2. Spatial Portrait
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19121
Received: 23/01/2009
Respondent: Councillor David Vereker
It is difficult to plan twenty years ahead or so - just look at what the recession is doing now - but Table 2, page 10, is a good start. I know you mention the importance of infrastructure in other sections (eg, 4.9 & 5.22) but would like to see the "Infrastructure Programmes" box highlighted. Also, under "Technology" have we considered that the result of home working will be less commuting and hopefully more support from commuters for the villages; set against this, though, will be the effect on village shops of the use of IT for shopping.
I think that the new document, together with the helpful Summary, is a much better presentation than the previous effort. As many of my earlier comments are still pertinent, I will try not to repeat them; I am referring to my letter of 7 July 2008. I also thought that the presentation the rural members had on 9 December was good and I hope you got some ideas from it.
It is, of course, difficult to plan twenty years ahead or so - just look at what the recession is doing now - but Table 2, page 10, is a good start. I know you mention the importance of infrastructure in other sections (eg, 4.9 & 5.22) but I would like to see the "Infrastructure Programmes" box highlighted. Also on this page under "Technology" have we considered that the result of home working will be less commuting and hopefully more support from commuters for the villages; set against this, though, will be the effect on village shops of the use of IT for shopping.
"Vision" - page 12 - for my liking is too long and too verbose, but I appreciate that you probably have to use dreadful words like "vibrant" to keep in with GOSE etal. As a general comment, do you think that in trying to be all things to all men you may have forgotten that mere mortals also have to read and understand the whole document - eg. how many people know what "spatial" means? The Oxford dictionary describes spatial as "relating to space", so it could be interpreted as pie in the sky or head in the clouds!
4.9 ...add..." and prevents future growth"...after quality of life.
4.10 to which is "next spring" does this refer?
5.12 if this is a tacit admission that the 40% requirement is open to negotiation, I agree; I believe it will turn out to be a deterrent to developers.
5.36 I hope I am correct in thinking you are leaving your options open here; so much can change, such as an unanticipated shift from private to public education, that "Service" villages could be overwhelmed. Please refer to my earlier thoughts on the distribution of houses in the countryside; the smaller communities also need investment.
5.91 Is this strong enough? In my view it should be made quite clear that without the Link road we will be unable to fulfil our allocation of new builds without destroying (some of) the AONB. If we are
pressurised to do just that, then 9.17 is fallible and it opens the way for a new self contained sort of "Poundbury" on the periphery of ? Bexhill.
Far be it for me to comment on the towns, but I do like the idea of out of town distribution points (not mentioned) for Rye and Battle. There is no mention of how anything is going to be paid for in the vision for Bexhill; I would have thought that regeneration of the town centre was a priority over the Colonade/seafront and should not be done at the expense of the rural areas.
Rural Areas. We have covered this subject pretty comprehensively in the past and there is not a lot new that I can add. You should be receiving a separate paper on Burwash from the Parish Council.
10. Communities. I do not think lowering the threshold for affordable housing will achieve the expected result and the forecast gain is so negligible that it is not worth the risk of upsetting the landowners/developers. 10.20 surely the higher level of social rented housing would have a much worse impact on a small rural sites. 10.21 this seems to disregard the fact that there is not that much demand in the rural areas.
12 Environment - Landscape Strategy:- Include tree planting. Design Quality:- Box 29 this is gobbledegook! What does high quality design mean. place making, quality of public realm, robust design solutions etc! This is one person's perception versus another's and will become a lawyer's paradise unless tightened up (or, better still, abandoned) 9.46 says it better.
General Comments. I would like to see a shorter, more concise document, not trying to be all things to all men and being more understandable to the man in the street. Some points that might be worth considering in my view are :-
Should responsibility for footpaths in rural areas be invested in the Parish Councils; the locals know which paths are used and which need maintaining.
A standard 30mph limit in all villages and a max of say 40mph for minor roads
Encouraging cycling is all very well but is a hazardous occupation in the countryside without dedicated (and protected) tracks.
More multi storey car parks and flats in, or on outskirts of, towns.
Consideration given to fast coastal sea transport.
It is important that documents for our future like the LDF do not dummy down to the lowest common denominator; we have to cater for the majority, who do not need nannying and who, very largely, can be left to their own devices. Above all we must strongly resist central government dictates and their mania to concrete over the South East of England when it is not even necessary.
