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| 10. RECREATION |
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Interpretation Of Structure
Plan Policies For Sport And Recreation |
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POLICY R1 |
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For the purpose of Policies
R2-R5 in this chapter the following terms and phrases from Structure
Plan Policies SR1-SR3 will be interpreted as defined below: |
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Structure Plan Policy
SR1 |
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(i) |
"Suitability"
will be interpreted as relating to the current uses to be relocated,
or, if they are not required, for proposed alternative uses to be
accommodated. |
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(ii) |
"Convenience"
will be interpreted as relating to current users, in terms of walking
distance and accessibility by public and private transport. |
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Structure Plan Policy
SR2 |
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(iii) |
The term "open
countryside" will be interpreted as meaning the land within
the Green Belt which is excluded from the built up areas and which
is outside the Green Belt settlements as identified on the Proposals
Map. |
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(iv) |
"Activities
which, of their nature, require a countryside location" will
include those sport and recreational activities whose existence depends
upon an open air setting within the countryside. |
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Structure Plan Policy
SR3 |
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(v) |
The term "the
existing or planned settlement limits" will be interpreted
as meaning the built-up areas excluded from, but enclosed by, the
Green Belt, as shown on the Proposals Map, that is, Amersham and Chesham
Bois; Chalfont St Giles; Chalfont St Peter; Chesham; Great Missenden
and Prestwood; Hazlemere - Tylers Green - fringes; Heath End; Holmer
Green; Knotty Green; Little Chalfont and Seer Green. |
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Loss Of Existing Sports
Facilities Throughout The District |
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POLICY R2 |
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Development which would
result in the loss of any existing sports facility to a non-sports
use will be refused, unless either of the circumstances set out below
applies. |
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An exception to this policy
may be permitted in the following circumstances; |
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(i) |
the applicant demonstrates
to the satisfaction of the Council that there is no continuing community
need for the facility and it is not possible to use the facility for
other sports. |
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or |
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(ii) |
alternative provision of
at least an equivalent size, suitability and convenience, as defined
in Policy R1 (i) and (ii) is made, |
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and |
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(iii) |
Other Policies in this Local
Plan are complied with. |
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For the purposes of this
policy outdoor sports facilities include existing school playing fields,
land last used as school playing fields and equipped children s' playgrounds.
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This Policy applies throughout
the District. |
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Indoor Sports Facilities
In The Built-up Areas Excluded From The Green Belt Including The District
And Local Shopping Centres As Defined On The Proposals Map |
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POLICY R3 |
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The Council will permit
the provision of indoor sports facilities in the built-up areas excluded
from the Green Belt as defined in Policy R1, Clause (v), and including
the District and Local Shopping Centres as defined on the Proposals
Map, provided that other policies in this Local Plan are complied
with. |
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Development of such facilities
on land currently in use as playing fields will be permitted, provided
that the existing level of playing provision on that land can be retained.
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This policy applies to applications
for new buildings, replacement buildings, changes of use of existing
buildings, and extensions to existing indoor sports buildings. |
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Extensions to existing indoor
sports buildings should be sited within the existing curtilage of
a sports facility and will be considered in accordance with the General
Criteria and Transport policies in this Local Plan. |
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Indoor Sports Facilities
In The Green Belt |
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POLICY R4 |
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Indoor sports facilities
in the Green Belt will be refused unless all of the following criteria
are met: |
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(i) |
The proposed facility would
constitute infilling within one of the following villages whose boundaries
are as defined on the Proposals Map for the purposes of Policies GB4
or GB5: |
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Ashley Green; Ballinger;
Botley/Ley Hill; Hyde Heath; Jordans; Little Kingshill; South Heath
and Winchmore Hill. |
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(ii) |
The proposed facility would
be of a size and type only suitable to serve the identified needs
of the rural population, which is defined as the population of the
village in which the recreational facility would be located and its
immediate catchment area. |
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(iii) |
The proposed facility would
be small-scale. Small scale is defined as a size of building which
is sufficient only for the reasonable functioning of the indoor sports
activity, or activities, and which is also in keeping with the scale
of buildings in the surrounding area. |
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(iv) |
The applicant demonstrates
to the satisfaction of the Council that there is sufficient potential
demand to support the facility from the rural population as defined
in clause (ii). |
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(v) |
The site for the proposed
facility is not a village green, a common, or other public amenity
