Planning in Rother

Community Facilities and Services

The availability of community facilities to meet local needs will be achieved by: (i) Permitting new, improved or replacement community facilities in appropriate locations where they meet identified community needs, having regard to population characteristics, Local Actions Plans and recognised standards of provision; (ii) Facilitating the co-location of facilities to meet the needs of a broad a range of community activities, as far as reasonably practicable, particularly when considering new buildings; (iii) Not permitting development proposals that result in the loss of sites or premises currently or last used for community purposes unless: (a) alternative provision of the equivalent or better quality is available in the local area or will be provided and made available prior to the commencement or redevelopment of the proposed scheme; or (b) it can be demonstrated there is no reasonable prospect of retention for the current use and that no other community use of the site is suitable or viable.

Provision and Improvement of Healthcare Facilities

New or improved primary healthcare facilities, particularly doctor's surgeries, as proposed in prevailing health development plans or otherwise identified as being necessary to meet the needs of the future population, will be supported though allocations, permissions and/or developer contributions in accordance with policy IM2 in Chapter 19 and the latest Infrastructure Delivery Plan.

Improving Sports and Recreation Provision

The provision of sufficient, well-managed and accessible open spaces, sports and recreation facilities, including indoor sports facilities, will be achieved by: (i) Safeguarding existing facilities from development, and only permitting their loss where it results in improved provision (in terms of quantity and quality) as part of a redevelopment or elsewhere within the locality; (ii) Allocating land for open space, sports and recreation purposes, and permitting proposals for the improvement of existing or provision of new facilities, in localities where deficits in facilities are identified; (iii) Application of the quantity, access and quality standards of Rother's Open Space, Sport and Recreation Study across all open spaces, including indoor sports facilities within the district; (iv) Requiring either direct provision or financial contributions towards improvements to existing open space, sport and recreation provision to ensure adopted standards are maintained within the locality; (v) Increasing access to the countryside by promoting improvements to the rights of way network, especially around the urban areas, particularly in reference to Combe Valley Countryside Park; (vi) Giving particular support for water-based recreation along the coast near Camber Sands and Bexhill, and at Bewl Water, having due regard to environmental considerations.

Supporting Young People

Priority will be given to making growing up, living and working in Rother attractive to young people and families, including through: (i) Provision of housing options, including affordable homes, suited to the needs of young people, especially in Bexhill and the rural areas; (ii) Accessible employment opportunities; (iii) Continued investment in quality education and training facilities; (iv) A good range of community, health and recreational facilities, including play areas, sports pitches and youth facilities; (v) Prioritising investment in public transport and/or cycling to key services, such as education, health and leisure facilities; (vi) Making safety and community integration a priority in urban design.

Supporting Older People

Initiatives and developments will be supported which: (i) Enables older people to live independently in their own home; (ii) Increases the range of available housing options with care and support services in accessible locations; (iii) Promotes active lifestyles; (iv) Increases older people's engagement in community life, including through "hubs".

Community Safety

A high level of community safety will continue to be strongly promoted through effective partnership working. A safe physical environment will be facilitated by: (i) The creation of safe environments which benefit from natural surveillance, visible open spaces, streets and pedestrian routes, appropriate design and level of lighting in all development; (ii) Ensuring that all development avoids prejudice to road and/or pedestrian safety; (iii) Reducing traffic speeds and other traffic impacts, particularly in town centres, villages and residential areas;

Villages

The needs of the rural villages will be addressed by: (i) Protection of the locally distinctive character of villages, historic buildings and settings, with the design of any new development being expected to include appropriate high quality response to local context and landscape; (ii) Encouragement of high quality sustainable economic growth by the identification of sites for local job opportunities, particularly focussing on the villages listed in Figure 10. This may be achieved by sensitive expansion of existing employment sites, or new sites, particularly for small workshops and office units. Opportunities for business development, including home-working, will also be sought alongside new housing as part of mixed-use allocations where appropriate; (iii) Ensuring thriving and viable rural communities, by retention of, and support for, local shops, services and public houses in villages; (iv) Support for community, recreational and educational facilities that provide social and community benefits to villages (including village/community halls and recreation areas). This may include provision of improvements to existing village halls or new halls, as well as support for further community resource centres / hubs, where appropriate; (v) In order to meet housing needs and ensure the continued vitality of villages, the provision of 1,670 additional dwellings (comprising existing commitments, new allocations and windfalls) in villages over the Plan period 2011 to 2028. This will be located in accordance with Figure 12, subject to refinement in the light of further investigation via the Development and Site Allocations DPD and/or Neighbourhood Plans; (vi) Improved access to basic day-to-day services, particularly by public transport, walking and cycling. In order to facilitate this, new development will be sited in close proximity to key facilities and in locations accessible via a range of transport options.

Design Quality

New development will be required to be of high design quality by: (i) Contributing positively to the character of the site and surroundings, including taking opportunities to improve areas of poor visual character or with poor townscape qualities, and (ii) Demonstrating robust design solutions tested against the following Key Design Principles as appropriate (expanded in Appendix 4), tailored to a thorough and empathetic understanding of the particular site and context: (a) Character, Identity, Place-Making & Legibility (b) Continuity and Enclosure (c) Quality of Public Realm, Ease of Movement, and 'Secured By Design' (d) Diversity (e) Landscape Setting of Buildings and Settlements (f) Design in Context (Understanding & appraisal of site and wider setting, and incorporation of existing site features into proposals) (g) Building Appearance & Architectural Quality (h) Sustainable Design and Construction

Management of the Public Realm

Priority will be given to working with the relevant agencies to: (i) Apply the principles of 'Streets for All: South East', to ensure high quality management and maintenance of the district's public realm, with appropriate materials and strategic design vision, to ensure local distinctiveness in both urban and rural areas is respected, and historic features are retained; (ii) Develop investment programmes in public realm improvements and enhancements, including reduction of street clutter and road signage; (iii) Continue to bring forward programmes to enhance activity and the use of public space.

