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| 4. THE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY |
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Introduction |
| 5.1 |
For the most part, the attractive countryside
around Preston requires long term protection, because of either the
function for which the land is used or its existing natural qualities. |
| 5.2 |
The main use of land in rural areas is
agriculture. Good quality agricultural land is a national asset which
must be conserved. Land which is within the Green Belt also performs
an important function in checking urban sprawl, so it must also be
protected. |
| 5.3 |
Perhaps the most attractive semi-natural
countryside in the City is that within the Forest of Bowland Area
of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) but there are other areas of
high environmental quality. |
| 5.4 |
PPG7: The Countryside - Environmental
Quality and Economic and Social Development states that: "The guiding
principle in the countryside is that development should both benefit
economic activity and maintain or enhance the environment". In line
with this principle, this section of the plan develops a hierarchy
of policies to protect the countryside and special features within
it and to limit development to that which is appropriate in certain
locations to promote the rural economy. The policies have been drawn
up to meet the following objectives: |
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Objectives |
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- TO PROTECT SITES OF ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE.
- TO MAINTAIN GREEN BELT LAND IN ITS CURRENT OPEN CHARACTER.
- TO PROTECT THE OPEN COUNTRYSIDE WITHIN THE CITY CONSISTENT
WITH SATISFYING THE CITY'S DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS.
- TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AND AMENITY OF THE COUNTRYSIDE WHILST
CATERING FOR A REASONABLE LEVEL OF SMALL SCALE DEVELOPMENT.
|
| Green Belt |
| 5.5 |
Green Belts are areas of countryside and
open land, which are defined by local planning authorities, for one
or more of five main purposes: |
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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 or other urban land.
|
| 5.6 |
The Green Belt in Preston, which is mainly
confined to the Ribble escarpment and flood plain to the east of the
City, is only a small part of a larger area designated in the Lancashire
Structure Plan to prevent development between Preston/Walton-le-Dale/Chorley
and Blackburn to the east. |
| 5.7 |
Green Belts constitute a fundamental part
of the Structure Plan strategy. By their very nature Green Belts contain
areas susceptible to development pressures. These pressures must be
resisted and deflected elsewhere through a general presumption against
development. |
| 5.8 |
Government policy on is contained in PPG2:
'Green Belts', which states that the purposes of including land
in Green Belts (as set out above) are of paramount importance to their
continued protection and should take precedence over the land use
objectives. PPG2 defines these objectives: |
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- to provide opportunities for access to the open countryside
for the urban population;
- to promote the use of land near urban areas for outdoor sport
and recreation;
- to retain and enhance landscapes, near to where people live;
- to improve damaged and derelict land around towns;
- to secure nature conservation interests; and,
- to retain land in agricultural, forestry and related uses.
|
| 5.9 |
Inappropriate development must be avoided.
This includes large-scale leisure projects involving major building
work and generating significant car traffic requiring extensive parking
facilities; football stadia are an example. |
| 5.10 |
The replacement of existing dwellings
need not be inappropriate, providing the new dwelling is not materially
larger than the dwelling it replaces. |
| 5.11 |
The following policy is, for the most
part, derived from the Lancashire Structure Plan, with minor amendment
to cater for Preston's circumstances. |
|
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| Policy DC1 |
Green Belt |
 |
| Within the Green Belt, as
defined on the Proposals Map: |
| (a) |
Planning permission will
not be given except in very special circumstances for the erection
of new buildings other than for the purposes of agriculture, forestry,
essential facilities for outdoor sport and recreation, for cemeteries
and for other uses which preserve the openness of the green belt and
which do not conflict with the purpose of including land in it, or
limited extension, alteration or replacement of existing dwellings. |
| (b) |
The re-use of existing buildings
will be permitted provided that: |
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(i) |
development will not require
unnecessary expenditure by public authorities and utilities on the
provision of infrastructure; |
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(ii) |
it is in scale and keeping
with the features of the landscape character tracts identified in
policy DC9, and has regard to the interests of nature conservation,
and the need to integrate the development with its surroundings; |
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(iii) |
the environmental impact
of any redevelopment will not be greater than that of existing development; |
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(iv) |
the buildings are of permanent
and substantial construction and are capable of conversion without
complete or major reconstruction; |
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(v) |
there are no adverse implications
for the rural economy. |
| (c) |
Other forms of development
(than those referred to above) will not be permitted unless they maintain
openness and do not conflict with the purposes of including land in
the green belt. |
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| 5.12 |
Hitherto Preston's
Green Belt has been defined solely by the Preston Rural Areas Local
Plan (PRALP). On preparing the Preston Local Plan, it became apparent
that land at the northern part of the Fishwick Golf Course had been
excluded from the Green Belt simply because it was situated just outside
the PRALP boundary, and within the Preston Eastern Suburbs Local Plan
(PESLP). The PESLP does not contain a Green Belt policy. The land
in question is contiguous to the Green Belt (as defined by PRALP)
and of similar quality and importance. It has therefore been incorporated
in to the Green Belt on the Proposals Map. |
| 5.13 |
The Deposit Plan
included within this extended area of Green Belt an area of land off
Butterlands, a residential cul-de-sac extending off Glenluce Drive.
