Core Strategy Consultation on Strategy Directions 2008

Comment

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

Representation ID: 19599

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rother and Hastings CPRE

Rother should challenge the continued imposition of such top-down targets and take up powers under the Sustainable Communities Act.
Emphasise the provision of public transport to improve connectivity.

Comment

Representation ID: 19600

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rother and Hastings CPRE

Should the Sussex Coast sub-region contain Catsfield, Ashburnham and Penhurst?

Here it is not clear what is the distinction being drawn between an aim and a component objective.

Object

Representation ID: 19601

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rother and Hastings CPRE

Is the Baldslow Link critical to Rother per se? CPRE does not believe that the Bexhill Hastings Link Road (BHLR) is critical either, since it would introduce very significant environmental damage and is being promoted solely in our view to create a new development boundary. It is however critical because of the loss and environmental harm it would cause.
The trap into which this para has fallen is to believe that the housing is dependent on the BHLR. The BHLR is being in fact used as a pretext for designating an area for development.

Object

Representation ID: 19602

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rother and Hastings CPRE

We believe the figures in this box should be seriously retested as the ratios, particularly between the various options for Battle and Rye do not appear logically consistent.
Para 5.40 This is not equitable: it is just based on existing population statistics. Therefore it only takes account of previous developments which have swollen certain centres to a point of unsustainability.

Object

Representation ID: 19603

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rother and Hastings CPRE

Page 27 Para 5.44 This again reflects what has happened in the past and takes no account of current factors in those areas.

Para 5.47 This is flawed, because in the midst of the current recession, you cannot say what housing will be achieved by the end of 2011.
Option 2 appears to be the fairest basis for assessment.
Rother does have a strong record of providing windfall sites for housing. This must be taken into account so that all housing targets are continuously reassessed

Comment

Representation ID: 19604

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rother and Hastings CPRE

Page 29 Box 3 This should specify sustainability for both housing and employment to underpin all ideas, focusing particularly on public transport and energy efficiency.

What do HBC think of the idea in para e)?

Object

Representation ID: 19605

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rother and Hastings CPRE

Para 5.79 We contest absolutely this statement. It is simply not true: significant growth, if needed, can be accommodated without the BHLR. There were substantial submissions about this to the planning application, but the application was decided on political grounds, not planning ones. Therefore this and subsequent paragraphs fall because they are based on a totally false premise.

Comment

Representation ID: 19606

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rother and Hastings CPRE

Page 70 Box 16 The objectives in the main are fine, although sustainability is not specifically mentioned It needs to be the green water running through the Implementation of all relevant policies.

Comment

Representation ID: 19608

Received: 30/01/2009

Respondent: Rother and Hastings CPRE

9.11 Does anyone understand what you mean by 'place-shaping'? Please define.