7        Planning Strategy                                                                   120

7.1     Planning Strategy                                                                   120

7.2     Summary of Key Issues                                                             121

7.3     Spatial Strategy                                                                     129

7.4     Policies and Proposals                                                               137

7.5     Summary                                                                             145

8        Chaguanas Town Centre                                                      148

8.1     Introduction                                                                           148

8.2     Problems and Issues                                                                 150

8.3     Policies and Proposals                                                               151

8.4     Summary                                                                             181

8.5     Environmental Appraisal                                                          183

9        The Way Forward                                                                    190

9.1     Public Consultation – Local Area Plans                                       190

9.2     Implementation Mechanisms                                                       191

10      Action Areas                                                                            198

10.1         Definition                                                                        198

 

Part Three

 

7      Planning Strategy

1.1                                                          Planning Strategy

1.1.1                                                     Planning Context

Previous plans for the Caroni Region and Chaguanas area have identified the following aims and strategies:

·         The region is seen as an economic growth pole providing development opportunities and attracting growth for over-heated areas in Greater Port of Spain and the east-west corridor.

·         The area is seen as being attractive for large-scale industrial enterprises, related to its strategic location, a high level of Highway accessibility and proximity to the petro-chemical complex and port at Couva/ Point Lisas and Piarco International airport.

Within the Caroni Region, Couva is identified as the major growth pole.  The Couva Land Use Plan prepared in 1999, deals with this area and the main proposals are summarised below:

·         Provision of 16,500 new housing units, including a new centre (to the east of Couva): a large element of housing to be suitable for low-income groups.

·         Just over 700 ha of land is allocated for industrial uses.  This includes 630 ha for heavy industrial uses, with some 260 ha on reclaimed land.  There is an allocation of 75 ha for light industry.

·         Change of use of 1200 ha of agricultural/ (sugar) land, as the development proposals are realised. 

·         Provision both for the retraining of displaced agricultural workers and for the allocation of lands for smallholder farming.

During the preparation of the NCDP and Local Concept Plan and current studies for Chaguanas, the broad planning strategy for the remainder of the Caroni Region (other than Couva) has been refined. The strategy for Chaguanas aims:

·         to allocate housing land to satisfy the balance of regional demand outside Couva, subject to environmental considerations;

·         to better manage urban growth around Chaguanas;

·         to provide for national and regional demand for land extensive industrial uses, particularly in trade, warehousing and distribution; and

·         to sustain the agricultural sector and the integrity of better quality agricultural land.

1.2                                                          Summary of Key Issues

1.2.1                                                     Residential

The current Study Area population is estimated to be in the order of 91,000. The three major concentrations of population are:

·         Longdenville (Centre and East) with 11,500 people (15%);

·         The North East sector (Cunupia, Mon Plaisir, Bejucal) with 12,500 (16%); and

·         Chaguanas town including the residential areas of Lange Park, Montrose, Edinburgh 500 with just over 19,000 people (24% of the Study Area population).

All settlements now contain a substantial proportion of residents who work in the Capital Region or are relative newcomers.  Ribbon development occurs along most roads, in many cases however the development is not continuous.  Concentrated, non-ribbon development occurs in few locations apart from Cunupia, Chaguanas and between Southern Main Road and Caparo Valley Road.

Growth has occurred in three main ways:

·         through the development of planned housing estates, e.g. Lange Park, Edinburgh;

·         through he extension and subdivision of existing buildings and lots; and

·         through the construction of new buildings on existing plots and infilling, i.e. the construction of single dwellings on previously vacant plots.

1.2.2                                                     Agriculture

Chaguanas is emerging from a rural to an urban-based economy and form of development.  Nearly 75% of total land area (approximately 8230 ha according to the consultant’s estimates) is still under agricultural cultivation, with 85% of land west of the Uriah Butler/Solomon Hochoy Highway used for sugarcane.

Despite the large amount of land used for agriculture, employment in the sector has declined. Activity is predicted to continue to move towards higher value agricultural production (market gardens, vegetables and agro-processing industries).  Future production may also result in increased employment generation and demand for the protection of prime agricultural land.

The proposed Planning Strategy for the Chaguanas Area, which builds on previous plans and proposals, is discussed below.

 

 

1.2.3                                                     Trade and Distribution

There has been an increase in trade and distribution activities and the development of manufacturing and retailing activities is expected to expand over the next 20-year period.  The location of retail and distribution centres along the Highway is a more recent trend.  Demand for other developments is already being experienced and is predicted to increase, given the locational benefits of such sites relative to the national/ regional road network; and the Point Lisas/Couva industrial area and port facilities. 

Expansion of activities such as distribution and light manufacturing require sites which are:

·         highly accessible and well located to the highway network;

·         capable of being serviced by infrastructure (electricity, natural gas, water, drainage and sewerage);

·         close to materials/ supply sources;

·         close to appropriately skilled labour supply; and

·         well linked to public transport networks.

1.2.4                                                     Commerce and Retailing

The Chaguanas area is also experiencing strong commercial growth in the formal and informal sectors. A new market in Chaguanas town centre will open shortly to assist in catering for a thriving informal retail sector. Developments along the Highway such as Pricesmart and Food Basket indicate a healthy formal retail sector capable of benefiting from the adjoining Capital Region’s retail spending income.

The Study Area is gaining a reputation as a retail hub for Trinidad and land use demands associated with employment growth in the commercial and retail sectors are key issues to be addressed. Gaining a balance between town centre and out of centre retail development is vital to ensure sustained economic prosperity in Chaguanas.

1.2.5                                                     Mining and Forestry

Mining activities in the area, particularly in Longdenville, are predicted to expand and industries using sand, gravel and clay products are also expected to place demands on the allocation of land. New leases for 100 acres of land are currently being negotiated which will provide around 40 years supply of raw materials for clay-manufactured products.  Forestry, also an employment generator in the Longdenville area will require the conservation and enhancement of forestry reserves. 

Key trends, problems and related land use planning issues are summarised in Table 7.1 below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 7.1 Summary of Key Trends, Problems and Issues

Key Issue

Related Issues

Focus for Solutions

Changing role of Chaguanas Local Area from a rural to an urban-based economy

·         Need to re-evaluate a vision for Chaguanas and prioritise land uses accordingly.

·         Land use planning policies lagging behind demand for employment land– still protecting land for agriculture and restricting new urban forms of development.

·         Key locations along transport corridors under pressure for redevelopment to employment uses  - need for co-ordination of policies promoting development in appropriate locations.

·         Fragmented plots of land used for agriculture and their limited viability to support crop production – more suited to urban development.

·         Gaining a balance between agricultural land and developable land.

·         Providing employment opportunities for those employed or formerly employed in the sugar industry.

 

 

 

 

·         Efficient provision of infrastructure to support urban development (water, sewerage, drainage, roads, electricity and telecommunications)

·         Ensure efficient land use allocation to facilitate urban development such that employment uses are appropriately located to take advantage of transport and infrastructure networks.

Development of light manufacturing, warehouse and distribution centres on Highway and adjacent collector distributor roads

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·         Chaguanas is well suited to support employment uses reliant on good transport networks.

·         Vacant land on Uriah Butler/Solomon Hochoy Highway suited to employment uses is currently allocated for agricultural or residential use. Some land allocated for industrial use along the Highway within Chaguanas Local Plan, but section north of town centre on western side of the highway is allocated for residential – it is currently vacant.

 

 

·         Junctions on Highway under pressure from adjacent developments – additional development likely to exacerbate traffic congestion/ delays. Link between road improvements and employment uses required.

·         Need for controlled/ limited access to Highway.  

·         Co-ordinating employment land allocation with transport and network improvements.

 

 

 

 

Pressure for retail and commercial uses along Highway

·         Demand for and planning permission given for retail uses on Highway. Need to differentiate between retail uses associated with bulky goods retailing and those retailing activities better located in the town centre.

·         Some pressure for commercial uses including offices along Highway. Could be accommodated near town centre (to the north).

·         Need for the identification of land for retail and commercial uses around and within town centre to accommodate expansion.     

·         Ensure that the vitality and viability of the town centre is maintained and that additional retail floorspace reinforces the retail hierarchy for Chaguanas.

·         Restrict bulky goods retailing to sites.

·         Provide for commercial activities close to the town centre and well located to transport networks.

Ribbon development of Mixed-Use and home industries 

·         Historic development of small industries, commercial establishments along key roads notably Southern Main Road and Caparo Valley Road/ Brasso Road is affecting traffic movements through urban areas.

 

·         Policies for control of parking and access required to reduce impact of home industries.

 

·         Need link to environmental policies to control noise, dust, and fumes from some small-scale industries close to or within residential areas.

·         Strengthening criteria for assessing applications for home industries and planning conditions attached to consents for home industries.

 

 

·         Clarify the role and location of sub-regional and local centres for retail and commercial development.

·         Control commercial development (restrict to certain locations) on designated distributor roads. 

Rationalisation of land zoned for agricultural use

·         Protection of higher quality agricultural land and release of less fertile land for other uses

·         Protection of irrigated lands north of Felicity

·         Rural lands have an important role in consolidating urban areas, controlling ribbon development and protecting existing viable agricultural holdings. Any rationalisation of agricultural lands should acknowledge role of agricultural uses acting as a “green belt” around urban development.

·         Retaining better quality agricultural land in rural use

Continued decline of sugar industry and diversification of employment base

·         Need for other agricultural activities and growth of industries associated with processing of produce

·         Protection of fertile agricultural land and land on longer term lease (currently in agricultural production)

·         Encouragement of other employment activities within Local Area

·         Clear designation of land for rural uses and provision of employment land away from good quality agricultural land

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enabling mining industry to expand without degradation of the environment

·         Former clay mining leases not reforested, rehabilitated/ sterilising future use of land

·         Possibility of using clay pits for recreational purposes or for aquaculture uses conflicting with need to use land to support clay manufacturing activities

Strengthen environmental management policies regarding land remediation for new mining leases

Providing land near existing clay manufacturing industries to enable expansion of industry.

Potential employment uses to support population growth and emerging sub-regional role of Chaguanas

·         Potential for growth in entertainment facilities and need to locate facilities close to transport links

·         Development of the Piarco International Airport and spin off industries related to freight handling and servicing but need better access to link airport and urban areas within Chaguanas Local Area.

·         Eco-tourism opportunities given mangroves along coastal strip and proximity to Caroni Swamp and bird sanctuary. 

Need to address wider employment opportunities over the 20-year plan timeframe.

 

1.3                                                          Spatial Strategy

1.3.1                                                     Master Plan Objectives

In responding to the key issues identified above, the main objectives of this Draft Master Plan for Chaguanas are considered to be:

·         to develop Chaguanas Town Centre as a vibrant and viable location capable of satisfying the majority of the commercial, social, leisure and administrative functions of the Study Area;

·         to provide for the projected future demand for housing and employment uses in the Study Area, including these satisfying national and regional demands;

·         to provide for an appropriate level of supporting uses, e.g. social and community facilities;

·         to consolidate development and restrict urban sprawl so as to facilitate the efficient provision of infrastructure and services, and create an efficient transport network;

·         to prevent the further fragmentation of land currently in agriculture, in order to conserve and enhance the longer term sustainability of this sector; and

·         to minimise significant adverse environmental impacts, particularly on wetlands (coastal, swamp) and forested areas, and further degradation of the urban environment.

