Rother Local Plan 2025-2042 Regulation 19 (pre-submission) version September 2026

Chapter 6: Live Well Locally

Policy DEV1: General Development Considerations Comment

6.1All development should be capable of accommodating the reasonable expectations of likely occupiers, including the provision of indoor and outdoor space, personal safety and to not be unduly affected by adjacent intrusive uses and buildings. Development should also cater for practical needs, such as parking and access, refuse and recycling facilities and open space.

6.2At the same time, the amenities of neighbouring properties need to be protected, in terms of light and privacy, avoiding an overbearing presence and otherwise causing intrusion such as through noise, activity at unsocial hours and lighting for instance.

6.3Environmental impacts need to be carefully addressed, such that landscape character is conserved, inappropriate fragmentation of the countryside avoided, important trees, woodlands and hedgerows retained, and where appropriate, supplemented by new landscaping, and wildlife habitats protected and encouraged. These requirements are also supported by other environmental policies in the Green to the Core and the Natural and Historic Environment chapters of the Local Plan.

6.4The need for development proposals to protect occupiers and users from different forms of pollution, and to ensure development does not give rise to unacceptable levels of pollution, is detailed in national planning policy. The need to ensure that infrastructure and facilities required to serve development will be provided is addressed in Policy INF1 (Strategic Infrastructure Requirements) and other policies in the Local Plan.

Policy DEV2: Comprehensive Development & Masterplanning Comment

6.5 National planning policy underlines the purpose of the planning system in achieving sustainable development. Development should be compatible with both the existing and planned use of adjacent land. This may involve bringing together land in different ownerships to ensure that the range of needs are met effectively within a logical overall area, or it may involve bringing together a mix of uses for an appropriate and sustainable approach to site development (for example commercial, community or recreational uses in addition to residential development). Mixed use developments are promoted in the NPPF, including as a means of supporting community facilities, new habitat creation or improved public access to the countryside.

6.6Where a site comprises separate land ownerships, the expectation is that developers and landowners should work positively together to achieve wider goals of sustainable development and the full benefits for the local community. The need to demonstrate that proposals will secure the provision of infrastructure to serve a whole site is promoted by the policy above. The approach to land-use mix should ensure the overall viability of proposals, while also ensuring that socially, economically and/or environmentally important elements, that will typically be less commercially attractive, are not “isolated”. Hence, they may be required to be effectively cross-funded, normally by residential or other commercial elements, to enable the delivery of development that is sustainable and acceptable in planning terms.

6.7The policy is to be applied in all cases where a comprehensive approach to development is necessary for the proper planning of an area. This will include site allocations and “windfall” sites that come forward for planning permission.

6.8To ensure a comprehensive approach for major development, a proportionate suite of parameter plans for the entire development site must be submitted where outline planning permission is applied for. These must set the vision and implementation strategy for the entire site. They should demonstrate how the sustainable transport requirements of the Local Plan will be met and should clearly set out the proposed phasing of development, including how infrastructure needed to support each phase will be provided.

6.9Parameter plans must, where relevant to the proposal, address the broad disposition of land uses and developable areas, access and movement, connections within and beyond the site, green and blue infrastructure and open space, landscape structure and retained site features, drainage, density and building height parameters, and any other key elements necessary to secure the design and placemaking principles of the development. They must provide sufficient certainty to secure those principles while allowing appropriate flexibility for detailed design at reserved matters stage.

6.10Where the planning application does not relate to the entire site, it must be demonstrated that sub-division is necessary to speed up housing delivery. In some cases, this may be achieved through a hybrid planning application comprising full planning permission for an initial phase of development alongside outline proposals for the remainder of the site, provided that the application is supported by a comprehensive masterplan demonstrating the integrated development of the entire site.

Policy LWL1: Efficient Use of Land & Appropriate Densities Comment

The compact development concept

6.11Policies LWL1 to LWL8 together set out key design, accessibility and movement expectations for compact, connected, distinctive and walkable development. They will inform the preparation and assessment of site layouts, masterplans and design codes, alongside any more detailed design guidance adopted by the Council.

6.12Compact development is central to the efficient and effective use of land and to the creation of well-designed, attractive and healthy places. In this policy, compact development does not simply mean higher density or more intensive building, although density is one important indicator. It means arranging buildings, streets, spaces and uses so that development optimises land use, supports walkable and well-connected neighbourhoods, and contributes positively to local character and quality of place.

6.13A compact form of development can help accommodate enough people to support shops, local facilities, jobs and viable public transport, including Demand Responsive Transport, shuttle bus services and shared mobility solutions. It can also support social interaction, a high-quality public realm, green infrastructure and active travel, helping to create safe, lively and attractive places. Access to services is addressed in Policy LWL2, while active travel and public transport connections are addressed in Policy LWL3.

6.14Compact development should be informed by a thorough understanding of local context. However, responding to local character does not mean replicating existing patterns of development where those patterns are low-density, inefficient, car-dependent or otherwise inconsistent with the objectives of the Local Plan. In such cases, new development should improve the character, efficiency and functionality of the area while delivering high-quality, context-responsive design.

Applying the policy

6.15The Rother Density Studies (2024 and 2026) provide key evidence for applying this policy. Proposals will be assessed through a design-led approach having regard to relevant Local Plan policies and site-specific considerations.

6.16The policy applies to all development proposals, with the section of the policy headed ‘Residential Development’ applying to all proposals involving new residential dwellings. Larger schemes will usually provide the greatest opportunity to apply compact development principles through comprehensive masterplanning, but smaller schemes, including those of 1–10 dwellings, should also make efficient use of land and avoid layouts that would undermine the objectives of the policy.

Density and area types

6.17For the purposes of identifying appropriate density ranges for new residential development, Policy LWL1 divides Rother into area types. These reflect areas of similar character and allow density expectations to be applied according to location. The area types are shown on the Policies Map. Each part of the district falls within a single area type for the purposes of applying this policy. The area types are:

1. Bexhill Urban Area (Policy BX1)
2. Bexhill Suburban
3. Historic Towns (Rye and Battle)
4. Live Well Locally areas
5. Village areas with development boundaries
6. Countryside areas, including villages and hamlets without development boundaries

6.18The density ranges in Policy LWL1 are informed by the Rother Density Studies (2024 and 2026), which consider historic development patterns, recent delivery, accessibility to services and public transport, contemporary design best practice, and the role and function of settlements identified through the Settlement Study. The Studies should inform the design and masterplanning of proposals, including the choice of typologies, the distribution of density across sites, and the integration of green infrastructure, movement networks and public realm. They do not prescribe specific layouts or outcomes, and proposals will continue to be assessed through a design-led approach.

6.19For the purposes of this policy, density is measured on a net developable area basis. Net developable area includes land used for residential buildings, access streets, parking and incidental open space within the development. It excludes strategic landscaping and open space, structural planting, land required for biodiversity net gain, sustainable drainage infrastructure serving wider areas, and other land that does not form part of the developable residential layout.

6.20Achieving appropriate density will usually require the careful use of compact and efficient typologies, including terraces, apartments, mansion blocks, mews, courtyard forms, smaller dwellings and compact mixed-use forms, where these respond positively to local character, amenity and design quality. Reliance on large, detached dwellings, deep plots, excessive private drives, residual open space or highway-dominated layouts will not normally represent an efficient use of land.

6.21Density should be distributed in response to context, accessibility and character. Within larger sites, higher densities will generally be most appropriate towards centres, public transport corridors and other accessible locations, with lower densities used where necessary to provide an appropriate transition to adjoining development, heritage assets, sensitive landscapes or the countryside.

