Carlisle District Local Plan.indd - Carlisle City Council

Carlisle District Local Plan 2001 - 2016 Revised Redeposit draftMitigation: policy needs to identify that housing development in these locations needsto take into consideration the effects on biodiversity; landscape/townscape character;cultural heritage; flood risk; cumulative effects associated with urban spread (SeePolicies LE1, LE6-12, LE27-28)5.1 This policy is restrictive in dealing with housing in rural areas in order to comply with targetsset out in RPG and the Structure Plan. As the regional targets have been reduced thishas had a consequence for the distribution of housing in the district. This policy thereforeprovides a strategy focussed on Carlisle’s urban area with limited rural housing in orderto help sustain those settlements with some service provision. Where additional housing isidentified through needs surveys this will be focussed on the above settlements unless otherspecific locations can be justified.5.2 The development of housing within settlements in the rural area presents particularproblems. This policy refers to the 42 settlements, outside Carlisle, Brampton andLongtown, within the District. The settlements, subject to this proposal, vary considerably interms of size and character and therefore what constitutes large and small scale will varyconsiderably from settlement to settlement. In all cases, however, developments of 10% ormore of existing dwellings within the settlement will be considered significant.5.3 Development proposals in any of these villages will be assessed on the basis of thestated criteria as well as criteria in PPG 3 (paragraph 69-71) for significant proposals.Therefore, the scale, form and character of development which will be appropriate will varyconsiderably depending on the village in which it is to be located. In the smallest villages,one or two dwellings may well be all that is acceptable.5.4 The impact of a proposal on the landscape will be a significant factor in determiningwhether it is acceptable. In most cases it will be more acceptable to locate new housingwithin the settlement rather than outside the boundary. Sites may also be permitted on theedge of villages providing they:1. relate well to and are contained by the existing landscape features of the area;2. relate well to the form, scale and character of the rest of the village; and3. the scheme does not adversely affect the amenity of adjacent dwellings.5.5 Proposals which will extend a settlement in such a way as to act as a precedent for therelease of other land for development beyond the village limits will not be acceptable.5.6 A further important factor in determining the acceptability of a development scheme willbe the scale of development in relationship to the size of the existing village. Proposals thatclearly imbalance, in terms of scale, the relationship between existing and new developmentwill not be permitted.5.7 Many villages have open areas such as village greens, orchards or mature gardens whichmake a significant contribution to the character of the settlement. These open areas areoften an integral part of the village, providing important views within the settlement, or outinto the open countryside. The development of such areas will not normally be permitted.5.8 Other open areas within settlements will, however, be regarded as infill sites suitable fordevelopment, provided they satisfy the criteria in this policy. Infill sites are generally definedas gaps in an otherwise built up frontage or area of development. What is considered an74 September 2006