Natural Environment and Open Spaces

4. The NPPF supports the designation of Local Green Spaces in neighbourhood plans so that communities can identify and protect green areas of particular importance to them (para 106).  Local Green Spaces have to meet certain criteria set out in the NPPF in order to justify their designation.

5. Policy TNP2 will give the key public open spaces in the Tasley area strong and long-term protection.  These open spaces were identified as candidate Local Green Spaces in the TNP community survey results and subsequent consultations, and the public responses, clearly demonstrated that a significant number of residents and visitors to these open spaces value them for community use, heritage, wildlife or visual amenity or a combination of these.

6. Local Green Space designation is given the same level of protection as Green Belt in national planning policy.  In addition, any Local Green Spaces designated in Shropshire for their wildlife value are given the same protection as locally designated biodiversity and geological sites under Policy DP12. The Natural Environment of the emerging SLP.  This will apply to sites 1, 2, 4 and 6. 

7. There are a number of publicly accessible open spaces in the area.  These are:

• Nature Zone off Clee View Road*

• St Peter and St Paul Church and Grounds

• Tasley Cemetery

• Trinity Wood and Brick Kiln Plantation*

• Wenlock Rise Central Green with Play Area*

• Wenlock Rise Natural Area*

 * Categorised as a publicly accessible open space in the Shropshire Green Infrastructure Study 2020

8. Tasley Neighbourhood Plan Survey Results Part 3.4 sets out the consultation results for frequency of use of local facilities in Tasley.  This includes both open spaces and community facilities such as the village hall and pub. Figure 2 (reproduced from the report) shows that around half of residents who responded to the community survey regularly used some or all of the six publicly accessible open spaces listed above (of the total respondents: 84 were resident and 19 non-resident).   The vast majority of resident respondents valued these open spaces for community use, heritage, wildlife or visual amenity (views and surroundings) and considered that they should be given long term protection through a policy in the TNP (see Figure 3).

9. Appendix 2 Local Green Spaces includes tables showing how each of the six areas meets the criteria for Local Green Space set out in NPPF para 107.