Part One: Spatial Strategy and Policies (Regulation 19)
Landscape Design
11.97. Provision of high quality and attractive on-site green space landscaping has an integral role to play in creating high quality residential communities particularly low maintenance solutions with locally occurring deciduous tree planting. This type of provision can help to promote more sustainable development by making development schemes more responsive to future climate change pressures such as urban cooling, reduced flood risk and biodiversity movement.
Policy DLP40 Landscape Design Comment
- Within new development sites, areas that are not needed for pedestrian or vehicular use should be retained for soft landscaping and protected during the construction process. Hard surfaces should not be used unless there is an overriding need. New development proposals will be required to include a mix of native and non-native tree and shrub species in on-site landscaping schemes in keeping with the local character and in accordance with the most up to date and relevant SPDs for the following reasons;
- to strengthen and provide beneficial wildlife habitat and/or geological outcrop.
- to enhance the appearance and landscape setting of the development scheme and help blend the development scheme into the surroundings
- to introduce climate change benefits including promoting urban cooling, reducing air borne pollution, providing shade cover, and reducing flood risk by reducing surface water run-off
- to promote locally distinctive development
- to assist with delivering positive outcomes for physical and mental health.
- Wherever possible, locally grown plant stock and use of local seed banks should be used as it is better suited to local conditions and is attractive to local wildlife.
- Preserving or creating new green space landscape linkages from a development site into the surrounding green network should be a priority in order to strengthen, repair and restore such corridors.
- Design and Access Statements submitted to accompany planning applications and applications for listed building consent should include:
- a full site analysis of existing landscape features and designations
- an accurate site survey including landscape features and site levels
- the relationship of the site to its surroundings
- Development shall not lead to the spread of non-native invasive species as identified by the latest legislation. Where species are identified on site, planning proposals will provide measures to ensure that they are eradicated in an effective manner, which is sensitive to the local environment.
- In addition, it should be demonstrated that the future management of the site will prevent the successful re-establishment of these species from off-site sources.
Justification
11.98. Applicants should consider how habitat and features will be managed post development so that their contribution to local biodiversity and geodiversity is maintained in the long-term. Management of natural habitat often proves less costly than that of the equivalent areas of more formal landscaping.
11.99. For large sites, the Council would recommend the preparation of a management plan. Examples of the types of nature conservation interest that may benefit from management plans are woodlands, hedgerows, wildflower grasslands, watercourses, ponds and wetlands.
Monitoring
|
Policy |
Indicator |
Target |
|
DLP31 |
Change in areas of biodiversity importance |
No net reduction in the area of designated nature conservation sites through development. |
|
DLP32 |
All development sites to provide biodiversity net gain |
Minimum 10% net gain, subject to national guidelines |
|
DLP33 |
Increase in tree canopy cover across the borough Target 20% for Major Developments |
In line with policy requirement |
|
DLP34 |
No net loss of hedgerows across the borough |
Target: 0 |
|
DLP38 |
No net loss in playing pitches |
Target: 0 |
