Strategic Landscape Area Identification Process

JOINT LOCAL PLAN

EVIDENCE DOCUMENT

STRATEGIC LANDSCAPE AREA IDENTIFICATION PROCESS

PLYMOUTH POLICY AREA STRATEGIC LANDSCAPE AREAS

Introduction 1.1 The National Planning Policy framework (NPPF) requires Local Planning Authorities to provide adequate protection for valued landscapes and ensure that development is located where it has the least adverse effects on the natural environment:

109. The planning system should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by: ● protecting and enhancing valued landscapes, geological conservation interests and soils; 113. Local planning authorities should set criteria based policies against which proposals for any development on or affecting protected wildlife or geodiversity sites or landscape areas will be judged. Distinctions should be made between the hierarchy of international, national and locally designated sites, so that protection is commensurate with their status and gives appropriate weight to their importance and the contribution that they make to wider ecological networks. 110. In preparing plans to meet development needs, the aim should be to minimise pollution and other adverse effects on the local and natural environment. Plans should allocate land with the least environmental or amenity value, where consistent with other policies in this Framework.

1.2 The South West Devon Joint Local Plan identifies Plymouth as the primary location for the region’s strategic growth. Whilst there are many reasons to accommodate growth here, the area is not without constraints. The City is bounded to the south and north by nationally protected landscapes; the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the Tamar Valley AONB and Dartmoor National Park. Historic growth of the City has predominantly remained away from the protected landscape boundaries and retained an area of open countryside between the edge of the city and the protected landscapes.

1.3 Due to the topography of the city, these areas often include highly visible open farmland, woodland and ridgelines. These areas form part of the setting to both the city and the nationally protected landscapes. The Plymouth and Plymouth Urban Fringe Landscape and Seascape Assessment (2016) identifies character areas that have a particular sensitivity due to their proximity to protected landscapes and function as part of the setting of those landscapes. Under the section ‘guidance for managing change’, the report recommends that these areas be protected from inappropriate development that could harm the setting of the protected landscapes or their special qualities.

Methodology 1.4 The Joint Local Plan will identify strategically valuable landscapes that have an increased sensitivity to development and include policy measures to ensure that the growth does not erode the important functions they provide. This document sets out how the Strategic Landscape Areas (SLA) have been identified.

1.5 The existing evidence base identifies the particular importance, and sensitivity to development, of the land between the edge of Plymouth and the protected landscapes at the northern and southern edges of the city. The overall sensitivity of this land is typically higher than in the east of the city where the landscape is more open, flatter as less visually prominent.

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1.6 The Plymouth and Plymouth Urban Fringe Landscape and Seascape Assessment (2016) provides the evidence base that informed the identification of land suitable for designation as ‘Strategic Landscape Areas’. Plan 1 shows the relationship between protected landscapes and character areas with increased sensitivity due to potentially forming part of a protected landscape setting. Plan 2 shows the proposed allocations and the proposed Strategic Landscape Areas boundary. The following criteria were applied to inform the development of the Strategic Landscape Area designation boundaries:  Open countryside with a predominantly rural character  Land that potentially forms part of the setting of a protected landscape  Land that is outside of a protected landscape

1.7 The geographic extent of the strategic landscape areas is defined by the Plymouth Policy Area boundary, the edge of the urban area, the edge of the protected landscapes and the boundary of relevant character areas.

1.8 Land that meets the criteria for ‘Strategic Landscape Areas’ may also meet the criteria for other designation such as Local Green Space or Undeveloped Coast. Where land forms part of an allocation, including ‘Strategic Greenspace’ allocations, it will not be designated as ‘Strategic Landscape Area’.

1.9 Where land is allocated for development in areas that meet the criteria for Strategic Landscape Area designation it shall be subject to strict requirements for mitigation to ensure that impacts are avoided, minimised and mitigated. Sites shall only be allocated in these areas if the proposals are; a) not considered to have potentially substantial landscape impacts or b) have strategic benefits that outweigh potential landscape impacts in the planning balance.

