Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council Green Infrastructure and Ecological Networks Main Report March 2018 Green Infrastructure and Ecological Networks – March 2018 CONTENTS Page 1. Introduction – Purpose of Report 1 2. Context 1 3. What is Green Infrastructure? 2 4. What are Ecological Networks? 3 5. Why do we need a Green Infrastructure network? 3 6. Methodology & Analysis 5 7. Conclusion 14 Green Infrastructure and Ecological Network Diagram 15 Green Infrastructure and Ecological Networks – March 2018 1. Introduction – Purpose of Report 1.1 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) states that: Local planning authorities should set out a strategic approach in their Local Plans, planning positively for the creation, protection, enhancement and management of networks of biodiversity and green infrastructure; 1.2 This report identifies the key green infrastructure and ecological assets found within the Borough of Tonbridge and Malling. It also seeks to identify opportunities to enhance this network, and consider how these networks can link to assets within neighbouring districts, thereby helping plan for biodiversity at a landscape scale as set out in Para. 117 of the NPPF. This report seeks to update the previous Green Infrastructure Report (March 2009) to reflect changes in national planning policy and the updated evidence. 2. Context 2.1 The Borough of Tonbridge and Malling is located in West Kent mostly within the outer part of the Metropolitan Green Belt. Much of the north of the Borough is encompassed by the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and a smaller area to the south of Tonbridge lies within the High Weald AONB. Immediately to the east lies Maidstone. Sevenoaks is located some 10km to the west with Tunbridge Wells to the south close Tonbridge. 2.2 Most of the Borough is rural in character, with villages and small towns of varying size and character. It stretches north, beyond the M2 motorway, encompassing Blue Bell Hill village and parts of Rochester Airfield and Walderslade on top of the North Downs, and south to the market town of Tonbridge. 2.3 The geography, landscape and biodiversity of the Borough is dictated by the underlying geology with alternating bands of hard and soft rock leading to a strong east-west grain to the landscape. This geological sequence is important in determining the character of the landscape and the historic nature of land use, with predominantly agricultural uses on the low-lying areas historically including orchards and hop growing, and more recently intensive soft fruit farming. Natural England has identified four National Character Areas1 within the Borough. On the upland areas woodland dominates. Some of these areas of woodland in the north of the Borough have been identified as being of international importance for nature conservation. The underlying geology has also resulted in extensive areas of quarrying, some still active, but with some land despoiled by former quarrying activity. 1 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-character-area-profiles-data-for-local- decision-making/national-character-area-profiles#ncas-in-south-east-england-and-london 1 Green Infrastructure and Ecological Networks – March 2018 2.4 The River Medway, the River Bourne and their tributaries pass through the Borough and have significantly influenced the history and development of the area. An extensive area of the Borough lies in the floodplain of the River Medway, the potential impact of which in Tonbridge is reduced to some extent by the Leigh Flood Storage Area immediately west of the town. Much of the floodplain is also of significance for biodiversity with extensive areas of the lower Medway Valley being designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. 2.5 The Borough also supports a range of habitats, including some priority areas, which in turn, support a wide range of flora and fauna including both protected and priority species. The diversity of the natural and cultural environment within Tonbridge and Malling is one of the Borough’s great assets and many of the existing landscapes and spaces are accessible to the public. But, as the resident population of the Borough grows, access to the existing areas and provision of new ones will need to be managed to ensure high quality, distinct urban and rural landscapes, accessible diverse open spaces and ecological networks that will allow species to move across the landscape. Together, these assets and their different functions make up a network of green infrastructure across the Borough. 3. What is Green Infrastructure? 3.1 Green Infrastructure (GI) is defined by the NPPF as “A network of multi- functional green space, urban and rural, which is capable of delivering a wide range of environmental and quality of life benefits for local communities”. 3.2 The National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) states that Local Plans should identify the strategic location of existing and proposed green infrastructure networks, and that GI can include: • Parks; • Open spaces; • Playing fields; • Woodlands; • Trees; • Allotments; • Private gardens; • Streams and water bodies; and • Features such as green roofs and walls. 3.3 In addition, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and ecological networks can also include areas of multifunction green infrastructure, so have been included as part of this study. 2 Green Infrastructure and Ecological Networks – March 2018 4. What are Ecological Networks? 4.1 The NPPF defines ecological networks as areas that “link sites of biodiversity importance” and include: • Designated sites of biodiversity importance: • International – Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Areas (SPA), RAMSAR (and candidate SAC,SPA and Ramsar sites); • National – Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB); • Local – Local Wildlife Sites (LWS), Local Nature Reserves (LNRs), Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS). • Wildlife corridors and stepping stones; and • Areas identified by local partnerships for habitat restoration or creation. 4.2 The Kent Local Nature Partnership (LNP) has identified wildlife corridors and stepping stones across the county, known as Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs)2along with conservation priorities for each. These areas are where the LNP believe that the delivery of Kent Biodiversity Strategy3 targets should be focussed in order to deliver maximum biodiversity benefits, through habitat enhancement, restoration and recreation. 5. Why do we need Green Infrastructure? 5.1 National policy identifies that GI is important to the delivery of high quality sustainable development, alongside other forms of infrastructure such as transport, energy, waste and water, and that it can help to deliver a variety of planning policy objectives. 5.2 Multi-functional GI is capable of providing multiple benefits, for communities, the economy and the environment including: • Improving health and well-being by encouraging exercise, sport, active recreation, spiritual well-being and quiet contemplation • Promoting a sense of community • Helping to establish local identity and a sense of place • Improving environmental quality e.g. better air and water quality, local climate control and noise attenuation • Reducing pollution by increasing vegetation cover and by encouraging walking, cycling and horse riding to reduce dependency on the private car 2 http://kentnature.org.uk/kent-biodiversity-strategy2.html 3 Kent Biodiversity 2020 and beyond – a strategy for the natural environment 2015-2025 produced the Kent Local Nature Partnership http://kentnature.org.uk/kent-biodiversity-strategy.html 3 Green Infrastructure and Ecological Networks – March 2018 • Contributing to sustainable drainage and flood mitigation • Reducing urban heat islands • Providing the opportunity for the preservation, restoration and re- creation of priority habitats and the protection and recovery of priority species • Allowing for species to adapt to changing climate through linking habitats to ease migration. Functional connectivity between areas of wildlife habitat is likely to make it easier for populations of species to move across the landscape in response to environmental change • Helping to protect and enhance biodiversity. Small, isolated areas of habitat are likely to hold proportionately fewer species than larger areas, and the populations of these species are likely to be more vulnerable to local extinction. Large, inter-connected areas of habitat are more likely to be sustainable in the long-term as natural processes can act to maintain habitats, and there is less need for deliberate management • Contributing to the protection, management and enhancement of historic and natural sites and areas • Reducing land management costs • Providing an enhanced environmental backdrop that will assist in attracting business and inward investment • Promoting sustainable transport by providing a permeable and logical network of routes between key destinations and green spaces to encourage walking, cycling and horse riding. 4 Green Infrastructure and Ecological Networks – March 2018 6. Methodology & Analysis Stage 1 6.1 The first stage in the preparation of the Green Infrastructure and Ecological Network involved mapping the various existing environmental assets in the Borough, as well as identifying potential opportunity areas for future provision. Open Space Audit 6.2 The Council has updated the existing evidence as featured in the Open Space Strategy (OSS) (2009).