Bakewell Draft Area Plan - Essay Example

?Bakewell Draft Area Plan: A Discussion Paper on Town Centre Regeneration Overview It is believed that Bakewell was occupied since 6,000-5,000 BCE and the earliest artefact – Bronze age round barrow is still intact and found a few miles south of Bakewell dating from around 2,000 BCE. The first settlement – the hill fort at Ball Cross - dates from around 1,000 BCE. Timber and mining made Bakewell prosper in the 13th and 14th centuries and was replaced by sheep farming and lead mining although limestone and gritstone were used locally. Currently, Bakewell thrives on agriculture, light and tourism industries with an estimated 2 million visitors annually. Its Tudor and Stuart architecture – the Old Market Hall or now the National Park Visitor Centre, Bagshaw Hall, former Town Hall, St John’s Almshouses and the Bath House – are major tourist destinations including the Haddon Hall and Chatsworth. Britain’s first national park - the Peak District –located in Bakewell is now a Conservation Area. This makes a major impact on the regeneration of Bakewell’s town centre. Being a market town with a newly developed agricultural or livestock market, regeneration at Bakewell also needs to consider traffic and transport, tourism, retail changes of use linked to service provision, commuter hinterlands, affordable housing, and other community issues such as income opportunities, history and tradition, and maintaining a balanced ecosystem. Regeneration Regeneration is an effort to rejuvenate communities through improvement of the built and natural environment as well incorporating residents’ and leaders’ cooperation to meet redevelopment goals such as sustainable growth (Redmond and Russell, 2008). For the last few decades, sustainability has become a key word in redevelopment efforts due to the failed plan and growth projects of many towns, communities and urban centres around the world. Bakewell, however, has its regeneration plans ready with conceptual feature that hopes to deliver planned growth, stimulate regeneration, protect areas that are sensitive to change such as historic and natural features, resolve conflict on development issues, and focus on area-based initiatives (PPT lecture, planning workshop). Regeneration, however, is challenged where community cooperation is a problem (Redmond and Russell, 2008). It is important that involvement and inclusion are components of the redevelopment efforts to maximise results and meet goals. Policy then should incorporate local, regional, as well as national objectives in order to have a more encompassing approach. The national objectives consider a bigger picture where the whole country may be impacted on changes, whereas regional and local objectives magnify the role of the environment and the community, so that the areas of concentration will include: reduction of social exclusion or gaps between the poor and the rich, protect and enhance the environmental quality of settlements, improve health and economic status of locals through employment and other income opportunities (PPT lecture, planning workshop). Policy Various national, regional, and local strategies are already in place where regeneration programs are undertaken, For Bakewell, there is the Regional Spatial Strategies or RSS that is prepared by the regional planning bodies that provide broad spatial planning strategy for how a region should become in 15 to 20 years or longer. The Local Development Frameworks or LDF for local development outline the spatial planning strategy for the local area. Together with national planning policy, it will determine how the planning system helps to shape communities designed to streamline the local planning process and promote a proactive, positive approach to managing development. Aims of the system include flexibility or ability to address changes in demands and needs; strengthen community and stakeholder involvement in the development of local communities; front loading of key decisions in the preparation of plans; sustainability appraisal; programme management, and soundness where testing the plan against simple criteria will show it is fit for the purpose. Economic Development In a localised manner, regeneration objectives of Bakewell includes the development of the Agricultural Business Centre (ABC) not only for farming but also for business and tourism, health and community activities and the short term manner may include inducing residents and tourists to visit the town centre with its stall markets, farmers’ markets, and the ABC attractions (Bakewell Marketing pdf). The 5-year plan encompasses economic, tourism, arts development and countryside management. On the service sector, there is the need to address traffic and mobility in Bakewell. To alleviate traffic congestion, car parks for residents and visitors are provided, free parking concessions to residents, establish cooperation between commuters, the police and affiliated agencies to reduce vehicle-related incidences and crimes, and collect income and enforce lawful use of car parks (Bakewell Marketing pdf). Inclusion in this area is exercised through provision of parking services for disabled users, reduction of crime and anti-social behaviour, protect the environment through enforced Parking Places Order and sustainable grounds management. Related to economic development and mobility issues, the other concerns of Bakewell regeneration includes access to jobs, homes and basic services, increase of biodiversity, reduce causes and impact of climate change, and reduce the adverse environmental effect of new development whilst