Planning in Tonbridge and Malling

Separate Identity of Settlements

1. Development will not be proposed in the LDF or otherwise permitted within the countryside or on the edge of a settlement where it might unduly erode the separate identity of settlements or harm the setting or character of a settlement when viewed from the countryside or from adjoining settlements. 2. Any development that is considered acceptable in terms of this policy should maintain or enhance the setting and identity of the settlement, and in the countryside, be consistent with Policy CP14.

Design

1. All development must be well designed and of a high quality in terms of detailing and use of appropriate materials, and must through its scale, density, layout, siting, character and appearance be designed to respect the site and its surroundings. 2. All development should accord with the detailed advice contained in Kent Design, By Design and Secured by Design and other Supplementary Planning Documents such as Village Design Statements and Planning Briefs and, wherever possible, should make a positive contribution towards the enhancement of the appearance and safety of the area. 3. Development which by virtue of its design would be detrimental to the built environment, amenity or functioning and character of a settlement or the countryside will not be permitted. 4. The Council will seek to protect, and wherever possible, enhance, existing open spaces, including the provision of public art and ensure that new open space provision is made to meet the future needs of the Borough. 5. The environment within river corridors, including the landscape, water environment and wildlife habitats, will be conserved and enhanced. Where consistent with this intention, provision will be made for increased public access for walking, cycling and water-related recreation. Any new development adjacent to the river should respect its sensitive location and the local character at that particular section of the river and should aim to improve the appearance and biodiversity of the riverside.

Employment Provision

1. New employment provision will be met at Kings Hill and on vacant sites within the main employment areas as well as through the intensification or redevelopment of existing employment sites. 2. Employment areas that: (a) are well located to the main road and public transport network; and (b) provide, or are physically and viably capable of providing through redevelopment, good quality modern accommodation attractive to the market; and (c) are capable of meeting a range of employment uses to support the local economy; will be safeguarded for such purposes. Redevelopment of such sites for housing, retail or other non-employment uses will not be proposed in the LDF or otherwise permitted. 3. At the urban areas, defined in Policy CP11, and the Rural Service Centres listed under Policy CP12, employment development on sites not specifically identified for that purpose will be permitted if there is no significant adverse impact on residential amenity, biodiversity, local character or highway safety.

Flood Risk

1. Within the floodplain development should first seek to make use of areas at no or low risk to flooding before areas at higher risk, where this is possible and compatible with other polices aimed at achieving a sustainable pattern of development. 2. Development which is acceptable (in terms of PPS25) or otherwise exceptionally justified within areas at risk of flooding must: (a) be subject to a flood risk assessment; and (b) include an appropriately safe means of escape above flood levels anticipated during the lifetime of the development; and (c) be designed and controlled to mitigate the effects of flooding on the site and the potential impact of the development on flooding elsewhere in the floodplain.

Strategic Gap

Unless justified by special circumstances, development will not be proposed in the LDF or otherwise permitted that would harm the function of the mid-Kent Strategic Gap as a physical break maintaining the separation and separate identities of the built-up areas of Maidstone, Medway Towns and the Medway Gap.

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Development will not be proposed in the LDF, or otherwise permitted, which would be detrimental to the natural beauty and quiet enjoyment of the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, including their landscape, wildlife and geological interest, other than in the exceptional circumstances of: (a) major development that is demonstrably in the national interest and where there are no alternative sites available or the need cannot be met in any other way; or (b) any other development that is essential to meet local social or economic needs. Any such development must have regard to local distinctiveness and landscape character, and use sympathetic materials and appropriate design.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest

Development will not be proposed in the LDF, or otherwise permitted, where it would directly, indirectly or cumulatively cause material harm to the scientific or nature conservation interest of a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Agricultural Land

Development of the best and most versatile land (DEFRA Grades 1, 2 and 3a) will be not be proposed in the LDF unless there is an overriding need, and (a) there is no suitable site in a sustainable location on land of poorer agricultural quality; or (b) alternative sites have greater value for their landscape, biodiversity, amenity, heritage or natural resources or are subject to other constraints such as flooding.

