Decision details

To approve amendments to draft policy SP5 and its supporting text, as an update to a previous report that identified Landscapes of Local Value as requested by Committee.

1.  That the Committee’s commitment to an SP5 policy that contains Landscapes of Local Value be noted.

2.  That the amendments to draft policy SP5 and its supporting text set out at Appendix Two to the urgent update report of the Head of Planning and Development be approved for further public consultation (Regulation 18 consultation) subject to the following further amendments:

Paragraph 5.72 first sentence to read: ‘The foreground of the AONB and the wider setting is taken to include the land which sits at and beyond the foot of the scarp slope of the North Downs and the wider views thereof.’

Paragraph 5.78 to read: ‘The Low Weald covers a significant proportion of the countryside, in the rural southern half of the Borough. The Low Weald is recognised as having distinctive landscape features: the field patterns, many of which are medieval in character, hedgerows, stands of trees, ponds and streams and buildings of character should be protected, maintained and enhanced where appropriate. The necessary protection for the area of the Low Weald outside the boundaries of the rural service centres as defined on the policies map is provided under the criteria of policy SP5.’

Criterion 5 sentence to read: ‘The distinctive character of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its setting, the setting of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the extent and openness of the Metropolitan Green Belt will be rigorously protected, maintained and enhanced where appropriate;’

Criterion 6 sentence to read: ‘The Greensand Ridge, Medway Valley, Len Valley and Loose Valley, as defined on the policies map, will be protected, maintained and enhanced where appropriate as landscapes of local value;’

3.  That the revised Appendix A Maidstone Borough Local Plan 2014 Consultation Issues and Responses to Policy SP(6) Landscapes of Local Value as set out in the urgent update be approved.

4.   That the plan attached at Appendix Two to the urgent update report be approved for further public consultation (Regulation 18 consultation).