Cultural Infrastructure
Culture is an integral part of place-shaping and is a key spatial priority for the local plan. It plays a crucial role in creating unique and vibrant places and communities. Culture informs the distinct character of a place; it reinforces a sense of belonging and community identity whilst strengthening community cohesion.
Planning for culture is an important part of supporting and creating healthy, vibrant and diverse places. It supports the health and well-being of communities and contributes to the vitality of local centres, bringing social and economic benefits. It also contributes to social and cultural wellbeing, which forms one of the three core objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
The physical places where culture is produced and consumed are known as Cultural Infrastructure. These places allow people to view, participate in and enjoy culture. Cultural Infrastructure includes community and heritage assets, open spaces and the public realm. It ranges from public squares, theatres, museums, libraries and creative workspaces to mixed use venues, such as community facilities, school halls and public houses. Cultural activity is also facilitated by other uses that contribute to creating a sense of place or support access to Cultural Infrastructure.
Planning Policy plays an important role in protecting, maintaining and enhancing existing Cultural Infrastructure, as well as encouraging the provision of new Cultural Infrastructure and enabling better access to existing cultural facilities. This is particularly important in areas of significant growth and development.
Key relevant existing policies for B&NES include, but are not limited to:
- RA3: Community Facilities and Shops
- LCR1: Safeguarding Local Community Facilities
- LCR2: New or Replacement Community Facilities
Other relevant policies include:
- LCR1a: Public Houses
- LCR5: Safeguarding Sport and Recreational Facilities
- LCR6: New and Replacement Sport and Recreational Facilities
- D10: Public Realm
- CP12: Centres and Retail
Policy CP12 recognises the important role of culture in town and local centres. Policy LCR2 and CP12 support new or replacement community facilities that are accessible by sustainable transport modes and located in or in close proximity to such centres. Policy RA3 encourages community facilities in rural areas and LCR1 protects land or buildings valued as community facilities. There are also certain areas in the district which act as a greater focus for cultural activity e.g. central Bath and the place-based chapters identify opportunities to enhance this role.
In the previous Options Document Consultation (Spring 2024), the council consulted on the option to combine Policy RA3 with Policy LCR2 to create one policy relating to the provision of new community facilities and to expand the wording of the policy to explicitly include cultural and social facilities.
There is scope to further amend adopted policies to better safeguard and encourage Cultural Infrastructure and activity. A review of existing adopted policies is underway to ensure culture is better integrated into the local plan. This review will inform the approach of the Draft Local Plan. Key areas of focus include: Meanwhile and Temporary Uses, Town and City Centre Cultural Facilities, Cultural Quarters, Cultural Provision as Part of New Developments, Affordable, Flexible and Managed Workspace.
Cultural Infrastructure – Proposed Policies to be Amended in the Draft Local Plan
| No | Current Policy | Proposal |
| 1 | Policy CP12 | Viability considerations (to be tested). |
| 2 | Policy D10 | Amend the policy wording to better acknowledge the importance of culture in the public realm. |
| 3 | Policy LCR1 | Amend the policy text to explicitly reference safeguarding Cultural Infrastructure. For example, “Any community facility or public space that makes a positive contribution to the social or cultural life of a community should be retained unless suitable alternative provision is made”. |
In preparing the Draft Local Plan, policy wording relating to these amendments will be drafted and proposed. As an alternative to amending the adopted policies referenced above we could seek to prepare separate new policies specifically relating to Cultural Infrastructure and activity. Your comments on the above approaches are welcomed.
In addition to this, we will consider opportunities to incorporate new Cultural Infrastructure in Place Based Strategies and associated Site Allocation Policies in the Draft Local Plan.