Following representations from the site's owners the Council reconsidered
this site and deleted it from the Green Belt. Planning permission
was given for residential development on the southern part of the
site, with the northern part being identified as Public Open Space.
The Proposals Map now reflects these changes. |
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| Open Countryside
outside the Green Belt |
| 5.14 |
PPG7 provides national
guidance for the protection of the countryside. There is recognition
that the countryside should now be protected in its own right, as
a resource both for those who live and work there and for those who
visit. (PPG7 paragraph 2.1.4) This concept is expanded in the Lancashire
Structure Plan and further defined in this plan. |
| 5.15 |
The type and amount
of development in the open countryside must be strictly controlled.
However, it may be acceptable for development to take place where
it is required for the purposes of agriculture, forestry, or other
appropriate use, or alternatively, when it involves the re-use of
existing buildings for employment or housing. Infilling (within the
terms of policy DC11) may also be acceptable. |
| 5.16 |
Policy DC2 sets out
the criteria against which the Council will assess proposals for development
in open countryside. |
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| Policy DC2 |
Open Countryside outside
the Green Belt |
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| Development in the open
countryside, outside the Green Belt, will be permitted where: |
| (a) |
it forms a requirement for
agriculture, forestry or other uses appropriate to a rural area including
uses which help to diversify the rural economy; or, |
| (b) |
it comprises infilling between
existing buildings in accordance with Policy DC11; or, |
| (c) |
it involves the re-use or
re-habitation of existing buildings in accordance with Policy DC12. |
| Development as in (a) (b)
or (c) above will be subject to the following provisos: |
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(i) it does not involve
works to the highway which are incompatible with the rural character
of the area; and |
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(ii) the development is
in accordance with landscape policy DC9 and is compatible with nature
conservation; and |
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(iii) within the Forest
of Bowland AONB, development in the open countryside will be subject
to the additional requirement that it will contribute to the conservation
of the natural beauty of the area. |
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| 5.17 |
It is important that development does
not adversely affect either the character of the countryside, (in
line with identified landscape types - see Policy DC9) or the amenity
of those living nearby. Development to satisfy separate highway criteria
may require road improvements which are not in character with that
area and these may not be acceptable. |
| 5.18 |
Special considerations apply to Areas of
Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) where development should not only
meet the criteria of the policy but should also contribute in a positive
way. |
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| Development and
Agriculture |
| 5.19 |
Agricultural land is a vital resource
for future generations. However, few areas of agricultural use are
free from the pressures of development, particularly at the edges
of towns. It is national planning policy that the most productive
land is retained for agriculture. Land classified as Grades 1 and
2 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is the highest
quality; Grade 3a land is more widespread and it assumes greater importance
to the local agricultural economy in many areas where it constitutes
the highest quality land. |
| 5.20 |
The Council will consult the Ministry
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about any development which involves,
or is likely to lead to, a loss of more than 20 hectares of agricultural
land of Grades 1, 2, or 3a. Its views will be a material consideration
in determining the Council's decision. |
| 5.21 |
In many agricultural areas not included
in the better categories of land, high productivity is achieved by
good husbandry, investment over many years, and by an evolution of
farming practice and farm structure which maximises the more limited
potential of the land. In the hills of the Bowland area, even though
the land is not of the highest quality, particular agricultural practices
can have an important influence on the quality of the environment.
