Summary of policies included in the Pembury Neighbourhood Plan

Policy P1: Location of Development (page 16)

The Neighbourhood Plan is not allocating sites, as this is being addressed through the strategic sites set out in the emerging Local Plan, which itself is currently being examined. Should additional development proposals to those contained in the Local Plan come forward, Policy P1 seeks to ensure that they are directed to the most sustainable locations in the Parish – i.e. within the ‘Built Up Area Boundary’. This will help to protect the Green Belt and the sensitive High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as well as other valued green spaces within the Parish. It will also serve to discourage any further coalescence with Royal Tunbridge Wells

Policy P2: Meeting local housing needs (page 20)

Ensure that new homes meet the needs of local people and achieve a balanced mix of development in terms of size, tenure and affordability.

Policy P3: Character and design of development (page 24)

Protect and enhance the character of the area, incorporating the principles set out in the Pembury Design Guidance and Codes.  Ensure good quality design is incorporated into new developments.

Policy P4: Energy efficiency and design (page 29)

Ensure all developments – including any retrofit of older properties – meet the highest energy efficiency and environmental standards.

Policy P5: Sewerage and drainage infrastructure (page 32)

Seek to ensure that developments adequately address flooding, including the overflow of sewers, and incorporate suitable drainage systems, which contribute to local biodiversity.

Policy P6: Conserving heritage assets (page 35)

Identifying locally important heritage assets so that these are considered as part of any planning decisions impacting on them.

Policy P7: Supporting flexible workspaces and opportunities for homeworking (page 39)

Supporting proposals that would enable people to work more flexible, including from home, as well as the provision of start-up units and shared office space.

Policy P8: Green and blue infrastructure and delivering biodiversity net gain (page 41)

Requiring proposals to deliver a net gain in biodiversity, ideally either on site or within the parish – identifying areas where biodiversity and habitats can be improved.

Policy P9: Local green spaces (page 48)

Protecting 14 Green Spaces that are demonstrably special to the local community from inappropriate development.

Policy P10: Managing the environmental impact of development (page 51)

Protecting and enhancing the key natural features of the parish, including trees, woodland and hedges, and supporting wildlife-friendly features within proposals.

Policy P11: Locally significant views (page 56)

Protecting nine individual views throughout the Parish that hold particular significance related to local heritage and landscape.

Policy P12: Dark skies (page 59)

Seeking to ensure that proposals do not impact on the dark skies of the Parish, which support nocturnal and diurnal wildlife and are valued by the community.

Policy P13: Improving walking, cycling and equestrian opportunities (page 61)

Protect and enhance the routes that will encourage more ‘active travel’ (walking and riding) locally, with specific opportunities for improvements identified.

Policy P14: Publicly accessible parking (page 69)

Supporting proposals that would provide additional publicly accessible off-road car parking spaces, including along Hastings Road and the High Street. This is for cars, electric vehicles and bicycles.

Policy P15: Improving opportunities for community and cultural facilities, sport and recreation (page 70)

Setting out specific facilities and improvements that would be supported within proposals, based on the needs identified in the community.