Wealden District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy Issues and Options Consultation Paper �������� ������� July 2007 How to Contact Us Head of Planning and Environmental Policy Wealden District Council Council Offices, Pine Grove, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 1DH Telephone 01892 602007 Email [email protected] Website www.wealden.gov.uk Office hours Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm Wealden District Council Council Offices, Vicarage Lane, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 2AX Telephone 01323 443322 Website www.wealden.gov.uk Office hours Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.30pm Representations must be received by Wealden District Council by 5.30 p.m. Monday 13th August 2007 If you, or somebody you know, would like the information contained in this document in large print, Braille, tape/CD or in another language please contact Wealden District Council on 01323 443322 or [email protected] £15 Wealden District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy - Issues and Options Consultation Paper Location Plan Figure 1 Wealden District Location Plan Wealden District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy - Issues and Options Consultation Paper Location Plan Wealden District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy - Issues and Options Consultation Paper Foreword As part of our Local Development Framework Wealden District Council is working on a programme that will result in the publication of a document called the Core Strategy. This strategy will determine how Wealden develops over the next 15-20 years and will also be the document to show how we intend to meet the housing growth that is required of us by the South East Plan. The first stage in the preparation of the Core Strategy is the publication of this Issues and Options consultation paper. This sets out those key issues and challenges that will need to be addressed in planning for the future needs of Wealden. It is a document that affects all of us as it will help shape the policies and proposals for the future planning of the Foreword District. In the consultation paper we try to identify what makes Wealden special and to highlight what are the key issues and needs of the District. Following initial consultation we now set down what we consider matters most to our communities and what in particular we should be doing to ensure a better and more sustainable future for everyone by balancing development needs with the protection of our high quality environment.This document is not just about finding land for housing – it is about the future needs of Wealden - for people, for services, schools, transport, and jobs to support this growth. This Issues and Options paper has already been the subject of some discussions with our Town and Parish Councils, through parish planning conferences and through workshops and also with the Local Strategic Partnership. However, I would emphasise this is very much a first stage document and much evidence is still being gathered. Whilst there is no formal requirement to consult at this stage in the process, I consider it vital that the earliest opportunity is given to everyone to tell us their views in order that we may consider these before we begin to do further work on preferred options to take forward to the next stage. Some of the ideas put forward in the document may be controversial but they are put forward for initial views and testing – including against the requirements of infrastructure bodies .The document is divided into various sections and poses a number of specific questions and broad possible options for the distribution of development. Please do take the time to read the document and send us your comments or responses to those parts that are of particular interest to you. Remember, no decisions have yet been made and your early views are important in helping us decide which ideas to take forward. Councillor Keith Whitehead Portfolio Member for Planning and Development Wealden District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy - Issues and Options Consultation Paper Contents 1 Context 1 The Purpose of this Consultation Paper 1 Why do we Need a Local Development Framework? 1 What are the Regional Requirements the Local Development 5 Framework Must Meet? What Makes Wealden Distinct? - A Spatial Portrait 8 Key Facts that Set Challenges for Wealden 9 What Principles Might the New Plan Adopt to Meet These 11 Challenges? 