Before the Core Strategy has been approved, the proposed allocations of where to build have not yet been reviewed by the Inspector, planning applications are being received for sites outlined in the Core Strategy.
Recently the council approved outline planning for 100 houses/units in Brays Lane and now planning permission, again in outline form, has been received by Rochford Council for 600 houses on the Hall Road site; the details can be seen here.
The Council websites says,
The Council has received a planning application from Bellway Home Ltd for the development of a site adjoining Hall Road, Rochford. The site is situated on land between the north of Hall Road and south of Ironwell Lane, adjoining the rear gardens of properties within Oak Rd. It covers a total of 33.54 ha (88.88 acres), although it is not proposed that the entire area is covered by built development as a significant amount of open space is also included within the site boundaries.
The proposal includes provision of:
- 600 new dwellings 20ha net (49.42 acres),
- A new primary school with associated playing fields 1.1 ha (2.72 acres),
- Creation of new public open space 11.78ha (29.11acres),
- Two principle access points from Hall Road and,
- New pedestrian and cycle links to the Town centre
In addition a second application has been put forward for 176 houses in Hawkwell, known as the Christmas Tree Farm. An earlier application has previously been refused by the Council for 330 houses at this site.
It seems that even before the Core Strategy has been approved Rochford as a District is facing multiple applications for the Green Belt sites outlined in that document. These three application total 876 houses or units, around 3-4 years worth of building under the Core Strategy.
As an additional point; when the Core Strategy was drawn up originally any additional building not planned for in the Strategy would be taken off of the total in that strategy, that is not now the case. This means that the 100+ houses, or units, recently proposed for the old EON site in London Road, Rayleigh, would be additional to the Strategy and not taken from the total.
A Green Read 