General Development Considerations

In addition to considerations set out by other policies, all development should meet the following criteria: (i) It meets the needs of future occupiers, including providing appropriate amenities and the provision of appropriate means of access for disabled users; (ii) It does not unreasonably harm the amenities of adjoining properties; (iii) It respects and does not detract from the character and appearance of the locality; (iv) It is compatible with both the existing and planned use of adjacent land, and takes full account of previous use of the site; (v) In respect of residential development, is of a density appropriate to its context, having due regard to the key design principles.

Fostering Economic Activity and Growth

Economic activity and growth vital to the district's future prosperity will be coordinated in terms of: (i) Investment in education, training and development, especially in areas of lower attainment levels and skill levels; (ii) An extension of vocational training and sector skills programmes; (iii) Continued collaborative working between education, training, business and inward investment agencies, notably through the Local Enterprise Partnership, Rother Local Strategic Partnership, and with partners in Hastings; (iv) Effective business support services and business networks; (v) Greater promotional activity of the opportunities for business in the district in line with increasing capacity; (vi) Priority given to investment in transport infrastructure and services which provide effective economic benefits; (vii) Facilitating investment in high quality ICT connections, especially to business locations, new residential development and as part of infrastructure projects.

Business Land and Premises

A suitably broad and readily available supply of business land and premises will be achieved by: (i) provision for some 100,000 sq m of employment floorspace over the Plan period, with the majority following on from construction of the Hastings Bexhill Link Road; (ii) increasing the supply of high quality employment sites, including new major business sites at Bexhill; (iii) securing a range of incubation space, small and medium sized sites and units across the District in line with the respective spatial strategies, and particularly in settlements with good strategic access, including through mixed use developments; (iv) providing for business development in locations that make effective use of rail and water transport opportunities, notably at the Port of Rye; (v) seeking town centre, or edge of centre, sites for offices, including as part of mixed-use developments.

Existing Employment Sites

Effective use of employment land and premises will be secured by undertaking a full review of existing and potential sites for employment use and allocating sites in the Development and Site Allocations Plan and/or Neighbourhood Plans. Until those plans are in place the following policy will apply: (i) Land and premises currently (or last) in employment, including tourism, use will be retained in such use unless it is demonstrated that there is no reasonable prospect of its continued use for employment purposes or it would cause serious harm to local amenities; (ii) Permitting intensification, conversion, redevelopment and/or extension having regard to other policies of the Plan; (iii) Facilitating access/environmental improvements, where appropriate; (iv) Where continued employment use of a site/premises is demonstrated not to be viable, permit complementary enabling development as part of an overall scheme to make most effective use of the property for employment purposes; if a mixed use scheme is not viable, prioritise alternative community uses, affordable housing and then market housing, subject to local needs.

Business Activities Elsewhere Within the District

Business activities will be promoted elsewhere within the district by the following: (i) Continuing to give priority to the re-use and adaptation of suitable buildings in the countryside for employment, including for tourism purposes, in accordance with the Rural Areas policies; (ii) Incorporate an appropriate level of business development within residential allocations and developments to contribute to the overall development strategy, where such accommodation is otherwise appropriate in the site circumstances; (iii) Facilitating (where permission is required) business activities operating from residential properties wherever there is no adverse impact on local character and amenities, including by traffic generation.

Support for Key Sectors

Particular regard will be given to key sectors, notably "enviro-industries", engineering, financial and business services and other growth and knowledge-based businesses, and those that are directly related to sensitive land management, as part of the consideration of sites for employment development and determination of planning applications for employment sites.

Towards a low carbon future

The strategy to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change is to: (i) Require proposed developments of more than 10 dwellings or 1,000m² of non-residential floorspace to provide a comprehensive energy strategy and, for proposed developments of more than 100 dwellings or 50 apartments to require such a strategy to include an assessment of the potential for combined heat and power and district heating, subject to further assessment of the thresholds via a subsequent DPD and/or SPD; (ii) Ensure that all developments meet prevailing energy efficiency standards, and encourage them to meet higher standards and pursue low carbon or renewable energy generation, where practicable, by fully recognising related costs in assessing viability and developer contributions; (iii) Support stand-alone renewable and low carbon energy generation schemes, particularly those utilising solar, biomass and wind energy technologies, that: (a) do not have a significant adverse impact on local amenities, ecological and heritage assets or landscape character, and (b) in respect of locations in or adjacent to the High Weald AONB and other sensitive landscapes, are generally small in scale; (iv) Achieve high levels of energy performance on the strategic mixed use developments to the north east of Bexhill, including by Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and/or wind energy generation; (v) Reduce the carbon emissions from existing buildings by encouraging application of prevailing standards to whole buildings when extending them, supporting adaptations to be energy efficient, promoting take-up of Government energy efficiency schemes and supporting community-based energy infrastructure initiatives; (vi) Adaptation through building in resilience to anticipated climatic changes, including through green infrastructure; (vii) Promoting more sustainable travel patterns in accordance with transport policy TR2, and through widespread fast broadband coverage; (viii) Expect new developments to provide and support recycling facilities.

