Planning in Southend-on-Sea

Sport, Recreation and Green Space

a. the protection and retention of existing sports, recreation and green space facilities unless an assessment has been undertaken which has clearly shown the facility to be surplus to requirements; or the loss would be replaced by new facilities of equivalent or better quality and accessibility in a suitable location; b. the provision of new or improved sports, recreation and green space facilities which: i. addresses identified deficiencies and meet the needs and priorities identified in the latest Sport, Recreation and Green Space Strategy; ii. are readily accessible to the local population and workforce; iii. are capable of contributing to the reduction in health inequalities across the town; iv. are of high quality and capable of supporting competitive sport; v. are in accessible locations; and vi. capable of being financially sustained; c. the designation of land as green space where there is a deficiency of provision to meet the identified needs; d. the provision of new recreational open space facilities in accordance with the open space standards set out in the Planning Obligations and Vehicle Parking Standards DPD; e. the protection and provision of sports pitches, in particular to provide pitches of at least 2.1 hectares each to allow flexibility between adult and junior pitches, and use for cricket in the summer; f. qualitative improvements to existing recreational open spaces and sports facilities, including the ancillary facilities needed to support them, sports halls/centres and swimming pools, or their replacement with appropriately located new facilities; g. qualitative and quantitative improvements to facilities for teenagers.

Sport, Recreation and Green Space

The Borough Council will bring forward proposals that contribute to sports, recreation and green space facilities within the Borough for the benefit of local residents and visitors. This will be achieved by: 1. optimising the potential for sports excellence and research and development centred on existing sports and leisure facilities; and 2. supporting the development of new green spaces and greenways, including a new Country Park facility within or close to the north-eastern part of the Borough, as part of the development of a Green Grid of open spaces and associated linkages throughout Essex Thames Gateway. A 'Southend-on-Sea Green Space and Green Grid Strategy' Supplementary Planning Document will be prepared, adopted and maintained to guide and facilitate this. All existing and proposed sport, recreation and green space facilities (including the Southend foreshore and small areas of important local amenity, community resource or biodiversity value) will be safeguarded from loss or displacement to other uses, except where it can clearly be demonstrated that alternative facilities of a higher standard are being provided in at least an equally convenient and accessible location to serve the same local community, and there would be no loss of amenity or environmental quality to that community. Any alternative facilities provided in accordance with the above considerations will be required to be provided and available for use before existing facilities are lost. The displacement of existing and proposed facilities from within the built-up area into the adjacent countryside, so as to provide further land for urban development, will not be permitted. The redevelopment of existing allotment sites for other uses will only be permitted where it can clearly be shown that the facility is no longer required or can be adequately and conveniently provided elsewhere, has no significant biodiversity value, or that any such value is safeguarded. All new housing development should contribute to the provision of additional sport, recreation and green space facilities to a level at least commensurate with the additional population generated by that development, and in accordance with the requirements and guidance set out in the relevant Development Plan Document. This contribution shall normally be in the form of a financial contribution towards new provision or qualitative improvements to existing facilities elsewhere. In relation to any major new area of housing development, however, direct provision within and as an integral part of the development may be sought, where this would provide at least 2.5 hectares of additional public open space, playing pitches and ancillary facilities, laid out as a local or neighbourhood park. To meet the requirements generated by the additional dwelling provision over the period to 2021 and the need to minimise recreational pressures on European and international sites for nature conservation, contributions will be focused on the following provision: a. approximately 20 hectares of additional local and neighbourhood park space, provided on areas of at least 2 hectares in size; b. at least 4 additional equipped play areas for children and young people, spread evenly across the Borough; c. 2 additional bowling greens (6 rink size); d. at least 4 additional multi-use games areas (MUGA's) of 1 x tennis court size, together with the conversion of existing tennis court facilities to multi-use; e. approximately 10 hectares of additional grass playing pitch space and ancillary facilities, provided on areas of at least 2.1 hectares each to allow flexibility between adult and junior pitches, and use for cricket in the summer; f. qualitative improvements to existing recreational open spaces and sports facilities, including the ancillary facilities needed to support them, sports halls/centres and swimming pools, or their replacement with appropriately located new facilities; g. qualitative and quantitative improvements to facilities for teenagers.

