Hastings Local Plan Review 2021
Possible checklist for noting comments on your specialist topic(s)
Criticise what is there but (often more important) you will need to identify what you think is missing. Perhaps need to think about using each Policy to support or oppose development in a planning inquiry or for enforcement or making a bid for project funding. Is it tight and sharp enough?
NB It’s a lot shorter than the current Plan but there is still a LOT of loose wording. Some of it is clearly intentional to give the Council or friendly developers wiggle room – especially (perhaps?) where it is the Council’s own land.
| Your Topic: (e.g. Greenways, Hastings Town Centre, West Marina) Do you have a clear idea of what you think might be the key issues for the topic? Make a note here? | ||
| Development Objectives Page 3 | How do these objectives support your topic? Are they tight and sharp enough to be functional – not just sugared words or, in several cases, PR “boosterism”? | |
| Introduction Page 4 | How does this support your topic? | |
| Hastings in Context Page 7 | How does this support your topic? NB the actual Policies below have been trimmed back without (as per the current Local Plan) all the supporting text. That’s got rid of a load of blather (not all!!) but it does mean that every word in this section and the following Development Strategy section has to count in the face of (say) a future challenge from a developer. | |
| Development Strategy Page 12 | How does this support your topic? E.g. detailed target figure for housing but everything else vague. Anything missing E.g. the sea? | |
| For each SP relevant to your topic does it cover the ground too little or too much? E.g. children’s play areas are in with digital infrastructure!? Is the title apt? Is it sharp and tight enough. For each SP is the evidence base adequate, are the implementation mechanisms and implementers adequate, how will it be monitored and enforced? In short is it realistic? Is the balance right between Strategic and Development Policies? | ||
| Over-arching Strategic Policy OSP1 Tackling Climate Change Page 16 | How does this support your topic? | |
| Strategic Policies 1-10 | Are there strategic matters relevant to your topic missing or under- (or over-) stated? Is the overall balance right? E.g. nothing explicit on tourism or the sea? (SP07 very limited) | |
| SP01 Directing growth Page 18 and Key Diagram showing (housing) Focus Areas, district centres and industrial zones. | ||
| SP02 New and affordable housing Page 19 | ||
| SP03 Office and Industrial Uses Page 21 | ||
| SP04 Retail and Leisure Uses Page 22 | ||
| SP05 Conserving and Enhancing the Natural Environment Page 23 | ||
| SP06 Enhancing the Historic Environment Page 24 | ||
| SP07 Managing Coastal Erosion and Flood Risk Page 25 | ||
| SP08 Transport Infrastructure Page 26 | ||
| SP09 Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Heating Page 27 | ||
| SP10 Community Facilities and Digital Infrastructure Page 28 | ||
| Possible additional Strategic policies? | E.g. should it have a separate “Tourism and Leisure” Policy? | |
| Development Focus Areas Page 29 There are maps to show (very roughly) each of the Focus Areas | Are the Focus Areas useful as a contextual tool between the Strategic Policies, particular sites and the Development Policies? Why focal areas for housing but not for district centres or industrial areas or heritage areas? Should there be more/less? Are the “boundaries” right? Are their purposes set out in enough depth? (See Appendix 2 for individual sites) | |
| FA1 Hastings Central Page 32 | ||
| FA2 Bohemia Page 33 | ||
| FA3 Little Ridge and Ashdown House Page 34 | ||
| FA4 West Marina and West St Leonards Page 35 | ||
| Possible additional Focal Areas? | ||
| Development Policies Page 37 | Is the balance right between Strategic and Development Policies? Do these add anything e.g. on flooding. Are there too many/too few development policies e.g. shouldn’t all design be sustainable? Shouldn’t bio-diversity be a strategic issue? | |
| DP1 Design – key principles Page 38 | ||
| DP2 Design – Space and accessibility standards Page 39 | ||
| DP3 Sustainable Design Page 40 | ||
| DP4 Flood risk and water quality Page 41 | ||
| DP5 Bio-diversity Page 42 | ||
| DP6 Green infrastructure Page 43 | ||
| DP7 Access, servicing and parking Page 44 | ||
| DP8 Planning obligations (Section 106) Page 45 | ||
| Other planning policies Looks like a work in progress. Page 46 | ||
| Monitoring and Review Page 47 Appears to be the implementation section as well? | ||
| Definitions of Key Terms Page 48 But see also existing Local Plan glossary e.g. for Brownfield sites Local Plan Proposed Submission: Part 8 Glossary (hastings.gov.uk) | ||
| References Page 1 ? This also seems in effect to be (part of) the evidence base? New Plan evidence: Hastings Town Centre and Bohemia Area Action Plan evidence base Existing Plan evidence base Evidence base documents that form part of the Hastings Local Plan | ||
| Appendix 1: Site allocation schedule and Figure 4.1 Currently Appendix 2 of 4 January Cabinet report Appendix 2 Hastings Local Plan Consultation Draft Regulation 18 Site Allocation Schedule.pdf (moderngov.co.uk) |