Wiltshire Core Strategy Consultation June 2011 Wiltshire Council
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Wiltshire Local Development Framework Working towards a Core Strategy for Wiltshire Draft topic paper 13: Green infrastructure Wiltshire Core Strategy Consultation June 2011 Wiltshire Council Information about Wiltshire Council services can be made available on request in other languages including BSL and formats such as large print and audio. Please contact the council on 0300 456 0100, by textphone on 01225 712500 or by email on [email protected]. This paper is one of 18 topic papers, listed below, which form part of the evidence base in support of the emerging Wiltshire Core Strategy. These topic papers have been produced in order to present a coordinated view of some of the main evidence that has been considered in drafting the emerging Core Strategy. It is hoped that this will make it easier to understand how we had reached our conclusions. The papers are all available from the council website: Topic Paper TP1: Climate Change TP2: Housing TP3: Settlement Strategy TP4: Rural Issues (signposting paper) TP5: Natural Environment/Biodiversity TP6: Water Management/Flooding TP7: Retail TP8: Economy TP9: Planning Obligations TP10: Built and Historic Environment TP11: Transport TP12: Infrastructure TP13: Green Infrastructure TP14: Site Selection Process TP15: Military Issues TP16: Building Resilient Communities TP17: Housing Requirement Technical Paper TP18: Gypsy and Travellers CONTENTS 1. Executive Summary 1 2. Introduction 2 2.1 What is Green Infrastructure (GI)? 2 2.2 The Benefits of GI 4 2.3 A GI Strategy for Wiltshire 5 2.4 Collaborative Working 6 3. Policy and Regulatory Framework 7 3.1 Introduction 7 3.2 National Policies 7 3.3 Regional Policies 9 3.4 Local Policies and Targets 11 4. Evidence 19 4.1 Introduction 19 4.2 Social, health and well being benefits of GI 19 4.3 Economic benefits of GI 20 4.4 Benefits of GI for the natural environment 26 4.5 Analysis of completed ex-district leisure and recreation needs 28 assessment (PPG17) 4.6 Open space standards 30 4.7 GI Asset Mapping 32 4.8 Specific GI projects 32 5. Identifying Priorities at a Community Level 37 5.1 Introduction 37 5.2 Community plans, parish/town plans and the rights of way 37 network community level priorities 5.3 Summary of previous consultation responses 43 5.4 Review of local district planning documents 48 6. Links to Other Strategies 55 6.1 Relevant GI strategies or similar 55 6.2 Draft vision statements (Trowbridge, Chippenham, Salisbury) 56 6.3 Biodiversity plans 56 6.4 Site based landscape/heritage plans 56 7. Challenges and Opportunities 59 7.1 Wiltshire wide/strategic GI projects and initiatives 59 7.2 Wiltshire wide/local GI projects, initiatives and requirements 61 8. Policy Options 64 8.1 Introduction 64 8.2 Wiltshire Strategic GI Projects/Initiatives 64 8.3 GI policy options 65 8.4 Draft GI policy option wording and supporting text 68 - Overarching GI policy (Core Policy 35) 68 - Development Management policy relating to GI (Core Policy 36) 70 9. Abbreviations 72 10. Glossary of terms 73 11. References 75 Tables Table 1 – Overview of GI relevant local plan/DPD ‘saved’ policies 13 Table 2 – Policies relating to GI as set out within the Wiltshire and Swindon Structure 15 Plan 2016 Table 3 – Summary of economic gains provided by GI 22 Table 4 – Summary of ecosystem services provided by Millennium Ecosystem 25 Assessment (MA) categories Table 5 – Emerging Wiltshire Open Space Standards (Draft March 2011) 31 Table 6 – Summary of key community aspirations as detailed through Wiltshire’s 38 Community Plans Table 7 – Summary of key community aspirations as detailed through Wiltshire’s 40 Town and Parish Plans Table 8 – Summary of comments received from town and parish councils through 41 consultation to inform the RoW Improvement plan 2008-2012 Table 9 – References to GI in the community area sections of the Wiltshire 2026 44 consultation document Table 10 – Comments on strategic objectives which are relevant to GI in the 45 community area sections of the Wiltshire 2026 consultation document Table 11 – Comments relating to GI in specific community areas detailed through the 46 Wiltshire 2026 consultation document Table 12 – GI Content relating to each community area in Kennet 48 Table 13 – North Wiltshire place specific GI issues and opportunities 49 Table 14 – Suggested generic development control policies (relevant to GI)(North 50 Wiltshire) Table 15 – West Wiltshire place specific GI issues and opportunities 54 Table 16 – Overarching GI policy option 65 Table 17 – Development Management Policy relating to GI 66 Figures Figure 1 - Typical GI assets and associated scales 3 Figure 2 – Areas of economic gains through GI investment 21 Figure 3 – Cricklade Country Way Project