Allocations Submission Document

Royal Mail formerly Consignia Plc, is the successor to the former statutory corporation, The Post Office. Although its management operates independently, Royal Mail is wholly owned by the Government through the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. Its services are regulated by the Postal Services Regulator, Postcom. Its letters business, Royal Mail is the operator of universal postal service functions through the Royal Mail letter post delivery and collection services handling letters, postal packets, and high value (registered) packets. Royal Mail Group also operates Parcelforce Worldwide which is a parcels carrier.

The United Kingdom letter post business was fully liberalised in January 2006 by Postcomm and Royal Mail now operates in a highly competitive market place. As such, it effectively operates like any other business and is continually seeking to find ways to improve the efficiency of its business (eg increased automation) and respond to the changes in communications technology (eg email and internet). Put simply, the nature of the mail industry has and continues to change and Royal Mail's real estate needs to respond accordingly.

Royal Mail Properties

Royal Mail own the following freehold properties within Rochford District:

- Hockley Delivery Office, Eldon Way, Hockley, SS5 4AA (1575)
- Rayleigh Delivery Office, 160 High Street, Rayleigh, SS6 7BT (1581)
- Rochford Industrial Space, 50 East Street, Rochford, SS4 1AZ (1582)

Policy BFR2 provides the emerging planning policy and development aspirations for the Eldon Way/Foundry Industrial Estate, Hockley.

Royal Mail support their inclusion within this policy area although it should be noted that they currently have no plans to close or relocate the Delivery Office. That said, they agree that the site presents a good opportunity for redevelopment for a mix of uses including retail, residential and employment uses and therefore support its allocation. However, it is essential that the Allocations Submission Document recognises that the Delivery Office will need to be relocated/reprovided prior to the site's redevelopment in order to ensure that Royal Mail's operations are not prejudiced.