HILLINGDON UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN - London Borough ...

- North West Hillingdon Countryside Conservation Area
- North Yeading Countryside Conservation Area
- South Yeading Countryside Conservation Area
NOTE: (i) Countryside Conservation Areas are non-statutory. They should not be
confused with formally designated Conservation Areas under the
Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
(Conservation Areas are referred to in Chapter 5).
(ii)
The special controls which apply in statutory Conservation Areas do not
apply in Countryside Conservation Areas.
3.28 The Town and Country Planning Act requires local authorities to include in their development
plans, land use and development policies that are designed to secure the conservation of natural beauty and
amenity of land. Other policies in this plan protect the natural resources of the Borough, areas of
ecological and recreational value, and the best and most versatile agricultural land. However, other areas of
countryside can be identified where there is a need to protect the countryside for the sake of its beauty and
the diversity of its landscape.
OL15 THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY WILL SEEK TO PROTECT THE
LANDSCAPE OF COUNTRYSIDE CONSERVATION AREAS FROM DEVELOPMENT AND/OR
ACTIVITIES WHICH WOULD DETRACT FROM THE SPECIAL CHARACTER OF THESE
LANDSCAPES.
Access to the Countryside
3.29 There is a great deal of informal use of open areas for leisure and recreation, and within
Hillingdon's urban fringe there is potential for increasing public access to the countryside. The Council
itself owns a great deal of open land, where, if the financial resources were available, there is the
opportunity to provide a wide range of countryside leisure pursuits. A study of land uses and opportunities
for recreation, leisure and sport has recently been undertaken for much of this area, and opportunities to
increase public access to the countryside will be implemented as resources become available, where this
does not conflict with other policies in this Plan.
OL16 THE COUNCIL WILL SEEK TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE PUBLIC ACCESS TO
THE COUNTRYSIDE FOR INFORMAL LEISURE ACTIVITIES.
Rights of Way
3.30 The national system of public rights of way (including bridleways) is probably the most important
means of access to and enjoyment of the countryside. There is already an extensive system of public
footpaths in the Borough, and there are also numerous bridleways although these do not exist as an
integrated network in many places. The Council will protect and improve the existing rights of way
network, and will seek to provide additional links. In some cases it may be most appropriate to agree
informal permissive routes with the agreement of landowners in order to improve the network and this will
be a high priority when improving public access to Council-owned land. The provision of longer distance
routes through the Borough for walkers, horse riders and cyclists, linking in with routes in adjoining
counties and boroughs, will also continue to be investigated.
OL17 THE COUNCIL WILL SEEK TO ENSURE THE RETENTION AND EXTENSION OF
THE EXISTING PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY NETWORK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
RELEVANT LEGISLATION, AND WILL SEEK TO ENSURE THAT ALL ROUTES ARE
APPROPRIATELY SURFACED, SIGNPOSTED, WAY MARKED AND KEPT FREE FROM
OBSTRUCTION.
London Borough of Hillingdon Unitary Development Plan