General Development Control Policies (2007)

3 Chapter 3: General Development Control Policies

Landscape and Townscape Character

Background

3.1 The Core Strategy Policy CP1 sets out the importance of retaining the character of Horsham District. This includes conserving and enhancing the character of the landscape, biodiversity as well as maintaining the existing pattern of settlements.  The following policies add further detail as to how the Council believes that the character of the District should be maintained in relation to planning and development proposals. This includes further detail on landscape character and settlement coalescence as well as policies on designated landscapes, biodiversity, trees and woodland.

3.2 The policies particularly support the following sustainability objectives:

• To conserve and enhance landscape and townscape character of the District.
• To conserve and enhance the biodiversity of the District.

• To conserve and enhance the historical and cultural environment of the District.

3.3 The following policies should be read in conjunction with Core Strategy Policy CP1 Landscape and Townscape Character.

3.4 The Council is seeking to maintain and enhance the natural beauty and amenity of the District’s countryside for its own sake. Development has the potential to harm the beauty and character of rural areas, and this Council will seek to resist development in rural areas unless the development is essential to the rural location.

3.5 Whilst it is recognised that the natural and undeveloped nature of rural areas must be protected, it is acknowledged that there may be certain circumstances where development is necessary to ensure the continued sustainable development of rural areas. Such development might include that which is required to sustain the countryside as a place of varied and productive social and economic activity, such as subsidised housing, business uses, community facilities and service or leisure, cultural and tourism facilities. Other policies set out in this document cover the circumstances under which development may be permitted in the countryside and applicants should in particular refer to policies DC23 – DC30. Where development is essential it must not lead to a significant increase in the overall level of activity in the countryside and therefore, accessibility to transport other than in the private car will be of particular relevance in meeting sustainability objectives.

3.6 Where it is considered that there are overriding reasons to permit development outside built-up areas (including where necessary for the provision of water supplies) appropriate mitigation and enhancement will be secured, as set out in other policies in this document.

3.7 Horsham District is a large area with a diverse range of characteristics from the wooded landscape in the north, to the more open rolling downland of the south of the District.  It is considered important that the unique characteristics of the area are retained and where practicable enhanced.  32 separate landscape character areas have been identified within the District and these are shown on the Proposals Map. It will be necessary to ensure that development proposals take into account the key characteristics of the landscape character areas, (which includes historic character, biodiversity, soils, and tranquillity) and in addition to the requirements set out in the policy above, applicants should refer to the additional detail and guidance in the Horsham District Council Landscape Character Assessment. It is intended that this work will be incorporated within a Supplementary Planning Document in due course. Applicants are also advised to consult Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas), as well as other relevant landscape character assessments including those for West Sussex and the South Downs for further information on issues relating to development in the countryside.

3.8 The towns and villages within the District each exhibit a distinct character and range of intrinsic qualities which are based on the cumulative effect of the settlements’ historic built form or layout and their wider setting, landscape and locally important features, including the character of individual buildings and in some cases adjoining gardens which may create green corridors. It is important that proposed development respects this character and does not adversely impact on this combination of natural and man-made features.

3.9 Much of the pressure for development is around the edges of settlements, or for smaller scale ‘sub-urban’ developments such as lighting schemes, porches and extensions. These types of proposals have the potential to lead to the coalescence of villages and towns and it is considered that the Council should seek to resist such proposals outside the development areas identified in the Core Strategy and Site Specific Allocations of Land. Other developments in rural areas such as barn conversions and telecommunication installations also have the potential to urbanise the countryside. Applicants should therefore refer to PPG8: Telecommunications and Policy DC24: Conversion of Agricultural and Rural Buildings for Industrial, Business or Residential Use, for further details on these issues.

3.10 The landscape between settlements throughout the District should have an overall lack of development and urbanising features, and provide a visual break and sense of openness between settlements. This includes preserving the network of trees and hedgerows which make up the green corridors which are important for both the landscape and nature conservation. This is particularly important for the two Strategic Gaps in the District. These are the Horsham/Southwater and Horsham/Crawley Strategic Gaps, which are shown on the Proposals Map.

3.11 The designation of Strategic Gaps protects these areas which are especially sensitive to development and Policy DC3: Settlement Coalescence, proposes that development in such areas should be required to make a positive contribution to the amenity of the Gap.

