Paragraph 5.59 says that the degree of growth proposed for Battle under Option 2 is moderated due to environmental constraints.

However, we consider that the constraints are not as great as suggested and that the town has the capacity for further residential growth without significant detriment to the environment.

In particular we contend that Battle is able to accommodate the 920 dwellings identified in Option 5 of paragraph 5.36 and which the Council acknowledges is the level that is required to meet the housing needs in the town.

We do not agree that the environmental constraints at Battle are so severe that the town should not make provision to meet its locally generated need.

Appropriately located development could be accommodated without having a detrimental effect on the environment.

Paragraph 7.19 identifies 5 sectors within Battle which the Council is considering with a view to accommodating additional development.

Sectors 4 & 5 to the south and east are considered in Paragraph 7.20 (subject to further investigation) to offer the most potential for development in the longer term.

We do not support this view.

As the Council notes sector 5 encroaches on land that is in the strategic gap between Hastings and Battle.

We contend that sector 1 should be seriously considered for some of the required housing development for the following reasons:

Battle's existing primary school, which the County has committed to expand, and Battles secondary school are both located within sector 1.

Developments in sectors 4 or 5 (see fig 2 Urban Options background paper)would generate cross town movements associated with trips to and from the Battle's primary and secondary schools.

Development in sector 1 would generate cross town movements associated with commuter trips to and from the station.

Station bound commuter trips from development to the west of the town are likely to cause less overall traffic congestion as these generally leave and return outside of travel to school time when traffic congestion is at its highest.

Locating development in sector 1 makes walking to and from school a real possibility.

Sites within this sector are also potentially within walking distance of the town centre via public footpath 82.

This footpath could be resurfaced and radically improved utilising developer contributions.

Thus development associated with a footpath improvement would have the added benefit of potentially increasing access to the town centre on foot and reducing car journeys of some existing residents.

In summary we submit that:

i) The environmental constraints at Battle are not as great as suggested

ii) Battle should provide 920 dwellings, sufficient to meet its locally generated need

iii) Sites in sector 1 should be considered as these are closer to the existing schools which will encourage walking to school thus cause less additional congestion than those located in sectors 4 and 5

iv) Development located to the south west of the town in association with improvements to footpath ... would provide improved walking access to the school and town centre