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ID sylw: 107274

Derbyniwyd: 07/03/2025

Ymatebydd: Cotswolds National Landscape Board

In principle, the Cotswolds National Landscape (CNL) Board agrees with the approach laid out in Draft Policy Direction 25.
However, we do not think that the Draft Policy Direction has adequately addressed the issue of ‘local distinctiveness’.
Local distinctiveness is concerned with celebrating the unique characteristics of a place. The policy refers to creating ‘distinctive’ neighbourhoods. However, the word ‘distinctive’, in this context, could be interpreted as just meaning ‘different’, rather than being interpreted in the context of local distinctiveness.
Local distinctiveness is particularly important in the context of the CNL. This is because several of the CNL’s ‘special qualities’ relates to the local distinctiveness of the CNL as a whole. Relevant special qualities include:51
•The unifying character of the limestone geology - its visible presence in the landscape and use as a building material.
•Distinctive dry stone walls.
•Variations in the colour of the stone from one part of the National Landscape to another which add a vital element of local distinctiveness.
•Distinctive settlements, developed in the Cotswold vernacular with high architectural quality and integrity.
Local distinctiveness is also important in the context of the key features / characteristics of the individual landscape character types within the CNL, as detailed in the CNL Landscape Character Assessment52 and in the CNL Landscape Strategy & Guidelines53.
Local distinctiveness is explicitly addressed in Policy CE4 of the CNL Management Plan, which says that development proposals within the CNL should have regard to, be compatible with and reinforce the local distinctiveness of the CNL.54 The topic of local distinctiveness is also addressed in more detail in the Board’s report on Local Distinctiveness and Landscape Change.55
Recommendations
To address this issue, we recommend that Draft Policy Direction should include the following principle, under the heading of ‘Designing adaptable, diverse and flexible places’:
•Ensuring that development reflects the local distinctiveness of the built environment in the settlement, particularly with regards to its historic character, including building materials, vernacular architecture and settlement pattern and form.