Example District Council Reg. 19 Local Plan

5. Development Strategy

Green Belt

5.1 The distinctive character of Example District is directly influenced by the fact that approximately 80% of the district is Green Belt. This contributes to the district's rural character and helps distinguish the district from neighbouring urban areas. Protecting the Green Belt from unplanned development as far as possible is therefore a key objective (Strategic Objective 1) of the Local Plan. Comment

5.2 National Policy confirms that there is no requirement for Green Belt boundaries to be reviewed or changed when Local Plans are being prepared and that it is within authorities' gift to choose to review Green Belt boundaries through the Local Plan where they feel that exceptional circumstances for doing so exist and these can be fully evidenced and justified. The Local Plan review does confirm limited Green Belt boundary amendments and therefore a policy detailing where the council's development strategy requires such Green Belt amendments is necessary, as well as ensuring a strong policy framework for resisting planning applications that would result in inappropriate development in the Green Belt. Comment

5.3 Wherever possible, the council has looked to allocate suitable brownfield sites first and foremost, to reduce pressure on the district's Green Belt, however these are very limited due to the largely rural nature of the district. Most large-scale site options on brownfield land are either in isolated rural locations or form part of the district's employment land supply and need to be retained to ensure the district can meet its employment land needs. Previous Local Plans also identified large brownfield sites in the Green Belt (known as major developed sites in the Green Belt) but all of these have now been developed. This site has been assessed as an option for housing, however it is not proposed for allocation due to uncertainty over the relocation of the existing business. Elsewhere, brownfield opportunities in sustainable locations tend to be small scale (e.g. garage sites, small infill plots, changes of use under permitted development) and if unconstrained have historically come forward through the Development Management process and outside of the Local Plan, as the principle of such schemes is generally considered acceptable. The council has included a windfall allowance for these smaller site opportunities within the housing trajectory to ensure this is accounted for in future supply. Comment

5.4 In order to deliver the vision for the district over the plan period it is essential that there is a strong policy position for protecting the Green Belt and this is set out in Policy DS1 below. Comment