1.7 Although Melton Borough Council and North West Leicestershire District Council do not have green wedges within their administrative boundaries, the authorities have worked collaboratively on the preparation of this Statement due to the strategic nature of this designation for Leicestershire as a whole. This statement has been prepared in partnership with Officers from the following local authorities: Charnwood Borough Council; Harborough District Council; Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council; Leicester City Council; Leicestershire County Council; Melton Borough Council; North West Leicestershire District Council; and Oadby and Wigston Borough Council.
1.8 The Strategic Growth Plan for Leicester and Leicestershire2 has been prepared by the ten partner organisations in Leicester and Leicestershire to provide a long-term vision to address challenges and provide opportunities. It is a non-statutory plan, but it sets out an agreed strategy for the period to 2050 which will be delivered through local plans. The Growth Plan includes a number of principal building blocks, one of these blocks is entitled 'protecting our environmental, historic and other assets'. This recognises the assets which are most important within the Growth Plan area identifying key features and designations to aid decisions about areas that need to be protected. This includes key features such as areas separating urban areas, i.e., green wedges, valuable landscapes and townscapes, local nature conservation designations, civic heritage to name a few.
2.1 The UK Government released a revised version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in December 2023, first published in 2012 and last updated in September 2023. A previous update to the NPPF in July 2021 included the introduction of design codes, tree protection and tree lined streets, and the emphasis on tackling climate change. These amendments reflected the 'Living with Beauty' Report3 recommendations, and there are more references to protection and enhancement of the environment and tackling climate change.
2.2 The NPPF does not contain a specific reference to green wedges, although paragraph 1 does make it clear that the Framework 'sets out the Government's planning policies for England and how these should be applied. It provides a framework within which locally-prepared plans can provide for sufficient housing and other development in a sustainable manner. Preparing and maintaining up-to-date plans should be seen as a priority in meeting this objective. The green wedge designation is consistent with the NPPF for the reasons set out below.
2.3 Paragraph 8 of the NPPF outlines three dimensions of sustainable development; economic, social and environmental. There is a strong relationship between green wedges and the environmental objective of sustainable development as green wedges help to protect and enhance our natural, built and historic environment; including
2 Leicester and Leicestershire Strategic Growth Plan (2018)
3 MHCLG (2020) Living with beauty: report of the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission (Living with beauty: report of the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk))
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