Area 33 Appendices 77 Appendix 1 – List of Community and Parish plans reviewed 78 Appendix 2 – Cross cutting issues 81 Appendix 3 – Summary of content of ‘saved’ local planning policies relating to GI 82 Appendix 4 – South Wiltshire Open Space Audit (2007) 90 Appendix 5 – Review of local district planning documents and consultation responses 93 1. Executive Summary The Wiltshire Core Strategy will set a strategic policy framework to influence the shape of development in Wiltshire up to 2026. This draft topic paper summarises evidence to support the development of policies which will be included in the core strategy relating to green infrastructure. Green Infrastructure (GI) is a strategic network of multi-functional green space, both new and existing, both rural and urban, which supports natural and ecological processes and is integral to the health and quality of life in sustainable communities. It delivers a broad range of functions and provides vital socio-economic and cultural benefits which underpin individual and community health and wellbeing. GI policies are required in order to achieve the relevant core strategy objective ‘To protect and enhance the natural environment’. A wide range of source material has been reviewed in the preparation of this draft topic paper, including research and legislation. The current policy framework has been analysed and community concerns and aspirations have been identified as part of this process. The information gathered as a result of this investigation has identified a wide range of potential threats and opportunities to the development of a comprehensive Wiltshire GI network and these have informed the formulation of GI policy options set out in this consultation. GI is a highly cross cutting topic and many policy areas within the core strategy will relate to it. Other topic papers, for example relating to climate change, water management, and natural environment, also refer to issues relating to green infrastructure. Cross cutting issues are summarised in Appendix 2. Policy options to address GI issues, support the delivery of the Wiltshire Green Infrastructure Strategy (currently in preparation) and maximise opportunities for enhancement of Wiltshire’s GI network through the planning process, have been explored. The most sustainable solution identified involves the inclusion of an overarching GI policy that supports projects and initiatives that contribute to the delivery of a green infrastructure network in accordance with the objectives of the Wiltshire Green Infrastructure Strategy, and a development management related policy that ensures that proposals for development support the delivery of the Strategy as well as conform to the Wiltshire GI standards (currently in preparation). Core Strategy GI policies will be supported by more detailed saved local plan policies that relate to the Wiltshire GI network, for instance protecting the historic line of canals undergoing restoration. A full analysis of saved policies that will compliment the draft Core Strategy GI policies will be undertaken following this consultation. 1 2. Introduction The Wiltshire Core Strategy will set a strategic policy framework to influence the shape of development in Wiltshire up to 2026. The purpose of this draft topic paper is to summarise evidence to support the development of policies which will be included in the Core Strategy relating to green infrastructure. GI policies are required in order to achieve the relevant draft core strategy objective ‘To protect and enhance the natural environment’. A wide range of source material has been reviewed in the preparation of this draft topic paper, including research, best practice, and legislation. The current policy framework has been analysed and community concerns and aspirations have been identified as part of this process. Throughout this document the term Wiltshire refers to Wiltshire Council’s administrative area, unless otherwise stated. 2.1 What is Green Infrastructure? Green Infrastructure (GI) can mean different things to different people and there are a number of definitions available. For the purposes of the Wiltshire Strategy, the definition of GI employed is that from Planning Policy Statement (PPS): Planning for a Natural and Healthy Environment: Consultation 2010: ‘Green Infrastructure is a strategic network of multi-functional green space, both new and existing, both rural and urban, which supports natural and ecological processes and is integral to the health and quality of life in sustainable communities. It delivers a broad range of functions and provides vital socio-economic and cultural benefits which underpin individual and community health and wellbeing. These functions include: conserving and enhancing the natural environment; providing wildlife corridors; reducing