6. The Green Belt

(1) Vision

In five years...

• The openness and character of the Rochford Green Belt continues to be protected, though small areas next to settlements have been released for development.

• Existing businesses in the Green Belt which are important to the local economy continue to be supported.

• Redevelopment of unattractive buildings in Battlesbridge Conservation Area is taking place, enhancing the character and appearance of the Conservation Area whilst respecting the objectives of the Green Belt.

• A number of rural buildings have been converted to enable and support green tourism projects and rural diversification.

By 2017...

• Green tourism initiatives have been developed which provide sustainable opportunities for rural businesses whilst maintaining a high quality environment. These initiatives have encouraged small-scale tourism projects sensitive to the local environment which help to sustain the rural economy without contributing to climate change.

• Acceptance of greater flexibility towards rural diversification has resulted in the development of a number of bed and breakfasts and hotels, facilitating stays in the countryside for visitors to the area.

• The first phase of sustainable urban extensions to meet the District's housing needs over the plan period have been implemented. A small area of the District's Green Belt has been reallocated for employment use in order to facilitate the creation of new jobs which meet the population's needs and contribute towards the District's economy.

By 2025...

• The Green Belt remains predominantly undeveloped and open in character

• Rochford District continues to be recognised as the green part of the Thames Gateway.

• The second phase of sustainable urban extensions is completed.

• Rochford is recognised as a tourist destination, with good access to the rivers and waterways and many visitors to the nationally recognised wetlands at Wallasea.

Objectives

1. Continue to protect the openness and character of the District's Green Belt.

2. Ensure the minimum amount of Green Belt is allocated to meet the District's housing and employment needs, and that extensions to the residential envelope are in sustainable locations, which retain the individual identities of settlements and prevent coalescence.

3. Ensure existing lawful businesses in the Green Belt are able to continue to function and contribute to the local economy, as appropriate, having regard to the impact on the openness and character of the Green Belt.

4. Ensure appropriate forms of diversification are encouraged to support the local rural economy and help achieve the vision of developing green tourism in the District.

Introduction

(1) 6.1 The District's land mass is predominantly Green Belt, and the Council envisages that Rochford District will continue to be the green part of the Thames Gateway. National policy on the Green Belt is contained within Planning Policy Guidance Note 2 - Green Belts (PPG2). This states that the five purposes of including land within the Green Belt are as follows:

• To check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;

• To prevent neighbouring towns from merging into one another;

• To assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;

• To preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and

• To assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.

6.2 PPG2 also states that development should not be permitted in the Green Belt unless it is for any of the following purposes:

• Agriculture and Forestry (unless Permitted Development Rights withdrawn);

• Essential facilities for outdoor sport and outdoor recreation, for cemeteries, and for other uses of land which preserve the openness of the Green Belt and which do not conflict with the purposes of including land in it;

• Limited extension, alteration or replacement of existing dwellings;

• Limited infilling in existing villages, and limited affordable housing for local community needs under development plan policies according with PPS3; and

• Limited infilling or redevelopment of major existing developed sites identified in adopted local plans (see Annex C of PPG2 for further details).

(2) 6.3 Policy SS7 of the East of England Plan states that the regional Green Belt boundary is appropriate and should be maintained. However, Rochford District is part of the Thames Gateway Sub-Region and the East of England Plan recognises that local strategic revisions to the Green Belt boundary may be necessary to meet local development needs in sustainable locations. As such a small proportion of the District's12,763 hectares of designated Green Belt land will be reallocated to meet local housing and employment needs.

Protection of the Green Belt

6.4 The application of Green Belt policy has helped protect the historic fabric of the District; prevent encroachment of development into the countryside; protect natural features, flora, fauna and their habitats; and safeguard the countryside to provide recreational opportunities.

6.5 The Council recognises that diverting development and population growth away from rural areas to existing urban areas can also assist in achieving sustainability objectives.

(3) 6.6 The Council will continue to support the principles of restricting development in the Green Belt, as set out in PPG2, and will preserve the character and openness of the Green Belt. However, a small proportion of the District's Green Belt will have to have its designation reviewed to allow the development of additional housing and business premises, taking account of the very limited opportunities to accommodate further development within existing settlements. Previous community involvement exercises have made it clear to the Council that the District's residents consider the protection of the Green Belt to be very important, as does national and regional policy. The Council acknowledge this, and will ensure that the amount of Green Belt land released is the minimum necessary for the purposes of housing and employment growth by prioritising land outside of the Green Belt for development, and, where Green Belt release is unavoidable, ensuring that developments occur at a reasonably high density to limit the amount of Green Belt land that is lost. The exact area of Green Belt land to be allocated for development will be dependent on the Allocations Development Plan Document, however, the policies within the Core Strategy will ensure that in the region of 99 percent of the District's Green Belt remains as such.

