Incorrect  designation of Local Green Space - Highdale Hill.

Our privately owned property situated between Highdale and Chapel Hill in Clevedon is already subject to sufficient planning regulations and should not be designated as Local Green Space.

Our land has a clear boundary fence with no public access - it is not crossed by a public footpath and the justifications for Local Green Space designation put forward in the latest proposals are incorrect and would not meet the NPPF requirements.

The NPPF states that:

The Local Green space designation will not be appropriate for most green areas or open space. The designation should only be used:

• where the green space is in reasonably close proximity to the community it serves;
• where the green area is demonstrably special to a local community and holds a particular local significance, for example because of its beauty, historic significance, recreational value (including as a playing field), tranquility or richness of its wildlife; and
• where the green area concerned is local in character and is not an extensive tract of land.

In response there is no evidence to demonstrate that the land area covered by our property is deemed special to the local community. There is no public access to the site, the site is not historically significant and there is no evidence of ecological potential.

The site is not within a designated area of archaeological potential. In 2009 the county archaeologist confirmed that the site is not an area where archaeological resources are likely to be significant and the reference to being a "unregistered park or garden" was also recognised as not being significant. We request the Council remove our property from the proposal.

Whilst we agree that the land has visual amenity value (as a green space in the urban area) the area is protected by Conservation Area status (and planning policy CS5) which are the appropriate planning tools to safeguard the character of the area and to protect trees etc from removal.

Our property which amounts to around 3 acres in total is not crossed by a public footpath, is made up of about 1 acre of "cultivated" garden and   2 acres "less cultivated".  We know that The Knoll has never been a vicarage although it is situated next to a church.  Our land has no public access and is clearly fenced off from any adjoining Council land.

In summary, the proposal to designate this private land as Local Green Space would be contrary to the guidance in the National Planning Policy Framework.