1.1 General Principles of Development
1.1.1 The 1990's have seen an increasing interest in environmental issues at a local, national and international level. This has been reflected in the statutory planning system which now places significant emphasis on the need to mitigate the effects of development proposals on the environment and to ensure that development is sustainable.
1.1.2 Sustainable development was defined in 1987 by the World Commission on the Environment and Development as: "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs ." In meeting those needs it is important to balance the land use requirements that allow for growth and economic prosperity with those of safeguarding and enhancing the best of the environment.
1.1.3 Sustaining the environment is now a central concern of planning. The Government's Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG 12) Development Plans and Regional Planning Guidance states that: "The sum total of decisions in the planning field, as elsewhere, should not deny future generations the best of today's environment." The Council fully endorses this view and the concept of sustainability which lies at the heart of this Local Plan.
1.1.4 In establishing a planning policy framework to guide development in Holderness over the next decade the Council has taken as a starting point an overall ideal to which it aspires and which is useful in providing plan users with a context for understanding the plans policies and proposals. This is as follows:
TO ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK OF PLANNING POLICY THAT WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVING THE OVERALL PHYSICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL/ CULTURAL WELLBEING OF THE COMMUNITY OF HOLDERNESS AND OF THOSE WHO VISIT AND SPEND TIME AND RESOURCES IN THIS AREA. IN ACHIEVING THIS, THE PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE EXISTING RURAL CHARACTER OF THE AREA WILL BE ESSENTIAL. DEVELOPMENT MUST MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO HOLDERNESS AS A PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE, WORK AND SEEK RECREATION, WHILE SAFEGUARDING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.
1.1.5 This Council has long been concerned with protecting environmental resources and assets through measures such as Tree Preservation Orders, Conservation Areas, Listed Buildings and with influencing and controlling the effects of development on the environment. Although this has been successful in the past the pressure for development will continue and it will be necessary in many cases to make choices between environmental interests and the need for development. This local plan will provide a policy framework against which such choices can be made.
1.1.6 The Council is generally supportive of proposals which increase the employment opportunities within the area, however, some forms of development may have a detrimental impact on environmental interests. It is the Council's aim to ensure that such impacts are minimised and as an indication of the importance the Council places on achieving sustainable development, the principles and policies set out in this section (Part 1) of the plan will be applied to all development proposals and will underpin all other policies in the plan.
1.1.7 In order to fulfil its intention to ensure that all development is 'sustainable', the Council will require that the likely environmental impact of all development proposals is given a high priority in the decision making process and that they accord with government advice.
1.1.8 Development proposals which minimise adverse effects on the environment or which make a positive environmental contribution will usually be supported provided they meet the requirements of other local plan policies.
1.1.9 The overall sustainability principles and policies can be conveniently divided into:
1. Transport and locational issues
2. Environmental issues
1.1.10 This aids the formulation of more specific land use policies which in Holderness will provide a foundation for meeting the sustainability aims of the plan. In determining the acceptability of development proposals, plan users should firstly have regard to these general principles and policies.
Transport and Locational Principles
1.1.11
1. Development will be located so that a mix of compatible land uses, services and infrastructure will be encouraged in order to minimise the need for travel.
2. Development will be concentrated in the existing settlement hierarchy as far as possible thereby maximising the use of existing services and infrastructure and minimising development of greenfield sites.
G1 The Council will provide opportunities for sustainable economic development within the Holderness area which minimise the unsustainable use of land and which do not harm the natural and man made resources of the area.
G2 Development will be located where services, facilities and a transport network already exist or can be provided efficiently and with minimum environmental impact. The integration of land use and transport, and the encouragement of an integrated transport system with a choice of modes of transport, will be supported in order to minimise environmental impact and the need to travel.
1.1.12
1. Development should be of a sustainable nature to prevent avoidable adverse Impacts on the environment.
2. Important environmental features will be protected from inappropriate development.
3. Where development is considered essential in the public interest and has an adverse effect on the environment, developers will be expected to minimise that effect as far as possible and/or to mitigate the effect by carrying out compensatory action.
4. The use of renewable energy resources will be promoted wherever possible provided the impact of their development on the local environment is acceptable. The Council acknowledges the need to achieve development that is sustainable and recognises the importance of conserving its resources for future generations and the need to identify and protect the essential character and main environmental assets of the Plan area. These include:
Quality and Quantity of Water Supplies
1.1.13 A plentiful supply of good quality water is essential for healthy living. In Holderness, there is a relatively low pollution risk to underground water sources. It is, however, important to protect water from pollution as a result of new development.
Sites of Nature Conservation Importance
1.1.14 Sites in Holderness include those of international importance, Special Protection Areas for Wild Birds (SPAs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Ramsar Sites; Sites of National Importance including Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI); sites of Regional and local importance, including Regionally Important Geological Sites (RIGS) and Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCIs).
Archaeological Remains
1.1.15 Archaeological remains whether scheduled or nonscheduled are seen as a finite resource which is often highly fragile and vulnerable to damage and destruction. Within Holderness, there are currently 21 Scheduled Ancient Monuments designated under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.
Areas of Landscape and Amenity Value
1.1.16 These areas contribute to the visual amenity, character and setting of the area and include nationally and locally significant features such as the Spurn Heritage Coast and important open areas within or adjacent to settlements. Locally important areas may not necessarily fall within conservation areas or other recognised designations but nevertheless make an important contribution to the area and are worthy of protection from insensitive or inappropriate development. These features may include paddocks, woodland, ponds, village greens, etc.
The Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (Grades 1, 2 and 3a)
1.1.17 High quality agricultural land is a valuable national resource and is regarded as having special importance. In Holderness approximately 53% of farmland is of Grade 1 and 2 and considerable weight is given to protecting such land from development.
