Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008

(c) should not encourage the redevelopment of suitable employment land as prevoiusly developed land as this would be contry to the Districts own policies on retaining empolyment land. We suggest a specific reference to this point in Box3

(g)should emphasise the specific role of Rural Service Centres in meeting a large proportion of the sustainable local and market housing needs in the rural community.

Remove (b) (ii) as this is contray to Government advice on maintaining a5 to15 year deliverable housing supply.Replace with new bullit point (b)(ii)

allocate additional reserve housing sites in sustainable town and rural settlements to be brought forward if necessary to meet and maintain development levels.

add
(c)(ix)
were possible improve access to the countryside, its landscape and features for recreational use.eg Riverside walks

Add new point (g)

provide and meet the need for recreational deficency in the Districts towns and Villages.

The Aim should also refer to promotion and support of rural settlements meeting their housing needs.

An new objective should be stated that reconises the sustainable hierarchy of the Rural Settlements and the role these have in meeting future housing and employment needs.

(b)Community Development
add
(iv)specific provision for Open Space should be provided in rural settlements of need i.e. Robertsbrige.

(e)For Housing
(i)Insert word "minimum " 1250-1300 dwellings.

add in after"table below" in paragraph(iv)in order of settlement hierarchy on the basis of sustainability.

Then in Table seperate the settlement catagory into Rural Service Centres ie Rbertsbridge and Ticehurst and Local Service Villages ie Burwash, Hurst Green,Sedlescombe,Nothiam,Westfield, Peasmarsh and Catsfield.

All other settlements refered to in the table should be removed. If local affordable housing need is identified the rural Exception Policy should apply as these remaining settlements would otherwise be unsustainable and as these sites would be unidentified sites and could not be included in the 5 to 15 year availability test.

On the same basis the 65 dwellings under Exception Sites should also be removed from this table.

As Robertsbridge is one if the most sustainable settlements and is recognised as a Rural Service Centre a greater number of dwellings should be given to its range. We propose additional dwellings of 50-100 range in acknowledgement to its regional importance in Rother over the next 20 years.

Para(v) on phasing should ensure the Councils maintains its continued 5 year housing supply and meets it housing needs locally.

Countrysid Character

Add
(vii) improve access and recreational use of the counrtside as part of any development in Rural settlements.

PPS3 requires a robust up to date assessment of housing need and assessment refecting the likely economic viability of land for housing within their area.

We believe no such assesment on viability has been undertaken.Thus making this section of the core strategy unsound.

As an assessment of affordable housing need has or will be undertaken. This syrvey should be used to target more appropriate distribution of affordable housing across the district.

The precentage figure must relate to housing need to the relevent settlement and be viable.

para b) does not accord with PPS3 in that it is not appropriate to allow any private housing to " incentive" affordable housing Exception sites. By definition the sites are released to meet local need!

Housing Mix
(a)The housing mix should relate to the housing market assessment. No reference is made to the Council's assessment of market need in this policy.This is contray to Para (b) were the housing mix is determined by the HMA and the LHN Survey

(viii) the loss of suitable employment sites like the Mill site at Robertsbridge should be strongly resisted. A strict critera on "viability" should be set out ie on marketing, alternative local employment opportunities, Council support,demand and supply etc. Like most land uses once the change of use is restricted the owner will often provide the viability themselves.