Comments on behalf of Mr & Mrs T Harold in response to the Council's public consultation on the Core Strategy Preferred Options document, dated October 2008, to form part of the Local Development Framework of Rochford District Council.

It is noted some Green Belt land will need to be released and 70% of new housing is to be on greenfield sites, as sustainable extensions to existing settlements within the plan period 2001 - 2021.

Our clients support the Council's preferred option for the distribution of land for new housing, broadly in accordance with the key diagram, so as to avoid the over intensification of existing residential areas, in accordance with H1.

The approach of focusing new housing development on the higher tier settlements, including Rayleigh, Rochford/Ashingdon, and Hockley/Hawkwell is supported, as part of the proposed balanced strategy. Our clients consider preference should be given to brownfield sites already developed.

Our clients support the Council's Preferred Option for the General Location of future housing development, as set out in H1, on the understanding this does not exclude their own site (see call for sites ref number 114) and they feel the West Hockley area has the potential for a greater number of dwellings both during the pre 2015 period and between 2015 and 2021.

Accordingly our clients ask for the tables in H2 and H3 to be amended so as to include a higher allocation for the West Hockley area. This can be achieved without encroachment into the open countryside and will not prejudice the separation between Hockley and the neighbouring settlements of Rayleigh and Hullbridge.

Our clients' above mentioned site has been put forward as a mixed site for both residential and public open space. As such they suggest this represents an opportunity to make a significant contribution in accordance with preferred option CLT5 and to link into the Green Grid Greenway and the recreational potential of the land to the south-west of Hockley, within the Upper Roach Valley.


Comments submitted on behalf of Mr & Mrs T Harold
by Graham Jolley Ltd