Preferred Options
(43)16. Green Belt
Introduction
16.1 The Warwickshire Green Belt covers a large part of Warwick District (see Map 3) and seeks to prevent urban sprawl that would prejudice the open nature and rural character of the open countryside between Warwick/ Leamington Spa, Kenilworth and the urban areas of the West Midlands conurbation including Coventry and Solihull.
16.2 Government policy in the NPPF recognises the contribution of Green Belts towards sustainable development objectives by assisting in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment and encouraging urban regeneration.
16.3 Green Belt boundaries should only be altered in exceptional circumstances, through the preparation or review of a Local Plan. At that time, authorities should consider the Green Belt boundaries having regard to their intended permanence in the long term so that they should be capable of enduring beyond the plan period.
16.4 The Council’s preferred option for the location of sustainable housing and employment growth across the District – on the edge of Warwick, Leamington Spa, Kenilworth and within some of the larger villages - will necessitate an alteration of Green Belt Boundaries. This will enable development to be accommodated and will ensure that the countryside beyond the new limits to growth will continue to be protected.
16.5 In reviewing Green Belt boundaries, the National Planning Policy Framework requires the Council to consider whether any further changes should be made to Green Belt boundaries to meet the longer-term development needs of the District beyond 2029. Whilst it is hard to project forward over that period of time and provide robust evidence to justify further changes, the Council will give this consideration prior to publishing a Draft Local Plan.
(198)PO16: Green Belt
Our preferred option for the Green Belt is to
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(28)Alter the existing boundary in the following locations in order to accommodate development:
- to the east of Kenilworth,
- to the north of Warwick and Leamington Spa,
- east of Lillington, and
- around Cubbington
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(34)Remove the following villages from the Green Belt and draw new Green Belt boundaries around the settlements to allow for development:
- Hampton Magna
- Hatton
- Lapworth
- Leek Wootton
- Norton Lindsey
- Rowington
- Shrewley
- Burton Green
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(7)Protect the Green Belt from inappropriate development but allow for limited development in the following circumstances where the proposals do not conflict with the purposes of including the land within the Green Belt:
- Replacement buildings which are not materially larger than the ones they replace
- Rural affordable housing or housing brought forward under a Community Right to Build Order
- Housing, within the existing built up area of a village, to meet local housing needs and brought forward through a Neighbourhood Plan
- Farm diversification schemes
- Limited infilling, on previously-developed land, in Category 3 villages and in existing major developed sites in the Green Belt
(9)Justification for the Preferred Option for the Green Belt
16.6 In developing the Preferred Option the following sources of information have been considered:
- National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (March 2012)
- Local Plan Report of Public Consultation (December 2011)
- Warwick District Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA)(March 2012)
- Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)(May 2012)
- Joint Green Belt Study (January 2009)
- A Strategy for the Future and Sustainable Prosperity of Warwick District (December 2011)
16.7 NPPF states that once Green Belts have been established, they should only be altered in exceptional circumstances, through the preparation or review of a local plan. At that time, local authorities should consider whether the boundaries are capable of enduring beyond the plan period. In reviewing the boundaries, the local planning authority should take account of the need to promote sustainable development.
16.8 The Housing section outlines the justification for the Council’s preferred option of locating some development on land currently included within the Green Belt.
16.9 NPPF outlines the types of development which are appropriate in the Green Belt. This forms the basis of the Council’s preferred option. However the Council will also consider favourably buildings for farm diversification schemes in order to support the rural economy.
16.10 NPPF allows for limited infilling in villages. However, some of the settlements which the Council wishes to retain in the Green Belt have built up areas which are not compact and so difficult to define. It is the Council’ preferred option, therefore, to only allow limited infill on previously-developed land in some of those villages with more clearly defined boundaries – the Category 3 villages.
Other Options
16.11 See the Housing section for alternative options considered, including an option to locate development outside of the Green Belt.
(5)Enhancing the Beneficial use of the Green Belt
16.12 NPPF states that once Green Belts have been established, local planning authorities should positively enhance its beneficial use, such as looking for positive opportunities to provide access; to provide opportunities for outdoor sport and recreation; to retain and enhance landscapes, visual amenity and biodiversity or to improve damaged and derelict land.
16.13 There are naturally many opportunities for enhancing the Green Belt given the extent of its boundaries within the District. The Green Infrastructure section outlines several opportunities for improvement to the strategic green infrastructure network. These include a peri-urban park to the North of Kenilworth, Arden landscape enhancements & tree planting and wetland habitat creation upstream of the river Leam. Further strategic improvements may be identified through the development of the Green Infrastructure strategy. Furthermore, the Warwickshire Rights of Way Improvement Plan emphasises the importance of new development having access to the countryside.
16.14 The Inclusive, Safe & Healthy Communities section recognises the importance of open space and outdoor recreation provision. As such, new limited facilities for the outdoor sport and recreation can be directed to the Green Belt where appropriate and there is a demonstrable need.