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Chapter 8 Clacton-on-Sea

Aim: To address local planning issues specific to Clacton-on-Sea including Jaywick and Holland-on-Sea

8.1 This Chapter relates to Proposals Map Insets 1, 1a and 1b and covers Clacton-on-Sea (including Holland-on-Sea), Jaywick and Clacton Town Centre respectively. It deals with the planning background and presents policies and site specific proposals to meet the needs of the area for the period up to 2011. It is important this Chapter is read in conjunction with the earlier policies that relate to the whole of the Tendring District.

8.2 Many of the previous Local Plan policies adopted in 1998 continue to be relevant. Consequently, where appropriate, they have been carried forward into this plan either unchanged or amended, and new policies and proposals have been added.

Key Issues:

• The identification of appropriate settlement development boundaries;

• Ensuring that sufficient land is made available for the needs of industry and commerce;

• Promoting tourism and the holiday industry;

• The scale and location of future housing developments;

• Improving open space provision and community facilities;

• Recognising the value of environmental assets in promoting the economic regeneration of the area;

• Protecting and enhancing the character of Conservation Areas and the “Gardens Area of Special Character”;

• Addressing traffic, parking and pedestrian issues particularly in Clacton Town Centre; and

• Addressing the regeneration and environmental enhancement of Jaywick.

Location of New Development - Settlement Development Boundaries

8.3 The Settlement Development Boundaries for the Clacton-on-Sea and Jaywick Urban Area, to which policies QL1 and HG3 apply, reflect the built-up area of the defined settlement. They include peripheral industrial and commercial areas, both existing and allocated, as well as new housing allocations on the western fringe of Clacton.

8.4 The considerable amount of ribbon development along St Johns Road (B1027) towards St. Osyth, west of Jaywick Lane, has been excluded from the boundary to discourage unsustainable settlement consolidation and intensification in this area.

Strengthening the Economy and Promoting Regeneration

8.5 Clacton is the main centre of employment for the District and contains a variety of important manufacturing and service industries. In the service sector, in addition to financial, professional and government services, the leisure industry is well represented. Responses to the Issues Report of 2000 indicated that the provision of suitable new employment sites in Clacton was supported along with the promotion of tourism. The recognition of the core areas in the resort and a Town Centre Strategy for Clacton was also strongly supported.

Stimulating Urban Regeneration and Renewal

8.6 Policy QL6 identifies Clacton Seafront and Town Centre and West Clacton (including Jaywick) as Urban Regeneration Areas where the Council is seeking to encourage economic and physical regeneration. There is a need to boost the economic regeneration of these deprived areas to support business investment and improve the quality of life.

8.7 In 2001, a Town Centre Strategy report for Clacton was produced on behalf of the Council. This identified key issues relevant to improving the management and functions of the town centre and considered a range of options aimed at strengthening the role of Clacton as a shopping centre and visitor attraction. The Council held a public consultation period in the summer of 2002 to gauge the views of businesses and residents towards the suggested measures recommended by the strategy. The Town Centre Strategy was subsequently amended in the light of comments received and was formally adopted by the Council in 2003.

8.8 With the Town Centre Strategy in place, the Council is in a good position to attract further private and public sector funding to contribute towards developing related projects and initiatives. Implementing the Strategy will help to improve Clacton’s competitive position as well as having a positive impact on the regeneration of the wider area. The strategy, where it has land use implications, has been incorporated into the policies and proposals of this Chapter.

8.9 In For Jaywick and West Clacton, an areas of physical, environmental, social and economic stress, important infrastructure improvements have taken place policies and proposals detailed later in this Chapter will provide as a the catalyst for regeneration in the area in the period up to 2011.. The Lotus Way spine road north of “Brooklands and Grasslands” provides an alternative and more convenient vehicular route to most properties in the area and Tower Caravan Park. The Guinness Trust development of 40 homes associated with Lotus Way was built for local residents only in order to free up some of the more sub-standard housing stock in the area for redevelopment.

8.10 To encourage employment in Jaywick by assisting small, local businesses and start-ups, the Jaywick Enterprise Centre at the eastern end of Lotus Way, consisting of eight small business and industrial units, has been set up by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).

8.11 As part of the Council’s Regeneration Strategy for Jaywick, further road improvements are proposed in Brooklands “Village” areas of Jaywick and the progressive upgrading of the remaining sub-standard housing. In addition, development control policies in this Chapter aim to progressively improve the environment of the area and reduce the development density.