promoting social and economic benefits (PPT lecture, planning workshop). However, involvement of the community is an overarching goal in all fronts of regeneration efforts in order stimulate cooperation and foster transparency and accountability (PPT lecture, planning workshop). Sustainability The national policy to regeneration considers the availability of suitable land for development in line with economic, social and environmental objectives with the improvement of peoples; quality of life. However, sustainable economic development requires enhancement and protection of the natural and historic environment (PPT lecture, local plan policy) which are the main attractions for tourism, a growing industry in Bakewell. Aside from the mentioned historical building, puddings, and events in Bakewell, sports and recreation areas are also of importance as Peak District with its National Park has been declared a Conservation Area. This highlights the responsibility of the regeneration efforts to sustain the ecosystem which needs provision for water, mineral, crops, and energy, regulation of carbon, climate and water purification, support nutrient cycling and seed dispersal, and promote culture though intellectual inspiration, health and recreation, education and scientific discovery (PPT lecture, local plan policy). Peak District has a population of about 38,000. Bakewell’s regeneration needs to encompass the richness and diversity of the area’s natural beauty and quality of landscape, although tourism improvement is a goal where visitors appreciate, understand and enjoy the National Park (PPT Peak District). Regeneration Challenges Tourism and conservation of the natural environment as well as sustainability are opposing forces that should be carefully weighed in the regeneration program (Christofakis, 2010) of Bakewell. With the goal to increase tourism, activities of development would encompass increased infrastructure and built environment. Construction and design standards should adhere to prescribed regulations if not better to ensure that current and future generations would not be adversely affected. Under an increased tourism, demand for natural resources from water, food, energy, housing, recreational services, among others (Christofakis, 2010). A sustainable Bakewell would man a balanced ecosystem where output of natural resources surpasses the needs and pressure from the population (Christofakis, 2010). Increased tourism leads to increased demand and pressure on the natural resources which may lead to exploitation or exhaustion (Christofakis, 2010). Bakewell is visited annually by about two million tourists (National Park Authority, undated). By increasing its attraction to lure more tourists, there will be more activities to be undertaken by the locals and at the same time, to be contributed by tourists. Most tourists visit for a day browsing shops, walking by the river, admiring old buildings and the church, eat and drink. Peak days are Sundays and Mondays. Tourism-related activities include accommodations, hotels, B&B establishments, cafes and restaurants, pubs and hotels, and activities at the National Park (National Park Authority, undated). Tourism issues are anticipated through sustainable economic development. The policy towards Bakewell is to promote a strong, stable and productive economy that brings jobs and prosperity for all (PPT lecture, local plan policy). The objective of the government is to raise quality of life and the environment with rural areas that thrive and are inclusive but distinct communities that benefit all (PPT lecture, local plan policy). PPS7 ensures “social inclusion, recognising the needs of everyone; effective protection and enhancement of the environment; prudent use of natural resources; maintaining high and stable levels of economic growth and employment,” (PPT lecture, local plan policy, p 14). Aside from tourism, it should also be noted that Bakewell is an agricultural town so that there should be maintained a diverse and sustainable farming enterprise as already addressed by the ABS+C and affiliate programs and developments, countryside-based activities, as well as conservation (PPT lecture, local plan policy). Conclusion and Recommendation In consideration of the natural, cultural, and historical environment of Bakewell, it can be said that the town is on a forward march towards progress and development. Local, regional and national policies cover much of the needed framework to come up with a sustainable regeneration program that will ensure inclusive developments. However, the focus of regeneration should be three-fold: the environment, agriculture, and tourism. All three should be carefully incorporated in the regeneration policy in order to embrace the major components of Bakewell. The environment should include the natural, historical, as well as the built environments. These become the resources of the place whereas its economic activities: agriculture and tourism, adhere to the meaningful achievement of sustainable growth. Reference: Bakewell Marketing (pdf-sent) Local Planning Policy Workshop September 26 (ppt sent) Local Planning Policy Peak District (ppt sent) Local Planning Policy October 31 )ppt sent) Christofakis, M. 2010. Strategic Options for Tourism Impacts on Local Sustainability: A Conceptual Approach. Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit 25: 586 National Park Authority. (undated) Fact Sheet 9. Peak District. Redmond, D. and Russell, P. 2008. Social Housing Regeneration and the Creation of Sustainable Communities in Dublin. Local Economy 23:168 Appendix: The Parish of Bakewell Read More