1.10 The following table identifies those character areas that meet the criteria outlined above and therefore formed the basis for identifying Strategic Landscape Areas:

Table 1.

Character Area Within or Within or Potentially Consider for Comments partially within partially within part of designation JLP Boundary AONB protected Boundary landscape setting

CA 01 – Central Park    No

CA 02 – Devonport and    No Victoria Parks

CA 03 – Kings Tamerton    No and Weston Mill Wooded Valleys

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CA 04 – Ernesettle    Yes The higher ground to the south of this CA potentially forms part of the setting of the TV AONB and should be included however, the lower lying northern section is less sensitive and not suitable for designation.

CA 05 – Budshead and    No Woodland Woods

CA 06 – Manadon Wooded    No Parkland

CA 07 – Cann and Whitleigh    No Woods

CA 08 – Tamerton Foliot    Yes The whole CA is potentially part of Farmland and Porsham Wooded Valley the TV AONB setting

CA 09 – Southway Wooded    No Valley

CA 10 – Plymbridge    No Wooded Valley

CA 11 – Derriford Farmland    No and Bircham Wooded Valley

CA 12 - Forder Wooded    No Valley and Efford Marsh

CA 13 – Boringdon Park    No Farmland

CA 14 – Saltram Park and    No Hardwick Wood

CA 15 – South Plympton    No Farmed Fringes

CA 16 - Staddiscombe    Yes The whole CA is potentially part of Farmland Fringe the SD AONB setting

CA 17 – Staddon Heights    Yes The whole CA is potentially part of Coastal Farmland the SD AONB setting. This CA also meets the criteria for Undeveloped Coast.

CA 18 – Jennycliff and Rams    Yes The whole CA is potentially part of Cliff the SD AONB setting. This CA also meets the criteria for Undeveloped Coast.

CA 19 – Hooe Lake and    No This CA falls away from the SD Radford Wooded Valley AONB is does not form part of it’s setting despite being geographically close

CA 20 - Barne Barton Fringe    No and Kinterbury Creek

CA 21 – Tamerton Lake and    Yes The southern strip of this CA is Wooded Fringes potentially part of the TV AONB setting

CA 22 – Lower River Tavy Na No

CA 23 – Middle River Tamar Na No

CA 24 – Hamoaze Na No

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CA 25 – Saint John’s and Na No Millbrook Lakes

CA 26 – Drake’s Island Na No

CA 27 – Cattewater and Na No Sutton Harbour

CA 28 – Plym Estuary / Laira Na No

CA 29 – Inner Plymouth Na No Sound

CA 30 – Outer Plymouth Na No Sound

Urban Fringe Sensitivity Within or Within or Part of Consider for Area partially within partially within protected designation JLP Boundary AONB landscape Boundary setting

UF 01 - Warleigh and    No Blaxton Wooded Farmland Fringe

UF 02 - Porsham Wooded    Yes The southern part of this CA is Farmland Fringe potentially part of the TV AONB setting

UF 03 - Roborough    Yes Parts of this CA around Roborough Moorland Fringe Farmland and Woolwell potentially form part of the TV AONB and DNP setting

UF 04 - Bickleigh Vale and    Yes Part of the CA within the JLP Cann Wood boundary potentially forms part of the DNP setting.

UF 05 - Newham and    Yes Not suitable for designation. The Hemerdon Wooded Farmland sensitive parts of this CA are outside the JLP boundary

UF 06 - Langage Fringe    No Farmland

UF 07 - Sherford Fringe    No Farmland

UF 08 - South Plymouth    No Coastal Plateau

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Plan 1: Landscape Character Areas with increased sensitivity

Plan Title Landscape Character Areas with increased sensitivity

Date February 2017

Scale Not to scale

Plymouth City Council licence number 100018633

Plymouth City Council licence number 100018633 PLYMOUTH POLICY AREA Plan 2: Strategic Landscape Areas with proposed allocations

Plymouth City Council licence number 100018633

Plymouth City Council licence number 100018633 Page 7 of 7