Community infrastructure

Development proposals must mitigate their impact on community infrastructure by contributing appropriately to services and facilities that would be adversely affected, in accordance with Circular 05/2005, Planning Obligations. New development should demonstrate that it will not jeopardise the Borough's ability to improve the education attainment, health and well being of local residents and visitors to Southend. This will be achieved by; 1. providing for health and social care facilities in particular supporting the strategic services development plan of the Primary Care Trust, and the improvement and expansion plans of Southend Hospital and other key health and social care agencies where these demonstrate clear net benefits in terms of accessibility to services for the local community. This will include the establishment of Primary Care Centres at Leigh, Eastwood, Westcliff, Central Southend, Southchurch and Shoeburyness. 2. supporting improvements to existing, and the provision of new, facilities to support the needs of education, skills and lifelong learning strategies particularly by: a. securing the physical infrastructure needed to maximise the impact of the Higher Education/University Campus in the Town Centre; b. the provision of academic and vocational education/training at a new Prospects College in east Southend; and c. providing for an academy of educational/training skills in aviation at London Southend Airport. 3. safeguarding existing and providing for new leisure, cultural, recreation and community facilities, particularly: a. optimising the potential of Garon's Park; b. Phase 2 of the refurbishment of the Cliffs Pavilion; c. Securing a landmark facility to exhibit finds associated with the 7th Century Saxon King; d. Reinforcement of Southend Pier as an Icon of the Thames Gateway; e. Cliff Gardens Land Stabilisation. 4. ensuring the needs of all residents and visitors, including the disabled and other vulnerable groups, are met; and 5. ensuring access and safety concerns are resolved within all new development.

Development Principles

All new development, including transport infrastructure, should contribute to economic, social, physical and environmental regeneration in a sustainable way throughout the Thames Gateway Area, and to the regeneration of Southend's primary role within Thames Gateway as a cultural and intellectual hub and a higher education centre of excellence. This must be achieved in ways which: 1. contribute to the achievement of, and do not compromise, the Borough Council's Strategic Objectives; 2. make the best use of previously developed land, ensuring that sites and buildings are put to best use; 3. apply a sequential approach to the location and siting of development, particularly having regard to the need to: a. minimise the use of 'greenfield' land; b. avoid or appropriately mitigate flood risk; c. reduce the need to travel; d. ensure good accessibility to local services and the transport network; e. facilitate the use of travel modes other than the private car; and f. safeguard and promote the vitality and viability of existing town and local centres. 4. respect, conserve and enhance and where necessary adequately mitigate effects on the natural and historic environment, including the Borough's biodiversity and green space resources; ensure that European and international sites for nature conservation are not adversely affected and contribute positively towards the 'Green Grid' in Southend; 5. do not place a damaging burden on existing infrastructure; 6. are within the capacity of the urban area in terms of the services and amenities available to the local community; 7. secure improvements to transport networks, infrastructure and facilities; 8. promote improved and sustainable modes of travel; 9. secure improvements to the urban environment through quality design; 10. respect the character and scale of the existing neighbourhood where appropriate; 11. include appropriate measures in design, layout, operation and materials to achieve: a. a reduction in the use of resources, including the use of renewable and recycled resources. All development proposals should demonstrate how they will maximise the use of renewable and recycled energy, water and other resources. This applies during both construction and the subsequent operation of the development. At least 10% of the energy needs of new development should come from on-site renewable options (and/or decentralised renewable or low carbon energy sources), such as those set out in SPD 1 Design and Townscape Guide, wherever feasible. How the development will provide for the collection of re-usable and recyclable waste will also be a consideration. b. avoidance of flood risk, or where, having regard to other sustainability considerations (see Section 2(i) and Policy KP1 above) a residual risk remains, the provision of measures to appropriately and adequately mitigate that risk. All development proposals should demonstrate how they incorporate 'sustainable urban drainage systems' (SUDS) to mitigate the increase in surface water run-off, and, where relevant, how they will avoid or mitigate tidal or fluvial flood risk; c. avoidance or appropriate mitigation of actual and potential pollution impacts of development; d. a reduction in and prevention of crime. All development proposals should demonstrate how they have used design measures to help reduce crime and create environments that are safe, secure and people friendly; e. enhancement to the ecological and amenity value of the environment where appropriate; f. would avoid areas of land instability or adequately mitigate potential harmful effects. All development will need to have regard to the Council's guidance set out in its Supplementary Planning Documents.

