Rochford District – Regulation 18 Local Plan Spatial Options Consultation
I refer to your consultation on Spatial Options for the ongoing preparation of the Rochford District Local
Plan.
I also refer to your letter of the 6th August 2021 enquiring as to whether Castle Point Borough Council can assist Rochford District Council in accommodating its development needs in locations outside the current
extent of the Green Belt pursuant to paragraph 141 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Unmet Development Needs
I will address your letter of the 6th August first. As you will be aware, Castle Point Borough Council submitted its draft Local Plan to the Secretary of State for examination in public on the 2nd October 2020.
That submitted plan, to accommodate the needs for development arising in Castle Point, includes several
allocations within the current extent of the Green Belt. The submitted Castle Point Local Plan is in the process of being examined, and hearing sessions into its soundness and legal compliance took place in May and June 2021.

The Castle Point Local Plan states that it is not possible for Castle Point to meet its own development needs without incursion into the Green Belt. The supply identified across the urban area in Castle Point is
sufficient to provide 3,148 homes which amounts to around 53.4% only of the borough’s own development
requirement. To this end, Castle Point Borough Council is not able to assist Rochford District Council in meeting its development needs to 2040 in non-Green Belt locations.

Spatial Options
With regard to the Spatial Option Consultation, I note that you currently have capacity for housing within the existing urban area and on existing allocations for around 4,500 homes. This is not sufficient to meet the requirement for housing in Rochford District as derived from the Standard Methodology set out in the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Practice Guidance of 7,200 homes to 2040. You are therefore exploring spatial options for meeting this additional need within the extent of the Green Belt in Rochford District.

The Spatial Options Consultation sets out three broad options, numbers 2 to 4 which enable Rochford District Council to explore opportunities for development in Green Belt locations. All three options include the potential for development to the west of Rayleigh.
Under option 2 consideration is being given to sites which would form an extension to Rayleigh. It is noted
that combined sites CFS121, CFS146 and CFS147 which sit to the west of Rayleigh could deliver 2,838
homes.

Under option 3 consideration is being given to concentrating growth to the west of Rayleigh. This option
appears to include sites adjacent to Wickford with a combined capacity of over 5,000 homes.
Option 4 allows for the different spatial scenarios to be combined which means that there is scope for
Rochford District Council to bring forward both an extension to Rayleigh and concentrated growth to the
West of Rayleigh delivering close to 8,000 homes in this location.

Rochford District Council will be aware that Castle Point Borough Council are considering growth in the North West Thundersley area in a review of its local plan, which sits to the south of the A127 and the south of the sites being considered for development to the West of Rayleigh.

Delivery of any development in the North West Thundersley area will depend on access from the Fairglen Interchange.

Castle Point Borough Council has therefore been in early discussion with Essex County Council as the Highway Authority about joint working to bring this location forward alongside long-term proposals for the Fairglen Interchange.

If Rochford District Council are similarly considering the potential to concentrate growth near the Fairglen
Interchange, then there is scope for the authorities to work collaboratively to open up development
opportunities around this junction. Castle Point Borough Council would therefore ask Rochford District Council to work jointly with them on planning for this area if the decision is taken to concentrate all or some of the growth within the Rochford Local Plan to the west of Rayleigh. We recommend that Basildon Council also be part of the that discussion as their borough boundary also abuts and incorporates elements of the Fairglen junction.

Sustainable Travel
I notice from the consultation material that you are seeking to emphasise a shift towards more sustainable
modes of travel through the Rochford District Local Plan. The use of Walking Completeness scores for each of the settlements will enable Rochford District Council to identify which sites will contribute best towards the creation of more sustainable walkable communities, and it will therefore be interesting to see how these scores are used to select sites and plan for the provision of community infrastructure and services.

It is however noted that the majority of Rochford residents work outside the district, and many of your
residents live in smaller settlements where the range of services is more limited. There is therefore a need to improve public transport provision alongside the growth in the Local Plan. Castle Point has similarly come to this conclusion, and will need to see service improvements across the Borough as set out in our Infrastructure Delivery Plan.

With regard to the A129, Essex County Council is developing a route improvement strategy for the stretch
from Victoria House Corner in Hadleigh to the Rayleigh Weir with an emphasis on promoting more
sustainable modes of travel. However, journeys and especially sustainable travel journeys being made by
foot, bicycle or bus do not stop at the borough boundary but continue into Rayleigh from Castle Point and
vice versa. There is therefore a need for Castle Point and Rochford Council’s to work together with Essex
County Council to ensure that the route improvement strategy, especially in relation to sustainable travel
modes extends all the way into Rayleigh town centre and to Rayleigh station.

Duty to Cooperate
Based on the comments above Castle Point Borough Council believes that there are potential strategic
cross-boundary issues to be addressed through the preparation of the Rochford District Local Plan in
relation to:
a) Any development proposed to the west of Rayleigh
b) Sustainable travel on the A129
Castle Point Borough Council is willing to work cooperatively with Rochford District Council to ensure that any issues or opportunities arising from these matters are addressed.
To date, officers of both Councils have met on the respective local plans and worked closely on ASELA
projects, including strategic planning issues. The Council submitted to the Castle Point Local Plan Inspector a statement on Duty to Cooperate within South Essex which can be found at:
https://www.castlepoint.gov.uk/download.cfm?doc=docm93jijm4n5855.pdf&ver=9609
Separately, I note that you have used evidence base jointly prepared across South Essex to inform the
Spatial Options consultation and the approach you are proposing to some matters. I welcome your use of this shared evidence base as it helps to improve the consistency of planning between the different
boroughs in South Essex.

I also note that your proposals incorporate the South Essex Regional Park, the potential for which was
identified through the South Essex Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy. Your incorporation of the
Regional Park within the proposals for the Rochford Local Plan is also welcomed as it will aid in the delivery
of Green and Blue Infrastructure across the wider South Essex area.

Castle Point Borough Council is willing to continue working with Rochford District Council and all other
South Essex partners as appropriate to prepare a joint evidence base, to bring forward a Strategic Planning
Framework for South Essex, and to deliver the priorities of the Association of South Essex Local Authorities.

I trust this response is of assistance to you in taking forward the preparation of your Local Plan. If you have
any queries, or if you wish to meet to discuss our comments please do not hesitate to contact the Planning
Policy Manager, Amanda Parrott – aparrott@castlepoint.gov.uk