Stevenage Borough Council has the following adopted or emerging policy documents:

• Stevenage Borough Local Plan, 2011 - 2031 (adopted 22 May 2019)
• Policies Map (2019)

Text 5.147 Green Infrastructure

5.147 Green infrastructure includes many types of land that we think should remain (largely) undeveloped including parks, important open spaces, wildlife sites and rights of way. Providing green spaces was an important part of the original New Town structure. However, the small size of the Borough, and the shortage of readily re-usable brownfield sites, can create pressure to develop these spaces for other uses. We want to keep the most important spaces for future generations to provide a green urban area and to link the town to the countryside.

Policy HO2: Stevenage West

Land to the west of Stevenage, as defined by the policies map, is allocated for the development of approximately 1,350 dwellings.

A Masterplan for the whole site will be required as part of any planning application. The Masterplan must be approved prior to the submission of detailed development proposals for the site.

Development proposals will be permitted where the following criteria are met:
a. The applicant can demonstrate that development can be expanded beyond the Borough boundary in the future, into safeguarded land within North Hertfordshire;
b. The development incorporates employment floorspace of 10,000m2, in accordance with Policy EC1;
c. Improvements to existing access routes across the A1(M), via Bessemer Drive and Meadway, are provided, which link effectively into the existing road, cycleway and pedestrian networks;
d. The scheme is designed to encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport;
e. An appropriate buffer to mitigate against noise impacts from A1(M) is included;
f. At least 5% aspirational homes are provided in line with Policy HO9;
g. Plots to accommodate at least 1% new homes are made available for self-build purposes;
h. 30% affordable housing is provided in line with Policy HO7;
i. Provision for supported or sheltered housing is made in line with Policy HO10;
j. A primary school is provided in line with the most up-to-date evidence of need;
k. Local facilities to serve the community are incorporated, including a GP surgery, subject to demand;
l. Sports facilities are provided on-site, in line with Policy HC8, including, but not limited to:
  i. A skate park or MUGA for children; and
  ii. Land to accommodate a new cricket facility;
m. A full archaeological assessment is undertaken;
n. A full flood risk assessment is undertaken;
o. The scheme incorporates a network of green infrastructure, with an emphasis on high quality landscaping within and around the development to reduce the impact of the development on the surrounding greenfield / Green Belt land;
p. Existing Public Rights of Way retained and incorporated, where possible;
q. The impact of noise pollution from London Luton Airport is mitigated; and
r. Electric car charging points are provided at an easily accessible location within the site.

It is recognised that the site may be delivered by a number of different developers. In this case, any phase of development would be required to demonstrate that it would enable the delivery of the policy objectives for the development as a whole and those relevant to that phase, and enable an expanded scheme within North Hertfordshire District Council. Community facilities should be provided in a location that allows them to be expanded to meet the needs of the site as a whole.

Policy HO3: North of Stevenage

Land to the North of Stevenage, as defined by the policies map, is allocated for the development of approximately 800 dwellings.

A Masterplan for the whole site will need to be submitted as part of an outline planning application. The Masterplan must be approved prior to the submission of detailed development proposals for the site.

Development proposals will be permitted where the following criteria are met:
a. The applicant can demonstrate that development can be expanded beyond the Borough boundary, and fully integrated with a wider, cross-boundary scheme;
b. Satisfactory vehicular access is provided. At least two access points to and from the site will be required, which link effectively into the existing road, cycleway and pedestrian networks;
c. The scheme is designed to encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport;
d. At least 5% aspirational homes are provided in line with Policy HO9;
e. Plots to accommodate at least 1% new homes are made available for self-build purposes;
f. 30% affordable housing is provided in line with policy HO7;
g. Provision for supported or sheltered housing is made in line with Policy HO10;
h. Local facilities to serve the community are incorporated, including a GP surgery, subject to demand;
i. A primary school is provided in line with the most up-to-date evidence of need;
j. A skate park or MUGA for children is provided on-site;
k. A full archaeological assessment is undertaken;
l. A full flood risk assessment is undertaken;
m. The proposal seeks to preserve or enhance the conservation area, including the setting of adjacent listed buildings. The following mitigation measures should be incorporated;

i. As much of the requirement for aspirational homes (criteria d) as possible should be met on the part of the site that lies within the conservation area. Development within this area should also be heavily landscaped to reduce the visual impact of development;
ii. Existing hedgerows should be maintained and additional screening implemented to reduce the visual impact of the development;
iii. Tall buildings will not be permitted. Building heights will be a maximum of two storeys within the eastern part of the site;
iv. No vehicular access to the site will be permitted from the east of the site, across the open fields;
v. Existing Public Rights of Way are retained and designed into the development, where possible, and diverted where necessary; and
vi. Building styles and layout within the conservation area to the east of the site should reflect the key features of the conservation area.

n. The scheme incorporates a network of green infrastructure, with an emphasis on high quality landscaping within and around the development to reduce the impact of the development on the surrounding greenfield / Green Belt land;
o. An appropriate buffer around existing power lines is incorporated; and
p. Electric car charging points are provided at an easily accessible location within the site As part of any development proposal, we will require the open space to the east of the boundary to be retained as such, either via a Legal Agreement or through the transfer of land to the Borough Council.