1.3.2                                                     Spatial Considerations

In formulating a spatial strategy for the Study Area, the following considerations are pertinent:

·         there is a considerable amount of land currently in agricultural use, which could be released for housing and other uses;

·         The analysis of land use in the Study Area in terms of suitability for agriculture indicates relatively little variation in soil potential: a greater proportion of the land to the west of the highway is slightly superior (Class III as opposed to Class IV), whilst much of the land at Carlsen Field to the east is of lower potential (Class V).

The majority of new land requirements will be for residential use.  The principles used to allocate this land will thus strongly influence the overall planning strategy for the Study Area.  In this context, a key issue is whether or not land to the west of the highway should be allocated for residential development.

A secondary issue is if land to the west of the highway is to be used, how much land should be so allocated, and how should sites be used.

Other influences on the spatial strategy relate both to environmental factors and the need for integrated and comprehensive planning for key areas. These include:

·         The conservation of the Caroni Swamp and maintenance/ reinforcement of the National Park designation’s policies and objectives;

·         The long-term sustainability of the Longdenville Forest Reserve, in relation to future planned and committed mineral extraction activities;

·         The reservation of land and regulation of development in areas subject to flood protection, drainage and irrigation schemes, in the north and south of the Study Area; and

·         The requirement for comprehensive investment and infrastructure planning of strategically-important site, e.g. Carlsen Field.

1.3.3                                                     Residential Land Requirements

As a principal determinant in the future planning strategy for the Chaguanas area, residential land requirements are a key consideration.  Current policy embodied in the existing (1991) TCPD plan and re-affirmed by the Concept Plan prepared in 1999, is for all major new residential development to occur east of the highway.  The main reasons identified were:

·         there is more than enough land to the east to cater for foreseeable residential demand.

·         there are substantial, partly-developed areas to the east which should be densified in order to achieve the associated policies of optimising infrastructure provision, whilst containing sprawl and ribbon development.

·         the area to the west provides the best potential for the maintenance of a large tract of productive agricultural land, whether this land remains in sugar cane production, or to agro-based enterprises,  or is transferred to small-holders.

·         Caroni (1975) Limited’s objectives for re-developing their land could be satisfied through the re-use of their holdings to the east of the highway.

There are however grounds for allowing some development to the west of the highway:

·         Whilst Chaguanas town centre is sited west of the highway almost all the residential hinterland lies to the east.  Future development to the west would give the centre a more central and hence wider accessible location and facilitate movements between it and its hinterland

·         Proposals exist for development to the west.  Planning policies should seek to accommodate private sector development initiatives wherever possible, subject to current policies and regulations.

·         Limited development to the west will not preclude future use of the majority of this area for agriculture, though it is considered desirable in this context to consolidate Felicity as a self-sustaining sub-regional centre.

·         Restraining some future development in the east will enable remaining large tracts of agricultural land there to remain viable and reduce the potential for sprawl.

·         Development to the west will reinforce the development of a more efficient and balanced transportation system facilitated by the proposed Outer Ring Road which will re-distribute traffic demand on both sides of the Highway.

 

 

These latter reasons, and particular that related to the centrality of the town centre, are considered sufficiently compelling to justify a re-orientation of the previous strategy to accommodate the development of some areas to the west and northwest of the highway. The main determining factors in the spatial location of this development will be current commitments and proposals, and proposals for the upgrading of the future highway network.  In summary, whilst the majority of new residential development will continue to be located to the east, consolidation and some new growth is proposed to the west/north-west.

Land use appraisal undertaken within the Local Area Concept Plan for Chaguanas indicated that around 1520 hectares of land provided opportunities for development. Of this land around 400 hectares was identified as offering opportunities for employment uses, mainly industrial, commercial or mixed-use development.

Land potentially available for employment uses is not necessarily an issue within the Chaguanas Local Area – rather phasing, and ensuring land released for employment uses is co-ordinated with transport, housing releases and infrastructure is more important.

The consultants estimate that around 170 hectares of employment land will be required over the next 20-year period to service local employment growth.  However, discussions with current operators, Chamber of Commerce representatives, property advisors and policy makers indicate that demand for employment land within the Chaguanas Area will also come from regional needs. In this context, land is expected to be required to enable the development of the warehouse/distribution, bulky goods retailing and light manufacturing uses to serve regional/ national needs. 

In addressing national and regional employment growth the Chaguanas Local Area is identified as providing development opportunities that:

·         take advantage of the north/south urban corridor which links San Fernando to the East-West corridor of Arima and Greater Port of Spain;

·         accommodate growth from more overheated regions of St George and Greater Port of Spain/ the Capital Region;

·         maintain but diversify agricultural uses protecting higher quality agricultural land;

·         support heavy industries in Couva/Point Lisas by providing a complementary role as a centre for distribution and light manufacturing; and

·         complement the role of the town centre in Chaguanas as providing one of the most important retail centres in Trinidad.

Of the 400 hectares of land with potential for employment use, the opportunity sites included:

·         Chaguanas Town Centre – 10 ha on land adjoining the Solomon Hochoy Highway;

·         Caroni Savannah Road – 10 ha for commercial and industrial use close to the existing CBD;

·         Munroe Road South – 250 ha for predominantly residential development and ancillary commercial; and

·         Carlsen Field – 600 ha for mainly industrial and some residential uses on the former US airfield under a comprehensive and long-term development programme.

It is considered that identifying around 300 ha of land will be necessary within this Plan to accommodate future total (local and regional) employment needs. This amount can accommodate the 172 ha identified to serve local needs and provide additional land for regional needs.

 

In any employment property market, land supply must accommodate for time lags in properties coming onto the market, allow for some choice in location, and to provide a range of site sizes to serve varying employment/business needs.

Since preparing the Concept Plan further information has been obtained on planning permissions and planning applications within the Study Area, which has enabled a refinement of employment sites identified in the Plan to be undertaken.  Discussions have been held with key land owners and property advisors and a more detailed study has been undertaken of the Chaguanas Town Centre (later in this report).  Proposals for transport improvements in the Study Area have also influenced the balance of development west and east of the Highway.

To relieve traffic congestion in and around the town centre and on the Highway and to provide for improved links between the east and west, an Outer Ring Road is proposed.  It is expected that this will also assist in consolidating development around Chaguanas town particularly to the west of the Highway which, to date, has been left largely undeveloped, mainly on account of current agricultural restrictions on release of land.

Carlsen Field

Carlsen Field is a very large site (c. 9 sq. km.), much of which is under state ownership and as a consequence offers the potential for comprehensive development. Current issues influencing its development include variable soil and land quality, aquifer and flood control requirements, settlement/ rehousing schemes, existing ad hoc farming, agricultural and industrial uses; and the need for major infrastructure/ servicing and upgrading. Further considerations relate to current Caroni (1975) Limited  policy to promote residential and non-residential development on their own landholdings.  Given the need to resolve these issues, it is considered that the development of Carlsen Field should be a longer, rather than a shorter term objective.

 

Notwithstanding the above, the site at Carlsen Field offers special attraction for transportation and land-extensive-linked areas.  The size and strategically excellent location of Carlsen Field adjacent to the national highway system, is such that future development should be planned in a comprehensive and integrated manner which can accommodate a wide range of industrial, employment, residential and community uses.  The latter should include facilities serving a far wider catchment than the Chaguanas sub-region, and could appeal to regional and national demand.

The potential for a National Technology Park to be developed in phases should be explored. Activities could include:

·         Higher tech building products, linked to the mineral extraction/ quarrying activities and existing light industries in the Longdenville area;

·         Pottery and ceramics industries and crafts linked to Agostini/ Chase Village;

·         Employment activities and opportunities in South east Trinidad; and

·         Upstream and downstream building construction materials and petro-chemical supplies and products linked to and complimenting the Couva/ Point Lisas port and heavy industrial development.

It is therefore recommended that a Special Development Area be designated for Carlsen Field and an Action Area Plan be prepared when development pressures increase, more specific land uses have been identified, and land tenure issues have been resolved.  The private sector should be encouraged to participate in this process.

For the purpose of this Interim Study, the essential aim is to identify and plan for strategic long-term transportation and infrastructure requirements.  A related aim is to ensure that the site’s eventual development will not be constrained by other proposals contained in the Local Area Plan or which are currently being brought forward in an ad hoc fashion for approval.

In this connection it is recognised that improved highway linkages from the Solomon Hochoy (national) Highway and the proposed Chaguanas Outer Ring Road will be necessary.  Interchange upgrading at Chase Village, and new links from the Outer Ring Road from the northwest (to Chaguanas Town Centre) and from the northeast  providing for improved access (to the Caparo Brasso Road southeast) are proposed (See Draft Master Plan).

1.4                                                          Policies and Proposals

1.4.1                                                     Housing

(a)                  Policies

The general policies related to housing which have been adopted for the future planning of the Chaguanas area are:

·         The plan should allocate around 600 hectares of land, over and above existing commitments, for residential development over the next 20 years.  This allocation is considered to be sufficient to cater for the projected housing demand in the Plan Period from both the currently resident population and future incomers.

·         Provision should be made so as to enable the demand for housing from all groups of the population to be satisfied.

·         Housing allocations should be closely related to the proposed strategy for development consolidation and improved accessibility, which focuses on highway improvements, and in particular, the proposed Outer Ring Road.

·         Housing allocations should be made for land which does not give rise to undue problems related to infrastructure provision, does not threaten the viability of agricultural use in the wider area, does not conflict with other land use proposals, and does not lead to significant adverse environmental impacts.

·         Housing allocations should involve both the development of comprehensive new housing areas and the consolidation through infilling of existing partly developed areas.

·         The densification of existing built-up areas should be encouraged in order to create a more compact and consolidated development pattern and reduce urban sprawl.

·         Existing squatting areas should be regularised and upgraded.

(b)                 Proposals

Based on the above, proposals have been formulated for four generic housing development types.

(i)                  Large New Housing Areas in Single Ownership

The development of these sites should be on a planned comprehensive basis.  They should include a mix of plot sizes and/or a mix of houses for sale and plots for development by individuals, e.g. low-income household on an incremental basis. Appropriate community facilities should be included. Sites should be advertised/offered to developers/owners although some should be developed as serviced plots for low-income families by the Government.

The land to the west of the highway is almost entirely owned by Caroni (1975) and is currently used for sugar production.  Caroni also owns land to the east but the overall pattern is more fragmented by built-up areas and smaller private plots. It is therefore considered that Caroni land will provide the majority of these large sites. 

(ii)                 Major Infill Areas in Multiple Ownership, where no more than a small proportion of land is currently developed

 The development of these areas will complement the development of the ‘planned’ housing areas.  Development will be incremental and is anticipated to provide a wide range of housing, include rentals and low income dwellings.  Proposed allocations have been selected on the basis of location with respect to the current and proposed transport system and the need to retain sizeable holdings of agricultural land. 

 

Development in these areas will be promoted by the formulation of more flexible standards and guidelines for the development of backlots, the construction of rear service roads and the investigation of alternative implementation mechanisms. These guidelines should take account of both current TCPD standards and current practice in terms of plot size and densities.

(iii)               Existing Residential Areas, where the majority of land is already developed:

These areas essentially cover all existing residential areas where the majority of land is already developed and access to the existing road network is feasible.  Their densification will be promoted by the formulation of more flexible guidelines to permit extensions, rebuilding and the construction of additional buildings on plot, i.e. as for the major infill areas.

Squatting communities should be regularised in situ, in line with current L.S.A. practices.  Relocation should only be countenanced in the following circumstances:

·         the house is located in an environmentally unacceptable location;

·         the land is required for another use which cannot be located elsewhere;

·         the land is required to provide adequate circulation/ servicing for the overall resettlement scheme; and

·         where an acceptable relocation site is available and affordable/ viable.

Based on the above, proposals have been formulated for new housing land allocations as shown on the Draft Master Plan and detailed in Table 7.1.  Proposals provide for over 600 hectares of new housing land and the construction of around 10,000 new housing units.  This exceeds the projected demand but is considered reasonable given that not all allocated sites will become available.

Densities are considered to be conservative and additional units could almost certainly be accommodated. It should be noted that both the target groups and densities assumed are indicative and will eventually be decided by market conditions.  Low-income housing is proposed to be provided in the major infill areas and on state land. The Carlsen Field allocation is seen as a longer-term solution, which will depend on the preparation of a comprehensive plan for this Special Development Area (see below).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 7.1 Housing Land Proposals

No

Location

Type

Land Type

Target Group

Area (has)

Units/ ha

No. units

Comments

1

Egypt Village

Planned

Caroni / private

High/mid

24

10

240

Inside proposed ring road

2

Cunberbatch

Planned

Caroni

High/mid

80

10

800

Inside proposed ring road; provides housing within easy reach of town centre

3

Caroni Savannah Road

Planned

Caroni

High/mid

75

10

750

Continuation of current commitment to south

4

Jerningham Junction

Planned

Caroni

High/mid

50

10

500

Major infill area

5

S. of Caparo Brasso Road, Longdenville

Planned

Infill

Mid/low

16

15

240

Inside proposed ring road; consolidates area to West of Penco development

No

Location

Type

Land Type

Target Group

Area (has)

Units/ ha

No. units

Comments

6

Cunupia (east)

Planned

Private

Mid/low

20

15

300

Eastward extension of Cunupia

7

Bejucal/ Munroe Road (west)

Infill

Private

Low mid

140

18

2520

Areas of substantial development pressure; satisfies objective of consolidation

8

Jerningham Road

Infill

Private

Low mid

30

18

540

9

Ragoonanan Road

Infill

Private

Low mid

40

18

720

10

Felicity

Infill

Private

Low mid

40

18

720

To accommodate natural growth

11

Cunupia (south west)

Planned

State

Low

50

22

1100

State land provides opportunity for low income housing

12

Carlsen Field

Planned

State

Low

60

22

1320

Longer term development;

 

TOTAL

 

 

 

630

 

9860

 

 

Source: Consultants’ Estimates.

 

The above allocations are proposed to satisfy the overall spatial strategy policies of development consolidation and the maintenance of viable tracts of agricultural land. 

It is anticipated that the proposed Caroni and larger private sites will become available as and when market demand ‘requires’ and subject to the feasible provision of infrastructure. 

Conversely, the development of the infill areas in fragmented ownership are likely to require some pro-active measures, e.g. relating to the provision of rear access roads (using traces where possible), other servicing, the development of more flexible development guidelines and the promotion of the above amongst existing owners and residents.

1.4.2                                                     Employment and Economic Activity

(a)                  Policies

The key strategies and policies are proposed as follows:

·         to rezone land identified above and currently in other uses, to employment (warehouse/distribution/light industry) or commercial use;

·         consider planning gain/ developer contribution mechanisms to fund the improvements to the Highway and access road network; such mechanisms should be applied consistently to all private sector development within the designated employment zones;

·         enforce development control mechanisms which restrict/ negate direct access to the national Highway;

·         restrict significant retail developments to sites within the Chaguanas town centre to ensure an area-wide retail hierarchy of regional, sub-regional and local centres is maintained;

·         review and in appropriate cases relax development control mechanisms, which unduly restrict the development of retail premises by over-prescriptive floorspace ratios, plot coverage and onsite parking controls.

·         allow bulky goods retailing in some out-of-centre employment zones but ensure that they will not adversely affect the vitality and viability of the town centre;

·         continue the current policy of allowing small (single plot) non-residential development along main roads in sub-regional and local centres but ensure that off-street parking and traffic movements do not impede the flow of traffic on distributor roads;

·         continue to protect large areas of better quality agricultural land from redevelopment and sub-division to ensure agricultural uses can be retained and economically sustained; and

·         ensure that mining uses are environmentally sustainable to safeguard future uses by addressing the remediation of land following mining extraction during the approvals process.

In reviewing employment land availability six major sites are considered to offer potential for development. These sites are outlined below (and cross-referenced on the Draft Master Plan Proposals Plan):

·         Caroni Savannah Road (Area A) – Some 40 hectares have been identified in the Chaguanas Land Use Plan for industrial development, around 50% of which has already been developed.

It is proposed to expand this area to 100 hectares (an additional 60 ha) given that the area has good access to the Highway, links with the proposed Outer Ring Road, has flat land used for agricultural purposes but which has not been identified as the most fertile land.  This site would enable additional employment opportunities to be provided to the west of the Highway and complement residential development around the sub-regional centre proposed at Felicity.  The location would be more suited to warehouse/distribution and light industrial uses. 

·         Chaguanas Town Centre North (Area B) – a strip of land to the west of the Highway and north of the Town Centre is currently zoned for residential development. Being located on the Highway, linked to the town centre and with access to the Mulchan Seuchan Road, the area is under pressure and has been partly developed for commercial uses (office and larger goods retailing).            The area is ideally located to provide for commercial development (offices, entertainment, restaurant, hotel) as it would complement the town centre retail functions, be close to existing public transport networks, link the twin towers office development to the north of the site with the centre and have exposure but not direct access to the Highway. The area contains 6 hectares.

·         Chaguanas North East (Area C) – this site located on the eastern side of the Highway corridor contains around 120 hectares of land some with highway frontage. In addition to access to the Highway via the Endeavour interchange, the area includes some cane farming smallholdings, which may not be of a sufficient size to be viable in future.  Land in a strip along the Highway is already committed for development (educational and commercial). The proposed Outer Ring Road would pass through this large site thus enabling the land adjacent to the highway strip to be opened up for development. The site would suit a range of uses particularly warehousing and distribution. Of the 120 hectares within this site 20 hectares is already committed or has been developed, leaving 100 hectares for future development.

 

·         Longdenville (Area D) – the Chaguanas Local Area Concept Plan has identified an area of 225 hectares for residential development. A small proportion of this land (10 hectares) should be reserved for employment uses – mostly service and light industrial to provide opportunities for the local residential population.  A tile manufacturing plant is being constructed and will be operational by April 2001. 

·         Munroe Road North and South (Area E) – the Chaguanas Local Area Concept Plan identified around 140 hectares of land for residential development. Some land particularly to the north of Munroe Road would be suited to warehouse/ distribution uses given its proximity to the national Highway and the existence of a highway interchange at Munroe Road.  Around 30 hectares could be allocated to employment rather than residential uses.

·         Carlsen Field (Area F)– around 600 hectares of land is available for longer-term employment and residential uses. Initially 100 hectares of land should be allocated for employment purposes and the feasibility of a National Building Products/ Light Industry Technology Business Park should be established to complement the heavy industrial developments at Couva/ Point Lisas.  Close proximity to the Highway with improved access to a Highway intersection and proposed Outer Ring Road/ Chase Village distributor road connections is a major locational advantage to this strategically important large site.

In total the above sites would offer around 306 hectares of land for employment purposes. 

1.4.3                                                     Chaguanas Town Centre

Policies and Proposals for Chaguanas town centre are described in Section 8 following.

1.5                                                          Summary

The Chaguanas Local Area is experiencing growth both with regard to population and households generating a demand for employment land.  Population is forecast to increase from 91,000 in 2000 to 126,000 by 2020.

Employment is expected to increase from 35,000 jobs in 2000 to 55,000 jobs over the same period, an increase of 20,000 in the Study Area.

The role of Chaguanas as a commuter area for the Capital Region will continue but in future is likely to decline in relative importance as its locational advantages stimulate expansion of other local and regional demands.

Analysis of population, employment and migration trends indicates that around 630 hectares of housing land and 300 hectares of employment land would be required over the next 20-year period.

Because of the strategic location of the Study Area and direct access to the national Highway network, demand for employment land has reflected both local as well as regional needs.

Discussions with TCPD, the Chaguanas Chamber of Commerce, property advisors and a review of planning applications over the past 5 year period has indicated that demand for warehouse/distribution and light industrial land has exceeded supply of appropriately zoned land.

The housing and employment sites identified have a number of key characteristics including:  

·         good accessibility to the existing national/ regional/ and local highway networks;

·         good linkages to the proposed Outer Ring Road and distributor road network;

·         thorough planned urban growth consolidation, benefitting from more efficient provision of infrastructure (particularly water, drainage and sewerage);

·         proximity to sources of materials particularly for manufacturing industries associated with mining activities and building products;

·         well linked to public transport networks (for commercial zoned land); and

·         availability of a large pool of appropriately skilled labour.

Although many of the sites identified as being potentially developable are zoned for agricultural use, discussions with Caroni (1975) Limited indicate some releases will be consistent with their current policies.  TCPD will need to be advised of these proposals, and during the process of Plan refinement and updating, modifications to this policy by way of change of use variation can be effected, following thorough consultation with key stakeholders.

At present Caroni (1975) Limited proposes to release specific areas of non-viable and less fertile agricultural land to employment use. Retention of higher quality agricultural lands is also proposed to enable employment to be retained in agricultural industries even if, over the next 20-year period, sugar further declines in market value.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8      Chaguanas Town Centre

a.       Introduction

Chaguanas Town is the original core of urban settlement of Chaguanas and is the most important sub-regional centre in the Caroni Region, having a wide sphere of influence on several smaller settlements. The Chaguanas town centre now functions as the Central Business District for the growing conurbation and surrounding communities. It is particularly noted for its vibrant town centre, with "bazaar like" shopping, large market and thriving informal retail sector.

Text Box: The importance of Chaguanas town centre and the potential for growth has been noted in a number of previous studies and plans: the draft Caroni Region Plan 1975; National Physical Development Plan 1984; Chaguanas Land Use Plan 1991; A Vision for the New Chaguanas 1997-1998; National Development Concept Plan 1999; Scoping Study: Chaguanas/Cunupia Local Area Plan 1999; and Chaguanas and Cunupia Local Area Concept Plan 1999. The Chaguanas Borough Council; the Chamber of Commerce; and the Town and Country Planning Division have also been consulted.

Notwithstanding the changes which have occurred during the last 20 years, including the development of modern shopping malls, improved transport infrastructure and the provision of social and recreational facilities, there remains a need and considerable scope for further development.

In addition, the town centre has a key role to play in achieving sustainable development by virtue of its location at the hub of the public transport network, combined with its community, commercial and economic functions.

Chaguanas Town Centre is therefore identified as a Special Development Area requiring the preparation of an Action Area Plan that reflects its place at the heart of the Local Area Plan strategy. The purpose of this section of the report is to provide the basis for the preparation of a formal Action Area Plan.  This Plan will establish a flexible policy and development framework for those areas and sites that may be the subject of change during the Plan period. In addition, policies proposed can provide a suitable basis for further more detailed proposals and guidance (e.g. at the specific site/ plot level) within the town centre as well as other similar urban centres, in Trinidad and Tobago.

