Executive Summary

Section 1

Executive SummaryDraft Green Infrastructure Plan

Contents

What is Green Infrastructure (GI)? 2

Examples of GI 2

Introduction to the GIP 3

GI Assessment Summary 5

Strategy to 2026 andDelivery Plan Summary 9

Executive SummaryDraft Green Infrastructure Plan

What is Green Infrastructure (GI)?

‘a network of multi-functional green space, both new and existing, both rural and urban, which supports the natural and ecological processes and is integral to the health and quality of life of sustainable communities’(Planning Policy Statement 12)

Examples of GI

Parks and gardens ‒ urban parks, coun-try parks, private country estates, formal gardens

Green corridors ‒ road and rail corridors/verges, pedestrian paths and rights of way, cycle routes, river and canal walks, hedge-rows, ditches

Natural and semi-natural greenspaces ‒ nature reserves, grassland, heath or moor, woodland and scrub, bare rock habitats, wetlands, open water bodies and rivers, wastelands

Amenity greenspace ‒ children’s play areas, village greens, community gardens, playing fi elds, informal recreation spaces, domestic gardens, green roofs, allotments, heritage sites, cemeteries, agricultural land

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Introduction1.0 As much as roads, schools and hospitals, natural green space is essential infrastructure for current and future generations. It serves a variety of social, economic and environmental purposes.

1.1 This Green Infrastructure Plan (GIP) promotes a network of multi-functional green space with recreational, visual and biodiversity value. It identifi es existing GI assets at the landscape scale and by catchment areas within Mid Devon. On the basis of that assessment, the GIP proposes detailed policies and a delivery plan to ensure that green infrastructure receives appropriate investment from the Council and the development industry. In accordance with the Government’s recognition of the essential economic value of nature (‘Natural Capital’), the GIP aims to deliver the Council’s strategic objective to develop the local economy, while ensuring that growth is accompanied by a sustainable natural environment.

GI benefi ts

• Safeguarding and enhancing biodiversity• Mitigating and adapting to climate change• Improving economic prosperity through sustainable development, green tourism and local food production• Creating a low carbon society• Attractive and productive landscapes• Health and wellbeing through improved access to GI

GIP Objectives

1 To promote sustainable growth and economic development

2 To encourage health and wellbeing

3 To adapt to and mitigate climate change

4 To improve biodiversity

1.2 GIP Format

The GIP is split into sections

Section 1: Executive Summary

Section 2: GI Assessment

Section 3: Strategy to 2026 and Delivery Plan

Section 4: Appendices

Executive SummaryGreen Infrastructure Plan

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GI Assessment2.0 The GI Assessment describes in detail the benefi ts of GI and the GIP, then goes on to consider the environmental context both nationally and in Mid Devon.

Nationally: • Biodiversity is in serious decline • Large national carbon footprint: imported produce and treatment of soil and water resources are unsustainable • Population distribution and demographic change results in competition for land use and natural resources are stressed • Inequalities in access to and use of open space cause ill-health and social problems

Mid Devon: • Biodiversity: 12 Sites of Special Scientifi c Interest and over 200 designated Strategic Nature Areas and County Wildlife Sites • Historic environment: 49 Scheduled Ancient Monuments, countless archaeological sites, ancient and historic fi eld patterns • Population: this is a sparsely populated district but we have seen a 12% population growth over the last 10 years • Access and Movement: We have 476 miles of Public Rights of Way, two regional walking routes, cycle routes, and the Grand Western Canal is both a popular local resource and a draw for tourism. • Health: there are pockets of signifi cant social deprivation, particularly in Tiverton, and the proportion of overweight adults is higher than the national average.

