Issues and Options Document
(5) 5 Our Vision and Strategic Objectives
(2) Introduction
5.1 The vision for the district will form an important starting point for the new Local Plan, and it will be used as a measure of how successful the overall strategy for the district has been. It is therefore vital that the vision includes a number of realistic aims and aspirations that we, collectively, have been looking over the next 20 years in order to deliver the strategic priorities and needs of our local communities across the district. As part of this we need to identify at the high level what our strategic objectives are that we are planning to achieve.
5.2 Our Business Plan sets thefour main priorities for the Council from 2016 to 2020:become financially self-sufficient, early intervention, maximise our assets, and enable communities[22]. These priorities can be achieved through putting residents at the heart of everything that we do and, for example,supporting new and existing businesses,helping the district become renowned as a leading regional centre in the science, medical and technology sectors within the next 10-20 years and making the most of our coastal areas.
5.3 The new Local Plan will be a key driver in delivering the Business Plan, and the vision and strategic objectives will need to reflect this. The vision in the current local development plan sets the overall strategy for the development of the District up to 2025, and this will need to be taken into consideration when looking beyond this timeframe. Once decided, the vision and strategic objectives can then be translated into policies which will clearly set out how our land and open spaces are used in the future.
(2) Our Current Vision
5.4 The overall vision in our Core Strategy states that the plan seeks: 'To make Rochford District a place which provides opportunities for the best possible quality of life for all who live, work and visit here'. This broad vision is supported by a more detailed vision for the district which is divided into short, medium and long term. For each theme addressed in our Core Strategy, the vision and objectives for that topic have also been set out. Together, these all contribute to the overall vision for the district. The vision and objectives for each theme are divided into short, medium and long term aspirations reflecting the topics of the policies within each chapter. Where possible these are area or site specific to reflect local circumstances.
(1) Our Future Vision
5.5 Our Business Plan will play an important role in informing the overall vision although the new Local Plan will need to look further forward ahead beyond the next 10 years. The vision will need to be aspirational but also achievable to ensure that it remains both meaningful and realistic. The overall vision will set the context and guiding principles for the policies that will be included in the new Local Plan in order to ensure that appropriate and coherent policies are implemented.
5.6 The current detailed vision in our Core Strategy provides a solid foundation for the vision for the new Local Plan but we recognise that it is in need of updating. The current vision gives an idea of what could be included, however the vision for the new Local Plan could include all, none, or some elements of the current vision. It should be positive, locally specific and address a number of key themes.
(3) What you have told us so far
5.7 Parish Plans set a vision for the local community, based upon the views held by those residents living within a Parish. To date there have been four Parish Plans produced within the district, all looking to influence plan making within their respective areas. Parish Plans have been produced for the following areas: Great Wakering (2015), Hullbridge (2012), Hawkwell (2011) and Hockley (2007). During the community engagement workshops that were held within the parishes between May and October 2016 we also sought to draw out ideas for a vision for each area.
5.8 Key concerns and ideas that have been drawn out from the Parish Plans, workshops and the wider community survey, include:
- Improvements to services and utilities
- Concerns about the number of new homes
- Supporting local employment opportunities, particularly in rural areas
- Developing sustainable transport options such as cycling
and walking
- Improvements to the strategic infrastructure network
- Sustaining local schools
- Protecting important views
- Improving local and regional awareness of Wallasea Island
- Drafting Our Vision
5.9 We have drafted a vision for our district which sets out where would like to be as an area by 2037.
(12) Our Draft Vision for 2037
"Rochford District is a green and pleasant place with a focus on business and high quality homes supported by accessible and responsive services and facilities, creating healthy and sustainable communities."
5.10 This high-level draft vision is supported by key themes which we aim to deliver over the next 20 years. These are aspirational, seeking to capture a wide range of issues and opportunities, yet realistic, and will feed into our strategic objectives – how we will achieve the vision.
