Policy HF1: The Hastings Fringes

The strategy for this area is to continue to develop proposals for the establishment of Pebsham Countryside Park; seek environmental and access improvements for land between Ivyhouse Lane and Rock Lane; maintain strategic countryside gaps between Hastings/St Leonards and Bexhill, Battle, Crowhurst and Fairlight; investigate opportunities to improve access to the A21 at Baldslow, including through bus improvements and provide 45-80 new dwellings between 2011 - 2028. Hastings Borough Council is keen to work with Rother to achieve these aims.

(iii) It is not justified to exclude the gap between the Hastings fringes and Sedlescombe from this policy. Sedlescombe Village settlement is situated just to the east of the A21 and is 3 miles from Rother's boundary with Hastings. Sedlescombe's separate identity and local distinctive character ought to be protected by retaining the countryside gap. The countryside area between Hastings and Sedlescombe includes Beauport Park (in the parish of Westfield) which is an important historic Roman site.

The inclusion of bus improvements in the policy to improve access to the A21 at Baldlsow would be neither effective not justified as bus improvements would not improve access to the A21.

(vi) The need to build up to an additional 80 dwellings on the Hastings fringes has not been fully justified because there is a lack of available development land in the Rother District on the Hastings fringes.

The Policy as drafted misses a key planning opportunity to provide for an integrated new allocation for housing, employment, community facilities and infrastructure at the NW Hastings fringe on land south of Battle Road (Breadsell Lane) as part of a joint strategic allocation with Hastings Borough Council. The proposed provision in HF1 (vi) is not location specific.

The Policy when considered in the context of OSS1 will result in an under-supply of allocated housing land in the District over the Core Strategy period and has too much reliance on the delivery of the Bexhill-Hastings bypass which was exactly the same position facing the District Council during their Local Plan process. Historically through its Local Plan process, the District Council has relied on the Bexhill location to deliver the core part of its housing and employment land. The policy has not delivered in this area and yet remains a cornerstone of the Core Strategy.

Because of the historic weakness of this strategic approach, it is considered that strength can be added to the Core Strategy by introducing a second strategic growth location at the NW Hastings fringe ie land south of Battle Road (Breadsell Lane). This approach will meet the Council's objectives on Policy OSS4 and will provide development in a location where new initiatives are particularly needed between the District Council and Hastings Borough Council.

The spatial distribution policy does not appear to meet the need for providing a 5 year land supply + 20% as defined in the emerging NPPF and as it stands, the policy does not meet regional guidance and is unsound on that basis.

The spatial policy places too much emphasis on the 'traditional' centres for development where there are long-standing development constraints.

Whilst not entirely ruled out, the Core Strategy has not taken the clear opportunity to support a strategic allocation on the north-western side of Hastings. Although Hastings Borough Council favoured this strategic approach in its earlier Core Strategy, they have not pursued this in their submission CS. The constraints raised against this can be mitigated and therefore it is considered that the District Council have been too readily dismissive of this clear opportunity.

The Core Strategy spatial strategy policy should include a strategic housing allocation on land at Breadsell Lane certainly encompassing the northern part of that area of land. The approach should be carried out in conjunction with Hastings Borough Council because of the mutual authority interests by way of an area action plan. Such an approach would be likely to ensure the provision of sustainable and properly planned short, medium and long development including homes, jobs, community provision and infrastructure in a location that has a strong need for improvement in these areas. A positive allocation on this basis will add further weight to support the need for the Bexhill-Hastings bypass to be delivered.

The effectiveness of the Core Strategy's strategic allocations policies would be increased if supported by the added weight of a strategic land allocation for housing, employment and community facilities on land south of Battle Road (Breadsell Lane) at the NW Hastings fringe in association with Hastings Borough Council allowing greater certainty for the early provision of the bypass project and a potentially important source of funding for that project.

Broad development areas in Bexhill, Hastings Fringe, Battle, Rye and surrounding villages are identified within the Core Strategy. The scale of development in Bexhill is dependent on the delivery of the BHLR. In the event that the link road is not constructed we support the policies that set out that the level of development at Bexhill will be reduced.

We are pleased to note that proposals within the broad development areas include plans to improve sustainable transport links within and between urban centres. We welcome this approach as it could help reduce development impact on the SRN and is therefore welcomed.