Rother District Council

What is the Core Strategy?

The 'Core Strategy' is the key planning policy document within the Local Development Framework (LDF). It will set the overall vision and general distribution of development for the district up to 2028. It identifies broad locations for future housing and other development needs, including for employment, shopping and community facilities, but not specific sites. These will follow in a separate document called the Development and Site Allocations Development Plan Document (DPD).

The Core Strategy

On 27th June 2011, the Council approved publication of the Core Strategy that it proposes to submit to the Secretary of State for independent examination. The Core Strategy is now in its final draft - the 'Proposed Submission' stage.

Addendum - Attention is drawn to a revised Appendix 3 which corrects errors in figures relating to Rye and Rye Harbour and 'total allocations required'.  However, these do not affect the 'Total Housing Requirement 2011 - 2028' for Rye and Rye Harbour or for the District as a whole.

Hundreds of representations have been made on previous iterations of the Core Strategy through consultation and public events, and these comments have helped shape the document. Information regarding previous consultations can be found in the Consultation Statement. All of these views have been considered in developing the 'Proposed Submission' Core Strategy.

Representations to the Proposed Submission Core Strategy

The consultation ran from 19^th August - 11^th November 2011, and the representations will be passed to an independent Planning Inspector on behalf of the Secretary of State. Using these representations, the inspector will decide through a Public Examination later in 2012 whether the Core Strategy is sound and can be adopted.

In making a representation, consultees were asked to consider whether the Core Strategy is:

• Justified: founded on a robust evidence base/the most appropriate strategy based on reasonable alternatives
• Effective: deliverable/flexible/able to be monitored
• Consistent: with national policy
• Procedurally: legally compliant

All duly made representations are viewable online.

Rother District Council Proposed Submission Core Strategy

The Core Strategy was published for public consultation on 19th August 2011. The period for representations lasted 12 weeks up to 11th November 2011. The main issues raised by representations were reported to Cabinet on 20th February 2012. Cabinet agreed to defer submission of the Core Strategy pending a decision on the Bexhill Hastings Link Road (BHLR). The Department of Transport approved funding for the BHLR on the 21^st March 2012. Following the Link decision it is expected Cabinet will consider submission of the Core Strategy on the 14^th May 2012.

Representations made on previous consultations

The public, other stakeholders and interested parties were consulted on the 'Consultation on Strategy Directions'. The consultation lasted 12 weeks running from 7th November 2008 to 30th January 2009 and was designed to encourage local input in shaping the final document. The representations received can be viewed here. In addition the Council consulted on supporting documents on the Core Strategy over the same time period. Representations on the Sustainability Appraisal can be viewed here and representations on other background evidence studies can be viewed here. 

It followed on from the earlier consultation on Issues & Options which took place in 2006, on which more information can be found here.

Sustainability Appraisal

The Core Strategy has been subject to a Sustainability Appraisal to ensure that all decisions and recommendations are environmentally sound. More details on the Sustainability Appraisal can be found here. 

What background evidence had been prepared to inform the Core Strategy?

A number of different background evidence studies have been completed, and can be found here. 

Other background documents include:

A Consultation Statement sets out what stakeholder engagement there has been to date and specifically highlights comments made in earlier consultations, and the council's responses.

The Equalities Impact Assessment considers whether the Proposed Submission Core Strategy affects different groups in different ways. It considers the likely impact on these different groups and how the needs of such groups have been taken into account.

The Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) identifies key pieces of infrastructure needed to achieve the objectives and policies in the Core Strategy, and identifies broad locations where the infrastructure will be located. The IDP is a 'live' document and will be periodically reviewed and updated as infrastructure providers assess their investment plans.

Updated April 2012.

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