open space as defined in Policy R7. |
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(vi) |
There would be no significant
adverse effect on residents' amenities or on the open character and
appearance of the Green Belt. |
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(vii) |
Other Policies in this Local
Plan would be complied with. |
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This policy applies to new
buildings, replacement buildings and extensions to existing buildings
providing indoor sports facilities. Changes of use of existing buildings
to provide indoor sports facilities are covered by Policy GB29. |
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New Outdoor Sports
Facilities In The Green Belt (Except Floodlighting) |
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POLICY R5 |
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The development of outdoor
sports facilities on sites in the Green Belt will be permitted provided
these facilities are: |
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(i) |
characterised by predominantly
open air use, as distinct from essential buildings and other structures,
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and |
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(ii) |
the applicant demonstrates
to the Council's satisfaction that there is a proven requirement for
new provision, |
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and |
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(iii) |
in the case of golf courses,
Policy R16 is complied with, |
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and |
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(iv) |
other Policies in this Local
Plan are complied with. |
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In addition: |
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1. |
Any new buildings, replacement
buildings, or extensions to existing buildings should provide essential
facilities for the proposed outdoor sports use, should be small scale
and comply with Policy GB28 clauses (ii) and (iii). |
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2. |
The facility should not
be prominent in the rural scene. |
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3. |
In the areas of landscape
with "special qualities" (see Chapter 5), the Council will have particular
regard to Policies LSQ1 - LSQ4, and the requirements of these policies
should be met. |
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This policy applies to new
outdoor sports facilities, essential new and replacement buildings
ancillary to existing outdoor sports facilities and essential extensions
to such ancillary buildings but not to floodlighting, which is the
subject of Policy R6. |
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Floodlighting Of Sports
Facilities Throughout The District |
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POLICY R6 |
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Proposals for floodlighting
of outdoor sports facilities in the built-up areas will not be permitted
unless the following criteria are met: |
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(i) |
the amenities of residents
in the locality in which the floodlights are proposed would not be
significantly impaired, |
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and |
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(ii) |
the character of that locality
would not be significantly impaired, |
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and |
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(iii) |
other Policies in the Local
Plan would be complied with. |
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In the Green Belt, proposals
for floodlighting will be refused, except where it can be demonstrated,
to the satisfaction of the Council, that they are essential to the
use of land for outdoor sport and that clauses (i) - (iii) above are
complied with. |
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This Policy applies to proposals
for new floodlights, for additional floodlights at sites with existing
floodlights and for the variation of conditions on the hours of use
of existing floodlights. |
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Loss Of Public Amenity
Open Space And Common Land As Defined On The Proposals Map |
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POLICY R7 |
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The Council will not permit
the change of use to any other purpose of the areas of public amenity
open space and common land as defined on the Proposals Map, except
in the following circumstances. |
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In the case of the proposed
use of the land as playing pitches, exceptions may be made provided
that: |
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(i) |
there is no conflict with
other Policies in this Local Plan, in particular Policy R8, |
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and |
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(ii) |
that the land remains available
to the public for use as an amenity open space when games are not
in progress. |
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Retention Of Existing
Character And Appearance Of Public Amenity Open Space And Common Land
As Defined On The Proposals Map |
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POLICY R8 |
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Development will not be
permitted if it will detract from the existing character and appearance
of any of the areas of public open space and common land as defined
on the Proposals Map. |
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Where development proposals
are acceptable in accordance with this Policy, the proposals should
also com ply with other Policies in this Local Plan, for example,
Policies TW3, TW6 and NC1. |
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New Areas Of Public
Amenity Open Space In The Green Belt |
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POLICY R9 |
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The use of land in the Green
Belt as public amenity open space will be permitted provided that
all of the following criteria are met: |
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(i) |
adequate provision is made
for car parking without detriment to the character of the open space
or its locality. |
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(ii) |
highway safety is not likely
to be impaired as a result of the use. |
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(iii) |
Policy GB28 in the Green
Belt chapter and other Policies in the Local Plan are complied with.