The boundary of the proposed Town Centre Action Area is illustrated on the existing and proposed land use plans (Figure 8.1 and 8.2). The retail centre, i.e. Chaguanas Main Road and the various shopping malls, provide the primary basis for the definition of the town centre. Within the town centre area there are also areas of Mixed-Use, residential use, community use and vacant land. The boundaries of the town centre are defined as: the south - the Caparo River, the west – junction of Ramsaran Street and Chaguanas Main Road), (the primary retail frontage along Chaguanas Main Road diminishes quite rapidly to the west of this junction); the north - Rene Street (to the north lie housing areas and uses considered to be "edge of centre") and; the east - the southern junction on Chaguanas Main Road for the Solomon Hochoy Highway (this is a strongly identifiable junction and many of the problems and issues that exist beyond, repeat those of the Town Centre. The policy recommendations for the Town Centre can thus be adapted to cope with the pressures and issues of retail development to the east).

 

 

b.      Problems and Issues

Since the 1970's there have been several planning studies, which have defined the key issues for Chaguanas town centre. These documents have been revisited and reviewed.

The relevant documents have been listed above and have provided invaluable input into the identification of the key policy objectives and physical development proposed. It is not the intention of this study to repeat the work already completed and which remains relevant. Rather this study looks to build upon this work. However, in order to provide an appropriate and relevant context to the proposed Plan, the key findings of these previous studies, as they remain relevant to Chaguanas town centre, are identified in Table 8.1 below:

                                                                           i.      Key Objectives

National policy guidance is set out in the National Physical Development Plan and the National Development Concept Plan and these have two core objectives of:

·         Provide development opportunities in appropriate locations - "Balanced Growth" based on an environmentally sustainable, supply led opportunity approach.

·         Initiate comprehensive town centre improvements, providing a basis for local economic growth and commercial regeneration. Support should be given to the rejuvenation of existing town centres through a series of measures to resolve traffic problems, improve environmental and urban design qualities and to provide appropriate sites for the expansion of retail and office uses. A very clear objective to sustain and enhance the vitality and viability of town centres which serve the whole community and can provide a sense of place and community identity. The consolidation of existing town centres is also said to assist in achieving sustainable development by promoting the use of public transport, which is better able to serve town centres than other locations.

It is clear that policies for the town centre must reflect the greater concern for the environment, both local and national. At the same time, the prosperity of the region must be maintained and enhanced and this will require development and change. 

An enhanced town centre, at the heart of the public transport network and promoted as a focus for commercial and other development, will assist in achieving key local aims:

·         The prosperity of the region will be promoted by the economic development of its major commercial area, expanding local employment opportunities, enabling a better service and choice to a growing population catchment within the wider plan area.

·         By establishing quality in urban design, the built environment will be enhanced and an identifiable centre created with a sense of place and pride in the town centre fostered;

·         Sustainable development will be encouraged through improved accessibility by public transport.

c.       Policies and Proposals

Specific proposals are included within the topic areas of: Commercial; Housing; Transportation; and Built Environment. The town centre Land Use Proposals and the Urban Design Framework (Figure 8.2, 8.4 and 8.5) establish the basic principles of town centre development and the way they are applied to areas in the town centre with development potential. The basic principles are:

·         To retain and enhance the town centre as the focus for the region in terms of commerce; shopping; recreation; and social interaction;

·         To promote the development and redevelopment of sites which would enhance the town centre and therefore the life of the town through public use and activity at street level;

·         To ensure that new development improves public access, both through the town centre and to outlying areas, with attractive pedestrian routes linking public activity spaces;

·         To create new public spaces;

·         To promote public transport and improve transport management;

·         To encourage the development of Mixed-Uses to promote interest and vitality;

·         To facilitate the provision of higher residential densities within the town centre and increase choice and opportunity particularly for rental and affordable housing;

·         To promote quality in the urban environment and the creation of a distinctive identity in terms of structure, function and character.

Figure 8.3 below illustrates the general structure proposed for the town centre. The Urban Design Framework illustrates in more detail how the above objectives can be translated into physical form and this includes:

·         The proposed re-development of the Automotive Components Ltd (ACL) Site fronting Chaguanas Main Road, to provide a public transport facility. This site has considerable redevelopment potential. Additional commercial uses could be included providing the opportunity for a "landmark" building;

·         Enhanced public transport pickup/drop off facilities throughout the town centre area;

·         Traffic management regime to include town centre "loop" and managed public car parking provision;

·         Enhanced pedestrian facilities including partial pedestrianisation of Chaguanas Main Road and creation of appropriate street space for informal vending;

 

 

·         The re-development of prominent sites. In addition to the ACL site, these include: (a) the land lying between Eleanor Street and Ramsaran Street (particularly around Saith Park) where Mixed-Use development proposals linked with the creation of a public square would provide a strong focus for the town centre; and (b) the area currently occupied by various Central and Local Government facilities, some in a poor dilapidated condition, at the junction of Ramsaran Street and Chaguanas Main Road, at the western end of the town centre. This too is a gateway site.

·        
Text Box:

The creation of a series of linked formal and informal spaces around and through the town centre. Opportunities exist to create quality pedestrian links through the centre and physical connections between the urban centre and its rural hinterland - the Caparo River and the countryside beyond, reinforcing the town centre’s wider context.

                                                                           i.      Commercial

1.       Retailing

Shopping is an integral part of our daily lives. It is both a necessity and a leisure pursuit. Chaguanas town centre has a significant role in the provision of retailing in central Trinidad being the most important sub-regional centre in the Caroni region with a wide sphere of influence. Retailing is fundamental to the dynamic growth of the Plan area and remains one of the most robust sectors of the local economy (Chaguanas Land Use Plan 1991). Over the last decade or so shopping malls have been developed in the centre and three exist (Centre City Mall, Mid Centre Mall, and Center Pointe Mall) within a very short distance of one another and the Chaguanas Main Road, a busy shopping strip, with a burgeoning informal retail sector.     

Text Box: The town centre's primary shopping function incorporates Chaguanas Main Road, the Market, and the shopping malls. It is within this area that there is the greatest concentration and variety of retailing (Class I, Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order).

Text Box: Chaguanas Main Road remains a very important element of the retail function of the town centre despite the development of modern shopping facilities to the north, south and east. An identifiable core shopping area exists within the town centre, where shopping is the predominant use. It is the number and range of shops in this core area, which is mainly responsible for the attraction of the town centre. It is important that this retail function is not undermined.

However, it is also recognised that some scope for non-retail uses, particularly restaurants and cafes with attractive outdoor seating areas for example in the proposed pedestrianised areas and public spaces, can help to enhance the vitality and viability of the town centre.

The aim therefore is to maintain a predominantly retail frontage with appropriate non-retail facilities which will enhance the retail function by offering a reasonable choice of services to shoppers. Proposals for non-retail use within the core area should be assessed against the existing provision of retail uses. Harm to the retail character would be determined by whether a proposal would be damaging to the vitality and viability of the town centre.

This would be assessed based on a number of criteria including whether the proposal would result in "dead frontage" i.e. not requiring passing trade and whether the proposal would result in an over concentration of non-retail uses in any part of the core shopping area. Non-retail uses should be dispersed around the centre contributing to movement and pedestrian flow.

Policy TC1 - Chaguanas Town Centre - Primary Retail Frontage

Within the core shopping area shown on the proposals map, uses other than in class i* will not be permitted unless it can be demonstrated that

1) They provide a service to shoppers or tourists; and

2) They do not harm the predominantly retail character of the primary frontage, either individually or taken together with other non- retail developments.

*Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order

A number of small to medium size "bulky goods" retail outlets occupy plots fronting Ramsaran Street, taking advantage of the relatively uncongested access that is available.

Text Box: It is intended that the location of small to medium "bulky goods" retail outlets should be encouraged along Ramsaran Street in conjunction with a mix of other appropriate town centre uses (see also Policy TC5 - MIXED-USE below).

 

Policy TC2 - Ramsaran Street

Retail outlets selling "bulky" items will normally be permitted along Ramsaran Street, provided that:

1) The proposal is of an acceptable scale, materials and design and does not have a significant adverse effect on the urban environment or residential amenity;

2) Adequate on-site car parking can be provided for operational needs (short term item collection, disabled persons parking) and the development incorporates appropriate servicing provision.

Text Box: There has been a marked trend in the provision of large shopping malls and retail warehouses. The growth in shopping malls and the arrival of large retail warehouses represents a significant shift away from traditional retailing activity.

The most notable recent retail warehouse developments within the Chaguanas area are "Price Smart" and "The Food Basket". These developments are situated in convenient locations for the car borne shopper, being adjacent to the major highways and providing plentiful car parking. Whilst it should not be the intention to restrict the sale of goods, other than food and convenience products from retail warehouses, it may be that conditions will need to be attached to planning permissions in order to protect the town centre from retail proposals which could adversely affect the vitality and viability of the centre.

Policy TC3 - "Out of Centre" Retail Developments

Large retail developments (e.g. shopping malls, retail warehousing) will be permitted only when all of the following criteria are met:

1) The proposal, either by itself or together with other existing or proposed retail developments, will not seriously affect the vitality and viability of the Chaguanas town centre;

2) The proposal is of an acceptable scale, materials and design and does not have a significant adverse effect on the urban or rural environment or residential amenity;

3) The traffic generated by the proposal can be satisfactorily accommodated on the highway network and the site can provide adequate car parking and servicing;

4) The proposal is sited so as to reduce the number and length of car journeys and can serve not only car borne shoppers but is also accessible to those who rely on public transport.

Shopping and transport impact assessments will be required to be submitted with any application for large out of centre retail developments.   

2.       Offices/Small Firms

The National Conceptual Development Plan advocates the need to designate commercial areas for small businesses in all town centres and the need to provide for a substantial increase in office accommodation outside Port of Spain.

The Chaguanas Land Use Plan advises "office land use is limited because of the primacy of Port of Spain and the lack of office sector activity dispersal to other centres." Activities such as banking, finance and other related office activity should be encouraged. In addition, small firms play an important part in the economy, often employing local people and providing vital services to larger firms. It is therefore beneficial to ensure that a suitable range of opportunities exists, not only to perform as "nursery units" but also to accommodate relocating or expanding companies.

Encouraging, where appropriate, the use of upper floors of properties can lessen pressure for non-retail use of shops at ground floor level in the Core Shopping Area. Such premises can provide suitable opportunities for small-scale offices.   

 The key objective is to provide varied employment opportunities and enhance economic balance by ensuring adequate land is provided for the needs of different economic sectors.

Policy TC4 - Commercial Office Development

Commercial office development will be encouraged within the town centre. Proposals will normally be permitted within the commercial and mixed-use areas identified on the proposal map.

In addition, non-retail uses and particularly small firms wishing to locate on upper floors within the core shopping area will normally be permitted.

Planning permission would be subject to the following criteria being met:

1) Suitable parking and servicing can be provided

2) The proposal will not have a serious adverse effect on townscape quality or local amenity

 

 

3.       Mixed-Use

Mixed-Use development can contribute toward sustainable development by:

·         Making urban areas more attractive places to live;

·         Improving the vitality and viability of commercial centres - by increasing use during the day, in the evening and at weekends, and by introducing new residents (especially where densities are increased) and visitors;

·         Reducing the need to travel - by providing for a range of requirements in close proximity;

·         Fostering social inclusion by making it easier and cheaper for people to reach the facilities and jobs they need;

·         Providing increased activity and natural surveillance;

·         Creating a variety of different buildings and spaces, which can contribute to visual interest and improve the quality of the physical environment.

(Planning For Sustainable Development: Towards Better Practice, Department of Environment Transport and Regions, 1998).

