too far.

This is functional sustainability. Localisation is a term for this.

1.2.6 For this to work it means that smaller settlements, either individually or in groups, will need to contain most of the services, facilities and jobs their populations need, and the low-carbon transport links to join then up. It also means that rural housing markets will need to be more balanced – particularly containing more affordable housing – so that all sorts of people can live close to services, facilities and jobs.

1.2.7 A greater sustainability should strengthen rural communities, not weaken them.

1.3 A structure for thinking and policy

1.3.1 Part of this research project is to think harder about how to deliver greater sustainability to smaller rural settlements. The following is our suggestion for how this might be done.

1.3.2 We have expressed these core issues for planning for smaller settlements in the LDF as a vision and objectives. The vision sets the overall direction. The objectives explain how the vision should be delivered. The vision is set within that of The UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy , which has four leading components:

▪ Living Within Environmental Limits

▪ Ensuring a Strong, Healthy and Just Society

▪ Achieving a Sustainable Economy

▪ Promoting Good Governance .

1.3.3 We have used the first three as governance structures are beyond the direct scope of the LDF.

Vision

Cornwall's smaller settlements will, either individually or in combination, become functionally sustainable, making their full contribution in the achievement of the national GHG emissions reductions targets, and fostering sustainable communities and economies. Environmental, social and economic localisation are the critical means by which this will be achieved.

The objectives are detailed below.

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Objectives and outcomes for sustainable smaller settlements

Objectives Outcomes

Provision of balanced & affordable housing stock

Living Within Environmental Limits

Full contribution to a 34% cut in GHG by 2020 and 80% by 2050

Transport18% reduction in emissions by 2020

Reduced need to travelReduced use of private carsIncreased walking and cyclingIncreased public transport use

Energy29% reduction in domestic emissions by 202014% reduction in workplace emissions by 2020

More community / individual renewable energy generationCHP schemesEnergy efficiency / insulation

Maintenance and improvement of local environmental capacity, quality and landscape.Management of environmental risks (e.g. flooding)

Landscape management / improvementWater conservationAir quality improvementFlood management

Ensuring a Strong, Healthy and Just

Society

Meeting the needs of and providing opportunity for all householdsPromoting well-beingFostering social cohesion and inclusion

HomesMeeting the housing needs of all households – stock and tenureServices / FacilitiesAccess to a core set of services for all households

Ensuring local accessibility to a core set of services and facilities (public and private) via low-carbon means

Achieving a Sustainable Economy

Fostering strong and stable local economies to underpin wellbeing for and offer opportunity to the community

Enterprise & EmploymentSupport for enterprise & employment in sectors and of sizes suited to the opportunities and constraints raised by smaller rural settlements.Local provision of jobs to suit the needs of local households.

Support for land- and environment-based sectorsProvision of broadband and further ICTSupport for the knowledge economySupport for small / micro businessesProvision of premises if neededLive-work

Economic wellbeingHouseholds able to acquire the housing, services and goods they need at a cost they can afford and which is acceptable in environmental and social terms.

Fostering local economic networks to retain income locally.Community enterprise.Support for those employed in low-waged sectors to buy goods locally.

2 The St Germans testing area2.1.1 The St Germans testing area is an area in the east of the County. The area consists of a

collection of small settlements, all in relatively close proximity to Plymouth, Saltash and Torpoint to the east and Looe to the West. The testing area includes high quality landscape. It is bounded to the south by the coast, facing into Looe Bay and Whitsand Bay. It includes internationally important areas of coast and estuary.

2.1.2 The testing area contains the following settlements:

2001 population

St Germans testing area 3375

Downderry 983

St Germans 748

Tideford *

Hessenford *

Polbathic *

Crafthole *

Portwrinkle *

Sheviock *

* these settlements are too small to calculate populations for from Census data – however they are included in the study as they were identified in previous local plans..