Landscape Stewardship

Management of the high quality historic, built and natural landscape character is to be achieved by ensuring the protection, and wherever possible enhancement, of the district's nationally designated and locally distinctive landscapes and landscape features; including (i) The distinctive identified landscape character, ecological features and settlement pattern of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; (ii) The distinctive low-lying levels to the east of the district with particular regard to the landscape setting of Rye and Winchelsea; (iii) Nationally designated historic sites including listed Parks and Gardens, Scheduled Ancient Monuments and the Registered Historic Battlefield at Battle; (iv) The undeveloped coast; (v) Open landscape between clearly defined settlements, including the visual character of settlements, settlement edges and their rural fringes; (vi) Ancient woodlands; (vii) Tranquil and remote areas, including the dark night sky; (viii) Other key landscape features across the district, including native hedgerows, copses, field patterns, ancient routeways, ditches and barrows, and ponds and water courses

Biodiversity and Green Space

Biodiversity, geodiversity and green space will be protected and enhanced, by multi-agency working where appropriate, to: (i) Maintain and develop a district-wide network of green infrastructure where possible linking areas of natural green space; (ii) Protect and enhance the international, national and locally designated sites, having due regard to their status; (iii) Establish a major area of accessible open space at Combe Valley Countryside Park, between Bexhill and Hastings; (iv) Enhance the nature conservation value and multi-functional nature of the Romney Marsh Biodiversity Opportunity Area; (v) Support opportunities for management, restoration and creation of habitats in line with the opportunities identified for the Biodiversity Opportunity Areas (BOAs) and targets set out in the Sussex Biodiversity Action Plan; (vi) Continue to develop the wetland habitat at Bewl Water Reservoir, with compatible recreational uses; (vii) Increase accessibility to the countryside from urban areas, especially in the Hastings and Bexhill fringes; (viii) Ensure that development retains, protects and enhances habitats of ecological interest, including ancient woodland, water features and hedgerows, and provides for appropriate management of these features; (ix) Require developers to integrate biodiversity into development schemes by avoiding adverse impacts from development on biodiversity or habitat, or where wholly unavoidable, provide appropriate mitigation against or compensation for any losses. In any event, developers will also be expected to consider and promote opportunities for the creation and/or restoration of habitats appropriate to local context.

Flood Risk Management

An effective and integrated approach to flood risk management in Rother district will be achieved by working with the relevant agencies and strategic partners to ensure that: (i) The levels of flood risk protection for Rother's coast, and coastal settlements, set out the South Foreland to Beachy Head Shoreline Management Plan are delivered through appropriate schemes and maintenance regimes; (ii) Protect communities wherever practicable from flooding to a level consistent with predicted sea level rise, increased river flows arising from climate change and in accordance with the Folkestone to Cliff End Flood and Erosion Management Strategy; (iii) Fluvial flood risk is minimised by implementing the policies of the Rother and Romney Catchment Flood Management Plan, Cuckmere and Sussex Havens Catchment Flood Management Plan; (iv) Proposed flood protection measures should have full regard to sensitive areas designated with specific nature conservation and biodiversity interests such as RAMSAR, SAC, SPC, LNR or SSSI.

Flood Risk and Development

Flood risk will be taken into account at all stages in the planning process to avoid inappropriate development in areas at current or future risk from flooding, and to direct development away from areas of highest risk. Development will be permitted providing the following criteria are met: (i) Where development is proposed in an area identified as at flood risk, the applicant will be required to submit a site-specific Flood Risk Assessment which demonstrates that the development will be safe, will not increase flood risk elsewhere, and, where possible, will reduce flooding; (ii) When development is, exceptionally, acceptable in flood risk areas, consideration is paid to the layout and form of development to minimise flood risk; (iii) Drainage systems and sustainable drainage systems for all new development are in accordance with the Flood and Water Management Act 2010; (iv) Where it is appropriate, contributions will be sought for improvements to infrastructure to mitigate against flood risk.

Biodiversity and Green Space

Biodiversity, geodiversity and green space will be protected and enhanced, by multi-agency working where appropriate, to: (i) Maintain and develop a district-wide network of green infrastructure where possible linking areas of natural green space; (ii) Protect and enhance the international

General Strategy for the Countryside

The overarching strategy for the Countryside is to: (i) Maintain the farming capacity of the district, and support the agricultural industry, including diversification within farming; (ii) Encourage agricultural practices, land-based economic activities and woodland management, and related agri-environmental schemes, that reinforce local distinctiveness, landscape character and ecology; (iii) Strictly limit new development to that which supports local agricultural, economic or tourism needs and maintains or improves the rural character; (iv) Retain traditional historic farm buildings by continued agricultural use or by appropriate re-use, in accordance with Policy RA4; (v) Support rural employment opportunities in keeping with rural character and compatible with maintaining farming capacity; (vi) Support enjoyment of the countryside and coast through improving access and supporting recreational and leisure facilities that cannot reasonably be located within development boundaries, such as equestrian facilities, compatible with the rural character of the area; (vii) Support tourism facilities, including touring caravan and camp sites, which respond to identified local needs and are of a scale and location in keeping with the rural character of the countryside; and (viii) Generally conserving the intrinsic value, locally distinctive rural character, landscape features, built heritage, and the natural and ecological resources of the countryside.