The loss of such farmland for development should be avoided where
alternative locations exist. |
| 5.22 |
Inevitably some agricultural land will
be lost to development. The location and design of any development
must be such that agricultural land is not wastefully used and is
not broken up by spurs of urban development. There is both an economic
and an environmental need to prevent the severance and fragmentation
of farm holdings. |
| 5.23 |
Proposals which may have an impact on
sites of ecological and wildlife importance will be assessed against
policies DC5 and DC7 below. |
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| Policy DC3 |
Agricultural Land |
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| Agricultural Land will be
protected from development involving permanent loss of, or damage
to its agricultural quality to the extent indicated below: |
| (a) |
considerable weight will
be given to protecting from development the best and most versatile
agricultural land i.e. Grades 1, 2, and 3a; |
| (b) |
within these grades, where
there is a choice between sites of different classifications, development
of the higher or highest grade land will not be permitted. |
| Development of lower grade
land (whether or not involving loss or damage to its agricultural
quality) will not be permitted where particular agricultural practices
contribute to the quality of the environment in some special way. |
| Where urban development
of agricultural land is permitted, steps will be taken by careful
consideration of its detailed planning, to minimise any potential
conflict with farming operations and to maintain farm efficiency as
far as practicable. |
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| Agricultural Diversification |
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| 5.24 |
Changes affecting the economic viability
of existing farms may be compensated by development which is complementary
to the main farming enterprise, for example tourism or recreation
uses. |
| 5.25 |
Proposals for diversification will be
considered by the Council preferably within the context of a comprehensive
farm plan but, as a minimum, applicants will need to explain the links
between the intended use and the traditional farm activities. |
| 5.26 |
Farm shops are a legitimate means of contributing
to the rural economy. Proposals for farm shops will be considered
against this and other appropriate plan policies. Annex C to PPG7
provides advice on planning issues relating to farm shops and other
forms of farm diversification. |
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| Policy DC4 |
Agricultural Diversification |
|
| Proposals for agricultural
diversification will be permitted where: |
| (a) |
it is of an appropriate
scale and character to the local area; and, |
| (b) |
the applicant can demonstrate
that it will be related to an existing agricultural business. |
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| Nature Conservation
- Internationally and Nationally Important Sites |
| 5.27 |
In the countryside
surrounding Preston, and in some cases extending into the urban area,
there are many areas and sites which have a high value as habitats
for plants and animals. |
| 5.28 |
These areas make
up the City's "Critical Environmental Capital", and are natural
resources which should be conserved for the benefit of future generations.
Some habitats included are irreplaceable and their loss could only
be condoned in most exceptional circumstances. |
| 5.29 |
Nature conservation
issues are dealt with in PPG9: 'Nature Conservation' and the Structure
Plan. The particular areas to be protected are identified in the following
policy. |
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| Policy DC5 |
Nature Conservation
- Internationally and Nationally Important Sites |
|
| (a) |
Development will not be
permitted which is likely to destroy or damage the internationally
important environment of the Ribble Estuary. |
| (b) |
Development will not be
permitted which is likely to destroy or damage Red Scar and Tun Brook
Woods Site of Special Scientific Interest unless the reasons for development
clearly outweigh the site's national importance. In this event, mitigation
measures will be required. |
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| 5.30 |
The Ribble Estuary
is of international importance for the populations of wintering waterfowl
it regularly supports; it is an integral part of the Ribble and Alt
Estuaries Special Protection Area (SPA) and is also a Ramsar site.
In terms of national designations, the estuary is a Site of Special
Scientific Interest (SSSI) and large areas are managed as a National
Nature Reserve (the Ribble Estuary NNR). Whilst these designated areas
lie outside the City, development proposals within the City, especially
along Preston's tidal stretch of the Ribble (to Mete House), could
have an adverse environmental impact downstream. Any plan or project
likely to have a significant effect upon the SPA/Ramsar will be subject
to the provisions of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations
1994. |
| 5.31 |
Sites of Special
Scientific Interest are notified for their national significance,
normally containing important species of flora and fauna, or assemblages
thereof. Red Scar and Tun Brook Woods SSSI is Ancient Semi-Natural
Woodland and as such any damage or destruction to it represents a
loss of Critical Environmental Capital that cannot be compensated
for. Development that would destroy or damage the SSSI, either in
whole or in part, would not be permitted unless the reasons for the
development clearly outweigh the nature conservation value of the
site itself and the national policy to safeguard the national network
of such sites. In the unlikely event of such development taking place
then it is imperative that any damage or destruction to the SSSI is
kept to a minimum through sensitive design and appropriate working
methods. Such measures will need to be considered in detail by English
Nature as the agency responsible for SSSI's, and the Lancashire Wildlife
Trust which manages a significant part of the SSSI as a nature reserve.