2 Wealden's Landscape 13 Landscape Shaping Development 13 Wealden's Landscape Character 13 Wealden's Biodiversity 19 Wealden's Water Cycle 19 Managing Small Scale Changes To Wealden's Character 23 Wealden's Heritage 24 Wealden's Renewable and Low Carbon Potential 25 3 Wealden's Working Patterns 27 The Shift Away from Farming 27 Travel to Work 28 Wealden's Economic Challenges 28 The Sussex Coast Economy 31 Tourism 33 4 Wealden's Settlement Pattern 34 Settlement Boundaries 34 Classifying Towns 36 Development In and On the Edge of Towns 38 Options for the Urban/Rural Split 39 Classifying Villages 41 Options for the Sussex Coast Policy Area 48 Options for the Rest of Wealden 49 The Overall Level of Housing 50 5 Wealden's Places 51 Shaping Places 51 Why Have Certain Broad Search Areas for New Development been 51 Included or Excluded at this First Stage? Towns - Potential Priorities and Options 55 Potential for a New Settlement or Concentrated Growth 94 Village Strategy and Broad Locations 102 Wealden District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy - Issues and Options Consultation Paper 6 Wealden's Communities 119 Education Needs 119 Health Needs 119 Housing Needs - Dwelling Mix and Density 120 Housing Needs - Affordable Housing 122 Affordable Rural Housing Needs 122 Gypsies and Travellers Needs 125 Transport Needs 128 Open Space and Leisure Needs 132 Contents Minerals and Waste 133 7 Making it Happen - Implementation 134 Infrastructure and Phasing 134 Delivery 135 8 Developing a Spatial Vision for Wealden 142 Where We Want to get to 142 Possible Spatial Objectives for Wealden 144 9 What Happens Next? 146 10 Details of How to Comment 147 Glossary 148 Wealden District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy - Issues and Options Consultation Paper Contents 0 List of Figures Figure 1 - Wealden District 1 Figure 2 - Wealden in Sussex and the South East 4 Figure 3 - The Division of Wealden District for Housing Provision Purposes and for Sub - Regional Planning (Source: Draft South East Plan & New 7 Homes for East Sussex - East Sussex County Council) Figure 4 - Population Density: People / Sq. Km (Census 2001) 9 Figure 5 - Employment by Sector (Source: Nomisweb, Labour Force 10 survey 2004) Figure 6 - Landscape Character Areas (Source: Natural England) 16 Figure 7 - Wealden's River Catchments and Water Cycle Issues (Source: 22 Environment Agency) Figure 8 - The Eastbourne - Hailsham Triangle 31 Figure 9 - Cross in Hand is a good example of the principles that have 35 been used to define 'tight' settlement boundaries Figure 10 - Completions by Land Type 38 Figure 11 - Suggested Settlement Classification 42 Figure 12 - Suggested Village Growth Potential 45 Figure 13 - Suggested Settlement Strategy 46 Figure 14 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development in and Around 56 Crowborough Figure 15 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development in and Around 62 Heathfield Figure 16 - Main Option for Development on the Fringe of Tunbridge 66 Wells Figure 17 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development in and Around 70 Uckfield Figure 18 - Main options and alternatives for development in and around 78 Hailsham Figure 19 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development in and Around 86 Polegate, Willingdon and Stone Cross Figure 20 - New Settlement Options - Area of Search 96 Figure 21 - Villages around the Ashdown Forest 103 Figure 22 - The Heart of the High Weald Villages 107 Figure 23 - Villages around Uckfield 110 Figure 24 - Villages around Heathfield 113 Figure 25 - Villages in the Sussex Coast Policy Area 116 Figure 26 - Number of Unauthorised Caravans in East Sussex 126 Figure 27 - Wealden Local Development Framework - Documents 146 Wealden District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy - Issues and Options Consultation Paper 0 List of Tables Table 1 - Draft South East Plan Housing Provision Levels - Number of 6 Additional Homes Required Table 2 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development in and Around 57 Crowborough Table 3 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development in and Around 63 Heathfield Table 4 - Main Option for Development on the Fringe of Tunbridge Wells 67 Table 5 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development in and Around Contents 71 Uckfield Table 6 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development in and Around 78 Hailsham Table 7 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development in and Around 87 Polegate/Willingdon Table 8 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development in and Around 92 Stone Cross Table 9 - Main Options and Alternatives for Development of a New 97 Settlement Table 10 - Suggested Development Potential of Villages around the 104 Ashdown Forest Table 11 - Suggested Development Potential of the Heart of the High 108 Weald Villages Table 12 - Suggested Development Potential of Villages around Uckfield 111 Table 13 - Suggested Development Potential of Villages around Heathfield 114 Table 14 - Suggested Development Potential of Villages in the Sussex 116 Coast Policy Area Table 15 - Potential Infrastructure Requirements 137 Wealden District Council Local Development Framework Core Strategy - Issues and Options Consultation Paper How to Comment How How to Comment We would encourage you to send us your comments online, as this is the easiest and quickest way for you to do so.You will need to register on our consultation system, which will only take a few minutes of your time. You can register by going to our website www.wealden.gov.uk and following the link to the Local Development Framework pages. You will need to provide an email address in order to receive a password which will enable you to use the system.