Rochford District, 2037
Our Economy
"We have made the most of our easy access to London, close proximity to neighbouring commercial hubs, connectivity to London Southend Airport and become a key destination to do business. We have also supported the delivery of a leading regional centre in the science, medical and technology sectors at the Airport Business Park. We have worked with Essex County Council and other infrastructure and service providers to deliver meaningful improvements to areas of concern to businesses. We will be recognised as an entrepreneurial and enterprising area, continuing to build on our existing strengths to nurture and support our start-up, small and medium sized businesses and strengthening our rural economy through enabling diversification of activities to provide a viable green tourism offer. We have vibrant and distinctive town and villages centres that continue to meet the shopping and leisure needs of our residents. We have invested in our local education facilities and skills development to enable residents to work locally and reduce the pressure on our transport infrastructure."
Our Environment
"We continue to be recognised as a largely rural area, with many accessible and high quality open spaces and significant stretches of coastline providing attractive and accessible leisure opportunities throughout our district along the rivers Crouch and Roach for our residents and visitors to enjoy. We have supported the development of the RSPB's Wallasea Island Wild Coast Project as the largest and most significant wetland project in Europe. We have protected and, where possible, enhanced our built, historic and natural environment, providing a network of locally, nationally and internationally important assets that are valued. We have retained our open character and extensive Metropolitan Green Belt designation, whilst providing for the needs of future communities, as far as possible. We have ensured that new homes and commercial premises respect local character and distinctiveness, are built to high environmental and design standards and incorporate measures to adapt to the impacts of climate change."
Our Society
"We have an extensive social, health, physical and green infrastructure network across our district which has been enhanced to support our changing population, and delivers health, well being and quality of life benefits for our residents. We have made efficient and effective use of suitable and available land to deliver new homes and jobs, focussing on delivering previously developed land first as a priority, including making appropriate use of our own public assets. We have ensured the delivery of a wide size and tenure of new homes which meets the needs of residents, and is supported by a range of infrastructure necessary to mitigate potential impacts on communities. We have worked with Essex County Council and other infrastructure and service providers to ensure that appropriate facilities are delivered to support strong and sustainable communities, and provide residents and visitors with choice about how they live, work and travel."
(25) Drafting our Strategic Objectives
5.11 Paragraph 158 of the NPPF sets out strategic priorities which are the high-level national planning policy principles that are considered to be of key importance in order to deliver effective local planning policies. It is within this context that we have drafted a number of strategic objectives which are more specific and set a clearer picture of the potential direction of our future policies in light of our draft vision.
Strategic Priority 1: The homes and jobs needed in the area
Strategic Objective 1: To facilitate the delivery of sufficient, high quality and sustainable homes to meet local community needs, through prioritising the use of previously developed land first and working with our neighbours in South Essex.
Strategic Objective 2: To plan for the mix of homes needed to support our current and future residents, in particular viably addressing affordability issues and supporting our ageing population.
Strategic Objective 3: To build on the existing strengths of our local economy, effectively plan to meet changing business needs and strengthen our competitiveness through supporting our new and expanding home grown businesses, facilitating the delivery of more local job opportunities, enabling rural diversification and encouraging inward investment.
Strategic Objective 4: To facilitate accelerated growth in our local economy through supporting the delivery of suitably located land which meets businesses needs at each stage of their lifecycle (including delivering grow-on space to enable local businesses to flourish), the continued functioning of London Southend Airport as a thriving regional airport, serving London and the South East, as well as supporting the continued growth and innovation at the Airport Business Park.
Strategic Objective 5: To enable the upskilling of our residents to match skills with local job opportunities by supporting the provision of accessible, modern and good quality schools, higher and further education and bespoke training facilities to meet the expectations of employers and our local workforce.
Strategic Objective 6: To ensure that all new homes and commercial premises are built to the highest attainable quality, design and sustainability standards.