6.22In the historic towns of Rye and Battle, many development opportunities are likely to arise on settlement edges, where densities towards the lower end of the relevant range may be more appropriate. Where sites are in more central or accessible locations, densities toward the higher end of the relevant range may be appropriate where they respond positively to local character, heritage and townscape.

6.23In countryside areas, including villages and hamlets without development boundaries, the application of compact development principles will reflect the scale, character and accessibility of the location. Compact development in these areas does not imply urban forms of development, but rather the careful clustering of buildings, efficient layouts and appropriate densities, informed by landscape character, settlement pattern, heritage significance and relevant design guidance, including the High Weald Housing Design Guide where applicable.

Employment, commercial and mixed-use developments

6.24The policy also applies to employment, commercial and mixed-use developments. Any residential portion of a mixed-use development will be required to comply with the “residential development” section of the policy. Proposals involving new employment or commercial development will be required to demonstrate that the site layout, plot ratio, building height, areas for servicing, parking, yard space, landscaping and future adaptability have been designed to optimise employment and commercial floorspace and operational efficiency, while responding positively to local character, landscape context, access and amenity considerations.

Policy LWL2: Facilities and Services for Residential Development Comment

6.25The NPPF^[118] supports sustainable development by seeking strong, vibrant and healthy communities, well-designed and safe places, and access to services and open spaces that meet current and future needs.

6.26Policy LWL2 applies to all proposals for new residential development throughout the district (including that arising from conversion or change of use) and uses the Area Types introduced in Policy LWL1 (Efficient Use of Land & Appropriate Densities) and shown on the Policies Map. It seeks to ensure that new homes are located and planned to provide realistic access to everyday amenities and services, in line with the Local Plan’s Overall Priority of “Live Well Locally”. References to active travel have the meaning set out in Policy LWL3 (Active Travel, Public Transport Connections & Services Outside the Site) and the Glossary.

Relationship to the development boundaries

6.27Bexhill Urban and Suburban, Historic Towns, Live Well Locally and Village Area Types relate to land largely within defined Development Boundaries. Policy LWL2 does not alter the presumption in that infilling, redevelopment and changes of use within development boundaries will be acceptable, subject to other Local Plan policies (as set out in Policy SS2). Where a site within a development boundary has poor access to amenities or connections, Policy LWL2 provides a basis to require proportionate improvements, such as additional amenities on larger sites or improvements to the active travel network.

6.28Policy LWL2 also does not alter the approach to development in the countryside, set through Policies SS2 (Development Boundaries) and SS4 (Strategy for the Countryside). Instead, it provides a mechanism to assess residential proposals that are supported by other Local Plan policies, such as Policy HOU3 on rural exception sites and Policy HOU11 on new dwellings in the countryside.

Implementation

6.29In the Live Well Locally Area Types, which comprise planned urban extensions on the edges of Bexhill and development sites on the fringes of Hastings, sites coming forward earlier in the Plan period may not benefit from an existing range of local amenities. New development may initially rely on existing nearby centres or public transport connections where these are available within a reasonable distance. However, development will be expected to deliver or contribute to new or enhanced local facilities through a coordinated masterplanning approach, so that these areas evolve into fully functioning, walkable neighbourhoods over time. This includes, where applicable, infrastructure required by relevant area policies, including Policies BX16 and BX27, and their associated masterplans.

6.30In Village and Countryside area types, the availability and distribution of services will vary, and it may not always be possible to achieve access to a full range of amenities within walking distance. Some car use will remain necessary in more rural and dispersed areas, but development should still maximise opportunities for active travel, convenient access to public transport and nearby service centres, and more sustainable travel choices. Other locations within Village and Countryside area types may be more closely related to existing towns or planned growth areas. New development in these locations must achieve a standard of accessibility appropriate to its scale, location and relationship to nearby services, and must not rely on rural flexibility to justify poor access to services.

6.31A sufficient range of local amenities will normally comprise a combination of everyday facilities, proportionate to the scale of development and the role and function of the settlement. Relevant facilities may include (but not be limited to): food shops selling fresh fruit and vegetables, publicly accessible parks or green spaces, indoor meeting places such as pubs, cafes, community centres, places of worship or cultural venues, primary schools, post offices or banking services, GP surgeries, public transport stops and mobility hubs.

6.32In assessing whether a sufficient range of amenities is available, the Council will have regard to the role and function of the settlement, the number and type of amenities within realistic active travel distance, how far those amenities meet every-day needs, the scale of development and likely population generated, the quality and accessibility of routes, and whether planned or secured improvements will be delivered in step with occupation.

Active travel and accessibility

6.33For the purposes of this policy, safe and usable active travel routes are those that are direct, continuous, accessible to all users and attractive to use. This includes consideration of footway provision, crossing points, gradients, natural surveillance, lighting where appropriate, and barriers such as high traffic speeds or volumes. This reflects national guidance, including Active Travel England guidance, on the importance of direct, connected and inclusive routes.

6.34Routes that are unsuitable for wheelchair users, people with pushchairs or older people, poorly overlooked, or severed by busy roads lacking safe crossings, should not normally be treated as providing realistic access, even where the measured distance falls within the relevant benchmark.

6.35The 800-metre threshold provides a benchmark for walkable access to services, equivalent to approximately a 10-minute walk. In rural areas, distances are likely to be greater due to dispersed settlement patterns, but development will still be expected to demonstrate that access to services is realistic and convenient, taking account of route quality, topography and the needs of different users.

Community facilities and indoor meeting spaces

6.36Community facilities such as halls, shops, healthcare facilities, pubs, village squares and other local amenities can help provide a focus for the Live Well Locally concept by acting as neighbourhood activity centres and, where appropriate, mobility hubs.

6.37Indoor meeting places may include new or improved village halls, community buildings or other flexible facilities. They should be suitable for a range of uses, including co-working, community events, markets, training, social prescribing and other community activities, and should be designed to provide comfortable internal conditions, including during periods of extreme heat.

6.38The 250-dwelling threshold reflects the point at which development is likely to generate additional demand for flexible community, meeting and co-working space. The requirement will be applied proportionately, having regard to existing provision, capacity, accessibility and the relationship of the site to wider planned growth.

6.39Further guidance on the design, quality and management of public spaces, green infrastructure and recreational facilities, as set out elsewhere in the Local Plan.

Public transport access

6.40Convenient access to public transport depends on the distance to stops, the quality, safety and accessibility of active travel routes, the frequency and reliability of services, and the destinations served.

6.41In well-connected urban environments, convenient access to public transport will typically mean that each dwelling has access to stops within around 400 metres by a safe, direct and accessible active travel route. Longer distances will be appropriate for higher-order public transport, such as rail, particularly where services provide frequent or fast connections to a range of destinations. In such cases, distances of approximately 800 metres to 1.2 kilometres may still provide a realistic and attractive alternative to private car travel, where routes are safe, direct and high quality.

6.42In village and countryside locations, greater distances will be acceptable where justified by dispersed settlement patterns, lower densities, limited-service availability and local context. As a guide, services operating at least hourly during the day on most days of the week are more likely to support sustainable travel patterns, although this will depend on the specific context and destinations served.

Mobility hubs

6.43Where justified by the scale and location of development, proposals may support mobility hubs to enable convenient interchange between active travel and public transport. Mobility hubs may include secure cycle parking, information, seating, lighting, links to bus stops or community transport, facilities for users of mobility aids, shared mobility, parcel collection, electric vehicle charging and real-time information.