Achieving Economic Success and Protecting Existing Employment Areas

8.12 The majority of employment land allocated for business and industry in the Local Plan adopted in 1998 was in and around Clacton and Harwich. However, unlike Harwich, where the take-up rate was low, much of the allocated area on the edge of Clacton was developed during that Plan Period, a notable contribution being the development of the Clacton Factory Shopping Village.

8.13 The Oakwood and Crusader Business Parks and Gorse Lane Industrial Estate, on the northern periphery of Clacton, form two of Tendring’s largest principal employment areas. To contribute to the district’s employment land target of around 100 101 hectares before 2011, land is allocated in Policy ER1 to further extend these principal areas.

8.14 To help address a district employment land shortfall, the Council produced a planning brief in 1997 for a large area of land north of the Oakwood Business Park for consultation purposes seeking the special release of land as an exception to Local Plan policy. However, a subsequent Employment Land Supply Review commissioned by the Council identified other suitable employment sites in the Clacton area and recommended that only part of this large site be allocated in the Plan Period up to 2011. Accordingly, this Plan allocates 7.6 hectares of land north of the Oakwood Business Park for employment use as the first phase of a longer-term expansion.

8.15 In addition to the above site, around 4 hectares of land south of Centenary Way, to the south west of the Oakwood Business Park is also allocated for employment in this Plan. This site lies immediately to the rear of residential properties and a landscape buffer strip will be required on the southern boundary of the site to mitigate any detrimental affect on residential amenity in that area.

8.16 Also allocated are a number of smaller undeveloped plots in and around the Gorse Lane Industrial Estate and Oakwood Business Park. Many of these plots were allocated for employment use in the 1998 adopted Local Plan but did not come forward for development during that Plan Period. The Employment Land Supply Review recommended that they were still suitable for employment allocation however, and therefore they have been carried forward into this Plan. Another employment land allocation carried forward from the last Local Plan is for a 0.2-hectare plot in Kennedy Way on the Valleybridge Road Industrial Estate.

8.17 There are a number of other important business and industrial areas in the town including Ford Road, Valleybridge Road and Oxford Road Industrial Estates which have existed for many years and have met the changing needs of businesses such as the growth in the service and non-food sectors. All areas safeguarded for employment purposes under Policy ER3 of this Plan are shown on the Proposals Map Insets.

Offices

8.18 As Clacton grows, there will be an increasing demand for office developments of various kinds to provide accommodation for a range of public and private professional and other services. Policy ER9 of this Plan supports, in principle, office development within Strategically, the most suitable location in Clacton for such uses is within the Clacton town centre as defined on Proposals Map Inset 1a, in line with the Government Guidance in PPS6.and employment areas. Some offices require modern ground floor accommodation with off-site parking, whilst other uses can operate from first floors or secondary locations.

8.19 The Town Centre Strategy report identifiesd a number of locations within and around the town centre that are considered particularly suitable for office development and change of use to offices. Policy CL1 encourages office development in both These include existing principal office areas in parts of Station Road, Jackson Road and Carnarvon Road and Rosemary Road West. and those sites where new office development is considered appropriate, including within In addition, it is considered that office development can be provided as an element of mixed-use development on the NCP Car Park site, Jackson Road, the Warwick Castle site, Pier Avenue/Old Road and the TDC Car Park, Carnarvon Road/High Street.allocations. These areas are shown on Proposals Map Inset 1a.

8.20 Potential changes of use from residential to small scale office type businesses within the town centre will be considered on their individual merits, having regard to all relevant policies of this Local Plan. This would include the suitability of the area for the use envisaged, the physical capacity of any property to provide for its effective conversion to business use, and the amenities of local residents.

Leisure and Tourism

8.21 Tourism remains a vital part of the Clacton economy, although changing holiday trends have led to a decline in long stay holidays but an increase in short breaks and day visits. Clacton has been identified as a Priority Area for Coastal Tourism in Policy LRT11 of the Replacement Structure Plan; recognising the role and potential of tourism to contribute to economic regeneration, protecting and upgrading existing leisure and tourism facilities and encouraging new development to strengthen and diversify the town’s attractiveness.

8.22 The Urban Area’s main tourist facilities are the beaches, the Pier, seafront gardens, and amusements along with other facilities adjoining the town centre. Tourist accommodation is found in the form of hotels, guesthouses and holiday flats, and caravan and chalet parks. There will be several elements in the future planning of leisure and tourism facilities in the area including: -

Redeveloping the Pavilion Site by the Pier

8.23 The Clacton Pavilion, originally built in 1935, is a building in urgent need of redevelopment due to its poor structural condition. From a development potential point of view it has an excellent location at Pier Gap within the Conservation Area, where there is a high volume of pedestrian traffic to and from the beach and the pier. A high standard of design will be essential in such a prominent position.