There are significant opportunities for the creation of mixed-use areas within the town centre, particularly where this might be combined with higher residential densities. The vitality of the centre would be assisted by the better use and appropriate development of land between Eleanor Street and Ramsaran Street. Encouragement should be given to the development of schemes involving Mixed-Uses, including retail, residential (including rental and low income), employment, community facilities and services, administration, studios, leisure, including hotel accommodation, Pan theatre, museum of Indian culture, and cafes and restaurants etc.  A mix of uses may significantly reduce the need for residents to travel, especially by car.

The contribution would be greater through the co-ordination of Mixed-Use in the centre with other initiatives proposed such as improving public transport provision and upgrading the local environment.

A Mixed-Use development brief should be prepared for the area lying between Eleanor Street and Ramsaran in partnership with the landowner/developer. It is vital that the area is considered in a comprehensive manner. Specific guidance should also identify detailed phasing proposals and will assist in detailed identification and interpretation of policy.

Policy TC5 - Mixed-Use Areas

Mixed development of appropriate town centre uses, including higher density residential, will be permitted in the mixed-use areas illustrated on the proposal map.

Redevelopment of the area between Eleanor street and Ramsaran street will be considered in a comprehensive manner and will require the preparation of a development brief which should incorporate the following general principles:

·         Physical form must be comprehensible wherever you stand, but at the same time have variety and elements of surprise;

·         Streets and squares should be laid out clearly and legibly;

·         Public spaces should be planned, as a whole (buildings and central space together) should have a strong sense of enclosure and carefully chosen points of focus. The type and status of each building should dictate its scale and treatment;

·         Pathways should be planned to increase pedestrian permeability and ease of movement on foot;

·         Multi-level car parks should be small and dispersed, carefully designed to blend with their surroundings, and screened from principal streets by frontage buildings, perhaps occupied by shops or offices;

·         Building heights should be determined by the character and function of individual buildings and their position within block, street or square. Higher buildings should be reserved for key sites, and generally for important public and other uses; and

·         Within their plots, buildings should be sited so as to create or contribute to a comprehensible street frontage.        

Development should be arranged around a system of public spaces, and include pedestrian links from Chaguanas Main Road and Ramsaran street.  Vehicle access should in the main be from Ramsaran Street.

                                                                          ii.      Housing

Chaguanas has seen a very rapid growth in recent years. Population growth has been above 2% per annum over the past twenty years, well above the average for Trinidad and Tobago. It is anticipated that the population of Chaguanas will increase by 30% to 40% (90 000 to 120 000) over the next twenty years and the number of households growing by some 50% to 60% over the same period.

The Plan is concerned with ensuring an adequate supply of housing land and encouraging the provision of a diversity of housing types, including low income, affordable housing to meet the needs of the residents of Chaguanas.

The Plan should also encourage sustainable housing development both in its design and location. With greater emphasis being placed on infill development, higher densities may be a more efficient use of land. To achieve more sustainable development, higher density housing should be encouraged in the town centre. High-density housing is more sustainable in that facilities, public transport and infrastructure can be concentrated efficiently and journey distances reduced. Higher density housing may also meet a need for low cost housing. It is important that a range of different densities are incorporated in housing schemes to permit a variety of housing types to meet a range of needs and to provide choice. Diversity of housing type would also provide interest and variety in the urban environment.

High-density housing is defined as development in excess of thirty dwellings per hectare.  In order to facilitate high density housing in the town centre the following policy would apply:

TC6 - High Density Housing Development

Housing development at higher densities in excess of thirty dwellings per hectare will be permitted within the town centre area provided that:

1) The development will not harm the character of the surrounding area;

2) The development provides the optimum layout for the site; and

3) The privacy and amenity of neighbouring areas and potential residents on the site would not be adversely affected. 

                                                                        iii.      Transportation

"Chaguanas town centre has come to be associated with heavy traffic congestion..... this can be attributed to undisciplined driving, the absence of car parking facilities, the presence of vendors that clutter sidewalks causing an overspill of pedestrian traffic on to the main road, oftentimes coming into direct conflict with vehicular traffic, and the failure to introduce a wrecker service to tow away illegally parked cars..... The lack of parking facilities is however a major contributor to congestion. " (Scoping Study: Chaguanas/Cunupia Local Area Plan, 1999). 

The key transportation objective for Chaguanas town centre is the creation of a centre to which access is effectively managed through an integrated transport system, and is safe and attractive for both vehicles and pedestrians to move around in. The Plan proposes the pursuit of a co-ordinated package of transport and land use policies to achieve the following:

·         Manage more effectively traffic circulation, road space and parking in and around the town centre;

·         Make pedestrian movement safer, simpler and more attractive; and

·         Make public transport facilities more convenient, attractive and accessible.

1.       Chaguanas Town Centre Inner Ring Road.

The strategy proposed involve the definition of a road hierarchy, which enables the redistribution of traffic and safety improvements on selected roads, which will result in improved conditions for drivers and pedestrians.

An inner ring road is proposed to allow vehicles to avoid the central areas and thus resolve different and competing interests within the town centre. The ring road is identified on the Land Use Proposals Map and Urban Design Framework and comprises: Endeavour Road and Ramsaran Road; the stretch of Chaguanas Main Road between Ramsaran Road and Capildeo Street; Capildeo Street and Endeavour Road. The Endeavour Road section of the inner ring road would be one-way southbound continuing into Ramsaran Street. The Chaguanas Main Road between Ramsaran Street and Capildeo Street would be one way eastbound. Traffic would then turn into Capildeo Street, which would also be one way, eastbound.

At the junction of Capildeo Street and Endeavour Road traffic would be able to turn north and south where Endeavour Road to the north of the junction would remain two-way.

This traffic management arrangement would ensure that the central area around Chaguanas Main Road could remain relatively car free. Importantly, the inner ring road would provide sufficient highway carrying capacity for traffic only wishing to pass through the town to circumvent the main shopping area.

It will be important to ensure that the inner ring road does not become a "barrier" to pedestrian movement around the town and particularly between the various shopping malls (where the most significant current visitor car parking facilities are located), Chaguanas Main Road, and the proposed Mixed-Use area.

The philosophy underpinning the concept for Chaguanas town centre is one of integration and the safe, comfortable and convenient movement of pedestrians around the centre must not be compromised by the inner ring road. Appropriate measures for traffic calming and pedestrian crossing should be provided along sections of this route. Crossing places should be frequent and may be marked by raised surfaces across the street. The frequency of these crossing places encourages more careful driving and gives pedestrians sufficient safe places to cross. Barriers in the form of guardrails, which can add considerably to the clutter and untidiness of the town centre, can be avoided if there are sufficient safe pedestrian crossing places. 

2.       Chaguanas Main Road - Pedestrian Priority.

Text Box: The main shopping area, which includes the market area, stretches along Chaguanas Main Road for a length of approximately 500 metres, lying between Endeavour Road and Ramsaran Street. It is particularly congested with vehicles, street vendors and pedestrians competing for available road space resulting in increasing conflicts, dangers, noise and fumes.

The approach adopted for this stretch of Chaguanas Main Road is to identify it as a pedestrian priority area and adapt the volume, speed and behaviour of traffic to the primary function of the street, i.e. a shopping street, thus directly improving safety and environmental quality. The main beneficiaries being those who live, shop and make their living in frontage properties.

The first section of Chaguanas Main Road, lying between Endeavour Road and Trial Street (Figure 8.6 and 8.7) will be given pedestrian priority with limited access for public transport, service and emergency vehicles.

This stretch of road would be traffic calmed using a variety of design methods such as lateral shifts in carriageway alignment, pavement widening, speed tables, planting and street furniture etc.

The second section, lying between Trial Street and Capildeo Street, would be fully pedestrianised (Figure 8.8). The design of this area would allow for managed service vehicle provision (e.g. specific times of the day only, rear access servicing along Eleanor Street) and emergency vehicle access.

Text Box: The street space is designed to enhance the quality and safety of the pedestrian environment to include street furniture, underground cabling, improved drainage, lighting, seating, bins, shade planting and canopies etc. Importantly, the space rescued from the motorcar can be redesigned to provide appropriate space for further managed street vending. As the space is made over to pedestrians rather than vehicles, there are many opportunities to use it for a variety of activities.

Removing unessential traffic from Chaguanas Main Road and redesigning the space for pedestrian priority also offers the opportunity to reduce visual clutter such as unnecessary and uncoordinated traffic signage, advertising, posts etc. Reducing clutter would have a dramatic effect on the appearance of the town centre (Figure 8.9).

 

3.       Junction Improvements

Three main junctions on the inner ring road require improvement in order to increase the capacity of the intersections. The first junction is the intersection of Endeavour Road and Chaguanas Main Road adjacent to the proposed central bus station. The second improvement should be at the junction of Chaguanas Main Road and Ramsaran Street adjacent to the existing government buildings. The third junction improvement is required at the intersection of Chaguanas Main Road and Capildeo Street.  

4.       Central Bus Station - Auto Components Limited Site, Chaguanas Main Road

Text Box: It is proposed that the site of ACL be converted to a main bus and maxi taxi station. This is a very prominent town centre site at the gateway to the centre. Its prominence and location, particularly its proximity to the Solomon Hochoy Highway makes it an ideal site for central public transport provision. Public transport arriving from the north, east and south will have easy and convenient access to this site. Entry to the Central Bus Station from the south would however, have to be via the inner ring road along Capildeo Street and Endeavour Road (Figure 8.10).

TC7 - Auto Components Limited Site

The auto components limited site shall be developed for well-designed public transport passenger facilities. Mixed development of appropriate town centre uses shall be acceptable in conjunction with new public transport facilities. The development should have regard to the prominent town centre "gateway" location of the site and provide:

·         An attractive landmark feature visible from the adjoining Solomon Hochoy highway and areas within the town centre;

·         Allow for safe and convenient pedestrian access to the Chaguanas main road shopping areas;

·         Create building frontages to public spaces and bus passenger areas which are active and lively;

5.       Public Transport Hubs.

Several maxi taxi, bus stops and taxi stands are proposed to be located at various locations along the inner ring road and within the town centre to service public transport passengers near areas of high demand. These should be linked to direct and pleasant pedestrian access routes from residential, Mixed-Use and commercial areas. The design of the public transport hubs must also incorporate elements, which enhance the comfort of public transport users and thus include shelter, seating and planting (Figure 8.7).

6.       Parking and Servicing.

Parking policy can contribute towards sustainable development by:

·         Limiting parking provision, and so encouraging people to use other means of transport;

·         Supporting the vitality and viability of the centre by providing the appropriate balance in supply of parking for shopping, and other town centre trips; and

·         Putting well-designed car parks in locations, which are convenient and complement other measures, proposed to improve public transport provision.

Whilst the ethos to be adopted within the town centre should be to minimise car use, adequate car parking must clearly be provided if the component developments proposed are to attract developers, buyers and tenants. Parking provision within the town centre can however be varied and flexible.

Multi-storey car parks may be the answer, but their impact on the appearance and liveliness of the town centre should be reduced as much as possible by building more and smaller car parks, fitting them behind single aspect buildings suitable for apartments or commercial uses, and in any case avoiding long, horizontal "layer cake" elevations. On-street car parking may be an acceptable and sensible answer, especially if limited to one side or alternating sides of a well-landscaped street (Figure 8.11). Parking spaces located at right angles to the kerb, or diagonally (chevron parking) may be preferable to parallel parking, both visually and as an additional means of slowing traffic.    

