DM33 Advertisements affecting Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings - Preferred Option

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Comment

Development Management Policies DPD

Representation ID: 25585

Received: 30/04/2010

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

* In Policy DM33 - the second sentence should be amended by insertion of the words 'not cause an access problem,' to read '... and should be sensitive to the character of the area, visually unobtrusive, not cause an access problem, well designed and well located.'

Full text:

Response of Essex County Council

Essex County Council supports the production of a Development Management DPD by Rochford District Council. By setting out detailed planning policies for the management of development the DPD will positively assist realisation of the District's Core Strategy. In this respect the linking of the DPD directly to the Vision and the four main corporate objectives for the District is welcomed.

The scope and coverage of the proposed Development Management policies is broadly supported but could benefit from some detailed textual changes to the Policies and their supporting text (as set out below) to reflect,

* the creation of safe direct walking and cycling routes to schools and other community facilities by inclusion of an additional section of supporting text together with an additional policy. Essex County Council would welcome early discussion with the District Council with the aim of producing jointly agreed text for such a section;
* the acknowledgment of the value and role of the Historic Environment by the Document should be more appropriately integrated within proposed Policy DM1 and Policy DM13 and the objectives for Environmental Issues;
* the proactive role that the District Council and partners are taking to the Green Belt, for example the positive approach that will result from improving access to the Upper Roach Valley and to Wallasea Island. Also, Renaissance Southend and Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, with partners including the County Council and the District Council, are actively promoting Stonebridge Park as a sub-regional greenspace project. The project would create major greenspaces and access improvements, including restoration of some existing and old landfills and utilizing the old haul roads for cycling and bridleways. This represents a major partnership opportunity for Rochford to create a substantial sub-regional park in the District. Further, the supporting text should refer to the recently announced initiative for a Coastal Path, to run the length of the English Coast, being led by Natural England, which presents a considerable opportunity for Rochford to create a major green attraction along the District's extensive coastline. Additional supporting text for Policy DM13 and to the vision and objectives for the Green Belt and Countryside is suggested;
* creation of an attractive and pleasant environment can support an improved retail offer and thereby assist enhancement of use of town centres by addition to the objectives for Retail and Town Centres;.
* the potential access issues raised by some forms of advertising, for instance advertising boards, (insofar as they can be subject to development management policies) by addition to Policy DM32 and Policy DM33 and their supporting text;
* the full scope of Essex County Council's 'Parking Standards: Design and Good Practice (2009)' by additions to the supporting text for Policy DM25;
* additional relevant sub-regional and county strategy documents.

In addition, Figure 1 is useful in setting out the types of documents which will comprise the Development Plan for Rochford. However, for completeness and for the benefit of users of the Development Plan it would be useful if all Development Plan Documents and Supplementary Planning Documents were listed by name. A brief description of their purpose and content would aid understanding of their relevance in consideration of particular planning proposals, topics and issues.

Suggested detailed textual changes to the Policies and their supporting text are,

A. Figure 1 - Additional description of Figure 1 to aid understanding of the relevance documents within the Local Development Framework in consideration of particular planning proposals, topics and issues;

B. Relationship to other strategies - additional relevant strategies to be referenced,
* Sub-regional strategies - 'Thames Gateway Parklands Vision 2008'
* County strategies -
o Developers' Guide to Infrastructure Contributions.
o Parking Standards Design and Good Practice
o Highways and Transport Development Management Policies

C. Policy DM1 Design of New Developments - amend criteria i), ii) and vi) to read,
i) accessibility by all forms of transport;
ii) boundary treatment and landscaping within the development;
vi) impact on the historic environment including designated sites, Conservation Areas, Listed Buildings, archaeological sites and the historic landscape;

The supporting text for Policy DM1 should be augmented to emphasise the role of the wider historic environment, including archaeological sites and historic landscapes.

D. Green Belt and Countryside
* The vision should be expanded by addition of the following,
o In five years - add three additional bullets to read,
- 'New Strategies for the Upper Roach countryside area and Stonebridge Park, around Great Wakering'
- 'New Visitor Facilities at RSPB Wallasea Island'
- 'A plan is developed of the line of the Coastal Path, showing how it runs through Rochford, connecting Burnham-on Crouch to Southend'
o By 2017 - add an additional bullet to read,
- 'Completion of the Coastal Path connecting Burnham-on Crouch to Southend'
o By 2025 - add two additional bullets to read,
- 'If appropriate, new Visitor facilities at Stonebridge Park and the Upper Crouch'
- 'Rochford is recognised as a tourist destination, with good access to the rivers and waterways and many visitors to the nationally recognised wetlands at Wallasea, the sub regional greenspaces located at the Upper Crouch and Stonebridge Park, and the Coastal Path'

* The Objectives should be expanded by addition of two additional objectives,
o 'Ensure the Green Belt includes positive appropriate activities such as countryside recreation, education, nature study etc'
o 'Aid the delivery of greenspaces identified in the Thames Gateway Green Grid Strategy and the Parklands Vision, alongside Essex County Council and neighbouring authorities'

* A further criterion should be added to the first paragraph of Policy DM13 (Green Tourism) to read 'the impact on the historic environment'.

