Explanation G3

9.24

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) classifies agricultural land according to its quality. Land within grades 1, 2 and 3a is known as “best and most versatile”.  Agricultural land in Grades 3b, 4 and 5 is of moderate or poor quality and is less significant in terms of the national agricultural interest. The majority of the agricultural land in Knowsley is classified as “best and most versatile”, and is therefore subject to policy G3.

9.25

New developments can, in effect, destroy the quality of agricultural land, making it impossible to use it as a resource in the future. This is the case with proposals for new buildings as well as for many “soft” end uses such as golf courses (which can rarely practicably be returned to agricultural use).  In some cases, although the development itself may not be located on high quality land, it may sterilise the use of land by fragmenting agricultural holdings or converting buildings needed to farm the land to other uses, unconnected with agriculture. 

9.26

Non-agricultural developments (such as new recreational or tourism uses) can themselves have a valuable role to play in diversifying the rural economy and can also provide an opportunity for enhancing the landscape. Policy G3 therefore does not seek to prevent such uses being permitted in principle. However, where they would affect best and most versatile land the onus will be on developers to demonstrate (using information submitted with the planning application) that the proposed development cannot be accommodated on previously developed sites or on land of lower agricultural quality. Where alternative sites are available on lower graded land, regard should be given to whether the alternative sites have a landscape, wildlife, historic or archaeological value which would mean that they are unsuitable for the proposed development.

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