The Council will also seek to mitigate against any damage or destruction
of the SSSI through appropriate habitat creation on adjacent land
and/or through enhanced management of the remainder of the SSSI. For
example, new native woodland could be created following the principles
promoted by the Forestry Commission (see Forestry Commission Bulletin
112), non-native species could be removed from remaining areas of
existing woodland or improvements could be made to the existing footpath
network to enhance managed public access. |
| 5.32 |
The Council will
use planning conditions, or it may enter into a planning obligation,
to ensure that appropriate mitigation measures are implemented. These
measures should be fairly and reasonably related to the development
proposed and should concern the management and enhancement of the
SSSI. |
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| Protected Species |
| 5.33 |
European Protected
Species are those plants and animals listed in Annex IV to the Habitats
Directive and are protected under the Conservation (Natural Habitats,
&c.) Regulations 1994. In considering planning applications which
may affect European Protected Species, local planning authorities
are bound by Regulation 3(4) to have regard to the Habitats Directive
when exercising their functions. In order to derogate from the protection
afforded to European Protected Species, three tests must be satisfied
before DEFRA can issue a licence to permit otherwise prohibited acts: |
| |
- that the development is "in the interests of public health
and public safety, or for other imperative reasons of overriding
public interest, including those of a social or economic nature
and beneficial consequences of primary importance for the environment"
(Regulation 44(2)(e));
- that there is "no satisfactory alternative" (Regulation 44(3)(a));
and,
- that the derogation is "not detrimental to the maintenance
of the populations of the species concerned at a favourable conservation
status in their natural range" (Regulation 44(3)(b)).
Certain other plant and animal species are protected under the Wildlife
and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) and other legislation. |
| 5.34 |
The presence of a protected species is
a material consideration when a local planning authority is considering
a development proposal which, if carried out, could result in harm
to the species or its habitat. In these circumstances the Council
will consult English Nature before determining the planning application.
Where approval of the application is appropriate, the Council will
consider attaching planning conditions, or will enter into planning
obligations, under which the developer will take steps to secure the
protection of the species concerned. |
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| Policy DC6 |
Protection of Species |
|
| The Council will safeguard
protected species and their habitats from any adverse effects of development.
Any proposal that is permitted on sites supporting such species will
make provision for the protection, enhancement and conservation of
these species and habitats. |
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|
| Nature Conservation:
Locally Important Sites |
| 5.35 |
Biological Heritage
Sites (BHS's) are the most important non-statutory wildlife sites
in Lancashire. They have been defined by ecologists at Lancashire
County Council, in partnership with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust
and English Nature, on the basis of objective biological criteria.
There are currently 40 BHS's in Preston. The BHS classification embraces
a wide variety of habitats, from Ancient Woodlands to the Lancaster
Canal. BHS's form an irreplaceable part of the countryside and deserve
recognition and protection through the Local Plan. However, the successful
conservation of these sites requires more than protection by the planning
system; it also depends in practice upon the co-operation of the owners
and occupiers of the land in question. To this end, the BHS Project
aims to make contact with the owners and managers of such sites and
provide them with information and other assistance. Appendix 3 contains
a schedule of BHS's in Preston. |
|
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| Policy DC7 |
Nature Conservation:
Locally Important Sites |
|
| (a) |
Development will not be
permitted which is likely to destroy or damage Biological Heritage
Sites and Regionally Important Geological Sites (as shown on the Proposals
Map) unless the reasons for development clearly outweigh the need
to safeguard the intrinsic nature conservation value of the site or
feature. |
| (b) |
Development will be permitted
on other sites where there are features of habitat or natural history
value including mature trees, woodland, established hedgerows and
water features, provided that these features are substantially retained.
Where retention of such features is not practical, planning permission
will be granted where proposals include adequate appropriate replacement
features to compensate for those lost. |
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| 5.36 |
All of the Preston's
Ancient Woodlands are included in the list of Biological Heritage
Sites, except for Red Scar and Tun Brook Woods which have been designated
a Site of Special Scientific Interest (see Policy DC5). Ancient Woodlands
are areas that have been continually wooded since about the year 1600.
They are indicated on the Proposals Map to denote a sub-designation
of BHS's and are listed separately in Appendix 4. |
| 5.37 |
The Council will
use planning conditions, or enter into a planning obligation, to secure
the compensatory provision of replacement nature conservation features.
In certain circumstances, the Council may seek to safeguard the intrinsic
nature conservation value of a site by means of a management agreement.
Such agreements may be secured by the use of planning obligations
where proposals involve the use of a site for "noisy" sports. |
| 5.38 |
Certain plant and
animal species are protected under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside
Act and other legislation. The presence of a protected species is
a material consideration when a local planning authority is considering
a development proposal which, if carried out, could result in harm
to the species or its habitat. In these circumstances the Council
will consult English Nature before determining the planning application.