2.1.3 50% of the population of the testing area live in the two largest settlements. The remaining population is distributed across the other settlements and hinterland. It has been designed to test the concept of a group of smaller settlements working as a “cluster” or network. The testing area has been based on a group of Census Output Areas to allow calculations to be made for the area as a whole. It may not be the 'right' area in this respect – it is a starting point and part of our discussions will be to see if it can be improved. It should also be noted that where data is based on lower super output areas these include the settlements of Landrake and Quethiock and the countryside to the north running up to the A38.

2.1.4 These settlements are all fairly small and within the influence of other larger towns. The questions we are looking at here include:

• how does each settlement operate, which towns do they have functional relationships with?

• Might there be a “functional network” between the villages or do they operate entirely independently of one another?

• how sustainable are the villages within the testing area on their own?• how does this change if we consider them together?• how will this change by 2026?• how can this be more sustainable by 2026?

2.1.5 These are the sorts of questions the next round of planning, the LDF, has to wrestle with. We would like your help in finding the right answers.

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Settlements in St Germans testing area

3 Current position

3.1 Living within environmental limits

3.1.1 The overriding objective here is a full contribution to the national GHG emissions cuts – 34% by 2020, and 80% by 2050. This means a cut of around 42-44% by 2026 – the end of the plan period for the LDF. The rate of anticipated reduction accelerates from 2020 and holds this trajectory for around a decade. This means that by the end of the plan period the most rapid reductions in GHG emissions should be taking place. Forecast strong growth in population will increase the challenge.

3.1.2 Transport is the headline issue here because it is where the greatest differences in emissions between smaller settlements in rural areas and larger, urban areas exist. It is also the only sector for which emissions are still growing.

3.1.3 GHG emissions targets are only available as national budgets at the moment – we have not been able to translate them into local targets. We do, though, have district-based figures from the REAP model3 and DEFRA. The REAP figures are end-user, and the DEFRA ones are source (what this means will be explained at the workshop) and we are seeking ways of reconciling the two. Using them as comparators, though, it is clear that despite the rurality of the Cornwall districts, their emissions are comparable with the whole of the South West, and the UK.

Cornwall and comparator GHG emissions

2004 (REAP) 2006 (Defra)

TCO2e cap-1 Co2 cap-1

Caradon 16.9 7.1

Carrick 16.7 6.8

Kerrier 16.2 6.2

North Cornwall 17.1 10

Penwith 16.4 5.7

Restormel 16.0 9.9

Cornwall 16.5 7.3

SW 16.7 8.1

UK 16.3 8.6

3.1.4 The sectoral-breakdown figures are intriguing (Carrick and North Cornwall are used as the two ends of the Cornwall spectrum). The distribution of domestic fuels is where the greatest differences are found. Private vehicle fuel use is next.

3 Produced by the Stockholm Environmental Institute and used by the Council.

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REAP sectoral GHG emissions – some comparators

REAP 2004

Tco2e cap-1

Exeter City Plymouth Carrick N Cornwall

Electricity, gas & other fuels distribution 1.37 1.47 1.87 2.07

Direct fuel use in the home (not inc. elec.) 1.27 1.27 1.25 1.26

HOUSING TOTAL 3.53 3.64 4.03 4.24

Railway transport 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.07

Road transport 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.15

Private vehicle fuel use (direct fuel use) 1.23 1.19 1.43 1.50

TRANSPORT TOTAL 3.69 3.52 3.92 4.00

FOOD TOTAL 2.70 2.66 2.89 2.93

CONSUMABLES TOTAL 1.96 1.95 2.11 2.16

PRIVATE SERVICES 1.08 1.05 1.11 1.11

PUBLIC SERVICES 2.13 2.13 2.13 2.13

TOTAL 15.61 16.34 16.70 17.09

3.1.5 We have tried to be more locally specific on emissions by adapting the REAP model, using travel to work data. The results are indicative rather than absolute. They show that emissions for the testing area as a whole, taking into account commuting distances and car ownership, are slightly higher than the Caradon average. Emissions are slightly lower in St Germans but significantly higher in Downderry. Higher transport emissions in Downderry mean that it is likely that much of the difference is due to the use of personal transport. The difference between the two settlements may be influenced by topography but also the presence of a rail link in St Germans.

