Dear Sir or Madam,

Rochford New Local Plan Issues and Options Consultation

I write in respect of the above consultation currently being undertaken by the Council.

Strutt and Parker represent a number of parties with interest in land located around the boundary between Rochford District and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, to the east of London Southend Airport.

The New Local Plan Issues and Options Documents (NLPIO) (2018) identifies a number of challenges that the Council faces, not least of which is the need to meet local housing needs.

National planning policy (the NPPF) makes clear the importance of Local Plans being based on a strategy which seeks to meet housing needs in full. The NPPF identifies meeting development needs (including housing) as a core planning principle, and as a requirement of a sound Local Plan.

In terms of the extent of the District's housing need, Rochford District forms part of the South Essex Housing Market Area (along with Basildon Borough, Castle Point Borough, Southend-on-Sea Borough and Thurrock). It is recognised that the Council has worked positively and collaboratively with the other authorities within the housing market area to determine housing need. The South Essex Housing Market Assessment Addendum Report 2017 (SHMA 2017) identifies an objectively assessed housing need for the District of between 331 and 361 dwellings per annum for the period 2014 to 2037. This equates to a total need for 7,613 homes over the plan period.

Rochford District's housing need should not be viewed in isolation, and it is relevant to note that the South Essex Strategic Housing Market 2016 (SHMA 2016) identifies local housing market areas within the sub-region. These include the Southend local housing market area comprising Castle Point Borough, Rochford District Southend-on-Sea Borough. The identification of this local housing market area is informed by a detailed analysis of various factors including house prices; household migration and search patterns; and contextual data (such as commuting patterns). The identification of this local housing market area reflects the strong functional relationship between these three Boroughs / Districts.

The SHMA (2017) calculates a need within the Southend local housing market area for 1,714 to 1,744 dwellings per annum between 2014 and 2037 - a total of between 39,442 and 40,112 homes over this period.

In addition, the Government has made clear its intention to introduce a standardised method for calculating housing need. The standardised approach proposed would result in an increase in the number of new homes
required per year in the local housing market area (1,818 dwellings per annum).
The respective Local Plans for the three authorities within the Southend local housing market area will need to meet this housing need in full between them.
The level of growth required to be accommodated is clearly substantial and will require a considerable uplift in current delivery rates. We acknowledge that this represents a challenge for the Council (as indeed does the housing requirements of many Local Authorities in the current housing crisis).

It will be critical that the South Essex authorities - and in particular those that make up the Southend local housing market area - work collaboratively with one another to seek to address the local housing need. We note that the authorities which comprise the South Essex housing market area, together with Brentwood
Borough Council, have embarked on the preparation of a joint strategic vision for the area (interim title: South Essex Vision 2050), and welcome such an approach.
The South Essex Vision 2050, whilst we acknowledge it is still in its infancy, represents a potential opportunity to explore the delivery of cross boundary developments which could help address the sub-region's development needs without opportunities for sustainable growth being constrained by administrative
boundaries.

We are mindful of the particularly strong relationship between Rochford District and Southend-on-Sea Borough. As the Rochford Core Strategy notes, Southend provides a range of employment opportunities for residents of Rochford District and is within easy commuting distance of a large proportion of the District's
population. The Core Strategy also recognises that the retail catchment area of Southend overlays all of Rochford District's centres. The largest proposed employment growth area in the area - London Southend airport and its environs - straddles the boundary between Rochford District and Southend-on-Sea Borough.
The New Local Plan and its approach to growth should have regard to the strong relationship between Rochford District and Southend-on-Sea, regardless of the position of administrative boundaries.

Rochford District Council has a strong recent record of working positively with Southend-on-Sea Borough Council to achieve substantial benefits for the local area. This includes the preparation of the London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP). The successful preparation of the JAAP, and the significant benefits particularly in respect of employment and infrastructure it will deliver, exemplifies the benefits of cross-boundary working and illustrates what the respective Councils can achieve working together.

It is recognised that there is a need to provide housing in the short-term, as well as across the plan period, and sites which are capable of being delivered relatively quickly and without requiring significant infrastructure upgrades will need to be allocated to ensure present needs are met.

However, and in addition to such sites, we feel there is significant merit in Rochford District and Southendon-Sea Borough Council working together to explore the delivery of large strategic to the north of Southend, east of London Southend Airport. Such a form of development has the potential to not only make a significant
contribution towards meeting the area's housing and employment needs, in a manner which would deliver significant social, environmental and economic benefits to the local area.

Strutt and Parker represent a number of clients with interest in land to the east of London Southend Airport, along the boundary between Rochford and Southend. who would be willing to work with one another, Local Authorities and other stakeholders to explore the delivery of such development.
Strategic growth within this location has the potential to be accompanied by significant infrastructure improvements. This would not only enable the new development to be accompanied by infrastructure which
met the need of its own residents, but also gives rise to the potential for improvements from which existing residents may benefit. We are particularly mindful of growth in this location to contribute positively towards
transport infrastructure, and in particular highways.

The Council's Local Plan evidence base confirms that the District is subject to a number of environmental, ecological and heritage designations / assets which restrict development or have the potential to be adversely impacted by development. However, a cross-boundary development to the east of London Southend Airport could be delivered without adverse impact on such areas. Furthermore, a development of this scale has the potential to be accompanied by significant environmental improvements, including through ecological
enhancements and provision of substantial areas of landscaping and public open space.

A cross-boundary development within this location has the potential to engender significant social, economic and environmental benefits for both Rochford District and Southend-on-Sea Borough; helping to meet the area's development needs in a manner which minimises potential adverse impacts.

Given the scale of development needs in the local housing market area, we feel now is very much the time for Rochford District and Southend-on-Sea Borough Councils to seek to work together to explore the potential for strategic growth along the boundary between the authorities. It will of course be imperative to involve
other stakeholders and interested parties in such discussions - including landowners - and we are wellplaced to be able to assist in this respect.

We would welcome further discussions with the Council as the Local Plan is progressed.