Water Supply and Wastewater Management

Effective management of water resources will be supported by: (i) Ensuring that the relevant water companies are aware of and have capacity to meet demands for water, wastewater and sewerage arising from new development; (ii) Ensuring that new development does not have an adverse effect on the water quality and potential yield of water resources, in line with the objectives of the South East River Basin Management Plan, including reference to groundwater 'source protection zones'; (iii) The promotion of sustainable drainage systems to control the quantity and rate of run-off as well as to improve water quality wherever practicable, and specifically for all development that creates impermeable surfaces within the hydrological catchment of the Pevensey Levels; (iv) Safeguarding land for the possible raising of Bewl Water reservoir, and contributing to the development of plans that also secure Bewl Water as a recreational, economic and social amenity for the local community. (NB The safeguarded area will be defined through the Site Allocations process in conjunction with Wealden and Tunbridge Wells Councils); and (v) Ensuring that all development incorporates water efficiency measures appropriate to the scale and nature of the use proposed.

Stewardship of the Historic Built Environment

Development affecting the historic built environment, including that both statutorily protected and the non-statutorily protected, will be required to: (i) Reinforce the special character of the district's historic settlements, including villages, towns and suburbs, through siting, scale, form and design; (ii) Take opportunities to improve areas of poor visual character or with poor townscape qualities; (iii) Preserve, and ensure clear legibility of, locally distinctive vernacular building forms and their settings, features, fabric and materials, including forms specific to historic building typologies; (iv) Make reference to the character analysis in Conservation Area Appraisals, where relevant; (v) Reflect current best practice guidance produced by English Heritage and HELM; (vi) Ensure appropriate archaeological research and investigation of both above and below-ground archaeology, and retention where required.

Stewardship of the Historic Built Environment

Development affecting the historic built environment, including that both statutorily protected and the non-statutorily protected, will be required to: (i) Reinforce the special character of the district's historic settlements, including villages, towns and suburbs, through siting, scale, form and design; (ii) Take opportunities to improve areas of poor visual character or with poor townscape qualities; (iii) Preserve, and ensure clear legibility of, locally distinctive vernacular building forms and their settings, features, fabric and materials, including forms specific to historic building typologies; (iv) Make reference to the character analysis in Conservation Area Appraisals, where relevant; (v) Reflect current best practice guidance produced by English Heritage and HELM; (vi) Ensure appropriate archaeological research and investigation of both above and below-ground archaeology, and retention where required.

Traditional Historic Farm Buildings

Traditional historic farm buildings will be retained in effective and appropriate use, and proposals for their reuse and/or subsequent alteration should: (i) Take a hierarchical approach for re-uses as follows: (a) the priority use for traditional farm buildings is to remain in farm-associated use, or farm-related business purposes; (b) where there is a demonstrable lack of need for such uses, consideration will be given to non-agricultural commercial uses, including workshops, office use or tourism uses; (c) where such uses are not suitable, due to adverse impacts on amenity or rural landscape character, or not achievable due to viability, then residential use may be considered acceptable; (ii) Demonstrate that they are based on a sound and thorough understanding of the significance of the building and its setting, including in terms of history, layout, use, local relevance, fabric and archaeology; (iii) Ensure retention of the building's legibility, form (as an example of a specific building typology), historic fabric and setting, and, through design, maintain the agricultural character and the contribution the building and its surroundings make to the wider rural landscape and countryside character; (iv) Ensure proper protection of existing wildlife and habitats.

Development Strategy

New residential and employment development will contribute to the overall strategy for Bexhill through: (i) A total of at least 60,000 sq m of new business floorspace, focused on new strategic employment areas associated with construction of the Link Road, with further provision in and adjacent to the town centre and as part of other developments; (ii) An overall level of housing growth of 3,100 dwellings between 2011-2028; (iii) Over and above development opportunities within the existing urban area, new housing and business development will be focussed on a strategic site to the north east of the town (as already planned), together with further sites to the north and west of the town, the scale, timing and locations of which will ideally be determined through the Site Allocations process; and (iv) In advance of construction of the Link Road, new opportunities for business growth, including office schemes, will be encouraged mainly within and adjacent to the town centre and existing employment areas.

The Hastings Fringes

The strategy for conservation and development in the Hastings Fringes is to: (i) Continue to develop proposals for the establishment of the Combe Valley Countryside Park between Bexhill and Hastings, including through securing appropriate developer contributions; (ii) Take a holistic approach to the use and management of land between Ivyhouse Lane and Rock Lane to secure environmental and access improvements in association with any development in the locality; (iii) Maintain strategic countryside gaps between Hastings/St Leonards and Bexhill, Battle, Crowhurst and Fairlight; (iv) Further investigate opportunities to improve access to the A21 at Baldslow, including through bus improvements; (v) Retain and give priority to further employment creating development of at least 3,000 sq m, primarily by the expansion of existing sites, subject to satisfactory landscape impact and access arrangements; (vi) Provide 100-250 net additional dwellings between 2011-2028.

