(4) 5. Rochford’s character areas

5.1 A character area-led approach

The central thrust of the AAP is to ensure that the historic character of the centre is protected and, where possible, enhanced. To help achieve this, and in support of the existing controls and guidance provided through the designation of the Rochford conservation area together with its associated appraisal and management plan, a character area approach has been developed.

For the purposes of this AAP, four character areas have been identified. These have been carefully drawn to take full account of the character areas identified in the conservation area appraisal and have been drawn to ensure comprehensive coverage of the AAP area. These do not replace the character areas set out in the conservation area character appraisal, where more detail can be found.

Policy 5 defines the four AAP character areas and provides overarching and town-wide policy guidance which will be relevant to all applications for development across the town. This is followed by a planning policy for each individual identified area.

The character areas identified in this AAP are informed directly by those defined in the Rochford Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan. The appraisal and management plan provides detailed analysis of the town’s heritage assets and an account of the evolution of the town and the major events in its development. Rochford’s built character is one of its key assets and proposals for new development must ensure that the setting of heritage assets and, more generally, the character of the conservation area as a whole is conserved or enhanced.

Public realm, route and junction improvements as identified in Rochford’s Strategic and Movement Frameworks (Figures 6 and 7 respectively) are a priority and the council will seek to secure contributions to these improvements as relevant development proposals come forward.

The local bus network is a town-wide resource which plays an important role in ensuring local people have access to sustainable, accessible modes of public transport. The Council will continue to work with partners at Essex County Council and the bus operators to keep the bus network– its routes, timetables and supporting infrastructure – under review.

Town centre signage plays a key role in helping visitors with way-finding. This in turn helps to support local businesses. Fingerposts contribute to the quality of the arrival experience and new street furniture, should respond positively to the historic townscape character.

The central character area is focussed around the historic Market Square and West Street. The appraisal report notes that “Market Square and West Street form the commercial heart of Rochford”. The appraisal goes on to state that “The most imposing building in the Square, Connaught House which dominates the view in the approach from the east, is exceptional, being a late 18th century house, now offices; it makes a significant contribution to giving the Square a dignified civic character. Barclays Bank and the former Corn Exchange, both of 1866, are imposing municipal buildings which are a reminder of the town’s longstanding role as an administrative and commercial centre for the area.”

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. This copy is believed to be correct. Nevertheless Rochford District Council can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions, changes in the details given or for any expense or loss thereby caused. Rochford District Council Licence No. 100018109

Figure 10 – Market Square existing – plan showing the existing traffic management arrangements within the Market Square with 18 car parking bays (one disabled), fours taxi bays and one bus stop

5.2 Improvements to Market Square

The conservation area appraisal recommends that the parking arrangement in Market Square should be reviewed, with a view to giving pedestrians greater priority. This view is echoed by the Retail and Leisure Study.

The Council will work with its partners and local businesses to consider a range of options for delivering environmental improvements to the Market Square. Key stakeholders include taxi drivers, bus operators, Essex County Council as the highway authority and local businesses in and around the Square.

Two options have been investigated during the preparation of this AAP – see Figures 11 and 12 with Figure 10 providing a summary of the existing conditions in the Square. These options present two levels of intervention – one being more modest in scale and one which takes a more comprehensive approach to the delivery of potential improvements to this important space.

Key principles underpinning improvements to Rochford Market Square include the following:

• Greater priority should be given to pedestrian space. This could be achieved by reducing the number of public parking spaces. There is scope to retain at least 50% of the spaces and transform the space into a high quality square for people. In addition, the removal of public parking spaces will act as a disincentive to visitors to try and park in this most central of locations and will therefore provide some relief to traffic congestion in the area.

• Consider the benefits of rationalisation of the taxi provision – it is currently on both sides of the 'central island’ and could be rationalised. It may be necessary to allocate spaces in an alternative location, with Back Lane, Baxter Close and Roche Close potentially all providing viable alternatives.

• The introduction of parking charges in Market Square will bring the space in line with the town-wide parking management regime in Rochford. The availability of free spaces in this location is a significant factor in the Square attracting traffic and this only compounds the traffic and movement problems in the area. However, it is recognised that the business plan for the introduction of charges will need to be tested carefully. There may be the potential to allow free short-stay parking in the Old Ship Lane car park, which currently appears to be underutilised.

• The space could be managed so as to ensure existing commercial/business serving arrangements are maintained, with nearby loading bays on North Street maintained.

The Market Square has been identified in the Retail and Leisure Study as a place with scope to benefit from the introduction of a greater proportion and range of A3 and A4 uses. The review of primary and secondary frontages and the approach to non A1 uses outlined under Policies 2 and 3 of this AAP outline a positive framework which seeks to respond to this opportunity.