Employment Generating Development

Provision is made for not less than 6,500 net additional jobs by 2011, and not less than 13,000 net additional jobs by 2021, distributed as follows: Town Centre and Central Area 6,500 (325 per annum); Shoeburyness 1,500 (75 per annum); Seafront 750 (37.5 per annum); Priority Urban Areas 2,000 (100 per annum); Key Employment Sites 1,750 (87.5 per annum); Other Areas 0 (0 per annum). These figures are indicative and the distribution may be adjusted where justified by evidence.

Employment Generating Development

Provision is made for not less than 6,500 net additional jobs by 2011, and not less than 13,000 net additional jobs by 2021, distributed as follows: Town Centre and Central Area 6,500 (325 per annum), Shoeburyness 1,500 (75 per annum), Seafront 750 (37.5 per annum), Priority Urban Areas 2,750 (137.5 per annum), Intensification 1,500 (75 per annum), TOTAL 13,000 (650 per annum). Development proposals involving employment must contribute to the creation and retention of a wide range of jobs, educational and re-skilling opportunities. Employment generating development should be located using a sequential approach in accordance with the spatial priorities and roles set out in Policies KP1 and CP2. Offices, retailing, leisure and other uses generating large numbers of people should be focussed in the town centre. Industrial and distribution uses will be supported on existing and identified industrial/employment sites, where this would increase employment densities and/or reinforce their role in regeneration. Permission will not normally be granted for development proposals that involve the loss of existing employment land and premises unless it can be clearly demonstrated that the proposal will contribute to the objective of regeneration of the local economy in other ways, including significant enhancement of the environment, amenity and condition of the local area. To promote economic regeneration, development will be expected to: 1. enhance the town's role as a cultural and intellectual hub, a higher education centre of excellence, visitor destination and cultural centre; 2. provide for the development and growth of appropriate technology and knowledge based industries, including the provision of business innovation/incubator centres with linkages to HE and University facilities and existing centres of excellence; 3. improve opportunities for small and medium enterprises in all economic sectors, especially those reflecting the vision and strategy for Essex Thames Gateway, including healthcare; education, sports, culture, leisure and tourism, and regionally and locally significant clusters; 4. support the town's regional potential to develop as a Hotel and Conference Resort with high quality hotels, casinos and broad-based leisure and tourism facilities; 5. contribute to the regeneration and development of existing and proposed employment sites; the Town Centre and Seafront; existing industrial areas and other Priority Urban Areas; 6. improve the vitality and viability of Southend town centre, the district centres of Leigh and Westcliff and smaller local centres; 7. support the future potential of London Southend Airport and the regeneration of Leigh Port; 8. improve the level of service of broadband infrastructure and other state of the art information communication technology – including maximising the opportunities of the pan-European fibreoptic network.

The Environment and Urban Renaissance

Development proposals will be expected to contribute to the creation of a high quality, sustainable urban environment which enhances and complements the natural and built assets of Southend. This will be achieved by: 1. promoting sustainable development of the highest quality and encouraging innovation and excellence in design to create places of distinction and a sense of place; 2. maximising the use of previously developed land, whilst recognising potential biodiversity value and promoting good, well-designed, quality mixed use developments; 3. ensuring design solutions that maximise the use of sustainable and renewable resources in the construction of development and resource and energy conservation (including water) in developments; 4. providing for quality in the public realm through the use of imaginative and innovative design, sustainable and quality materials and landscaping and imaginative use of public art; 5. maintaining and enhancing the amenities, appeal and character of residential areas, securing good relationships with existing development, and respecting the scale and nature of that development; 6. creating safe, permeable and accessible development and spaces that encourage walking and cycling within 'Environmental Rooms'; 7. safeguarding and enhancing the historic environment, heritage and archaeological assets, including Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Ancient Monuments; 8. protecting and enhancing the town's parks, gardens and other urban open spaces, including all open areas whose townscape and amenity value is important to the surrounding area, and the biodiversity of the area; 9. safeguarding, protecting and enhancing nature and conservation sites of international, national and local importance; 10. creating and maintaining a 'Green Grid' of high quality, linked and publicly accessible open spaces across the town which contribute to and help develop the Thames Gateway Green Grid; 11. maintaining the function and open character of a sustainable Green Belt; 12. providing for the effective management of land uses on the urban fringe, including landscape enhancement in respect of any development; 13. protecting natural resources from inappropriate development; 14. preventing, reducing or remedying all forms of pollution including soil, water, noise and other forms of airborne pollution. All development will be required to have regard to the Council's Design and Townscape Guide SPD.

