Policy information sourced from Barking and Dagenham Adopted Core Strategy
POLICY CM3: GREEN BELT AND PUBLIC OPEN SPACES
The Council will ensure that important areas of public open space are identified and protected from development, that public open space is created and improved in areas of deficiency, and support the implementation of the East London Green Grid, the Blue Ribbon Network, and the Barking and Dagenham Landscape Framework Plan.
Barking and Dagenham’s Green Belt will be protected and maintained in accordance with national policy.
Barking Park, Parsloes Park and Mayesbrook Park have been designated as Metropolitan Open Land and will therefore be safeguarded from inappropriate development and afforded the same level of protection as the Green Belt. Within these areas essential facilities for appropriate uses may be considered where this would not have an adverse impact on:
- The openness of the land.
- The historic and cultural environment.
- The quality and character value of the open space.
- Habitats and species of biodiversity value.
In addition to the Borough’s Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land, a number of local public open spaces have also been identified for protection. These are indicated on the Proposals Map. The Site Specific Allocations DPD will review these designations and confirm what local public open spaces are to be designated as District Parks, Local Parks and Open Spaces and Small Open Spaces in accordance with the London Plan’s public open space hierarchy.
In very exceptional cases it may be appropriate to allow local public open spaces to be developed provided that a new equivalent or better type or quality of public open space is provided in an area of open space deficiency. Where any such development is proposed, particular consideration should be given to whether the development will improve access to and quality of open space, to enhancing biodiversity, and to whether open space provision in the ‘donor’ area will remain at an acceptable level.
Where appropriate, new development will be expected to provide on site provision of public open space, or developer contributions towards off-site provision of public open space and/or improvement of existing spaces.
Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land
- The protection afforded to the Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land is consistent (respectively) with Planning Policy Guidance 2 (PPG2) and the London Plan. There are no existing major developed sites within the Green Belt.
- As the development needs of the Borough can be accommodated on previously developed land within the existing urban areas of the Borough and in the Key Regeneration Areas referred to in Policy CM1, alterations to the Green Belt boundary have not been necessary.
Definition of Metropolitan Open Land:
A strategic open space designation that protects strategically important open space within the built environment. Metropolitan Open Land is the same as the Green Belt in terms of protection from development and serves a similar purpose.
For more information please see the Barking and Dagenham Adopted Core Strategy