3.12 In defining the boundaries of the Strategic Gaps it is recognised that in certain sensitive locations development on land abutting but outside of the Gap, could contribute to settlement coalescence that may undermine the objectives of this policy. In such cases, proposals for development that immediately abuts the boundary of the Gap, but is not in accordance with this policy, would not be permitted.

3.13 The Sussex Downs and High Weald AONBs (as shown on the Proposals Map) are designated for their national importance in terms of landscape quality. The main aim of their designation is to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the landscape.  At the current time, the Government is considering the designation of the South Downs as a National Park. No formal decision has yet been made, but it is anticipated that such a designation will lead to changed administrative arrangements for the area. Applicants should be mindful of this and are advised to check the designation of the Sussex Downs.  Further information regarding the progress of the proposed South Downs National Park is available from Defra.

3.14 It is essential that the AONBs landscapes are conserved and enhanced. Development, particularly if it is at a large scale, has the potential to harm these areas and lead to damage to the landscape. It is however acknowledged that both the High Weald and Sussex Downs AONBs are ‘living’ landscapes which need to be able to adapt and change to cope with the pressures that they face and to meet the needs of people who live there. There may be cases therefore where development, particularly at a more local level, that helps maintain the economic or social well-being of the areas is necessary.

3.15 Horsham District contains a wide variety of life. This includes individual species and the habitats that support them, from rivers, woodlands and chalk downland to gardens in urban areas. This biodiversity is an integral part of the District’s character and also contributes to the high quality of life in the area.  Within the District, some areas have been designated as being of particular importance for biodiversity or geology.  These sites are shown on the Proposals Map. They include the internationally important Special Protection Area at Amberley Wildbrooks, nationally important Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and more local sites such as Sites of Nature Conservation Importance. In addition to these protected sites, the District is home to several species which are protected by law, including bats, barn owls and great crested newts. Applicants should refer to the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) for further information on this matter.

3.16 Development has the potential to harm biodiversity directly or indirectly. Direct effects include land take, whilst indirect effects include downstream pollution of a watercourse, or severance of a wildlife corridor, preventing species moving between different habitats.  Development also has the potential to help habitats and species, for example through enhancing or extending habitats, habitat creation schemes, and designing buildings to contain features such as nest boxes that provide a home for wildlife.

3.17 The Council will seek to ensure that development does not cause a net loss of biodiversity, and will in particular resist proposals that will harm protected sites and species.  Where there are proposals that would affect a protected site the level of designation (i.e. international, national) will be taken into account when determining the proposal. In order to determine a planning application the Council will expect to be provided with sufficient information to assess the effects of development on protected sites, species and biodiversity or geology together with any proposed prevention, mitigation, or compensation measures.

3.18 All development proposals should seek to enhance biodiversity through a range of measures, including enhancements for protected species either on or off the site, buffer strips around protected sites and vulnerable (e.g. aquatic) habitats, maintenance, reinstatement and enhancement of wildlife corridors. When considering biodiversity enhancements, applicants should pay attention for the potential to enhance the priority habitats and species identified in the Sussex and Horsham Biodiversity Action Plans.  Applicants should also be mindful of the guidance set out in PPS9 (Biological and Geological Conservation) and its supporting guide to good practice and Planning Policy Statement 7 (Sustainable Development in Rural Areas). Information on habitats and species that have been recorded in the District is available from the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre.

3.19 Trees and woodland make an important contribution to the character of the District. As well as their biodiversity value, they contribute to the wider landscape and townscape, providing amenity, scenic, recreation, biodiversity and historical value. The Council will seek to ensure the continued protection of woodlands and trees, and will take this into account when considering development proposals.

3.20 Ancient woodland is a particularly important form of woodland. These areas have been continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD. They have evolved over the centuries to form a rich wildlife habitat and are irreplaceable in terms of their biodiversity, landscape and historical value.  This Council will therefore resist development on or near to such sites where demonstrable harm to ancient woodlands would be caused. The ancient woodlands are shown on the Proposals Map.

3.21 Individual trees can also be important contributors to the character of the District, and many are protected by Tree Preservation Orders. Applicants wishing to undertake work to protected trees are advised to consult the Government guide ‘Protected Trees – A Guide to Tree Preservation Orders’.  Where applications are submitted for works to trees, the Council will consider health and practical problems (such as structural damage to property) relating to the trees. Where replacement planting is required, issues such as landscape and biodiversity will be taken into account. Replanting with native species will be encouraged to ensure that ecological networks remain functional and to prevent the isolation of trees and woodlands in the landscape.

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