Where approval of the application is appropriate, the Council will
consider attaching planning conditions, or will enter into planning
obligations, under which the developer will take steps to secure the
protection of the species concerned. |
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|
| Wildlife Corridors |
| 5.39 |
Wildlife corridors
are linear features such as river valleys that connect countryside
and urban greenspace and act as links from one wildlife habitat to
another. As rare remnants of semi-natural vegetation, they are necessary
to ensure the maintenance of the current range of flora and fauna.
Wildlife corridors in the urban area often represent the only opportunity
that the less well-off and less mobile members of the community have
for direct contact with nature. |
| 5.40 |
Preston's wildlife corridors were identified
by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust in a survey carried out in 1991/92.
With the exception of the River Ribble and the Lancaster Canal these
wildlife corridors do not meet the criteria for inclusion in the list
of Biological Heritage Sites. Nevertheless they are very important
collectively and warrant an appropriate degree of protection from
development. In particular, development proposals that impinge upon
a wildlife corridor will be expected to incorporate measures to enhance
the degree of linkage afforded by that corridor. |
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| Policy DC8 |
Wildlife Corridors |
|
| Preston City's wildlife
corridor network will be protected from unnecessary development which
would adversely affect it. New development within or near to wildlife
corridors will be expected to incorporate features to facilitate the
movement of wildlife, including the creation of new links within the
network where appropriate. |
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|
| Landscape Enhancement
and Conservation |
| 5.41 |
The Structure Plan
defines landscape character tracts which can be eroded by the cumulative
impact of small-scale changes. Four particular tracts are found in
Preston and these are illustrated in Plan No. 4. Each has a particular
character which is important to safeguard in its own right. |
| 5.42 |
"Coasts and Estuaries",
special features of which are sand dunes, salt marshes, coastal cliffs
and grasslands, beaches, and other intertidal habitats. Renewal and
enhancement of this landscape is best achieved by the creation of
coastal grasslands, management of sand dunes, and small-scale enhancement
and habitat creation measures. |
| 5.43 |
"Amounderness", special
features of which are remnant peatlands, wetlands, and ponds. Renewal
and enhancement of this landscape is best achieved by woodland and
hedgerow management, pond conservation and creation, sympathetic new
woodland planting, and the creation of wetland and other semi-natural
habitats, and habitat links. |
| 5.44 |
"Bowland Fringes",
special features of which are ancient woodlands and species-rich grasslands.
Renewal and enhancement of the landscape is best achieved by hedgerow
and hedgerow tree planting and management, and woodland and grassland
management. |
| 5.45 |
"Rural Valleys",
special features of which are rivers, ancient woodlands, and species-rich
grasslands. Renewal and enhancement of the landscape is best achieved
by woodland, hedgerow, and hedgerow tree management. |
|
|
| Policy DC9 |
Landscape Enhancement
and Conservation |
|
| (a) In rural areas the distinctive
landscape and habitat features of the landscape character tracts identified
in the Lancashire Structure Plan will be conserved, renewed, and enhanced
by tree planting (where appropriate), habitat management and creation,
derelict land reclamation, environmental improvement and river corridor
conservation, and by the incorporation of such measures into development.
Priority will be given to conserving and enhancing the Forest of Bowland
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. |
| (b) |
In urban and urban fringe
locations landscape will be enhanced by: |
| |
(i) |
the re-use of derelict
and degraded land; |
| |
(ii) |
the deployment of greenspace
networks and other open spaces; |
| |
(iii) |
the protection and creation
of areas of woodland; |
| |
(iv) |
environmental improvements
carried out as part of redevelopment and refurbishment schemes or
in conjunction with traffic management measures. |
| |
|
| 5.46 |
The implementation
of this policy will be achieved through a wide spectrum of measures.
These include countryside management schemes and other joint working
and initiatives with statutory and voluntary agencies, taking into
account policies and plans such as the Environment Agency's Local
Environment Agency Plans for the River Ribble; the County Council's
indicative Forestry Strategy; and the City Council's Community Woodland
Strategy. |
| 5.47 |
The policy will also
be implemented by the incorporation of appropriate measures within
new development through the development control system. The Council
may attach conditions to planning permissions, or enter into planning
obligations with developers, to enable development to proceed. The
measures required will depend upon the nature of the proposed development
and the particular character of the landscape but may include the
use of appropriate materials and hard and soft landscaping. |
| |
|
| |
Plan No: 3 - Landscape
Character Tracts - Policy DC9 |
| |
|
| Rural Villages |
| 5.48 |
Limited development
within the following well-established villages will promote rural
enterprise and support the rural economy: |
| |
- Broughton;
- Grimsargh;
- Barton;
- Woodplumpton;
- Lea Town.