Policy HO4: South East of Stevenage

Land to the South East of Stevenage, as defined by the policies map, is allocated for the development of approximately 550 dwellings. The site will be developed as two separate parcels:
North of the A602 (150 dwellings)
South of the A602 (400 dwellings)

Development proposals will be permitted where the following criteria are met:
a. Satisfactory vehicular access to both sites is provided from a single point of access off the A602, in line with Highways Authority requirements;
b. The schemes are designed to encourage the use of sustainable modes of transport;
c. At least 5% aspirational homes are provided in line with Policy HO9;
d. Plots to accommodate at least 1% new homes are made available for self-build purposes;
e. 30% affordable housing is provided in line with policy HO7;
f. Provision for supported or sheltered housing is made in line with Policy HO10;
g. Existing Public Rights of Way are incorporated, where possible;
h. The Ancient Lane along Aston Lane will be preserved or enhanced;
i. A full archaeological assessment is undertaken;
j. A full flood risk assessment is undertaken;
k. The proposals seek to preserve or enhance the setting of adjacent listed buildings;
l. The schemes incorporate a network of green infrastructure, with an emphasis on high quality landscaping within and around the development to reduce the impact of the development on the surrounding greenfield / Green Belt land;
m. The tree boundary on the site to the North of the A602 is retained as far as possible; and
n. Electric car charging points are provided at an easily accessible location within the site.

The following will also be required to be provided within the parcel south of A602, unless demonstrated that these facilities are more satisfactorily accommodated on the northern part of the site:

i. Local facilities to serve the community, including a GP surgery, subject to demand; and
ii. On-site sports facilities in line with Policy HC8, including, but not limited to, the provision of a MUGA or Skate Park for children.

Chapter 14 Green Infrastructure

14.19 When the New Town was built, many existing lanes and hedgerows in the areas of the countryside being developed were kept. A number of these now form part of the car-free cycle and pedestrian network of the town. These Ancient Lanes, and their associated hedgerows, need to be protected from future development as they cannot be replaced.

14.24 Beyond these defined routes, a number of public rights of way exist in the Borough. These are protected and controlled under a separate statutory regime. However, diversion applications to facilitate development are made to the Borough Council as the Local Planning Authority. The strategic development sites to the west and north of Stevenage, in particular, contain a number of existing rights of way. Any applications to modify or divert these routes will be dealt with separately to any planning application. However, it is our general expectation that existing public rights of way will be incorporated into the green infrastructure of any development proposals maintaining their existing route and alignment wherever possible.

14.25 This includes those footpaths and bridleways which link to the Stevenage Outer Orbital Path (StOOP). This is a 27-mile route which circles Stevenage using footpaths and other routes that are open to the public. All of StOOP lies outside of the Borough boundary. However, it is connected to Stevenage by eight 'link paths' which use public rights of way within our administrative area.

Policy NH4: Green Links

The following routes, as shown on the policies map, are designated as Green Links:
1. The Old Greens: Meadway to Fishers Green and Symonds Green;
2. The Avenue / Forster Country: Bury Mead to St. Nicholas Church;
3. Fairlands Valley: Hampson Park via Fairlands Valley Park to (a) Roebuck and (b) Shephall Green;
4. Chells: Gresley Way to Narrow Box Lane and Nobel School;
5. Collenswood: Gresley Way via Collenswood to Fairlands Valley Park / Chells Way;
6. Bandley Hill: Gresley Way via Ridlins Park and Bandley Hill to Collenswood;
7. Shephalbury: Gresley Way via Ridlins Wood and Loves Wood to Shephalbury Park;
8. Water meadows: Broadhall Way to Hertford Road;
9. Grace Way: Along the length of Grace Way between Fairlands Way and Martins Way; and
10. Great Ashby: From Wellfield Wood and St Nicholas Park through Great Ashby to the Borough boundary at Severn Way.

Planning permission will be granted where proposals:
a. Would not create a substantive physical or visual break in a Green Link;
b. Would not otherwise have a material adverse effect on the recreational, structural, amenity or wildlife value of a green link;
c. Reasonably provide extensions of, or connections to, existing Green Links through the provision of on-site open space; and
d. Reasonably contribute towards the maintenance, improvement or extension of Green Links.

Chapter 14 continued

14.51 The Council will seek to protect the openness and accessibility of this area, potentially through the means of a country park. This protection will recognise the literary connection of the land to E.M. Forster. 'Forster Country' is presently agricultural land outside the built-up area of the town traversed by a number of public rights of way but with no formal facilities. As such, it is not included in the analyses of open spaces in the Green Space Strategy. Pursuing a more formal management regime on this land may provide scope for (parts of) it to be considered as amenity greenspace and / or natural and semi-natural open space.

Policy NH8: North Stevenage Country Park

Within that part of the Rectory Lane and St Nicholas Conservation Area which lies within the Green Belt, proposals that facilitate improved public access and / or the creation of a country park will be supported in principle where they also support the aims and purposes of the existing policy designations.

Horse and Pony Route

8.8.4 The Borough Council designated a Horse and Pony Riding Route in 1983 around the edge of Stevenage linking surrounding bridleways and incorporating a route diagonally across the Town through Fairlands Valley. The linking up of the existing Horse and Pony Route and its extension to the countryside is considered important as it is seen as an essential leisure facility and enables access to the countryside. It is therefore considered vital that the existing and proposed routes are protected. The retention, maintenance and extension of this route will therefore be promoted by the Borough Council. Developments which incorporate an existing Horse and Pony Route such as the development at Stevenage West will be expected to make provision to allow the routes to be extended into the surrounding countryside.

(Former) POLICY L23: HORSE AND PONY ROUTE

Any reduction to the existing and proposed Horse and Pony Route as shown on the Proposals Map will be resisted. Where appropriate, new developments will be expected to include land for the extension of the Horse and Pony Route. Any development which adversely affects the route will not be permitted unless a satisfactory alternative route is provided.