Executive SummaryDraft Green Infrastructure Plan

2.1 Review of existing GI in Mid Devon

The GI Assessment considers Mid Devon’s GI at the landscape scale, including maps and descriptions for the following: • Landscape character • Agricultural land quality • Historic character • Access to strategic open space • Public rights of way and open access land • Biodiversity

2.2 Catchment Area Assessments

2.3 The district is divided into 28 catchment areas, using the same boundaries as previous strategies and planning documents. The catchment areas are as follows:

(BradninchParish)

(SilvertonParish)

(BickleighParish)

(ThorvertonParish)

(CadburyParish)

(Cheriton FitzpaineParish)

(BickleighParish)

(PoughillParish)

(ShobrookeParish)

(Newton St CyresParish)

(CreditonParish)

(ThelbridgeParish)

(WoolfardisworthyParish)

(Morchard BishopParish)

(SandfordParish)

(ChawleighParish)

(LapfordParish)

(Crediton HamletsParish)

(Cheriton BishopParish)

(HittisleighParish)

(CopplestoneParish)

(ColdridgeParish)

(WembworthyParish)

(EggesfordParish)

(BrushfordParish)

(ZealMonachorum

Parish)(Down

St MaryParish)

(Cruwys MorchardParish)

(CadeleighParish)

(HemyockParish)

(ClayhidonParish)

(CulmstockParish)

(HockworthyParish)

(Holcombe RogusParish)

(BurlescombeParish)

(UffculmeParish)

(KentisbeareParish)

(WillandParish)

28

17

27

(HalbertonParish)

15

(CullomptonParish)

12

(MorebathParish)

(BamptonParish)

(HuntshamParish)

(ClayhangerParish)

(UplowmanParish)

(SampfordPeverellParish)

(TivertonParish)

26

(OakfordParish)

(StoodleighParish)

(TempletonParish)

(WashfieldParish)

(LoxbeareParish)

5

16

2

(StockleighEnglishParish)

(NymetRowlandParish)

18

(UptonHellionsParish)

19

(Washford PyneParish) (Puddington

Parish)

(KennerleighParish)

1

22

21

25

7

20

10

23

11

6

9

(ColebrookeParish)

8(BowParish)

(ClannaboroughParish)

3

14

Catchment Areas

14

13

4

24

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Catchment Parishes

1 Bampton Bampton, Morebath, Clayhanger and Huntsham

2 Bickleigh Bickleigh, Cruwys Morchard and Cadeleigh

3 Bow Bow and Clannaborough

4 Bradninch Bradninch

5 Burlescombe Burlescombe, Holcombe Rogus and Hockworthy

6 Cheriton Bishop Cheriton Bishop and Hittisleigh

7 Cheriton Fitzpaine Cheriton Fitzpaine, Stockley English, Stockley Pomeroy,

Poughill and Kennerleigh

8 Colebrooke Colebrooke

9 Copplestone Copplestone

10 Crediton Crediton

11 Crediton Hamlets Crediton Hamlets

12 Cullompton Cullompton and Butterleigh

13 Culmstock Culmstock

14 Down St Mary Down St Mary, Zeal Monachorum, Coldridge, Brushford,

Eggesford, Nymet Rowland and Wembworthy

15 Halberton Halberton

16 Hemyock Hemyock and Clayhidon

17 Kentisbeare Kentisbeare

18 Lapford Lapford and Chawleigh

19 Morchard Bishop Morchard Bishop, Thelbridge, Washford Pyne,

Puddington and Woolfardisworthy

20 Newton St Cyres Newton St Cyres and Shobrooke

21 Oakford Oakford, Stoodleigh, Washfi eld, Loxbeare and Templeton

22 Sampford Peverell Sampford Peverell and Uplowman

23 Sandford Sandford and Upton Hellions

24 Silverton Silverton

25 Thorverton Thorverton and Cadbury

26 Tiverton Tiverton

27 Uff culme Uff culme

28 Willand Willand

Executive SummaryDraft Green Infrastructure Plan

2.4 A range of GI is mapped for each catchment area, such as nature sites, ancient monuments and public open space. Amounts of GI are calculated within a two-mile area of search around any mapped villages that occur in that catchment. This allows comparison between catchment areas and a ‘GI score’ based on a range of indicators. The GI Assessment includes maps and a summary for each catchment area, and the conclusion shows comparisons between all catchments, fi nding particular strengths and weaknesses in GI provision. Further background evidence and analysis is in Appendix III. 2.5 The following chart represents the overall summary of the catchment area analysis.

