Thank you for consulting the historic environment management team on the Rochford Core Strategy Preferred Options.

Within the core strategy document heritage sites and the historic environment are mentioned under sections 2.2, 2.5, 2.19, 2.21 and 2.29. Rochford have already commissioned a Historic Environment Characterisation Project which clearly identifies the importance of all three strands of the historic environment comprising the historic landscape, built heritage and the archaeological deposits.

Although the Historic Environment is mentioned throughout the document there is a lack of bullet points or policies under section 4.10 (Character of Place and the Historic Environment). Most of the sub sections in 4.10 relate to the built environment and there is little which relates to both Rochford's important historic landscape and surviving archaeological deposits. It is recommended that an additional bullet point be added on the important historic landscape and archaeological deposits of the District. A suggested wording is:

The district has a diverse historic landscape and extensive surviving archaeological deposits. There is the potential to protect and enhance the historic environment assets and their surroundings both within development areas, and in rural and coastal landscape and as a first step the council has commissioned a Historic Environment Characterisation Project.

Also it would be appropriate to add a further bullet point in the highlighted section stating:

The council will provide policies to both protect and enhance the historic environment protecting the Districts Sense of Place.