8.24 In 2003, the site was granted planning permission for the refurbishment of the existing pavilion building, provision of a new promenade at Marine Parade level, public toilet facilities, bowling alley, catering facilities and retail and leisure facilities.

Defending the Coastline

8.25 The coast and in particular the beaches provide one of the urban area’s most valued assets for both residents and tourists alike however, they are being eroded away, which is in-turn undermining the strength and condition of the sea walls and promenades. A serious need has been identified for the replacement of the coastal defences at Clacton and Holland and a scheme has been approved to provide improved defences.

8.26 The scheme as presently proposed is based on an extensive series of studies and surveys. As shown in Diagram 5, it proposes to establish a series of 13 low crested offshore breakwaters across the Clacton frontage, and to recharge the beaches with imported sand in order to maintain a significant depth of beach against the sea wall. The breakwaters and recharged beaches will absorb wave energy and so prevent the sea wall from being undermined. The effect of this work will be to alter the coastal landscape considerably. Similar work has already proved successful on the Jaywick coast.

8.27 The system of timber groynes and concrete breakwaters will be removed and beach levels will be considerably higher creating large expanses of open sandy beach at all states of the tide. This work could well create opportunities for sheltered summer boat moorings or launching facilities.

8.28 Phase 1 has begun at Holland on Sea, where the existing beaches are at their lowest and will consist of just over one kilometre of new beaches and three offshore breakwaters whilst the second and third phases are less urgent and will be carried out over a 20 year period. The areas covered by the three phases are shown in Diagram 5.

Enhancing the Seafront for Tourism Purposes

8.29 Improving the quality and stability of the town’s beaches and promenades is an important element in a wider strategy to promote the development of seaside tourism in the area. The facilities provided along the seafront for tourism use, including seafront kiosks and shelters, are a fundamental feature of the area’s character and popularity. If the necessary financial resources are made available, seafront kiosks and other buildings could be remodelled or replaced with a unifying design theme throughout the entire length of the seafront - particularly between the pier and Martello Bay.

8.30 The 1998 Adopted Local Plan allocated an area east of the Martello Bay housing development for a mixed-use water-sports centre. This area now contains facilities for Coach and visitor parking, a launching ramp, a restaurant/pub and a coastguard station. The remaining vacant areas as shown on Diagram 6 either side of the coastguard station, currently used for overflow car parking, could be developed for leisure and/or tourist related uses.

8.31 New development in this area would boost the tourism potential of Martello Bay, taking advantage of undeveloped land and could include some ancillary retailing to meet local shopping needs. The Council is aware of the intention of has granted planning permission for the R.N.L.I. to relocate their lifeboats from the pier and on the west beach to one site at Martello Bay. Should local economic circumstances justify it, Pproposals for the Martello Bay (outlined in Diagram 6) Watersports Centre could include a hotel including a site considered appropriate for the R.N.L.I. proposal are outlined in Diagram 6. The Martello Tower is an important Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) in need of refurbishment. Any proposals for the further use of the tower will need to be considered carefully to ensure that the structure is safeguarded.

DIAGRAM 5: COAST PROTECTION SCHEME - STRATEGY PLAN CLACTON-ON-SEA

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Existing Caravan and Chalet Parks

8.32 Policies ER18, ER19 and ER23 of this Plan deal with the need to safeguard the sites of existing caravan and chalet parks in principle, to seek improvements to facilities wherever appropriate, and to encourage some provision of touring caravan and tent pitches.

8.33 In and around the Clacton-on-Sea and Jaywick Urban Area, there are a number of existing caravan and chalet sites that are an important element of the district’s holiday industry. These are: -

• Highfield Holiday Park, London Road

• Valley Farm Caravan Park, Valley Road

• Sackett’s Grove Caravan Park, Jaywick Lane, Jaywick

• Tower Caravan Park, Jaywick

• Chester Camp/Silver Dawn, Jaywick Lane

8.34 These safeguarded sites are shown on the Proposals Map Insets 1 and 1b. Valley Farm and Highfield are particularly important large sites offering a good range of on-site facilities. The Tower Caravan Park is proposed to be extended. This will ensure the site layout can be improved and the setting of the Martello Tower is considerably improved by the relocating of caravans.

