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A Study looking at flood risk is underway to help plan for new homes, jobs and emergencies.
The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Review (SFRA) has been jointly commissioned by Basildon, Rochford and Castle Point Councils to aid preparation of their Local Development Frameworks and Emergency Plans. It will also help in considering planning applications.
Councillor Richard Moore, Basildon's cabinet member responsible for Development Control and Customer Services, said:
"The partnership approach taken by Basildon, Rochford and Castle Point Councils will be instrumental in ensuring that an assessment of flood risk is carried out. Although there has been significant investment in flood defences since the devastating flood of 1953, the Summer 2007 floods and Cumbrian 2009 floods demonstrate that we must not be complacent when it comes to protecting people and property from natural forces, which are predicted to become more severe and frequent in the future. We all hope that this study will give us an up to date flood risk understanding for the future."
The study includes the mapping of areas which could be worst affected if flood defences are breached, where flood water could collect after heavy downpours and to suggest changes which could reduce, minimise or avoid the risk of flooding in the future.
The study, which is being carried out by Scott Wilson plc, is due to be completed by Autumn 2010.
The 2010 update of the TGSE Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) 2008 was published in June 2010.
The 2008 TGSE SHMA studied the housing market in South Essex in detail. It identified past and current housing trends, considered the supply and demand for housing and assessed th eneed for all forms of housing.
The 2010 TGSE SHMA update reflects the changes to the South Essex housing market in the period from October 2008, when the TGSE SHMA 2008 was published, to February 2010.
Thames Gateway Sth Essex - Strategic Housing Market Assessment - 2010 Update - Final Report [619kb]
We have produced a newsletter which is intended to inform you about progress on the Local Development Framework (LDF).
LDF Newsletter June 2010 [419kb]Basildon Council has been commended by Essex Wildlife Trust's ecological company, EECOS Ltd, for helping to safeguard wildlife sites in the District in an innovative ecological contract which is the first of its kind in the county.
Every year since 2007, a team of EECOS ecologists have carried out surveys of different woodlands, grasslands and marshland habitats, to check on their condition, coverage and ability to support a variety of different plants and animal species.
The surveys provide the Council with an up to date, accurate and objective evidence base to inform planning decisions, the LDF and to assist in monitoring habitat change.
The successful project has discovered that rare species are re-colonising parts of the District including the Green Winged Orchid and at least three rare butterflies including the Grizzled Skipper.
Manager of EECOS Neil Harvey MIEEM, and Senior Ecologist Adrian Knowles MIEEM, highly praised the Council for its approach, stating in the Habitat and Biodiversity Service Level Agreement Report that "no other District in Essex has put in place such a proactive mechanism to refine and strengthen the evidence based required under national planning guidance."
The Local Wildlife Site (LoWS) network includes popular local nature reserves like Noak Bridge, Langdon Hills and Mill Meadows, along with other sites that have limited or no public access, which helps to preserve their intrinsic wildlife value. The network now covers an area equivalent to over 1000 football pitches, representing about 10% of the land in the District.
New sites added to the Essex Local Wildlife Sites Register in 2009 include The Wick Country Park and the grass verges at the Nethermayne cutting between the Five Bells and Basildon Hospital, which have been managed less intensively over the last few years.
The surveys also highlighted those LoWS that need special attention in the future to make sure they do not lose their wildlife value. This includes Norsey Meadow in Billericay, which the Council recently announced was to be restored with a mixture of grazing, fencing and grassland management.
Further Information: The Essex Local Wildlife Site Register 2009 and Biodiversity and Habitat Service Level Agreement Report 2009 can be found on the the LDF - Background Studies and Reports page.
A set of recommendations for the District's open spaces has been agreed by Councillors, after discussions with residents revealed their priorities for open spaces.
PPG17 - Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation requires all local authorities to undertake an assessment of the open space and recreational facilities within their boundaries. Part I of the District's assessment, which concerns the context, methodology and standards for open space, has been adopted by the authority.
This work forms an important part of the evidence base for the Local Development Framework (LDF), informs the future Open Space Strategy and sets standards for the accessibility, quality and quantity of open space throughout the District.
Councillor Richard Moore, Cabinet Member for Developmental Control and Customer Services, said: "The Council places great importance on ensuring that all residents of the district have access to a range of good quality open spaces.
