Settlement Hierarchy for the Forest of Dean - Forest of Dean District ...

Forest of Dean District Council | Settlement Hierarchy for the Forest of Dean
7 . Regional Policy
7 Regional Policy
7.1 National planning policies are currently interpreted and applied at the regional
level though Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) and the Structure Plan. The
Structure Plan formed part of the “Development Plan” for the area, which also included
the Local Plan. Since the enactment of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act
2004 the previous RPG has also been incorporated into the Development Plan as a
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). This document is intended to replace the current
RPG and Structure Plan documents. In this respect a revised RSS is currently under
preparation, and once adopted will replace the current two tiers of regional planning
policy and will be combine with the Council local policies in the LDF to for the
Development Plan for the area.
7.2 The most up to date regional guidance on settlement hierarchy is found in the
emerging Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West 2006-2026. This has been
prepared by the South West Regional Assembly submitted the Draft RSS for the
South West and was submitted to the Secretary of State for consideration in April
2006. It has been the subject of an Examination in Public and the Panel Report is
anticipated to be produced in October 2007. It is anticipated that it will be
subsequently adopted in 2009.
7.3 This was supported by a number of research documents. This included
research by Roger Tym & Partners and Land-Use Consultants on the Functional
Analysis of Settlements on behalf of the South West Regional Assembly. This
document was published in April 2005 and sought to develop and apply a methodology
(with associated datasets) to identify the functions and functional relationships of
settlements in the South West. It also provides guidance on how to deal with
settlements - settlement functionality and potential allocations for "local requirement"
at the local level.
7.4 A full review of relevant policies in the current and emerging policy documents
is contained in Appendix A but, in summary, their implications for this paper are that:
Strategically Significant Cities and Towns (SSTCs) should be the focus for the
majority of future development in the South West Region. However, there are
no SSTCs in the District.
In other areas, including the Forest of Dean, development should be focused
on settlements that can act as service centres for surrounding areas.
A settlement hierarchy should be identified to determine the location of future
development and this hierarchy should be based on the role and function of
settlements, not the size of population within them.
Development in larger settlements should reflect local housing and employment
needs, and wider regeneration objectives.
Development in other villages should be limited and in a form that helps to meet
local rural needs.
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