Providing Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces

Unlocking Housing Land Supply - providing Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces (SANG)

From Autumn 2005 until September 2008 the Council was unable to grant planning permission for any new housing in the Borough. Since September 2008 the Council has only been able to grant planning permission on sites of less than 9 units (net). This problem has been caused because large areas of land around the edge of the Borough and 22% of the Borough are covered by Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area. The area protects heathland inhabited by rare and endangered species of ground nesting birds.

Housing can only be permitted where it can be shown to cause no harm to this area. Harm can be caused by increased recreational usage.

One solution is to identify alternative improved or new recreational areas for use by residents of new development. Such areas are known as Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces or SANG. Difficulty in finding such areas, means that there is significant uncertainty over future housing land supply in the Borough. This uncertainty makes it difficult to demonstrate that the Core Strategy and Development Management Policies DPD can deliver the housing numbers required by the South East Plan.

The Council is therefore undertaking a consultation between 4th January to 15th February of 2010 to look at options for providing sufficient SANG. The Councils preferred option is to acquire land for strategic SANG.

Further details are set out in the summary leaflet and main consultation document attached below. An e-form has been provided for comments alternatively please write in with your comments to:

Download

• Complete the SANG Comments Form
• Issues and options for provision of SANG within Surrey HeathFile Type: Adobe PDF document, File Size:519.54 Kb (76 seconds @ 56K) Opens in a new window
• Sustainability Appraisal of Issues and Options for Provision of SANGFile Type: Adobe PDF document, File Size:1,158.96 Kb (170 seconds @ 56K) Opens in a new window
• SANG NewsletterFile Type: Adobe PDF document, File Size:353.38 Kb (52 seconds @ 56K) Opens in a new window

Planning Policy and Conservation Team
Surrey Heath Borough Council
Surrey Heath House
Knoll Road
Camberley
Surrey, GU15 3HD.