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| Chapter 4 - Form, Structure
and Patterns of Settlement |
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| 4.1 |
The form and structure of settlements,
as well as patterns of distribution, are fundamental considerations
of the planning system. New development should be well related in
scale and location to existing development. The expansion of villages
and towns must avoid creating ribbon development or a fragmented pattern
of development. These considerations are long standing planning and
geographic issues which have given rise to much thought and debate,
as well as planning legislation and policy guidance. |
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Form and Structure and
the Aims of the Local Plan |
| 4.2 |
There are two expressed aims of the Plan
that have a direct bearing on policy formulation and the form and
structure of settlements. Firstly, the Plan will seek "to encourage
sustainable development". One way of achieving this aim is to promote
a sustainable pattern of settlement hierarchy by focusing most new
development on the main settlements of Balderton, Blidworth, Bilsthorpe,
Boughton, Clipstone, Collingham, Edwinstowe, Farnsfield, Lowdham,
Newark, Ollerton, Rainworth and Southwell. In directing development
in this way it is hoped to make retail, recreational and social facilities
readily available to local populations, thereby reducing the number
and length of car journeys needed to reach such facilities. |
| 4.3 |
The Plan will also seek "to protect the
character, setting and separate identity of existing settlements and
neighbourhoods". As new development is to be directed towards main
settlements, the District Council will seek to ensure that the form
and structure of these settlements is respected. In particular, it
will seek to ensure that significant greenways are protected and open
breaks safeguarded. It will also seek to prevent so called "town cramming"
by the use of a variety of policies on matters such as density, design,
open space and Conservation Areas. |
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Objectives |
| 4.4 |
The aims of the Local Plan will be achieved
through the implementation of the following objectives: |
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- to respect the existing pattern, structure and form of settlements;
- to safeguard the open character of the Nottinghamshire Green
Belt;
- to direct most new development to the main settlements and encourage
urban regeneration;
- to ensure that new development is compatible with the size and
scale of settlements;
- to protect the setting, character and identity of settlements;
and
- to promote green wedges, corridors and linked open space systems.
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The Distribution of New
Development |
| 4.5 |
One of the principal aims of the Local
Plan is to focus new development in the main settlements of the District.
However, it is important that this is carried out in a sensitive manner.
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Policy FS1
Urban Settlement Patterns and the Location of New Development |
| Development will be directed towards the built-up
area of Newark, Balderton and the main settlements within the
District, with particular emphasis on the re-use of derelict,
vacant or neglected sites and buildings. The District Council
will seek to ensure new development respects the form and structure
of these settlements through the appropriate siting, layout
and design of development. |
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Justification |
| 4.6 |
In accordance with Government and Structure
Plan Guidance, the District Council will seek to focus new development
on Newark and the main settlements within the District, including
Bilsthorpe, Blidworth, Boughton, Clipstone, Collingham, Edwinstowe,
Farnsfield, Lowdham, Ollerton, Rainworth and Southwell. The District
Council will seek to ensure new development respects the form and
structure of these settlements when considering the siting, layout
and design of development. |
| 4.7 |
The District Council will also seek to
promote the re-use of derelict, vacant or neglected sites to assist
in the urban regeneration of built-up areas and to reduce the pressure
for development on greenfield sites elsewhere. This approach has been
successful in Newark and has led to the rejuvenation of both the town
centre and the riverside. |
| 4.8 |
The District Council is now trying to
consolidate the successes achieved in areas like Millgate and Slaughterhouse
Lane. The need to continue with a policy of urban regeneration is
still strong. Despite its small size, Newark contains extensive areas
of under-used land and far too many examples of large vacant properties
on the fringes of the town centre. The emphasis has been focused on
the riverside; this has involved the preparation of the Northgate