The existing Spar building is highlighted in the conservation area appraisal as a building which has a negative impact on the character of the conservation area. Redevelopment of this site would be welcomed by the Council and there is considered to be some scope for redevelopment of the site to intensify the activities on the site, However, it is recognised that the store is trading and for redevelopment proposals to come forward they need to be viable.

There are a number of specific pedestrian routes which would benefit from improvement should resources be found. These include the quality of the pedestrian link between the Back Lane car park and the Market Square together with improvements in pedestrian and cycle connections with the space outside the Co-Op building.

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. This copy is believed to be correct. Nevertheless Rochford District Council can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions, changes in the details given or for any expense or loss thereby caused. Rochford District Council Licence No. 100018109

(4) Figure 11 – Market Square improvements – a modest improvement scheme that would give greater priority to pedestrians with much wider pavement areas in the Market Square and would help better link the south side of West Street with the Market Square with new informal crossings created. The plan shows 15 parking bays and space for 3 taxis. The bus stop is retained

Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey mapping with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. This copy is believed to be correct. Nevertheless Rochford District Council can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions, changes in the details given or for any expense or loss thereby caused. Rochford District Council Licence No. 100018109

(3) Figure 12 – Market Square improvements – a more significant intervention could see the pedestrianisation of the Square whilst retaining capacity for up to 10 public parking spaces and the bus stop. The taxi rank however would need to be relocated

The northern/eastern character area is a mixed area covering a number of character areas as defined in the conservation area appraisal. The area includes some of Rochford’s best examples of weather--boarded housing along North Street. The appraisal report notes that rows of 18th or 19^th century weather-boarded cottages are typical, as well as two notable terraces of 19^th century stock brick terraces. The (secondary) commercial character of the southern part of the area gives way to more contemporary housing developments focussed along Weir Pond Road.

The Rochford AAP framework plan (see Figure 6) identifies a potential development opportunity on North Street opposite the Rose and Crown pub. The area includes a poor quality shopping parade with flats above, an adjacent vacant site and further piece of land currently utilised for parking for the pub. Should the site come forward for redevelopment, the Council would give its in-principle support for the redevelopment of the site for a mixed use, housing led development which helps to repair this break in the North Street frontage.

A number of public realm and pedestrian route improvements have been identified under the policy. The issue of pedestrian permeability is a local constraint in this part of the centre, as identified in the movement analysis plan (Figure 5). Improvements to existing routes in this location and the creation of new links, particularly in view of the impact of the hospital site on local permeability, will be sought as opportunities arise and in conjunction with dialogue with the hospital.

The southern approach area is the area defined by South Street and Bradley Way, each of which have their own discrete character areas as defined in the Rochford conservation area appraisal.

South Street benefits from many listed buildings and is perhaps the most intact part of the town in terms of the integrity of historic fabric. Red brick buildings of a domestic scale prevail with some notable exceptions in the French Baroque style Police Station built in 1914 and the Masonic Hall, formerly the County Court building at 24 South Street. The police station building is not listed but makes an important and positive contribution to the character of the conservation area. The building presents an exciting conversion and reuse opportunity. If new uses are to be introduced, protecting the amenities of nearby residents will be a key consideration when assessing the impact and suitability of any proposal.

Bradley Way acts as the town’s by-pass and is an extension of Southend Road which is the main approach to the town from the south. The western Locks Hill side of the southern end of South Street is a particularly prominent gateway location and would benefit from a new commercial building to act as a landmark as one enters the town from Southend.

The green open space to the west of Bradley Way is an important but underused public amenity and connections between this space and the town centre should be improved.

The western approach character area is important as it serves as the principal approach to the town from the District’s main towns to the west of Rochford including Rayleigh via Hall Road.

This area is centred on West Street west of Union Lane and the roundabout at the northern end of Bradley Way. The area has a mixed domestic character and scale, largely established by the almshouses on the north side of the western end of West Street. Any redevelopment proposals for sites in this area will need to respect the scale of these almshouses given the positive contribution they make to character of this part of the conservation area.

Freight House is an attractive former railway building. Land adjacent to the building, well located with excellent access to public transport facilities and a short walk to the town centre, has development potential for a mix of uses. An extension to Freight House itself would help to reinforce its existing commerce/leisure use.

The town centre boundary has been extended to include the railway station. The links between the railway station and the town centre are critical for the town’s economic well being. The level changes across the station car park site have resulted in the creation of informal desire line paths up the steep bank. The Council will seek to work with partners to introduce improvements to the pedestrian routes between the station and the town centre in this area through the re-grading of the embankment and a review of the provision given to pedestrians crossing the station car park.