Hockley Area Action Plan 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 serv ices 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)

The Hockley Delivery Office lies within the Eldon Way/Foundry Industrial Estate which is covered by the Hockley AAP area.

Previous Representations

On 4th February 2011, Royal Mail's previous advisors, BNP Paribas Real Estate, submitted representations to the Hockley Town Centre Area Action Plan Options Report (November 2010). These representations remain relevant and we request that they are taken forward as part of the ongoing plan preparation.

Draft Policy 1 identifies that the Eldon Way Opportunity Site will deliver a mixed -use development which will include homes, shops, leisure facilities, offices, car parking and new public spaces. In relation to the site of the Hockley Delivery Office, Fibure 3.2 identifies it as the 'retail focus' of the Opportunity Area and refers to a 'new retail development potential'. In relation to retail development, draft Policy 6 states that new retail (A1) development within the Eldon Way Opportunity Site will be permitted. In particular it refers to a new food store on the site not exceeding 3,000 sq m (gross).

Royal Mail support the Council's strategy to improve this area, although it should be noted that the Hockley Delivery Office is an operational site. Whilst Royal Mail currently have no plans to close or relocate their operations, where appropriate they are prepared to allow their sites to be included in planning policy documents as future development sites. In relation to Hockley Delivery Office, it is Royal Mail's view that the site does present a good opportunity for redevelopment for a mix of uses including retail, residential and employment uses and therefore support its allocation in the AAP. However, it is essential that the supporting text to any policy allocation makes it clear that any redevelopment of the site will be required to fund the relocation/reprovision of the operational facility prior to the site's redevelopment. This will ensure that Royal Mail's operations will not be prejudiced and they can continue to comply with their licence issued pursuant to the Postal Services Act 2000, which requires the provision of a 'universal service' for the UK.

In the event that the Delivery Office is not relocated, then it is important that any redevelopment adjacent to the Delivery Office is designed so that it is cognisant of and sensitive to Royal Mail's existing operations. This particularly relates to residential development which needs to be designed so as not to be impacted by Royal Mail's operations.