Minerals and Soils Resources

As Local and Mineral Planning Authority, the Borough Council will require the sustainable use of soil and mineral resources, in particular by: 1. protecting the best and most versatile agricultural land (defined as land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification) from irreversible damage where this is consistent with the full range of sustainability considerations, including biodiversity; quality and character of the landscape; amenity value or heritage interest; accessibility to infrastructure, workforce and markets; maintaining viable communities; and the protection of natural resources, including soil quality; 2. granting permission for the extraction of brickearth where it can be demonstrated that: a. there are proven workable brickearth deposits and a need for the mineral to ensure that sufficient raw material is available for brick making over a twenty-year period; and b. there is an agreed scheme for the quality management, progressive restoration, aftercare and beneficial after-use of the site to an appropriate standard and timetable, and which safeguards the agricultural quality of the land or promotes alternative after-uses of benefit to biodiversity conservation and habitat creation; and c. there will be no materially adverse impacts on the environment (including landscape character, surface and ground waters, wildlife habitats, air and ground quality, and noise levels), and on the transport network and local amenity, or such impacts can be satisfactorily mitigated; 3. refusing permission for any proposal that would result in the permanent sterilisation of workable or potentially workable brickearth deposits unless it can be demonstrated that the deposits are currently not commercially viable and there is no prospect of them becoming commercially viable in the foreseeable future, and the application proposal represents a community or other infrastructure use for which there is a demonstrable need and which cannot be met elsewhere; 4. granting permission for beneficial long-term new uses of land that is contaminated or otherwise degraded, where there is an appropriate and agreed scheme of remediation and restoration funded in accordance with the "polluter pays" principle; 5. permitting proposals for the importation of minerals and for the recovery of materials to produce secondary and recycled aggregates on industrial sites within the Borough where it can be demonstrated that: a. they can be carried out without material adverse impact on the environment (including surface and ground waters, air and ground quality, and noise levels), the transport network and local amenity; and b the transportation arrangements are the most sustainable available in accordance with the proximity principle, using rail or water transport wherever possible.

Dwelling Provision

Provision is made for 3,350 net additional dwellings between 2001 and 2011 and for 3,150 net additional dwellings between 2011 and 2021, distributed as follows: 2001-2011 2011-2016 2016-2021 2001-2021 Town Centre and Central Area 1,000 750 250 2,000 Shoeburyness* 650 300 450 1,400 Seafront** 450 50 50 550 Intensification*** 1,250 500 800 2,550 TOTAL 3,350 1,600 1,550 6,500 Per annum (335) (320) (310) (325) Residential development proposals will be expected to contribute to local housing needs, including affordable and special needs provision, and the sustainable use of land and resources. To achieve this, the Borough Council will: 1. require the provision of not less than 80% of residential development on previously developed land (brownfield sites); 2. resist development proposals that involve the loss of existing valuable residential resources, having regard to the limited land resources in the Borough, the need to safeguard an adequate stock of single family dwellinghouse, and to protect the character of residential areas; 3. enter into negotiations with developers to ensure that: a. all residential proposals of 10-49* dwellings or 0.3 hectares up to 1.99 hectares make an affordable housing or key worker provision of not less than 20% of the total number of units on site; and b. all residential proposals of 50* dwellings or 2 hectares or more make an affordable housing or key worker provision of not less than 30% of the total number of units on the site; For sites providing less than 10 dwellings (or below 0.3 ha) or larger sites where, exceptionally, the Borough Council is satisfied that on-site provision is not practical, they will negotiate with developers to obtain a financial contribution to fund off-site provision. The Council will ensure that any such sums are used to help address any shortfall which in affordable housing. Preferred arrangements for this will also be set out in the above DPD. The Council will work with partner agencies to ensure that any such sums collected are programmed for the provision of affordable housing, in order to help address any shortfall which may occur in the level of affordable housing obtained through on-site provision arising from the urban nature of the Borough and a need to maintain viability of development scheme. 4. promote the provision of housing for key workers in partnership with major employers and registered social landlords 5. require residential development schemes within the Borough's town, district and local centres to include replacement and/or new retail and commercial uses, in order to safeguard, maintain and enhance the vitality and viability of these shopping and commercial areas 6. support and require a vibrant mix of employment, residential and community uses on larger sites, to support greater economic and social diversity and sustainable transport principles The Council will monitor and assess the delivery of both the transport infrastructure priorities set out in the RTS (Regional Transport Strategy) and Southend LTP (Local Transport Plan) and the employment targets required by Policy CP1: Employment Generating Development of this Plan. Failure to achieve targets set for 2011 and thereafter may trigger a review of the phasing and further release of the housing provisions set out within this policy, in order to ensure that an appropriate balance between employment, infrastructure and dwelling provision is secured and maintained.