Serviced Tourist Accommodation

8.35 Both nationally and locally, the demand for serviced tourist accommodation on the coast has been declining over a number of years. This has been reflected in a loss of much of the area’s hotel accommodation to alternative uses. Policy ER24 therefore, seeks to safeguard the remaining small stock of hotels and guesthouses in the centres of the district’s coastal resorts including Clacton. The extent of the safeguarded area is shown on Proposals Map Inset 1a.

8.36 Proposals for new hotels, guesthouses and holiday flats, in accordance with Policy ER25, are encouraged in areas of mixed commercial and residential accommodation in Clacton town centre and along the seafront.

Amusement Centres

8.37 Amusement Centres and related facilities currently occupy the southern section of Pier Avenue between West Avenue and Marine Parade, the Pier and the Pavilion. These areas provide a natural focus for holidaymakers and day-trippers to Clacton and it is considered that the convenience achieved through the concentration of amusement facilities in a core area for holidaymakers to enjoy them should be maintained.

8.38 Moreover, because of the nature of amusement centres, which are often noisy, and the fact that large areas of the Town Centre remain basically residential in character, it is not considered appropriate to allow the establishment of such activities elsewhere within the Town Centre in the interests of local amenities.

DIAGRAM 6: WATERSPORTS CENTRE, MARTELLO BAY, CLACTON

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8.39 It is considered that Clacton Pier, the Pavilion site and the southern section of Pier Avenue provide ample opportunity for the development of additional intensive leisure facilities, without the need to extend such activities further along the sea front.

8.40 Probably the resort’s best known feature dominating the seafront is the Pier, which contains a number of tourist attractions including amusements, rides, shops and an aquarium. The Council would support sympathetic enhancements to the Pier for tourism purposes to provide a range of leisure facilities and improved attractions.

Shopping and Town Centres

8.41 The Clacton-on-Sea and Jaywick Urban Area contains six defined centres. Clacton Town Centre is categorised as a “Major Town Centre” in the strategic hierarchy in Policy TCR1 of the Structure Plan and reinforced in Policy ER31 of this Plan. Great Clacton, Holland-on-Sea and Old Road, Clacton are defined as “District Centres”. The remaining “Local Centres” are Broadway in Jaywick and Bockings Elm, Clacton.

Clacton Town Centre

8.42 Clacton Town Centre contains the largest primary shopping area centre within the District. The town centre health checks commissioned by the Council stated that Clacton appears to be in a relatively good state of health when measured against the relevant indicators. This appears to be the result of concerted efforts by public and private sector bodies who have invested in the town. However, the health check report stated that in order to retain and improve this position, much effort is required, particularly in the face of competition from other centres such as Colchester.

8.43 There is still scope within the Town Centre to achieve more efficient use of floorspace by the extension and alteration of the existing building stock. Although the awkward shape and small size of the street blocks which form the core of the Town Centre, limits the development opportunities, the Town Centre Strategy however identified a number of sites within the primary shopping area that could potentially provide more retail space.

8.44 Any development on the NCP car park site in Jackson Road must ensure that there will be no net loss of car parking spaces.

8.45 Elsewhere, in accordance with Policy ER33, including other parts of Clacton town centre, changes of use from shop to non-shopping uses within Use Classes A2 and A3 will generally be encouraged. Areas on the fringe of the defined town centre may well provide suitable locations for further service or storage uses, in addition to the large number of non-retail services already established in Primary Shopping Frontages.

8.46 The resort role of the town generates a demand for catering establishments near the beach and town centre. These can often complement shops that require a secondary position. The Town Centre Strategy report identified the potential for a specialist shop/cafÆ area between High Street, Colne Road and Pallister Road. The streets in this area, as shown on Proposals Map Inset 1a, are well placed to fulfil this function and the accommodation is suitable for catering and small shops.

8.47 Amusement centres have traditionally dominated the southern part of Pier Avenue. However, recent years have experienced a decline in this type of use and some units have remained vacant. Therefore, this Plan allows for greater diversification within this part of Pier Avenue and additional retail as well as food and drink uses will be encouraged along with amusements. This area is shown on the Proposals Map Inset.

8.48 The Waterglade Centre lies within walking distance of Clacton’s main primary shopping area and currently contains a Safeway Morrisons superstore, Iceland food store and four non-food retail warehouse units as well as parking for approximately 550 cars. This Centre has become well established in the central Clacton area and serves a useful adjunct to the main shopping area, in terms of additional retail offer and car park provision.

