Page 18 - Ickford Neighbourhood Plan

18 VISION FOR ICKFORD : ICKFORD NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN : 2019 – 2033

POLICY NE1: LANDSCAPE, VIEWS AND DARK SKIES

Landscaping schemes for developments shall include planting trees of suitable native
species that respect the local district landscape character as informed by the Aylesbury
Vale Landscape Character Assessment. Applications for development within ickford
should be accompanied by a tree and hedgerow survey and safeguard trees of high or
moderate quality from the unacceptable effects of development, in accordance with
BS5837 (2012).

Open views in and around Ickford are a valued part of the village and shall be
maintained without visual intrusion where possible. Key views are shown on the plan
at Annex 3. In such views, there shall be no unacceptable loss of visual amenity.

The historic ridge and furrow shall be retained where possible. Should development
be permitted on sites where ridge and furrow survives, full mapping of the feature
should be undertaken.

Development proposals shall include provisions for conserving dark skies, which is a
highly valued feature of the village. All new lighting proposed as part of new
development shall not exceed the standards for Zone E2 set in the Institute of Lighting
Professionals Guidance Note 01/20. Proposals for street lighting should be avoided
unless required by the Local Highway Authority where the need can be justified.

Green Infrastructure and Biodiversity

6.17.
6.17.
6.17. Green infrastructure is a network of multi-functional green space,
6.17.
6.17.
both new and existing, both rural and urban, which supports the natural and
ecological processes and is integral to the health and quality of life of
sustainable communities. Green infrastructure strategies are needed to
maintain green corridors and extend or enhance them where possible. This
includes buffer zones to infrastructure such as the M40 motorway where
such buffer zones provide not only a refuge for wildlife, but effective noise
attenuation.

6.18.
6.18.
6.18. Where new development takes place, the layout and form of new
6.18.
6.18.
buildings should have regard for the rural setting of the village, with its
existing green spaces and corridors. Development should enhance green
spaces or features and the connections between them where practicable. New
development must provide a 10% biodiversity net gain in line with the
emerging Environment Bill.

6.19
6.19
6.19.
6.19
6.19 Whilst there are no statutory wildlife designations in the Parish,
Ickford and the surrounding area now lies in Natural England’s Bernwood
focus area which sets out specific information on the management of
biodiversity and ecology related to the local environment. This area provides
a habitat for a range of flora and fauna. The characteristics of the habitat are
meadowland, river and ditches, well established hedgerows and some
woodland. Ickford Parish encompasses one non-statutory site of nature
conservation interest, Waterperry Fields Biological Notification Site (BNS).
Development on or adjacent to this site should be avoided. The southern

VISION FOR ICKFORD – NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN
www.visionforickford.co.uk