Section One – Introduction

1.1 Hastings Borough Council is in the process of producing a series of documents that will guide the future planning of the town. Together, these documents will form the new Hastings Local Plan.

1.2 We are already well on our way to completing the Hastings Planning Strategy, which provides a long-term plan to deliver regeneration and sustainable growth in the town over the next 15 years. Once adopted, the Planning Strategy will become the key strategic document prepared as part of the new Local Plan.

(1) 1.3 This document is the final version of the Development Management Plan – the second key document prepared as part of the Local Plan process. Its purpose is to set out clear policies to help shape the design of construction of new development, and to allocate sites to deliver the overarching policies in the Planning Strategy. It therefore shares the same strategic objectives as the Planning Strategy, which are:

Objective 1: Achieve and sustain a thriving economy

Objective 2: Ensure everyone has the opportunity to live in a decent home, which they can afford, in a community in which they want to live

Objective 3: Safeguard and improve the town’s environment

Objective 4: Addressing the impacts of climate change

Objective 5: Supporting sustainable communities

Objective 6: Provision of an efficient and effective transport system

Objective 7: Making best use of the Seafront and promoting tourism

Criteria for delivering these objectives is set out in Part 6 of the Hastings Planning Strategy, available at: www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/localplan/planningstrategysubmission/

What have we done so far?

1.4 We have already gone through several stages of preparation and consultation in developing this final version of the Development Management Plan.

1.5 First, early and informal public consultation was undertaken in 2010 as part of the “Big Map” exercise. This exercise helped to identify issues and opportunities concerned with potential sites for development in the town, to feed into the drafting of the document itself. A report on how the consultation was undertaken and the comments received is available at www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/local_development_framework/ldf_documents/#dpd_report.

1.6 Second, we consulted on a draft Development Management Plan during February and April 2012. This built on earlier consultation as part of the Big Map exercise, and contained ‘rough draft’ suggested policies and options to help facilitate debate, and to help determine which options to proceed with.

1.7 Following consultation on the draft document, some additional sites and policy issues were put forward that had not previously been consulted upon. To address these we published a further “focused consultation” document between July and August 2012, to gain opinions on these sites and issues only.

1.8 Comments from these consultations, initial Officer level responses to them and how those comments have been taken into account are set out in the Consultation Statement that accompanies the Development Management Plan.

Where are we now?

1.9 This is the final version of the Development Management Plan, called the “Proposed Submission Development Management Plan.” It brings together all the previous stages of consultation and draft documents into one final version of the Plan, which will be submitted to the Government for approval in July 2013.

1.10 You are now invited to submit formal representations that focus on the “Soundness” and “Legal Compliance” of the Development Management Plan (prescribed by government guidance), rather than general comments on the wording of policies. Detailed guidance notes are available to explain these terms and help to ensure that your representation is submitted correctly and therefore sent on to the independent Planning Inspector for consideration at an Examination in Public.

1.11 Guidance notes and other helpful information is available on our consultation pages at www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/localplan/consultation/

The consultation

1.12 This consultation is running for a period of 12 weeks, from 21 January until 4pm on 15 April 2013. Representations can be submitted at any point during this period.

1.13 As this is a formal stage of consultation, representations must be made using the official response form or through our online consultation system. Comments made in any other format cannot be accepted.

Online - The easiest way to submit representations is online. Visit our website at www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/localplan/consultation/#current and follow the links provided.

Paper forms – paper copies of our response form are available from our offices, or can be downloaded from the website using the address above.

Responses can also be submitted by letter or email, using the following contact details:

Hastings Borough Council
Planning Policy
FREEPOST RSCG-BSTS-GBRZ
Aquila House
Hastings
East Sussex
TN34 3UY

Email: fplanning@hastings.gov.uk

1.14 Please note that all representations submitted will be made public. This will include publication of your name but not your address or contact details.

1.15 Further information and updates will also be posted on Twitter and Facebook to help ensure you stay up to date with the process:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/ShapingHastings
Facebook: www.facebook.com/shapinghastings

What happens next?

1.16 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 take place during November 2013. The Inspector will then issue a report with recommendations that will be considered by Council. We intend to adopt the Development Management Plan in April 2014.

Confused by the process?

1.17 We have done our best to keep jargon and technical terms to a minimum. If you would like further clarification, please contact us on 01424 451098 and we will try to help.