Cllr. David Vereker
Object
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19381
Received: 29/01/2009
Respondent: Rother Environmental Group
There are a range of urgent environmental challenges facing the district. They deserve to be listed in the preamble of the Strategy.
Uncertainty of energy supply: this can be addressed by new development.
Food security: This can be addressed by encouraging local food production facilities and local distribution
Waste and recycling: The District should acknowledge that it is right to encourage the development of local facilities for the recovery and recycling of waste, both domestic and commercial. The principal of handling waste locally should be accepted.
Water shortages: Rainfall per head is very low and reservoirs limited. Water conservation measures should be required in new developments.
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19490
Received: 30/01/2009
Respondent: Guestling Parish Council
Rother highly regarded for climate, wildlife, beautiful countryside and seashore.
Population: These attributes make it a popular retirement area, increasing longevity increases average age.
Household Characteristics: Retirement effect reinforces small household sizes.
House Affordability: Pattern of retirement to area maintains high house price to income ratio. Forecast increase in older demographic may result in demand for, and shortage of, smaller homes. This in turn slows availability of larger homes as people remain in properties which are larger than they require. A relatively high owner-occupier and low social rented percentage is arguably an indication of a successful society.
Economy and Employment: High % of working population in service sector may be result of needs of predominantly retired population.
Socio-economic Issues: Disappointing to see IMD rank worsening - connected to relative decline in pensions + increasing numbers receiving benefit? Reassured by low level of crime and disorder.
Environmental Assets contribute to shaping district's demographic profile.
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19598
Received: 30/01/2009
Respondent: Rother and Hastings CPRE
The statistics on household characteristics emphasise the need for increased social housing provision in Rother.
Are the Pevensey Levels in Rother?
It would be helpful to indicate whether the records referred to in the lists of Environmental Assets, Listed Buildings and others paragraph are available to the public for examination.
The comments on climate change emphasise the overwhelming need for Rother's strategy to deal with all matters under the magnifying glass of sustainability and to do everything to discourage unnecessary travel and to encourage public transport.
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19739
Received: 30/01/2009
Respondent: RSPB
Figure 4. Environmental Designation - The council needs to take a hierarchical approach in presenting areas of conservation importance. International sites need to be clearly highlighted to ensure appropriate protection and avoid ambiguity. Table 2 - The strategy needs to be developed further to provide habitats and species space to naturally adapt to climate change trends.
Protection and enhancement of priority habitats and species should also be highlighted as a challenge, as increased development and transport infrastructure have far reaching impacts on wildlife and an effective mitigation strategy will have to be undertaken to safeguard the districts important environmental assets. Alternative wording could be to "ensure that development and economic growth does not conflict with protection and enhancement of the District's unique wildlife and habitats"
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19818
Received: 04/02/2009
Respondent: Crowhurst Society
There is a danger that the statement linking available development with the link road encourages a lack of vision in seeing beyond the link road and distancing need appraisal from it. Surely there is room for substantial development even if the link road does not go ahead?
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 19819
Received: 04/02/2009
Respondent: Crowhurst Society
What impact has the population profile on the housing availability and on housing demand?
The would seem to be Insufficient detail on both the impact and the challenge of an ageing population.
Will the enabling version of service delivery reduce rate payer contribution through lowering costs?
There seems to be no attempt in the document as a whole to provide evidence for regeneration, nor any attempt to produce statistics linking inward investment with job creation
If more home-working how does this impact on with housing demands?
Centralization of services may reduce the ability of the voter to influence matters -consultation becomes less effective as the issues are too global for most people to understand. The danger then is that the local democracy becomes a quango run by officers who are not accountable via the ballot box..
Tension between water supply and development needs underlining
Comment
Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008
Representation ID: 20460
Received: 25/02/2009
Respondent: Councillor Michael Ensor
The statement on the demographics (page 8, fig 1 and 2) indicates that there will be an increase in the population in Rother, and that the retired population will increase whereas the younger population will decrease. , it gives the impression that this change in demographics is an overwhelming influence on the LDF. Whereas the fact that 64% being less than 65 years of age should have its full weighting.
The demographics shift appears to be based on the current trends, but the LDF is not clear what is driving this change and it could be as a result of services/culture available. There appears to be no discussion on whether this shift of demographics is positively desired, or the resignation to the inevitable, or whether there should be a drive to arrest the decline in the numbers of younger people. The LDF should address the ways that this more balanced demographic profile can be achieved