St.Germans testing area REAP emissions

Total co2 per cap Transp. co2 per cap

Caradon 11.40 2.48

Testing Area 11.88 2.96

Downderry 12.68 3.76

St Germans 11.81 2.89

3.1.6 Census travel to work data tells us that only 31% of the 1588 journeys to work that started in the testing area finish in it; over 1000 people leave the area to work every day. 17% of people work from home, a further 7% walk or cycle to work, and 5% used the train or bus, and 67% travel by car. These are fairly low proportions of low-carbon modes of travel. The average distance to work is 25.25km – significantly above the Cornwall average of 17.7km. This drops to 23km for St Germans but increases to 35km for Downderry.

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3.1.7 Nearly half of those people that stay within the testing area work from home (45%) and a further 17% work, cycle or use the bus to get to work. This means that only 38% of travel to work journeys retained within the testing area are made by private car, van or motorcycle. This is a low proportion and shows that engagement by residents in the local economy is fairly sustainable.

3.1.8 In contrast, over 90% of people who travelled into the testing area to work from settlements outside the testing area used the car to do so. This shows that people travelling to work into the testing area is far less sustainable than those jobs being filled by people living locally.

3.1.9 Reductions in domestic and workplace energy use are also national targets. These tend to apply across the board, but the additional costs of distribution of energy to smaller settlements in rural areas raise the obvious issue of whether more of the energy needed in future could be produced more locally, to address this. New development will also need to be of the highest environmental performance, and the performance of existing development will need to be upgraded.

3.1.10 The final dimension is the maintenance and improvement of the local environment. The area has a high quality natural environment. Much of it is undulating with steep sided valleys reaching up to the 100 m contour. Parts of the area are estuarine; the Lyner Estuary reaches all the way inland to St Germans and Tideford.

3.1.11 Parts of the coast are protected by national designations as is the immediate hinterland to the north and east of St. Germans. The coast has two Sites of Scientific Interested, Eglarooze Cliffs SSSI and Rame Head & Whitsand Bay SSSI. The SSSI at Eglarooze Cliffs is recorded as being in unfavourable condition but recovering, as is part of the Rame Head & Whitsand Bay SSSI at Trethill Cliffs. The remainder of the Rame Head & Whitsand Bay SSSI is recorded as being in favourable condition. The Lyner Estuary is also covered by an SSSI. The majority of this is recorded as being in favourable condition although parts, at Sheviock Wood, are recorded as being in unfavourable condition but recovering. The estuary is also part of the Tamar Estuary Special Protection Area. To the north of Downderry there is a Local Nature Reserve at Seaton Valley.

3.2 Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society

3.2.1 Our objectives are that the LDF needs to support meeting the housing needs of all households through facilitating a balanced and affordable housing stock, and also facilitating access to a core set of services and facilities for households. Meeting the needs of all households in this way gives access to opportunities and encourages communities to be as inclusive and supportive as possible.

Population

3.2.2 The 2001 Census shows the population of the St.Germans testing area4 as 3375. The population has grown to 3958 (2%) between 2001 and 2007. The 2000-2001 migration data showed a net internal migration of 91 people, this represents 2.6% of the resident population. These migrants were mainly families with school age children.

4 As defined by Census Output Areas

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3.2.3 The census data showed that the age profile of the population is very similar to the Cornish average. There are slightly more people aged 45-64 than the Cornwall average (30% compared to 24.5% in Cornwall) and slightly fewer young people aged under between 16 - 29. The proportion of older people is slightly higher in Downderry. The working age population (20 – 64) was 57% in the St.Germans area compared to 58% in Cornwall whilst the number of children and young people was lower.

3.2.4 The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) shows that the testing area is in the most deprived quintile for the housing & services and living environment domains; pointing to high prices and difficulties in accessing services. However the area is in the middle quintile (41- 60%) for the employment, income and overall domains. This shows that the position is far less comfortable than the Mosaic classification suggests and points toward the likelihood that some households in the area have far lower standards of living.