In the short term on-street car parking should be allowed on Ramsaran Street, Market Street, Eleanor Street, and on the other side roads to the south of the central market area (Figure 8.12).

In the longer term, car parking should be considered for the town centre as a whole rather than for individual sites and uses. A parking restraint area is proposed (identified on the Proposed Land Use Plan) where special development control policies would apply. On-site parking provision will normally be limited to operational needs only, which may include dedicated short term parking for customers needing to collect bulky items of shopping.  The remaining provision would be placed within appropriately located managed public car parks This would help to achieve two of the main objectives of the Plan in assisting the greater use of public transport and improving the environment.

It is important to establish very early the mechanism for providing multi-storey public car parking spaces. Three primary options are available:

·         Government provision "up front";

·         Private developer provision and management, as part of comprehensive redevelopment proposals or as a single site proposal; and

·         Government provision via developer contributions.

The first two options are self-explanatory. The third option requires financial contribution from developers based on the "shortfall" of on site car parking spaces (i.e. usual on-site parking requirement minus "operational" spaces times the cost of developing the resultant car spaces, taking into account land and development costs etc). These contributions are then "pooled" until such time as sufficient funds have been accumulated to construct the required parking facility. The disadvantage of this option, as opposed to the first two, is that the timescale for provision is uncertain. It would be necessary to produce supplementary planning guidance setting out the costs of meeting the necessary public car parking provision.

Within the parking restraint area it is important to adopt maximum parking standards (i.e. instead of minimum standards) that will contribute toward sustainable development particularly where they are integrated with adequate access within the town centre.

Operational residential parking standards should take account of the range of housing types and sizes as well as public transport accessibility. In some developments a maximum of one space per household may be a suitable standard. Indeed, for some developments such as low income housing, there might be no parking provision where there are adjoining parking facilities (e.g. multi-storey car parks which offer opportunities for dual usage between commercial and residential uses), services and good public transport provision close by.

The three shopping malls currently provide limited off-street parking facilities, allowing visitors to the centre to use their spaces in the hope that they will patronise their stores.

This provision could be further enhanced through the creation of safe, direct and pleasant pedestrian routes from these spaces to the rest of the town centre. As an average figure, one parking space per 70 sq.m. of proposed retail or commercial development would be required as operational spaces in the town centre.

It may also be appropriate to consider temporary car parking permissions where public transport is inadequate but planned to improve. Note that where car parking is phased out the developer can benefit by achieving higher plot ratio.

Text Box: Throughout the town centre numerous retail and commercial developments have provided car parking layouts that (a) exceed the proposed operational needs identified above, and (b) are inappropriately arranged on site, often at 90 degrees to the road. This results in vehicles backing onto or off the highway and is a significant contribution to highway congestion, adversely affecting the safe and free flow of vehicular traffic. The forecourt car parking arrangements adopted can also seriously conflict with safe pedestrian movement and can reduce the availability of pedestrian space. Whilst the traffic management measures proposed will help to reduce some of these conflicts by removing unnecessary traffic, it is important to encourage the improvement of existing on-site parking provision. Thus, consideration should be given to encouraging the conversion of forecourt parking areas into other uses, e.g. additional floor space, landscaping and the rearrangement of parking areas to facilitate access and egress in a forward gear (Figure 8.13).

TC8 - Parking Restraint Area

A parking restraint area, shown on the proposal map, will be established. Within the parking restraint area development will provide on-site parking for operational and disabled needs only. Planning permission will not normally be granted in advance of the provision of or agreement to provide parking in excess of operational needs at one of the public car parking sites identified in the plan.

TC9 - Transport Obligations

In order to ensure that development does not disadvantage the public use of existing transport facilities, developers will be required to contribute in whole or in part towards the cost of providing or improving that transport infrastructure (e.g. public car parking) which is fairly and reasonably related to the proposed development  

TC10- Existing On-Site Car Parking

Where the plan parking standards are exceeded and/or parking layout is poor in existing developments, the planning authority will welcome proposals for alternative uses of the excess space and/or the creation of more appropriate on-site parking arrangements.

Throughout the town centre, and particularly along Chaguanas Main Road, the majority of retail and commercial premises have limited or no rear access on-site service facilities, which necessitates servicing and access from the public highway. Such activities contribute to congestion and increase accident potential. The Plan therefore proposes that where possible service access should be provided from Eleanor Street rather than Chaguanas Main Road. Where this is not possible service access along Chaguanas Main Road within the town centre should be limited to periods outside of peak shopping times. During peak shopping times servicing might be provided from Eleanor Street via trolleys? As and when redevelopment of plots along Chaguanas Main Road occurs (e.g. former market site) and where it is practicable, rear service access should be provided.

TC11 - Rear Access

Development or the significant intensification of retail and commercial property along Chaguanas Main Road should provide for rear access or, if this is not possible, allow for the future provision of rear access.

 

7.       People With A Mobility Impediment

The requirements of those having a mobility impediment must be considered in order to provide relatively easy access and direct access within the town centre. Care must be taken in the layout of pedestrian routes and the choice and design of paving materials, and ramps must be at a suitable gradient and suitable width. All highway improvements must take into account the difficulties experienced by those with a mobility impediment in negotiating kerbs and steps. In particular, appropriate ramps should be provided at crossing points.

TC12 - Disabled Access

The improvement of access and provision of facilities to ease the passage of mobility impaired people will be considered as an integral part of highway improvement, traffic management and development proposals.

8.       Regulation, Enforcement and Education.

In parallel with the above physical traffic management and engineering solutions, several regulatory measures are also required to ensure the success of the proposed schemes. Road signs and passenger information signs will be needed to inform drivers and the public about designated spaces for parking, passenger stands and suitable routes to enter and exit the town centre. Traffic police and traffic wardens should stop inappropriate and illegal activities of drivers in the town centre through a variety of measures including:

·         On-the-spot warnings or fires;

·         Tow away/ impounding vehicles

·         Designation and enforcement offered routes in connection with the above.

 

 

                                                                         iv.      The Built Environment

One of the aims of the Plan is to ensure that good quality design is given a high priority. In setting out criteria and offering guidance, it is not intended to establish rigid design principles or stifle architectural expression. The proposal is to safeguard basic amenity standards, while at the same time promoting sensitive design, which respects and contributes to its surroundings.

1.       Context

The starting point for any development should be its setting and the character of the surrounding area and neighbouring buildings. Scale of new development, in terms of height, massing and layout should be appropriate to the character of the surrounding area, whilst allowing innovative design that although may be different in character is not necessarily prejudicial to the locality. Character is derived from the uses, the height, scale, bulk and design of buildings, colour, materials, texture, topography, landscape and landmarks.

The important contextual characteristics depend on the scale of development proposed and the level of integration required. The extensive redevelopment proposals for the land lying between Eleanor Street and Ramsaran Street will need to have regard to context in a different way to single infill development along Chaguanas Main Road, where for example, there is a need to respond to the street in which it is located and within which it will be seen as directly a part. Figure 8.14 outlines the types of characteristics which should be addressed, in terms of response to the local context, by different scales of development:

 

 

 

 

Types of Built Environment Characteristics

Scale Of Development

Important Characteristics Of  Local Context

Estate/Large Site

Density; open space; long  distance views, road layout

Street

Plot size, building heights, landscaping

Infill

Building organisation, rhythms, roof form,

Materials (general)

Extension

Detailed form and materials, details of roof covering, window and door details.

 

Not all developments should be designed as individual set pieces. In townscape terms, buildings may be categorised as either "background", or "landmark" buildings. Chaguanas town centre is composed of mainly "background" buildings, which conform to the scale and rhythms of adjacent buildings, and work together in combination to define spaces of a certain character and, as for example along the main shopping areas of Chaguanas Main Road, make a rich and interesting urban townscape.

Chaguanas town centre requires stronger visual definition and structure. If "landmark" buildings are to contribute to the enhancement of local distinctiveness and function effectively as pointers to guide people around the centre they must be deliberately located within the townscape. "Landmark" buildings will be most appropriate at important junctions, define the gateways to the town centre, as a focus to a specific view, or to highlight a building of a specific use (Figure 8.14).

Accommodating and creating views to natural or man made features often achieve local identity and distinctiveness. This could be true of Chaguanas town centre where the Urban Design Framework would allow for the creation of man made features and views across the centre to the surrounding countryside beyond the Caparo River.

Opportunities may exist to enhance views by using new development to frame them thus creating vistas and focusing attention on important landmarks.

TC13 - Context

New development should have regard to the local context relevant to the scale of the proposal. Applicants will be required to provide sufficient information to enable proposals to be determined in relation to their context and should consider the following:

·         The scale and proportion of existing buildings, building lines and heights, within the street scene. Abrupt changes in height, building lines and elevational design are only acceptable where benefits to the townscape can be demonstrated;

·         The detailed design of the existing building where ancillary buildings, extensions and alterations are proposed;

·         New development should have regard to the retention and enhancement of existing urban spaces, views, landmarks and other townscape features that contribute to the character of the town centre. The creation of prominent townscape features should be limited to appropriate locations.

2.       Layout and Form

Successful developments that respond to local context, safeguard amenity and help to create a built environment, which is attractive and popular, are derived at an initial stage from an appropriate layout and form.

There are a number of established principles associated with layout and form that help to create successful environments. Most relevant to Chaguanas town centre is the way in which buildings define the perimeters of streets, squares and public space generally.

New development should clearly define areas of public and private use. Wherever possible, private areas such as gardens or service areas should adjoin similar private spaces, and be contained within a private zone. This private zone should be screened from public spaces by the building forms themselves.

Where a private space directly adjoins a public space, a high fence or wall is usually necessary to protect the private space from overlooking or nuisance. Such screens can have a negative or deadening effect upon public space and should if possible be avoided, and in such cases screening which provides visual interest from the public realm, such as walls or fences in association with planting should be used.

New development within Chaguanas town centre will have to respond to an urban character where building forms should clearly define the perimeters of streets, paths, squares and other public spaces. If buildings do not satisfactorily enclose space, then an attractive urban place cannot be achieved. The height, scale and massing of buildings should relate to the type and size of space with which they are associated.

Layout, in terms of having regard to established building lines, is also an important concept within the urban environment of Chaguanas town centre. Individual buildings, for example along Chaguanas Main Road, have achieved some degree of coherence by having regard to a common building line, many despite existing planning policy which requires significant frontage setbacks. If new development is to be successfully incorporated into such a context then they should seek to respect established building lines and plot sizes.

Random setbacks along a street frontage tend to give an incoherent streetscape, rather than create interest. Variations to the building line should only be used where they can denote important public buildings, such as the example of the Royal Bank on the Main Road, or they can create well defined spaces that are both useable and pedestrian friendly, or where they serve a townscape function such as marking a junction or a particular view.

TC14 - Layout and Form

The layout and form of development should reinforce or create a sense of place and provide environments that have contrast variety and establish a pedestrian scale. Proposals should have regard to:

1) Townscape opportunities and the creation of public space;

2) Location and the way in which spaces are defined and detailed;

3) To clear distinction between public and private space; and

4) Enclosure and the height, scale, massing of development.

3.       Accessibility

There are two major design issues related to public access that any new development should address. First, consideration should be given to access as it concerns public routes and spaces on the edges or within a development site. Second, there is the issue of the use of buildings and their immediate surroundings by people with disabilities.

