Appendix 1

EXTRACTS FROM THE SHRESBURY & ATCHAM BOROUGH LOCAL PLAN - DEPOSIT VERSION

(PROPOSED CHANGES)

PARKING STANDARDS OUTSIDE THE RIVER LOOP

OUTSIDE THE RIVER LOOP, All development proposals will be expected to provide adequate parking and service space on site in accordance with the borough Council’s adopted parking standards set out in Appendix 2 of this plan. However, in locations that are well served by public transport, the Council will negotiate with developers to reduce on site car parking provision below that set out as the maximum standard, provided that this would not have a detrimental impact on highway safety.

Reasoned Justification

Whilst ensuring that sufficient car parking is provided to ensure that there are no highway safety or amenity problems within the vicinity of a site, the Borough Council does wish to encourage developers to consider carefully the extent of on site car parking required for a development. On sites served by good public transport into the River Loop, or where occupants are within walking distance of the centre, lower levels of car use should be encouraged. Therefore, where suitable alternative modes of transport are readily available developers will be encouraged to reduce the level of car parking that would normally be provided on the site. Whilst the standards set out in Appendix 2 are the maximum levels of parking the Borough Council would accept and no minimum levels are stated, in most instances, depending on the nature of the development and its location, the provision of car parking will be determined in accordance with the nature of the development, its location and the highway safety and amenity issues.

Due to the rural nature of much of the Borough and the high car ownership, the extent to which the Council can influence the use of the car is limited and any reduction will be a long term process.

Cycle parking is expressed as a minimum and the Council will encourage developers to provide in excess of these standards where sites have good links into the cycle route network. Provision should be made at suitably located positions where bicycles will be highly visible within the site to emphasise the importance of security.

Car parking facilities will be expected to include larger parking spaces for people with reduced mobility and such spaces should be located where they can most easily access the proposed facility.

LNC4 GREEN SPACES

Reasoned Justification

7.25 There are an extensive variety of open spaces within the built up area of Shrewsbury that cumulatively helps to create the high quality urban environment. Such spaces

can evolve as major ecological, visual and recreational resources and as such the Council considers that they should be protected from development that could lead to the destruction of such spaces or impair their primary role in providing much of the character and setting for Shrewsbury and other settlements. The Proposals Map attempts to identify those areas considered to be most important to the character and setting of Shrewsbury and other settlements. Many of the areas are close to the River Severn and its tributaries, which form a dominant feature of the Borough, particularly Shrewsbury, and provide a major habitat corridor through it. Many of these areas were originally identified as Green Wedges in the Shrewsbury Countryside Strategy, much of which is in agricultural use and liable to flooding. The Plan has combined most of these wedges together with other areas of green space which contribute to the overall character of settlements.

7.26 Government guidance requires local authorities to protect from development locally important amenity open space, within or adjacent to built up areas, where that land contributes to the character and amenity of the area, has importance as a natural habitat or has value as a recreational space. The spaces identified on the Proposals Map are considered to contribute to one or more of these roles.

7.27 In terms of use, many spaces provide a variety of, and in many instances very local, informal recreational opportunities, although it should be noted that not all areas have public access even if visible from public places. The NPFA standard does not include general open land, passive or informal recreational land or water sports areas as the role is not necessarily a recreational one. It is important therefore that such space is protected whatever the current levels of formal recreational space available.

7.28 In some cases private gardens have been included where these form part of an existing or potential wildlife corridor associated with a larger wedge of green space which provides an important link, both for wildlife and recreation, with the overall network.

7.29 Some areas have also been identified as having particular importance for nature conservation (heritage sites, SSSI etc) and as formal recreation facilities which contribute to the overall playing fields standard. There may be additional constraints on developments in these areas and the relevant policies should also be consulted.