Rochford Council – New Local Plan: Spatial Options Consultation
Representations on behalf of Manor Oak Homes
On behalf of our client, Manor Oak Homes, we are pleased to enclose representations to your New Local Plan:
Spatial Options 2021 consultation. As a housebuilder with an active interest in land in the district, Manor Oak
Homes is extremely grateful for the opportunity to comment on the emerging plan.
While we appreciate that the Council’s preference is for respondents to complete the online response forms, our
client’s response is a detailed one that raises a number of inter-related issues and is supported by a package of
documents. The response is contained in the accompanying statement by Armstrong Rigg Planning, which is structured to correspond with the questions asked in the consultation document and is supported by the following enclosures:
Enclosure 1: Red Line Location Plan
Enclosure 2: Constraints & Opportunities Plan
Enclosure 3: Indicative Masterplan
Enclosure 4: Flooding & Drainage Note prepared by MAC Consulting
Enclosure 5: Landscape & Visual Assessment prepared by Aspect Landscape
Enclosure 6: Ecology Note prepared by Aspect Ecology
Enclosure 7: Arboricultural Note prepared by Aspect Arboriculture
Enclosure 8: Built Heritage Note prepared by Asset Heritage Consulting
Enclosure 9: Accessibility Note prepared by MAC Consulting

In addition to providing Manor Oak Homes’ response to the questions posed in the consultation document, this
submission also provides additional information in support of the allocation of land within their control to the
north of Great Wheatley Road in Rayleigh. Their land comprises one of the ‘promoted sites’ referred to in the
‘Planning for Complete Communities’ section of the consultation document and identified on Map 44: Map of
Rayleigh – Site Ref. CFS077. Manor Oak Homes welcome the invitation to comment further on the site, and following further technical work, are pleased now to enclose additional information explaining its merit as a future location for housing.
We trust that due regard will be had to these representations. Should you have any queries or require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me or my colleague, Geoff Armstrong.

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 This statement sets out the response on behalf of our client, Manor Oak Homes (MOH), to the Rochford New Local Plan: Spatial Options Consultation 2021. The consultation paper seeks views on three components - Strategy Options, Planning Themes and Planning for Complete Communities – posing specific questions on each. This statement has been structured to provide a response under those headings to the specific questions asked with reference, where appropriate, to the evidence base documents and topic papers.
1.2 In preparing this response, particular consideration has been given to the tests of soundness required to be met as set out at Paragraph 35 of the NPPF, including whether the options put forward would result in a Local Plan that is: positively prepared; justified; effective; and consistent with national policy.
1.3 In addition to providing Manor Oak Homes’ response to the issues raised in the consultation paper, this
submission also provides additional information in support of the allocation of land within their control
to the north of Great Wheatley Road in Rayleigh (Enclosure 1). Their land comprises one of the
‘promoted sites’ referred to in the ‘Planning for Complete Communities’ section of the consultation document and identified on Map 44: Map of Rayleigh – Site Ref. CFS077.
1.4 Further information specifically relating to the site is set out at Section 5 and is supported by the following documents:
Enclosure 1: Red Line Location Plan
Enclosure 2: Constraints & Opportunities Plan
Enclosure 3: Indicative Masterplan
Enclosure 4: Flooding & Drainage Note prepared by MAC Consulting
Enclosure 5: Landscape & Visual Assessment prepared by Aspect Landscape
Enclosure 6: Ecology Note prepared by Aspect Ecology
Enclosure 7: Arboricultural Note prepared by Aspect Arboriculture
Enclosure 8: Built Heritage Note prepared by Asset Heritage Consulting
Enclosure 9: Accessibility Note prepared by MAC Consulting.

2.0 SPATIAL VISION
ROCHFORD IN 2050
Q2: Do you agree with our draft vision for Rochford District? Is there anything missing from the vision that you feel needs to be included?
2.1 MOH support the Draft Vision, welcoming in particular the Council’s wish to plan positively and to set a longer-term vision to 2050. Setting a longer-term vision would be consistent with paragraph 22 of the NPPF, but if this vision is to be achieved, then the new plan must be up-to-date and fit for purpose. It is vital therefore that the need for growth is embraced positively and that the most sustainable and deliverable options to achieve this are pursued so that the needs of the area are fully met, including any shortfall in past delivery, and where the need to travel is reduced and the benefits for both existing and future residents are maximised. Recent experience has shown that a number of neighbouring
authorities (e.g Castle Point) will struggle to meet their needs in full, and therefore, opportunities to assist them should also be explored upfront at an early stage and provision made accordingly to ensure that Rochford’s new plan can be found sound at the earliest opportunity.

Q3: Do you agree that we should develop a range of separate visions for each of our
settlements to help guide decision-making?
2.2 MOH support the adoption of a set of settlement-based visions. The work undertaken by the Council as
part of the Role and Hierarchy Settlement Study shows the extent to which the role and function of the
settlements in the district differ and the adoption of settlement-based visions would enable this
individuality to be reflected and the strategy for each to be appropriately tailored. Indeed, in a
primarily rural authority like Rochford, each settlement performs a different role for its population and
hinterland and the capacity it has to accommodate sustainable new growth will vary according to that
role or other physical or policy constraints. It is considered that visions that reflect and respond to
these individualities would provide greater certainty regarding the role each settlement is expected to
perform moving forward enabling the needs of the district to be met.