• We object to the use of the word "local" in the first sentence of this box. The Core Strategy needs to cater for wider than just "local" needs, when accommodating the needs of tourists and visitors. The economic performance of Rother and Camber particularly relies on a flexible vision for growth and a restructuring of tourist-related activity in accordance with draft PPS4. This cannot be achieved by narrowing opportunity to just "local" needs.

• Whilst point (viii) supports sustainable tourism and recreation, there is no stated objective to cater for the growing need to accommodate those wishing to adopt semi-retired, fully retired or 'life-style' choice of home or residential environment. Such accommodation already exists within some rural and coastal settlements, including Camber, where significant numbers of residents already occupy premises, chalets, mobile homes and caravans on either a part-time or full-time basis.

• Neither is any reference made to the need to re-focus and upgrade tourist and visitor accommodation. Yet this sector represents a significant part of the overall housing requirement, albeit part-time in many cases. An objective should be to cater for this in a flexible way, having full regard to the advice and requirements of draft PPS4.

• We object to the evidence-based paper 'Rural Settlements' Nov 2008, because the economic profile makes no mention of the tourism and leisure sector as an employment-generating activity. This is most surprising since significant numbers of jobs are provided through this. We believe that Pontins Holiday Park is the largest single employer in Camber, but again this is not recognised.

• We object to the Rural Settlements background paper's findings as incorporated in paragraph 9.16 of the CS. These findings offer no opportunity to expand and enhance the important tourist and visitor facilities and accommodation within villages, including at Camber. This is contrary to the aims and requirements of draft PPG4 and risks harming the significant economic role already established by the businesses in this sector.

• The preferred option of a mixture and selection of those options stated does not in our view therefore, represent an optimum solution. The Council's preferred option is not therefore based on all the available evidence for the functional requirements of villages and is flawed in this respect.

• Whilst Camber is recognised in the Rural Settlements paper as a village which would benefit from more local employment, we view the lack of any reference to the village's largest employment sector or of its potential for growth and improvement to be a serious oversight.

• We note and have studied the several local studies including the Camber Visitor Management Initiative and the Camber Environmental Strategy. However, we consider it premature to decide on a 'preferred option', without a thorough examination of the precise nature and character of the existing tourist and visitor facilities and more particularly the various types of associated accommodation within Camber.

• The object of the CS is to provide a framework for carrying forward the Vision to 2026. The vision is lacking a clear direction and focus for the tourism and leisure sector and this is essential given the rapidly changing character of demand. The evidence base documents recognise the need to provide a better visitor experience as clearly expressed in the Camber Visitor Management Initiative 2004.

• Yet whilst the Tourism section of the CS following box 26, sets out to recognise and support the role of tourism in Rother, we believe that these aims will be potentially frustrated by the restrictive approach set out in this Rural Areas section. For example, the 'scope' and 'Strategy Directions' sections do not recognise any potential to improve or expand visitor and tourist accommodation within rural settlements and make no reference to Camber in particular.

• We object to the findings of the Rural Settlements background paper as expressed in paragraph 9.20 of the CS for service centre settlements. Camber is one of the largest villages within Rother and although lacking a Primary School, does have a wide range of other community and social facilities. It is fundamentally different from most other villages, because its historic growth results from tourism and it remains a settlement based overwhelmingly on providing for the needs of visitors and tourists.

• The inclusion of holiday parks and leisure facilities within the settlement, alongside the ready access to sea, dunes and ecologically rich habitats and high quality landscape; make Camber a particularly sustainable community since all of these attractions are readily accessible on foot. Moreover, those wishing to experience these assets generate a wide variety of permanent and part-time jobs for local residents, further enhancing the service centre role in a sustainable way.

• Given the number and range of facilities to be found at Camber - as identified in the Rural Settlements Appraisals background document, we consider that Camber should be classified as a Local Service Village.

• Whilst we note that the section on the (rural) Economy at paragraph 9.39 recognises the importance of tourism including at Camber, this does not focus on the opportunities we believe exist to expand and enhance the facilities and the accommodation that services them. We note that the paragraph simply refers the reader to the employment section of the CS. In our view this fails to show clear direction in aims, objectives or vision.