5. Delivering a better Hockley

(4)5.1 Working in partnership

The Council will continue to work closely with partners, landowners and other stakeholders to realise the implementation of the policies in the AAP.

The key landowners will ultimately be responsible for delivering the envisaged changes. The Eldon Way Opportunity Site is largely controlled by a single landowner. The AAP provides certainty with regards to the Council’s vision for this land and also sets out a basis for the Council to aid the development process through assisting with any necessary land assembly.

The Council will also continue to engage with the community. Future planning applications and the development management process will determine the details of individual development schemes that come forward as a result of the AAP. The community will be given the opportunity to have further input into the design of developments.

Working with ECC

A further key partner is ECC, the Highways Authority. In its role as highway network manager, ECC will consider the movement framework identified in this AAP and will take this forward as part of its strategic planning process. In doing so, they will take into consideration the policies set out above.

ECC will also be responsible for reviewing and approving Transport Assessments and Travel Plans submitted as part of any future planning applications for significant development in the AAP area. They will need to be satisfied that any transport impacts identified have been appropriately mitigated and that the movement-related elements of any scheme are in accordance with the AAP policies.

The Council will continue to be proactive in its engagement with ECC through the Local Highways Panel, which is made up of members and officers from both authorities and decides on which highway and public realm improvements monies will be spent.

(764)5.2 Financial viability

The Council has taken into account information regarding national and local trends in the property market, as well as high-level viability advice in respect of individual development schemes. This is to ensure that the proposals set out within this AAP are robust and based in commercial realism.

Eldon Way Opportunity Site

A site-specific viability analysis has been undertaken for the Eldon Way Opportunity Site development scenario generated through the capacity study, which was carried out to test the proposed scheme’s layout and design. This analysis adopts realistic and robust assumptions, including construction costs based on standard building indices and the project team’s knowledge of comparable schemes, and takes into account the potential cost of land assembly. It also relates to a scheme that would help to meet the Council’s aspirations for the AAP area.

Broadly speaking, the viability analysis demonstrates that the proposed redevelopment of the Eldon Way Opportunity Site is currently financially viable. Clearly, financial viability is sensitive and can be easily impacted on over time by fluctuations in prices and land assembly costs and, crucially, variations in planning policy requirements.

Affordable housing

Given the likely importance of housing as part of the proposed mixed-use redevelopment of the Eldon Way Opportunity site, the provision of affordable housing would impact significantly on any scheme’s overall financial viability. Core Strategy Policy H4 states that ‘at least 35% of dwellings on all developments of 15 or more units, or on sites greater than 0.5 hectares, shall be affordable’. It goes on to highlight that the Council will aim for 80% of this provision to be social housing, and 20% percent to be intermediate housing.

However, the Policy goes on to say that the Council will continually review the affordable housing needs of the District and that developers should consult with the Council’s Housing Strategy Team to ensure that their proposals meet the Council’s needs before submitting planning applications. It also states that the requirements for the provision of affordable housing might be relaxed in exceptional circumstances; for example, where constraints would make on-site provision impossible, or where a developer could demonstrate that 35% provision would be economically unviable. In such cases the Council will negotiate the proportion of affordable dwellings based on evidence regarding financial viability.

(3)5.3 Community infrastructure

The Council, in line with Core Strategy Policy CLT1, requires that developers provide on-site infrastructure to mitigate specific issues relating to their development scheme. Developers will also be required to contribute towards off-site, strategic infrastructure, which would help to mitigate the cumulative impact of new development.

The Core Strategy sets out the types of strategic infrastructure that should be funded by contributions arising from new development. These include highway and public transport improvements, alongside a number of other important types of infrastructure.

The AAP sets out priorities for delivering environmental improvements and highways schemes. The Council will expect that new development within the AAP area contributes towards these identified priorities, in accordance with the Core Strategy.

Table 1 gives further detail in relation to major improvements and schemes. It should be noted that this is not exhaustive and development may be required to contribute towards other enhancements as identified in the AAP or through the development management process.

Table 1 – Major environmental improvements and highways schemes

Environmental improvement / highways scheme	Lead partner	Other partners	Estimated cost	Potential funding stream(s)	Comments
Spa Road public realm enhancements	ECC	Rochford District Council / developers	£1,200,000 - £1,500,000	Pooled financial contributions / ECC budget	These improvements should be funded from pooled contributions
Eldon Way Opportunity Site public realm enhancements	ECC	Rochford District Council / developers	£400,000 - £500,000	Section 106 agreement(s), made in relation to the redevelopment of Eldon Way Opportunity Site	These improvements should be delivered as part of the redevelopment of the Eldon Way Opportunity Site
New and enhanced pedestrian links	ECC	Rochford District Council / developers	£150,000 - £200,000	Pooled financial contributions / ECC budget	Any of these proposed new or improved links directly associated with the Eldon Way Opportunity Site should be delivered alongside its redevelopment. Other new or improved links should be funded from pooled contributions.
Spa Road mini-roundabout upgrade	ECC	Rochford District Council / developers l	£200,000 - £300,000	Section 106 agreement(s), made in relation to the redevelopment of Eldon Way Opportunity Site	This improvement should be delivered alongside the redevelopment of the Eldon Way Opportunity Site and / or, if it is delivered separately, any new food store

(2)5.4 Monitoring change

The importance of monitoring is recognised in both legislation and local policy. The Localism Act 2011 requires that the Council produces regular monitoring reports to assess the delivery of its planning documents and implementation of its policies. The Core Strategy sets out the Council’s commitment to the production of monitoring reports and explains how each of its policies will be monitored.