Summary of overall GI deficiencies

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2

4

6

8

10

12

14

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Col

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oke

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isho

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Hal

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Bur

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Cul

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Ken

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Dow

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Sam

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Bra

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Che

riton

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Uffc

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Thor

verto

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Cre

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Bam

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San

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Cul

mst

ock

Lapf

ord

Tive

rton

Hem

yock

New

ton

St C

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Oak

ford

Catchment

Scor

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wes

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chart 1 - Summary of overall GI defi ciencies

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Strategy to 2026 and Delivery Plan3.0 Section 3 of the GIP builds upon the evidence in the GI Assessment. The Strategy to 2026 and Delivery Plan includes detailed planning policies and should be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document.

3.1 Seven policies are proposed:

Policy Title Description

GI/1 Delivery of green Commits the Council to infrastructure cross-boundary partnership working to deliver GI enhancements

GI/2 Priority catchment areas Allocates resources according to the summary at Chart 1

GI/3 Biodiversity Puts into eff ect the Government objective to increase biodiversity, focusing projects in appropriate locations

GI/4 Local Nature Reserves Commits the Council to improved management and provision of LNRs

GI/5 Allotments Lists villages where provision of allotments is proposed

GI/6 Integrating green Development Management policy infrastructure in to ensure GI is provided in major development development

GI/7 Monitoring Commits the Council to annual monitoring of GIP delivery, with policy review if necessary

Executive SummaryDraft Green Infrastructure Plan

3.2 The Delivery Plan summarises the delivery mechanisms for GI provision, including sources of funding. Main features of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and the New Homes Bonus (NHB) are outlined. In particular, CIL diff ers signifi cantly from the established system of seeking developer contributions through Section 106 legal agreements. CIL is a fl at-rate charge, levied per square metre of development. CIL monies are collected in a central fund and put towards identifi ed necessary infrastructure. CIL cannot be expected to pay for all infrastructure, and the CIL charge must be based on evidence of development viability so as not to stifl e development. 3.3 The Delivery Plan includes two tables setting out the estimated costs of delivering GI in Mid Devon up to 2026, to meet both existing and projected future needs. These tables are summarised below and rounded to the nearest £500,000.

Existing Funding Future Funding sources sources

Sports £11,500,000 NHB Sports £1,000,000 CIL Grants NHB Grants

Public £19,500,000 MDDC Play areas £3,000,000 CILopen space NHBmaintenance Grants Biodiversity £31,500,000 NHB Informal £12,000,000 CIL Grants open space NHB Grants

Biodiversity £5,500,000 CIL NHB Grants

Carbon £3,500,000 CIL off -setting NHB Grants

Totals £62,500,000 £25,000,000

3.4 Background information on all GI cost calculations is in Section 4, Appendix IV.

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4.0 Section 4 contains all the appendices, as follows: Appendix I: Evidence base for the GIP

Appendix II: Methodology

Appendix III: Catchment appraisals, including scoring indicators and summary graphs and charts

Appendix IV: Background to GI cost tables in Section 3 Delivery Plan

Appendix V: Glossary and defi nitions

Appendices

BlackdownHillsAONB

EXMOORNATIONALPARK

DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK

Tiverton

Cullompton

Willand

Crediton

Lapford

Bampton

GIP Key Diagram

key

Historic Park and Garden (national register)

AONB

North Devon Biosphere Reserve

Strategic Nature Areas

Regional Walking Routes

National Cycle Routes

Strategic Accessible Open Space 20ha

Strategic Accessible Open Space 100ha

Priority Area

Primary RiversScale: 1: 150,000N 1:150 000 at A3