In simple terms, a 'settlement boundary' is a dividing line, or boundary between areas of built/urban development (the settlement) and non-urban or rural development (the open countryside).
What is a settlement boundary in geography?
What is a settlement boundary? It is normally a line drawn around a settlement in the Proposals Map of a Local Plan. The Local Plan generally allows for development within the boundary and resists development outside. What is the background to settlement boundaries?
Why do you need to draw settlement boundaries?
Your settlement boundaries should be drawn to facilitate an appropriate level of proportional growth within the plan period. If land within the boundary is not formally allocated, there will be a requirement to demonstrate that the is enough available capacity within the boundary to enable development to take place.
What are planning consents outside a settlement boundary?
Planning permissions outside of a settlement boundary. At Plainview Planning we specialise in securing consents for sites outside of settlement boundaries. It is normally a line drawn around a settlement in the Proposals Map of a Local Plan. The Local Plan generally allows for development within the boundary and resists development outside.
What should be included in a settlement boundary?
settlement boundaries should include new developments which may have occurred recently. It is also advisable to include sites that have recieved planning permission within the settlement boundary.
How do you change a settlement boundary?
The only way is to engage in local plan consultations and reviews. These come round every 5 years and generally go through several stages.
What does it mean when a settlement boundary is wrong?
Settlement boundaries can represent the battlefront for planning applications. Just because your development site is the wrong side of an arbitrary line often means that planning permission will be refused by default. This is often a short sighted position by the Council, and can fail to acknowledge site-specific sustainability benefits. Nevertheless, the development plan is the primary driver of planning decisions, with material considerations often not given due weight. However, local plan settlement boundaries are not necessarily set in stone.
Why are settlement boundaries drawn at a district scale?
This is mainly because everybody’s attention is focused on the large scale strategic land releases. However, once adopted the boundaries can be very difficult to change. There are a handful of successful appeal decisions where “rounding off” has been held ...
Was the garden included in the settlement?
We were successful in the change being accepted by the Local Plan inspector during the Main Modifications stage, meaning that our client’s large garden was included within the settlement. This has paved the way for future “windfall” housing planning applications on the site.
What is settlement and whether the development would be isolated from a settlement?
What is a “settlement” and whether the development would be “isolated” from a settlement are both matters of planning judgment for the decision-maker on the facts of the particular case.”.
When should planning decisions be made in accordance with the Local Plan?
Planning decisions should be made in accordance with the Local Plan unless material considerations dictate otherwise.
What is Plainview Planning?
At Plainview Planning we specialise in securing consents for sites outside of settlement boundaries.
Is the phrase "settlement boundaries" mentioned in the National Planning Policy Framework?
A lot of focus is given to “settlement boundaries” but the phrase is not mentioned once in the National Planning Policy Framework. Instead, national guidance dictates that isolated homes should be avoided.
Is there a minimum number of dwellings in a settlement?
There is no specified minimum number of dwellings, or population. It is not said that a settlement or development boundary must have been fixed in an adopted or emerging local plan, or that only the land and buildings within that settlement or development boundary will constitute the settlement.
What are some examples of local planning authorities resisting development outside of settlement boundaries?
As a starting point, local planning authorities tend to resist development outside of settlement boundaries, but they may make some exceptions or allowances, for example: Buildings that promote the development and/or diversification of agricultural and other land based rural business.
What happens if a local planning authority fails to supply enough housing land?
In such circumstances, national planning policy dictates that each application should be considered on its merits in accordance with the presumption of sustainable development. This could mean that a site that is not isolated and in close proximity to an existing settlement could be developed, even if it falls outside of a settlement boundary.
What is national planning policy?
National planning policy promotes the effective use of land which includes the development of previously-developed land or brownfield land for housing purposes, except where this would conflict with other policies. This could include the development of sites outside of existing settlement boundaries.
Can I secure planning permission for a development outside of a settlement boundary?
A question we often get asked by our clients is ‘ can I secure planning permission for a development outside of a settlement boundary? ’ The planning process is not always clear, and the answer will vary depending on the individual circumstances of the site, what is being proposed and the area in which it is located.
Is it acceptable to build a new home in an isolated location?
New homes in isolated locations may be deemed acceptable where they are truly outstanding or innovative and reflect the highest standards of architecture.
Do local authorities accept replacement dwellings?
Replacement Dwelling. Most local planning authorities accept replacement dwellings regardless of their location. The main area of policy constraint relates to the size of the new dwelling compared to one it will replace. This allowance will vary between local planning authority areas.
What criteria were used to define what could be included within settlement boundaries?
4.1 The following criteria were used to define what could be included within Settlement Boundaries. These were partially based on the criteria which defined the Physical Limits as set out in the Local Development Framework, with some alterations and additions to align the criteria with the policies of the NPPF.
What is the first draft of the Waveney Local Plan?
3.1 The First Draft Local Plan (July 2017) included Policy WLP1.3 on Settlement Boundaries given the support for the retention of Settlement Boundaries in the April 2016 Options for the New Waveney Local Plan Consultation. The strategy within the First Draft Local Plan also sought to increase levels of development in rural areas. Therefore, the plan identified Settlement Boundaries around all towns and larger villages and smaller villages as defined in Policy WLP7.1 of the Local Plan. The effect of this is that a larger number of settlements now benefit from Settlement Boundaries than do in the existing Local Plan (Local Development Framework).
What is the methodology for drawing settlement boundaries?
There is no single established methodology for defining settlement boundaries, and different local planning authorities across the country have taken different approaches to drawing settlement boundaries. However, where a methodology has been used the criteria are generally similar from one local authority to another. These include questions such as whether to draw a boundary around clusters of buildings close to but separate from the main settlement; and whether particular uses should be included or excluded from the boundary, where they occur at the edge of a settlement. This report has drawn on existing methodologies, and sought to pull together a methodology considered to be most appropriate within the context of the sensitive AONB landscape around the settlements in the neighbourhood plan area.
What are excluded from settlement boundaries?
Extensive community facilities such as hard surfaced sports grounds (including pavilions) and car parks , where they have been built outside existing settlement boundaries will be excluded. More intensively built up community uses such as schools (and their playing fields) or public houses have been included in the boundary if they are already within the built up area or if they have been built adjacent to the built up area, and relate well to the settlement.
What is considered green space in a community?
If they contribute positively to the landscape and/or have biodiversity, historic and recreational value then it is likely that they will be designated as Local Green Space through the neighbourhood plan where they can be demonstrated as having particular importance to the local community they serve.
What are the conservation designations along the Northumberland coast?
International statutory designations comprise: Ramsar sites, SPAs, SACs and the Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast European Marine Site.
What is the coastal evolution document?
This document provides an assessment of the risks associated with coastal evolution and presents a policy framework to address these risks to people and the developed , historic and natural environment. It contains key recommendations along the coast that could have implications for settlement boundaries, particularly in Beadnell and Seahouses.
What is the Northumberland Core Strategy?
It was envisaged that the study would inform decision-making and policy development at a strategic level. It contains detail on the landscape character areas within which each settlement is situated.
Is caravan site included in settlement?
Caravan sites occurring at the edge of settlements have been assessed on a site by site basis. Caravan sites not within a settlement are excluded. Caravan sites within settlements are included. There are a significant number of caravan sites in the neighbourhood area.