Achieving Mixed and Balanced Communities

In order to support mixed, balanced and sustainable communities, housing developments should: (i) Be of a size, type and mix which will reflect both current and projected housing needs within the district and locally; (ii) In rural areas, provide a mix of housing sizes and types, with at least 30% one and two bedroom dwellings (being mostly 2 bed); (iii) In Bexhill, contribute to increased provision of family dwellings, unless site circumstances make this inappropriate; (iv) In larger developments (6+ units), provide housing for a range of differing household types; (v) In relation to affordable housing, contribute to an overall balance of 65% social/affordable rented and 35% intermediate affordable housing; (vi) Ensure that affordable housing is integrated with market housing, where practical; (vii) Provide a proportion of homes to Lifetime Homes Standard.

Affordable Housing

On housing sites or mixed use developments, the Council will expect the following percentages of affordable housing within the district: (i) In Bexhill and Hastings Fringes, 30% on-site affordable housing on schemes of 15 or more dwellings (or 0.5 hectares or more); (ii) In Rye, 30% on-site affordable housing on schemes of 10 or more dwellings (or 0.3 hectares or more); (iii) In Battle, 35% on-site affordable housing on schemes of 10 or more dwellings (or 0.3 hectares or more); (iv) In the Rural Areas: (a) 40% on-site affordable housing on schemes of 5 dwellings or more; or (b) A financial contribution, on a sliding scale up to the equivalent of providing 40% affordable housing, in lieu of on-site provision on all residential schemes of less than 5 dwellings. Where it can be demonstrated that these requirements would either render otherwise suitable development unviable, or where the local need for affordable housing would no longer justify the above levels, the Council will respectively expect the proportion of affordable housing to be the most that does not undermine viability, or is needed locally. An exception to this may be made when the main purpose of the housing is to support business development, where job creation is a priority. In normal circumstances, the full affordable housing obligation should be met on-site, and of a comparable design quality to the market units onsite. Affordable units should be 'pepperpotted' individually, or in small clusters. In all cases, planning permission will be subject to a legal agreement to ensure nomination rights and that the affordable housing will remain available. Note: If a site comes forward as two or more separate development schemes, of which one or more falls below the appropriate threshold, the Council will seek an appropriate level of affordable housing on each part to match in total the provision that would have been required on the site as a whole. Where proposals are made for fewer than 15 dwellings in Bexhill and 10 dwellings in Rye and Battle, the Council will have regard to whether size of the site would make it capable to accommodating more than that number.

Rural Exception Sites

In exceptional circumstances, planning permission may be granted for small site residential development outside development boundaries in order to meet a local need for affordable housing in rural areas. Such development will be permitted where the following requirements are met:- (i) It helps to meet a proven local housing need for affordable housing in the village/parish, as demonstrated in an up-to-date assessment of local housing need; (ii) It is of a size, tenure, mix and cost appropriate to the assessed local housing need; (iii) It is well related to an existing settlement and its services, including access to public transport; (iv) The development is supported or initiated by the Parish Council; (v) The local planning authority is satisfied that the identified local housing need cannot be met within the settlement development boundary; and (vi) The development does not significantly harm the character of the rural area, settlement or the landscape, and meets other normal local planning and highway authority criteria, in line with other Council policies. In all cases, planning permission will be subject to a legal agreement to ensure that the accommodation remains available to meet local housing needs in perpetuity, and that people with the greatest local connection are given highest priority in both initial and future occupancy.

Sites for Wholly or Substantially Affordable Housing

In order to meet identified local need for affordable housing, specific sites may be allocated within the rural areas for wholly or substantially affordable housing either within or adjacent to settlement boundaries. Affordable housing provided on these sites should remain available in perpetuity.

Sites for the needs of Gypsies and Travellers

Provision will be made for 5 permanent pitches within Rother for Gypsies and Travellers over the period 2011-2016, and a further 6 pitches between 2016 and 2028. Sites will be allocated in the Development and Site Allocations Plan, taking into account any sites granted permission in the interim. Site selection will take into account the Strategy objectives, the future needs of occupiers and the likely availability of sites for its intended occupiers. Sites should meet the criteria set in Policy LHN6.

Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople Criteria

Site allocations will be made and/or planning permission granted for Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople sites, when all of the following criteria are met: (i) The site is not located in a nature conservation designated area, in an area at risk from flooding (flood zones 3a & 3b or a functional floodplain), in close proximity to a Source Protection Zone or significantly contaminated land; (ii) The site should not result in an unacceptable visual or landscape impact, especially in the High Weald AONB taking account of proposed landscaping or screening; (iii) The site is located within or close to an existing settlement and is accessible to local services by foot, by cycle or by public transport; (iv) The site can be adequately accessed by vehicles towing caravans and provides adequate provision for parking, turning, and access for emergency vehicles; (v) The site is not disproportionate in scale to the existing settlement; (vi) Mixed use sites should not unreasonably harm the amenity of adjoining properties; (vii) In the case of sites for Travelling Showpeople, the site must also be suitable for the storage of large items of mobile equipment; Where planning permission is granted, appropriate conditions or planning obligations will be imposed to ensure occupation of the site is restricted to those persons genuinely falling into the definition of Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople.

Monitoring Framework

The Council will continually assess the effectiveness of the Core Strategy policies in achieving its strategic objectives principally by monitoring the indicators set out in the Monitoring Schedule and report through the annual Monitoring Report. Where Core Strategy policies are found not to be contributing positively to the strategic objectives, or are no longer appropriate in the light of more recent national policies or local circumstances, appropriate amendments will be made.