Regeneration Strategy and the establishment of the SRB funded 'Gateways
to Newark' Partnership. |
| 4.9 |
The decline of the coal mining industry
in the west of the District has increased significantly the amount
of derelict and under used-land. The District Council will encourage
employment and other appropriate uses on this land especially where
benefits for the local community and environment can be secured. In
addition, environmental improvement schemes will be undertaken to
enhance the appearance of the mining settlements. |
| 4.10 |
The Council considers that its approach
towards urban regeneration, and its policy of partnership with the
private sector in promoting new development and the refurbishment
of existing property within the inner areas of Newark and elsewhere,
has been successful and should continue. |
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Balderton Hospital New
Community |
| 4.11 |
The District Council has allocated land
at the site of the former Balderton Hospital for the creation of a
new community. Eventually, the site will accommodate approximately
1100 dwellings. It is intended that the settlement will include a
variety of recreational and social facilities, as well as retail outlets,
and be easily served by public transport from Newark. As the village
is well contained within the boundaries of the hospital site, it will
not impinge upon Balderton or Newark. It will also take development
pressure away from open areas and spaces within the main built-up
area of the town as well as peripheral sites, thereby protecting the
form and structure of Newark. |
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Form and Structure of
the Newark Urban Area |
| 4.12 |
The District Council, in considering the
location of new development in Newark, wishes to ensure that the existing
character of the town is retained. The following policies provide
guidance on where development will be resisted. |
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Policy FS2
Open Breaks between Newark and Farndon, Winthorpe and Coddington
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| Planning permission will
not be granted for development in the open breaks, defined
on the Proposals Map, between: |
| 1. |
Newark and Farndon; |
| 2. |
Newark and Winthorpe; |
| 3. |
Newark and Coddington; and |
| 4. |
Balderton and the new community
on the former hospital site. |
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Justification |
| 4.13 |
It is an aim of the Local Plan to ensure
that existing settlements within the District retain their separate
identities and characteristics and, in particular, that the villages
surrounding Newark are not submerged into one large urban area. In
order to achieve this, the District Council has identified certain
areas that are under pressure for development which also provide an
open break between settlements. These open breaks are not selected
on the basis of any landscape value although they may include areas
of attractive countryside or Mature Landscape Areas. It is primarily
an urban form policy designed to protect open land between built-up
areas. The open breaks seek to prevent the coalescence of communities
and to preserve their separate identities. The District Council will
strongly resist any encroachment into these areas, even where it relates
to development that would normally be acceptable elsewhere in the
countryside. It is considered that these "open breaks", being relatively
small areas, could not accommodate even limited development, without
compromising their role in keeping land open. |
| 4.14 |
The open breaks identified in the Local
Plan are found between Newark and Farndon, Newark and Winthorpe, Newark
and Coddington and Balderton and the proposed Balderton Hospital New
Community. These areas are identified on the Proposals Map. |
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Policy FS3
Land between Newark and Balderton |
| Planning permission will
be granted for low-density housing development and institutional
uses set within extensive and well-landscaped grounds,
in the area defined on the Proposals Map between London
Road and Barnby Road, provided the substantial open and
well wooded character of the area is retained. |
| Development along Barnby
Road will: |
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Be confined to low density
housing development on frontage sites, which secures positive
environmental improvements; |
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Provide for noise attenuation
measures, including tree planting to alleviate noise from
the East Coast Main Railway Line; |
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Include provision for tree
and shrub planting along the Barnby Road frontage; and |
| 4. |
Make adequate arrangements
for sewage disposal and highway improvements. |
| Any development in depth,
within the defined area will be accessed off London Road.