Policy LWL3: Active Travel, Public Transport Connections & Services Outside the Site Comment

6.44The Local Plan Transport Assessment and Infrastructure Delivery Plan identify mitigation and coordinated transport measures to support planned growth and the Council’s climate, health and wellbeing objectives. Integrating transport and land-use planning is key to reducing carbon emissions and supporting healthier, more sustainable travel choices.

6.45Policies LWL1, LWL2 and LWL3 should be read together. Policy LWL1 supports compact, design-led development; Policy LWL2 seeks realistic access to everyday facilities and services; and Policy LWL3 secures the active travel and public transport connections and services needed to create sustainable, inclusive and healthy places. Part (A) applies to residential development of ten or more dwellings and non-residential development likely to generate significant travel demand. Part (B) applies to all development affecting coastal access.

6.46This policy principally applies to connections from the site to the surrounding movement network. For residential development subject to the enhanced requirements set out in the Policy, in Part (A), it also addresses how the site’s internal active travel network connects with the surrounding network. The detailed provision and design of active travel and public transport infrastructure within the site are addressed by Policy LWL4.

6.47The policy applies a graduated approach. Development of 10 or more dwellings is expected to secure safe and convenient links to public transport and the wider movement network. Development of 50 or more dwellings is expected to deliver a more comprehensive and integrated network of active travel connections, reflecting the greater number of trips generated and the wider opportunities for network improvement.

6.48Active travel routes and links should be planned and designed as part of a connected and inclusive movement network, reflecting local context, user needs, safety, accessibility and the function of each route.

Sustainable movement

6.49Development to which Part (A) applies should be supported by direct, safe, comfortable, attractive and inclusive active travel routes to existing or planned public transport stops and, where available, wider hubs such as train stations and bus interchanges. This supports compact development by enabling more journeys to be made by sustainable modes, particularly in higher-density and well-connected locations. Where the frequency, reliability or convenience of existing public transport services available from nearby stops is insufficient to serve the development, proposals will also be required to make necessary and proportionate improvements or contributions to public transport services and/or infrastructure such as bus stops, as part of the development. Access to public transport should be considered as a complete journey, including the route to the stop, any necessary crossing and the accessibility and safety of the waiting and boarding environment.

6.50Development to which Part (A) applies should also be supported by safe, direct and accessible links to existing active travel routes. The length and nature of such links will vary depending on the location and scale of the development but should result in a safe route from the site to join with the existing active travel movement network outside the site. Where the existing active travel network outside the site is of an insufficient quality to provide a safe and accessible route to services and facilities, necessary and proportionate improvements will be required as part of the development.

6.51Wherever possible, development to which Part (A) applies should connect to or contribute to the delivery of routes identified through the Infrastructure Delivery Plan, adopted Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, the East Sussex Local Transport Plan and other relevant local transport strategies. Emerging plans may be considered where they have reached a sufficiently advanced stage and are supported by proportionate evidence.

6.52Development proposals should be supported by proportionate transport evidence, such as a Transport Assessment or Transport Statement, to assess impacts, promote sustainable travel and identify necessary mitigation. For major development, a Travel Plan will also usually be required to encourage active travel and public transport use over time.

6.53Early engagement with the local planning and highway authorities is encouraged to agree the scope of transport assessments and supporting information, having regard to relevant Highway Authority and /or National Highways guidance. Transport Assessments or Statements should consider all modes and users, including active travel and public transport, and include both quantitative and qualitative analysis of likely travel patterns, accessibility to key destinations and infrastructure deficiencies. Assessments should consider the needs of all users, including children, older people and disabled people, and may use tools such as a Non-Motorised User Audit or equivalent to identify barriers and inform improvements. Proposals should clearly set out and justify infrastructure improvements and measures to support increased active travel.

Route quality and design

6.54Routes and links should be safe, direct or reasonably convenient, continuous, accessible and easy to navigate. Design should take account of gradients, surfacing, lighting, crossings, traffic speeds, personal safety, flood risk and drainage, and should minimise conflict between pedestrians, wheelers, cyclists, equestrians and motor vehicles. Appropriate crossing provision should be located along expected desire lines where necessary to create safe, convenient and inclusive routes. The form of crossing should respond to traffic speeds and volumes, route use and the needs of different users.

6.55Active travel routes should be inclusive and comfortable to use throughout the year and designed to be usable by a wide range of people, including older people, children and disabled people and, where appropriate, equestrians. New or improved pedestrian routes should normally provide step-free access, appropriate surfacing, lighting where demonstrated to be necessary for safe, inclusive and legible use, and navigable features for people with visual, mobility or other access requirements. The need for lighting should be assessed by balancing safe and inclusive year-round use with biodiversity, landscape character and dark-skies considerations, having regard to the Active Travel England Rural Design Guide and the relevant Local Plan lighting policy. Where a fully step-free route cannot reasonably be achieved, an accessible alternative should be provided wherever practicable. For longer, strategic or heavily used routes, provision should be considered for appropriately spaced seating and rest points, shade and drinking water, having regard to the route’s function, expected use, local context and long-term maintenance.

6.56In urban and suburban locations, shared walking and cycling provision will not normally be appropriate on busy routes or where pedestrian and cycle flows are likely to create conflict. Segregated or protected cycle provision should normally be provided along busy streets where necessary to achieve safe and attractive cycling conditions. Shared-use routes should only be used where consistent with LTN 1/20 and where they would not compromise pedestrian comfort, accessibility or safety.

6.57New routes should form part of a connected network linking existing and proposed infrastructure and key destinations. Existing routes, including Public Rights of Way, should be positively integrated into the layout and enhanced where necessary, so that they form part of a safe, attractive and coherent movement network. Development should also support the delivery of Greenways, Quietways and improvements to Public Rights of Way where these form part of an identified active travel network or would improve access to key destinations.

6.58Access to rail stations should be supported by high-quality active travel routes and integration with the wider movement network. Where necessary, proportionate and deliverable, development should provide or contribute to secure cycle parking and other associated improvements. In some locations, measures such as parking management or traffic calming may also be required to ensure routes operate safely and effectively.

Coastal access

6.59Where development affects the King Charles III England Coast Path National Trail, opportunities to improve access may include appropriate route enhancement or realignment where this would improve proximity to the coast, accessibility for all users and overall route quality.

Guidance and policy links

6.60Development proposals should demonstrate how relevant national guidance and standards for active travel, including Active Travel England guidance and LTN 1/20, have informed the design of routes and connections beyond the site. This should be considered alongside Policy LWL2, which addresses access to local services and facilities.

Rural context and flexibility

6.61 In rural areas, opportunities to deliver active travel and public transport infrastructure will vary. Development should promote sustainable travel through context-appropriate measures, including improving existing routes, strengthening connections to nearby settlements and supporting shared or community transport where appropriate.

Recreation and tourism routes

6.62 In rural areas, active travel routes may also support recreation and tourism. Development should, where relevant and proportionate, enhance connections to the wider rights of way network and other recreational routes, including through improvements to existing routes and the creation of new links between settlements, the countryside and key destinations.

Policy LWL4: Active Travel & Public Transport Within Sites Comment

6.63Policy LWL4 focuses on movement within development sites and should be read alongside Policy LWL3 (Active Travel, Public Transport Connections & Services Outside the Site), which principally addresses active travel and public transport connections beyond the site, and Policy LWL7 (Streets & Public Realm for All), which addresses the detailed design of streets and public spaces.