(3) 6.7 The term 'Green Belt' refers to a planning designation and is not necessarily a description of quality of the land. Land designated as Green Belt can include, primarily for historical reasons, developed land and brownfield sites. As such, whilst it is considered that all land currently designated as Green Belt helps achieve the five Green Belt purposes as set out in PPG2, to at least a degree, some Green Belt land is less worthy of continued protection. The Council will examine the degree to which current Green Belt land is helping to achieve the purposes of the Green Belt when considering reallocating the land.

6.8 Appropriate Green Belt locations have the potential to accommodate small-scale employment and recreation opportunities in the countryside, in the form of rural diversification. The Council supports the development and growth of rural diversification and the protection and enhancement of existing rural businesses within the Green Belt, which would benefit the local economy.

(2) 6.9 The Council will continue a restrictive policy towards employment growth in the Green Belt, though this will need to be balanced against local employment needs, economic viability and the businesses impact on the objectives of the Green Belt, through its activities and potential traffic generation for example. The conversion of existing rural buildings for small-scale employment uses will be promoted as far as practicable.

6.10 The overall strategic development of the District, however, must have regard to the different landscape characters with the aim of protecting and enhancing the diversity and local distinctiveness of the countryside.

6.11 Several of the District's Conservation Areas reside within the Green Belt, and as such, the Council consider it appropriate to support limited redevelopment within these areas to enhance the value and appearance of the Conservation Areas, which are of special architectural or historic interest.

Rural Diversification and Recreational Uses

6.12 Whilst the District is predominantly Green Belt, only 3% of its VAT registered businesses are agricultural - less than the regional and national averages. It is recognised that diversification into other forms of economic activity is necessary if rural enterprises are to remain viable. There is concern that the current restrictive approach to development in the Green Belt will not allow the Council to achieve its vision of green tourism developing in the District and may hinder rural diversification. However, any over relaxation of Green Belt policies would be harmful to the character of the Green Belt, undermine the purposes of including land within it, and be contrary to sustainability objectives. A balance needs to be struck.

6.13 The Council consider a number of activities within the Green Belt to be appropriate and would not have an undue detrimental impact on the objectives of the Green Belt. Existing rural buildings already have an impact on the Green Belt, in particular its openness, and so the Council feel it is appropriate in the interests of encouraging rural economic sustainability to encourage the conversion of existing rural buildings for small-scale employment uses. The conversion of rural buildings for bed and breakfasts/small-scale hotels, where appropriate, is also considered appropriate as it would help to realise green tourism in the District. Outdoor recreation and leisure activities which are considered appropriate rural uses and would not have a detrimental impact on the Green Belt are also encouraged. However, the Council will seek to restrict the agglomeration of similar businesses (for example bed and breakfasts/small-scale hotels) to protect the character of the countryside.

6.14 Green tourism is a sustainable form of tourism which encompasses small-scale activities that can be promoted within the Green Belt. Such activities must be sensitive to the local environment, have minimal impact on the objectives of the Green Belt, and be sustainable in terms of stimulating and supporting rural economic growth and encouraging diversification of rural activities. Acceptable forms of green tourism on open areas of land include outdoor recreation and leisure activities such as bird watching, small-scale fishing lakes, cycling, walking and rambling. Designated areas where green tourism will take place include Wallasea Island and Cherry Orchard Jubilee Country Park, although it may take place throughout the countryside in appropriate locations, balancing the need to protect the character and openness of the Green Belt against supporting and enhancing the local rural economy.

6.15 Equestrian facilities and playing pitches, in particular, are appropriate activities in the Green Belt as encouraged in national guidance, which the Council support. Large scale equestrian facilities, however, are not considered an appropriate form of green tourism because they have the potential to significantly impact on the openness and character of the Green Belt. Equestrian facilities for leisure and outdoor recreation purposes as a suitable form of rural diversification will be encouraged in appropriate locations within the District.