Rochford District Core Strategy Regulation 26 Draft

Object

Representation ID: 617

Received: 03/07/2007

Respondent: Pond Chase Nurseries Ltd

Agent: Boyer Planning Ltd

The Core Strategy has identified a distribution of dwellings between the principal settlements.

The manner and the reasons for the particular distribution are noted but the final distribution should await the conclusions of the Urban Capacity Study. It remains important that there is a reasonable balance of new housing distribution across the three principal settlements to include urban capacity sites and the release of land from the Green Belt.

Accordingly, this objection is maintained pending publication of the updated Urban Capacity Study.

Support

Representation ID: 618

Received: 03/07/2007

Respondent: Pond Chase Nurseries Ltd

Agent: Boyer Planning Ltd

The rejection of the alternative options by the local authority is supported. It is clear in PPS3 that windfall development cannot be relied upon in identifying future housing supply.

Support

Representation ID: 619

Received: 03/07/2007

Respondent: Pond Chase Nurseries Ltd

Agent: Boyer Planning Ltd

The identification of the three principal settlements as being the location for the larger portion of the housing requirement is supported.

There is clear logic in making such provision since these comprise the largest urban settlements within the District and where additional residential development would be consistent with sustainable development principles.

Object

Representation ID: 620

Received: 03/07/2007

Respondent: Pond Chase Nurseries Ltd

Agent: Boyer Planning Ltd

The text at paragraph 4.6.19 in identifying various constraints around Hockley/Hawkwell should be amended.

Hockley/Hawkwell is served by the existing road network and pubilc transport in the form of bus and rail and therefore as such is accessible by alternative means of transport other than the private car.

Our client's site at Pond Chase Nursery lies within walking distance of bus routes and within 1.5km of the railway station. It is also not effected by any constraints of the sort set out in the Core Strategy such as maintaining gaps between settlements or undermining key environmental designations.

These representations are accompanied by 3 plans as follows:

i) Site Accessibility Plan
ii) Hockley Constratins
iii) Planning Context Plan

The Accessiblity Plan shows the location of the site in relation to the existing built-up area and the facilities contained within it. The attached Constraints Plan shows the range of constraints that affect the Hawkwell urban area and it is noted that the comparative lack of constraints affecting the Pond Chase Nursery site.

The final plan showing the planning context indicates that housing development would be proposed on the frontage part of the site where existing buildings are provided for mushroom production and also for light industrial and storage purposes with the open land to the rear being provided for public open space and also an area for nature conservation.

The text should be amended to identify that whilst Hawkwell may be a short distance to the Cherry Orchard Way link road it is also significantly constrained by environmental designations including Special Landscape Area designations to the south and north, various nature conservation and public open space designations to the north and the need to maintain a gap with Rochford to the east. Having regard to such constraints the paragraph should provide clearer guidance as to potential locations for new development whch must include opportunities for development of previously developed land within the urban area and the potential for release of land on the northern fringes of Hockley where no such constraints exist and where there are opportunities for environmental enhancement through the re-development of existing sites that comprise buildings.

The constraints relating to Rayleigh and Rochford contained within the text are noted.

Object

Representation ID: 621

Received: 03/07/2007

Respondent: Pond Chase Nurseries Ltd

Agent: Boyer Planning Ltd

It is noted that the Council have yet to prepare an Urban Capacity Study (paragraph 4.5.3). It can be anticipated that the Plan will need to provide for a release of land from the Green Belt if its general and affordable housing needs are to be met in accordance with the requirements of the emerging Regional Spatial Strategy. Accordingly, the Preferred Option for housing as stated at paragraph 4.5.11 should be amended to include an additional bullet point as follows:

. After the re-use of previously developed land in urban areas, the Council will prioritise housing allocations on sites currently lying within the Green Belt but which can form appropriate extensions to the respective urban areas and where a priority will be placed on the allocation of sites that already contain existing buildings and provide opportunities for local visual enhancement.

Support

Representation ID: 743

Received: 03/07/2007

Respondent: Pond Chase Nurseries Ltd

Agent: Boyer Planning Ltd

4.5.12 - The rejection of the alternative options by the local authority is supported. It is clear in PPS3 that windfall development cannot be relied upon in identifying future housing supply.

Object

Representation ID: 744

Received: 03/07/2007

Respondent: Pond Chase Nurseries Ltd

Agent: Boyer Planning Ltd

4.6.19 The text at paragraph 4.6.19 in identifying various constraints around Hockley/Hawkwell should be amended.

Hockley/Hawkwell is served by the existing road network and public transport in the form of bus and rail and therefore as such is accessible by alternative means of transport other than the private car.

Our client's site at Pond Chase Nursery lies within walking distance of bus routes and within 1.5km. of the railway station. It is also not effected by any constraints of the sort set out in the Core Strategy such as maintaining gaps between settlements or undermining key environmental designations.

These representations are accompanied by 3 plans as follows:

i) Site Accessibility Plan
ii) Hockley Constraints
iii) Planning Context Plan.

The Accessibility Plan shows the location of the site in relation to the existing built-up area and the facilities contained within it. The attached Constraints Plan shows the range of constraints that affect the Hawkwell urban area and it is noted that the comparative lack of constraints affecting the Pond Chase Nursery site.

The final plan showing the planning context indicates that housing developemnt would be proposed on the frontage part of the site where existing buildings are provided for mushroom production and also for light industrial and storage purposes with the open land to the rear being provided for public open space and also an area for nature conservation.

The text should be amended to identify that whilst Hawkwell may be a short distance to the Cherry Orchard Way link road it is also significantly constrained by environmental designations including Special Landscape Area designations to the south and north, various nature conservation and public open space designations to the north and the need to maintain a gap with Rochford to the east. Having regard to such constraints the paragraph should provide clearer guidance as to potential locations for new development which must include opportunities for development of previously developed land within the urban area and the potential for release of land on the northern fringes of Hockley where no such constraints exist and where there are opportunities for environmental enhancement through the re-development of existing sites that comprise buildings.

The constraints relating to Rayleigh and Rochford contained within the text are noted.