There will be no vehicular connection between London Road
and Barnby Road, although provision will be made for pedestrian
and cycle routes through the area. |
| All proposals for development
in the area will include detailed landscaping schemes
providing for substantial areas of woodland planting and
the retention of existing trees. Proposals affecting allotments
must show that the allotments are no longer required and/or
sufficient alternative provision is to be made elsewhere
within the immediate area. |
| Proposals will be expected
to include provision for public open space in accordance
with the District Council's standards as set out in the
Recreation Chapter. |
| The District Council will
seek to enter into appropriate legal agreements to ensure: |
| (a) |
the provision of such off-site
highway improvements and sewerage infrastructure as are
necessary as a consequence of the development; and |
| (b) |
the proper maintenance of
the woodland planting areas and public open space. |
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Justification |
| 4.15 |
Between Newark and Balderton, to the north
of London Road, there is a substantial area of land which is largely
undeveloped. The area is bounded by London Road, the Coronation Street
Recreation Ground, the East Coast Main Railway Line and the Lowfield
Railway Line. |
| 4.16 |
Since the introduction of planning control
in 1948, the planning policy for this area has sought to maintain
a green wedge between Newark and Balderton, in an attempt to prevent
the coalescence of the two. The vast majority of applications for
development have been refused in line with this policy and have, with
one or two exceptions, been supported at appeal. With regard to the
Barnby Road area, access, drainage and railway noise constraints have
reinforced the presumption against further development. |
| 4.17 |
During the course of the preparation of
the Local Plan, this area has been re-examined and a number of broad
conclusions reached: |
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- most of the area is fairly open, although there are parts which
are well wooded. It is similar in character to the Clay Lane area
to the north-east. In views from the east and north-east, the
area is perceived as being part of a "green wedge" extending into
the urban area;
- although closely linked with the open countryside to the north-east,
the area is considered to lie within the urban area;
- as seen from London Road the area affords a transition between
the more densely developed parts of Newark and Balderton. It is
typified by large buildings set within extensive, and often well
wooded grounds; and
- there remains access, drainage and railway noise constraints
to further development on Barnby Road.
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| 4.18 |
Policy FS3 is based on these conditions
and seeks to retain the substantially open but well wooded character
of the area, by limiting built development to low density housing
and institutional uses set within extensive and well landscaped grounds.
Detailed planting schemes will be required for all sites. |
| 4.19 |
Along Barnby Road, development will be
confined to the frontage only and will be expected to make a positive
environmental improvement to the character of the area. Carefully
restricting the amount of new development on Barnby Road should avoid
creating further traffic problems on this narrow and unclassified
road. Proposals will be expected to take account of noise from the
East Coast Main Railway Line and make adequate arrangements for sewage
disposal and any highway improvements that may be required. All plots
should be connected to the mains sewerage systems and substantial
tree planting will be required. |
| 4.20 |
Limited low density development in the
order of two to three dwellings per acre will be allowed in depth
off London Road, provided vehicular access is from London Road, and
provision is made for substantial areas of woodland planting and the
retention of existing trees. The existing character of the London
Road frontage should be retained and enhanced with any new buildings
set behind substantial areas of woodland planting. Pedestrian and
cycle links through to Barnby Road will be encouraged. Proposals for
development on any of the allotment land should either make provision
for alternative facilities nearby or show that they are no longer
required. The District Council has provided further guidance on these
matters in a planning brief and will seek to enter into appropriate
legal agreements with developers to ensure the provision of proper
sewerage infrastructure, any off-site highway improvements required
and the maintenance of planting and open space areas. |
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Green Wedges and Corridors |
| 4.21 |
The District Council will seek to protect
significant areas of open land that penetrate deep into the heart
of built-up areas. These areas serve a number of purposes. They create
an attractive and valuable setting for the settlements concerned,
whilst providing an opportunity for informal recreation and leisure
uses. They also are a valuable ecological resource, bringing wildlife
close to large centres of population. They frequently have an historic
importance to the settlement, having remained open as a consequence
of some development constraint or local circumstance. |
| 4.22 |
The District Council will also seek to
safeguard linear routes, especially where they allow access into and
out of densely populated areas. Disused railways, such as the Newark-Bottesford
Line, and river valleys, in particular, offer great recreational opportunities
as well as providing areas of open space within settlements. The Newark-Bottesford
Railway Line (also known as the Lowfield Line) is being developed
as a multi-purpose route by Sustrans. These opportunities are discussed
in more detail later in the Plan. |
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Policy FS4
Clay Lane Green Wedge, Newark |
| The Clay Lane area, defined
on the Proposals Map, will form a green wedge extending
into Newark. Planning permission will not be granted for
development that damages, intrudes into, or detracts from,
the open character of the area. |
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Justification |
| 4.23 |
The Clay Lane Green Wedge, defined on
the Proposals Map, plays an important role in shaping and defining
the urban form of Newark. It provides an important link between residential
areas on the eastern side of the town and the countryside. It also
has considerable recreational potential, and has been the subject
of various landscaping projects. The Clay Lane playing field is also
protected under Policy R13. |
| 4.24 |
The District Council will carefully control
all new development that falls within the designated Clay Lane Green
Wedge. The Green Wedge lies outside the main built-up area of Newark,
and, for the purposes of this Plan, will be treated as countryside
and subject to the normal development constraints that apply under
Policy NE1. Most of this area is also designated as a Mature Landscape
Area and receives protection under Policy NE8. |
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The Villages |
| 4.25 |
Outside of Newark, the District Council
has sought to respect the form and structure of settlements through:
the designation of Main Open Areas; Conservation Areas; No Intensification
Areas; in the way village envelopes are drawn up and defined; and
by the designation of Green Wedges in Southwell and Edwinstowe. |
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Policy FS5
Southwell Green Wedge |
| Land to the south of Southwell
Minster, defined on the Proposals Map, will form the basis
of a green wedge extending into the village. Planning
permission will not be granted for development that damages,
intrudes into, or detracts from, the open character of
this area. |
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Justification |
| 4.26 |
To the south of Southwell Minster lies
a significant amount of open land that is largely free from intensive
development. The Southwell Green Wedge is defined on the Proposals
Map and plays an important role in contributing to the form of the
village, as well as providing an attractive setting for the Minster.
