TL10 Criteria for Tourism Development in the Green Belt Policy
Proposals for tourist attractions and visitor facilities within the Green Belt will be permitted, subject to Policy TL9, and where:
(i) the nature and scale of the proposals are appropriate to the setting and character of the surrounding area;
(ii) the visual impact of the proposals, including the impact of related outdoor uses and facilities, is acceptable within the local landscape;
(iii) adequate provision has been made for highway access and on-site car parking and servicing requirements;
(iv) the likely number of visitors and the level of traffic likely to be generated along rural roads can be accommodated without major alteration to local infrastructure; and
(v) the proposals would not cause unacceptable disturbance to neighbouring property and land-uses, including wildlife;
(vi) the proposals would be accommodated within an existing building or would otherwise preserve the openness of the Green Belt.
Where necessary, planning permission will be subject to conditions regulating the scale and location of the proposals, the provision of landscaping, traffic and visitor management measures and hours of operation.
Reasoned justification :
10.36 Policy TLR1 provides for new tourist facilities and attractions located outside the urban area to be restricted to uses which are appropriate to a rural area and which are directly related to an existing countryside feature or attraction. Policy TL10, therefore, sets out the more detailed development control criteria that will be used to regulate proposals for such uses within the Green Belt.
10.37 The objective of Policy TL10 is to ensure that proposals, otherwise appropriate under national Green Belt controls, are designed, located and operated in order to preserve the predominantly rural character of Wirral's Green Belt. The criteria contained within Policy TL10 are, therefore, primarily related to regulating the scale and impact of proposals upon the surrounding area.
10.38 A major concern in regard to new proposals for tourist facilities and attractions is the ability of the local area, including local infrastructure, to absorb increased visitor numbers particularly at peak periods. This may, in some cases, also include the capacity of the local highway network leading to the site. In accordance with Policy TL9, proposals which would involve major alteration to the character of Wirral's rural areas should normally be avoided and these requirements are, therefore, re-iterated within Policy TL10.