Monitoring and Review

The Borough Council will undertake regular monitoring to: 1. appraise the impact of the Plan and measure the effectiveness of its policies and proposals, using the monitoring and implementation frameworks set out in this document, particularly with regard to ensuring a job-led regeneration of the town with the necessary supporting infrastructure 2. appraise the performance of plan preparation with reference to the Local Development Scheme 3. indicate the need for policy revision, in particular re-appraisal of the phasing and release of further housing or other development, and/or where there may be a need for additional Supplementary Planning Documents and/or Area Action Plans.

Implementation and Resources

In order to help the delivery of the Plan's provisions the Borough Council will: 1. prepare Area Action Plans and Supplementary Planning Documents to ensure development of an appropriate scale, mix and quality for key areas of opportunity and change, including: a. The Town Centre; b. Southend Seafront; c. Shoeburyness and d. London Southend Airport (joint Area Action Plan with Rochford District Council); 2. enter into planning obligations with developers to ensure the provision of infrastructure and transportation measures required as a consequence of the development proposed. This includes provisions such as; a. roads, sewers, servicing facilities and car parking; b. improvements to cycling, walking and passenger transport facilities and services; c. off-site flood protection or mitigation measures, including sustainable drainage systems (SUDS); d. affordable housing; e. educational facilities; f. open space, 'green grid', recreational, sport or other community development and environmental enhancements, including the provision of public art where appropriate; g. any other works, measures or actions required as a consequence of the proposed development; and h. appropriate on-going maintenance requirements. 3. prepare Development Plan and Supplementary Planning Documents, where appropriate, to elaborate upon the policies and proposals in this plan, including more detailed policy and guidance on: a. developer contributions and vehicle parking standards; b. achieving design excellence in all new development; and c. sustainable transport, green space and the Green Grid

Spatial Strategy

As a principal basis for sustainable development in the town, development and investment will be expected to build on and contribute to the effectiveness and integration of the key transport corridors and interchanges. The primary focus of regeneration and growth within Southend will be in: - Southend Town Centre and Central Area – to regenerate the existing town centre, as a fully competitive regional centre, led by the development of the University Campus, and securing a full range of quality sub-regional services to provide for 6,500 new jobs and providing for at least 2,000 additional homes in conjunction with the upgrading of strategic and local passenger transport accessibility, including development of Southend Central and Southend Victoria Stations as strategic transport interchanges and related travel centres. In addition, appropriate regeneration and growth will be focussed in the following locations: - Seafront – to enhance the Seafront's role as a successful leisure and tourist attraction and place to live, and make the best use of the River Thames, subject to the safeguarding of the biodiversity importance of the foreshore*. - Shoeburyness – to promote the role of Shoeburyness as a place to live and work, led by the successful redevelopment at Shoebury Garrison, regeneration of local shopping centres and existing industrial estates to secure an additional 1,500 jobs, and providing for 1,400 additional dwellings, linked to improved access, and subject where relevant to the safeguarding of the biodiversity importance of the foreshore*. - Priority Urban Areas – these comprise: a. The District Centres of Westcliff (Hamlet Court Road) and Leigh (Leigh Broadway, Elm Road and Rectory Grove), the Southchurch Road shopping area, and the West Road/Ness Road shopping area of Shoebury; b. The main Industrial/employment areas as identified on the Key Diagram, and c. The Cluny Square Renewal Area. The relocation of Southend United Football Club stadium to Fossetts Farm area will be supported in principle. Successful regeneration and growth on the scale planned will require substantial improvements to transport infrastructure and accessibility in the Borough. A Green Belt will be maintained around the urban area. Minor amendments to the Green Belt boundary may exceptionally be considered where this would enable delivery of specific objectives and policies in this Core Strategy that could not otherwise be achieved in a sustainable manner, and the openness of the remaining Green Belt and its ability to provide effective separation between Southend and neighbouring settlements are maintained. Where the Environment Agency's Flood Zone Maps or other considerations, including the South Essex Strategic Flood Risk Assessment, indicate that a risk of flooding may remain, all development proposals shall be accompanied by a detailed flood risk assessment appropriate to the scale and nature of the development and the risk. Development will only be permitted where that assessment clearly demonstrates that it is appropriate in terms of its type, siting and the mitigation measures proposed, using appropriate and sustainable flood risk management options which safeguard the biodiversity importance of the foreshore and/or effective sustainable drainage measures.