It also has considerable recreational value, helping to meet the demands
for both passive and active leisure activities. This relatively large
area of open space is made up of land associated with the Minster
itself, the Minster School, the War Memorial Recreation Ground, Potwell
Dyke Meadows and Southwell Sports Centre. The District Council will
seek to prevent any new development within this area that would damage
its open character. The Green Wedge is also covered by countryside
protection policy NE1 and Conservation Area Policies. |
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Policy FS6
Edwinstowe Green Wedge |
| The Maun Valley area, defined
on the Proposals Map, will form a green wedge extending
through the centre of Edwinstowe. Planning permission
will not be granted for development that would damage,
intrude into, or detract from, the open character of this
area. |
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Justification |
| 4.27 |
The Edwinstowe Green Wedge, which runs
along the Maun Valley and is defined on the Proposals Map, plays an
important role in shaping and defining the urban form of Edwinstowe.
It provides a strong break along the riverside, between the old village
and more recent development to the south. It also has considerable
recreational potential, with a number of public rights of way through
the area. There are considerable opportunities to further develop
and improve these informal recreation facilities and activities. The
District Council will seek to prevent any new development within this
area that would damage its open character. The Green Wedge is also
covered by countryside protection Policy NE1 and the Sherwood Forest
Special Landscape Area Policy NE9. |
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Policy FS7
Main Open Areas |
| Planning permission will
not be granted for built development in the Main Open
Areas, defined on the Proposals Map. |
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Justification |
| 4.28 |
The protection of Main Open Areas (MOAs)
from development is a longstanding planning policy of the District
Council. MOAs were first identified in the Village Plans produced
under the umbrella of the Newark Plan in 1976, and have been included
in all subsequent reviews of policy. They are defined on the Proposals
Map. |
| 4.29 |
MOAs represent those areas of predominantly
open land within settlements that play an important role in defining
their form and structure. They frequently add to the distinctive charm
and character of villages and may include paddocks, orchards, meadows
and gardens. While often attractive, landscape quality need not be
a prerequisite to designation as an MOA. |
| 4.30 |
The District Council considers that open
spaces within settlements are frequently as important to the character
of settlements concerned, as their buildings. Some dispersed linear
village forms (for example Besthorpe, Inset Map No.4) are characterised
by open spaces alternating with built development. If these open areas
are lost to development, the essential form of the village will change.
In more nucleated villages such as Southwell (Inset Map No.54) there
are very important open spaces, now enclosed by development, that
serve both aesthetic and recreational purposes, but which also help
to provide a setting for the village (for example, Burgage Green and
Shady Lane MOAs). |
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Village Envelopes |
| 4.31 |
Village envelopes have been defined on
the Inset Maps for most settlements within the District. Exceptions
have been made for very small hamlets and where local preference has
determined that envelopes are not required. Development outside village
envelopes will not normally be permitted, in accordance with Policy
NE1. |
| 4.32 |
It is intended that village envelopes
should respect and, where possible, safeguard the character and setting
of individual settlements and prevent the intrusion of development
into the surrounding countryside. These aims are in accordance with
PPG3, which states that where new housing is acceptable, the character
of the particular settlement should always be respected. It is important
to ensure that new development in rural areas is sensitively related
to the existing pattern of settlement and has proper regard to Government
policies for the protection of the countryside. Envelopes are used
to define what is considered to be the main built-up area of settlements.
