New Local Plan

Rochford District Council (RDC) acknowledges that Southend Borough Council’s existing and emerging evidence suggests it is unlikely to be able to accommodate its identified housing and employment needs in full within its authority boundary. RDC would support further work to identify the capacity of Southend Borough’s urban areas, and wider authority area, to accommodate sustainable growth. It is recognised, however, that Options 1 and 2 are unlikely to be sufficient to accommodate the majority of Southend Borough’s identified housing needs. RDC would support a programme of further collaborative work in support of local plan-making and the South Essex Joint Strategic Plan to explore the opportunities set out in Option 3, i.e. to establish the capacity of South East Essex, and more widely South Essex, for strategic-scale growth, building on the findings of the South East Essex Strategic Growth Locations Assessment. RDC acknowledges the potential advantages of strategic-scale growth, in terms of being able to fund meaningful infrastructure improvements and providing a “critical mass” of population for the sustainable provision of services for a new community.

The findings of emerging and future evidence (including the Green Belt and Landscape Character Studies being jointly prepared for both authorities) will need to ascertain the feasibility, scope and capacity for strategic scale development within South East Essex, including any land falling within Rochford District. RDC would encourage Southend Borough Council to continue to engage positively as part of the Association of South Essex Local Authorities (ASELA) in order to jointly explore opportunities for sustainable growth, such as garden communities, through the Joint Strategic Plan and respective local plan-making processes.

RDC would suggest that a number of different options will need to be explored to help meet Southend’s identified housing needs. Southend Borough Council should consider the capacity of employment areas for accommodating housing needs where there are clear sustainable advantages and where the economic impacts for the wider community, including residents of Rochford District, are adequately considered and mitigated. Any such approach should prioritise underutilised sites or sites which due to their uses or location are of a lesser value. Southend Borough Council should not rule out building on land that is not currently developed unless there are clearly evidenced reasons why doing so would not be sustainable. In accordance with national policy, Southend Borough Council should plan for the housing needs of all in the community, including affordable and specialist housing needs, and accommodate these through its housing strategy. This should be supported by appropriate and proportionate evidence and informed by the Duty to Co-operate, including the emerging South Essex JSP.

RDC would like to emphasise the strong economic relationship between Rochford and Southend, and continued support for achieving the ambitions of the Southend Airport Joint Area Action Plan (JAAP). Any economic strategy should prioritise the creation and retaining of job opportunities in the most sustainable locations, including local town centres and the emerging Airport Business Park. Any proposals to create new employment areas should strongly consider the impacts this would have on areas of existing employment uses, including town centres and employment areas in Rochford District. RDC would encourage Southend to work together to explore opportunities to improve cross-boundary sustainable transport connections to allow greater connectivity between local settlements and strategic employment sites. This should include exploring opportunities to improve linkages between London Southend Airport (and adjacent employment areas), local town centres and areas of population, including in Rochford District.

Southend’s plan-making should also consider and reflect the emerging economic strategy of the South Essex 2050 project, including the South Essex JSP, and should act as a mechanism to secure economic gains for both Southend and the wider sub-region. The economic strategy should consider and complement the economic strategies of neighbouring authorities across South Essex, allowing local and regional economic aspirations to mutually succeed. Southend should also continue to work with Rochford District Council to consider how both authorities’ economic aspirations could be met through any new strategic approach, such as the JAAP.

RDC does not have any specific comments to make on Southend’s tourism aspirations; however it would support further discussion over how these aspirations can complement and support those of Rochford District, including by promoting rural tourism opportunities and access to the countryside. RDC would encourage Southend to continue to engage positively over the growth and vitality of the regionally important London Southend Airport to consider the opportunities it presents to grow the tourism offer of the whole region.

RDC would encourage Southend to continue to positively engage with RDC and other partners to explore the infrastructure improvements needed to support future growth, including as part of the South Essex JSP, as well as opportunities to alleviate existing known infrastructure issues. RDC would support the continued preparation of evidence to consider the capacity of infrastructure to support potential growth, and to scope the level of improvements needed to support this growth. Where strategic-scale growth opportunities are to be explored, such as is suggested in the South East Essex Growth Locations Assessment, RDC would support a detailed programme of further work to consider what highway improvements and sustainable transport solutions would be needed to make this potential new community wholly sustainable. RDC would also support continued work to consider how the regionally important A127 and other linkages between the two authority areas can be improved, in light of known congestion issues.
Southend should work in partnership with neighbouring authorities and infrastructure providers to maximise opportunities to improve and provide new sustainable transport connections, including to Rochford District, to help support existing and future communities. RDC would support exploration of opportunities to improve strategic cycling and pedestrian connections, and opportunities for improvements to bus services. RDC would also support exploration of opportunities to improve and enhance the existing Liverpool Street-Southend Victoria line which provides connectivity between Rochford District and Southend Borough.

