Our policies, plans and strategies - Local Green Space background paper

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2012 allows communities to nominate green spaces to be designated as Local Green Space. This designation can be made when either a Local Plan is adopted or a Neighbourhood Plan ‘made’.

Local Green Space designation gives the green space a very high level of protection against development and the NPPF states that the Local Green Space designation will not be suitable for most green space.

During 2012 and 2013 Harborough District Council undertook two ‘call for sites’ asking for Local Green Space nominations to be submitted with evidence supporting their designation.

A total of 177 sites were nominated by communities, and these were assessed against the criteria within the NPPF, the information concerning Local Green Space in the Planning Practice Guidance and comments made by Examiners during neighbourhood Plan examinations.

To be designated the site needed to have special significance to the community by either being used for a community event in the past, or have some sort of structure erected upon it that was of community significance. Any sites that were private gardens were excluded from the designation, as were sites that had existing protection such as Scheduled Ancient Monuments and Open Space Sport and Recreation sites.

The landowners of submitted sites were contacted to seek their representations concerning the nomination, and recommendations were reassessed in the light of the comments received.

A total of 43 sites are considered to be suitable as Local Green Space, and the justification for the decisions are shown in Appendix 1. Plans for the sites are shown in Appendix 2.

• Local Green Space background paper (PDF, 3.4MB)