It does not necessarily seek to include all development associated
with the village, for example outliers and other isolated pockets
of development. The envelopes may be specifically drawn to exclude
certain areas of open space that may be considered part of the village
form. For the purposes of the Plan, this will be considered countryside
and subject to development constraint. |
| 4.33 |
In accordance with PPG3 and PPG7, the
District Council will seek to avoid the creation of ribbon development,
or a fragmented pattern of development associated with settlements
to ensure that any extension of ribbon development is contained. An
example, is to be found at South Muskham (Inset Map No.52) where residential
development to the north of the village has been specifically excluded
from the village envelope, to ensure that no further extension to
this piece of ribbon development can take place. |
| 4.34 |
Within the extended Morton Village envelope,
which includes three parcels of land with a frontage to the south-western
side of Back Lane, between Birchwood and Moor Lane, the District Council
will resist any development which is out of keeping with the character
of the village and the style of buildings nearby. |
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No Intensification Areas |
| 4.35 |
It is not only open spaces that contribute
to the character of settlements, but also areas that have remained
less intensively developed. These areas are often characterised by
properties with large gardens or associated land which have remained
relatively free from development. Some of these areas have been identified
on Inset Maps as being of special value to the form and structure
of certain settlements. It has been a longstanding policy of the District
Council to resist the further intensification of development within
these areas. |
| 4.36 |
PPG3 "Housing" recognises that areas such
as informal open spaces and private gardens can be of great importance
to the character of neighbourhoods. It also states that density and
scale of existing development should always be respected as well as
environmental quality. PPG3 goes on to state that villages vary widely
in their character and what might be appropriate in a village with
a dense intricate pattern of development could be out of place in
a sparser more open settlement. In identifying areas where further
intensification of development would be inappropriate, the District
Council is attempting to provide clear and concise guidance in accordance
with PPG3. |
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Conservation Areas |
| 4.37 |
The District Council has powers under
the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, to
designate Conservation Areas. Many settlements within the District
now have Conservation Area designations covering all or part of their
area. A fundamental aim of Conservation Area designation is the preservation
or enhancement of a Conservation Area's special architectural or historic
character and its appearance. Some of the policies to be applied in
Conservation Areas have a role to play in protecting the form and
structure of settlements. For example, important open space should
be safeguarded and important views into and out of Conservation Areas
should be protected. |
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Green Belts |
| 4.38 |
The fundamental aim of Green Belt policy
is to keep land permanently open. Green Belts can also be used to
shape patterns of urban development at a sub-regional level and to
protect the form and structure of individual settlements. Within the
District, the Green Belt helps to prevent the coalescence of Rainworth
and Blidworth as well as constraining development within and around
villages that fall within easy commuting distance of Nottingham. The
purposes of including land within the Green Belt area shown below. |
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Purposes of Including
Land in Green Belts |
| 4.39 |
PPG2 "Green Belts" outlines five main
purposes of including land in Green Belts: |
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- to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
- to prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another;
- to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;
- to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns;
and
- to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling
of derelict and other urban land.
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PPG2 also states that Green Belts may
have a positive role to play in securing environmental benefits through
the fulfillment of a number of expressed objectives: |
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- to provide opportunities for access to the open countryside
for the urban population;
- to provide opportunities for outdoor sport and outdoor recreation
near urban areas;
- to retain attractive landscapes, and enhance landscapes, near
to where people live; and
- to improve damaged and derelict land around towns.
