Core Strategy Preferred Options (Revised October 2008)

Response to The Preferred Options

H1 Distribution/Preferred Options

The realistic assessment of the limited nature of brown field land within the District, coupled with the recognition of the harm to residential characters that can be caused by excessive urban intensification is welcomed, and the percentage of dwellings likely to be derived from these sources is in our view reasonable.

H2 General Locations and Phasing Preferred Option

We acknowledge and support the 4 tier hierarchy of assessments, with Canewdon placed at the 3rd tier, together with strategy of distributing growth on a proportionate basis to the top 3 tiers. In this regard we support the identification of additional dwellings at south west Canewdon as identified on the proposals map, relating to the identification of 60 units by 2015 within Policy H2 and 90 dwellings post 2021 in policy H3.

In particular the consultation document recognises the important place of Canewdon as the largest settlement in the more rural north eastern part of the district where it serves a wide rural hinterland. The identification of further growth will ensure that the established community at Canewdon can be sustained and that rural services continue to be supported in this part of the District.

The Representation Site

As set out above the Diocese own around 6.5 hectares of land south west of Canewdon which is identified on the appended plan hatched in red. Topographically the site the land rises to the north where it is bounded by an east west public footpath which is partly marked by a hedge.

As shown by the adjacent plan which picks out Ordnance Survey contours, the land in the north eastern parts of the site adjacent to the Church is approximately 39 metres above ordnance datum whilst land along the southern edge of the site adjacent to Anchor Lane is around 24 metres above ordnance datum, which represents a fall of around 15 metres. Also marked on the plan as a red dash line is the ridge on which Canewdon sits from the top of which there are clear views northwards across the River Crouch valley. However the representation site does not have a visual relationship with Crouch Valley due to its fairly steep fall southward and this is shown by the view from the south shown by the photograph on the next page.

To the west of the subject site is Canewdon itself whilst to the south there are various residential properties together with landscaping which help soften views on the subject site from this direction.

As a consequence of prevailing topography we consider that the defined Special Landscape Boundary is drawn correctly on the 2006 Adopted Local Plan proposals map but that the Coastal Protection Belt boundary is drawn incorrectly and indeed is somewhat inconsistent with the special landscape area boundary. The plan below shows a more appropriate boundary which can be defined on the ground by existing public footpaths and which defines the break of slope at the top of the ridge northwards from which there is a clear visual relationship with the coastal belt and south of which there is not. This in our view defines a more logical defenceable boundary for the coastal protection belt.

The indicative master plan adjacent shows how this land could be defined as open space, possibly also with a car parking area to serve the Church whilst land to the south, defined partly by existing residential properties, could, together with land to the immediate east accommodate the 150 dwellings proposed by the Council without involving the spread of Canewdon beyond the clearly defined southern boundary of Anchor Lane. Development in the southern most part of the site would also enable two storey residential developments to be accommodated without the height of this interrupting views of the Church from further south.

The land is actively farmed and it is understood that there are no ecological, archaeological or other insuperable constraints to development of the site. It also has the advantage of being on freely draining land away from areas of flood risk.

Summary and Conclusions

As a consequence of the above, on behalf of the Diocese of Chelmsford we support the development strategy set out in the preferred options document in particular as it relates to the inclusion of Canewdon within its development strategy, but also in the identification of land in the vicinity of the representation site as being appropriate for development.

We look forward to being involved in the Core Strategy in further stages and confirmation that our clients land will be included within the forthcoming Site Allocations document.

Response to The Preferred Options

H1 Distribution/Preferred Options

The realistic assessment of the limited nature of brown field land within the District, coupled with the recognition of the harm to residential characters that can be caused by excessive urban intensification is welcomed, and the percentage of dwellings likely to be derived from these sources is in our view reasonable.

H2 General Locations and Phasing Preferred Option

We acknowledge and support the 4 tier hierarchy of assessments, with Canewdon placed at the 3rd tier, together with strategy of distributing growth on a proportionate basis to the top 3 tiers. In this regard we support the identification of additional dwellings at south west Canewdon as identified on the proposals map, relating to the identification of 60 units by 2015 within Policy H2 and 90 dwellings post 2021 in policy H3.

In particular the consultation document recognises the important place of Canewdon as the largest settlement in the more rural north eastern part of the district where it serves a wide rural hinterland. The identification of further growth will ensure that the established community at Canewdon can be sustained and that rural services continue to be supported in this part of the District.

The Representation Site

As set out above the Diocese own around 6.5 hectares of land south west of Canewdon which is identified on the appended plan hatched in red. Topographically the site the land rises to the north where it is bounded by an east west public footpath which is partly marked by a hedge.

As shown by the adjacent plan which picks out Ordnance Survey contours, the land in the north eastern parts of the site adjacent to the Church is approximately 39 metres above ordnance datum whilst land along the southern edge of the site adjacent to Anchor Lane is around 24 metres above ordnance datum, which represents a fall of around 15 metres. Also marked on the plan as a red dash line is the ridge on which Canewdon sits from the top of which there are clear views northwards across the River Crouch valley. However the representation site does not have a visual relationship with Crouch Valley due to its fairly steep fall southward and this is shown by the view from the south shown by the photograph on the next page.

To the west of the subject site is Canewdon itself whilst to the south there are various residential properties together with landscaping which help soften views on the subject site from this direction.

As a consequence of prevailing topography we consider that the defined Special Landscape Boundary is drawn correctly on the 2006 Adopted Local Plan proposals map but that the Coastal Protection Belt boundary is drawn incorrectly and indeed is somewhat inconsistent with the special landscape area boundary. The plan below shows a more appropriate boundary which can be defined on the ground by existing public footpaths and which defines the break of slope at the top of the ridge northwards from which there is a clear visual relationship with the coastal belt and south of which there is not. This in our view defines a more logical defenceable boundary for the coastal protection belt.

The indicative master plan adjacent shows how this land could be defined as open space, possibly also with a car parking area to serve the Church whilst land to the south, defined partly by existing residential properties, could, together with land to the immediate east accommodate the 150 dwellings proposed by the Council without involving the spread of Canewdon beyond the clearly defined southern boundary of Anchor Lane. Development in the southern most part of the site would also enable two storey residential developments to be accommodated without the height of this interrupting views of the Church from further south.

The land is actively farmed and it is understood that there are no ecological, archaeological or other insuperable constraints to development of the site. It also has the advantage of being on freely draining land away from areas of flood risk.

Summary and Conclusions

As a consequence of the above, on behalf of the Diocese of Chelmsford we support the development strategy set out in the preferred options document in particular as it relates to the inclusion of Canewdon within its development strategy, but also in the identification of land in the vicinity of the representation site as being appropriate for development.

We look forward to being involved in the Core Strategy in further stages and confirmation that our clients land will be included within the forthcoming Site Allocations document.