Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Management Plan Objectives and Management Policies
EXISTING THEME 1: Landscape, Biodiversity and Farming
EXISTING MANAGEMENT PLAN OBJECTIVES
OB1 Land use management decisions will demonstrate consideration of landscape, cultural associations, tranquillity, biodiversity
and geodiversity to conserve and enhance the area.
OB2 Protected habitats and species will be conserved and enhanced.
OB3 The area retains its assemblage of landscape features which contribute to the character of the AONB and Stour Valley.
SUGGESTED NEW THEME
The Countryside
1. Productive farming remains the dominant land use in the area. Decisions on land use will seek to conserve and enhance and
demonstrate due regard to the specific qualities of the area including: landscape; wildlife; cultural associations; built heritage;
tranquillity and geodiversity.
Suggested PLAN POLICIES
 Encourage greater understanding of the Dedham Vale and Stour Valley landscape character.
 Support land managers to conserve and enhance the qualities of the area including: landscape; wildlife; cultural associations;
built heritage; tranquillity and geodiversity.
 Encourage national and local planning policy to reflect the significance of the AONB and Stour Valley
 Support developments which improve resilience and reflect the specific qualities of the area.
 Resist fragmentation of farmland and habitats and encourage landscape scale co-ordination of initiatives to conserve and
enhance the area.
 Support developments from farming and local businesses which contribute to the conservation and enhancement of the area.
 Seek to protect the area, including its setting, from developments that detract from its specific qualities.
Further suggestions……………..
Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Management Plan Objectives and Management Policies
EXISTING THEME 2: Settlements and People
EXISTING MANAGEMENT PLAN OBJECTIVES
OB4 Development should be of an appropriate scale and take into account the landscape qualities of the area, from Local
Landscape Character Assessments and should not adversely affect the integrity of any European site.
OB5 The character of historic villages, buildings and conservation areas are maintained or enhanced.
OB6 Infrastructure developments are of a type and scale appropriate to the AONB and Stour Valley.
OB7 Heritage features are protected and there is a greater understanding of their significance.
SUGGESTED NEW THEME
Villages and residents
2. Local people live in and contribute to a high quality environment and the benefits on a life that is partly dependent on the areas
natural capital is recognised.
Suggested PLAN POLICIES
 Support development in villages that contributes to the conservation and enhancement of village character
 Local plans reflect the requirement to conserve and enhance the AONB and Stour Valley
 Encourage communities to increase their understanding of the area and become involved in environmental projects to conserve
and enhance the areas qualities
 Promote the appeal and distinctiveness of villages to help develop the visitor appeal
 Promote the role of villages as centres of rural economy
 Encourage Local Enterprise Partnerships to support activities that build the areas natural capital and conserve and enhance its
qualities
 Support the provision of high speed broadband to the area where the infrastructure does not detract from its qualities
Further suggestions……………..
Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Management Plan Objectives and Management Policies
EXISTING THEME 3: Enjoying the Area
EXISTING MANAGEMENT PLAN OBJECTIVES
OB8 Provide high quality of public rights of way including facilities for less able visitors and increase the access provision for
walkers and riders.
OB9 Maintain and protect the tranquillity of the area, particularly in the AONB.
OB10 Encourage sustainable businesses, tourism and transport opportunities to the area.
OB11 Improve popular understanding of the area, in particular the AONB designation, its purpose and its heritage features.
SUGGESTED NEW THEME
Enjoying the Area
3. There are opportunities for high quality enjoyable recreation and access opportunities for all supported by sustainable visitor
businesses and other providers
Suggested PLAN POLICIES
 Further develop improvements to the rights of way network and develop new access opportunities
 New visitor facilities reflect the scale and qualities of the AONB and Stour Valley
 Support co-ordination of the visitor product
 Raise awareness of the importance of the AONB designation to visitor service providers and visitors themselves
 Encourage residents to use the countryside on their doorstep
 Encourage those enjoying the area not to adversely impact the special qualities of the AONB and Stour Valley
 Support activity to encourage sustainable visits to the area and travel within the AONB and Stour Valley
Further suggestions……………..
Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Management Plan Objectives and Management Policies
EXISTING THEME 4: The River and its Tributaries
EXISTING MANAGEMENT PLAN OBJECTIVES
OB12 The river and its tributaries provide a key landscape feature for the Stour Valley.
OB13 The Stour provides water for irrigation on local farms in a sustainable manner.
OB14 The Ely Ouse to Essex Water Transfer Scheme is understood and operated in such a way that it has negligible effects on
the landscape, biodiversity and recreation interests of the valley.
OB15 Recreational use does not conflict with the tranquillity of the area nor impacts adversely on landscape and biodiversity.
OB16 Water in the Stour and its tributaries is of the highest possible quality and operations within the valley seek to minimise any
adverse effects.
OB17 Flood management measures in the valley protect people and property and where possible seek to enhance biodiversity and
the landscape.
OB18 Historic river navigation structures are understood and conserved as heritage features.
SUGGESTED NEW THEME
4. The River and its Tributaries
The River Stour is a key landscape feature in the valley and functions as a wildlife, recreation and water resource.
Suggested PLAN POLICIES
 Seek opportunities for landscape and wildlife enhancements to the river environment.
 Support projects where the River Stour is managed to achieve the best possible water quality, channel management and
landscape quality.
 Active navigation features are maintained to a high standard and navigation infrastructure reflects the AONB and Stour Valley
qualities
 Encourage flood control systems to be well co-ordinated and where possible enhance the areas landscape and wildlife habitats
 Support recreational activity that does not detract from the areas qualities
 Irrigation for local farms is sustainable
 Support projects that seek to implement the Water Framework Directive and environmental enhancement schemes at a
catchment level
Further suggestions……………..
Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Management Plan Objectives and Management Policies
EXISTING THEME 5: Traffic and Transport
EXISTING MANAGEMENT PLAN OBJECTIVES
OB19 Minimise the impact of road transport on the landscape quality and tranquillity of the area, particularly the AONB.
OB20 Encourage the development and use of public transport systems and railway stations promoted as gateways to the area for
visitors and commuters.
OB21 Minimise the impact of local, regional and national infrastructure transport developments, including maintenance, on the
biodiversity and landscape quality and tranquillity of the area, particularly the AONB.
SUGGESTED NEW THEME
Remove theme and put SUGGESTED PLAN policies in other themes
 Promote the use of more sustainable transport [Into theme 3]
 Ensure transport policy recognises the qualities of the AONB and Stour Valley and its associated features [Into theme 1]
 Encourage more sustainable ways to visit the area and travelling within the AONB and Stour Valley [Into theme 3]
 Seek to reduce, mitigate and offset impact of nationally significant transport infrastructure and networks on the AONB and Stour
Valley [Into theme 1]
Further suggestions……………..