Development Management Plan Adopted
The Rochford District Development Management Plan was formally adopted by the Council on 16 December 2014 following confirmation from the Planning Inspector conducting the examination that the Plan was sound and legally compliant. The Development Management Plan sets out the detailed day-to-day planning policies which planning applications will be assessed against, for example design of new developments, housing extension limits in the Green Belt, trees and woodlands, and equestrian facilities.
The adopted Development Management Plan and relevant documents can be downloaded below:
Rochford District Development Management Plan Adopted Version
Formal Adoption Statement
Sustainability Appraisal
Sustainability Appraisal (Non-Technical Summary)
Sustainability Appraisal of the Development Management Submission Document – Schedule of Modifications
SA/SEA Adoption Statement
Inspector’s report
Implications of Technical Housing Standards: In March 2015 the Government introduced new national technical housing standards in England and detailed how these would be applied through planning policy. This new national approach includes additional ‘optional’ Building Regulations on water efficiency and access, and a nationally described space standard. These new standards came into effect on 1 October 2015. From this date, relevant Development Management Plan policies should be interpreted by reference to the nearest equivalent new national technical standard. The main change to the application of policies in the Development Management Plan relates to Policy DM4 (Habitable Floorspace for New Developments), which have been superseded by the nationally described space standard. More information on these changes can be found here
Examination
The Development Management Submission Document was submitted to the Government for independent examination on 13 December 2013. The Plan was examined by a Planning Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State. The Programme Officer for the examination was Kerry Freeman.
More information on the examination can be found here.
Submission Document
The Development Management Submission Document sets out the proposed policies for managing development in the District, and it is the version that the Council believes is fit-for-purpose to form part of the development plan for the District. This document was consulted on between 3 June and 18 July 2013.
The Submission Document and other key documents, including the Sustainability Appraisal of the Plan which assesses the potential environmental, economic and social impacts of the proposed policies, can be downloaded from the table below:
Comments made during consultation on the Submission Document can be viewed using this link. Additional supporting documents to representations made during the consultation can be downloaded from the table below:
Preferred Policy Options Document – informal consultation
The Development Management Preferred Policy Options Document was an informal, additional stage of consultation on the proposed development management policies. This version of the Plan sets out the preferred options for the detailed day-to-day planning policies through which development within the District will be delivered. It addresses a range of issues such as housing design and density, historically and architecturally important buildings, and green tourism to name but a few. This document was consulted on between 16 January and 27 February 2012.
The Preferred Policy Options Document can be downloaded from the table below:
Comments made during consultation on the Preferred Policy Options Document can be viewed here.
Discussion and Consultation Document
The Development Management Discussion and Consultation Document sets out potential options for a range of issues to be considered when determining planning applications such as the design of new developments, existing businesses in the Green Belt, houseboats and parking standards. The purpose of this document was to provide people with the opportunity to consider and comment upon options for managing development within the District. This document was consulted on between 17 March and 30 April 2010.
The Discussion and Consultation Document and the draft Sustainability Appraisal can be downloaded from the table below:
Comments made during consultation on the Discussion and Consultation Document can be viewed here
Contact Us
If you need more information on the Development Management Document, please contact the Planning Policy team on 01702 318191 or email us using this form