Sustainable Development

1. All proposals for new development must result in a high quality sustainable environment. 2. Provision will be made for housing, employment and other development to meet the needs of existing and future residents of the Borough in line with the evolving housing requirements of the South East Plan and local studies aimed at informing the need for, and form of, development required. 3. The need for development will be balanced against the need to protect and enhance the natural and built environment. In selecting locations for development and determining planning applications the quality of the natural and historic environment, the countryside, residential amenity and land, air and water quality will be preserved and, wherever possible, enhanced. 4. In selecting locations for development and determining planning applications the Borough Council will seek to minimise waste generation, reduce the need to travel and minimise water and energy consumption having regard to the need for 10% of energy requirements to be generated on-site from alternative energy sources and the potential for recycling water. Where possible, areas liable to flood will be avoided. 5. Where practicable, new housing development should include a mix of house types and tenure and must meet identified needs in terms of affordability. For those with a nomadic way of life, such as gypsies and travellers and travelling showpeople, appropriate provision should be made if a need exists. Mixed-use developments will be promoted where appropriate, particularly in town and rural service centres. 6. Development will be concentrated at the highest density compatible with the local built and natural environment mainly on previously developed land and at those urban and rural settlements where a reasonable range of services is available and where there is the potential to be well served by sustainable modes of transport. Best use will be made of the existing housing stock. 7. Development must minimise the risk of crime and should make appropriate provision for the infrastructure necessary to serve new development, including social, leisure, cultural and community facilities and adequate open space accessible to all. If still needed, existing facilities will be protected and land required to meet future community needs will be identified and safeguarded for that purpose.

Metropolitan Green Belt

1. National Green Belt policy will be applied generally to the west of the A228 and the settlements of Snodland, Leybourne, West Malling and Kings Hill, and to the south of Kings Hill and east of Wateringbury. 2. Land at Isles Quarry West is excluded from the Green Belt to enable its comprehensive development in accordance with Policy CP18.

Safeguarded Land

The following areas are defined as Safeguarded Land and reserved for future development. (a) North of Lower Haysden Lane, Tonbridge; (b) North of Dry Hill Park Road, Tonbridge; (c) Carpenters lane, Hadlow; (d) Land at Howlands Allotments, Wrotham. They will not be released for development before 2021 other than through a review of the Local Development Framework and only then if there is a demonstrable shortfall of housing land relative to the prevailing requirements of the South East Plan.

Safeguarded Land

The following areas are defined as Safeguarded Land and reserved for future development. (a) North of Lower Haysden Lane, Tonbridge; (b) North of Dry Hill Park Road, Tonbridge; (c) Carpenters lane, Hadlow; (d) Land at Howlands Allotments, Wrotham. They will not be released for development before 2021 other than through a review of the Local Development Framework and only then if there is a demonstrable shortfall of housing land relative to the prevailing requirements of the South East Plan.

Housing Provision

1. Provision is made for the development of at least 6,375 dwellings (or such other figure as may ultimately be included in the approved South East Plan) in the period 2006-2021. 2. Major new housing development will be met at the following strategic sites: (a) Holborough (with permission) – 938 dwellings to be developed between 2006 and 2016; (b) Kings Hill (with permission) –1446 dwellings to be developed between 2006 and 2016; (c) Leybourne Grange (with permission) – 723 dwellings to be developed between 2008 to 2016; (d) Peters Pit (with permission) - 1000 dwellings to be developed mainly in the post 2011 period. 3. Elsewhere, housing will be proposed in the LDF, or otherwise permitted, on sites which accord with the sustainability principles established in Policy CP1, the settlement hierarchy defined in Policies CP11, 12 and 13 and other Core Policies as appropriate.

Bushey Wood Area of Opportunity

Land at Bushey Wood is identified as an Area of Opportunity containing land with potential for meeting residential needs in the post 2021 period, or earlier if there is any significant shortfall in strategic housing provision. Land will only be released for housing development within the Area of Opportunity through the preparation of an Area Action Plan. In the meantime, development will not be proposed in the LDF or otherwise permitted within this area which might prejudice its long-term development potential. The situation will be reviewed through annual monitoring, but in order to ensure confidence about housing delivery in the long term, the Area Action Plan would need to be in place before the approval of the first review of the South East Plan. The Area Action Plan will indicate the circumstances under which land will be released and the sequence and phasing of development.

Affordable Housing

1. In the Urban Areas, as defined in Core Policy CP11, affordable housing provision will be sought on all sites of 15 dwellings or above, or 0.5ha or above, at a level of 40% of the number of dwellings in any scheme. 2. In the rural area, affordable housing provision will be sought on all sites of 5 dwellings or above, or 0.16ha or above, at a level of 40% of the number of dwellings in any scheme. 3. Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, 70% of the affordable dwellings provided on each site should be social rented housing with the remainder being intermediate housing (as defined in para 6.3.27). 4. In exceptional circumstances, it may be agreed that affordable housing may be provided on another site or by means of a commuted sum. 5. If a site allocated or identified in the LDF for housing is sub-divided so as to create two or more separate development schemes one or more of which falls below the relevant threshold, the Council will seek an appropriate level of affordable housing to reflect the provision that would have been achieved on the site as a whole had it come forward as a single scheme for the allocated or identified site.

Isles Quarry West

Land to the south of Borough Green at Isles Quarry West is identified as a strategic housing location to meet housing needs in the more remote part of the Malling rural area.