One of the ingredients of a good quality environment is the choice of safe and convenient public routes through it to streets, spaces, facilities and amenities. The greater number of public routes through an area the greater its accessibility, and the richer the opportunity to experience its amenities. New development should be aware of desirable public routes through or around sites, and take opportunities to provide safe, attractive routes especially where they can contribute to the wider aspirations of riverside greenways, cycleways, jogging/recreational routes (e.g. along the old railway route), or footpath systems. Care should be taken to avoid routes that are segregated from their surroundings and secluded, as they are likely to be unsafe.

Full and appropriate provision should be made for providing satisfactory access for people with mobility problems caused by disability. It should be noted that the term "disability" can cover a wide range of conditions, including people who use wheelchairs, those with heart or respiratory conditions, rheumatism, arthritis, impaired sight or hearing. If we further consider those individuals who are temporarily impaired by accident or ill health, together with pregnant women, the elderly, people with young children and pushchairs, people loaded with heavy bags of shopping, the scale and disadvantage created by inconsiderate design can be better appreciated.

 

4.       Safety and Security

Within Chaguanas town centre the aim must be to create an environment that is safe, secure and free from unnecessary dangers. Such dangers may be categorised within two main areas:

1) Accidents caused by physical hazards; and

2) Situations as a result of criminal activity.

Physical hazards can arise as a result of traffic conflicts, inappropriate surface treatments or poorly designed and located street furniture, landscaping and parking areas, which can themselves become hazardous obstacles.

In terms of criminal danger, it is important to consider both actual and perceived crime. Although the problems associated with crime cannot be solved through the activities of planners and designers alone, much can be done to ensure the opportunities for criminal activities are diminished.

All publicly accessible spaces and thoroughfares should be designed with safety and security in mind. The aim should be to achieve environments that offer interest and variety whilst avoiding recesses and hideaways. Lighting schemes should aim to provide adequate and uniform lighting along public routes. Developments which can accommodate public surveillance and self-policing should be encouraged. This can be achieved where buildings directly overlook public areas and where a mixture of uses provides activity at all times of the day. Where residential uses are proposed, the need for surveillance has to be balanced with requirements for privacy.

TC15 - Safety and Security

All new developments will be required to promote safe and secure environments. Proposals will be required to have regard to:

·         Traffic conflicts between vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists;

·         Surface treatments and hazardous obstacles;

·         Safe and secure public routes which minimise both actual and perceived opportunities for criminal activity;

·         Opportunities for self-policing and surveillance.

5.       Landscaping

Text Box: Text Box: The quality of the built environment can be greatly enhanced by considered site planning and the integrated use of hard and soft landscaping treatments. Landscape criteria needs to be fully considered as an integral part of the design process in relation to the arrangement of space together with use, access and circulation considerations. The presence of green space and trees among the urban centre contributes significantly to townscape character and the quality of urban life. It is important to the quality of townscape in that buildings depend upon the space around them to complement the urban form and to soften their setting.

Landscaping fulfills many functions. As well as increasing visual interest, it can be used to create shelter. The inclusion of shade trees in streets and public spaces should have high priority.

Landscaping reduces temperatures. A fairly common problem throughout the town centre is the existence of expansive areas of hard surface unrelieved by planting. Paved surfaces store up a great deal more heat and remain hot longer than planted areas. Not only do these paved areas add appreciable heat to the air layer near the surface, but they also radiate and reflect large amounts of heat, possibly aggravating already uncomfortable conditions.

The landscaping treatment of any site needs to be designed with an awareness of its surroundings. Landscaping can provide a visual link, helping to reinforce the character and identity of any particular street or public space. Where possible, therefore, there should be consistency in the use of materials, planting and street furniture where development proposals fit into the context of a larger public space, street or riverside.

In places where activities or views encourage people to linger longer (e.g. pedestrian priority areas, taxi hubs, riverside) the provision of seating should be considered. Seats or benches should be of an appropriate design, perhaps related to a particular style of street furniture common to the surrounding area (i.e. "themed"), or more informally using walls or steps of a suitable scale. Seating should be sited in areas that are sheltered and shaded. The provision of litter bins of a suitable design, together with suitable collection and maintenance arrangements should be considered in seating areas.

The longer-term success of any planting scheme is often dependant upon the amount of maintenance that is required and the resources available to meet those requirements. Schemes, therefore, that require low maintenance should be considered wherever possible.     

 

TC16 - Landscaping

Development proposals will be required to include a suitable landscaping scheme, which is planned as an integral part of the proposals and reflects the way in which the area is used. Development within the town centre must contribute to the expansion of urban green space and the potential to link public spaces by the provision of linear spaces, footpath links, planting areas or lines of trees.

Some of the key considerations discussed above as they relate to Chaguanas town centre are illustrated on the Design Sheet below as well as the Urban Design Framework.

d.      Summary

                                                                           i.      Key Objectives

Key objectives for the future development of Chaguanas Town Centre include:

·         Retain and enhance Chaguanas town centre as the focus for both the region and local area, in terms of commerce, shopping, recreation and social interaction.

·         Text Box: Initiate comprehensive town centre improvements.

·         Encourage sustainable development.

                                                                          ii.      Plan Proposals and Policies.

The main proposals and policies identified are:

·         Initiate traffic management proposals.

·         Promote public transport and improve public transport facilities.

·         Establish areas of pedestrian priority and enhance the pedestrian environment. 

·         Promote the redevelopment of vacant sites.

·         Establish quality in the local environment.

·         TC1: Protect and consolidate the town centre primary shopping areas.

·         TC2: Provide for alternative needs shopping in the town centre.

·         TC3: Protect the vitality and viability of town centre shopping.

·         TC4: Encourage commercial development, particularly small to medium size enterprises, into the town centre.

·         TC5: Encourage the redevelopment of extensive areas of vacant town centre land through Mixed-Use.

·         TC6: Provide for higher density housing to allow for a greater mix and choice of housing, particularly rental and low-income housing.

·         TC7: Provide a central public transport facility, encourage and enhance the use of public transport and secure a landmark building of appropriate quality for prominent site.

·         TC8: Restrict car parking within the town centre to operational needs only.

·         TC9: Secure fair and reasonable contributions from developers for the implementation of transport management requirements e.g. multi-storey car parks.

·         TC10: Encourage the conversion of inappropriate car parking areas into other uses and/or revise layout of car parking areas to make them safer and more acceptable within the street environment.

·         TC11: Manage and enhance service vehicle provision.

·         TC12: Ensure the needs of people with a mobility impediment are considered in the design and implementation of highway improvement, traffic management and development proposals.

·         TC13: Encourage development that is sensitive to its town centre context.

·         TC14: Create and reinforce a “Sense of Place” within Chaguanas town centre.

·         TC15: Promote a safe and secure environment.

·         TC16: Ensure landscaping is considered an integral part of development proposals            

e.       Environmental Appraisal

A principal aim of the local area planning process is to guide and control development in a way, which has regard to environmental constraints. The concept of sustainable development incorporates the principle that small-scale changes at the local level need to be effected in order to influence wider global considerations.

The environmental implications of the policies promoted for Chaguanas town centre have thus been the subject of systematic assessment to ensure that the balance between development and environmental protection, as advocated in the National Conceptual Development Plan, is pursued as part of an objective and consistent land use strategy.

The Environmental Appraisal Matrix below identifies each of the policies promoted and their likely impact upon Local Resources and External factors.

Local Resources include:

Critical Environmental Capital - resources whose loss or damage would have a serious or irreversible impact such as all environmentally sensitive designated areas, in forests, wetlands and coastal areas.

Finite Land - limited land resources, but not necessarily environmentally sensitive in Chaguanas, this group includes riverside areas.

Constant natural and land assets - assets which can be recycled or provided without loss of finite resources such as open spaces and previously developed land re-use, vacant urban land.

Built Form and Landscape - parks, in the sense of importance to the Chaguanas' character, visual character, "Sense of Place".

External Factors include:

Wide/global impact - global warming (CO2 and other emissions); traffic congestion; fossil fuel consumption; energy efficient transport; pollution (excluding global warming): air, soil, water etc.

Welfare/urban capacity - services which are essential to Chaguanas town centre: infrastructure - schools, health, community facilities; transport network - highway capacity, access to public transport.

Social/economic - i.e. the well being of Chaguanas: amenity, housing need, vitality (shopping choice, restaurants, public environments etc); growth (economic prosperity, housing/population growth).

Key to symbols used in the matrix:

+ positive gain

-  negative impact

?  impact unknown or uncertain

O            - some negative impact but protective measures in the policy or elsewhere in the plan.

OS - open space; RuseL - land re-use; P - Parks; VC - visual character; GW - global warming; Pol - pollution; Infr - infrastructure; Tnet - transport network; Am - amenity; Hsg - Housing need; Vit - vitality; Gr - growth.               

1.        APPENDICES

Table 8.1. Comparison of Key Objectives and Issues of previous plans as they relate to Chaguanas town centre

NPDP:    National Physical Development Plan

NCDP:    National Conceptual Development Plan

CPD:       Chaguanas Perspective For Development

CLUP:     Chaguanas Land Use Plan

CDP:       Chaguanas Development Plan

CSS:        Chaguanas/Cunupia Scoping Study

CCP:       Chaguanas and Cunupia Local Area Concept Plan

KEY OBJECTIVES

 

NPDP

 

NCDP

 

CPD

 

CLUP

 

CDP

 

CSS

 

CCP

 

Redirect population to expanded inter-mediate sized centres – “dispersed concentration”, “balanced growth”, consolidate commercial development within the town centre

 

#

 

#

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Chaguanas sub-regional growth centre– reinforce Chaguanas as an important commercial and agricultural centre, diversify economic base, improve job opportunities.

 

#

 

#

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Major improvements and enhancements to Chaguanas town centre

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Promote sustainable development

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ISSUES

 

NPDP

 

NCDP

 

CPD

 

CLUP

 

CDP

 

CSS

 

CCP

 

High population growth but narrow economic base = Chaguanas net exporter of workers to the urban labour market.

 

#

 

 

#

 

#

 

 

 

 

Uncontrolled sidewalk vending

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Deterioration of the streetscape

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Lack of open space in town centre, limited landscaping  

 

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Shortage of low income housing, main housing type - single family detached units

 

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Office land use limited

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

Traffic congestion in town centre

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Lack of public on-street parking facilities

 

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Poor on-site car parking provision – inadequate layout and numbers (shortfall 3908spaces)

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

 

 

ISSUES

 

NPDP

 

NCDP

 

CPD

 

CLUP

 

CDP

 

CSS

 

CCP

 

Taxi on-street stands contribute to congestion. No adherence to traffic management regulations to use bays provided.

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

#

 

#

 

No bus passenger transport facilities

 

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

 

#

 

Lack of pedestrian facilities

 

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Lack of roads which allow traffic to avoid congestion in CBD

 

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Visual clutter by poor arrangement of signs

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

#

 

#

 

Need to upgrade public and protective services. Create an administrative complex – police, post office, revenue office, valuations, social welfare, community service, central library, public utilities pay stations, commercial banks, postal building etc.

 

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Inadequate access provision for disabled persons.

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

Promotion of higher (medium) density residential accommodation

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

ISSUES

 

NPDP

 

NCDP

 

CPD

 

CLUP

 

CDP

 

CSS

 

CCP

 

Dry goods market  - retailing areas required for small traders, household articles, clothing and craft items.

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

Need to match job creation with population growth

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

Allocation of more lands for commercial facilities in town centre.

