Page 361 - All files for Planning Inspectorate update

The primary purpose of AONB designation is to conserve and enhance natural beauty,
while taking into account the needs of agriculture and forestry and the economic and
social interests of rural areas (Section 82 Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 and
section 37 Countryside Act 1968).

The NPPF, paragraph 115 states that
great weight should be given to
conserving landscape and scenic
beauty in AONBs which are given the
highest status of protection in relation
to landscape and scenic beauty and
that the conservation of wildlife and
cultural heritage are important
considerations.

Coalescence

The majority of the dwellings (some 69%) and population are located in the defined
Built Up Area, as shown in Map 2 (Appendix 1). There are low-density residential
areas to the west of the parish, along both sides of the A22 Lewes Road, and to the east
along part of Hammerwood Road and Cansiron Lane. The arrangement of the parish
boundary means that there are a number of residents with an Ashurst Wood address
who are in Forest Row parish (and Wealden district), some of whom have to pass
through Ashurst Wood when they travel to and from their homes.

There is a defined strategic gap between Ashurst Wood and East Grinstead, as
described in MSDC’s Technical Report (no. 8), 2001, prepared as part of the evidence
base for the Mid Sussex Local Plan 2004. Although there is residential development
along the south west side of the Lewes Road on both sides of the parish boundary,
there is a distinct separation to the north west of Hectors Lane and the areas further
north and south of the Lewes Road remain undeveloped.

East Grinstead Town Council has confirmed a similar desire to avoid coalescence and
to maintain its existing strategic and local gaps, including the gap between East
Grinstead and Ashurst Wood, and the Village Council will collaborate with the Town
Council in order to achieve this shared policy objective. This is in line with the High
Weald AONB Management Plan S2 Objective (to protect the historic pattern of
settlement).
There is no defined gap between the parishes of Ashurst Wood and Forest Row. In
Maypole Road, Cansiron Lane and Hammerwood Road, residential development
extends to the boundary with Forest Row. On the other side of the boundary, in Forest
Row parish, residential development is more spread out, comprising a number of
farms and small groups of houses. This helps to provide a visual separation between
the built up areas of the two parishes.

AWNP March 2016 Page 18