|
| 5.49 |
These villages are identifiable settlements
which have well-established residential areas and provide a range
of services. As such they are identifiable settlements which satisfy
the criteria set out in Policy 10 (Development in Rural Settlements
outside Green Belt) of the Lancashire Structure Plan. |
| 5.50 |
Settlement Development Boundaries have
been defined on the Proposals Map for each of these villages. The
main aim of Settlement Development Boundaries is to keep the built
up areas of villages in a compact form and character so that the surrounding
open countryside is protected from unwarranted and unsuitable development. |
| 5.51 |
Small site development is acceptable in
principle within the Settlement Development Boundaries. This may take
the form of infill development (i.e. the infilling of small gaps within
small groups of houses), or the development of larger windfall sites.
The re-use or rehabilitation of existing buildings is also permissible.
Such categories of development will not affect the form and character
of the settlement, and may bring economic and environmental benefits.
Settlement Development Boundaries have been defined to ensure that
any new development consolidates the settlements and does not result
in "ribbon" development. |
| 5.52 |
Settlement Development Boundaries include
within them: |
| |
- all buildings that are physically linked to the main settlement;
- all residential curtilages except where the character and appearance
is such that the garden area relates to the open character of
the countryside rather than the built up area of the settlement;
- all undeveloped areas where there are extant planning permissions
for development or specific allocations which consolidate built
up character and settlement form;
- other open areas, such as recreational greenspace or public
open space, that is enclosed within the compact form and character
of the settlement.
|
| 5.53 |
The process of defining Settlement Development
Boundaries began with the village boundaries established in the Preston
Rural Areas Local Plan (adopted 1990). In comparison with the 1990
boundaries, the Settlement Development Boundaries differ in some minor
respects. In some cases the boundary of a village has been extended
to include new developments or extended residential curtilages in
accordance with the criteria listed above. In other instances the
boundaries have been pulled back where the above criteria indicate
that, in order to maintain a compact settlement form, certain areas
should be left outside the settlement. |
| 5.54 |
The predominant land use in the defined
settlements is residential. Consequently the majority of the area
within each Settlement Development Boundary is defined as "existing
primarily residential area" on the Proposals Map. This means that
proposals for development within these areas will be subject to certain
housing policies, particularly H1 (Housing Development outside Allocated
Areas), H5 (Development Proposals in Existing Residential Areas),
and H11 (New Business and Employment Uses in Residential Areas). The
supporting text to Policy H5 explains how existing primarily residential
areas are defined. Significant areas of greenspace that serve the
settlement are also included within the Settlement Development Boundary. |
| 5.55 |
Whilst the objective of this policy is
to retain the compact form and character of the villages concerned,
it is recognised that some development may, in exceptional circumstances,
be acceptable outside the Settlement Development Boundary. These exceptions
relate to the necessity of meeting a recognised local employment,
community, or housing need arising in the village but where the development
required can not be accommodated satisfactorily within the Settlement
Development Boundary. Such proposals would require detailed justification
and careful site selection to minimise their impact on the settlement
form and on the open countryside. |
|
|
| Policy DC10 |
Rural Villages |
|
| Development will be permitted
in the rural villages of Broughton, Grimsargh, Barton, Woodplumpton,
and Lea Town when it: |
| (a) |
is infill and/or the re-use
of buildings within the Settlement Development Boundary of the village
as defined on the Proposals Map; and, |
| (b) |
is consistent with the requirements
of Policy H1 for housing proposals; or, |
| (c) |
adjoins but is outside
the Settlement Development Boundary, in special circumstances only
to meet a specifically identified local employment, local community
or local housing need and which could not be sited within the Settlement
Development Boundary. |
| In all the above circumstances,
the existing character and appearance of the village should not be
harmed, nor the amenities of nearby residents. |
| |
|
| Infilling In Rural
Building Groups |
| 5.56 |
The filling of small
gaps in building groups is considered to be an exception to the general
policy of restricting new development outside villages. It has little
effect on rural character where there is already an existing group
or row of buildings and small gaps in such locations are usually of
little agricultural value. The development should be of similar type
to existing property such that it complements and completes the existing
group. For this reason it may in some circumstances be appropriate
to develop a site for a number of small buildings rather than one
large one, if the neighbouring properties are not of that character. |
|
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| Policy DC11 |
Infilling in Rural
Building Groups |
|
| Infill development in an
existing group or row of buildings will be permitted where all the
following criteria are met: |
| (a) |
the existing buildings
form a clearly identifiable group or row, not a vague or sporadic
scattering of buildings: there should be at least five buildings in
the group; |
| (b) |
the proposed plot lies
within the group or row, with buildings on either side and its development
completes but does not extend the group or row; |
| (c) |
the form of development
would complement the character and relationship of the existing buildings
within the group. |
| |
|
| Conversion of
Rural Buildings |
| 5.57 |
For the countryside
to remain a working environment it is vital that the rural economy
be allowed to diversify. As the countryside must also be protected
for its own sake, the sensitive conversion of existing buildings to
