REF: CFS061/CFS062 - Land north and south of Lambourne Hall Road, Canewdon

Point SP 1.1: (Objectively Assessed Need)
Rochford District Council must provide between 331 to 361 houses per annum under the Objectively Assessed Need. Rochford Council should not rely on neighbouring authorities Duty to Cooperate as these areas are also under pressure to supply housing. Rochford Council should ensure a supply is provided to achieve the requirement of housing and go further than the proposed option A. 'Seek to provide as much of the district's housing need within our area, as far as possible, given environmental and other constraints. The council must consider releasing more land from the Green Belt, as detailed in the response to Point SP 5.1 below.

Point SP1.3: How do we plan to facilitate the delivery of our need for new homes over the next 20 years within the district?

To meet the target of supplying at least 331 houses per annum additional land must be included in the local plan. For this reason option C. several small extensions to the existing area would be one good way to achieve the minimum of 331 houses per annum in the Rochford District. This site will complement an extension to the existing village, but is still bound by residential development further to the west/

Point SP2.2: How do we continue to support local facilities in our village and neighbourhood centres?

The development would support the village services including shops and public houses. The site would be within 800m to these services proving easy access is available to these.

Core Strategy policy RTC3 seeks to protect retail uses within residential areas and will only permit the loss of such retail uses where it has been clearly demonstrated that a retail use in the location is not viable and that the proposed alternative use will still offer a service to the local community that meets day-to-day needs.' The development of the site would further increase the demand and support the need for the village services in Canewdon making the village sustainable.

Given the above, option A. to retain the existing Core Strategy policy should be adopted.

Point SP 5.1: How do we balance protection of the district's Green Belt that the meets the five Green Belt purposes, against the need to deliver new homes and jobs across the district and the wider South Essex area?
The principle of the Green Belt is to keep a sense of openness between built up areas. The development of the Green Belt should only happen in exceptional circumstances, but as reiterated by Government publications the plan-led system should review the existing Green Belt boundary to ensure development is always sustainable.
The Five purposes of the Green Belt are:
1. To check the unrestricted sprawl of large built-up areas;
2. To prevent neighbouring towns merging into one another;
3. To assist in safeguarding the countryside from encroachment;
4. To preserve the setting and special character of historic towns; and
5. To assist in urban regeneration, by encouraging the recycling of derelict and other urban land.
The Council's approach to the Green Belt is set out in the Core Strategy adopted in December 2011. The four objectives of the Core Strategy for the Green Belt are;
1. Continue to protect the openness and character of the District's Green Belt.
2. Ensure the minimum amount of Green Belt is allocated to meet the District's housing and employment needs, and that extensions to the residential envelope are in sustainable locations, which retain the individual identities of settlements and prevent coalescence
3. Ensure existing lawful businesses in the Green Belt are able to continue to function and contribute to the local economy, as appropriate, having regard to the impact on the openness and character of the Green Belt.
4. Ensure appropriate forms of diversification are encouraged to support the local rural economy and help achieve the vision of developing green tourism in the District.

The above land and referred to in the Strategic Housing Land Assessment should be considered. The land meets the requirements for new housing as set out in points one and two above. There should also be an amendment to the current policy to release sustainable sites like this from the Green Belt easier and hence the support for option B to amend the current Green Belt policy in the Core Strategy.