DNP5: Dormansland ‘Green Corridor’

The Neighbourhood Plan designates the ‘green corridor’, as shown on the Policies Map. Any development within the corridor which is consistent with Green Belt policy is required to have full regard to the ecological value of land that lies within the corridor and development proposals are required to demonstrate how this value may be enhanced. Proposals that will undermine the ecological integrity of the corridor will be resisted.

This area forms a continuous green corridor between Dormansland village and the Dormans Station to Lingfield railway line and is crossed by a Right of Way from the Mill Lane bridleway to Dormans Station and a further Right of Way connecting West Street to Mill Lane. The corridor is also intersected by a substantial area of Ancient Woodland. A full description of the green infrastructure assets within the corridor is available in Appendix 5 of the Environment and Countryside Report. The emerging Surrey Local Nature Recovery Strategy, planned to be adopted in 2026, is also intended to identify locations to improve nature and provide other environmental benefits. The draft version published in 2025 recognises parts of this area for being of particular importance for biodiversity as well as an area that could become of particular importance for biodiversity.

The policy designates this area as a ‘green corridor’ recognising the existing and potential ecological value of this area. To be clear, the policy does not seek to prevent proposals which may be suitable to a Green Belt location such as this, but requires that all development proposals within the ‘green corridor’ must demonstrate how they will contribute to its enhancement. At the very least developments should ensure that their schemes do not compromise the corridor’s ecological integrity or its role as a vital link for wildlife and as a green infrastructure asset.

This may mean that layouts, access points, landscape schemes and amenity spaces are designed to contribute to the value of the corridor as a green infrastructure asset of Dormansland while not undermining other planning policy objectives. Where proposals enhance the corridor or the assets that lie within that extend the benefits of the corridor, such proposals will be supported provided they are appropriate in all other respects. The policy contributes to neighbourhood plan objectives 1); 6) and 7).