employment and housing uses is a way of providing both local employment
and housing opportunities and protecting the countryside from new
development. |
| 5.58 |
Employment uses (including tourism) are
to be encouraged because residential conversions make little lasting
contributions to the rural economy. Residential conversions can also
have a more harmful effect on the character of the countryside through
the creation of a residential curtilage. Residential conversions can
often have a more detrimental effect on the fabric and character of
historic farm buildings because of the need to create new elevational
openings. Works to rural buildings can often lead to the discovery
of important historic evidence. It sometimes may be necessary to allow
an archaeologist on site to record any findings and perhaps undertake
further research (see Policy C9). |
|
|
| Policy DC12 |
Conversion of Rural
Buildings |
|
| The conversion of existing
buildings in the open countryside and rural villages to either commercial
or housing use, will be permitted subject to the design criteria in
Policy D19 and where there are no adverse implications for the rural
economy. All the following criteria should be satisfied: |
| (a) |
the building is structurally
sound and capable of conversion to the proposed use without major
extensions or alterations; |
| (b) |
if the external appearance
of the building and/or any ancillary buildings detracts from the visual
amenity of the area, improvements are proposed; |
| (c) |
the proposals cause no
demonstrable harm to the amenity of adjoining residents or to neighbouring
uses or the character of the countryside; |
| (d) |
in the case of conversion
to business and industrial use, proposals must demonstrate that related
goods storage, vehicle parking and turning areas can be accommodated
satisfactorily on site; |
| (e) |
in the case of a farm building
which was erected by virtue of permitted development rights* that
there is proof that it has genuinely been used for the purpose for
which it was constructed. |
| To satisfy criterion (a)
the applicant will be required to provide proof that the building
is sound (in the form of a professional structural survey) and that
no more than 30% of the surface area of external walls will require
rebuilding. |
| In the case of modern agricultural
buildings not of traditional design and materials there will be a
presumption against conversion to residential use. Conversion to commercial
uses will be judged against the criteria set out above. |
| |
|
| 5.59 |
This policy must
be read in conjunction with Policy D19, which lists a number of criteria
which the Council will take into account in determining planning applications
for the conversion of rural buildings. Particular attention is drawn
to the importance of barns and other rural buildings as habitats for
barn owls and bats, which are protected species. Conversions must,
therefore, be sympathetic to the needs of wildlife. Further advice
is provided in the Council's supplementary planning guidance. |
| 5.60 |
Reference in criterion
(e) to the genuine use of buildings for agricultural purposes will
deter the erection of buildings (which do not require planning permission)
for which there is little or no agricultural justification, and which
are subsequently proposed for conversion. |
| |
|
| Dwellings For
Essential Rural Workers |
| 5.61 |
The normal restrictions
on dwelling provision outside villages may be overcome if an essential
need can be justified in connection with an appropriate and existing
employment facility requiring constant supervision; these cases are
usually in connection with agricultural concerns. |
|
|
| Policy DC13 |
New Rural Workers Dwellings |
|
| The erection of new dwellings
in rural areas (outside villages and other than infilling) will be
permitted only where it can be demonstrated that there is an essential
need for worker(s) to live on the site in the interests of agriculture,
forestry or another use appropriate to a rural area. Proposals for
such dwellings will be considered taking the following matters into
account: |
| (a) |
the functional requirements
for the enterprise's worker(s) to live nearby. Where the need has
arisen due to fragmentation of the ownership or occupation of an agricultural
holding, the applicant will need to demonstrate that the resulting
agricultural unit created will have a reasonable chance of establishment; |
| (b) |
the labour requirements
of the enterprise and the number of workers needed to live on the
premises; |
| (c) |
the availability and suitability
of existing accommodation in the local area. Consent will not be granted
where other residential buildings, formerly in the same ownership
or occupation, have recently been disposed of; |
| (d) |
where the above functional
tests are not conclusive, or where an increase in scale or a completely
new enterprise is proposed, a sound financial basis for the enterprise
must be demonstrated; |
| (e) |
the siting and scale of
the dwelling which should be closely related to existing buildings
on the holding or should minimise any effect on the landscape. Dwellings
should be of a size commensurate with the enterprise's established
functional requirements; |
| (f) |
the suitability of access
and availability of drainage and other services. |
| In cases where the above
functional and/or financial tests are not conclusive the Council may
grant permission for a caravan or other temporary accommodation to
allow time for the essential need for workers to live on site to be
demonstrated, or for the viability of the enterprise to be proven. |
| The Council will attach
conditions to any permission granted to control the occupancy of the
new dwelling along with that of any existing dwelling. |
| |
|
| 5.62 |
If a new dwelling
is shown to be essential it should be located close to existing buildings
to minimise the effect on the landscape. If this is not possible because
of the layout of the holding, or access or service constraints, the
dwelling may be located away from existing buildings on the holding,
but should be screened as far as possible by landscape features or
trees to reduce the visual impact on the area. |
| 5.63 |
Where evidence supporting
an application for an agricultural or forestry dwelling is inconclusive,
the Council will consider granting temporary permission for the provision
of a caravan to allow time for the need to be clearly demonstrated.
