Proposed Submission Core Strategy

The locally derived housing target for Rother is heavily based on the 'Housing Provision in Rother District, Background Paper' (08/11).

The reduced target is justified mainly on the basis of the late/non-delivery of the Bexhill/Hastings link Road and the economic recession.

The new target of 3,700-4,100 dwellings for 2011-2028 (210-241 dwellings pa) is a signifcant reduction from the SEP target of 5,600 dwellings (280 dwellings pa), and whilst over the period up to 2028 this would equate to around 90% of the SEP figure for the period uo to 2026, it remains essential that the new target is actually 'delivered' in full in order to meet that which has been calculated to be the locally derived need.

It is not acceptable, as the Core Strategy implies elswhere, that if the road link does not receive funding that the housing target will be reduced.

The locally dervided target is required to meet the locally determined 'need' and should be met in other ways if the road link does not go ahead.

To fail to provide this number in full would mean that local housing needs are not met, particularly in relation to affordable housing, as well as general housing need and market affordability.

Failure to provide the revised locally dervied housing target would mean a failure in the delivery of the spatial strategy and therefore a failure of the Core Strategy.

The fact that 82% of the District lies within the AONB serves to reinforce the importance of making best use of land at the 3 main towns and in the Rural Service Centres, such as Robertsbridge.

Policy EC6.2 of PPS4 advocates locating most new development in such locations, which can include towns and villages.

Robertsbridge is a 'key' settlement in the northern part of the District and has potential to accommodate more housing and employment development than is allocated to it (i.e. Figure 12) without having an adverse impact on the AONB.

Such dvelopment would increase the internal sustainability of the settlement, which benefits from good road and rail connectivity, and enhance its role as a Rural Service Centre serving the rural communities in the northern part of the District.

Supporting and encouraging younger people to remain and work in the area is supported and serves to underline the importance of allocating more additional housing and employment development to the Rural Service Centres, such as Robertsbridge, in order to provide both homes and jobs suitable for younger people and to offer younger people a real future in their rural communities. Such development would also improve the sustainability of the Rural Service Centres.

Rural Areas - meeting the needs of the rural communties is fundamental if the rural communtiies are to be supported and enhanced.

It is essential that appropriate levels of additional housing and employment development are allocated to the Rural Sevice Centres, such as Robertsbridge, in order to both protect and enhance their sustainability and also to expand the range of local shops, services and facilities they offer and to provide additional smaller dwellings suitable for younger people and young families.

For example, Robertsbridge could accommodate more housing than allocated to it in Figure 12, without any adverse impact on the AONB.

In particular, the land at Grove Farm, Robertsbridge, has greater potential than the 35 dwellings identified in the SHLAA and greater than the (at least) 30 dwellings allocated to it as a reserve housing site under the provsions of Local Plan Policy VL7. It is estimated that the capacity of the site (i.e. RB2, 4, 5 & 7) is around 90 dwellings.

This site can be developed without adverse impact on the ANOB and is physically and visually enclosed by the A21 by-pass. As such it is a good opportunity to support the modest growth of Robertsbridge in a sustainable way.

The premise that a figure of 5,600 is no longer sustainable depends on the time-scale of the plan.

Paragraph 11.19 of the 'Housing Provision in Rother District: Background Paper' (08/11) states that taking account of completions 2006-11, the new locally derived reduced housing target would equate to around 90-97% of the SEP target for 2006-2026 but spread over the extended period to 2028.

This indicates that such a total can be achieved over an appropriate period of time.

The 'key' issue relates to the actual delivery of housing completions. This is how the housing needs of the community will be met in reality.

Whilst this explanation is accepted in principle it is not an excuse for the Council not meeting its own locally derived reduced housing target of 3,700 - 4,100 dwellings in the period 2011-2028 in circumstances where the Council fails to obtain funding for the Bexhill/Hastings link road.

In such circumstances the housing related to the link road should be re-allocated elsewhere (including in the Rural Service Centres, such as Robertsbridge) in order to ensure that the housing needs of the District are met even without the link road.

The revised locally derivded housing target of between 3,700 to 4,100 dwellings is supported for the period 2011-2028. This is because Figure 2.7 of the 2010 DTZ SHMA Update Report indicates projected household formation of 3,918 additional households between 2011 and 2026, which broadly matches the housing provsion figure.

However, it is essential, if this need is to be met, that the headline figure of 3,700 to 4,100 dwellings is delivered, irrespective of whther the Bexhill/Hastings link road receives funding.

If the road does not recieive funding then the Council should re-allocate the housing assoicated with the link road elsewhere in the District - i.e. possibly to the west of Bexhill and by making better use of the potential of the Rural Servcie Centres - including Robertsbridge whose potential is currently not being fully utilised.

Locating most new development in settlements that have a good range of employment, services and other facilities is supported.

This is particularly the case in relation to the rural areas.

Policy EC6.2 of PPS4 stresses the role of Local Service Centres. This is particulalry relevent to the northern rural part of Rother District.

Robertsbridge is identified in the Core strategy as a Rural Servcie Centre (Figure 9) and this role is supported.

Robertsbridge has a good range of employment, services and facilities and although being washed-over by the AONB has land available which could be developed without having any material adverse impact on the AONB.

It is considered that the potential of Robertsbridge to accommodate additional development is not being fully utilised in the draft Core Strategy, for example land at Grove Farm.

Ensuring the continued sustainability of the larger rural villages, especially the Rural Service Centres, such as Robertsbridge, is central to maintaining provision of ready access from the rural parts of the District to employment opportunities, services and the facilities required for day-to-day living and contributing to reducing the need to travel so often to the higher order towns.

Equally, permitting modest additional development in the Rural Service Centres will contribute to keeping them viable and internally sustainable, supporting local employment, shops, services and community facilities.

In the case of Robertsbridge it is considered that the potential of the village to accommodate additional development is not being fully utilised in the draft Core Strategy.

Item (iii) (c) of the Policy should be re-worded to more fully reflect the important role of the Rural Service Centres (i.e. Robertsbridge and Ticehurst (Figure 9) as a 'focus' for additional development in the rural areas.

The role of local service centres is acknowledged in Policy EC6.2 of PPS4 and in paragraphs 3 and 6 of PPS7.

In particular the contribution Robertsbridge could make to providing additional housing and employment opportunities in the northern part of the District is considered to be being under utilised in the draft Core Strategy, in addition to the contribution such development could make to supporting local services and facilities making the village more internally sustainable and viable as a focus for its rural hinterland.