4 Key Findings
4.1 This is the fifth annual monitoring report for Wigan Borough produced under the requirements of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. The existence of comparable data over a five year period now means that a fuller picture of our progress in meeting objectives is emerging and that trends over time can more readily be observed.
4.2 We have made progress in establishing the data collection and monitoring systems required to meet the needs of routine monitoring. This process has gone hand in hand with the development and compilation of the extensive and robust evidence base which informs the LDF preparation process. The improvement of the monitoring system is, of course, an ongoing task which will proceed alongside LDF preparation but it is now in much better shape to give us the information to determine the impact of our policies than was the case originally.
4.3 This year, for the first time we have included a new section on emerging Local Development Framework Indicators, as well as Core Output Indicators and Unitary Development Plan Indicators. These indicators are taken from current work on the Core Strategy and are designed for monitoring our performance in delivering the strategic objectives of the Core Strategy. It must be noted however that, as part of the emerging Core Strategy, these indicators may be changed as work on the strategy progresses.
4.4 The Core Indicators and Local Indicators reported on in this document show general progress in the implementation of UDP policies. It is, as yet, too early to fully report on trends in performance in delivering Core Strategy objectives.
4.5 Where there are specific issues arising from performance against the indicators, this is referred to in the individual topic commentaries given in the body of the report. As with previous years report, the two key issues which merit comment in this section relate to the rate of development for both employment and housing uses.
4.6 2008/09 has seen an increase in the employment take up rate across all employment types within the borough compared to 2007/08. The total employment take up rate for the year exceeds that achieved in recent years. The most significant increase, in comparison with 2007/08, has been the take up of office development within the Borough, which has increased 8 fold on the previous year.
4.7 As would be expected in the current recession, the rate of housing development has fallen back from the high of 1600 dwellings achieved last year to 776, a halving of the rate of development but still not too far away from the rate of 978 dwellings per year required by the Regional Spatial Strategy. 88% of these new dwellings were built on brownfield land, a slight increase on the 86% rate achieved last year and still comfortably in excess of the 80% target required of us by the Regional Spatial Strategy.
4.8 The Local Development Scheme lays out the council's programme for bringing forward the plans and other documents that make up the Local Development Framework and Section 2 of this report details the implementation of the scheme. As well as the Supplementary Planning Documents that have been and are in process of being produced, it is noted that work is now well advanced on the Core Strategy, a key component of the LDF. It is also noted that a revised Local Development Scheme is to be produced shortly which will update the programme for production of the various Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents which make up the Local Development Framework.