Context and reasoned justification

At present, there is no formal settlement boundary to define the built area and give effect to many of the Neighbourhood Plan policies. Within the Haslemere Neighbourhood Plan area, Grayswood is washed over by the Green Belt and the other three areas (Haslemere, Beacon Hill and Hindhead) are defined by the Green Belt and Countryside beyond the Green Belt boundaries. This Plan defines the settlement boundaries as the built up areas of the four settlements within the Neighbourhood Plan Area. If delivery of new homes falls short Waverley Borough Council may need to review and set new settlement boundaries in their Local Plan Part 2 which would supersede the boundaries set in this Plan.

65% of respondents, expressing an opinion in the Haslemere Vision Phase II consultation, wanted to ‘build as many houses as possible within settlements’ rather than on greenfield land. To achieve this aim, it will be necessary to prioritize brownfield sites within the built area before sites outside the built area, and to build at densities which maximise the contribution the sites make to the housing target. That means some strategic sites within Haslemere will need to be built at medium to high housing densities (above 45 dwellings per hectare or dph – see Glossary page 63) and some ‘windfall land efficient development’ will occur within the town.

In its Foresight Paper No. 6; Making the Link (see Evidence list page 68), the Campaign to Protect Rural England supports building at higher densities to reduce urban spread and make a more efficient use of land. It recognises that densification should respect the character of the local area. Better use could be made of brownfield sites by allowing more storeys in a development where it can be done in a manner which is sympathetic to the surrounding environment.

Intent

Haslemere Town Council recognises the need for more homes. The purpose of this policy is to recognise the equal significance of our green space by reinforcing the National Planning Policy Framework protections for land lying outside the area’s settlement boundaries.

To preserve areas of high landscape quality, in particular AONB/AGLV sites which have strong distinctive characteristics which make them particularly sensitive to development.

Policy

H1.1 The Neighbourhood Plan adopts formal settlement boundaries within the Plan area as defined in Figures 1a-1c (below).

H1.2 In order to protect our green space, there will be a presumption against the development of land that lies outside the settlement boundaries.

H1.3 Development should not normally be permitted on AONB or AGLV sites. However, the Neighbourhood Plan recognises that, if allocated and windfall sites are not being developed at a rate to deliver the houses needed within the Plan period, it may be necessary to allocate one or more sites that include land designated as AONB or AGLV, outside the settlement boundaries defined in this Neighbourhood Plan. Any such site allocated for development by Waverley Borough Council in the Local Plan Part 2 should only be brought forward for development if it can be demonstrated that the planned development of houses is not taking place at a rate commensurate with achieving the overall housing provision over the Plan period as set out in Table 1 below:

Year	Housing Numbers Threshold Achieved
2013	0
2018	450
2023	630
2028	830
2032	990

Table 1: Milestones for total housing numbers achieved

H1.4 Development on approved sites proposed within the settlement boundaries (as defined in Figures 1a-c) that complies with the other Neighbourhood Plan policies, shall be supported.

H1.5 All new development of more than 10 dwellings should achieve a minimum of: