Example District Council Reg. 19 Local Plan
2. Example District: Setting the scene
2.1 Example District is a rural district . It has an area of 101,000 acres (40,400 hectares) and a population of around 111,200 residents. Much of Example District (80%) lies within Green Belt (32,113 hectares), with the area beyond the Green Belt to the northwest of the district defined as 'Open Countryside'. Comment
2.2 Example District is the southernmost of the nine Example District authorities in the County. The district adjoins the major urban area of the Conurbation. Comment
2.3 Example District has previously been a focus for inward investment resulting in substantial economic growth in the district in recent years. Comment
2.4 Example District has a rich legacy of historic villages, buildings and landscapes with conservation areas, historic parklands and gardens, and buildings of local importance. These define the local identity and distinctive character of the historic environment of the district. The varied landscapes in the district are also home to a rich biodiversity resource, providing many types of habitats including areas of international, national and local nature conservation importance. Comment
2.5 Example District has historically proven to be an attractive location for people to live. It has been a destination for people moving from a major urban area and other nearby towns. Pressure for housing growth over and above the needs arising purely from within the district has continued. Comment
2.6 Example District is made up of 27 parishes with a dispersed and diverse settlement pattern of villages, ranging from small hamlets to large villages with over 14,000 residents, each with their own distinctive character set in attractive countryside. The district has no cities or towns and no single dominant settlement. Comment
2.7 Larger villages contain a wide range of community facilities and services. These include libraries, sport and recreation including leisure centres, shopping, commercial and employment areas, and serve the smaller outlying villages and hamlets. However, local residents rely on the services provided within towns and cities outside of the district to meet some of their higher order needs, such as hospitals, certain types of retail needs and some employment opportunities. Comment
2.8 Due to the nature of the district and the dispersed settlement pattern, a settlement hierarchy approach has been devised to reflect the level of service provision at each settlement. This has been informed by the council's Rural Services and Facilities Audit (RSFA) 2021. The RSFA does not specifically determine how much growth should be attributed to settlements but does offer a guide by helping determine their comparative level of sustainability, and as such, their potential suitability for accommodating additional growth. Tier 1 villages are assessed as having the greatest access to services and facilities relative to other settlements, with Tier 4 settlements the lowest. The proposed settlement hierarchy is detailed on Map 1 below. Comment
