(2) 4. Vision

4.1 The Local Plan describes the vision for the sites as

'a high quality sustainable urban extension to Bexhill, which enhances the attractiveness of the town as a place to live, work and invest.'

4.2 The development has a strategic objective of providing for the housing and employment needs of the area in line with planned targets. Indeed, its delivery is critical to the development strategy of the District.

4.3 Such a significant scale of development and change has the ability to have an impact much wider than its immediate environment. It can contribute to meeting the social and economic needs of the town as a whole, and its existing and future residents. Indeed, it can play a major part in the regeneration of the Hastings/Bexhill area.

4.4 The development should both integrate physically, socially and economically with the town and its environment and set a new standard for sustainable development with its own "sense of place". Hence, it can have an impact on the perception of the area as a place to live and do business, as well as on its physical environment and social structure.

4.5 The objectives for the overall site to achieve the above vision, which have been developed by the Development Group and refined through Sustainability Appraisal, are:

• to contribute to meeting the social and economic needs of the town and its existing and future residents
• to integrate physically, economically and socially with the town and its wider environment
• to protect and enhance the environmental quality of the town and its environment
• to develop a clear, highly sustainable character and strong 'sense of place' consistent with the above

4.6 The Sustainability Appraisal particularly highlighted the importance of providing for the needs not only of the residents and businesses, but of ensuring that it is integrated within the existing fabric of the town to be sustainable. This is reflected in the second objective.

4.7 Also, it has drawn out that there is scope, especially as this is a major development, of addressing a number of sustainability issues if the form and design of development were to accord with high standards of energy efficiency. This is reflected in the fourth objective.

4.8 Looking forward to when this development is fully completed, an observer should comment:

"It's a great place to live, varied in character but contemporary, has an active community, just what it needs in terms of local services and jobs, which are really easy to get to, and with a wide range of formal and informal recreation on the doorstep in the adjacent Countryside Park. It has a reputation as one of the leading examples of sustainable design. Moreover, it has transformed Bexhill in that there are now more firms - and therefore jobs - for people. This, together with the affordable housing, has helped keep young people and families here and boosted the whole 'feel' of the town."