Proposed Submission Draft Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (Regulation 19) Green Belt Topic Paper November 2017 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 3 2.0 National Context 3 3.0 Local Context and planned growth 5 4.0 Neighbourhood Plans 7 5.0 Green Belt Assessment Part 1 7 6.0 Green Belt Assessment Part 2 15 7.0 Draft Plan 17 8.0 Issues Raised In Consultation Responses 18 9.0 Changes Made at Proposed Submission Stage (Regulation 19) 19 2 1.0 Introduction 1.1 This topic paper summarises the background, context and evidence which has informed the drafting of the Proposed Submission Draft Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan (VALP) (Regulation 19) Green Belt policies. The topic paper details the approach to whether the Green Belt boundaries are amended and the approach to planning applications. 1.2 This topic paper relates to the following VALP policies set out in the proposed submission plan: S4 Green Belt D-HAL003 RAF Halton 1.3 The paper should be read with the following documents: Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan - Proposed Submission VALP - 2013 - 2033, September 2017 Buckinghamshire Green Belt Assessment Report Part 1 (March 2016) Buckinghamshire Draft Green Belt Assessment Methodology Part 2 (July 2016) Aylesbury Vale Green Belt Assessment Report Part 2 (July 2016) 1.4 This topic paper is one in a series, which sets out how we have developed the proposed submission Local Plan. Each topic paper will look at relevant national and local policy and guidance that informs the VALP. Topic papers explain how the strategy has developed and the data, evidence and feedback that has informed choices made in formulating policies. The topic papers aim to provide background information; they do not contain policies, proposals or site allocations. All topic papers will be finalised to accompany the submission of the VALP to the Secretary of State for examination. 2.0 National Context 2.1 The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out that the protection of the Green Belts around urban areas is a core planning principle. Policy for protecting Green Belt land is contained in section 9 of the Framework which emphasises the great importance which the Government places on Green Belts. Paragraph 80 of the NPPF states the five main purposes of the Green Belt as being: to check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas; to prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another; to assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment; to preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and 3 to assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land. 2.2 Paragraph 81 of the Framework promotes enhancement of the existing Green Belt land stating ‘local planning authorities are required to plan positively to enhance the beneficial use of the Green Belt’. 2.3 Paragraph 83 allows for the review of Green Belt boundaries in exceptional circumstances, through the preparation of a Local Plan. It follows this with acknowledging the permanence of the Green Belt boundaries and the need for Green Belt to endure beyond the Plan period. Paragraph 85 states that ‘when defining boundaries, local planning authorities should: ensure consistency with the local plan strategy for meeting identified requirements for sustainable development; not include land which it is unnecessary to keep permanently open; where necessary, identify in their plans areas of ‘safeguarded land’ between the urban area and the green belt, in order to meet longer-term development needs stretching well beyond the plan period; make clear that the safeguarded land is not allocated for development at the present time. planning permission for the permanent development of safeguarded land should only be granted following a local plan review which proposes the development; satisfy themselves that green belt boundaries will not need to be altered at the end of the development plan period; and define boundaries clearly, using physical features that are readily recognisable and likely to be permanent.’ 2.4 The NPPF has a general presumption against development in the Green Belt unless very special circumstances are demonstrated. There are however, some uses that are an exception to this, which paragraphs 89 and 90 set out as: buildings for agriculture and forestry provision of appropriate facilities for outdoor sport, outdoor recreation and for cemeteries, as long as it preserves the openness of the green belt and does not conflict with the purposes of including land within it; the extension or alteration of a building provided that it does not result in disproportionate additions over and above the size of the original building; the replacement of a building provided the new building is in the same use and not materially larger than the one it replaces limited infilling in villages, and limited affordable housing for local community needs under policies set out in the local plan; or 4 limited infilling or the partial or complete redevelopment