Policy ENV4: Protecting the Setting of Horsford
Policy ENV4: Protecting the Setting of Horsford
- The Neighbourhood Plan defines land to the north of the Broadland Northway (A1270), as shown on the Policies Map, as a Local Green Gap. This designation will provide protection to the open countryside to the south of Horsford and maintain the long-term physical and visual separation with the urban area of Norwich.
- Proposals for development within the Local Green Gap will only be supported where its role and function would not be materially harmed and they:
- represent the provision of appropriate development for a countryside location in accordance with Policy SS1 Settlement Limit or is for facilities (in connection with the existing use of land or a change of use) for outdoor sport and recreation, cemeteries and burial grounds or allotments;
- improve access to, and the enjoyment of, the countryside in accordance with Policies ENV3 Views and Vistas and TRA1 Sustainable Travel;
- would not diminish the physical and/or visual separation of Norwich and Horsford or harm its landscape setting; and
- protect and reinforce the identified positive features of the landscape in the Local Green Gap.
View the Local Green Gap on the Policy Map
- The policy anticipates development pressures that may arise from the growth of the urban area of Norwich by defining a Local Green Gap to the north of the Broadland Northway (A1270). The designation helps to maintain a clear separation between the village and the urban area of Norwich to retain their identities as a rural and urban edge respectively. The extent of land identified is the minimum area of land necessary for the policy to have effect and is defined on the Policies Map. The policy gives local effect to Broadland Development Management DPD Policy EN2 which seeks to protect and enhance, where appropriate, gaps between settlements as well as spaces which make a significant contribution towards defining the character of an area.
- Broadland District Council’s Landscape Character Assessment SPD 2013 identifies the land forming the Local Green Gap as part of the ‘Spixworth Wooded Estatelands’ and recognises that it forms an important landscape setting to the city of Norwich and villages. It seeks to conserve the predominantly rural character of the area, ensuring that any new development is well integrated into the surrounding landscape and maintain greenspace between the edges of the Norwich urban area and adjacent villages and conserve and enhance the landscape setting of Norwich.
- Land uses for sport and recreation, cemeteries and burial grounds or allotments are considered compatible with the spatial openness function of the Local Green Gap, much in the same way as national Green Belt policy considers these uses as exceptions to Green Belt policy, and the policy therefore makes provision for such uses to be accommodated in this location if necessary. The allocation Policy SS2 of this Plan will ensure that appropriate landscape treatments are secured to realise opportunities for the restoration of fragmented hedgerows associated with this landscape character.