Implementation and Infrastructure

Where new or improved infrastructure, including community facilities, is needed to support development, appropriate provision or contributions will be required. This will be secured by planning obligation or by condition attached to the planning consent or by any other appropriate mechanism such as a development tariff. Infrastructure requirements will be set out in an Infrastructure Delivery Plan, which will be a 'live' document and will: (i) Identify planned infrastructure provision; (ii) Identify future infrastructure requirements to support housing, population and economic growth, as detailed in Development Plan Documents; (iii) Provide an indication of the potential costs and means of funding the required infrastructure through public funding, developer contributions and other sources; (iv) Identify contingencies if there is a failure to deliver key infrastructure.

Phasing of Development

In allocating sites and considering planning applications, the Council will seek to provide for new development in a timely manner, insofar as it contributes to overall and local development strategies, and is or will be served by the infrastructure needed to support the development. In particular, it will: (i) Maintain a supply of available housing land in compliance with the National Planning Policy Framework; (ii) Consider phasing further housing land releases where it is important for the assimilation of development into a community; (iii) Normally give priority to the release of employment land where infrastructure capacity is limited; (iv) Seek agreement with developers, and infrastructure providers where appropriate, to ensure that any infrastructure improvements to support development are brought forward at the time they are needed and linked to the timing of development.

Policy Framework for Battle

Proposals for development and change in Battle will: (i) Maintain the essential physical form, local distinctiveness, character and setting of the town, particularly in and adjacent to the Conservation Area; (ii) Implement the ESCC Battle Local Area Transport Strategy, particularly measures that minimise the demand for cross-town vehicular traffic; and improve pedestrian and cycle access to services/ facilities from new and existing development; (iii) Provide for 475-500 net additional dwellings in Battle over the Plan period 2011-2028, by developing new housing via opportunities both within the development boundary, and modest peripheral expansion opportunities that respects the setting of Battle within the High Weald AONB and supports community facilities; (iv) Enable new local employment opportunities by providing for at least 10,000 sq m of employment floorspace within the town centre, adjacent to Station Approach, at sites on Marley Lane and at other sites as necessary (including by assessing the potential for mixed use with housing development); (v) Enable growth in sustainable tourism by allowing the development of new tourist accommodation, particularly by the conversion and extension of suitable properties closely related to the town centre; (vi) Maintain a vibrant and distinctive town centre and encouraging additional restaurants, cafes and/or retail service establishments as well as seeking opportunities for increased convenience shopping floorspace of some 1,000 sq m sales area within or adjacent to the town centre, as well as facilitating some additional comparison shopping floorspace; (vii) Implement improvements to the provision of open space, sport and recreation facilities, in accordance with adopted standards and strategies; (viii) Ensure that new development does not put pressure on local infrastructure, and that it makes appropriate contribution to community and other infrastructure; (ix) Seek opportunities for habitat creation, restoration and enhancement, particularly in identified Biodiversity Opportunity Areas to the east and west of the town.

Overall Strategy for Bexhill

The overall strategy to deliver the objectives for Bexhill is to: (i) Conserve and enhance the town's distinct and independent character and residential function, supported by local services and jobs as much as possible; (ii) Develop local amenities, including support for community activities and facilities, learning opportunities, and improved sports and leisure facilities, including a new leisure/swimming centre, and a network of accessible green space around the town, as well as by implementation of the Combe Valley Countryside Park; (iii) Promote the economic growth of the town, and wider area, including through encouraging growth in new and established local firms, especially in high value-added sectors, prioritising development for employment purposes, increasing the supply of land and premises and promoting efficient infrastructure; (iv) Give priority to improving welfare and economic opportunities in more deprived areas, including by assessing the impacts of development proposals on more vulnerable groups and areas; (v) Improve road, rail, bus and cycling access within Bexhill and between the town and Hastings, via an integrated sustainable local transport strategy for the Bexhill and Hastings area, key elements of which will be: (vi) The Bexhill to Hastings Link Road, associated 'greenway' and new 'quality bus corridors'; (vii) A cycle network that focuses on 'utility' routes to the town centre, schools, colleges and workplaces, and recreational routes into the Countryside Park and along the seafront; (viii) Strengthen the town centre's role, both as a commercial and cultural centre, in accordance with Policy BX2; (ix) Provide for employment and housing growth, in accordance with Policy BX3, with particular regard to the needs of families, affordable housing for younger people and a range of supported housing options for older households.

Overall Spatial Development Strategy

The Strategy for the Overall Spatial Development is to: (i) Plan for at least 5,700 dwellings (net) in the district over the period 2011-2028; (ii) Plan for at least 100,000 square metres of gross additional business floorspace; (iii) Identify suitable sites in accordance with the following spatial distribution: (a) Focus new development at Bexhill, giving particular attention to promoting economic regeneration and growth of the Hastings and Bexhill area, including through mixed use developments; (b) Provide for some development in Battle and Rye that helps maintain their small market town roles and is consistent with their respective environmental constraints and settings; (c) Facilitate the limited growth of villages that contain a range of services and which contributes to supporting vibrant, mixed rural communities, notably in relation to service provision and local housing needs, and is compatible with the character and setting of the village; (d) Allow for small-scale infill and redevelopment, and otherwise enable local needs for housing and community facilities to be met, in other villages; and (e) Give particular attention to the ecological, agricultural, public enjoyment and intrinsic value of the countryside, and continue to generally restrict new development to that for which a countryside location is necessary or appropriate to promoting sustainable land-based industries and sensitive diversification, primarily for employment uses.

