Sustainable Development

The Project seeks to encourage sustainable development of the local environment and ensure appropriate development control. We aim to influence decision makers and initiate projects to ensure that the special qualities of the Stour Valley and the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) are not harmed for future generations. There are 3 main themes to this work:

The Planning System

The Project seeks to influence the content of statutory planning documents at local, regional and national level in order to protect the integrity of the Stour Valley. The Project is a also a statutory consultee on planning applications within the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and monitors planning applications throughout the rest of the Valley.

This role has seen us liasing with local communities and commenting on applications concerning building developments, mobile telecommunication masts and change of use applications.

The Dedham Vale AONB and Stour Valley Partnership are seeking to be consulted on applications that could result in a significant negative impact to the natural beauty of the designated landscape.  We wish to see consultations both from within the AONB and a 5km buffer zone around the AONB.  By setting the buffer zone to 5km, this should not preclude consultations more distant from the AONB if it is thought they could have a significant negative impact upon its setting.  See the download below for the protocol between the AONB/Natural England and the Local Planning Authorities.

Rural Transport

The Project works with both Suffolk and Essex Highway Authorites to ensure the special qualities of the area are recognised.  We seek to influence the development strategies and the implementation of schemes which impact on the local environment. 

Sustainable Tourism

Background: In December 1997 the Project began to look at bringing together all the authorities which have an interest in tourism in the area. Following a consultant’s report, the Constable Country Visitor Management Group, comprising the National Trust, Babergh District Council, Colchester Borough Council, Suffolk County Council, Essex County Council and the East of England Tourist Board as well as the Dedham Vale & Stour Valley Countryside Project, highlighted some immediate work which could take place during the 1998 season. This consisted of collecting information to discover the nature and impact of tourism in Constable Country from those who were most affected by it - local businesses, local residents and Tourist Information Centre staff and the visitors themselves. From this information a Sustainable Tourism Action Plan was developed which covered the period 1999 – 2003.  A Key Achievements document was produced at the end of this period.

Current Situation: A new Sustainable Tourism Action Plan was agreed in 2004 to cover the period up to 2007. At the time of formulating the 2004 – 2007 version, it was also agreed that the Visitor Management Group would extend its remit to the whole AONB, and be known as the Dedham Vale Visitor Management Group, and also would be constituted as a Working Group reporting to the Dedham Vale and Stour Valley Joint Advisory Committee.

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