Do Settlement Boundaries work How do Settlement Boundaries

Do Settlement Boundaries work? How do Settlement Boundaries fit with Settlement Hierarchies? Do both fit with NDP’s?

Boundaries have both fans and critics Liked because: They can direct development to areas judged as suitable They contain development They bring certainty – or do they? Disliked because: They focus all the development pressure within the boundary Success relies upon getting that boundary just right They can be over-simplified They can become as “successful” as Green Belts

Settlement Hierarchy v Settlement Boundary (SH and SB) § An SH relates to a complete District and based on a tier structure § An SB can be based on a recognised settlement defined by built form § An NDP designated area or Parish can contain a town, village and settlements § How does the NPPF deal with conflict? § How does a Local Plan assist ? § Will the Planning White Paper recognise the importance of NDP’s in adding a Local Layer of context?

Some considerations Your Local knowledge – make sure you use it! Always undertake site visits – never assume or plan by Google Earth Consider vistas, views in and out, including from footpaths / bridleways, roads. Will your choice help or hinder? What about in winter? Don’t forget what is important to you. It’s not just about housing, consider employment, heritage, biodiversity, water, geology, etc. Are you aiming to control an edge, or infill, or both? If you are tightly constraining your boundary, consider allocating sites as well Could another policy constraint do the job just as well, with less risk? E. g, perhaps define a “core” with specific policies attached

Some golden rules …. As with all planning matters, think of the outcome, not the desire Think like a developer and test your draft boundaries, existing and draft policies. Walk around with your plans to find any angles of attack! Use permanent features where you can to define your boundary. Buildings change, but building lines may not. Trees can die, drainage channels disappear If you enclose an area within a boundary you are inviting potential development which has to meet criteria

Example – Pretend you don’t know it! Would you follow these boundary lines? Why is the boundary in the middle of a garden? As a developer, what opportunities do you see?

Questions, comments and thoughts for discussion and to take forward