6.64Streets and routes must connect homes, jobs, facilities, public transport stops, open spaces and surrounding routes in the most direct and convenient way practicable. Internal layouts must make active travel and access to public transport attractive, safe, accessible and easy to understand. They must respond to likely desire lines and use simple, connected and legible street and route patterns. Routes should normally be well overlooked and integrated with active frontages and the wider public realm.

6.65Filtered permeability means designing places so that active travel and public transport can move through the site more directly than private motor vehicles. This helps discourage unnecessary through-traffic, supports active travel and can create safer, quieter and more attractive streets, while maintaining a connected, convenient and attractive movement network.

6.66Active travel routes must be safe, inclusive and easy to navigate for people of all ages and abilities, having regard to relevant national and local guidance. Site layouts must safeguard opportunities for future connections to adjoining land, including land that is allocated, proposed, planned or likely to come forward later, where these are necessary to create a coherent movement network. Routes to the site boundary must be provided where appropriate to enable those future connections.

Policy LWL5: Well-designed and Distinctive Places Comment

6.67New development should create places that are memorable, well-designed and locally responsive. Distinctiveness should be rooted in a clear understanding of context, but this does not mean copying existing forms or details where these would not produce high-quality design.

6.68Where distinctive local characteristics exist, proposals should draw on more than architectural style or detailing. Positive local character can arise from street and block structure, plot pattern, landscape, green and blue infrastructure, land uses, building form, massing, materials and the social life of public spaces. Development should create the physical conditions for activity, social interaction and everyday use to happen, helping to bring places to life.

6.69 Where the local context is poor, generic or weakly defined, this should not be used to justify more of the same. Standard house types, poor pastiche or replication of low-quality recent development will not normally create a well-designed or distinctive place. In such cases, inspiration may be found in local history, landscape, culture, settlement form, materials and the wider character of the area.

6.70Policy LWL5 applies to all development proposals. The level of detail required to demonstrate compliance with the policy will be proportionate to the scale, nature and location of the proposal. Smaller schemes will not be expected to provide the same level of supporting information as major development, but they must still demonstrate a clear and positive response to context, local distinctiveness, design quality and relevant site features.

Futureproofing and safeguarding

6.71Criterion v) seeks to ensure that development does not result in piecemeal layouts that unnecessarily constrain future connections or the coordinated development of adjoining land. It does not establish support in principle for development on adjoining land or alter the role of development boundaries under Policy SS2. The need to safeguard coordinated development will apply where development of adjoining land is allocated, planned, proposed or otherwise reasonably foreseeable. Policy LWL4 sets out more detailed requirements for safeguarding future active travel connections to adjoining development. Where Policy DEV2 applies, these matters should be addressed through the comprehensive masterplan for the wider site.

Applying distinctiveness in different contexts

6.72Distinctiveness will be expressed differently across Rother’s urban, suburban, Live Well Locally, historic towns, village, and countryside locations. In urban and suburban areas, proposals should respond to townscape character, street patterns, block structure, building line, scale, massing, materials, public realm and relationships with existing centres, public transport and active travel routes. Within Live Well Locally Areas, which comprise planned urban extensions, development should establish a coherent and distinctive new character that responds to the adjoining settlement and landscape context, while creating a well-connected, legible and walkable neighbourhood.

6.73In villages and countryside locations, proposals should respond to settlement pattern, landscape character, topography, field boundaries, trees, views, heritage assets, vernacular materials, dark skies, tranquillity and the transition between built form and the wider countryside. In the High Weald National Landscape, or where its setting is affected, particular regard should be had to its distinctive landscape character, settlement pattern and routeways and, for residential development, to the High Weald AONB Housing Design Guide or successor guidance.

6.74Understanding context should include consideration of how climate change may affect site constraints and opportunities over time, including flood risk, surface water management, overheating, shade, drought, tree health, habitat resilience and the role of green and blue infrastructure.

Design concept and materials

6.75A clear design concept should explain how the proposal has evolved from an understanding of the site, its context, constraints and opportunities, and how this has informed the layout, form, appearance, materials, details and landscape design. The level of information required will depend on the scale, nature and location of the proposal. For major development, this will normally be set out in a Design and Access Statement, supported where appropriate by a masterplan, design code, landscape strategy or other design material. For outline applications where Policy DEV2 applies, the design concept must be reflected in the masterplan and parameter plans required by that policy so that the key design and placemaking principles are secured while allowing appropriate flexibility for subsequent reserved matters. For smaller schemes, the design concept may be demonstrated through concise written material, plans, elevations, sections, materials information and other drawings sufficient to explain the design approach.

6.76Using a local materials palette, where appropriate, can be an effective way to connect development to place. This is often more achievable and credible than mimicking traditional architectural detailing, which can depend on lost crafts or result in poor pastiche.

6.77Brownfield sites can offer sources of inspiration for new development, including existing structures, materials, industrial heritage, landscape features and established routes. Greenfield and edge-of-settlement locations often require more creative, landscape-led design responses to avoid creating places that lack a sense of local or otherwise distinctive character.

Existing assets and site features

6.78Existing site features such as mature trees, hedgerows, ponds, watercourses, natural drainage routes, field boundaries, views and topography can provide a strong starting point for distinctive design. They should be used to structure layouts, shape movement routes, define public spaces and strengthen landscape and ecological character.

6.79Sustainable drainage should be integrated from the outset as part of the design concept, site layout and landscape strategy, rather than treated as a technical add-on. Existing natural drainage routes, ponds, watercourses, mature trees, hedgerows and low-lying areas can help structure development, support biodiversity, manage surface water, reduce flood risk and create distinctive green and blue infrastructure.

6.80Detailed requirements relating to flood risk, watercourses and sustainable drainage are set out in Policies ENV1, ENV2 and ENV3; heritage assets and their settings are addressed by Policy HER1; and Policies ENV13 and ENV15 contain additional requirements for green and blue infrastructure, Public Rights of Way and historic routeways. These policies should be read alongside criterion iv) where relevant.

Materials, circular economy and bioregional design

6.81Bioregional design responds to the natural systems, resources, materials, climate, ecology, hydrology, landscape character and local supply chains of the area. It can help reduce whole-life carbon, strengthen local distinctiveness and support ecological and landscape resilience. In Rother, this may include opportunities to use local and certified well-managed timber where appropriate, particularly where this supports the aims and character of the High Weald National Landscape.

6.82Development should have regard to relevant priorities and opportunities identified within the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, particularly where proposals involve habitat creation, habitat connectivity, nature recovery, tree planting, sustainable drainage, river restoration or green and blue infrastructure.

6.83Materials should be selected having regard to durability, repairability, weathering, recyclability, embodied carbon and contribution to local distinctiveness. Materials that are short-lived, difficult to repair, visually harmful or poorly related to local character may be resisted where they would undermine design quality, sustainability or the character of the area.

Stewardship and long-term management

6.84Well-designed places should sustain their quality over the long term. Long-term stewardship must therefore be considered from the outset, particularly where development includes shared streets and spaces, community assets, green and blue infrastructure, sustainable drainage, play space or other communal facilities.

6.85Stewardship arrangements may include adoption by a public authority, management companies, community management arrangements or other appropriate governance models. Details of management arrangements should include the responsibilities for management and maintenance, funding and governance arrangements, and how relevant assets will remain safe, accessible and resilient over time. Management arrangements may be secured through planning conditions, planning obligations or other appropriate mechanisms where necessary.