Housing

3.2.5 There were 1469 households with residents in the St.Germans testing area (2001) together with a further 52 vacant household spaces and 91 second/holiday homes. The housing stock in the St.Germans testing area had far more detached houses than in Cornwall in 2001 (64% compared to 39%). It has fewer semi-detached, terraced houses and flats than the Cornish average.

3.2.6 Three quarters of all housing in the St.Germans area was owner occupied in 2001 (75%), of this 40% was owned outright without a mortgage. Of the rented stock, Council housing accounted for a further 6% with the remaining 18% being mainly privately rented. The social rented stock is concentrated in St.Germans and Downderry.

3.2.7 House price data for the St.Germans area (2008) shows the influence of the coast and the popularity of Downderry. The IMD housing domain “score” confirms that the area is one of the 15% most deprived in terms of access to housing (and services) in England. Clearly this “disadvantage” will be most keenly felt on the coast and in Downderry.

3.2.8 Current Council housing waiting list information for the St.Germans area suggests a total of 128 registered on the list, only 50 of these are seeking housing in St.Germans or Downderry. Demand is spread across all the villages.

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St Germans testing area average house prices (2008)

Services and Facilities

3.2.9 Data on services and facilities has been sourced by Cornwall Council for 2009. Whilst this does not cover all settlements in the St.Germans testing area, the following table sets out what is available:

St.Germans testing area services / facilities

Pub/C

afé/R

estaurant

Social facilities e.g. m

eeting places (includes churches and club prem

ises)

Leisure and sports facilities (including childrens play areas)

Shops - general stores/food

Finance – banks, building

societies, Post O

ffices

Health – surgeries, chem

ist, dentists

Education;

Prim

ary and secondary schools

Downderry 3 5 1 3 2 1 1

St Germans 1 1 3 1 1

Landrake 1 2 1 1 1

Quethiock 3 1 1 1

Tideford 2 1 1 1

Hessenford 1 2

Portwrinkle 1 1

Sheviock 1

3.2.10 The information on services and facilities emphasises the potential of Downderry to contribute to the network as a local service centre. The service centre role of St.Germans appears to be limited, despite access to the rail network. The information also suggests that few of these settlements could be considered as “self sufficient” in services but that across them all, access to most basic services is available.

3.2.11 The average number of cars per household (1.4) is not particularly high and although it is slightly higher than the average for Cornwall it is lower than in other testing areas.

3.2.12 Accession data offers a picture of the proximity and accessibility of key public services by public transport. Most of the settlements in the testing area have access to public transport, however the data shows significant differences between the time taken to access service for those living in the two largest settlements and those in the remainder of the testing area.

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3.3 Achieving a Sustainable Economy

3.3.1 Our objective is that the LDF should provide a policy context which will enable a strong and stable local economy. This means that within the villages and settlements of the testing area there will be sufficient opportunities to find work that will pay a decent living wage, to set up and grow a profitable business, to attract investment and staff with appropriate skills. The local economy should also offer residents opportunities to meet their needs for goods and services at prices they can afford.

3.3.2 So how far from doing this is the local economy now? The analysis below is based on data provided by the Council. It relates to the area shown on the map earlier in the report. The commentary below relates to economic activity across the whole area.

St.Germans Economic Area

3.3.3 The local economy is relatively small in scale and value. It provides work for about one third of the economically active people that live in its “catchment”. The area hosts in the region of 1000 jobs (ABI 2007). Two thirds of these are filled by people who live in the testing area. The remainder are taken by people who travel into the area to work from nearby towns such as Torpoint and Saltash.

3.3.4 The area has around 194 recorded “workplace units” (ABI 2007); of these 151 are occupied by “micro-businesses” with between 1 and 4 employees. This equates to 78% of all workplace units, which is significantly higher than in larger centres like Saltash and Torpoint (where the percentage of micro businesses is in the 60 - 65% range) but comparable with Looe.

3.3.5 Retail and hospitality are the dominant sectors in the local economy which accounts for over 35% of employment. The area has a small but important “services” sector made up of construction, transport and professional services businesses. There is also an element of manufacturing activity which provides jobs for in the region of 50 people. Employment in agriculture and fishing is small, but is likely to be under represented in the data.

