7.65

The limited capacity for growth of the Rural settlements has not been fully investigated by the Council. As previously stated the Council have not assessed the impact of greater growth of settlements like Robertsbridge to cope with more housing and its impact on the ANOB. There are sites that could be developed that would not have a significant or demonstrable impact on the ANOB.

Whilst it is accepted that Battle and Rye have limited capacity to accommodate additional development this is not the case in respect of the Rural Service Centres.

For example, Robertsbridge has greater potential than is currently being utilised in the draft Core Strategy (i.e. 109-119 dwellings - Figure 12).

The village is capable of accommodating at least double this quantum without having any material adverse imapct on the ANOB.

An example would be the land available at Grove Farm which although allocated for only 30 dwellings in Local Plan Policy VL7 and 35 dwellings in the SHLAA has a capacity of about 90 dwellings.

In circumstances where the Bexhill/Hastings link road does not receive funding the Council should re-allocate the link road dependent housing to other parts of the District in order to ensure that the District's housing need is met.

Robertsbridge is rightly identified as a local service centre in terms of the advice in Policy EC6.2 of PPS4 and can make a bigger contribution than is currently attributed to it in the draft Core Strategy.

Further, the village serves a large hinterland in the northern part of the District. Modest additional development in the village would strengthen its sustainability and the services and facilities it provides to the surroundubg rural area.

* In the preamble to OSS2, it is stated that regard must be had to potential Link Road slippage (Para 7.64). Para 7.65 comments that in response to slippage, higher levels of growth at Battle and Rye would be unsustainable while diverting further growth to villages would be incompatible with the strategy for limited growth of villages and the priority to conservation of the High Weald. What if funding for the Link Road was refused? Whether the Link road is delayed or cancelled, it is doubtful whether Battle, Rye and villages will reach their capacity for development if the levels of growth indicated in the Plan are achieved. The challenge for the Council is to find ways of unlocking further potential.

* In the preamble to OSS2, it is stated that regard must be had to potential Link Road slippage (Para 7.64). Para 7.65 comments that in response to slippage, higher levels of growth at Battle and Rye would be unsustainable. What if funding for the Link Road was refused? Whether the Link road is delayed or cancelled, it is doubtful whether Battle and Rye will reach their capacity for development if the levels of growth indicated in the Plan are achieved. The challenge for the Council is to find ways of unlocking further potential within Battle. One approach may indeed be to take a less restrictive view on where peripheral development could occur, as suggested in the Battle Town Study Main Report (Para 5.2 Page 83), and to present initiatives in the Plan that will add to the town's capacity to accommodate growth.

* In the preamble to OSS2, it is stated that regard must be had to potential Link Road slippage (Para 7.64). Para 7.65 comments that in response to slippage, higher levels of growth at Battle and Rye would be unsustainable. What if funding for the Link Road was refused? Whether the Link road is delayed or cancelled, it is doubtful whether Battle and Rye will reach their capacity for development if the levels of growth indicated in the Plan are achieved. The challenge for the Council is to find ways of unlocking further potential within Battle. One approach may indeed be to take a less restrictive view on where peripheral development could occur (such as within sector 3), as suggested in the Battle Town Study Main Report (Para 5.2 Page 83), and to present initiatives in the Plan that will add to the town's capacity to accommodate growth.

* In the preamble to OSS2, it is stated that regard must be had to potential Link Road slippage (Para 7.64). Para 7.65 comments that in response to slippage, higher levels of growth at Battle and Rye would be unsustainable. What if funding for the Link Road was refused? Whether the Link road is delayed or cancelled, it is doubtful whether Battle and Rye will reach their capacity for development if the levels of growth indicated in the Plan are achieved. The challenge for the Council is to find ways of unlocking further potential within Battle. One approach may indeed be to take a less restrictive view on where peripheral development could occur (such as in sector 1 along the North Trade Road), as suggested in the Battle Town Study Main Report (Para 5.2 Page 83), and to present initiatives in the Plan that will add to the town's capacity to accommodate growth.