Design assessment frameworks

6.86Building for a Healthy Life, and any successor document, provides a framework for shaping and assessing residential development, including how proposals respond to context, create well-structured streets and spaces, provide movement choice and support healthy and inclusive places. Its themes align closely with the Live Well Locally policies.

6.87Major residential development is required to submit a Building for a Healthy Life assessment. Smaller residential schemes should apply the framework proportionately and may choose to submit a concise assessment or otherwise explain how relevant principles have informed the design. Building for a Healthy Life should be used from an early stage to identify issues and improve proposals rather than as a tick-box exercise.

6.88For non-residential and mixed-use development, relevant Building for a Healthy Life principles and other appropriate design assessment frameworks must be applied proportionately where relevant to the nature of the proposal. Sport England's Active Design principles, or successor guidance, may be particularly relevant in considering physical activity, active travel and social interaction. A separate Active Design assessment will not normally be necessary for residential development where these matters are adequately addressed through the Building for a Healthy Life assessment.

6.89Building with Nature, or successor standards, provides a complementary framework for the planning, design, delivery and long-term management of high-quality green and blue infrastructure. It is particularly relevant to major development and other proposals involving significant green and blue infrastructure, sustainable drainage, biodiversity or climate-resiliencemeasures.

6.90Building for a Healthy Life assessments may be prepared by the applicant or design team, although independent assessment may be appropriate for larger or more complex schemes.

6.91Independent design review will be required for strategic site allocations and other significant development where justified by the scale, complexity, prominence or sensitivity of the proposal. Independent design review provides an objective assessment of development proposals by appropriately qualified design professionals and can help improve design quality before proposals become fixed. It is separate from, but complementary to, design advice provided by the Council through pre-application discussions or a Planning Performance Agreement. It is particularly valuable for strategic sites and other proposals where scale, complexity, prominence or sensitivity creates significant design or placemaking issues. Where a Planning Performance Agreement is in place, the need, scope and timing of any independent design review should normally be agreed at an early stage and integrated into the agreed programme.

6.926.92 In applying these design frameworks, applicants should also have regard to the health and wellbeing priorities and health inequalities in the latest East Sussex Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and local public health evidence.

Policy LWL6: Built Form Comment

Built form and landscape-led design

6.93Built form is the three-dimensional arrangement of buildings, streets, spaces, landscape and infrastructure. It affects how places look, function, feel and perform over time. Policy LWL6 should be read alongside Policy LWL5 on well-designed and distinctive places and Policy LWL4 on movement within sites. The level of information required to demonstrate compliance will be proportionate to the scale, nature and location of the proposal with more detailed information normally required for major development and proposals in particularly sensitive contexts.

Landscape, levels and drainage

6.94Landscape structure, levels, topography, drainage characteristics and natural systems must inform site capacity and layout from the outset. This should include understanding how water moves through and beyond the site and identifying natural flow routes, low points, watercourses, ditches, ponds and other drainage features so that they can help structure development, open space and green and blue infrastructure.

6.95Levels and contour information must clearly demonstrate how development will sit within the landform, minimise unnecessary cut and fill and accommodate access, drainage, buildings, streets and landscape. For major development, a SuDS Concept Design will be required, to demonstrate how surface-water management has informed the layout and landscape structure, in accordance with Policy ENV3. Foul drainage and wastewater infrastructure should also be integrated without undermining design or landscape quality.

Orientation, microclimate and energy

6.96Orientation must form part of an integrated design response. Overheating risk should be considered from the outset, particularly for flats and other dwellings where opportunities for effective natural cross-ventilation may be constrained. Passive measures should be prioritised, including dual-aspect layouts where practicable, appropriate orientation and glazing, and external shading to limit excessive solar gains. Regard should be had to CIBSE TM59: Overheating Risk in Dwellings – A Design Stage Methodology (2026), or successor guidance.

6.97Development must enable low-carbon and renewable energy technologies to be integrated effectively from the outset in accordance with Policies GTC1 and GTC6, including through appropriate orientation, roof form, massing and shading. Within the High Weald National Landscape and its setting, such measures should be sensitively integrated having regard to landscape character, scenic beauty, heritage significance, settlement pattern and views.

Legibility, street enclosure and active frontages

6.98Legible places are easy to understand and move through. Clear route hierarchies, coherent building lines, corner buildings, landmarks, framed views, retained site features and logical relationships between buildings, streets and spaces can all contribute to legibility and enclosure. Perimeter blocks and defined building lines can support natural surveillance and clear public and private fronts and backs, where appropriate to local context. In rural, village or landscape-sensitive locations, a looser or more informal structure may be appropriate where rooted in settlement pattern and landscape character.

6.99Where appropriate to their function, streets, routes and public spaces should be enclosed by active frontages. Active frontage means buildings providing overlooking, entrances, windows, activity and visual interest onto streets, routes and public spaces. Blank or inactive street-facing elevations and development dominated by surface parking, garages, fencing or walls should be avoided where they would undermine streetscape quality, natural surveillance or the public realm. Corner homes should be dual aspect, with habitable room windows overlooking both streets where practicable.

6.100Non-residential development must similarly define and address streets and public spaces rather than being dominated by freestanding buildings set behind surface car parks which can undermine compact development, pedestrian movement, street enclosure and active frontage. Parking, servicing and access must be integrated into the layout so that buildings and landscape help define streets, routes and public spaces.

Street hierarchy and variation

6.101Different street types help people understand and navigate a place, including by distinguishing principal streets, secondary streets, lanes, mews and more informal routes and spaces. On larger sites, meaningful variation may be created through place, movement, access, parking, drainage, utilities and lighting functions, spatial character, street width, enclosure, building typologies, building-to-street relationships, landscape strategies, tree planting, SuDS, boundary treatments, surface materials and movement priorities. Major development, and other development creating a network of streets or public spaces, must provide a clear street hierarchy and meaningful variation between street types, reflecting their place, movement and access functions, spatial character, enclosure, landscape and relationship with buildings and public spaces.

Spacing, gaps and maintenance

6.102Spacing between buildings should support the overall built-form strategy. Close-knit built form, terraces, short rows and attached dwellings are characteristic of many Rother and High Weald settlements and can also make efficient use of land and reduce energy demand. Gaps may be appropriate where they provide a clear function, such as views, landscape structure, access, drainage, daylight, maintenance, parking or amenity, but narrow or residual gaps without a meaningful function should be avoided.

Transitions and settlement edges

6.103Transitions between existing and new development must be carefully resolved having regard to scale, height, density, massing, building type, tenure, materials, landscape structure and relationships with streets and spaces. A sensitive transition does not necessarily require low-density development but should avoid abrupt or poorly resolved changes in character.

6.104In villages, rural edge and countryside locations, built form and settlement edges should respond to settlement pattern, landscape character, topography, historic routeways, field boundaries, trees, hedgerows, views, dark skies and tranquillity. New edges should be designed as part of the overall layout and landscape strategy, responding both to the countryside and to the existing settlement. Rear garden boundaries may form an appropriate edge where they are positively designed and do not create blank or defensive backs to the countryside.

Compact and energy-efficient built form

6.105Compact built form can help reduce energy demand, make efficient use of land, support walkable places and create coherent streets and spaces. Compactness must be achieved through good design and should not result in cramped layouts, poor amenity or excessive hard surfacing.

6.106Building form also influences energy demand. Buildings with a greater external surface area relative to their internal floor area generally lose more heat; terraces, apartments, maisonettes and other attached forms are therefore more energy efficient than comparable detached forms.