Areas of High Townscape Value Including Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings
1.1.18 These form a valuable part of our heritage and should be preserved and where appropriate enhanced for future generations. Within Holderness there are currently 413 Listed Buildings and 25 Conservation Areas.
Outdoor Playing Space
1.1.19 Outdoor playing space is a resource which contributes to the quality of life and should be protected. These may be formal or informal and make a significant contribution to the amenity of the area.
Acceptable Levels of Air Quality
1.1.20 Good air quality is essential for human health and the health of the environment as a whole. Air which is polluted can affect the quality of life and can damage historic buildings and kill plant, bird and animal life.
G3 All development must take full account of the need to protect the environment and must reflect the need to safeguard and improve the quality of life of residents, conserve energy resources and protect the essential character and main environmental assets of the plan area such as:
Quality and quantity of water supplies
Sites and resources of nature conservation importance
Archaeological remains
Areas of landscape and amenity value.
Best and most versatile agricultural land (grades1, 2 and 3a)
Areas of high townscape value including conservation areas and listed buildings
Outdoor playing space
Acceptable levels of air quality
1.1.21 The need to protect and enhance the environmental resources of Holderness will be given a high priority.
G4 The Council will seek to protect sites of nature conservation importance and to protect and enhance the natural diversity of Holderness. Designated and other sites of nature conservation importance which are identified in this plan will be protected from development which would result in their loss or in damage to those features which led to their designation or identification. Developers will be expected to minimise damage to existing natural features by careful attention to siting and design of new development, to adequately replace any natural features which are lost as a consequence of their development, and to incorporate new wildlife habitat into their proposals wherever this is appropriate.
G5 The Council will seek to protect the landscape of Holderness. Within areas identified as being of special landscape value, including heritage coast, development will only be permitted if it can be shown to have a beneficial or neutral effect on the landscape. Elsewhere, developers will be expected to minimise the impact of their development on the landscape by careful attention to siting, mass, design, natural features, choice of materials and new planting. Development which would significantly alter the natural contours of the land will not be permitted.
1.1.22 In addition to applying the above general policy considerations to development proposals, there are other relevant environmental policies that may apply to a particular proposal, depending on where it is to be located. These are aimed at safeguarding the area's environmental resources and ensuring that development is sustainable so that present day demands do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs or enjoy a high quality environment. Plan users may find it useful to refer to the list below which will direct users to the appropriate environmental policies relating to specific areas identified on the Proposals Map.
1.1.23 For proposals:
within AREAS SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING refer to policy U12
within the COASTAL ZONE (including Heritage Coast) refer to policies Env 5 to 11 inclusive
affecting LISTED BUILDINGS refer to policies Env 20 to 22 inclusive
within or adjacent to CONSERVATION AREAS refer to policies Env 24 to 26
affecting SITES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE refer to policies Env28 and 29
within defined OPEN SPACES BETWEEN SETTLEMENTS refer to policy Env 33
within or adjacent to SITES OF NATURE CONSERVATION IMPORTANCE refer to policy Env 12 to 19
within MINERAL CONSULTATION ZONES refer to policy Env 40
affecting RECREATION AND AMENITY LAND refer to policy R4 to R6
within PRIMARY SHOPPING AREAS refer to policies Rt1 and Rt2
affecting WATER SUPPLY refer to policies U6 to U10
affecting BEST AND MOST VERSATILE AGRICULTURAL LAND refer to policy Env 1.
1.1.24 All forms of development have an impact on the environment. Development should therefore be sustainable so that the best of today's environment is retained for future generations. This will require new development that is environmentally sensitive and reflects the importance of its surroundings. The visual impact of new development should not detract from the existing character of its proposed location and where possible, it should enhance its surroundings. This is particularly important in designated areas such as conservation areas.
G6 Development which is in accordance with the policies contained in this Plan will be permitted provided that the Council is satisfied that it:
1. is in sympathy with the appearance and character of the local environment and is appropriate in scale, mass, design, materials, layout and siting and in relation to adjoining buildings, spaces, views and landscape.
2. safeguards important landscape, nature conservation, architectural features or other heritage features of importance, and where possible includes measures to enhance and manage these features.
3. includes adequate open space provision, in accordance with policy H16.
1.1.25 Achieving good design is fundamental to the enhancement of the built environment and is an important means of improving the overall attractiveness of the area. The Council therefore considers that it is useful to establish design criteria against which all forms of development can be judged.
1.1.26 Development proposals will be judged against the following policy:
G7 In assessing applications for development the Council will have regard to the proposal's relationship to the local context provided by buildings, existing street patterns, historic plot patterns, building frontages, topography, established public views, landmark buildings, roof details and other townscape elements.
1.1.27 Where comprehensive development proposals are required the Council will seek to prepare a development brief prior to commencement of development (see policy H15).
G8 In determining planning applications the Council will consider the use of appropriate legal agreements, fairly and reasonably related to the development in question, where these will:
1. Enable or assist in the implementation of development within the established planning framework.
2. Provide, preserve or enhance services, features, facilities or infrastructure in the wider public interest.
1.1.28 Where development proposals would result in an adverse effect on existing features or facilities of community interest developers will need to mitigate these by contributing to the improvement and/or enhancement of such interests which would otherwise be lost or become inadequate as a result of their development. In such circumstances the Council will require the developer to enter into an agreement under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (or other appropriate legal agreement), to help secure the provision of community benefits.
1.1.29 Similarly, an agreement will be required where it will enable the implementation of proposals within the wider public interest and in the planning policy framework or will contribute to the overall aims of the Plan.