Exception Site Policy for Rural Affordable Housing

Development to meet a specific identified local need for rural affordable housing may exceptionally be proposed in the LDF or otherwise permitted in situations where there would normally be a presumption against development. Such development will only be proposed or permitted where all of the following requirements are met: (a) the Council is satisfied that there is a genuine local need for affordable housing within the Parish or, where appropriate, in adjacent Parishes as defined by the categories of need set out below and verified by means of a comprehensive local appraisal; (b) the identified local need arises within an area remote from any major urban area and cannot be met by any other means; (c) the proposal is of a size and type suitable to meet the identified local need and will be available at an appropriate affordable cost commensurate with the results of the appraisal; (d) the proposed site is considered suitable for such purposes by virtue of its relationship in scale and siting to an existing village and its services, its proximity to public transport, and the absence of overriding countryside, conservation, environmental, or highway impact; and (e) the initial and subsequent occupancy is controlled through planning conditions and agreements as appropriate to ensure that the accommodation remains available in perpetuity to meet the purposes for which it was permitted.

Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople

1. Provision will be made through a specific land allocation Development Plan Document or permission will be granted for the number of caravan site plots specified in the South East Plan on sites which meet the criteria in Part 2 of this Policy. In identifying sites, first consideration will be given to the limited expansion of one or both of the two existing publicly controlled gypsy sites in the Borough. 2. Accommodation for gypsies and travellers (as defined in Circular 01/06), suitable for mixed residential and commercial use, and sites for travelling showpeople will be proposed in the LDF or permitted if all of the following requirements are met: (a) there is an identified need that cannot reasonably be met on an existing or planned site; (b) residential or rural amenity is not prejudiced as a result of visual intrusion, excessive noise, lighting, traffic generation or activity at unsocial hours; (c) the site respects the scale of, and does not dominate, the nearest settled community; (d) the site can adequately be accessed by vehicles towing caravans and there is safe pedestrian and cycle access to the site; (e) the site is reasonably accessible to shops, schools and other community facilities on foot, by cycle or public transport; and (f) in the case of travelling showpeople, the site is suitable in all respects for the storage of large items of mobile equipment. There will be a presumption against the development of gypsy and traveller accommodation (including sites for travelling showpeople) in the Green Belt unless there are very special circumstances.

Community Facilities, Services and Transport Infrastructure

1. The Council will safeguard land required for the provision of services to meet existing and future community needs, as identified by service providers. 2. Land required for the implementation of transport schemes approved by Government or adopted by Kent County Council as Highway Authority or other schemes that are necessary to support the development strategy will be safeguarded from prejudicial development. 3. Proposals for development that would result in the loss in whole or part of sites and premises currently or last used for the provision of community services or recreation, leisure or cultural facilities will only be proposed in the LDF or otherwise permitted if: (a) an alternative facility of equivalent or better quality and scale to meet identified need is either available, or will be satisfactorily provided at an equally accessible location; or (b) a significant enhancement to the nature and quality of an existing facility will result from the development of part of that facility; or (c) the applicant has proved, to the satisfaction of the Council, that for the foreseeable future there is likely to be an absence of need or adequate support for the facility.

Infrastructure

1. Development will not be proposed in the LDF or permitted unless the service, transport and community infrastructure necessary to serve it is either available, or will be made available by the time it is needed. All development proposals must therefore either incorporate the infrastructure required as a result of the scheme, or make provision for financial contributions and/or land to secure such infrastructure or service provision at the time it is needed, by means of conditions or a planning obligation. 2. Where development that causes material harm to a natural or historic resource is exceptionally justified, appropriate mitigation measures will be required to minimise or counteract any adverse impacts. Where the implementation of appropriate mitigation is still likely to result in a residual adverse impact then compensatory measures will be required.

Location of Development - Urban Areas

1. Development will be concentrated within the confines of the urban areas of: (a) Tonbridge (including Hilden Park); (b) The Medway Gap (i.e. the major developed parts of Kings Hill, Leybourne, East Malling, Larkfield, Lunsford Park, Ditton and Aylesford south of the River Medway, Aylesford Forstal, and Snodland); (c) The part of the Medway Towns urban area that lies within Tonbridge and Malling Borough (Walderslade). 2. Development adjoining these urban areas will only be proposed in the LDF, or otherwise permitted, where there is an identified need and there are no suitable sites within the urban areas. Priority will be afforded to the use of previously developed land. In the case of Tonbridge, priority will be afforded to the use of the safeguarded land identified under Policy CP4.