6.107Compact built form need not be urbanising where it responds to local character. In the High Weald, terraces, attached dwellings, small groups and coherent building groupings form part of the established character of many settlements. The appropriate mix of building forms will nevertheless depend on site context, housing need, landscape, heritage and other site-specific considerations.

6.108Consistent with Policies LWL1 and LWL6, applicants must avoid relying predominantly on large, detached dwellings of similar scale, massing, footprint and spacing where this would produce an uncharacteristic, inefficient or generic layout.

Policy LWL7: Streets and Public Realm for All Comment

6.109Streets are different from roads. They are places where the movement of motor vehicles must be balanced with the needs of people using streets for active travel, resting, playing, meeting and spending time. Streets must be designed to meet the needs of the whole community, create a sense of place and support healthy lifestyles, social interaction and everyday street life, rather than functioning only as routes for motor vehicles or places for cars to park.

6.110The application of Policy LWL7 will be proportionate to the scale, nature and location of the development and the extent to which it creates, alters or affects streets, routes, public spaces or the public realm. Smaller developments will not be expected to provide the same level of street design information, public realm features or management arrangements as larger developments. However, all relevant proposals must demonstrate that they have responded positively to pedestrian comfort and the quality of the public realm.

6.111LWL7 is intended to support deliverable street, access and layout solutions that respond to site-specific constraints and opportunities. Relevant constraints should be identified early and resolved through an integrated design process so that necessary vehicle access and servicing do not undermine pedestrian priority, inclusive access, low-speed design, green and blue infrastructure or public realm quality.

6.112Applicants should have regard to Streets for a Healthy Life where relevant to the design of residential streets. The guidance should be used alongside Building for a Healthy Life, Manual for Streets, Local Transport Note 1/20 and relevant local highway and design guidance to inform street layout, street hierarchy, movement, access, parking, drainage, utilities, street lighting, landscape and public realm design.

Low-speed street design

6.113Streets must be designed so that low speeds feel natural and self-enforcing. This can be achieved through connected and legible layouts, appropriate carriageway widths, street enclosure, changes in alignment, frequent crossing opportunities, prominent footways, street trees, planting, surface treatments and building frontage. Over-engineered layouts, excessive carriageway widths, unnecessary road markings and hard surfacing that encourage higher speeds or undermine local distinctiveness should be avoided. Speed-limit signage must not be relied upon as the main method of reducing vehicle speeds. Principal streets may need to accommodate buses, servicing and higher levels of movement but must still function as streets for people and places.

Inclusive, pedestrian-priority streets

6.114 Inclusive street design must respond to the needs of people of all ages and abilities, including children, older people, disabled people, blind and partially sighted people, people with hearing, mobility, sensory or cognitive impairments, and people living with dementia.

6.115Particular consideration should be given to the safety and perceived safety of women and girls and other groups who may feel vulnerable in public space. Design should consider matters such as natural surveillance, active frontages, clear sightlines, route choice, lighting where appropriate, landscaping and the avoidance of isolated or poorly overlooked spaces.

6.116Age-friendly, disability-inclusive and dementia-friendly design should be informed by recognised best-practice guidance, such as the RTPI’s dementia and town planning guidance, Alzheimer’s Society resources on dementia-friendly communities, and other relevant national or local design guidance, design codes or successor documents.

6.117Streets may serve both movement and place functions. Land adopted or maintained as highway can still be designed to provide high-quality public realm, including trees, seating, SuDS, landscape, wayfinding and space for social interaction, where this is compatible with safety, maintenance, access and adoption requirements. Long-term management and maintenance responsibilities will need to be identified at an early stage.

Tree-lined streets and landscape

6.118Tree-lined streets provide shade and cooling, help reduce urban heat, support biodiversity and carbon storage, improve air quality, soften parking and highway infrastructure and strengthen local character. Species selection and location should respond to landscape and street character, available rooting space, soil conditions, biodiversity value, future climate conditions, disease and storm resilience, maintenance requirements and potential aeroallergen impacts. Street trees must be planned alongside utilities, lighting, SuDS, parking and highway design from the outset, with sufficient soil volume, drainage, protection from vehicle damage and space for mature canopy growth. Responsibilities for management, funding and replacement must be clear and secured where necessary.

6.119Tree Equity principles can help identify areas where additional tree canopy would provide the greatest social, environmental and public health benefit, including areas with lower canopy cover, higher heat risk, poorer air quality or greater health inequalities. Relevant local evidence, tree canopy data and Tree Equity tools may be used where proportionate.

6.120Fruit and nut trees may be appropriate in streets, public spaces, community orchards, courtyards or edible landscapes where they can be safely located, managed and maintained. They should be used where they contribute positively to local character, biodiversity, community food growing, education or social interaction, and where appropriate long-term management arrangements are in place.

6.121Street trees, SuDS, habitat creation, green corridors and other green infrastructure can contribute to the priorities and opportunities identified within the Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Landscape, SuDS and green infrastructure

6.122Landscape and planting can provide visual interest, scent, seasonal change, sound, shade, shelter, biodiversity and opportunities for social interaction, while helping to reduce the visual dominance of parking. SuDS must be integrated into streets and public spaces from the outset as part of the landscape and public realm design rather than treated as separate engineering features. Swales, rain gardens, ditches, tree pits, permeable paving and verges can contribute to drainage, biodiversity, cooling, amenity and local character.

6.123Green relief within frontage parking areas should be permanent and functional rather than residual space. Green relief should include at least one planted space or equivalent landscape feature broadly equivalent in frontage width to one adjoining parking bay for every four parking bays, unless a different design solution would achieve equal or greater street greening, tree planting, drainage, enclosure and visual quality. Planting beds, trees, rain gardens or verges could provide green relief.

Social interaction, play and public realm

6.124Streets and public spaces can support everyday social interaction by providing places to sit, rest, chat, play and spend time. Seating, shaded areas and, where appropriate, public drinking water can help people use streets and public spaces comfortably, particularly during hot weather and for children, older people, disabled people and people who are more vulnerable to heat. Such features must not create clutter, obstruct movement or reduce accessibility. Play areas, seating areas and other community spaces must be safely and conveniently located, well overlooked, accessible to all users and connected to direct active travel routes rather than isolated from everyday movement.

6.125Public art, cultural installations and heritage interpretation should be designed, procured, managed and maintained to a high standard. Where appropriate, applicants should demonstrate how artists, local communities and relevant stakeholders have been involved; and how maintenance, repair, removal or decommissioning will be managed over time.

Services, utilities, parking infrastructure and street clutter

6.126Services, utilities, lighting, bin collection, access covers and street furniture must be considered at the earliest stage of street design. Shared trenches and common ducting can help reduce disruption, avoid conflicts and support long-term maintenance where feasible. Infrastructure must not prejudice street trees, SuDS, pedestrian movement, accessibility or the quality of the public realm.

6.127Cycle, e-cargo cycle and electric-vehicle charging infrastructure must also be designed as part of the street and public realm layout from the outset. It must be convenient, secure and accessible and must not obstruct pedestrian movement, visibility, servicing, emergency access, prejudice trees or SuDS, or create trip hazards, accessibility barriers or unnecessary clutter. On-street and public realm charging arrangements should allow for future maintenance, management and technological change.

6.128Servicing, deliveries, refuse collection and emergency access must be considered from the outset, but streets should not be over-engineered around infrequent large vehicle movements where this would undermine pedestrian priority, low-speed design, street enclosure, landscape, SuDS or public realm quality. Swept-path analysis should be used proportionately and should support, rather than override, the creation of safe, attractive and low-speed streets. Signage, street furniture and other public-realm elements should be coordinated and rationalised to minimise clutter and support accessibility, character and clear wayfinding.