* The supporting text to Policy DM13 (Green Tourism) should be expanded by addition of,
o A paragraph to read, 'Green Tourism should benefit the residents of Rochford and South Essex. Opening up the countryside of the Upper Roach Valley, Wallasea Island and the proposed Stonebridge Park will enable visitors increased access to the countryside, education facilities, improved health, new jobs and opportunities in new facilities and existing businesses. Furthermore it would elevate Rochford's reputation as a tourist destination.'
o text to note that the impact of tourism opportunities on the historic environment is as important as that on the natural environment.

E. Environmental Issues - the vision should be expanded by,
o in 5 years - add the words 'and historic environment' to the third bullet so that it reads 'Local, national and international sites of nature conservation and historic environment importance are protected.'
o By 2017 - add an additional bullet to read 'the local, national and international sites of historic environment importance are being increasingly protected, promoted and enhanced'.

F. Transport - the supporting text should be expanded to note,
* Essex County Council is the local highway authority and has a set of Development Management policies for the highways and transport aspects of development.
* the supporting text to Policy DM25 should note that Essex County Council's 'Parking Standards: Design and Good Practice (2009)' includes guidance related not only to private cars but also to 'Blue Badge' users, cyclists, motorcyclists and commercial vehicles.

G. Retail and Town Centres - include an additional objective to read, 'Improve the public realm of the Town Centres and village and neighbourhood centres by implementing landscape and access schemes which include street trees to provide urban greening'

H. Advertisements in the District
* In Policy DM32 - the first sentence should be amended by insertion of the words 'access and' to read, 'The design and siting of advertisements throughout the District must have regard to access and the visual impact of the building(s)...'
* In Policy DM33 - the second sentence should be amended by insertion of the words 'not cause an access problem,' to read '... and should be sensitive to the character of the area, visually unobtrusive, not cause an access problem, well designed and well located.'
* The first paragraph of the supporting text should be amended by insertion of the word 'access' to read '...is not detrimental to the access, appearance or value of a particular streetscape or buildings(s).'
* Additional supporting text should note that some forms of advertising, for instance, advertising boards can cause uncontrolled clutter which tends to restrict and obstruct access and provide tripping obstacles for people who are blind or partially sighted.

I. Safe Walking and Cycling Routes
The Document would benefit from an additional section of supporting text together with an additional policy that specifically addresses the creation of safe direct walking and cycling routes to schools and other community facilities. Essex County Council would welcome early discussion with the District Council with the aim of producing jointly agreed text for such a section.


Comment

Development Management Policies DPD

Representation ID: 26043

Received: 06/05/2010

Respondent: Rochford Chamber of Trade

Representation Summary:

DM33 Advertisements affecting Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings
The authority need to have effective guidelines rather than the subjective judgements which are not user friendly and singularly unhelpful.

Full text:

The Green Belt and Countryside

DM10 Existing Businesses in the Green Belt
We support the preferred option

DM11 Rural Diversification
We support the preferred option

DM12 Conversion of Existing Agricultural Buildings in the Green Belt
Whilst you refer to PPS4 and PPG2, current policy seems to ignore PPG7. Policy PPG7 does not rule out the conversion of agricultural premises for business or residential use. Therefore, to encourage skills and growth in the rural economy, we support a less restrictive approach as above. We see this as being potentially good for the local economy both in terms of new business and providing local work for construction and building supplies.

With regard to listed buildings, each case should be judged on its merits.

Tourism Opportunities in the Green Belt

DM13 Green Tourism

Your paragraph which states "appropriate locations should not result in agglomeration of similar facilities" could result in uneconomically viable and restricted businesses. If the authority is serious about encouraging Green Tourism, it must let the market decide. As an example, Southend Sea Front is known for Hotels and B&B accommodation. This grouping ensures its economic viability. Restrictive policy constrains it.

This policy should be less restrictive

Transport

DM25 Parking Standards
In order to attract and keep business in the district, we should relax the maximum car parking standards for key trip destinations. By enforcing this restriction we are directing shoppers out of the district. Example: Fossetts Way, TESCOS, Rayleigh Weir and Lakeside. The public will go where there is car parking. This policy is driving out business development to neighborouring districts, increases car use and congestion.

On page 57 there is mention of the RDC Transport Strategy Supplementary Planning Document. This document has not been issued as a consultation or in draft form. What is the timetable for this?

Economic Development

DM26 Traffic Management
There is no policy to support the increase in traffic generated by the proposed, planned developments. Example: Coombes Farm, Airport Expansion, West Rochford, Ashingdon Road, Christmas Tree Farm and Stambridge Mills. We should at least have a contingency plan in the event of gridlock.

DM27 Employment Land
This appears to be yet another restriction, driving people out of the area for retail activity. (See DM25 above.)

Cases should be judged according to their merits.

Retail & Town Centres

DM29 Town Centre Shopping Frontages
The 75% rule (Guidance) for retail outlets in town centres should be enforced.

The authority should not be in the business of micro managing the market. Shoppers like choice, any vibrant, retail centre will provide choice which is often clustered.

DM30 Upper Floor Locations in Town Centres
Agree preferred option

DM31 Village & Neighbourhood Shops
We agree that "retail use is important to ensure the vitality and vibrancy of any shopping frontage and to meet the needs of local communities".

DM32 Advertisements and
DM33 Advertisements affecting Conservation Areas and Listed Buildings
The authority need to have effective guidelines rather than the subjective judgements which are not user friendly and singularly unhelpful.