of previously developed sites (brownfield land), whether redundant in or continuing uses (excluding temporary buildings), which would not have a greater impact on the openness of the green belt and the purpose of including land within it than the existing development mineral extraction engineering operations local transport infrastructure which can demonstrate a requirement for a green belt location the re-use of buildings provided that the buildings are of permanent and substantial construction; and development brought forward under a community right to build order 3.0 Local Context and planned growth 3.1 The south-eastern part of Aylesbury Vale contains a relatively small amount of the Metropolitan Green Belt that surrounds London. Approximately 48 square kilometres of the district is currently designated as Green Belt which equates to just over 5% of the total district area. The Green Belt in Buckinghamshire was first designated in 1954 through the Buckinghamshire County Development Plan but didn’t cover any areas in Aylesbury Vale. The boundaries were reviewed in 1972 with the Buckinghamshire County Development Plan and again in 1979 through the Buckinghamshire County Structure Plan. The extent of Green Belt land in the district hasn’t been altered since 1979. 3.2 The town of Wendover, one of the strategic settlements in the district, is largely surrounded by Green Belt land and the villages of Halton and Dagnall are washed over by the Green Belt. 3.3 The Metropolitan Green Belt within Central Bedfordshire District currently adjoins the eastern boundary of the district and the Green Belt around Oxford currently adjoins part of the western boundary of the district. 5 Fig.1; The Buckinghamshire & Neighbouring Authority Green Belt (Map 2.1; Buckinghamshire Green Belt Assessment Report Part 1, 2016) 6 4.0 Neighbourhood Plans 4.1 The policies in the proposed VALP are strategic in nature to allow for some of the detail to be shaped by communities through neighbourhood planning where applicable. This may be through a Neighbourhood Development Plan, Neighbourhood Development Order, or the Community Right to Build. There are a number of parishes which have expressed an interest in developing neighbourhood plans to supplement the proposed VALP Strategy and provide greater detail on what the strategic policies will mean for the settlement. 4.2 Within Aylesbury Vale, 14 neighbourhood plans have been ‘made’ at Buckingham, Buckland, Cheddington, Edlesborough, Great Horwood, Haddenham, Long Crendon, Marsh Gibbon, Pitstone, Quainton, Waddesdon, Wing, Wingrave with Rowsham, and Winslow. These neighbourhood plans are now an integral part of the local planning system. The following list of ‘made’ neighbourhood plans contain land within the Green Belt: Edlesborough (passed referendum) - no specific policies on the Green Belt Pitstone - no specific policies on the Green Belt Buckland – Policy BP2 resists any significant development in the Green Belt except in very exceptional circumstances 4.3 The following neighbourhood plans that are emerging contain land within the Green Belt: Ivinghoe (Pre Submission) - Policy HSG1 states that inappropriate development in the Green Belt will be resisted unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated Aston Clinton (Pre Submission) – no specific policies on the Green Belt Halton (early stages) Wendover (early stages) 5.0 Green Belt Assessment Part 1 5.1 The Green Belt assessment has been split into two parts. Part 1 of the assessment was carried out by Arup planning consultants as a joint piece of evidence on behalf of the Buckinghamshire district councils (Aylesbury Vale District Council, Chiltern District Council, South Bucks District Council and Wycombe District Council) and Buckinghamshire County Council. The purpose of this assessment was to establish any differentiation in terms of how the general areas in the existing Green Belt function and fulfil the purposes of the Green Belt at a strategic level. For those general areas outside of the current Green Belt, the assessment considered how these strategic land parcels might fulfil the purpose if designated. 5.2 Stage one of this work was to identify and delineate logical and justified land parcels for assessment. This included all Green Belt land and non-Green Belt land, 7 specifically around major settlements at the outer edge of the Green Belt, that might be considered for inclusion in the Green Belt. These land parcels were identified on the basis that they were contained by permanent and defensible boundaries and then refining further using additional durable boundaries. This led to 157 Green Belt general areas and 14 non-Green Belt areas being identified. 5.3 Each parcel was then assessed against the four relevant purposes of the Green Belt (purpose five, which is to assist in urban regeneration was excluded from the assessment as it was considered all Green Belt achieves this purpose to the same extent. For each purpose a score out of five was given with five being meeting the purpose strongly.