Rochford District Core Strategy Regulation 26 Draft

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Rochford District Council Core Strategy Preferred Options document (your letter dated 21 May 2007).

EEDA receives a number of requests of this kind, as a statutory consultee, and our experience to date suggests a number of points on Core Strategy documents which your authority may wish to consider.

EEDA's principal role is to improve the East of England region's economic performance. Our main concern with Core Strategy documents is therefore that they will help deliver, and provide the spatial framework for:

* Sustainable economic development and regeneration in the East of England, and in particular,
* The Regional Economic Strategy (A Shared Vision: the regional economic strategy for the East of England, 2004).

Planning Policy Statement 12 'Local Development Frameworks', 2004 reminds local planning authorities that in preparing local development documents they should take into account, inter alia, the relevant Regional Economic Strategy (see para 1.9) rather than the regional employment strategy noted in your document. The RES provides a vision for the region as a leading economy with high and growing levels of wealth, increasing levels of economic participation and inclusion, and sustainable and dynamic rural economies.

In this context the impacts of proposed development on the following issues are likely to be particularly significant and we request that, where appropriate, they are considered in your Core Strategy:

- provision for businesses (particularly based in science and technology, research and innovation) including the supply of high quality business premises in sustainable locations;
- improving the region's skills base and human capital (and especially to address skills gaps and shortages);
- tackling deprivation and social exclusion, equality and diversity (giving communities improved opportunities to participate fully in the regional economy);
- improving provision of port, airport and transport infrastructure so as to enable corridors of economic activity, and deliver growth and sustainable communities;
- promoting sustainable development, urban renaissance and rural vitality, including the supply of high quality and affordable housing/residential environments, balanced with provision for employment;
- managing growth and development sensitively and effectively;
- complementing and enhancing the position of London as a world city; and
- protecting and enhancing the region's landscapes and environmental assets.

In particular, your Core Strategy should take account of the following Sub-regional Policies contained in the RES for the Thames Gateway South Essex area (see p.90 of RES):


Ø improving aspirations and the skills base through better outcomes in schools and through increased participation in further and higher education supported by a university presence for the sub-region particularly in Southend
Ø focusing on the existing and future skills needed by businesses through work-based and lifelong learning initiatives such as the Transport and Logistics Academy in Thurrock
Ø supporting employment, entrepreneurship, business growth and inward investment in key sectors through skills development and provision of appropriate employment locations and support service infrastructure
Ø tackling deprivation and building community cohesion through integrated programmes to increase social capital, community leadership and improve access to services and facilities
Ø maximising investment in strategic transport infrastructure to address current deficits and meet future requirements including the proposals for the Shellhaven London Gateway and Southend Airport expansion
Ø developing the Green Grid South Essex to protect, enhance and increase access to environmental assets, and underpin the sustainability of communities and employment areas
Ø supporting local delivery vehicles, such as the Southend urban regeneration company, that have the capacity to enable a step change in the quality and speed of delivery.

By addressing these key elements of the RES, the Core Strategy will provide the context needed to maintain the prosperity of the East of England, enhancing its regional competitiveness and giving support to business growth.

In addition, Southend Airport is a key economic driver, as identified above, with an important regional role in meeting local markets such as business aviation and the supporting of maintenance and renewal contracts (MRO). This is further highlighted in the Secretary of States Proposed Changes to the RSS, published in December 2004 (para 4.33 - p.115) together with the possible future role of the airport in relieving congestion in the major airports within the South East.

The reference to the ability of the airport to provide a further number of aviation related jobs in Section Four of your Core Strategy (para 4.8.3 - p.28) is welcomed. However, we would ask the council to use the RSS cascaded employment figure as the preferred option for employment in policy and identify the amount and location of additional employment land that is required to achieve this, preferably broken down by sector.

This should be informed by the Council's Employment Land Review.

EEDA, Go East and EERA are reviewing existing methodologies for Employment Land Reviews across the region and will be publishing a guidance manual on Employment Land Reviews this summer, I would encourage your authority to consider this guidance note in finalising your Core Strategy and its submission stage.

If you would like to discuss any of these matters in further detail, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above address.