3.3.6 A large proportion of the workforce is self employed – data from 2001 showed that one in four people of working age was self-employed. Part-time working is also prevalent; the same data recorded 21% of people of working age as working part time.

3.3.7 The public sector provides in the region of 200 jobs; these are likely to be important to local households.

3.3.8 The local economy has grown slightly in recent years; the data shows that there were around 80 more jobs available in 2007 than there were in 2003. This growth has been experienced in the manufacturing, business services and public sectors.

3.3.9 The 2001 Census recorded just over 1500 people in employment living in the testing area. Of these 36% were employed in the public sector. The three largest private sector employers were distribution, hotels and restaurants, banking, finance and insurance and manufacturing.

3.3.10 A good proportion of local residents are highly skilled; 27% have qualifications at level 4 or 5 compared to the average for Cornwall of 17.3%. Conversely, fewer people are unqualified than the county average; 20% compared to 29%. There is still a material proportion of the population with low skills however, in all only 36% of the population have skills at level 3 or above.

3.3.11 Overall the St Germans testing area is a net supplier of labour to other centres. Analysis of the travel to work data shows that 1588 journeys started within the area, and of these 1019 finished beyond the group of settlements. The most popular destinations were Plymouth, which accounts for nearly half of all journeys, Liskeard, Saltash and Torpoint.

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3.3.12 The differences between distribution across sectors in the workplace and resident figures highlight the people are likely to travel into the area to work in lower paid sectors and travel out to work in higher paid jobs. There is likely to be a significant disparity in household income between those reliant on local earnings from employment, those who are self-employed and small business owners and those who commute into Plymouth, Torpoint and Saltash.

3.3.13 Analysis of claimant data shows that 8% of the working age population of the St.Germans area are claiming benefits. The majority are claiming “social” rather than unemployment benefits however; only 1% are claiming job seekers allowance, the remainder are claiming for incapacity, lone parent and carer support.

3.3.14 The overall impression given by the data is of a fairly “low key” local economy. Much activity will be driven by the service points and related businesses identified in the facilities data. The evidence shows that there are nearly 200 individual workplaces in the testing area however, and that this number has grown between 2003 and 2007. There is clearly a range of economic activity taking place locally, and whilst in itself this is not sufficient to support all the economically active residents of the area it should provide a sound basis for a sustainable growth in the future.

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4 Sustainability state and potential4.1.1 The data we have collected is reasonably exhaustive, and contains many data sets which are

as up to date as it is possible to make them. As ever we also have to rely on the 2001 Census for much of the detailed data we need. It is dating, of course, and the critical question is 'what has changed since 2001?

4.1.2 The data cannot give a full picture however. Local knowledge about the area will add things that available data cannot, such as patterns of local shopping and service use, the quality of local buses, the affects of the seasonal nature of the tourism, and the nature and strength of social networks in different settlements to name a few.

Part of the purpose of the workshop is to consider the data and also to add to it.

4.2 Current State

This is our summary of the current state of the testing area. Is it right? What can you add to it?

4.2.1 The picture offered by the data is somewhat “fuzzy”. It is possible to deduce from it that the area hosts a number of people who look to Plymouth and the related centres of Torpoint and Saltash for work. It is also apparent that the coast is a strong attractor for the better off, and will host people not reliant on local earnings for their livelihood – both the retired and second home owners.

4.2.2 Downderry appears to be performing well, and has a good range of local services. The picture may not be quite so positive in St.Germans however. Certainly the IMD data points to a range of socio-economic conditions being experienced across the villages in the testing area.

4.2.3 There is a high incidence of outward commuting, but despite this an active local economy which employs over 1000 people and supports nearly 200 businesses and organisations. We know that local wages are not well matched with house prices and that there is a deep problem of housing affordability. We do not have a good idea of how affordable the everyday things people need are – this will be discussed at the workshop.