Whilst the AAP’s progress can be tracked to some extent against the Core Strategy’s monitoring framework, there are several instances where a monitoring framework specific to the Hockley AAP is required. Table 2 sets out how the AAP will be monitored.

The Council’s monitoring report will document whether or not the AAP’s objectives are being met and will set out the necessary actions to aid the delivery of the AAP.

Table 2 – Implementation, delivery and monitoring

Policy	Implementation and delivery	Potential risk	Risk mitigation	Monitoring
Policy 1 – Hockley Area Action Plan area framework	Development within the Hockley AAP area will be guided by the framework.	The development set out within the Hockley AAP area framework is not delivered or does not meet the needs of Hockley and its residents.	The Council has engaged with landowners and developers and carried out a robust financial appraisal of the Eldon Way Opportunity Site scheme. The Council has also worked with its partners, such as ECC, to ensure that the scheme has the full backing of these organisations. The Council has also carried out thorough public engagement and baseline analysis to ensure that the framework addresses the appropriate issues.	The Council will record development through monitoring reports, keeping track of commitments and completions.
Policy 2 – Delivering environmental improvements	Environmental improvements that come forward as a result of developments within the AAP area will be guided by this Policy. The spending of contributions towards environmental improvements received as a result of centre schemes will also be guided by this Policy.	Economic viability consideration may threaten the delivery of environmental improvements.	The viability of development on the Eldon Way Opportunity Site has been subjected to a robust financial appraisal, which has included robust and reasonable assumptions about contributions towards environmental improvements.	The Council will record the receipt and spending of contributions through monitoring reports.
Policy 3 – Promoting better movement	Highways and transport improvements that come forward as a result of developments within the AAP area will be guided by this Policy. The spending of contributions towards Highways and transport improvements received as a result of centre schemes will also be guided by this Policy.	Economic viability consideration may threaten the delivery of highways and transport improvements. ECC and other transport service providers may change their spending priorities and decide not to deliver the identified schemes.	The viability of development on the Eldon Way Opportunity Site has been subjected to a robust financial appraisal, which has included robust and reasonable assumptions about contributions towards highways and transport improvements. The Council has also worked with ECC to ensure that the scheme has the full backing of this organisation.	The Council will record the receipt and spending of contributions through monitoring reports.
Policy 4 – Increasing the availability of housing	The Council will prioritise the development of previously developed land for housing within Hockley, in particular the Eldon Way Opportunity Site. The Council will continue to work proactively with developers and landowners.	Residential development on previously developed land, in particular the Eldon Way Opportunity Site, is not delivered.	Previously developed sites for housing development have been identified in consultation with landowners and developers. Engagement on this basis will continue throughout the plan-period. The viability of residential development on the Eldon Way Opportunity Site has been subjected to a robust financial appraisal.	The Council will record housing commitments and completions within Hockley and the Eldon Way Opportunity Site through monitoring reports. The number of commitments and completions on previously developed land will be recorded.
Policy 5 – Protecting jobs	The Council will encourage office uses	Offices may not be delivered as part of the mixed uses redevelopment of the Eldon Way Opportunity Site	The Council will use the development management process to steer development towards sequentially preferable sites, including centre and edge of centre sites within the Eldon Way Opportunity Site. The Council has engaged with landowners and developers and carried out a robust financial appraisal of the Eldon Way Opportunity Site scheme.	Office commitments and completions will be recorded as part of the monitoring report.
Policy 6 – Improving retail choice for local people	New retail development will be directed towards sequentially preferable sites within Hockley centre, including those on the Eldon Way Opportunity Site.	The role of Hockley’s centre is not strengthened and an improved retail offer is not delivered.	The Council will use the development management process to steer development towards sequentially preferable sites, including those on the Eldon Way Opportunity Site. The Council has engaged with landowners and developers and carried out a robust financial appraisal of the Eldon Way Opportunity Site scheme.	Hockley centre’s uses will be recorded as part of the monitoring report, as will retail commitments and completions.
Policy 7 – Ensuring an healthy centre	A healthy mix of retail (A1) and non-retail (non-A1) uses will be maintained within the centre’s shopping frontages.	The health of the centre declines.	The Council will use the development management process to steer development to appropriate sites within the centre.	Uses within the centre’s shopping frontages will be recorded as part of the monitoring report.
Policy 8 – Encouraging leisure opportunities	Leisure uses will be encouraged within the Eldon Way Opportunity Site.	Leisure uses may not be delivered as part of the mixed uses redevelopment of the Eldon Way Opportunity Site and / or existing uses many not remain in this location.	The Council will use the development management process to steer development towards sequentially preferable sites, including centre and edge of centre sites within the Eldon Way Opportunity Site. The Council has engaged with landowners and developers and carried out a robust financial appraisal of the Eldon Way Opportunity Site scheme.	Leisure commitments and completions will be recorded as part of the monitoring report.