Chapter 1: Introduction

What is this document about?

(1)1.1 Planning affects many aspects of our lives – from where we live, work and shop to where and how we can spend leisure time. Effective planning is about managing change rather than letting it happen in an unplanned way.

The Hastings Local Plan

(1)1.2 The Hastings Local Plan will be a set of planning documents, maps and written policies to show where, in what form and in what quantities development can take place. It will set out how Hastings is expected to change over the time period up to 2028, and will reflect other strategies and policies in the area including matters such as education, health and economic development priorities. The documents that make up the Hastings Local Plan are shown in the diagram below:

1.3 The Hastings Planning Strategy - this is what you’re reading now. It will inform the other plan documents as they’re written over the next few years. More detail about developing the Hastings Planning Strategy is given below.

1.4 The Hastings Development Management Plan – this will identify proposed development sites to meet the vision identified in the Planning Strategy and will contain detailed policies for development management, against which planning applications will be assessed. Work began on this document in autumn 2011 with adoption due in December 2013.

(1)1.5 Infrastructure Delivery Plan and Schedule – this provides supportive evidence of what physical, social, and environmental infrastructure is required to support delivery of the Planning Strategy.

1.6 Neighbourhood Plans – these provide the opportunity for local people to prepare detailed plans for their own local area.

1.7 Supplementary Planning Documents - These will provide greater detail on policies in the Local Plan.

1.8 The Local Development Scheme, Statement of Community Involvement, Annual Monitoring Report and Proposals Map are procedural elements undertaken as part of the planning process. More detail on these documents is available on our website at www.hastings.gov.uk/localplan/ldfexplained

Changes to the planning system

1.9 This Strategy was formerly known as the Local Development Framework Core Strategy. The National Planning Policy Framework¹, which was published in March 2012 aims to simplify the plan making system, and in the interests of keeping things simple, we have renamed the Core Strategy the Hastings Planning Strategy.

1.10 The Localism Act 2011 provides for the abolition of regional spatial strategies, including the South East Plan. Removing this regional tier of planning will, as a consequence, remove local authority housing targets determined through the South East Plan process. However, at this time, the South East Plan remains effective, and a statutory part of the ‘development plan’, with which the Planning Strategy should generally conform.

1.11 As part of the preparation of the Planning Strategy, the Council has undertaken further work with regard to a locally determined housing target. Therefore, while the evidence underpinning the preparation of the South East Plan provides the foundations, the Council has supplemented this through further examination of more recent information in order to determine the most appropriate level of future housing development.

Planning for waste and minerals

1.12 The management of waste and production of minerals are carried out in a manner that usually extends beyond the boundaries of a single District or Borough Council. It is important therefore that the need for such activity is considered in a wider geographical context and for this reason, planning for waste and minerals is carried out by East Sussex County Council. Local planning policy for this is contained in the East Sussex and Brighton & Hove Waste Local Plan and the East Sussex and Brighton & Hove Minerals Local Plan². Alongside this Hastings Local Plan, these plans form the development plan for the area and District and Borough councils therefore also need to take relevant polices in these plans into account when reaching decisions on planning applications. Planning applications for waste and minerals activity are considered by the County Council.

Further information about the Hastings Planning Strategy

(1)1.13 This document; the Hastings Planning Strategy, provides a long-term plan to deliver regeneration and sustainable growth in the town over the next 15 years. In accordance with National Planning Policy, the Planning Strategy seeks to achieve this, following the approach of the presumption in favour of sustainable development. The next document, the Hastings Development Management Plan is more specifically concerned with individual development sites and specific details. The purpose of the Planning Strategy is to set an overall framework for the future of the town and it:

• sets out the vision for the future sustainable development and regeneration of the town up to 2028.

• identifies the key issues to be addressed through the planning system and sets out generally how we intend to deliver new housing, jobs and infrastructure and also contains policies for protecting our most important green spaces and historic townscapes.

• sets out how we’ll accommodate future levels of housing growth.

• sets guidelines for the pattern of land uses around the town.

• forms the context for other Local Plan documents that will be prepared in the future.