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

 

Create rich diversity of public spaces including a town square, increase town centre landscaping, street trees etc

 

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Unidentifiable town centre, no easily discernible civic centre, lack of focal point

 

 

 

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

#

 

Lack of landmark buildings, need to improve spatial relationship of key buildings, improve sensory perception of arrangement of buildings

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

#

 

Part Four

 

9      The Way Forward

a.       Public Consultation – Local Area Plans

                                                                           i.      Proposals for a Consultation Programme

Public consultation is a statutory requirement for plan preparation.  In pursuance of that intention and to meet the dictates of the current legislation, stakeholder consultation and a public meeting presentation were included in the Conceptual Plan exercise.  In the light of the experience gained and in furtherance of the intent of the proposed legislation to devolve development planning to the local area jurisdiction, a greater level of relevant community participation will be applied to this Area Plan.

In this context, a Local Area Planning Committee will be established.  It will involve and preferably be led by the principal Local Government Authority for the area, the Chaguanas Borough Corporation and will include key stakeholders and agencies including representation for the other affected regional corporations.  The consultation will be managed by the (Interim) National Physical Planning Commission and will use the Interim Report of this Chaguanas Area Plan as the basis for discussion.

The Committee will identify all the key agencies and major stakeholders that affect the physical development of Chaguanas as well as non-government organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs) that can be determined by special interests, issues and problems as well as geographical districts.

A schedule of individual or group discussion meetings will be prepared and held at which relevant aspects of the Interim Report will be presented and explained and in which appropriate issues and problems will be debated.

Recommendations, ideas and suggestions will be collated and the Area Committee will co-ordinate the views and put together a summary of the results of the individual consultation.

This summary will then form the basis for a seminar/symposium/meeting at which the public, groups and interested parties could participate in order to achieve as much of a consensus as possible on the contentious issues. 

Decisions will arise from this public consultation/ symposium which will inform the Final Area Plan.

The local planning team will to the extent of their contribution to the plans take part in the exercise of individual consultation and public symposium and would assist in formulating the amendments where necessary to the Interim Report.

The process will begin in the second quarter of the year dependent on the extent of individual consultation required and on the judgement needed to make this attempt of meaningful community participation as effective as possible.

b.      Implementation Mechanisms

In due course a variety of implementation mechanisms are likely to be required for this Local Area Plan following the consultation and Plan finalisation process outlined earlier.  Possible mechanisms are outlined below.

                                                                           i.      Development Planning Designations

Government can establish a series of zones for development action and can describe them as designated Special Development Areas, Action Area, Protection Areas, etc.  Designated Action Areas can be areas which are to be re-developed due to urban blight, rural deprivation, application of new technology to processing, establishment of a new port, airport or a new urban centre. 

 

A Housing Action Area can be one that suffers from a variety of problems and requires some specific attention. An area with a concentration of material and spiritual poverty and high rate of unemployment, crime, school dropout rate, and other behaviour that the Civil Society finds unacceptable can be so designated.  Special Development Areas are those for which a special activity or set of activities are to be encouraged based on peculiar or unique characteristics.  They may be major land holdings which need both public and private sector interventions to initiate development including waterfront redevelopment areas, historic city quarters or cultural centres. They are areas that have some intrinsic value or special characteristics, which are seen as worthy of conservation, or need to accommodate different uses by rehabilitating to enhance value.      

The State can and should establish a number of instruments to meet the range of development issues identified and these are discussed later.  A number of incentives can be established and should take effect within some specified time when the State designates an area a “Special Development Area”, a “Housing Action Area”, or a “Special Use Area”.  Some of these policies which have been successfully utilised to upgrade derelict areas of cities, water fronts and old quarries and mines in other parts of the world should be reviewed and adopted (with appropriate modification) to meet local conditions.

Indeed, the use of new technology, generating employment and training, introduction of special programs to socialise youths and service the elderly, undertaking mixed-use development of recreational, residential, performing and visual arts and commercial, are all activities which can be provided with incentives including tax deduction, grant funds and low interest loans.  The ‘planning gain’ approach should be reviewed and applied as a mechanism to direct new development activities or re-direct old ones like re-populating an area of the city, encouraging greater use and intensity or simply directing activities away from areas of high growth. 

With the mechanisms to facilitate development come the commitments to encourage and engage communities and resident groups as both beneficiaries and participants in their own development. 

This requires a willingness to organise planning and implementation schedules within the context of the community’s or residents’ own timescale.

Community groups need to understand the process and appreciate the nuances of the alternative solutions recommended by them or others.

While it is not being advocated that the development planning agency should go to the community with a blank sheet of paper, it is clear that the solutions cannot be so finely detailed that participation becomes imposed by others responding to pre-determined proposals and recommendations.

                                                                          ii.      Development Planning Instruments

                                    These come in a variety of forms the more popular of which are identified below.

Development Control Standards

Use of traditional development control standards such as minimum plot size, minimum building setbacks, maximum building height and minimum parking requirements provide a formulaic approach to facilitating development. Such standards are not always successful in encouraging creativity or innovative solutions for problem sites. They can however provide some certainty for developers on scale and bulk permitted on a site.

Performance Criteria

The use of performance criteria rather than standards is a more proactive way of guiding development. Performance criteria use aims, objectives and guidelines to encourage development.  Criteria can include influencing bulk and scale by policies to protect strategic views, ensure new development respects overall scale of the area and address streetscape and accessibility factors.  Density criteria can be used such as floor space areas but these should allow bonuses to be achieved if other performance criteria are met (for example allowing additional floorspace for accentuating gateway sites, or for achieving community facilities within a development).

Parking Standards

Parking standards can also be addressed by performance criteria such that a maximum level of parking is provided on site rather than a minimum. Mechanisms to obtain planning obligations for parking provision is also suggested as discussed below.  Performance criteria can be assisted by the use of Development Briefs for specific sites or areas.

Development Briefs

Development Briefs should be provided for key redevelopment sites: they are particularly useful for complex sites which are affected by a number of different planning policies or where there are conflicts over use and expectations by other government agencies. Such briefs can clarify policy and expectations, stimulate developer interest by identifying measures to overcome development constraints and provide specific guidance on making best use of a site given its location and surroundings.

Briefs typically prioritise key elements of the sites, identify opportunities and constraints, ensure performance criteria specified are relevant to the key issues, give an indication of the uses considered appropriate for the sites/s, and provide a viability statement for the use and floorspace likely to be achieved given the performance criteria. Such documents can remove some of the risk for potential developers by clearly indicating governmental support for certain forms of development.  They improve the efficiency of the planning and development process by reducing uncertainty and improve the quality of the development by interpreting planning and wider government policy.

 

 

 

Mixed-Use Guidelines/Urban Design Guides

Guidelines for mixed-use development are also suggested. These guidelines should give worked examples which address issues such as site consolidation, access and parking, use of communal open space, urban design guidance on scale and density, internal building access and security ideas for vertical mixed-use developments as well as maximising densities for more horizontal forms of development. 

Other guideline documents should be considered such as urban design guidance on building design, townscape elements, encouraging diversity of building form but respecting townscape features, legibility particularly for pedestrian movement and techniques for dealing with gateway sites and corner sites.

Parking guidelines should also be addressed. Restricting parking on sites can assist in making best use of developable area, facilitate dual use of sites (particularly in mixed-use developments), and enable other communal areas to be used for parking (multi-storey car parks) rather than dedicating potentially lettable space for vehicles.  Better use of road space such as traffic calming measures involving for example angled parking bays could also be included.

                                                                        iii.      Development Planning Processes

In addition to planning instruments, other procedures and processes could be undertaken to facilitate policy implementation. These processes can include the following programmes.

Area Improvement Programmes (AIPs)

In Port of Spain, NIPDEC are currently promoting a Downtown Management District (DMD) to build on the success of upgrading Brian Lara Promenade. This concept could be expanded for the Chaguanas town centre retail core adjacent commercial areas proposed to be designated within the Action Area Plan.

 

Similar to DMD, the AIPs could become joint venture (public/ private) companies or associations, with the purpose of supplementing basic community services (such as security, maintenance and upgrading of public areas, rubbish collection, and sanitation).

Finance is raised through a (compulsory) tax levied on properties and businesses in the area with the tax used specifically on that area. By investing the finance on the needs of the designated area, a return is achieved by the stakeholders. Management of AIPs should contain a mix of property owners and businessmen from the area as well as representatives from the Corporation and appropriate State agencies so that private and public interests are served.

Developer Contribution Plans

These agreements are aimed at levying contributions on new development, redevelopment of sites or buildings or from intensification of use.   The Town Centre Action Area Plan which would be a publicly available plan should incorporate such aspects as parking levies, streetscape improvement levies, drainage, sewer and water and open space contributions. These plans are aimed at achieving contributions from (private) development to provide communal facilities within a nominated area, which might otherwise be dealt with less efficiently or provided on a site by site basis.

Developer Contributions Plans can assist in maximising development on a site, control the location of facilities such as communal parking areas, provide more useable open space (by upgrading and maintaining existing space) rather than (leaving fragmented inaccessible and unusable spaces), provide for streetscape improvements in a consistent and coherent way and assist with the augmentation and provision of infrastructure.

Such funds should be overseen by Local Government Authorities with annual accounts made publicly available. These funds can be supplemented by other (central) government agencies’ programmes budgets to jointly achieve improvements with the overall development planning framework for an area.

In order for the Developer Contributions Plans to be acceptable and implementable they must be relevant to the needs generated by developments and their occupants, be clear on what the contributions are for, specify where other government budgets will complement facilities provided, indicate a timeframe for the construction of facilities (such as multi-storey parking areas), outline how the contributions were determined, be publicly available and include monitoring mechanisms to provide transparent and open checking procedures during implementation.

Recommendations of Other Studies

Ongoing studies into Governance issues in Trinidad and Tobago are addressing such matters as tax gathering and spending powers of local authorities, clarifying roles between nation and local government and the roles of private/public partnerships. Such issues are far-reaching and will have significant requirements for financial and human resources, training programmes and long-term institutional change and strengthening.  Nevertheless in the context of this 20-year development planning process, they are considered relevant to facilitating development within these areas and could assist in implementing the processes discussed above.

 

 

 

10           Action Areas

a.       Definition

Plan preparation for this Local Area incorporates a Master Plan and written document, together with the identification of more detailed areas of study, where further guidance is considered necessary.

Action Areas were selected on the basis of a number of criteria including;

·         areas of development pressures or opportunities;

·         areas where changes are already occurring or implementation is imminent;

·         areas where further guidance of plan proposals is necessary;

·         areas capable of illustrating ‘typical’ approaches to similar planning challenges elsewhere in the country or new approaches to problem solving.

Action Area studies are intended to combine planning and design skills, and to point the way to future courses of action involving the public and private sectors, community groups and other bodies with an interest in plan implementation.

For the Chaguanas Local Area, preparatory Action Area studies have been completed for Chaguanas Town Centre, and these have been described in Section 8.

A Special Development Area has also been proposed at Carlsen Field where a combination of factors including:

·         a large landholding;

·         state ownership

·         strategic location

·         good highway accessibility; and

·         proximity to major centres of economic activity and residential catchment,

indicate a comprehensive approach to development planning is required.

The next step will be for the preparation of a long term Development Brief to guide future applications and demand, in the context of the wider Chaguanas Local Area Plan.  The involvement of the private sector in this process should be encouraged

Executive Summary

Chaguanas Interim Report Part 1

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