Use of Development Boundaries

Development Boundaries around settlements will continue to differentiate between areas where most forms of new development would be acceptable and where they would not. Existing development boundaries will be reviewed by the Development and Site Allocations DPD, having regard to the: (i) Existing pattern, form and function of settlements, including of closely 'linked' settlements and important 'gaps' of countryside between them; (ii) Character and settings of individual towns and villages; (iii) Sensitivity to further development both within the main built up confines and in more rural fringes; (iv) The amount of land needed to fulfil development needs and requirements; (v) Availability of local infrastructure and services; (vi) Accessibility to facilities and services, and avoiding scattered and ribbon development; (vii) Environmental considerations, including the need to conserve designated areas of national and local landscape, archaeological, geological, ecological or historical importance; (viii) Following physical features, unless this may suggest a potential for development that is inappropriate.

Location of development

In assessing the suitability of a particular location for development, when both allocating land for development and determining planning applications, sites and/or proposals should accord with the relevant policies of this Core Strategy and be considered in the context of: (i) The spatial strategy for the particular settlement or area, and its distinct character; (ii) The capacity of, as well as access to, existing infrastructure and services, and of any planned or necessary improvements to them; (iii) The local need for affordable housing; (iv) Needs and priorities identified in approved Local Action Plans; (v) The low carbon and renewable energy potentials of the site; (vi) the character and qualities of the landscape; (vii) Making effective use of land within the main built-up confines of towns and villages, especially previously developed land, consistent with maintaining their character; (viii) Any constraints relating to land stability, contamination, air quality, agricultural land quality and coastal erosion, and the ability to satisfactorily address these; (ix) The deliverability of development, including consideration of land ownership patterns and the viability of development; (x) The need for and access to employment opportunities.

Presumption in favour of sustainable development

(i) When considering development proposals, a positive approach that reflects the presumption in favour of sustainable development contained in the National Planning Policy Framework will be taken. (ii) Planning applications that accord with the policies in the Local Plan (and, where relevant, with policies in a Neighbourhood Plan) will be dealt with promptly and approved unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Account will be taken of whether policies are up-to-date, having regard to most recent monitoring information, as well as policies of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Development in the Countryside

Proposals for development in the countryside will be determined on the basis of: (i) Supporting new agricultural buildings and other non-domestic buildings demonstrably needed to support farming, woodland and other land-based industries that are of appropriate size, siting and design and materials and directly related to the enterprise; (ii) Supporting suitable employment and tourism opportunities in the countryside, including by the conversion, for employment use, of farm buildings generally in keeping with the rural character, and by the sensitive, normally small-scale growth of existing business sites and premises; (iii) Allowing the creation of new dwellings in extremely limited circumstances, including: (a) Dwellings to support farming and other land-based industries. Normally, accommodation will initially be provided on a temporary basis for a period of three years. Both temporary and permanent dwellings will be subject to appropriate occupancy conditions, and all applications should comply with the following criteria: i. Demonstrate a clearly established functional need, relating to a full-time worker primarily employed in the farming and other land-based businesses; ii. Demonstrate the functional need cannot be fulfilled by other existing accommodation in the area; iii. Demonstrate the unit and the agricultural activity concerned are financially sound and have a clear prospect of remaining so; iv. Dwellings are of appropriate size, siting and design. (b) The conversion of traditional historic farm buildings in accordance with Policy RA4; (c) The one-to-one replacement of an existing dwelling of similar landscape impact; or (d) As a 'rural exception site' to meet an identified local affordable housing need as elaborated upon in Chapter 15 – Local Housing Needs; (iv) Ensuring that extensions to existing buildings and their residential curtilages, and other ancillary development such as outbuildings, fences, enclosures, lighting and signage, would maintain and not compromise the character of the countryside and landscape; (v) Ensuring that all development in the countryside is of an appropriate scale, will not adversely impact on the on the landscape character or natural resources of the countryside and, wherever practicable, support sensitive land management.

Policy Framework for Rye and Rye Harbour

Proposals for development and change in Rye and Rye Harbour Village will: (i) Promote efficiencies and improvements to the strategic transport network to improve connectivity between Rye and other major urban centres; (ii) Support traffic management on the local road network, promote sustainable alternatives to the car and implement the objectives stated in Local Transport Plan 3 and the Rye Local Area Transport Strategy; (iii) Preserve and enhance the character and historic environment of the Citadel and wider Conservation Area, and the distinctive landscape setting of the town; (iv) Retain the centre of Rye as the main focus for retail and services for the town, and increase the choice of convenience shopping in Rye by facilitating the increase of some 1,650 sq m net additional convenience floorspace within or adjacent to the town centre; (v) Provide between 355-400 dwellings net additional dwellings between 2011 and 2028. Opportunities for growth will primarily be sought within the built up area of Rye; (vi) Seek to secure and maintain effective flood defences for Rye and Rye Harbour, whilst also minimising and managing flood risk, including in relation to the location of new development in accordance with other criteria; (vii) Promote at least 10,000 sq m of employment floorspace at Rye Harbour Road industrial estate to promote economic regeneration and job creation, having particular regard to protecting the integrity of internationally designated habitats; (viii) Maintain and enhance navigation on the River Rother and the viability of the Port of Rye as a working harbour, having particular regard to protecting the integrity of internationally designated habitats; (ix) Promote green tourism initiatives, including careful management of Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and, where feasible, new habitat creation and green infrastructure linkages, that protects and enhances the integrity of the internationally important ecological interests; (x) Tackle social exclusion and promote opportunities for young people to access education, community facilities, employment and leisure; (xi) Maintain and enhance the community, cultural and tourism assets of both Rye and Rye Harbour village; and (xii) Maintain a strategic gap between Rock Channel and the industrial estate at Rye Harbour Road.

