wedge areas were shown to be of high value and as such important to the local community. Green wedges are therefore important to local people, and they help shape the communities' surroundings.

2.8 Paragraph 17 of the NPPF states that 'the development plan must include strategic policies to address each local planning authority's priorities for the development and use of land in its area'. Paragraph 20 continues to highlight that 'strategic policies should set out an overall strategy for the pattern, scale and design quality of places (to ensure outcomes support beauty and placemaking), and make sufficient provision for:

• a)housing (including affordable housing), employment, retail, leisure and other commercial development;
• b)infrastructure for transport, telecommunications, security, waste management, water supply, wastewater, flood risk and coastal change management, and the provision of minerals and energy (including heat);
• c)community facilities (such as health, education and cultural infrastructure); and
• d)conservation and enhancement of the natural, built and historic environment, including landscapes and green infrastructure, and planning measures to address climate change mitigation and adaptation’.
• d)conservation and enhancement of the natural, built and historic environment, including landscapes and green infrastructure, and planning measures to address climate change mitigation and adaptation'.

2.9 Green wedges help to guide the form of new developments as urban areas grow as well as safeguarding the identities of communities within and around urban areas that face growth pressures and providing a recreational resource. Alongside this, green wedges help to conserve and enhance the natural environment providing green infrastructure, aiding climate change resilience and providing flood alleviation measures. Therefore, green wedges help to inform the 'overall strategy for the pattern, scale and design quality' as urban areas grow. As set out in the Leicester and Leicestershire Green Wedge Joint Methodology not all parts of the green wedge need to fulfil all four functions, however in its entirety the green wedge is expected to contribute to all the functions. Green wedges therefore are multi-functional and deliver a wide range of benefits to the local and wider communities they serve.

2.10 Paragraphs 24-27 of the Framework sets out how local planning authorities and County Councils should maintain effective cooperation on strategic matters, including the duty to cooperate. As set out above, this Statement has been prepared jointly including all local planning authorities within the Leicester and Leicestershire Housing Market Area as the green wedge designation is seen as an important Leicestershire-wide designation.

2.11 Leicester and Leicestershire Authorities have an on-going working relationship regarding green wedges (as well as other topic areas) which commenced after the removal of the overarching Structure Plan policies and continued after the revocation of the Regional Plan with the aim of ensuring that the green wedge designation retained its strategic cross-border function through the review of its boundaries. This has included working together to produce the Leicester and Leicestershire Green Wedge Review Joint Methodology and NPPF Consistency Statements. This joint working demonstrates that Leicester and Leicestershire Authorities are committed to the continuation of green wedges subject to their review through the preparation of

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