An East Kent Approach to Green Infrastructure and Recreation Report

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An East Kent Approach to Green Infrastructure and Recreation Report An East Kent Approach to Green Infrastructure and Recreation With Particular Reference to ‘Natura 2000’ sites Phase 1 Report – Evidence Base Final Report April 2014 Authors Sharon Bayne BSc MSc MCIEEM Blackwood Bayne Ltd 8 Herts Crescent, Loose, Maidstone, Kent ME15 0AX www.blackwoodbayne.co.uk [email protected] 01622 746316 0 7761 067124 Registered in England number 8423224 Val Hyland BA Dip LA (Hons) PGCert. UD Val Hyland Consulting Silverthorn, Scotton Street, Wye, Kent [email protected] 01233 812195 07740 185381 Val Hyland CONSULTING Acknowledgements This study would not have been possible without the input and support from many people across the study area. The authors would like to thank the many people who contributed time, data and knowledge to this study. These include officers from the four local authorities, Nick Delaney, Ashley Hills, Tony Child, Jillian Barr, Adrian Verrell, Piran Cooper and David Ilsley, Debbie Salmon and Sue Young of the Kent Wildlife Trust, Angela Marlow, Jenny Bowen and Jo Dear of Natural England, Owen Leyshon of the Romney Marsh Countryside Partnership, Ruth Wood of Visit Kent, Rebecca Hoffman of Kent County Council. Suggested citation: S. Bayne and V. Hyland, An East Kent Approach to Green Infrastructure and Recreation (with particular reference to ‘Natura 2000’ sites), Phase 1 Report – Evidence Base, for Dover District Council 2013. Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 1 Background to this Report .................................................................................................................................. 1 The East Kent suite of European Sites .............................................................................................................. 3 Planning in East Kent ............................................................................................................................................. 3 Visitors and Recreation ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Summary of Conclusions and Recommendations .......................................................................................... 5 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 12 Background to this Report ................................................................................................................................ 12 Aims, Scope and Limitations .............................................................................................................................. 12 Methodology ......................................................................................................................................................... 13 Section 1: Background ............................................................................................................................................. 14 Habitats Regulations 2010 and Planning Policy .................................................................................................. 15 Habitats Regulations 2010 .................................................................................................................................. 15 National Planning Policy Framework and Duty to Cooperate in the Planning of Sustainable Development ......................................................................................................................................................... 18 Comparator Areas ................................................................................................................................................... 20 Thames Basin Heaths .......................................................................................................................................... 20 The Solent .............................................................................................................................................................. 20 North Kent ............................................................................................................................................................ 21 Pagham Harbour ................................................................................................................................................... 23 Mitigation .................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... 26 Principles of Mitigation ........................................................................................................................................ 26 Strategic Mitigation .............................................................................................................................................. 27 Potential Components of Mitigation ............................................................................................................... 28 Development Contributions ............................................................................................................................. 31 East Kent – Current Approaches ..................................................................................................................... 33 Section 2: East Kent ................................................................................................................................................. 36 Natura 2000 Sites in East Kent ............................................................................................................................. 37 Summary of Sites and Features ......................................................................................................................... 37 Sources of Information ....................................................................................................................................... 40 Thanet Coast Suite .............................................................................................................................................. 42 The Swale ............................................................................................................................................................... 46 Dungeness .............................................................................................................................................................. 48 Dover to Kingsdown Cliffs SAC ....................................................................................................................... 52 Lydden and Temple Ewell SAC ......................................................................................................................... 54 Folkestone to Etchinghill Escarpment SAC .................................................................................................... 56 Blean Complex SAC ............................................................................................................................................ 58 Parkgate Down SAC ........................................................................................................................................... 60 Stodmarsh SPA, SAC, Ramsar........................................................................................................................... 61 East Kent – Planning and Development .............................................................................................................. 62 Core Strategies, Local Plans and Development ............................................................................................ 62 Strategic Overview of Development in East Kent ....................................................................................... 62 Visitors and Recreation in East Kent ................................................................................................................... 74 Current Recreational Use .................................................................................................................................. 74 Current Access Provision .................................................................................................................................. 74 Information on Visitors ....................................................................................................................................... 76 Links with Tourism .............................................................................................................................................. 82 Section 3: Discussion ............................................................................................................................................... 83 Discussion ................................................................................................................................................................... 84 The Natura 2000 Sites ........................................................................................................................................ 86 Joint Working and Strategic Approaches
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