Town Centre and Retail Development

Southend Town Centre will remain the first preference for all forms of retail development and for other town centre uses attracting large numbers of people, as set out in relevant national planning policy, the East of England Plan and local strategies and plans. It will be supported and developed in accordance with the spatial strategy set out in Policy KP1: • as a regional centre providing the full range of high quality sub-regional services and facilities required to meet the needs of Essex Thames Gateway for higher order retail, leisure, cultural and higher education services, for office-based employment, and for higher quality mixed use development to secure new jobs and homes; • as the key focus and driver for the regeneration of Southend, and • as a priority location for urban renaissance. The centres of Westcliff (Hamlet Court Road) and Leigh will be supported as District Centres providing a range of local comparison shopping, convenience shopping and services to the neighbouring communities. Existing centres elsewhere will be supported as local centres only, meeting chiefly the day to day convenience needs of their local communities. Town centre and retail development should be located within these centres, should contribute to their vitality and viability, and must be appropriate to the function, size and character of the centre concerned, in accordance with the above hierarchy and priorities. In order to maintain and promote the vitality and viability of these centres their functions in the retail hierarchy, their roles and priorities in the regeneration of the Borough, and to meet forecast quantitative shopping needs and currently identified qualitative deficiencies, provision for retail development in Southend will be delivered through the Regeneration Framework and Masterplans of Renaissance Southend Limited (RSL), supporting and supported by the Local Development Framework as follows: • additional comparison goods floorspace, to be located in accordance with the sequential preference: 1. within Southend Town Centre; 2. on the edge of Southend Town Centre, where the development will contribute to and not prejudice achievement of the regeneration and urban renaissance objectives for the Town Centre. An Area Action Plan for the Town Centre, and the work to inform it through RSL's Central Area Masterplan, will set out the detailed proposals for delivering the additional floorspace required to meet forecast needs; 3. the consolidation, improvement and modernisation of existing floorspace and its environment within the District Centres of Westcliff and Leigh, in order to provide and maintain a range of shopping, services and facilities for the neighbouring communities. The provision of significant additional retail floorspace within these centres, will not, however, be supported; 4. within other existing centres to support their role as local centres only, where the development is in keeping with the function and scale of the centre concerned. • additional convenience goods floorspace, to be located in accordance with the following sequential preference: 1. within Southend Town Centre; 2. on the edge of Southend Town Centre, where the development will contribute to and not prejudice achievement of the regeneration and urban renaissance objectives for the Town Centre; 3. expansion of provision in other existing centres, where the development is in keeping with the function and scale of the centre concerned, to facilitate their improvement, modernisation and adaptation, and to meet locally generated needs; 4. within the area bounded by the Southend Town Centre to the west, Southchurch (A13) to the north, Lifstans Way to the east and Marine Parade/Eastern Esplanade to the south to meet an identified qualitative deficiency. Any proposal not in accordance with the above hierarchy and sequential preferences will be required to demonstrate that: 1. there is a need for the proposed development, and in particular that it would contribute to meeting the development needs and objectives set out in this policy or, where it seeks to demonstrate other need to be met, it would not prejudice the achievement of those needs and objectives, or the wider strategic objectives of this Core Strategy; 2. it would not prejudice the role of Southend Town Centre as a regional centre and, in all its functions, as the key driver of regeneration in the Borough and its urban renaissance; 3. a sequential approach and test has been rigorously followed in the selection of the site, in accordance with national planning policy and the sequential preferences set out in this policy; and 4. there are no unacceptable impacts on any other existing centres. The Council will undertake an early review of the Southend Retail Study to update and roll forward its provisions to cover the period to 2021. It will subsequently monitor and manage the provision of retail and other town centre development within Southend, and the evidence base supporting the assessment of future needs, to ensure that those needs, and the objectives for the regeneration of the Borough and an urban renaissance of the Town Centre, are met.