Healthy Streets and historic streets

6.129 The Healthy Streets indicators are: everyone feels welcome; people choose to walk, wheel and cycle; people feel relaxed; easy to cross; clean air; not too noisy; places to stop and rest; shade and shelter; people feel safe; and things to see and do. Applicants should use the indicators and relevant Healthy Streets tools proportionately to inform the design of streets and public spaces.

6.130Historic streets include streets, lanes, squares, routeways and public realm spaces that contribute positively to the significance, character or appearance of conservation areas, listed buildings, historic settlements or other heritage assets. Changes to surfacing, kerbs, lighting, signage, street furniture, trees, access arrangements and traffic management can affect heritage significance and must be considered in accordance with Policy HER1. Regard should also be had to Historic England’s Streets for All: Advice for Highway and Public Realm Works in Historic Places, or successor guidance.

Policy LWL8: Multimodal Parking, Servicing and Deliveries Comment

Applying the policy

6.131Parking, servicing and deliveries must be treated as integral parts of place-making rather than matters addressed after buildings and streets have been arranged. The hierarchy and character of streets and public spaces must be established first, with a context-appropriate combination of on-street, on-plot and grouped or communal parking used to support the intended character, density, building types and function of each street. A single predominant parking treatment may nevertheless be appropriate where it forms part of a coherent and well-justified approach.

6.132The latest East Sussex County Council guidance provides the starting point for determining the amount, type and allocation of parking and the applicable technical requirements. It addresses matters including parking-space dimensions, garage counting, accessible parking, cycle and powered two-wheeler parking, electric-vehicle charging and parking-capacity surveys. LWL8 does not repeat those requirements; it establishes the place-making, design, landscape and amenity outcomes expected in Rother.

6.133A separate parking, servicing and delivery strategy should not normally be necessary where these matters are adequately addressed through a Design and Access Statement, or through other proportionate supporting information and any technical highway information required by the Local Highway Authority.

6.134Where development is expected to rely on parking within existing streets, the assessment and any parking-capacity survey should follow the latest East Sussex County Council guidance. In Controlled Parking Zones, the availability of permits should not be assumed.

On-street parking

6.135Well-designed on-street parking can support convenient access, street activity and lower vehicle speeds. It should normally be arranged in short runs and integrated with crossing opportunities, trees and planting. Physical design, including buildings, landscape and clearly defined bays, should discourage pavement and verge parking without unnecessary signs, bollards or high kerbs.

Cycle parking and storage

6.136Cycle parking must be at least as convenient to access as car parking serving the same dwelling or use. Visitor and short-stay cycle parking should be as close to, or closer than, car parking and drop-off areas serving the same destination. Cycle stores should not require cycles to be carried through living accommodation or manoeuvred around parked vehicles and should accommodate larger and adapted cycles. Communal stores should be secure and appropriately overlooked without creating inactive frontages.

6.137Convenient everyday cycle storage should be designed into the house type from the outset rather than relying solely on sheds or stores at the rear of gardens. Suitable solutions may include a generously sized entrance area or porch, an integral cycle store, or a well-designed external store incorporated into the frontage or boundary treatment, including combined cycle and refuse-storage structures where each use remains separately accessible and convenient. The space should allow a cycle to be brought in and out easily without obstructing normal access to the dwelling. Additional cycle storage may be provided within a suitably sized garage or rear garden store. Where rear storage is relied upon, direct and convenient access from the street should normally be provided so that cycles do not need to be taken through the dwelling.

Residential parking design

6.138Car ports can support compact development, particularly where incorporated between or beneath dwellings. However, fully open car ports may expose parked vehicles and create the appearance of gaps in the built frontage, especially between semi-detached or detached properties. Full-height, visually permeable screen gates should therefore be incorporated at the street-facing opening, or an equivalent architecturally integrated treatment provided. Vertical slats, open-jointed timber, perforated metalwork or a similarly permeable treatment can substantially screen parked vehicles while maintaining ventilation and ensuring that the structure does not read as a fully enclosed garage. The treatment should be designed as part of the architecture of the dwelling, align with the principal building line and use materials and detailing that complement the elevation. Where garages or car ports also provide cycle, refuse or other storage, they must remain sufficiently sized and convenient for those uses when a vehicle is parked.

6.139Frontage parking can cause vehicles and hard surfacing to dominate streets, particularly on narrow plots. Side parking will often reduce its visual prominence. Rear in-curtilage parking may also be appropriate where convenient, secure and well-integrated, but not where it would require intrusive access, excessive hard surfacing or unacceptable loss of gardens, trees or landscape features. Where planning permission is required, forecourt parking in front of terraced housing and predominantly hard-surfaced front gardens will not be supported.

6.140Parking courts require careful design because access and manoeuvring space can result in inefficient land use and extensive hard surfacing. Rear courts serving houses must normally remain small and serve no more than five dwellings, reflecting the High Weald Housing Design Guide and providing a district-wide benchmark for convenience, enclosure, surveillance and domestic scale.

6.141Grouped or communal parking can support compact streets, terraces and communal landscape and may incorporate cycle storage, car-club spaces, charging and other shared-mobility functions. Parking squares should be designed as attractive shared spaces first, with parking integrated into their overall character rather than determining it. Landscape, trees, rain gardens, communal planting beds, seating and other appropriately located street furniture can help create useful and sociable spaces when parking demand is lower, while also providing shade, biodiversity and sustainable drainage. The layout should avoid the appearance and engineering of a conventional car park and should allow pedestrian movement and informal use to take place safely and comfortably. Communal, grouped and substantial parking areas must have suitable arrangements for establishment, management and long-term maintenance and must be designed to allow future adaptation where practicable.

6.142 The balance between allocated and unallocated parking should be informed by the East Sussex County Council residential parking calculator and the proposed dwelling mix, tenure, management arrangements and likely user needs. Excessive reliance on tandem parking should be avoided where it would be inconvenient to use or likely to result in displaced, obstructive or pavement parking.

6.143Policy HOU13 addresses private and communal residential amenity space, refuse and recycling storage and other external household storage. Policies LWL8 and HOU13 should be applied together so that parking, storage and servicing do not compromise residential amenity.

Landscape and lighting

6.144Parking and associated landscape and drainage must form an integral and multifunctional part of the development. Parking landscape must be multifunctional, using trees, hedges, planting, rain gardens, swales and permeable surfaces to provide shade, biodiversity, surface-water management and amenity. Frontage parking must provide the green relief required by Policy LWL7. Sustainable drainage should form part of the landscape concept rather than a separate engineering exercise, with features such as permeable paving, rain gardens and swales contributing to amenity and biodiversity as well as drainage. A simple materials palette and restrained detailing will generally create a more coherent environment than extensive blacktop, continuous kerbing, painted bay markings, signs and bollards.

6.145Where lighting is necessary, it must provide safe, inclusive and legible access while avoiding unnecessary illumination, glare and harm to residential amenity, biodiversity, heritage, landscape character and dark skies in accordance with Policy LAN4. Lighting should respond to the function, expected use and context of the space, providing safe and legible routes without unnecessary illumination, glare or clutter. Particular care is required where lighting or parking infrastructure could affect dark skies, wildlife, heritage assets, nationally designated landscapes or nearby homes. Rural settlements, historic areas and landscape-sensitive locations require a contextual response, but this should not result in a lower standard of design quality.