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| 4.40 |
Landscape quality is not a major consideration
in the designation of Green Belts. They remain primarily a tool for
the control of development. |
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It is for this reason that the purpose
of including land within Green Belts are of paramount importance and
should take precedence over land use objectives and other environmental
considerations. Therefore, development proposals will be assessed
against their impact on these expressed purposes. |
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Policy FS8
The Extent of the Green Belt |
| The Nottinghamshire Green
Belt within Newark and Sherwood District is defined on
the Proposals Map. |
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Justification |
| 4.41 |
Green Belts are established through development
plans. Structure Plans provide the strategic context for Green Belts
whilst Local Plans define the detailed boundaries and policies applicable
to such areas. The extent of the Nottinghamshire Green Belt is therefore
defined on the Proposals Map of this Plan. The boundaries defined
on the Proposals Map will not need to be altered in order to accommodate
development needs before 2011. |
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Policy FS9
Appropriate Development in the Green Belt |
| Planning permission will
only be granted for the following categories of new building
in the Green Belt:- |
| 1) |
Buildings which are essential
for agricultural and forestry activities; |
| 2) |
Buildings which provide
essential facilities for outdoor sport and outdoor recreation,
for cemeteries, and for other uses which preserve the
openness of the Green Belt and do not conflict with the
purposes of including land within it; |
| 3) |
Limited extension or alteration
of dwellings where a proposal would not result in disproportionate
additions over and above the size of the original dwelling; |
| 4) |
The replacement of existing
dwellings provided that it does not result in a new dwelling
materially larger than the dwelling it replaces; or |
| 5) |
In villages wholly within
the Green Belt, limited infill development of small gaps
within the existing built-up area where that would be
in keeping with the character of the village. |
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appropriate to the Green Belt is should be located and
designed so as not to detract from the open character
of the Green Belt. |
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Justification |
| 4.42 |
As stated above, the fundamental aim of
Green Belt policy is to keep land permanently open and free from development.
Only in very special circumstances will planning permission be granted
for the construction of new buildings inside the Green Belt. Such
circumstances include agricultural and forestry related development
and essential facilities for sport and recreation, as well as cemeteries. |
| 4.43 |
Development in Green Belts will be tightly
controlled for a number of reasons. Green Belts are an effective mechanism
for restraining urban sprawl and were largely borne out of concern
expressed about the impact of ribbon development on the countryside
in the 1930s and 1940s. |
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Whilst it is not a landscape designation,
in terms of the visual quality of the countryside, it does seek to
safeguard open land and often attractive countryside from development. |
| 4.44 |
The Nottinghamshire Green Belt extends
beyond the District boundary and has county-wide importance. When
viewed with the South East Derbyshire Green Belt, it gains regional
significance (see Figure 4.1). The boundaries of the Nottinghamshire
Green Belt were laid down initially in the Nottinghamshire Green Belt
Local Plan, adopted in 1989. The present Plan, however, has amended
the Green Belt boundary at Blidworth, where land at New Lane has been
withdrawn to allow for the long-term needs of the settlement. The
employment allocation at the former Blidworth colliery site has also
been removed from the Green Belt as it was felt that its present use
was incongruous with the aims of the Green Belt. Land at Southwell
Road, Lowdham has been removed from the Green Belt to help meet the
housing needs of the Southern Area and provide recreational space
for the village. Elsewhere there have been very minor boundary changes
to take account of individual properties and changes in circumstances. |
| 4.45 |
Certain land use proposals in the Green
Belt will be welcomed by the District Council, for example, the creation
of new woodlands, particularly within the Greenwood Community Forest
area. The Greenwood Community Forest Plan has now been approved and,
in accordance with PPG2, may be treated as a material consideration
in the determination of planning applications. |
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Policy FS10
The Conversion and Re-use of Buildings in the Green Belt |
| Planning permission will
be granted for the conversion or re-use of existing buildings
in the Green Belt provided the following criteria are
satisfied:- |
| 1) |
The buildings are of a permanent
and substantial construction, and are capable of conversion
without major or complete reconstruction; |
| 2) |
The form, bulk and general
design of the buildings are in keeping with their general
surroundings; |
| 3) |
The proposal would not have
a materially greater impact than the existing use on the
openness of the Green Belt and the purposes of including
land within it; |
| 4) |
In the case of a residential
use, the proposal would not have a detrimental effect
on the fabric and character of traditional farm buildings,
and the creation of a residential curtilage would not