1.18 You can find further information about the Development Management Plan and the wider Local Plan process by looking on our website at: www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/localplan/

Spreading the word

1.19 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, although we would be grateful if you would help spread the word too. If you know someone who is interested in these issues, please encourage them to submit formal representations.

Structure of this document

1.20 This document is set out in two distinct parts:

General Guidance

1.21 The first part is divided into four sections:

1. Development Management – more general policies considered in the assessment of planning applications, covering design, access, ground conditions and more
2. Housing and the Community – policies that cover issues like the conversion of houses
3. Historic and Natural Environment – defining areas in the town for specific protection for things like nature conservation
4. Economy – helping to identify and protect retail areas, employment sites and other economic activities.

Site Allocations

1.22 The second part of the document sets out development sites that have been identified to meet our overall housing and employment needs. These are organised by planning focus area¹, and present allocations for housing, employment and mixed use sites. There is supporting text, or detail, with each allocation and, for those sites without existing applications or permissions, this detail identifies known existing issues in connection with the sites and some potential solutions to them. The detail also includes policies from the Hastings Planning Strategy and the Development Management Plan, which will be of particular relevance to the identified site. This is not, however, an exhaustive list of applicable policies, because that will depend on the type of scheme proposed.

1.23 There is also an implementation and monitoring chapter that describes how the policies will be used and how the Council will keep a check on their usefulness.

Appendices

(1) 1.24 There are three appendices:

1. Design Briefs: for some of the larger or more complex site allocations, there are some more detailed diagrams to add detail to the words in the main body of this document. They give an example of how the site might be arranged and managed to find solutions to identified issues.
2. Superseded Policies: Tables showing how the policies of this plan will supersede those of the Local Plan (2004).
3. Indices of policies: this is a list of all the policies of the Planning Strategy and the Development Management Plan for reference.

(34) Policies Map

There is a map to support the Development Management Plan. Click to view the Proposed version Development Management Plan Policies Map

If you wish to make a comment about the map please click on the pencil icon next to this paragraph.

The evidence base and supporting documents

1.25 We are required to prepare several supporting documents that demonstrate how the principles of sustainability and equality have been taken into account in the development of the final version of the Plan. This includes a Sustainability Appraisal Report and an Equalities Impact Assessment. It is also important that we have a substantial and robust evidence base to support the policies presented in the final plan.

1.26 The Sustainability Appraisal and Equalities Impact Assessment for the Development Management Plan are available on our website at: www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/localplan/consultation/. Full details of the evidence base are also available at www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/local_development_framework/evidence_base/.

The Development Management Plan

1.27 The purpose of this plan is to guide those applications that are presented to the Council. Any scheme to be considered by the Council and its officers should first consider the Planning Strategy and its policies for overall sustainable growth in the Borough of Hastings. In every planning scheme put to the Council, specific consideration should be given to design, amenity and access that are appropriate to the scheme and to its locality. The solutions to these issues should be described to the Council as part of the application process.

1.28 The aim is to help individuals and businesses create good schemes with sufficient flexibility to achieve the best outcomes for themselves, their neighbours and the wider community. Policies in this plan are based on the root cause of potential problems rather than attempting to include policies for any circumstance that may arise in the planning process.

1.29 If the relevant policies of both the Planning Strategy and this Development Management Plan are not adhered to in applications for planning permission then it is likely that that application will be refused or opposed.

Householder applications

1.30 The majority of queries to the Council about planning issues, concern homes; often the questions relate to whether a proposal requires permission. Not all changes require planning permission; there are some things that applicants are allowed to do to houses (and within the curtilage or garden) without the need for planning permission².

1.31 To find out if you need planning permission please visit: www.planningportal.gov.uk or, for further information, contact Hastings Borough Council’s Development Management Department by telephone01424 451090 or e-mail dcenquiries@hastings.gov.uk

1.32 Hastings Borough Council has information and advice available on-line, and has produced a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), specifically for householder applications concerning design and sustainability. This is available at: www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/info_advice/

1.33 Planning application forms, guidance notes and validation checklists are available at: www.hastings.gov.uk/environment_planning/planning/info_advice/app_forms_guidance_notes/

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¹ Planning focus areas were introduced by the Planning Strategy. They are areas where there is an identifiable community or where landscape or function means that they make a logical area for area-based planning. To see the boundaries of the focus areas please see Chapter 4 of the Planning Strategy. ² Under The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order as amended