• clearly shows how planning policies and the use of land will support the key targets in the Hastings & St Leonards Sustainable Community Strategy 2009 - 2026.

• joins up planning and land issues with plans and proposals affecting health, equalities, community safety, housing, regeneration, community development, employment, education, transport and the environment set out in the Hastings & St Leonards Sustainable Community Strategy.

1.14 During the period up to 2028 the Hastings Planning Strategy will be reviewed to reflect progress in its delivery, and it is anticipated that this would be carried out in time to have a revised Strategy adopted by no later than the mid - point of the plan period (i.e.2023).

Writing the Hastings Planning Strategy

(1)1.15 We have gone through three stages in producing the Planning Strategy. The first stage – “Issues and Options” was carried out at the end of 2006, when we presented an overview of the local issues, and suggested options for addressing them. We asked for comments, inviting further issues and options to be identified too.

1.16 The next stage “Preferred Approaches” took into consideration the comments we received as part of the ‘Issues and Options’ consultation, studies on issues such as flood risk and land for housing, and assessments of the environmental, economic and social impacts of the different issues and options that have been put forward.

1.17 In July and August 2011 we carried out a further round of informal consultation to gather views on a locally set housing target for the period up to 2028, as well as new policies and changes to policies since the previous consultation.

(2)1.18 This is now the final version and will be submitted to the Government for approval in 2012. It takes on board comments received on the earlier draft versions of the Strategy. The shape and form of the Planning Strategy has inevitably evolved over time in response to our understanding of the key issues, and to points raised by those who responded to the earlier stages in its preparation. We have tried to make the document succinct and easy to understand; while sufficiently comprehensive to provide a clear explanation about the spatial planning approach the Council intends to follow.

Making your representations

(1)1.19 This document is the result of a significant amount of research, assessment and consultation, and it represents the Council’s final view on what the Planning Strategy will contain.

How to respond

(1)1.20 There are two ways that you can submit your formal representations:

1. Online (this is our preferred method of response).

Visit our website at www.hastings.gov.uk/localplan/consultations and follow the instructions.

2. Written response

Complete a response form and post (or deliver) it to:
Hastings Planning Strategy Consultation
Planning Policy Team
Hastings Borough Council
Aquila House
Breeds Place
East Sussex
TN34 3UY

1.21 Alternatively you can hand your completed response form to the counter staff at the Hastings Information Centre, Town Hall and they will forward it to us.

1.22 You can post comments on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shapinghastings or contact us through Twitter www.twitter.com/ShapingHastings, although these will not be taken forward as formal representations. We will make sure we will reply to any queries posted this way.

1.23 Additional copies of the document and response form can be downloaded from www.hastings.gov.uk/localplan/consultations

1.24 Representations must be received by 4pm on Friday 17 August 2012.

What happens next?

(1)1.25 Your formal representations will be passed to an independent Inspector who will be conducting a public examination into the legal compliance and ‘soundness’ of the document. This is expected to be between February and March 2013. The Inspector will then issue a report with recommendations which will be considered by the Council. The Council intends to adopt the Planning Strategy in July 2013.

1.26 The Planning Inspectorate has produced a useful guide to the examination process – you can view it at www.planningportal.gov.uk/planning/planningsystem/localplans

Confused by the process?

1.27 We have done our best to keep jargon and technical terms to a minimum and we have included an explanation of some of the terms used in the glossary at the back of this document. If you would like further clarification please contact us on 01424 451098 and we will try to help.

1.28 You can find further information about the Hastings Planning Strategy by looking on our website at www.hastings.gov.uk/localplan/ldfexplained

Spreading the word

1.29 We have made every effort to inform local people, businesses and organisations about this consultation. It has been advertised through local newspapers, direct mail outs, leaflets and posters, however, we would be grateful if you could help spread the word too – if you know someone who is interested in these issues do encourage them to submit formal representations.

---

¹www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/planningsystem/planningpolicy/planningpolicyframework/ ² The Waste Local Plan and Minerals Local Plan will be replaced by a Waste and Minerals Plan and subsequent site allocations documents in due course. For more information go to the ESCC website: www.eastsussex.gov.uk/environment/planning/development/mineralsandwaste/default.htm