4.2.4 Despite being in a relatively accessible area, car use and emissions are relatively high, influenced by the high level of car based commuting and limited use of low carbon transport despite the availability of a viable rail service between Plymouth and St.Germans. In the near future, car borne travel will become harder to reconcile with the imperative to reduce emissions. People will need to get around in more low-carbon means, and / or travel less.

4.3 Potential

4.3.1 This final section is where we lay out what we think is needed to deliver the sustainability of the testing area and the individual settlements in it through to 2026. Do you think that these are the right steps? How should they be delivered?

4.3.2 A need for increased localisation in the St.Germans testing is likely to achieve a sustainable low-carbon future. Localisation really helps rural sustainability and emissions reduction.

4.3.3 The villages of the testing area offer the potential for a “cluster” based community. One which combines its assets - in terms of service points and employment sites – to improve its sustainable functionality. St.Germans may also offer potential for development as a local service and employment centre. Its link to Plymouth via the rail network makes it an attractive location for economic development. In order to achieve this there are some critical issues which need to be addressed:

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• local travel to work is already fairly evenly distributed across low carbon and high emissions modes – how can the use of low carbon modes be increased?

• travel from the villages to larger centres (i.e. Saltash, Torpoint, Liskeard etc) must become much less car-dependant; travel into the area must also become less car dependant

• might some of the people currently travelling into the area for work be enabled to live locally? Alternately how can more of these jobs be filled by local people?

• the villages need to become more self-sufficient in terms of basic everyday services, more employment and affordable housing , so that the need for so many people to travel in and out of the testing area is reduced –

• can this be achieved by operating more as a network? Should Downderry or St.Germans grow in order to play a larger role as a local service centre?

• what is the right balance here?

• there is a need for more affordable housing in the villages, particularly in Downderry, to underpin a wide range of elements of social and economic well-being.

• More jobs and possibly more workspace (as an attractor and to facilitate new enterprise) in the area would reduce the need for people to travel for work. Is this appropriate or achievable? Where might it be located to ensure that people can access it via low carbon means?

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5 Workshop Feedback 5.1.1 The testing area was chosen to see if the settlements within it were operating as part of a

network. It was clear from the feedback at the workshop that the three parishes within the testing area do not operate as a cluster.

5.1.2 Deviock parish works as a network of settlements. There are functional relationships between the settlements of Downderry, Seaton and Hessenford. The villages share services. Cultural links are with Looe and Liskeard. People commuting out to work will not go via St.Germans – the road systems take them either via Torpoint ferry (for central Plymouth and dockyards) or via Saltash for north and west Plymouth.

5.1.3 Sheviock parish works as a network of settlements. There are functional relationships between the settlements of Crafthole, Portwrinkle and Sheviock. There are also links villages further into the Rame peninsula like Anthony and Lower Tregantle. The villages share services and a focus towards Plymouth via Torpoint.

5.1.4 Settlements in St.Germans parish are perhaps a little less “networked”. The location of the two villages Treulefoot and Tideford on the A38 and Polbathic on the A374 means that they are more transient, whilst St.Germans is situated far more “off the beaten track”. The lack of a shop, or workspace in St.Germans and the extremely limited parking associated with the railway “halt” means that its ability to operate as a local service centre is currently constrained.

5.1.5 These functional relationships are influenced by a number of factors including; topography, the road network, orientation of transport services, historic administrative boundaries, familial and cultural linkages, school and health centre catchments.

5.1.6 It was generally agreed that the future sustainability of smaller settlements would be enhanced by allowing proportionate and appropriate growth which improved “environmental, economic and social localisation”.5 This means that spreading growth around the smaller settlements is likely to be preferable, and more useful, than concentrating growth on the largest available settlement within an area.

5.1.7 It was agreed however that it would be important to link growth in household numbers to opportunities for growth in local employment and enterprise if social balance of communities was to be maintained. The need to ensure that growth was supported by infrastructure and service capacity was also emphasised.

5.1.8 It was agreed that within the area some settlements already work together in networks to share services. It would therefore seem appropriate to consider these networks of settlements as a “unit” when considering locations for new housing, affordable housing, services or workspace.

5 As defined in the testing paper

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