2 LOCAL PLAN POLICY CONTEXT

The Three Rivers Core Strategy

2.1 All local plan documents must be in general conformity with the Core Strategy. The Core Strategy therefore forms the main local policy basis for the Site Allocations document. The Three Rivers Core Strategy was adopted by the Council on 17 October 2011.

2.2 The Core Strategy seeks to provide growth required to support local communities and provide for their needs in the most sustainable way possible. The main emphasis is to continue to focus development within the existing urban area through development of previously developed land and appropriate infilling, recognising potential for mixed use development to contribute to the development of sustainable communities. This will be followed by development at the most sustainable locations on the edge of existing settlements.

2.3 The Core Strategy Spatial Strategy sets out that all development sites will be identified having regard to a criteria-based approach, taking into account whether development on the site:

Will be accessible to public transport, services and facilities,
Will not have a significant impact on the environment including in terms of impacts on the Green Belt, visual amenity, heritage assets, transport and environmental quality including wildlife, flood risk and water pollution, and
Is likely to come forward over the plan period.

2.4 More detailed criteria for the selection of housing sites are set out in Core Strategy Appendix 2.

The Policies Map

2.5 The Policies Map illustrates the areas of the District to which various local plan policies apply, including:

Areas of protection such as Green Belt and nature conservation sites, and
Sites allocated for a particular use, through the local plan process.

2.6 The current policies map for Three Rivers was adopted as part of the Three Rivers Local Plan 1996-2011 in 2001. On adoption of the Site Allocations document, this policies map will be updated to take account of the new and revised allocations as set out in this document.

Minerals and Waste Development Plan

2.7 Hertfordshire County Council is responsible for preparing the Minerals and Waste local plans which will set out the principles for the amount of mineral extraction and waste treatment that will take place in the County to 2026, identify the locations where the most important of these activities will take place, and contain some broad principles that will apply when planning applications for minerals or waste development are being considered.

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