Strategic and Local Gaps

Strategic Gaps

92. Strategic Gaps are designated to protect those areas of land which, although not necessarily of the highest visual attractiveness, have particular importance as open and undeveloped land. This land is an important element in the structure of the settlement pattern at a strategic level, providing a clear visual and physical break in the built environment. They keep individual settlements separate and distinct. They may also have other important benefits for local communities as areas with recreation, amenity, and/or nature conservation value. Strict control of development is necessary if their importance is to be maintained.

G1 To prevent neighbouring urban areas from merging into one another, strategic gaps, comprising land which has a predominantly open and/or rural appearance, will be maintained between:

Fareham/Stubbington and Fareham Western Wards/Whiteley (the Meon Gap);

Fleet and Aldershot/Yateley;

The Blackwater Valley towns (Aldershot to Yateley) and the County Boundary

(the Blackwater Gap);

Southampton and Eastleigh.

The precise boundaries of these gaps will be defined in local plans with the objectives of preventing coalescence and protecting the separate identity and amenity of the urban areas they separate. Only land necessary to achieve these long-term objectives will be included.

Permission will only be granted for development even in accordance with other policies in the Plan where:

(i) it cannot more suitably be located elsewhere; or

(ii) it would not compromise, individually or cumulatively with other existing or proposed development, the integrity of the gap.

93. Within the densely urbanised parts of the southern and north-eastern parts of Hampshire there are substantial areas of open or undeveloped land which are of fundamental importance for shaping the settlement pattern. They perform a role in providing extensive breaks in these large and complex built-up areas. In the south, they help to break up the otherwise continuous built-up area with its population of over one million people. In the north-east, the towns are part of an urban area of around 300,000 people, interspersed with open and undeveloped land, which extends on both sides of the county boundary. The Blackwater River runs through a ribbon of open and undeveloped land with narrow strips of land running between the towns either side to the open countryside beyond. These areas are of strategic importance to the separate identity of the settlements and are therefore designated Strategic Gaps.

94. These gaps all have a long-term importance. Their continuing value as open and predominantly undeveloped countryside depends on retaining their current size and enhancing their character. They are areas which should be protected from built development. Because of their long-term importance, once fixed in local plans, their boundaries should be altered only in exceptional circumstances.

G2 To maintain the principal breaks of open and undeveloped land between built-up areas, strategic gaps will be maintained between the following:

Southampton and Totton

Southampton - Hedge End/Bursledon/Netley

North Baddesley/Valley Park

Stubbington/Lee on the Solent and Fareham/Gosport

Waterlooville and Havant

Havant and Rowlands Castle

Emsworth and Havant

Totton/Eling and Marchwood

Marchwood and Hythe

Hythe and Fawley

The precise boundaries of the strategic gaps will be defined in local plans:

(i) after provision has been made for the development requirements established in other policies in the Plan; and

(ii) including no more land than is required to effect the physical and/or visual separation of the settlements adjoining the gap.

Within defined strategic gaps, permission would not normally be granted for development which would diminish the gap physically or visually.

95. In southern Hampshire stretches of open and undeveloped land run through the urban areas helping to break up the otherwise continuous built-up area and, in some areas, providing an important open link to the few remaining stretches of undeveloped coast. These are also designated Strategic Gaps.

96. The only circumstance under which development may be allowed in the Strategic Gaps identified in Policies G1 and G2, is if it can be justified in the light of other policies of this Plan (for example, development needed to implement proposals arising from one of the proposed integrated transport strategies, Policy T1), or if it does not permanently visually or physically diminish the area defined in the local plan as the Strategic Gap. Different locations within individual Strategic Gaps may be more suitable than others for development if it is deemed necessary. New buildings should be small scale and unobtrusive and local authorities will take account of their cumulative impact and the intensification of existing uses. Recreation and leisure development will be allowed only if any buildings associated with the use are small scale, unobtrusive and ancillary to an outdoor recreation or leisure use. Redevelopment of existing buildings within Strategic Gaps may be allowed.

97. The precise boundaries of Strategic Gaps will be defined in local plans having regard to the development requirements set out in other policies in this plan.