RDC has no specific comments to make on the other topic areas at this time, but would appreciate the opportunity in the future to consider and discuss the implications of these issues as Southend’s Local Plan progresses and its scope is refined. RDC acknowledges that the South Essex JSP will be an effective mechanism for considering some of these issues in more detail, including with respect to ensuring planned growth is sustainable in the context of social infrastructure and green spaces.

Rochford District Council (RDC) thanks Southend Borough Council for inviting it to respond to its Local Plan Issues and Options consultation.
RDC notes that both authorities are members of the Association of South Essex Local Authorities (ASELA) and are signatories to a Memorandum of Understanding and Statement of Common Ground supporting the preparation of a South Essex Joint Strategic Plan (JSP). RDC would encourage Southend Borough Council to continue to positively engage through ASELA to ensure that the JSP is effective and successful for communities across South Essex, both now and into the future, and to fulfil the requirements of the Duty to Co-operate.

I acknowledge the difficulties Southend-on-Sea Borough Council faces in seeking to accommodate its identified housing needs in full. I note the latest estimation of these needs is between 18,000 and 24,000 homes by 2038, and that even by maximising the opportunities to provide these homes within Southend's authority area, any approach is likely to result in a shortfall of between 4,000 and 15,000 homes.
As you acknowledge, both Councils are members of the Association of South Essex Local Authorities (ASELA) and are actively engaged in the preparation of a Joint Strategic Plan for South Essex. This Joint Strategic Plan is expected to provide a framework for the distribution of growth across South Essex, including how any unmet need from individual authorities can be met elsewhere.
As you are aware, Rochford District Council has its own housing needs of around 7,000 homes over the next 20 years. The Council's latest land availability assessment1 identifies existing capacity for over 3,000 homes in the District, however this supply is clearly insufficient to meet the needs of the District over the next 20 years. Further work will be needed to explore spatial options for accommodating the District's housing needs,
However the Council have noted the findings of the South East Essex Strategic Growth Locations Assessment (SESSGLA) including the opportunity that has been identified to explore a strategic-scale garden community in the land north of Fossetts Farm, Garon Park and Bournes Green Chase.
At this stage, the extent to which Rochford District can accommodate any unmet needs from Southend Borough is not known. However, we would support a programme of further work to explore the scope, capacity and feasibility of establishing a new garden community in the area identified. More generally, we would support continued collaboration between the authorities to explore opportunities to deliver growth in the most sustainable way for our communities, including through the preparation of the South Essex Joint Strategic Plan and the commissioning of joint evidence, such as the Green Belt and Landscape Character Studies currently being prepared.

I acknowledge the difficulties Southend-on-Sea Borough Council faces in seeking to accommodate its identified housing needs in full. I note the latest estimation of these needs is between 18,000 and 24,000 homes by 2038, and that even by maximising the opportunities to provide these homes within Southend's authority area, any approach is likely to result in a shortfall of between 4,000 and 15,000 homes.
As you acknowledge, both Councils are members of the Association of South Essex Local Authorities (ASELA) and are actively engaged in the preparation of a Joint Strategic Plan for South Essex. This Joint Strategic Plan is expected to provide a framework for the distribution of growth across South Essex, including how any unmet need from individual authorities can be met elsewhere.
As you are aware, Rochford District Council has its own housing needs of around 7,000 homes over the next 20 years. The Council's latest land availability assessment1 identifies existing capacity for over 3,000 homes in the District, however this supply is clearly insufficient to meet the needs of the District over the next 20 years. Further work will be needed to explore spatial options for accommodating the District's housing needs,
However the Council have noted the findings of the South East Essex Strategic Growth Locations Assessment (SESSGLA) including the opportunity that has been identified to explore a strategic-scale garden community in the land north of Fossetts Farm, Garon Park and Bournes Green Chase.
At this stage, the extent to which Rochford District can accommodate any unmet needs from Southend Borough is not known. However, we would support a programme of further work to explore the scope, capacity and feasibility of establishing a new garden community in the area identified. More generally, we would support continued collaboration between the authorities to explore opportunities to deliver growth in the most sustainable way for our communities, including through the preparation of the South Essex Joint Strategic Plan and the commissioning of joint evidence, such as the Green Belt and Landscape Character Studies currently being prepared.