have a harmful impact on the character of the countryside; |
| The proposal would not result
in poor residential amenity by way of noise, smell, dust
and general disturbance, or create traffic problems. |
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Justification |
| 4.46 |
The District Council will seek to ensure
that proposals to convert or re-use buildings do not prejudice the
purposes of including land within the Green Belt. For example new
uses which give rise to substantial traffic movements would run counter
to the role of the Green Belt in delivering sustainable development
and promoting urban regeneration. Conversion or redevelopment of sites
should not result in any greater impact on the character of the Green
Belt than the existing use. The District Council will also seek to
strictly control extensions to re-used buildings and will not normally
permit schemes that would involve a significant amount of new development
to the detriment of the Green Belt. Associated and ancillary uses
to conversion proposals will also be carefully controlled. These uses
can have a serious impact on the openness of land and may result in
the erosion of the value of Green Belt designation. Examples of these
associated uses include extensive external storage areas, extensive
hard standing, car parking, boundary walling or fencing. |
| 4.47 |
Planning permission will not be granted
for the conversion of temporary or insubstantial buildings especially
where the scheme is not possible without major or complete reconstruction
of the original building. The form, bulk and general design of buildings
should be in keeping with their surroundings. Proposals to convert
buildings that are not of a suitable quality or are incongruous in
the Green belt will not be permitted. Conversion proposals should
also reflect local buildings styles, and where possible, make use
of local materials, although non-local equivalents may be acceptable. |
| 4.48 |
Proposals to convert buildings to residential
use will be examined with particular care. Residential conversions
can often have a detrimental effect on the fabric and architectural
interest of historic farm buildings. Whilst it is acknowledged that
conversion may help safeguard historic buildings, it should not be
allowed to proceed if the cost, in terms of the loss of architectural
features or historic integrity of the building, is too high. The impact
of the creation of a residential curtilage around newly converted
buildings can also be detrimental to the character of the countryside,
especially in areas of high landscape quality. |
| 4.49 |
The District Council will prefer to see
redundant rural buildings converted to new uses in preference to those
which still serve a specific function. Whilst the District Council
will not refuse a proposal solely on the grounds of the existing status
of a building, redundancy may, on occasions, be regarded as a consideration
in the assessment of planning applications. |
| 4.50 |
Where a development proposal may have
an impact on species protected under the Wildlife and Countryside
Act 1981 (as amended) full consideration should be given to the safeguarding
of the species concerned and consultation with English Nature undertaken.
The District Council will make use of planning conditions and obligations
to ensure the protection of such species. (See Policies NE2 and NE17,
and supporting text). |
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Permitted Development
Rights and Agricultural Development |
| 4.51 |
The District Council will actively seek
to discourage the abuse of permitted development rights within the
Green Belt. It will examine with particular care applications for
the re-use of buildings erected under the General Development Order
within the previous few years. Furthermore, when granting planning
permission for the re-use of agricultural buildings for non-agricultural
purposes, the District Council will consider whether the proliferation
of farm buildings' permitted development rights could have a detrimental
effect on the character of the Green Belt. If so, the Council will
consider whether it is appropriate to attach a condition to withdraw
such rights for that particular unit or holding. |
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Policy FS11
Infill Development in Green Belt Villages |
| Planning permission for new
development in villages wholly within the Green Belt will
be limited to small scale infill, provided that: |
| 1) |
It consists of the development
of small gaps within the existing built up area; |
| 2) |
It would not adversely affect
the character of the village, including important open
spaces or aspects which contribute to that character; |
| 3) |
It would not create a precedent
for further development which would compromise the aims
and purposes of Green Belt designation. |
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Justification |
| 4.52 |
Certain villages lie wholly within the
Nottinghamshire Green Belt, i.e. envelopes have not been defined for
the settlement and Green Belt policies are deemed to "wash over" them.
Development is therefore limited to infill or conversions in order
to protect the open character of the Green Belt. This policy reflects
the smaller size of these villages and their inability to accommodate
much development without an adverse impact on their character. |
| 4.53 |
Policy FS11 applies to the following settlements:
Bulcote (part), Caythorpe, Epperstone, Gonalston, Hoveringham, Lowdham
(old part of village) and Oxton. |
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Figure 4.1 Nottinghamshire
Green Belt (click for full size image) |
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