District of Easington - Local Plan Local Plan 2001 - 2006 Adopted December 2001 Maps Legend District of Easington - Local Plan District of Easington - Local Plan top of page Click on the areas below to view the Inset maps back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map back to overview map < < Environment Chapter Part One Return to contents Environment Summary of policies Protection of the Environment 2 Renewable energy - This policy has lapsed 3 Protection of the countryside 4 GreenBelt extension in County Durham 5 Control over Development in the green belt - This policy has lapsed 6 Strategic Gap between Easington Village and Peterlee 7 Protection of Areas of High Landscape Value (AHLV) 8 Protection of the coastal zone environment - This policy has lapsed 9 Protection of the coastal zone environment 10 Protection of trees and hedgerows - This policy has lapsed 11 Tree Preservation Orders - This policy has lapsed 12 Protection of Agricultural land - This policy has lapsed 13 Protection of Watercourses - This policy has lapsed 14 Protection of Special Areas of Conservation 15 Protection of sites of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserves 16 Protection of sites of Nature Conservation Importance, Local Nature Reserves and Ancient Woodlands 17 Identification and protection of Wildlife corridors 18 Species and habitat protection 19 Management of areas of Nature Conservation Interest 20 Nationally important sites of Archaeological interest - This policy has lapsed 21 Regionally and locally important areas of Archaeological interest - This policy has lapsed Conservation areas 22 Preservation or enhancement of Conservation areas 23 Control of advertisements in Conservation areas - This policy has lapsed 24 Development affecting Listed buildings and their settings 25 Protection of Groundwater resources - This policy has lapsed 26 Waste water management - This policy has lapsed 27 Control of potentially polluting developments - This policy has lapsed 28 Development for Public Utilities - This policy has lapsed 29 Enhancement of the Environment Sites for recycling 30 Cleaning the beaches - This policy has lapsed 31 Urban fringe improvements - This policy has lapsed 32 Community woodlands - This policy has lapsed 33 Designation of Local Nature Reserves - This policy has lapsed 34 Allotments and garage sites - This policy has lapsed Environmental Design 35 Impact of development 36 Design for Access and the means of travel 37 Design for parking 38 Designing out crime 39 Design for art 40 Control of advertisements 41 Control of Non-agricultural buildings in the countryside - This policy has lapsed 42 Location of Noise sensitive development - This policy has lapsed 43 Development affected by Hazardous substances installations - This policy has lapsed 44 Development on or near Landfill sites 45 Development on or near Colliery sites 46 Development on Unstable land - This policy has lapsed 47 Control of Unauthorised development 48 Proper maintenance of Land and buildings Page 33 3.86 In order that the character and appearance of conservation areas is preserved and enhanced, there is a need to give particular attention to the detail of development proposals. Outline planning applications do not normally enable this as there is usually insufficient detail to assess the impact of the proposal upon the character or appearance of the area. Policy 22 The council will seek to preserve or enhance the character, appearance or setting of the district's conservation areas by: (i) Not allowing development which would detract from the character, appearance or setting of the conservation area; (ii) Only permitting development within, adjoining or affecting conservation areas where it is appropriate in terms of its siting, layout, site coverage, height, roof style, detailed design and materials (iii) Protecting important views into and out of the conservation area (iv) Protecting trees, hedgerows, open spaces and other landscape features which contribute to the character or appearance of the conservation area and its setting; (v) Maintaining a general presumption in favour of retaining buildings which make a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area and only allowing complete or substantial demolition where a strong case in favour of the demolition as opposed to preservation can be made having taken into account alternative uses, the possibility of charitable or community ownership and any community benefits arising from the proposal, and (vi) Only granting consent to demolish buildings in conservation areas where there are acceptable detailed plans for any redevelopment. Any such consents shall be subject to conditions to provide that demolition shall not take place until a contract for the carrying out of the works of redevelopment and planning permission for those works has been granted (vii) Only considering outline planning applications in conservation areas if supported by sufficient details to enable the impact of the proposal upon the character, appearance or setting of the area to be assessed. Control of advertisements in Conservation areas 3.87 Poorly sited and designed advertisements and signs in conservation areas can detrimentally affect the character of a group of buildings or an area of open space. Advertisements should, therefore, be sympathetic in scale and character to existing buildings and the surrounding area. The introduction of internally illuminated signs would generally be inappropriate to the historic and architectural environment of a conservation area although external illuminations will be encouraged where this is sympathetic to these aspects. Policy 23 - This policy has lapsed The location and design of advertisements in a conservation area should be appropriate both to the character of the buildings on which they are situated and the surrounding area.' Development affecting Listed buildings and their settings 3.88 A listed building is a building or structure which the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport considers to be of special architectural or historic interest. These buildings or structures are graded as Grade I, ll* or II according to their relative importance and are statutorily protected. This means that in order to alter the character of, extend or demolish a listed building, listed building consent is required from the Council. 3.89 Development affecting listed buildings can comprise proposals to extend, alter or otherwise affect the internal and/or external character or appearance of the building as well as development adjacent to, or in the vicinity of them, which may affect their wider setting. In other cases there may be proposals to demolish a listed building either partially or completely. Where demolition or alterations to a listed building are proposed applicants may be requested to arrange programmes of recording so as to provide a record for future reference and research. 3.90 There is a small but important number of listed buildings in the District. They provide an important link with the past and make a significant contribution to the character of the area. Once lost, listed buildings cannot be replaced. They represent a finite and irreplaceable asset. For this reason and in line with government guidance in PPG15, there will be a general presumption in favour of retention and demolition will only be appropriate where either there is clear and convincing evidence that all reasonable efforts have been made to sustain existing uses or find viable new uses, and these efforts have failed or that preservation in some form of charitable or community use is not possible or suitable. Additionally, demolition may be appropriate where there are community benefits which outweigh the loss resulting from demolition. Return to contents Top of chapter Page 34 3.90A The character of listed buildings can be easily damaged and it is therefore important that the structures are maintained in a reasonable state of repair and their essential character is not adversely affected by alterations or new development. This is most likely to be achieved where original features, both internal and external, such as doors, windows and chimney stacks are retained and where the design and scale of the proposal and the materials to be used are complimentary to the existing building. Applications for listed building consent should therefore include fully detailed drawings at appropriate scales and clearly showing all proposed works. Finally, the setting of a listed building is often an essential part of its character and this aspect will be given particular consideration in any assessment of development proposals Policy 24 Any developments which adversely affect the character, appearance, special architectural features or setting of a listed building will not be approved. Proposals for the alteration or extension of a listed building should incorporate the retention of architectural or historic features which are important to the character of the building.