Rochford District Local Plan Issues
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REPORT of DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND REGULATORY SERVICES to PLANNING AND LICENSING COMMITTEE 1 MARCH 2018 ROCHFORD DISTRICT COUNCIL NEW LOCAL PLAN: ISSUES AND OPTIONS DOCUMENT CONSULTATION 1. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT 1.1 Rochford District Council has published its New Local Plan: Issues and Options Document 2017 for consultation. The Issues and Options Document is the first stage in preparing Rochford’s new Local Plan and aims to shape the vision for the future development of Rochford District at an early stage, with the aid of community and stakeholder engagement. The purpose of this report is to consider the Council’s draft response to this Issues and Options Document (see APPENDIX 1 of this report). 2. RECOMMENDATION That Members’ views are sought on the draft response to the Issues and Options for the Rochford Local Plan and if required the draft response is revised to take into account views of the Committee and approved by Officers in consultation with the Chairman of the Planning and Licensing Committee and submitted as the Council’s formal response to the Consultations... 3. SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES 3.1 The Issues and Options Document sets out a range of key issues that have been identified on a number of themes from housing and infrastructure to healthcare and community facilities. Specifically, the document includes discussion on: A Vision and Strategic Objectives Delivering Homes and Jobs Supporting Commercial Development Delivering Infrastructure Supporting Health, Community and Culture Protecting and Enhancing our Environment Detailed Policy Considerations 3.2 As part of an Essex sub-region, Maldon District has a relationship with Rochford District via a marine boundary, which means there are a number of strategic and cross-boundary topics and issues by nature. The cross-boundary themes that would concern Maldon District and the policies within Maldon District’s Local Development Agenda Item no. 13 Our Vision: To make Maldon District a better place to live, work and enjoy Plan centre on infrastructure delivery and safeguarding of existing services and the protection and enhancement of the natural environment and green infrastructure. 3.3 The consultation for the Issues and Options Document, and its accompanying Sustainability Appraisal, closes on 7 March 2018. 4. ANALYSIS OF ISSUES AND OPTIONS DOCUMENT 2017 4.1 A Vision and Strategic Objective 4.1.1 Three key overarching themes emerged from the Issues and Options Document draft vision, which highlight a specific focus on the economy, the environment and the community. These themes created a baseline setting for a further 5 Strategic Priorities that focused on housing, business prosperity, infrastructure provision and its delivery, the provision of community amenities and climate change mitigation and adaption within the built and natural environment. 4.2 Delivering Homes and Jobs 4.2.1 Rochford District sits within the South Essex Housing Market Area alongside Basildon, Castle Point, Southend and Thurrock Borough Councils. The five Councils have worked jointly to prepare an up-to-date Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) (Addendum 2017) to meet the requirements of the Planning Practice Guidance (PPG). The revised Objectively Assessed Need (OAN) now projects that the need for homes up to 2037 in Rochford District is expressed as a range between 331 and 336 homes per annum , 6,620-7,220 new homes overall. It is expressed within the document that the OAN is not the housing target for the District, however, and that is a starting point. Constraints such as environmental capacity, land availability, development viability, infrastructure capacity and other considerations, as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), will be taken in account before Rochford sets out how it will meet its OAN. 4.2.2 A key identified issue within the document concerns land availability constraints and the relative challenges that exist, as the majority of the District is allocated as Green Belt. Rochford District Council acknowledges that the Green Belt boundaries may need to be reviewed if other options for meeting their housing need have been exhausted. This requirement is set out in the South Essex SHMA Addendum 2017. 4.2.3 Reference to Houseboats (paragraph 6.79) and associated Houseboat policy (policy DM24) are outlined within Rochford’s Development Management Plan. Policy DM24 defines a houseboat as a boat which is not primarily used for navigation, and is kept on a river or its estuaries, creeks and tributaries. For planning purposes, the definition for a houseboat does not include the navigation clause and therefore includes those that are permanently or temporarily moored for any period of time, and would require planning permission. 4.2.4 Highly sensitive environments such as the River Crouch hold significant ecological value and are important habitats for wildlife. Protected by national and international nature conservation designations, the River Crouch is an important asset of both Maldon and Rochford District Councils. There is an aligned commitment to protect Agenda Item no. 13 these habitats from any unnecessary disturbance or pollution, as set out in policy H8 of the Maldon District Local Development Plan and the referenced policy DM24. 4.2.5 With regard to the Houseboat policy (DM24), Rochford District Council proposes five options; (a) retain the existing policy; (b) amend the existing policy to strengthen criteria; (c) allocate specific areas of coastline where such uses may be acceptable; (d) amend the definition in the Development Management Plan; or (e) do not have a policy on houseboats. Maldon District Council identifies houseboats as being an issue for Rochford District and that the Council is seeking to address and mitigate the impacts through local planning policy. The preference of Maldon District Council is to support the identification of suitable locations for houseboats within Rochford District, rather than imposing restrictions outright. 4.2.6 Rochford’s current Core Strategy supports the development of economic growth in the district with a target to deliver 3,000 jobs over the current Plan period to 2025 (policy ED1). To deliver these jobs, an economic growth strategy has key focuses on realising the potential of London Southend Airport, and enhancing the skills of the district’s population. The emerging evidence for the South Essex Economic Development Needs Assessment 2017 (EDNA) has not provided a new jobs target for Rochford District, however does indicate that there is a need for up to 16 hectares of ‘new’ employment land between 2016 and 2036. 4.3 Supporting Commercial Development 4.3.1 The Town Centres of Rochford, Rayleigh and Hockley are identified as the primary location for main town centre uses, containing sufficient retail space, services and facilities to meet the needs of the local communities. Rayleigh is identified as the district’s principle town centre. Identified issues going forth concern transport infrastructure capacity limitations and alternative retail/leisure experiences offered in neighbouring town centres outside of the district. 4.4 Delivering Infrastructure 4.4.1 There are four train stations serving Rochford District that link Southend to London Liverpool Street. The Southminster branch line, which adjoins the Southend service to London, provides significant mobility for residents of Maldon District who commute to and work in London. The Council should support on proposals by Rochford District Council which seek to enhance important physical infrastructure assets, such as the railway network, which provide benefit for Maldon’s residents and businesses. 4.4.2 London Southend Airport is referenced within the Plan as being a regionally important and expanding airport, and together, both Rochford District and Southend have supported the growth of London Southend Airport as an important, thriving regional facility. The London Southend Airport & Environs Joint Area Action Plan outlines the future development and role of London Southend Airport, including the management of operations and strict noise control procedures. There are currently no proposals for additional expansion of the airport beyond what has already been outlined within the current Plan. Maldon District Council would object to any plans that propose the expansion of the airport beyond its current limits of capacity. Agenda Item no. 13 4.5 Supporting Health, Community and Culture 4.5.1 There is an identified need for healthcare provision in Rochford District, and more widely throughout Essex. Future healthcare provision needs to take into account the needs for all communities, including the variance in demographic composition as the older population increases. This is a nation-wide shift that must be addressed via a comprehensive and co-ordinated strategic approach to healthcare provisions. 4.5.2 With regard to education, the Core Strategy (policy CLT2 and CLT3) currently supports an approach that seeks improvements to school place provision, either through the expansion of existing schools or through the provision of new schools that requires land to be set aside for new schools. Issues concerning education provision within Rochford District identified the need for schools to work closely with Essex County Council to ensure adequate provision meets the needs of local communities, as now all four secondary schools hold academy status and are self-governing. 4.6 Protecting and Enhancing our Environment 4.6.1 Aforementioned (Paragraph 4.2.4),