Thank you for your letter dated 22 January 2014 consulting English Heritage on the Submission version of the Rayleigh Area Action Plan (AAP). We have no objections to the document and consider the AAP to be sound. As you know, we provided general comments on the previous consultation document in our letter dated 15 August 2013, which we hope were of use.

We welcome the various references to the historic environment throughout the AAP and the use of character areas to inform development proposals within the town centre. We note the amendments from the previous consultation document which remove references to pedestrian links between the train station and town centre across Rayleigh Mount, a scheduled monument and motte and bailey castle. Given the management and heritage issues in formalising a route across the Mount, these amendments seem sensible. As you may be aware, a management plan exists for the Mount, which perhaps could be referenced in the AAP.