Transport and Accessibility

1. delivering the A127/A1159 east-west strategic transport and freight corridor including junction improvements at Progress Road, Kent Elms, The Bell, Cuckoo Corner, Sutton Road, Fairfax Drive, East/West Street and Victoria Circus; improving accessibility to key development opportunity sites, including improved access to Shoeburyness and London Southend Airport to support the potential of the Airport to function as a catalyst for economic growth; providing for the development of high quality transport interchanges at Southend (Southend Regional Transport Node) and the key urban interchanges at Leigh Railway Station, Shoeburyness Railway Station, Southend Hospital and London Southend Airport; 2. widening travel choice, particularly by car share, rail, bus, including social transport, taxi, cycling and walking, including the development of 'showcase' bus priority corridors and completion of the national and regional Sustrans cycle routes; 3. making provision and safeguarding appropriate corridors/land for new modes of passenger transport, such as the 'South Essex Rapid Transit' (SERT) system and potential for 'park and ride' schemes; 4. realising the potential of the River Thames to function as a sustainable transport corridor, including improved access to Leigh Port, subject to environmental considerations; 5. providing for state of the art communications, signing and intelligent transport management systems, including maximising the opportunities of the pan – European fibre optic network; 6. safeguarding and enhancing the environment of 'Environmental Rooms', as defined in the Southend Local Transport Plan; and 7. improving road safety, quality of life and equality of access for all. Development proposals will be required to contribute to the implementation of the above transport improvements and the provisions of the Southend on Sea Local Transport Plan and its subsequent reviews where such contributions would be related to the development proposed and necessary for the development to proceed. Higher density development and/or proposals which would generate large traffic movements or which are of sub-regional importance, will be directed to those areas well served by a range of transport modes and in particular to areas close to the Southend Regional Transport Node. All development will need to reduce sole reliance on the car for accessibility having regard to the Council's Local Development Documents relating to: a. Planning Obligations and Vehicle Parking Standards' (DPD2); and b. Sustainable Transport' (SPD2). The Council will monitor and assess the delivery of the transport infrastructure priorities set out in both the RTS (Regional Transport Strategy) and Southend LTP (Local Transport Plan). Failure to achieve clear improvements to transport infrastructure and accessibility to and within the town may trigger a review of the Core Strategy to assess whether further new housing and perhaps other development should be delayed until towards the end of the plan period.

Transport and Accessibility

Improvements to transport infrastructure and services will be sought in partnership to secure a 'step change' in provision to achieve a modern integrated transport system necessary to unlock key development sites and to secure the sustainable jobs led regeneration and growth of Southend. This will be achieved by: 1. improving the road and rail network to deliver improvements to accessibility, traffic flows, travel choice and freight distribution. In particular by: a. improving the A127/A1159 east-west strategic transport and freight corridor including junction improvements at Progress Road, Kent Elms, The Bell, Cuckoo Corner, Sutton Road, Fairfax Drive, East/West Street and Victoria Circus; b. improving accessibility to key development opportunity sites, including improved access to Shoeburyness and London Southend Airport to support the potential of the Airport to function as a catalyst for economic growth; c. providing for the development of high quality transport interchanges at Southend (Southend Regional Transport Node) and the key urban interchanges at Leigh Railway Station, Shoeburyness Railway Station, Southend Hospital and London Southend Airport; 2. widening travel choice, particularly by car share, rail, bus, including social transport, taxi, cycling and walking, including the development of 'showcase' bus priority corridors and completion of the national and regional Sustrans cycle routes; 3. making provision and safeguarding appropriate corridors/land for new modes of passenger transport, such as the 'South Essex Rapid Transit' (SERT) system and potential for 'park and ride' schemes; 4. realising the potential of the River Thames to function as a sustainable transport corridor, including improved access to Leigh Port, subject to environmental considerations; 5. providing for state of the art communications, signing and intelligent transport management systems, including maximising the opportunities of the pan – European fibre