SUBMISSION VERSION 2021 FOREWORD The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group, on behalf of the Parish Council, has produced this Neighbourhood Plan using residents’ opinions and comments from the consultations, events, questionnaires and meetings held over the last 5 years. The Neighbourhood Plan combines environmental and housing development policies to deliver on the aspirations we all have for Much Hadham by: • Creating our own substantial equivalent to the “Green Belt” to protect the open space around the village • Preserving wonderful views across the parish • Providing for the housing needs of younger people • Creating opportunities for the elderly to “This Neighbourhood downsize Plan represents our • Increasing the protection for our heritage assets. community’s values by: This Neighbourhood Plan represents our community’s values by preserving the past, serving the present and - preserving the past, anticipating the future with confidence. - serving the present Picturesque and well-preserved, Much Hadham is and widely appreciated not only by its residents but also - anticipating the throughout the district and beyond. It is important that future with any future development is very carefully managed and this is what our Neighbourhood Plan sets out to do. confidence. “ Penny Taylor Chair, Much Hadham Parish Council Table of Contents CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ................................................ 6 1.1 Location and History ................................................................................. 6 1.2 What is the Neighbourhood Plan? ............................................................. 6 1.3 Evidence Base........................................................................................... 7 1.4 Sustainable Development ......................................................................... 7 1.5 Legal Requirements .................................................................................. 8 1.6 Content of this document ......................................................................... 9 Part 1: Development Strategy ............................................... 11 CHAPTER 2. VISION AND OBJECTIVES .............................................................. 11 2.1 Key Issues and Challenges ..................................................................... 11 2.2 Vision ..................................................................................................... 12 2.3 Objectives .............................................................................................. 13 CHAPTER 3. STRATEGY ..................................................................................... 15 3.1 Guiding Principles and Strategy .............................................................. 15 3.2 Neighbourhood Plan Strategy ................................................................. 15 3.3 Housing Supply ....................................................................................... 16 3.4 Development in Much Hadham Village .................................................... 16 3.5 Development in Much Hadham Parish (outside the village) .................... 17 3.6 Strategy ................................................................................................. 17 CHAPTER 4. HOUSING ...................................................................................... 19 4.1 Housing Numbers ................................................................................... 19 4.2 Village Development Boundary ............................................................... 21 4.3 Housing Mix ............................................................................................ 23 4.4 Housing Density ..................................................................................... 24 4.5 Affordable Housing ................................................................................. 24 4.6 Housing Allocation Sites ......................................................................... 24 4.7 The Rural Area and Rural Exception Sites ............................................... 36 4.8 Specialist Housing for Older and Vulnerable People ................................ 36 4.9 Hill House and Land to the Rear .............................................................. 37 CHAPTER 5. DESIGN ......................................................................................... 39 5.1 Sustainable Design ................................................................................. 39 5.2 Housing Design....................................................................................... 40 5.3 Affordability and Design ......................................................................... 45 5.4 Vehicle Parking ....................................................................................... 45 MUCH HADHAM NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN 1 5.5 Gates ...................................................................................................... 46 5.6 Bin Storage ............................................................................................. 47 CHAPTER 6. INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS.............. 48 6.1 Infrastructure ......................................................................................... 48 6.2 Transport ................................................................................................ 48 6.3 Communications ..................................................................................... 50 CHAPTER 7. LOCAL ECONOMY, EMPLOYMENT AND TOURISM ............................ 51 7.1 Local Economy and Employment ............................................................. 51 7.2 Tourism .................................................................................................. 52 Part 2: Environment Strategy ................................................ 54 CHAPTER 8. HERITAGE ASSETS ........................................................................ 54 8.1 Archaeology ........................................................................................... 54 8.2 Conservation Area .................................................................................. 55 8.3 Listed Buildings and Structures .............................................................. 55 8.4 Historic Parks and Gardens (HPG) .......................................................... 55 8.5 Non-Designated Heritage Assets ............................................................ 56 8.6 Assets of Community Value (ACV) .......................................................... 58 CHAPTER 9. LANDSCAPE AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT ................................... 60 9.1 Landscape Character .............................................................................. 60 9.2 Natural Environment .............................................................................. 61 CHAPTER 10. GREEN SPACES ........................................................................... 67 10.1 Local Green Spaces ................................................................................. 67 10.2 Common Land ......................................................................................... 74 CHAPTER 11. PRIORITY VIEWS ....................................................................... 75 11.1 Priority Views Descriptions ................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. CHAPTER 12. COMMUNITY FACILITIES, LEISURE AND RECREATION ............... 91 12.1 Indoor Activity and Leisure .................................................................... 91 12.2 Public Rights of Way (PROW) ................................................................. 91 12.3 Equine Development ............................................................................... 92 12.4 Recreational Open Spaces ...................................................................... 92 Part 3: Implementation and Monitoring ................................... 94 CHAPTER 13. DELIVERY AND MONITORING .................................................... 94 13.1 Delivery .................................................................................................. 94 MUCH HADHAM NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN 2 13.2 Monitoring .............................................................................................. 94 13.3 Priorities................................................................................................. 94 APPENDIX A. HOUSING NEEDS EVIDENCE ........................................................... 96 APPENDIX B. PRE-APPROVED SITES.................................................................... 99 APPENDIX C. MUCH HADHAM FLOOD MAP ......................................................... 100 APPENDIX D. PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY, INCLUDING BRIDLEWAYS .................... 101 APPENDIX E. MAP OF WILDLIFE SITES .............................................................. 102 APPENDIX F. LARGEST EMPLOYERS ................................................................... 103 APPENDIX G. NON-DESIGNATED HERITAGE ASSETS ......................................... 104 APPENDIX H. PARISH COUNCIL ACTION PLANS ................................................ 114 APPENDIX I. SUMMARY OF CONSULTATION EVENTS ......................................... 117 APPENDIX J. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION SOURCES ......................................... 119 APPENDIX K. ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY................................................. 121 APPENDIX L. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................