Policy 6 -- National Landscape Quality

 

Purpose:  To protect and enhance the setting of the Village including views of the landscape and scenic beauty, cultural heritage, sense of remoteness, peace and tranquillity and dark skies as exemplified in the National Landscape designation.

 

Policy: Development proposals will be required to conserve and enhance the scenic beauty and special qualities of the Suffolk and Essex Coast and Heaths National Landscape

 

Proposals for new development must demonstrate that they will conserve and enhance the following aspects of the National Landscape as viewed towards and from Walberswick  including from its network of footpaths, and other public places:

  • visual integrity,
  • identity,
  • sense of remoteness
  • scenic quality and
  • cultural heritage

 

All development proposals should have regard for the following impacts:

  • Direct impacts resulting from changes to the visual and aural environment in the setting of the development which may intrude, distract or disturb
  • Indirect or secondary impacts caused beyond the site of the proposed development such as those associated with traffic and car parking and additional visitor numbers
  • Cumulative impacts of incremental development

 

In order to protect the tranquillity, dark skies, sense of remoteness and wildlife and biodiversity interests within the National Landscape at Walberswick, proposals including external lighting in prominent locations likely to be visible from the surrounding landscape will not normally be supported.

 

Where internal lighting is likely to cause disturbance or risk to wildlife, including protected bird species, or impacts on dark skies and tranquillity, proposals will be required for mitigating pollution from those internal light sources.

 

In order to minimise light pollution, all planning consents will be subject to the following conditions in respect of external lighting:

(i) Fully shielded (enclosed in full cut-off flat glass fitments)

(ii) Directed downwards (mounted horizontally to the ground and not tilted upwards)

(iii) No dusk to dawn lamps

(iv) White light low-energy lamps (LED, metal halide or fluorescent) and not orange or pink sodium sources