Bexhill Town Centre

The Strategy for Bexhill Town Centre is to: (i) Promote a co-ordinated town centre initiative to improve its use for shopping, services and leisure, including through investment in the public realm, increased parking capacity, links to the seafront, activities and marketing; (ii) Develop a holistic pedestrian and traffic management strategy that combines improved accessibility for buses and additional parking capacity with ensuring a more attractive shopping environment; (iii) Provide for some 2,000 sq m additional convenience goods and 4,000 sq m comparison goods floorspace, primarily through 'edge of centre' retail expansion on the north side of the railway, as well as effective use of town centre accommodation; (iv) Provide for hotel accommodation, well related to the town centre and/or the De la Warr Pavilion; (v) Facilitate leisure, office and high quality residential developments within walking distance of the centre; (vi) Ensure that development and change respects and, where appropriate, enhances the late Victorian/Edwardian character of the Conservation Area.

Tourism Activities and Facilities

Proposals relating to tourism activities and facilities will be encouraged where they accord with the following considerations, as appropriate: (i) It provides for the enhancement of existing attractions or accommodation to meet customer expectations; (ii) It supports active use along the coast, consistent with environmental and amenity factors; (iii) It develops markets for local produce, particularly that which supports land-based industries and cultural assets; (iv) It does not involve the loss of tourism accommodation, unless there is no prospect of its continued use; (v) It increases the supply of quality serviced and self-catering accommodation; (vi) Appropriate controls are in place that restrict occupancy to that for holiday purposes, whilst not unduly restricting operators from extending their season (subject to visual impact and flood risk considerations, where applicable); and (vii) Compatibility with other Core Strategy policies.

Retail Development

The overall strategy for retail and related service uses in Rother district is to: (i) Support the Town Centres of Bexhill, Battle and Rye in maintaining and increasing the proportion of retail spend available within their respective local catchments, consistent with the wider hierarchy of centres and their capacity for increasing and recovering trade in a sustainable manner; (ii) Plan for the amount of additional floorspace in each of the town centres, as set out in the respective town chapters; (iii) If there are no sites available (or will be available within a reasonable period of time) in town centres to meet identified retail needs, to firstly look at edge of centre locations and then out-of-centre locations, with priority to those with greatest accessibility in each category; (iv) Require retail development proposals in excess of 500sqm to undertake a retail impact assessment; (v) Actively promote Town Centres through appropriate interventions in close collaboration with town centre businesses and local communities.

Management and Investment in Strategic Accessibility

Support will be given to the improvement of strategic infrastructure that will strengthen the role of Rother, and especially Bexhill, as an area of economic activity and investment opportunity. Priority will be to improve connectivity along key transport corridors; enable regeneration and reduce entrenched economic and social disparities. This will include: (i) Support for early implementation of the Bexhill to Hastings Link Road and associated bus and cycle improvements; (ii) Working with agencies and stakeholders to deliver effective management of strategic transport corridors; (iii) Investment into providing transport choice; and (iv) Working with agencies to upgrade the capacity and capability of the East Coastway and Hastings to London rail corridors.

Integrated Transport

Improvements in the provision and use sustainable transport will be achieved through: (i) Maximising the best and most effective use of the existing transport network and facilitating enhancements with priority given to improving bus, community transport and rail network; (ii) The promotion of public transport patronage and associated infrastructure; (iii) Supporting the provision of a high quality cycle network to encourage a modal shift away from the car; (iv) Improvements to the pedestrian environment and wider public realm to encourage integration between different modes of transport, employment areas and settlement centres; (v) Promotion of road safety through education and design; and (vi) Safeguarding sites and routes with the potential to contribute towards the provision of an efficient and sustainable public transport network.

Access and New Development

New development should minimise the need to travel and support good access to employment, services and communities facilities, as well as ensure adequate, safe access arrangements. Development will be permitted where mitigation against transport impacts which may arise from that development or cumulatively with other proposals is provided. This will be achieved through the submission of a transport assessment, transport statement or travel plan, and where it is appropriate through: (i) Ensuring that new developments in their design and layout prioritise the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and minimise the distance to local public transport nodes; (ii) Working with the relevant agencies to seek funding for contributions for improvements to local infrastructure needed to facilitate highway capacity and safety and/or public transport accessibility and capacity, where this is necessary to serve the new development; and (iii) Provision of electric vehicles charging infrastructure.

Car Parking

Planning permission will be granted for development where the provision for parking accords with the following principles which will be elaborated upon in the form of Supplementary Planning Document. Proposed development shall: (i) Meet the residual needs of the development for off-street parking having taking into consideration localised circumstances and having full regard to the potential for access by means other than the car, and to any safety, congestion or amenity impacts of a reliance on parking off-site whether on-street or off-street; (ii) Provide for reduced parking provision where a high level of accessibility to jobs, services and facilities exists, or will be provided as a result of the development, including any offsite measures; (iii) Ensure that the approved parking provision is retained for the future where that would be necessary to prevent harm to the safety or free-flow of the highway; (iv) Include a number of parking spaces designed and signed for disabled people;and (v) Provide for commuted payments towards providing and/or managing off-site parking, including on-street parking, where this is justified to meet the needs of the development.