Rochford Core Strategy Development Plan Document - Schedule of Changes
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Rochford Core Strategy Development Plan Document - Schedule of Changes
Rochford Core Strategy Development Plan Document - Schedule of Changes
Representation ID: 26466
Received: 25/11/2010
Respondent: Hawkwell Residents Association
Legally compliant? Not specified
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Not specified
Core Strategy Consultation October/ November 2010
I/We wish to register the following objections regarding the above consultation: The Core Strategy is unsound for the following reasons.
1. No justification of or consultation regarding how the proposed total of 3800 new homes has been calculated. Some councils have abandoned extensive redevelopment plans. The Council turned down some Members' proposal to review housing needs over time, instead of fixing these to 2031. Lack of consultation and inconsistency means Council's proposed housing numbers are unsound.
- There is now no proposed development for Rayleigh over the first 15 years yet, according to the published Core Strategy (para 2.38, p.30) Rayleigh has the greatest demand for housing at 44.4% of District total. There is something wrong here.
2. Development proposals for the first phase are concentrated in the centre of the district where infrastructure, based on historical country lanes, cannot cope with existing traffic: there are a number of bottlenecks across this part of the District and, being systemic in nature, will not be improved by relatively small improvements provided by proposed developments.
- There is no evidence that the consolidated impact of all the various developments on highways has been assessed and no consideration appears to have been given to mapping highways improvements to the housing phasing. Access road improvements in the west have been delayed until end of programme, resulting in road chaos for years.
- As with other environmental issues, the capacity of the highways network should be assessed formally with consideration of the cumulative effects of other developments.
The highways plan is unsound and unsustainable.
3. Proposals to build on Greenbelt have not been properly evaluated: there is no evidence that the Council has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the impact of Core Strategy locations. Amended proposals still result in 67% of new build being on Greenbelt.
- At 4.9, Tier Settlements, Hockley/Hawkwell and Rochford/Ashingdon are joined at Tier 1 with Rayleigh, always an urban settlement, with Rochford second. But Hockley, Hawkwell and Ashingdon are separated by Greenbelt. Numbers in H2 suggest a proportion of this will be eradicated and above 3 village settlements become a conurbation. There is no justification for this variance from government Greenbelt policy.
- The 2 proposed new industrial sites will also be on Greenbelt.
4. Lack of appropriate infrastructure and distributed approach negates economies of scale. Existing estimates of £50-75 million are not substantiated and might even increase, but anyway equate to £14/21 thousands standard charges per dwelling. Is this viable, particularly for 'affordable' housing and sustainable?
5. The Core Strategy takes into account Environmental Agency estimate of Tidal flood risk, ignoring Surface Water flood risk. The majority of flooding in the area is caused by the latter, or combination of both. So Core Strategy is unsound.
6. Gypsy, Traveller sites: Core Strategy proposes 14 pitches by 2014, but no defined sites. Residents prefer:
- one site with good infrastructure: road, water, gas, electricity, sewerage, refuse/recycling collection, access to healthcare and schools.
- A suitable site must promote community cohesion for these people, or there will be inharmonious relations between them and the local community.
- If 'official' sites are proposed, following earlier recommendations, sites should be to west of the district. Loss of countryside, greenbelt, open spaces in/around Hockley is rejected, when known locations to suit both Council and Traveller needs are available.
7. The April 2010 DPD Allocations consultation is believed to have 'attracted' record responses, but has been ignored by the Council 6 months later. Revised proposals on the DPD are now made, but repeatedly rejected plans for Hockley Village Centre are still included. This shows the inadequate consultation during the entire process and means the Core Strategy is undemocratic and consequently its proposals are unsound.
Core Strategy Consultation October/ November 2010
I/We wish to register the following objections regarding the above consultation: The Core Strategy is unsound for the following reasons.
1. No justification of or consultation regarding how the proposed total of 3800 new homes has been calculated. Some councils have abandoned extensive redevelopment plans. The Council turned down some Members' proposal to review housing needs over time, instead of fixing these to 2031. Lack of consultation and inconsistency means Council's proposed housing numbers are unsound.
- There is now no proposed development for Rayleigh over the first 15 years yet, according to the published Core Strategy (para 2.38, p.30) Rayleigh has the greatest demand for housing at 44.4% of District total. There is something wrong here.
2. Development proposals for the first phase are concentrated in the centre of the district where infrastructure, based on historical country lanes, cannot cope with existing traffic: there are a number of bottlenecks across this part of the District and, being systemic in nature, will not be improved by relatively small improvements provided by proposed developments.
- There is no evidence that the consolidated impact of all the various developments on highways has been assessed and no consideration appears to have been given to mapping highways improvements to the housing phasing. Access road improvements in the west have been delayed until end of programme, resulting in road chaos for years.
- As with other environmental issues, the capacity of the highways network should be assessed formally with consideration of the cumulative effects of other developments.
The highways plan is unsound and unsustainable.
3. Proposals to build on Greenbelt have not been properly evaluated: there is no evidence that the Council has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the impact of Core Strategy locations. Amended proposals still result in 67% of new build being on Greenbelt.
- At 4.9, Tier Settlements, Hockley/Hawkwell and Rochford/Ashingdon are joined at Tier 1 with Rayleigh, always an urban settlement, with Rochford second. But Hockley, Hawkwell and Ashingdon are separated by Greenbelt. Numbers in H2 suggest a proportion of this will be eradicated and above 3 village settlements become a conurbation. There is no justification for this variance from government Greenbelt policy.
- The 2 proposed new industrial sites will also be on Greenbelt.
4. Lack of appropriate infrastructure and distributed approach negates economies of scale. Existing estimates of £50-75 million are not substantiated and might even increase, but anyway equate to £14/21 thousands standard charges per dwelling. Is this viable, particularly for 'affordable' housing and sustainable?
5. The Core Strategy takes into account Environmental Agency estimate of Tidal flood risk, ignoring Surface Water flood risk. The majority of flooding in the area is caused by the latter, or combination of both. So Core Strategy is unsound.
6. Gypsy, Traveller sites: Core Strategy proposes 14 pitches by 2014, but no defined sites. Residents prefer:
- one site with good infrastructure: road, water, gas, electricity, sewerage, refuse/recycling collection, access to healthcare and schools.
- A suitable site must promote community cohesion for these people, or there will be inharmonious relations between them and the local community.
- If 'official' sites are proposed, following earlier recommendations, sites should be to west of the district. Loss of countryside, greenbelt, open spaces in/around Hockley is rejected, when known locations to suit both Council and Traveller needs are available.
7. The April 2010 DPD Allocations consultation is believed to have 'attracted' record responses, but has been ignored by the Council 6 months later. Revised proposals on the DPD are now made, but repeatedly rejected plans for Hockley Village Centre are still included. This shows the inadequate consultation during the entire process and means the Core Strategy is undemocratic and consequently its proposals are unsound.
