(1) 6. Delivering a better Rochford

6.1 Working in partnership

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

The Council will also continue to engage with the community. Although future planning applications and the development management process will determine the details of any individual development schemes that come forward, the community will be given the opportunity to have further input into the design of developments.

6.2 Working with Essex County Council

A further key partner is Essex County Council (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 AAP policies.

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.

6.3 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. This is to ensure that the guidance set out within this AAP is robust and based on commercial realism.

6.4 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 developments within, and affecting, the AAP area contribute towards these identified priorities, in accordance with the Core Strategy.

Table 1 in Section 3.4 above 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.

6.5 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.

Policy	Implementation and delivery	Potential risk	Risk mitigation	Monitoring
Policy 1 – Rochford Area Action Plan framework	Development within the Rochford AAP area will be guided by the framework.	The development set out within the Rochford AAP framework is not delivered or does not meet the needs of Rochford and its residents.	The Council has engaged with relevant stakeholders during the evolution of the AAP. The AAP has benefitted from a number of informal stages of consultation and an iterative process of sustainability appraisal. Amendments in the policies and proposals have been made in view of the informal responses and feedback received during the production process.	The Council will record development through monitoring reports, keeping track of commitments and completions.
Policy 2 – Rochford’s Primary Shopping Frontage	In light of recommendations made in the district-wide Retail and Leisure Study and informed by town centre analysis and monitoring records, the primary shopping frontage has been comprehensively reviewed.	The policy plays an important role in protecting the retail vitality and viability of the centre. By making the changes proposed and taking a more flexible stance on changes of uses in the centre there is a risk that the retail character of the centre will be harmed. A5 uses in the primary shopping area are considered a risk.	The extent of the primary shopping area and the policy approach taken within it have been carefully assessed to ensure the approach taken supports the objectives set out under Core Strategy Policy RTC 5. By concentrating the primary shopping area around a much tighter core the policy position for the primary shopping area has been strengthened significantly. The policy confirms that no new A5 uses are considered acceptable in the primary shopping area. The number of retail units in A1 uses within the primary area is currently below the target level of the policy. The policy was therefore considered in need of review.	The Council’s economic development team monitor retail uses across the identified shopping frontages on a regular basis.
Policy 3 – Rochford’s Secondary Shopping Frontage	In light of recommendations made in the district-wide Retail and Leisure Study and informed by town centre analysis and monitoring records, the secondary shopping frontage has been comprehensively reviewed.	The policy plays an important role in protecting the retail vitality and viability of the centre. By making the changes proposed and taking a more flexible stance on changes of uses in the centre there is a risk that the retail character of the centre will be harmed.	The extent of the secondary shopping area and the policy approach taken within it have been carefully assessed to ensure the approach taken supports the objectives set out under Core Strategy Policy RTC 5. The extent of the secondary shopping frontage has been extended to take account of a more concentrated primary area and new development proposals.	The Council’s economic development team will monitor retail uses across the identified shopping frontages on a regular basis.
Policy 4 – Locks Hill employment site	Employment and office uses are considered important for the town’s economy. The policy will help protect these uses.	There is a risk that office uses, in tough economic conditions where market demand for offices uses is low, are vulnerable to loss through change of use or redevelopment. This could results in the loss of employment generating uses in the town centre. In addition, there is a risk that changes of use to residential under new temporary permitted development rights may take place.	Designation of the Locks Hill employment site will help protect these commercial, employment generating uses. The plan period is longer than the 3 year period within which the permitted development rights are being relaxed in respect of change of use from offices to residential.	Office commitments and completions will be recorded as part of the monitoring report.
Policy 5 – Rochford’s character areas	With no major site allocations being made in the AAP, the central thrust of the Plan is the protection of the area’s character whilst recognising the important role played by the town as one of the District’s principal town centres.	New development being proposed and investment in the public realm coming forward that does not respond as positively to the town’s special character as it might have done.	Four character areas have been identified which coordinate well with those identified in the conservation area appraisal. In taking a character area based approach, the Plan strengthens the role played by the guidance contained in the Rochford conservation area appraisal and management plan.	The quality of new development will be monitored as planning decisions are made.
Policy 6, 7, 8 and 9 – Character areas	More specific proposals and priorities are identified in the individual character areas.	The town’s varied special and unique characteristics are not seen as the basis for new development and investment in the town.	Area specific policies help to identify local priorities and opportunities which will help to protect and enhance the qualities of these identified areas and the town as a whole.	The quality of new development will be monitored as planning decisions are made.

Table 2 – Implementation, delivery and monitoring

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 Rochford 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.