The NPPF (para. 85) acknowledges the important role that residential development can play in town centres and requires that planning policies allocate a range of suitable sites in town centres to meet the scale and type of development that is likely to be needed. Whilst some of the proposed site allocations do encourage residential development on some town centre sites, the current wording of Policy 14 cannot be said to encourage residential development in town centres. This conflicts with bot

Due to the absence of specific site allocations, or detail within the proposed allocations (including H2(c)), it is unclear how the anticipated retail needs identified in the Retail Study will be accommodated over the plan period. This should be clarified. In relation to parking, the draft policy states that "town centre parking will be managed to ensure adequate and convenient provision and appropriate provision for long stay car parking." We agree that adequate provision needs to be retained b

We suggest that in the second para of the policy the words "save exceptionally" be added at the end. This is because there are locations, such as for example the Farmers site in the London Road, Sevenoaks, where retail at ground floor level is almost certainly unviable. For the same reason we also suggest the addition of a further sentence: 'For larger developments the quantum and type of different uses should be demonstrated through a suitable Needs Assessment.' We suggest that the third para

Page 80 Provision and Delivery of County Council Community Services - There is concern that, under 'Protection of Community Uses', the policy would allow that, where 'school and community buildings become vacant and there is no requirement for an alternative educational use for the existing community use, priority will be given to reusing the buildings or site to address local need for community facilities'. This would preclude the County Council obtaining the best Capital Receipts from the dis

Object - Clarification and Amendment Policy 14 includes reference to the protection of community facilities, stating The loss of local services and facilities will be resisted where they are serving a local need. Exceptions will be made where equivalent replacement facilities equally accessible to the population served are provided, or where it is demonstrated, through evidence submitted that the continued operation of the service or facility is no longer needed or financially viable. Where scho

Halstead Parish Council support the essence of this application but are concerned that in practice, the are only worth the paper they're written on

In section 6.24 of the Plan you state that you seek to retain local services and facilities in "appropriate" locations to maintain the sustainability of our towns, villages and neighbourhood centres. You do not specify what qualifies to be an "appropriate" location. Having lost its Post Office, shop, garage, and cafe as well as a meaningful bus service, with the exception of a garden centre and a chain restaurant, Badgers Mount now has no services or facilities whatsoever and we can see nothing

The AONB Unit supports the protection of community uses as this is consistent with the Kent Downs AONB Management Plan policy VC4 which seeks to support the retention and development of local services to reduce car travel and help maintain viable rural communities. It is also compliant with the secondary purpose of AONB designation which is to take account of the needs of land based and rural industries and the economic and social needs of local communities.

The key to creating vibrant communities is to have retail units close to the community and to support local retail units which employ and are run by local people. Simply building more retail units will not bring long term sustainable business to towns and Parishes. There doesn't appear to be provision for supporting retail opportunities within Parishes – indeed creating Aisher Way in Riverhead as a destination in it's own right and a neighbourhood centre will impact on future planning decisions

Policy 14 - and in particular the support for, and the criteria to be considered, in respect to the provision of new development targeted on the tourism sector.