Comment

Representation ID: 3342

Received: 26/04/2012

Paragraph 5.38:

A Green Infrastructure Strategy for the borough would help to guide development policy in terms of the need to conserve and enhance spaces and landscape features within and close to proposed development areas. It would also help to identify areas of deficit and provide evidence for securing funding for developer Section 106 and CIL funds to contribute to delivery and long term management of GI in the borough. This will in turn contribute to the actions in the East Sussex Environment Strategy for Green Infrastructure.

The incorporation of environmentally sensitive design in development schemes, e.g. sensitive planting regimes, bat bricks, green roofs, sustainable drainage systems etc, can also contribute to green infrastructure and should be encouraged.

The policy should reflect that habitats can include manmade structures, e.g. buildings may house bats and/or breeding birds, local stone can be important for lichens and bryophytes, and bare ground is important for some species.

In addition it should also reflect that new planting should be appropriate to the local area, taking into consideration the requirements of mobile species which may use the new "green" space as a wildlife corridor.

The strategy could including mapping of all of the many and varied GI assets in the Borough to show how these are interrelated and identify opportunities to link them:

Ghylls and ghyll woodland
Streams and water features
Woods and Tree features
Parks / cemeteries and other public spaces including squares and hard landscaped areas.
Public rights of Way, By ways and green lanes
Other important landscape features e.g. cliffs and built features etc.
Semi natural green spaces
Seafront

Paragraph 5.39: The identification of green infrastructure networks for the Borough within allocation sites should have regard to the action plan for green infrastructure that is being developed through implementation of the Environment Strategy. The potential for existing green lanes and route ways to provide sustainable transport opportunities for walking, cycling and horses, as well as corridors for wildlife is a particular feature in Hastings.