6.146Substantial surface car parks and covered parking structures should be considered for renewable-energy-generating shade structures where feasible and appropriate. These should complement rather than replace trees and planting and should be coordinated with sustainable drainage, charging infrastructure, accessible routes and the wider landscape.

Electric vehicle charging

6.147Electric-vehicle charging quantities and technical requirements are addressed by statutory requirements and the latest East Sussex County Council guidance. Equipment, feeder pillars, substations, signage and protective structures must be coordinated with buildings, pedestrian routes, parking, landscape and future adaptation and sensitively integrated in rural, historic and other sensitive environments.

Servicing and deliveries

6.148Deliveries, servicing, refuse collection and removals are everyday components of development and must be integrated early without allowing vehicles, stores or equipment to dominate streets or obstruct active travel routes. Where the parcel provision required by the policy is necessary, appropriate solutions may include parcel lockers, collection rooms, concierge facilities or other managed arrangements. Consideration should also be given to access to goods for residents without a private car and to opportunities for collection points, small-scale distribution infrastructure or other forms of last-mile delivery, particularly where integrated with centres or mobility hubs.

Policy HWB1: Health Impact Assessments Comment

6.149Health and wellbeing impacts are not only influenced by an individual’s behaviour, but also by the wider determinants of health which are a range of social, economic and environmental factors; examples include neighbourhood design, housing, food, green spaces and transport.

6.150The NPPF is clear that the planning system plays an important role in facilitating social interaction and creating healthy, inclusive communities. HIAs are an important tool to achieve this. They identify the unintended health consequences of a project and the potential health and wellbeing impacts that it might have on the local population. By bringing physical and mental health and wellbeing considerations to the fore, this policy ensures that development maximises positive impacts, minimises negative impacts, and addresses health inequalities, putting people and their health at the heart of the planning process.

Implementation

6.151There is a wide disparity between areas of the district that are affluent and those that are deprived. The latest 2025 Index of Multiple Deprivation identifies that in Rother eight^[121] lower super output areas (LSOAs) fall within the 20% most deprived nationally. These eight small scale areas primarily fall within five wards. To make the implementation of HIAs practical, this policy applies the screening at the Ward level. Development sites in built up areas of these wards tend to be smaller and do not meet the larger district-wide HIA thresholds. However, as research shows that housing quality must be improved to change relative deprivation in an area, the policy requires that all major development in the most deprived wards undertakes an HIA screening. Based on the HIA screening conclusions, the Council will determine on a case-by-case basis whether a proposal is likely to require an HIA.

6.152The thresholds over which an HIA is required have been developed in consultation and engagement with ESCC’s Public Health Healthy Places team and strike an appropriate balance, ensuring they are of a scale where there are likely to be potential for significant health and wellbeing impacts.

6.153 The submission of an HIA (or Screening where applicable) in line with this policy is a requirement of a valid application.

6.154HIA screenings and HIAs must be undertaken at the initial stages of the development to inform the proposal and as such applicants are strongly encouraged to use the Council’s pre-application service to gain input from planning officers at an early stage. An HIA should not be conducted after a planning application has been formally submitted as this leaves less room for changes to be made to a proposal and may lead to an application being refused.

6.155HIA screenings and HIAs should be undertaken in accordance with the East Sussex HIA Toolkit which sets out the details on requirements and the templates to be used. The Toolkit has been developed by the East Sussex Planning for Health Working Group to support the implementation of HIAs across the county and provide a consistent approach.

Policy HWB2: Managing Impacts on Community Wellbeing Comment

6.156The NPPF, the PPG (on ‘Healthy and safe communities’), and guidance from Public Health England support healthy lifestyles and limiting the proliferation of certain uses where evidence demonstrates an adverse impact on local health, pollution or anti-social behaviour.

6.157Examples of uses that have the potential to adversely affect public health and wellbeing include, but are not limited to drinking establishments, hot food takeaways, nightclubs, betting shops, casinos, bingo halls, payday loan shops, amusement arcades, vaping shops.

6.158Some of these uses benefit from Permitted Development Rights, in which case the Council has limited control over their establishment. However, some of these uses do not benefit from such rights and require a full planning application, allowing the Council to assess their impacts on a case-by-case basis.

Managing impacts on community wellbeing

6.159While individually, proposed uses that are the subject of this policy may be acceptable, a high concentration of such uses can undermine the vitality of an area and negatively affect the physical and mental health of residents. A proliferation of these uses can negatively impact physical and mental wellbeing, generate anti-social behaviour, and harm the character of an area. For example, clusters of betting shops can create "dead frontages" during the day and may encourage behaviours that exacerbate financial stress or addiction. Applicants are therefore required to provide evidence that is appropriate and proportionate to the scale of the proposal, showing how they have addressed the criteria set out in the policy.

6.160A key part of this assessment is the cumulative Impact and the prevention of "over-concentration." For the purposes of this policy, an “over-concentration” is considered to occur when:

1. The proposal would result in more than three total units within a 400m radius of the site being occupied by the uses listed above; or
2. The proposal would result in a continuous frontage of more than three of these uses (e.g., four or more units in a row).

6.161To address public health and health inequalities, the Council will consider the specific health profile of the ward. For example, in areas where the latest Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) shows high levels of health deprivation, or where local data indicates significantly higher-than-average rates of childhood obesity, the Council will take a more restrictive approach. Applicants in these areas must demonstrate how their proposal will not exacerbate existing public health and wellbeing challenges, including those identified within the East Sussex Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA).

Hot food takeaways

6.162Childhood obesity is a significant national and local health challenge. The NPPF is clear that hot food takeaways and fast-food outlets are a use that should be refused within walking distance of schools and other places children and young people congregate unless the location is within a designated town centre.

6.163In addition to these impacts, a proliferation of hot food takeaway uses can also be harmful to the character and vibrancy of any given area. Hot food takeaways may, for example, only open in the evenings leading to an impact on an area’s daytime function as a shopping area. External shutters can also make the area less attractive to visit. The Council will therefore proactively use planning conditions to restrict the operating hours of takeaways proposals across the district where reasonable and necessary to protect public health and amenity.

6.164There is an existing high concentration of takeaways in Sidley District Centre (as defined in Policy ECO3). Sidley also contains some of the most deprived areas of the district, as defined in the 2025 Index of Multiple Deprivation. Therefore, this policy restricts further concentration of takeaways in Sidley, even if they are located within the designated district centre.

Policy HWB3: Healthcare and Other Community Facilities and Services Comment

6.165The NPPF is clear that planning policies should "plan positively for the provision and use of shared spaces, community facilities... and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities". It requires local plans to "guard against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services," ensuring that established assets are able to develop and modernize for the benefit of the community. This policy directly implements these national requirements, providing a robust framework to secure the social infrastructure necessary for Rother’s future.

6.166In the context of this policy,‘community facilities and services’ comprise medical, health and social services; local shops and halls; and a wide range of arts, culture, education, leisure, recreation, religious facilities. In planning terms, this encompasses uses within the Use Classes C2, E(d) – (f), F1, F2, as well as relevant sui generis. It excludes residential care homes and nursing homes as these are considered separately through Policy HOU8.

6.167These facilities are the essential social infrastructure that maintain the vitality of our towns and villages; they are the foundation of our Live Well Locally priority. Participation in community and social activities – whether at a community and village hall, a place of worship, an art event, or a sport venue –contribute significantly to the wellbeing and social cohesion of our local communities.

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