"Extensive public consultation has been vital in the preparation of the assessment and the recommendations agreed in the report will be taken forward and used as evidence when determining future open space provision in the District. What is clear from the consultation is that some areas of the District are well catered for in terms of good quality open spaces whereas other areas need more. I will be working hard to address this imbalance."
PPG17 Assessment Part I can be found under the 'LDF Background Studies and Reports' section of this web site.
Part II of the assessment, which will include specialist open spaces and indoor sports facilities, will be considered during 2010.
As the Local Development Scheme (LDS) timetable is out of date, due to a number of factors, a Revision to the LDS has been drafted and discussed with the Government Office for the East of England region (Go-East).
The draft LDS Revision envisages collection of the required LDF Evidence Base (sometimes referred to as "front-loading" the LDF) to continue to about the end of 2010. This would include the completion of a Strategic Housing Land Assessment (SHLAA) and a Water Cycle Study: both lengthy pieces of work.
The draft LDS Revision also envisages the main public consultation stages of the LDF taking place quite some time later, to allow for completion of the Evidence Base, the preparation of options and alternatives, and the Sustainability Appraisal / Strategic Environmental Assessments.
Once a LDS Revision is agreed and approved, it will be placed on this website as soon as possible. Those people, organisations and companies who are on the Council's LDF mailing list will be informed of the LDS Revision at that time.
What is the Statement of Community Involvement?
The Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) sets out how and when anyone with an interest in planning in the district can have his or her say on the following issues:
The SCI formalises proposals for consulting the public on planning matters, and builds on Planning Service's existing consultation practices.
Following the consultation on the draft SCI held earlier this year (see earlier news item on the SCI), the SCI was revised in light of the comments received. On October 22nd 2009 Council approved the SCI which will now be used by Planning Services to guide its consultations.
View the Statement of Community Involvement.
Government requires each Council to assess the amount of land that is available for housing development in their area as part of their Local development Framework (LDF).
This process is known as a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA). The SHLAA will provide part of the evidence base to support the delivery of sufficient land to meet the targets for more homes in the District.
The SHLAA methodology was produced in accordance with Government guidance in Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing (November 2006) and the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessments Practice Guidance (July 2007).
Stakeholders were invited to comment upon the draft methodology, which was revised in light of the comments received. Cabinet approved the methodology on 15 October 2009.
View the SHLAA methodology and the results of the consultation here.
In 2007 and 2008, as part of preparing the Local Development Framework (LDF), Basildon Council conducted a Call for Sites exercise which invited landowners and developers to propose land they felt was suitable for future development.
As a result, 400 sites, covering land equivalent in size to over 1500 football pitches have been put forward.
Each of the proposed sites will now be assessed and subjected to environmental screening, after which only the most appropriate and realistic sites will be selected for possible inclusion in the LDF.
View the Call for Sites 2008 Results
View the Call for Sites 2007 Results
The Council received over 2000 individual responses to its Core Strategy Issues Report Consultation, conducted over six weeks between 22nd October and 30th November 2007.
The results of the Core Strategy Issues Consultation will be taken into account during the next stage in the of production of the Core Strategy, which will involve the development of a range of options to deal with the issues raised
You can either view the online version of the report and the full comments submitted to each question online at: Issues Paper Consultation”
Alternatively, you can view/download the PDF versions of the following documents:
Core Strategy Issues Paper [4Mb] - Consultation document. Core Strategy Issues Consultation Results [908kb] - Summary of the comments submitted and results of a Citizens' Panel Survey.Copies of the Summary are also available from the District's main Libraries, as well as St Georges Housing Offices and Planning Reception in the the Council's Basildon Centre offices.
Documents can also be requested by contacting the Forward Plans team directly on 01268 294748.
Some of the key issues (e.g. local housing, the economy, etc) need to be looked at more closely to make sure that the decisions taken in the Core Strategy are the most appropriate and to focus the Core Strategy's consultations.
Some of the research into these key issues include:
Basildon District Basildon District Retail Capacity Study - March 2007 [1Mb] - being carried out by Nathaniel Litchfield & Partners
The report on this five week consultation sets out how the Council intends to undertake the Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of the Core Strategy, incorporating, where appropriate, the requirements of the 'European Directive 2001/42/EC on the Assessment of the Effects of Certain Plans and Programmes on the Environment', otherwise known as Strategic Environmental Assessment.
The representations from this consultation are currently being analysed.