Rayleigh Area Action Plan Submission Document

6. Delivering a better Rayleigh

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 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 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.

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 Rayleigh 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 – Rayleigh Area Action Plan framework	Development within the Rayleigh AAP area will be guided by the framework.	The development set out within the Rayleigh AAP framework is not delivered or does not meet the needs of Rayleigh 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 – Retail development in Rayleigh, and; Policy 3 – Rayleigh’s shopping frontages	The town centre boundary and primary and secondary retail frontage and A1 retail proportions/concentrations were endorsed by the Retail and Leisure Study of 2008. However, the more recent town centre land use monitoring undertaken by the Council revealed that the A1 retail proportions being targeted were unsustainable and unrealistic. A range of options for redrawn primary and secondary frontages were considered and a preferred option taken forward to strengthen the primary shopping frontage.	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 temporary changes to the permitted development rights for town centre uses are also a factor which may impact on the success of these policies – although it should be noted that the plan period for this AAP is longer than that associated with the temporary changes.	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 4. By concentrating the primary shopping area around a much tighter core the policy position for the primary shopping area has been strengthened significantly. 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 4 – Rayleigh’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 the District’s principal town centre.	New development being proposed and investment in the public realm coming forward that does not respond as positively to the town’s character and context 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 Rayleigh Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan.	The quality of new development will be monitored as planning decisions are made
Policies 5, 6, 7 and 8 – Rayleigh’s character areas A, B, C, D	More specific proposals and priorities are identified in the individual character areas.	The town’s varied 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.