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| Chapter 2 - Policies for the Environment | |||
| 2.1 | Introduction | ||
| 2.1.1 | The District of West Wiltshire has a rich, attractive landscape heritage, comprising of a wide range of natural habitats, and a wealth of historic towns and villages. Its countryside offers a variety of landscapes from the undulating Cotswold hills in the north and the impressive Limpley Stoke valley, through the lower ground of the Avon Vale to the dramatic chalk escarpment of Salisbury Plain and the water meadows of the Wylye Valley. The District includes the historic towns of Trowbridge, Melksham, Westbury, Warminster and Bradford on Avon and a number of well preserved villages. The District Council is firmly committed to the preservation of the West Wiltshire environment and its built heritage but recognises the need for new development, including housing and employment development, to maintain the local economy and accommodate the demand for additional housing resulting from the growing population. Therefore, the District Council is seeking to achieve an appropriate balance between the need for conservation and development in this plan by identifying those areas or features that will be conserved and enhanced and those areas for development to meet the requirements set out in the Wiltshire Structure Plan 2011. |
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| 2.1.2 | This section outlines the planning policies for conserving and enhancing the environment and is divided into five sub-sections, Green Belt, Countryside, Built Environment, Open Space and Recreation and Canals. The Green Belt sub section sets out the policies applicable to the Western Wiltshire Green Belt. The Countryside sub-section includes landscape, nature conservation and archaeology. The Built Environment sub-section sets out policies in respect of conservation areas, listed buildings, shopfronts and a number of other issues. The sub-section on Open Space and Recreation appraises present provisions, sets out policies to protect existing open space and allocates land for further recreational provision. Finally, the canals in West Wiltshire are considered and policies put forward to protect and enhance them. | ||
Environmental Aims |
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To protect, conserve and enhance both the natural and manmade environment. |
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| To protect and conserve the Western Wiltshire Green Belt, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, areas of nature conservation and/or scientific importance, conservation areas, listed buildings, scheduled ancient monuments and areas designated as open space in and around the towns as appropriate. | |||
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