Policy EN1: Landscape Stewardship

To undertake as part of the Councils Landscape stewardship a review of sustainable service settlement boundaries like Robertsbridge to consider whether additional housing provision can be made at these settlements on the basis that objectively assesses development needs can be meet unless the adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits.

Under main paragraph of the policy text the phrase "and wherever possible " is contrary to the statutory duty under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 which places a duty under section 85 on Councils to have regard to the purposes of the AONB designation, the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty. There is no justification for a caveat on when or where enhancement of the natural beauty of an AONB is possible, it is a direction to be followed at all times. Similarly "ensuring the protection" should read "ensuring the conservation" using the same terminolgy as the objective at 17.8 of the plan.

CPRE Sussex welcomes and strongly supports Policy EN1 on Landscape Stewardship, particularly criterion (vii)

(vii) Tranquil and remote areas, including the dark night sky

As recognised in the "Portrait of Rother District", the great majority of the District is of very high environmental quality, in either landscape or nature conservation terms. The conservation of this quality is a priority both nationally and locally. Reference could usefully be made within the supporting text to the CPRE's National Tranquillity Mapping project.

Policy EN1:
Management of the high quality historic, built and natural landscape character is to be achieved by ensuring the protection, and wherever possible enhancement,
Overall the wording of this policy is good however we would like to see the removal of the wording „wherever possible‟ in front of enhancement.
The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 places a statutory duty on LAs under section 85 to have regard to the purposes of the AONB designation, the conservation and enhancement of natural beauty. Therefore the wording „wherever possible‟ should be removed from enhancement.
There is a good cross referencing of landscape and landscape character through the policy and the settlement within landscape.

As a small parish council we do not feel that we are qualified to know whether the document is legally compliant or not but would like to the male the following general observations:

1. It is important to protect the environment and countryside especially SSSI's, AONB and ancient woodlands
2. It is important to have affordable housing - local housing for local people.
3. It is important to create employment for local people if our villages are to survive
4. We are of the opinion that the Scats site at Robertsbridge is ideal for affordable housing/industrial (close to A21).

The Council agrees with the objective of 'conserving and managing and enhancing the high quality of landscape resources in items (i) (ii) and (iii) and for the protection of the High Weald and Ancient Woodlands. The Council would also agree with the conservation of (vii) the 'tranquil and remote areas including the dark night sky' and (viii) the native features of the landscape.