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LANDSCAPE |
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| 124. |
Havant Borough Council recognises the
importance of protecting and enhancing the varied urban and rural
landscape of the Borough because of its value to the quality of the
environment both visually and in terms of biodiversity. The policies
in this Chapter aim to protect and enhance the principal landscape
features which contribute to the character of the Borough, including
the remaining areas of ancient woodland that are remnants of the Forest
of Bere. |
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DESIGNATED AREAS |
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L1 |
CHICHESTER HARBOUR
AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY (AONB) |
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Development which would
harm the natural beauty of the landscape will not be permitted within
or adjacent to the Chichester Harbour AONB. Major development will
only be permitted where there is an overriding national interest and
a lack of alternative sites. |
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| 125. |
The Chichester Harbour was designated
as an AONB by the Countryside Commission in 1964, in order to conserve
the natural beauty of the landscape of the area. Any development proposals
will be considered against their likely effect on the quality of the
landscape. Development will be resisted unless there are compelling
reasons for its location and no alternative sites available. |
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L2 |
LANDSCAPE CHARACTER
AREAS |
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Within the landscape character
areas shown on Plan L2, development will be assessed for its impact
on the intrinsic character of the landscape. New development must
respect and enhance the key characteristics of the eleven landscape
character areas . |
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| 126. |
Havant Borough Landscape Assessment, which
is currently under review, identified a range of different landscape
types within the Borough. A landscape type is a distinct landscape
with a set of characteristics which can occur in different parts of
the country, influenced by underlying geology, topography, vegetation
and human factors. The Landscape Assessment differentiated the Borough's
countryside into eleven landscape character areas, which are geographically
specific landscape types or groups of landscape types with a local
place name and identity: |
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- Portsdown Hill
- Western Fringes of Waterlooville
- North Havant Mosaic
- Bells Copse Heathland
- Southleigh Mosaic
- Havant-Emsworth Plain
- Eastern Fringe of Emsworth
- Warblington Plain
- Broadmarsh-Langstone Plain
- North Hayling
- South Hayling
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The key characteristics of the landscape
character areas which new development must respect and enhance are:
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scenic quality, |
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b) |
sense of place, |
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c) |
tranquillity, |
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d) |
landscape elements and historic features
that contribute to local distinctiveness, |
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e) |
semi-natural vegetation that is characteristic
of the locality. |
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| 127. |
Development should be sensitively related
to the local landscape character and use materials sympathetic to
the locality. The conservation and enhancement of local landscape
features such as trees, hedges, copses, wetlands and ponds, will be
encouraged. It is recognised that the cumulative effect of successive
small developments could be as detrimental over time as one large
development, therefore all proposals for development in the countryside
will be assessed for their impact on the surrounding area, both landscape
and seascape. |
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L3 |
PORTSDOWN HILL |
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Portsdown Hill is a feature
of historic, landscape and ecological interest which is visually prominent
within the Borough. Development will only be permitted on Portsdown
Hill where it is for recreation or agricultural purposes and does
not detract from the landscape, historic or wildlife value of the
Hill. |
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| 128. |
Portsdown Hill on the western Borough
boundary is visually important both as a vantage point for views over
the coast and northwards over open countryside and as a green backdrop
to the surrounding development. A Management Plan for Portsdown Hill
was prepared in co-operation with neighbouring District Councils,
Hampshire County Council, the Countryside Commission and English Nature
in 1989, to safeguard the ecology of the Hill while simultaneously
promoting its recreational use. This policy is intended to complement
the aims of the Management Plan and enhance the landscape, historic
and ecological value, and agricultural use of this prominent feature
within the Borough. |
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ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT
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L4 |
STREAM CORRIDORS |
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Development proposals will
be required to include measures that protect and enhance the Hermitage
Stream, Lavant Stream, Lymbourne Stream, River Ems and all tributaries
and outlets in the Borough, in recognition of their importance to
aesthetics, amenity, recreation potential and wildlife interest. |
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| 129. |
The Council recognises the importance of
the water environment and the need to protect and enhance the stream
corridors in the Borough for landscape and nature conservation value,
water related recreation and public access, whilst maintaining the
current standard of flood protection and water quality. |
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L5 |
INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE
THE COASTAL ENVIRONMENT |
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Planning permission will
be granted for schemes which include improvements to the coastal environment
by: |
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(i) |
Maintaining and enhancing the appearance
and distinctiveness of settlements and landmarks along the coast.
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Screening or removing eyesores and degraded
sites. |
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Upgrading existing footpaths and providing
new public access to the waterfront where appropriate. |
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Signing and interpretation of coastal
processes, local history and nature conservation, where appropriate.
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Protecting and enhancing the nature
conservation value of designated sites and creating new wildlife habitats
through sympathetic landscape improvements. |
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In particular improvements
will be promoted at the following locations: |
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- Emsworth/Nore Barn
- Warblington
- Langstone
- Northney
- Yachthaven/Mill Rythe
- My Lord's Pond
- Beachlands
- Sinah Common
- Ferry Point
- West Hayling Shore
- South Moor
- Broadmarsh
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| 130. |
The coast is one of Havant Borough's most
important assets and the Council is committed to protecting the remaining
areas of undeveloped coast and improving the environment of the developed
areas. The landscape and nature conservation importance of both Langstone
and Chichester Harbours and Beachlands are of principal concern and
the Borough Council wishes to carry out or facilitate sympathetic
enhancement work where opportunities arise. The Broadmarsh Landscape
Strategy (February 2002) aims to link business development, recreational
open space and wildlife habitat in the Broadmarsh Coastal Park. |
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LANDSCAPE OF NEW DEVELOPMENT
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L6 |
CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION
OF EXISTING NATURAL FEATURES |
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Development will not be
permitted if it would damage or destroy natural features of nature
conservation and/or amenity importance on a site, e.g. trees, woodlands,
hedgerows, streams, ditches or ponds. Some of these features may have
additional protection under the Hedgerow Regulations, by Tree Preservation
Order or by location in a Conservation Area. Existing natural features
shall be protected during development and sympathetically incorporated
into the overall design of the scheme with measures taken to ensure
their continued survival. |
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| 131. |
Existing trees, woodlands, hedgerows,
streams, ditches and ponds are significant to the overall landscape
quality of an area, both as landscape features and as individual habitats.
Trees can define spaces, routes or views, screen out noise or unsightly
development, provide shelter on a site and improve local air quality.
The Borough Council will introduce Tree Preservation Orders as necessary
to protect existing trees. If the removal of one or more trees is
permitted as part of a development a condition may require that replacement
trees be planted on or near the site. Developers will be required
to protect existing trees to be retained during site clearance and
building operations. |
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L7 |
NEW LANDSCAPE WORKS
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Planning permission for
new development proposals will be granted subject to provision being
made for new landscape works to enable the development to integrate
successfully into the local environment. Landscape proposals should
incorporate and enhance existing landscape features, where appropriate
and complement them with new landscape works using local materials
and plant species. Provision should also be made for future maintenance
of new landscape works associated with new developments. |
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| 132. |
The Borough Council requires all development
proposals to include a landscape scheme which should be incorporated
in the layout design from the start and not put in as an afterthought
to fill in left over spaces. |
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