This will normally be given for 2 or 3 years, and will not be renewed.
Temporary permissions will not be granted in locations where a permanent
dwelling would not be acceptable. |
| 5.64 |
Applications for
the removal of conditions, attached to permissions for rural workers'
dwellings, must show that there has been a genuine change in circumstances
and that there is no other demand for such dwellings in the locality,
in order to avoid pressure for replacement dwellings. |
|
|
| Policy DC14 |
Existing Rural Workers'
Dwellings |
|
| Where dwellings have been
permitted subject to condition(s) restricting occupancy, such conditions
will only be removed where it can be demonstrated by the applicant
that: |
| |
(a) the essential need which
justified the original grant of planning permission no longer applies;
and, |
| |
(b) the dwelling has been
occupied for at least five years in accordance with the terms of the
original planning permission, unless exceptional circumstances can
otherwise be demonstrated; and, |
| |
(c) the dwelling has been
offered for sale on the open market for a period of at least 12 months
at a realistic price, taking into account the existence of the condition,
and that no reasonable offers have been refused. |
| |
|
| 5.65 |
The market value
of such dwellings is lower than that of dwellings unencumbered by
a condition and this should be reflected in the sale price. |
| 5.66 |
The confidentiality
of any offers made will be respected and, although not part of the
planning application, evidence will need to be produced when available. |
| |
|
| Protection of
Rural Shops and Businesses |
| 5.67 |
Local shops and businesses
contribute significantly to the social and economic health of the
rural community. The retention of such uses can go some way towards
reducing the number of trips generated for the purchase of convenience
goods. Central Government gives support in both PPG's 6 and 7 for
the retention of these wherever possible. |
|
|
| Policy DC15 |
Protection of Rural
Shops and Businesses |
|
| The change to other use
of non-agricultural rural buildings used, or last used, as shops or
businesses will be permitted where it can be demonstrated that: |
| (a) |
the use is not viable and
no longer primarily serves the needs of the community in which it
is located; and, |
| (b) |
applications are supported
by evidence that the property has been offered for sale on the open
market for a period of at least 12 months at a realistic price and
that no reasonable offers have been refused. |
| |
|
| Surface and Ground
Water Supplies |
| 5.68 |
Great care is needed
to ensure that development does not cause the pollution of water courses.
This could come about as a result of an industrial activity which
is inadequately controlled, or it may be that there is insufficient
infrastructure or capacity on the sewage network to deal with further
development. |
| 5.69 |
Groundwater is particularly vulnerable
to the effects of pollution. Groundwater forms part of the natural
water cycle which is present within underground strata (aquifers).
There are considerable groundwater resources in the Preston area,
and they are an important source of public water supply. Groundwater
also naturally feeds surface water though springs and the base flows
to rivers. It is very important to protect these resources from the
adverse effects of development. |
|
|
| Policy DC16 |
Surface Water and Ground
Water Supplies |
|
| Development which would
have an unacceptable effect on the quality or yield of groundwater
or surface or coastal water resources will not be permitted. |
| |
|
| 5.70 |
The Environment Agency
has powers and duties under the Water Resources Act 1991 concerning
the protection of groundwater and surface water resources. They are
a statutory consultee and the Council will consult closely with them
on any proposals which could potentially result in the pollution of
water resources. |
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