Strategic Priority 2: The provision of retail, leisure and other commercial development
Strategic Objective 7: To support the vibrancy, vitality and distinctiveness of our local town centres through planning to meet local niche shopping and leisure needs in Rayleigh, Hockley and Rochford.
Strategic Objective 8: To support the continued use and sustainability of our village and neighbourhood centres which serve the local need of current and future residents.
Strategic Priority 3: The provision of infrastructure for transport, telecommunications, waste management, water supply, wastewater, flood risk and coastal change management, and the provision of minerals and energy (including heat)
Strategic Objective 9: To ensure that all new homes and commercial premises are supported by appropriate, timely and necessary infrastructure to mitigate potential impact, including those relating to transport, utilities, telecommunications (including broadband), open spaces and greenways, flood risk, education, health and other community facilities.
Strategic Objective 10: To work with our neighbouring authorities in South Essex and beyond, and Essex County Council, as the highway authority for our district, to deliver meaningful improvements to the strategic and local highway network.
Strategic Objective 11: To facilitate a change in the way residents travel through encouraging walking, cycling and the use of passenger and public transport – and interchanges between them – reducing out-commuting wherever possible, and ensuring that all new homes and commercial premises are in accessible locations offering a choice of ways to travel sustainably both locally and within the wider network.
Strategic Objective 12: To plan for effective waste management by encouraging adherence to the waste hierarchy, working with Essex County Council to make best use of mineral deposits, supporting renewable energy generation and energy efficiency as part of all new homes and commercial premises developed, as well as supporting efficient water use.
Strategic Objective 13: To plan for effective flood risk and coastal change management across the district and working with Essex County Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority, Anglian Water, and the Environment Agency in the delivery of improved drainage infrastructure and sustainable drainage solutions.
Strategic Priority 4: The provision of health, security, community and cultural infrastructure and other local facilities
Strategic Objective 14: To work with Essex County Council and healthcare providers to ensure that our district's residents have access to good quality social and health and well-being services.
Strategic Objective 15: To protect and enhance leisure, sport, recreation and community facilities and to support the delivery of a multi-functional green infrastructure network across our district and along the coastline, connecting to neighbouring areas in South Essex and beyond, to promote healthy and active lifestyles, and improve physical and mental health and well-being.
Strategic Objective 16: To support the development and promotion of our cultural and environmental assets, and diversification of rural activities, to strengthen our district's green tourism offer as a complement to neighbouring areas.
Strategic Objective 17: To ensure that all new developments and the public realm are well designed and safe environments by balancing the principles of Essex design guidance with designing out crime and designing in community safety.
Strategic Objective 18: To support the timely delivery of suitable primary, secondary, higher and further education facilities, and early years and childcare facilities, working in partnership with Essex County Council and other education providers.
Strategic Priority 5: Climate change mitigation and adaptation, conservation and enhancement of the natural and historic environment, including landscape
Strategic Objective 19: To protect, maintain and enhance our district's natural environment, geology and biodiversity, including our open spaces, recreational areas and our extensive coastline, as well as support wildlife, to create habitat networks and reduce fragmentation.
Strategic Objective 20: To ensure that our district's Green Belt continues to serve its five purposes, in particular retaining the openness of the area, protecting valued landscapes, such as the Upper Roach Valley and our coastal areas, retaining the physical separation between our towns and villages, as well as those in neighbouring areas of South Essex and beyond.
Strategic Objective 21: To preserve and enhance the quality of our district's built and historic environment, including within our 10 Conservation Areas, by promoting high quality design that responds to local character and distinctiveness to create a sense of place.
Strategic Objective 22: To mitigate and adapt to the forecasted impacts of climate change, including the water environment, air quality, biodiversity and flooding, support more efficient use of energy and natural resources and facilitate an increase in the use of renewable and low carbon energy facilities.
Tell Us More: What do you think the new Local Plan should be trying to achieve, and why?