an URBAN FRINGE ACTION PLAN for Southern Swindon Prepared on behalf of the North Wessex Downs Council of Partners by Land Use Consultants under the guidance of the Steering Group: AONB team Countryside Agency Defra RDS English Nature Great Western Community Forest Kennet District Council North Wiltshire District Council Swindon Borough Council Swindon Strategic Partnership Wiltshire Community First Wiltshire County Council Wroughton Parish Council Funded by: Contents 1. The urban fringe – a forgotten area.................................................1 A forgotten area of huge potential ...............................................................................1 An ongoing problem.....................................................................................................2 The urban fringe in national policy...............................................................................2 An area with great potential to contribute to sustainable development .......................3 An Action Plan for the Southern Urban Fringe of Swindon .........................................3 2. The Swindon urban fringe: A brief description ..............................5 The character of the Action Plan Area.........................................................................5 3. Preparing the Urban Fringe Action Plan: identified issues.........23 Evidence ....................................................................................................................24 4. Considering the Swindon urban fringe in policy..........................27 Regional Planning......................................................................................................27 Local Plans and Strategies ........................................................................................27 The urban fringe – a policy gap .................................................................................27 5. Integrated delivery ..........................................................................33 Policy delivery (spatial planning) ...............................................................................33 Swindon Borough Council (March 2006) Local Transport Plan (2006-2011)............35 Other means of delivery.............................................................................................36 Working in partnership...............................................................................................36 The Action Plan Synopsis................................................................................................41 A strategic division of the Plan area ..........................................................................42 i Linkages and connections within the Plan area.........................................................42 The Near and Further Urban Fringe……………………………..………………………44 Figure AP2 Network Structure ...................................................................................45 Figure AP3 Overall Spatial Strategy ..........................................................................46 Vision and objectives ...........................................................................47 Overall Vision ............................................................................................................49 Visions themes ..........................................................................................................49 Landscape and the natural and cultural environment................................................49 Agriculture and forestry..............................................................................................49 Access and recreation ...............................................................................................49 Communities ..............................................................................................................49 Objectives..................................................................................................................50 Landscape and the natural environment ...................................................................50 Agriculture and forestry..............................................................................................50 Access and recreation ...............................................................................................50 Communities ..............................................................................................................50 Actions...................................................................................................51 Landscape and the natural environment ...................................................................51 Agriculture and forestry..............................................................................................51 Access and recreation ...............................................................................................51 Communities ..............................................................................................................51 Other vital concerns...................................................................................................51 Landscape and habitat management and enhancement ..................52 Issues.........................................................................................................................52 Response...................................................................................................................52 ii The tenant farms and wider agriculture..............................................58 Issues.........................................................................................................................58 Response...................................................................................................................58 Local products ......................................................................................63 Opportunities..............................................................................................................63 Response...................................................................................................................64 The rights of way network ……………………………………………..…66 Issues.........................................................................................................................66 Response...................................................................................................................67 Transport and park and ride ................................................................77 Issues.........................................................................................................................77 Response...................................................................................................................77 Rat running on rural roads ..................................................................74 Response...................................................................................................................74 A gateway to the AONB........................................................................76 Opportunity ................................................................................................................76 Response...................................................................................................................76 Local services and facilities ................................................................78 Issue / Opportunity.....................................................................................................78 Response...................................................................................................................78 Promotion and awareness-raising ......................................................81 Issues / opportunities.................................................................................................81 iii Response...................................................................................................................81 Fly tipping and composting.................................................................83 Response...................................................................................................................83 Overall responsibility for the plan.......................................................87 Responsibility.............................................................................................................87 Action plan: means of delivery............................................................89 Policy .........................................................................................................................89 Other delivery mechanisms .......................................................................................93 6. Monitoring and review...................................................................97 APPENDICES Appendix 1. Stakeholders iv 1. THE URBAN FRINGE – A FORGOTTEN AREA A forgotten area of huge potential 1.1. In England, for decades the urban fringe has been a in the face of urban pressure to being a key area of policy and land management Cinderella. As the area of solutions to rural and urban problems. countryside closest to large urban populations, the urban fringe has been under elevated pressures, both positive (such as for Problems typically facing the urban fringe Development pressure and the uncertainty it creates and the recreation)