NM12: Walking and Cycling
This policy is proposed to be modified from the current Neighbourhood Plan
The policy is proposed to have a minor update (in red) to recognise the need to improve the network across the whole town, including connections to the wider district network and from all areas including the New Forest and the seafront.
Policy NM12: Walking and Cycling
The Neighbourhood Plan identifies a walking and cycling network, as shown on the Policies Map,
to promote sustainable travelwith the purpose of supporting healthy and safe active travel opportunities.Proposals which create opportunities to improve this network, including new walking and cycling routes to connect the existing and new residential areas of the
townparish with the town centre and facilitating access to and from the seafront and the New Forest will be supported.
Please review the proposed modifications and tell the steering group your thoughts on the proposed changes.
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Original policy text
The Neighbourhood Plan identifies a walking/cycling network, as shown on the Policies Map, to promote sustainable travel.
Proposals which create new walking and cycling routes to connect the existing and new residential areas of the town with the Town Centre will be supported.
Development proposals on land that lies within proximity of the ‘Green Loop’ will be supported where they:
- demonstrate how they sustain or enhance the collective function of the network;
- ii. In proximity to Danes Stream and Becton Bunny opportunities are taken to open up culverts and create habitat enhancements while maintaining at least an 8m buffer from any works; and
- iii. have regard to how their landscape schemes, layouts, access and public open space provision and other amenity requirements may contribute to the maintenance and improvement of the network, while avoiding having an urbanising effect on any existing Public Rights of Way.
Development proposals requiring the preparation and agreement of travel plans as planning conditions or obligations, are required to prioritise in their travel interventions the making of financial contributions to footpath and cycleway improvement projects connecting their schemes with the town centre, including the strategic allocations at Land at Brockhills Lane and Land South of Gore Road.
Development proposals that will result on the unnecessary loss or obstruction of a section of cycleway or footway, that cannot be satisfactorily mitigated, will be resisted.
Supporting text
New Milton is a conventional form of town, with its centre located broadly in the centre of the settlement, with rail station close by and various suburbs surrounding it, connected by the main roads leading into the centre from all direction. The main patterns of movement generated from within the town are car-based.
Growth on the edges of the town is likely to increase congestion in the town centre (including increasing the demand for car parking space) and on roads heading north and west. There is no prospect of creating additional road capacity in or around the town centre, so the challenge is to provide realistic alternatives to car trips and to invest in improvements.