Page 1 of 16 COUNTRYSIDE Introduction 12.1 Shepway has a rich and diverse landscape ranging from the rolling chalk downland and dry valleys of the North Downs, through the scarp and dip slope of the Old Romney Shoreline, to Romney Marsh and the unique shingle feature of the Dungeness peninsula. This diversity is reflected in the range of Natural Areas and Countryside Character Areas, identified by English Nature and the Countryside Agency respectively, which cover the District. The particular landscape and wildlife value of large parts of the District is also recognised through protective countryside designations, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Heritage Coastline, as well as the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The countryside also plays host to a wide range of activities and it is recognised that the health of the rural economy and the health of the countryside are inter-linked. A function of the Local Plan is to achieve a sustainable pattern of development in the countryside. This involves a balance between the needs of rural land users and maintaining and enhancing countryside character and quality. 12.2 This balance is achieved in two main ways:- a. By focussing most development in urban areas, particularly on previously developed sites and ensuring that sufficient land is allocated to meet identified development requirements, thus reducing uncertainty and speculation on ‘greenfield’ sites in the countryside. b. By making firm policy statements relating to: the general principles to be applied to all proposals in the countryside; specific types of development in the countryside; and the protection of particularly important areas. Aims and Objectives 12.3 The broad countryside aims of the Plan are:- 1. To maintain and enhance the distinct character, functioning and quality of the countryside, (including rural towns and villages) and, conserve important natural resources. 2. To encourage economic activity and viable communities in rural areas in ways which are compatible with environmental aims and objectives. 12.4 The Plan’s countryside objectives are:- 1. To identify areas of countryside that are of special importance by virtue of their landscape or nature conservation value. 2. To protect and enhance the special quality and character of the areas identified in objective 1 above and also the wider countryside. 3. To realise the potential of the countryside for appropriate tourism, leisure, recreation, employment, housing and agricultural–related opportunities. Page 2 of 16 4. To provide policy guidance for uses requiring a rural location including to ensure that development: is appropriate in location and appearance; minimises local environmental impacts and where possible; compensates for unavoidable negative effects. 5. To safeguard and improve the viability of rural towns and villages. Development in the countryside 12.5 Policy CO1 sets out the broad principles against which development proposals in the countryside will be assessed, supplementing Policy SD1 and the provisions of Structure Plan Policies ENV1, ENV2, RS1 and RS5 (1996 Adopted Plan). The aim of this policy is ensure that any development that is permitted in the countryside maintains and where possible enhances local quality and character and respects other sustainability objectives. Where development is exceptionally permitted which would have negative local environmental consequences, proposals should seek to minimise these impacts in the first instance, and secondly, compensate for any unavoidable effects to seek to ensure that no net environmental loss occurs. 12.6 Other Plan Policies elaborate upon the factors that will be considered when determining applications for specific types of development. Subsequent Countryside policies also provide additional guidance on the approach that should be taken to development in particular countryside locations such as landscape and wildlife designations and areas of the best and most versatile agricultural land. POLICY CO1 The District Planning Authority will protect the countryside for its own sake. Subject to other Plan policies, development in the countryside will be permitted where proposals: a) maintain or enhance features of landscape, wildlife, historic, geological and agricultural importance, and the particular quality and character of the countryside; b) demonstrate that they cannot be practicably located within an existing settlement and essentially require a countryside location; c) are of a high standard of design and, sympathetic in scale and appearance to their setting; d) are acceptable in highway and infrastructure terms and; e) preserve or enhance the amenity, character and functioning of rural towns and villages. Development proposals that would significantly conflict with one or more of criteria a - e above will only be permitted where it can be shown that: i) there is an overriding social or economic need; ii) negative impacts are minimised as far as possible and; iii) adequate measures will be taken to compensate for any the adverse environmental effect.Compensatory measures should, as a minimum, ensure that no net environmental loss occurs. Note: For the purposes of Policy CO1, the Countryside is defined as the area outside of the settlement boundaries identified on the proposals map. Where land in the countryside is allocated on the proposals map for a specific development purpose, the associated policy will take precedence over Policy CO1. Rural settlement 12.7 In the interests of sustainability and minimising the use of fresh land, Structure Plan Policy S6 (1996 Adopted Plan) states that housing provision should be concentrated in the 19 urban areas of Kent. It is recognised however that rural settlements also have a role to play in meeting overall requirements and providing choice of location. New development at rural towns and villages can help create more viable communities through supporting the provision of local services. Structure Plan rural settlement policies provide a framework for the control of development in the District’s rural towns and villages. The following settlement hierarchy table clarifies which settlements fall within which policy:- Policy applicable Settlement Page 3 of 16 Structure Plan Policy S6 Folkestone, Hythe, Sandgate, Seabrook (Main Housing Provision) & Saltwood Structure Plan Policy EK3 Hawkinge (Strategic Land Release) Lydd, New Romney inc. Greatstone & Structure Plan Policy RS3(a) Littlestone, Dymchurch & St Mary’s Bay (Villages and small rural towns with potential for development Densole, Elham, Etchinghill, Lyminge, Lympne, excess of minor development) Newingreen, Newington, Peene, Sellindge, Stanford & West Hythe Structure Plan Policy RS2 Brenzett, Brookland, Burmarsh, Ivychurch, (Villages where only minor Lydd-on-Sea & Newchurch development such as infilling is acceptable) Postling, Stelling Minnis & Old Romney Structure Plan Policy RS3(b) (Villages where priority is to All areas outside of the settlement boundaries maintain special character) (and Local Plan Policy CO1) defined on the proposals map Structure Plan Policy RS5 (and Local Plan Policy CO1) POLICY CO2 The settlement hierarchy identified in the above Table and the settlement boundaries defined on the Proposals Map, will be used by the District Planning Authority in its interpretation of Structure Plan Policies S6, EK3, RS2, RS3(a)&(b) and RS5 (1996 Adopted Plan) when considering proposals for development. Landscape 12.8 The national importance of the North Downs landscape is recognised by its inclusion in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The primary objective of the AONB is conservation of the natural beauty of the landscape and this should be reflected in Local Plan Policy and development control. 12.9 A Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) has been established comprising the District Council and a range of other bodies and organisations including other local authorities within the AONB, the Countryside Agency and English Nature. The JAC seeks to encourage a co-ordinated approach to management of the AONB and prepared a Management Strategy to address the main environmental and socio-economic issues facing the area. POLICY CO3 In assessing proposals affecting the designated Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty the District Planning Authority will give priority to the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty, including landscape, wildlife and geological features, over other planning considerations. Proposals should protect or enhance the natural beauty of the AONB. Development inconsistent with this objective will not be permitted unless: i) the economic and social benefits of a proposal outweigh the primary objective of conserving natural beauty or; ii) in the case of major commercial and industrial schemes, there is a proven national interest and a lack of alternative sites. 12.10 The Structure Plan identifies areas of county-wide landscape importance as Special Landscape Areas (SLAs). Within Shepway, these incorporate the North Downs AONB, Old Romney Shoreline and Dungeness. SLAs have been identified through a process of landscape assessment and their detailed boundaries defined on the proposals map. The long-term protection of these areas and the conservation and enhancement of their natural beauty is given priority by Structure Plan Policy ENV4(1996 Adopted Plan). Development within the AONB and SLA should be kept to a minimum and where acceptable, should be designed and constructed so that the visual impact on the landscape