The Green Belt and Countryside

Our client, Fairview New Homes has an interest in a parcel of land described as land off Poyntens Road in Rayleigh. The land represents a suitable site for new residential development to be delivered in the forthcoming plan period. Fairview New Homes has sought to actively participate during all available opportunities of the Local Development Framework process, including the imminent Core Strategy Examination. The comments below are made in line with representations submitted previously during other public consultation opportunities.

Fairview New Homes support the intentions of the Development Management DPD in that it is consistent with National and Regional policy by the fact it contains a number of specific policies seeking to deliver appropriate development in the District. On behalf of Fairview New Homes, these representations make a number specific points relating to particular preferred policies contained within the draft Development Management DPD.

Housing, Character of Place and Residential Amenity

It is proposed on page 12 of the draft Development Management DPD that concept statements will be prepared by the Council. Where concept statements are deemed necessary by the Local Planning Authority these should be developed alongside landowners and developers to ensure workable and deliverable design parameters are defined.

It appears there is a significant degree of duplication of design requirements throughout various policy documents. It is understood that design is best developed on a site by site basis to ensure the best possible solution is reached in each instance and as a result the contents of Preferred Policy DM1 are largely arbitrary by default. However, the list of considerations set out in Preferred Policy DM1 do not act to inform an applicant what design principles are likely to be found appropriate. Given the subjective nature of design the contents of the preferred policy does little to direct application proposals.

Habitable Floorspace for New Developments

It is the view of Fairview New Homes that further floorspace standards in addition to the Housing Quality Indicators (HQI) are not required as proposed in Table 1 preceding Preferred Policy DM4. The HQIs were promoted by DETR and the National Housing Federation to be used 'as a flexible management tool of housing quality used by consumers and developers alike for new and existing stock in both the public and private sectors'. Since the conception of the standards in 1998 they have been progressively refined and updated. As a result the HQI standards have become the accepted and understood figures by both public and private sectors of the development industry. It is understood that the HQI standards are currently only applicable to affordable housing schemes, however, the standards can easily be used in parallel for privately funded scheme rather than introducing duplicate standards.

Density

During our involvement throughout the LDF process we have been informed by Policy Officers that it is the Council's approach to adopt a high density approach to residential development on sites allocated for housing purposes so as to avoid the uptake of green field land elsewhere in the District. We understand that the quantum of housing proposed on strategic housing sites identified in the Core Strategy have been refined to reflect this approach. On this basis the Development Management DPD should adopt a similar approach to bring the document in line with both the Core Strategy and emerging Site Allocations Document. Higher density development will ensure greater quantum of housing is developed and therefore also increase the District's affordable housing delivery. Fairview New Homes, therefore, supports the high density option proposed in Policy DM2.

Light Pollution

On behalf of Fairview New Homes, we do not see the need for the inclusion Policy DM5 in the Development Management DPD. In line with national guidance the Council's application validation checklist should adequately control the need for a lighting scheme commensurate to the scale of the proposed development.

The Green Belt and Countryside

It is recognised in both the Core Strategy and emerging Site Allocations document that the release of some Green Belt land will be necessary in order to meet the District's housing requirements. This is currently not reflected in the Development Management DPD. Whilst it is understood that the contents of the Core Strategy and the strategic housing sites identified in the document provides the overarching policies direction for Green Belt management in the District the Development Management DPD needs to be brought in line with these policies in order to reflect the changes that are proposed to the Green Belt.

Housing

p.12 DM1 Design of New Developments
Add - infrastructure, health facilities, school - if major development

p.13 Density of New Developments is a major concern in a part of the County that is already densely populated

p. 14 Is Hockley considered to be a Town Centre

p.15 Agree the there should be no replacement of individual dwellings with flats.

p.22 Has Council a list of local important buildings?

p.23 Agree with control over demolition of buildings within Conservation Areas.

p.25 Prefer Option DM9 - must restrict development on edge of Conservation Areas.

Green Belt and Countryside

p. 26 2017 - Why use Green Belt land for creation of new jobs.
2025 - How can Rochford be suitable for tourists if there is such a high population density.

p.28/29 Agree with comments on these pages. Must remember the importance of agricultural land in rural areas. Use land for agriculture.

Environmental Issues

p.51/56 Agree with statements regarding Environmental Issues.

Transport

p.57 2017 - What is the South Essex Rapid Transit System

p.59 Where will funding come from for important transport issues.

Economic Development

p. 61 What phases of enhancement have been implemented in Hockley?

(In five years). Southend Airport will not provide significant employment due to current and future financial constraints. People living in Leigh will not have a better quality of life due to being in flight path.

(2017) Where will Eco-Enterprise Centre be located?
Where will new Employment Park be located?

Retail and Town Centres

p.67 Already a strong cluster of restaurants and cafes in Hockley.

District already fully developed. New housing should be severely restricted.
Green belt land must be protected.
Agricultural land must remain as agricultural land.
Residents of the district do not want gypsy and travellers sites in the area.
The high hopes of economic development plans for Southend Airport may have to be toned down due to economic climate.
Every effort must be made to fill vacant shops in places like Hockley before any grandiose plans are contemplated.