HOUSING IN TOWNS AND VILLAGES
To facilitate the re-use for housing
of previously developed sites, within towns and villages, in
preference to greenfield sites.
There is a presumption in favour of
housing development, on sites within the development limits of rural
settlements, provided they meet normal planning criteria, there are
no infrastructural constraints and the sites have not been
designated for some other use. Where sites are not individually
zoned in a settlement, the development plan will set out clear
policy criteria against which applications for housing development
will be considered.
To facilitate the use of available land within The identification of
development sites within all settlements requires the assessment of
a variety towns and villages for of physical and environmental
constraints to development.
These will include:
- open space, within and surrounding the existing built-up area,
which must be protected because of its contribution to the visual
character of the settlement;
- nature conservation areas;
- quality agricultural land;
- land liable to flooding;
- conservation of the built
environment and its setting, and of archaeological
sites and monuments; and
- infrastructure.
The planning criteria will normally require that the proposed
development is:
- Of a scale and design appropriate
to the existing form and
character of the settlement;
- consistent with the existing or
proposed level of services in the
settlement; and
- not on a site required for another
use.
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