Location of Development - Rural Service Centres

1. Housing and employment development or redevelopment, conversions and changes of use will be proposed in the LDF or otherwise permitted within the confines of the following rural settlements which are defined as Rural Service Centres: (a) Borough Green; (d) Hildenborough; (b) East Peckham; (e) West Malling. (c) Hadlow; 2. Development adjoining these settlements will only be proposed in the LDF, or otherwise permitted, where there are no suitable sites within their built confines and where there is a local justification related to the housing, employment, community or social needs of the settlement and its environs. 3. Within the Green Belt, development will only be permitted if it is justified by very special circumstances, and in the case of housing, complies with Exception Site Policy CP19.

Location of Development - Other Rural Settlements

New development within the confines of the following rural settlements will be restricted to minor development appropriate to the scale and character of the settlement. In the case of redevelopment or change of use of an existing building, development will only be proposed in the LDF, or otherwise permitted, if: the overall trip generation is projected to be lower than that associated with the former use; or if there is some significant improvement to the appearance, character and functioning of the settlement; or there is an exceptional local need for affordable housing in terms of Policy CP19. (a) Addington (n) Ightham (b) Addington Clearway (o) Mereworth (c) Aylesford Village (p) Offham (d) Birling (q) Platt (e) Blue Bell Hill (r) Plaxtol (f) Burham (s) Ryarsh (g) Crouch (t) Snoll Hatch (h) Dunks Green (u) Trottiscliffe (i) East Malling Village (v) Wateringbury (j) Eccles (w) West Peckham (k) Fairseat (x) Wouldham (l) Golden Green (y) Wrotham Heath (m) Hale Street (z) Wrotham

Development in the Countryside

In the countryside development will be restricted to: (a) extensions to existing settlements in accordance with Policies CP11 or CP12; or, (b) the one-for-one replacement, or appropriate extension, of an existing dwelling, or conversion of an existing building for residential use; or (c) development that is necessary for the purposes of agriculture or forestry, including essential housing for farm or forestry workers; or (d) development required for the limited expansion of an existing authorised employment use; or (e) development that secures the viability of a farm, provided it forms part of a comprehensive farm diversification scheme supported by a business case; or (f) redevelopment of the defined Major Developed Sites in the Green Belt which improves visual appearance, enhances openness and improves sustainability, or (g) affordable housing which is justified as an exception under Policy CP19; or (h) predominantly open recreation uses together with associated essential built infrastructure; or (i) any other development for which a rural location is essential. Within the Green Belt, inappropriate development which is otherwise acceptable within the terms of this policy will still be need to be justified by very special circumstances.

Retail Development

1. New retail development will be proposed in the LDF, or otherwise permitted, if it maintains or enhances the vitality and viability of the existing retail centres and properly respects their role in the retail hierarchy in accordance with the following sequence: (a) on sites located within the defined limits of the town, district or local centres; (b) on edge-of-centre sites, but only if there is sufficient capacity and a retail need is demonstrated that cannot be accommodated within a town, district or local centre; (c) on out-of-centre sites, but only if there is sufficient capacity and a retail need is demonstrated that cannot be accommodated within or on the edge of a town, district or local centre. Sites that are well related to an existing retail area will be preferred to ones that have no such relationship. In this respect, Quarry Wood, Aylesford, is considered to be a suitable location for additional comparison goods retail development subject to there being no suitable sites within Maidstone urban area. 2. Proposals which might harm the vitality or viability of an existing centre either in terms of retail impact or, in the case of smaller centres, undermining the balance of uses or harming their amenity, will not be permitted.

Tonbridge Town Centre

The policy for Tonbridge Town Centre is to provide for a sustainable development pattern of retail, employment, housing and leisure uses, and a range of other services to regenerate and enhance the vitality and viability of the Town Centre by: (a) maximising the use of the waterfront with appropriate mixed-use developments and the provision of environmental enhancements and public spaces; (b) enhancing traffic management and accessibility for all; (c) improving conditions for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport in the High Street; (d) enhancing the transport interchange at Tonbridge Station; (e) ensuring an appropriate level of accessible and safe car parking provision; (f) enhancing the public realm, including protecting and enhancing important open spaces and the creation of new ones, reducing the potential for anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime and making design statements at the gateways to the town centre; (g) improving air quality in the Air Quality Management Area at the southern end of the High Street.

Sustainable Transport

New development that is likely to generate a significant number of trips should: (a) be well located relative to public transport, cycle and pedestrian routes and with good access to local service centres; (b) minimise the need to travel through the implementation of Travel Plans and the provision or retention of local services and facilities; (c) either provide or make use of, and if necessary enhance, a choice of transport modes, including public transport, cycling and walking; (d) be compatible with the character and capacity of the highway network in terms of the volume and nature of traffic generated; (e) provide for any necessary enhancements to the safety of the highway network and capacity of transport infrastructure whilst avoiding road improvements that significantly harm the natural or historic environment or the character of the area; and, (f) ensure accessibility for all, including elderly people, people with disabilities and others with restricted mobility.