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Loss Of Other Amenity
Open Space (not open to the general public) As Defined On The Proposals
Map |
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POLICY R10 |
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Development will not be
permitted if it would: |
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(i) |
result in the loss, as a
whole or in part, of any area of amenity open space (not open to the
general public) as defined on the Proposals Map; |
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or |
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(ii) |
be seriously detrimental
to the established character of the amenity open space referred to
in clause (i). |
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Where development proposals
are acceptable in accordance with this Policy, the proposals should
also comply with other Policies in this Local Plan. |
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Land To The South-East
Of Chesham Moor : Water Based Recreation |
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POLICY R11 |
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The Council will permit
water-based recreation on the site south-east of Chesham Moor as identified
on the Proposals Map following the completion of gravel extraction
and the approved restoration scheme, provided that: |
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(i) |
Policy GB28 is complied
with, |
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and |
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(ii) |
The nature conservation
interest of the site is conserved and Policy NC1 is complied with.
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Motor-powered water sports
will not be permitted. |
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Loss Of Allotments
Throughout The District |
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POLICY R12 |
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The Council will not permit
the change of use of allotments to any other purpose unless all of
the following criteria are met: |
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(i) |
The applicant has demonstrated
to the Council's satisfaction that: |
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(a) |
there has been a continuing lack of
demand for the use of the majority of the land comprising the allotments
the subject of the planning application over the last five-years;
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and |
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(b) |
positive and realistic action to let
land for allotments on the site referred to in clause (a) has proved
unsuccessful. |
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(ii) |
The proposed use of the
land would be predominantly open in character and provide amenity
open space. |
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(iii) |
Other Policies in this Local
Plan are complied with. |
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This Policy applies throughout
the District. |
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Horse Riding And Equestrian
Activities Throughout The District |
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POLICY R13 |
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Proposals for new equestrian
facilities, including livery stables, throughout the District, will
be permitted provided that all of the following criteria are met:
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(i) |
the proposal would be well
screened and have no detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the
locality in which it would be sited. |
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(ii) |
the amenities of local residents
would not be significantly adversely affected. |
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(iii) |
highway safety would not
be impaired by the proposal and the local highway network would have
adequate capacity for any increase in traffic generation. |
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(vi) |
there would be no detrimental
impact on the character or appearance of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty, the Area of Attractive Landscape, the Locally Important
Landscape Areas, Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest, or
on any designated Conservation Area. |
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(v) |
other Policies in this Local
Plan, including Policy GB28, would be complied with. |
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Picnic Sites Open To
The Public Throughout The District |
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POLICY R14 |
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The provision of small scale
picnic sites open to the public will be permitted provided that other
policies in this Local Plan are complied with, particularly those
relating to car parking, traffic generation and landscapes with special
qualities. |
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This Policy applies throughout
the District. |
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The Colne Valley Park |
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POLICY R15 |
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That part of the Colne Valley
Park which is within Chiltern District is identified on the Proposals
Map. |
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Any developments in this
part of the Park will be considered in accordance with the policies
in this Local Plan. |
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Golf Courses And Golf
Driving Ranges Throughout The District |
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POLICY R16 |
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Throughout the District,
proposals for golf courses, including proposed buildings and car parking
areas will be permitted provided that Policies GB26, R5 and the following
criteria are complied with: |
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(i) |
The character and appearance
of the locality should not be adversely affected. Golf courses should
be appropriately laid out and landscaped to achieve good visual integration
in the countryside setting, having regard to the prevailing landscape
characteristics of the locality in which the proposed course is to
be located. New planting should use native trees, shrubs, herbs or
grasses where appropriate for the site. |
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(ii) |
Where golf courses are proposed
in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Parks or Gardens
of Special Historic Interest, or other areas of high quality landscape,
their special character and appearance should be conserved or enhanced.
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(iii) |
Archaeological remains should
be conserved. |
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(iv) |
Nature conservation interests
should be protected. Wherever possible landscaping should enhance
existing features of wildlife interest. The Council may require habitat
creation or enhancement as part of golf course proposals. |
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Golf Driving Ranges |
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Proposals for golf driving ranges in
the Green Belt will be refused. |
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