The new national planning framework

A new national planning policy has been published by the government on the 27th March - the document is linked here.

I have had a skim and pulled out a few choice highlights from page 25 onwards which deals with conservation and environmental guidelines:

109. The planning system should contribute to and enhance the natural and local

environment by:

• protecting and enhancing valued landscapes, geological conservation interests and soils;
• recognising the wider benefits of ecosystem services;

110. In preparing plans to meet development needs, the aim should be to

minimise pollution and other adverse effects on the local and natural

environment. Plans should allocate land with the least environmental or

amenity value, where consistent with other policies in this Framework.

113. Local planning authorities should set criteria based policies against which

proposals for any development on or affecting protected wildlife or

geodiversity sites or landscape areas will be judged. Distinctions should be

made between the hierarchy of international, national and locally designated

sites, so that protection is commensurate with their status and gives

appropriate weight to their importance and the contribution that they make

to wider ecological networks.

118. When determining planning applications, local planning authorities should

aim to conserve and enhance biodiversity by applying the following

principles:

• if significant harm resulting from a development cannot be avoided (through locating on an alternative site with less harmful impacts), adequately mitigated, or, as a last resort, compensated for, then planning permission should be refused;
• planning permission should be refused for development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats, including ancient woodland and the loss of aged or veteran trees found outside ancient woodland, unless the need for, and benefits of, the development in that location clearly outweigh the loss;

123. Planning policies and decisions should aim to:

• identify and protect areas of tranquillity which have remained relatively undisturbed by noise and are prized for their recreational and amenity value for this reason.

131. In determining planning applications, local planning authorities should take

account of:

• the positive contribution that conservation of heritage assets can make to sustainable communities including their economic vitality;

Call me biased but this development fails just about every test in the document, building 22 houses on the banks of a kettle mere, alongside a conservation area and on a small field containing some magnificent historic trees (or whats left of them) is just wrong.