8.49 Whilst the Waterglade Centre is physically separated from the central retailing primary shopping area by housing, it performs an anchor role to the western part of the Town Centre and there is strong evidence of linked trips between the two. Therefore, the Council considers that the Waterglade Centre should be recognised as a complementary part of the town centre in shopping policy terms and accordingly it is included, along with Rosemary Road West, within the defined town centre. It is considered that Rosemary Road West, currently consisting of mainly residential properties, could in time form an extension of the town centre towards Waterglade with the introduction of pedestrian priority measures.

8.50 The District-Wide Retail Study for Tendring (updated in 2003) identifies a need for non-food bulky goods floorspace in the Clacton area up to 2011. Accordingly,pPolicy CL10 allocates the area north of the existing Waterglade Centre car park comprising the gas holders and reservoir as being suitable for mixed-use comprising non-food bulky comparison retail goods and leisure use. The existing uses are expected to become redundant within the Plan Period and retail development on this site could comprise a retail warehouse format suitable for accommodating non-food bulky goods. The development of the site for non-bulky comparison goods shopping floorspace may be acceptable subject, at the planning application stage, to the application of a sequential assessment required by Policy ER31 of this plan and the impact on the highway network and on the vitality and viability of the rest of the town centre. Development could also take the form of a mixed-use retail/leisure scheme to supply the town centre’s “evening economy”.

Old Road Shopping Centre

8.51 Old Road District shopping centre lies to the north of the town and leads on from the end of Pier Avenue. The 1998 health check report concluded that the centre has moderate state of health. This report also identified a significant opportunity for mixed-use development on the Warwick Castle site at the southern end of the centre, which is currently used as an open market.

8.52 As the Old Road centre already contains a Co-op supermarket and the recently constructed Lidl store, the Warwick Castle site is allocated specifically for non-food retail use. This approach was supported by a planning inspector at an appeal made by another food store operator for the development of the Warwick Castle site in 2002.

8.53 To provide for additional employment opportunity in the central Clacton area, it is also intended that the Warwick Castle Market site, at the junction of Old Road and Pier Avenue, accommodates a mixed form of development, which should include an element of general office floorspace. The office space could be provided at first floor level above the retail use. This site currently has the benefit of planning permission for non food retail/office redevelopment subject to a section 106 agreement.

8.54 The Warwick Castle site currently contains a popular weekly open-air market. The Council supports the retention of this market within central Clacton and has identified a potential new location in the southern parts of Pier Avenue and West Avenue as part of a pedestrian priority scheme recommended by the Town Centre Strategy report.

8.55 The more peripheral part of the Old Road centre has less of a retail presence and has suffered from a large number of vacant units. Within this area, greater diversification of use including the introduction of offices and residential use will be encouraged.

Clacton Factory Shopping Village

8.56 The Clacton Factory Shopping Village opened in December 1998. The Factory Shopping Village sells a variety of adult fashion clothing, footwear and other shopping facilities provided direct from the manufacturers at discount prices. This has improved the retail offer of Clacton as a shopping centre. Because of the special circumstances concerning the development of the Factory Shopping Village, which lies in an out-of-centre location, the range of goods sold from the centre is are restricted.

8.57 The Factory Shopping Village is also a popular tourist attraction and is visited by customers from both outside and within the District. Although this centre competes with the shopping offer within the town centre, it is linked by a current shuttle bus service which travels between the two. The Factory Shopping Village functions as a separate centre from the town centre and any future proposals for further restricted factory outlet retail development in this location should be the subject of a sequential test assessment referred to in Policy ER31 of this Plan.

8.58 Whilst the Factory Shopping Village is a useful addition to the variety of shopping facilities in the Clacton area, it is not considered to be an appropriate location for unrestricted Class A1 retail development and the Council will not permit such proposals here.

Out-of-Centre Brook Retail Park Development

8.59 In 2001, planning permission was granted on appeal for a large non-food bulky goods retail warehouse park at Brook Farm north of Clacton between the A133 and London Road. In addition to retail floorspace, the proposal includes a new country park on the northern part of the site and other ancillary development comprising fast food outlets and a petrol filling station. Subsequently, in March 2004, the Council resolved to grant planning permission for revised proposals on the Brook Farm site to allow for the construction of a 6,810 sqm food superstore subject to a reference to the Regional Office and concluding a Section 106 Legal Agreement with the applicants. The store would displace 5.576 sqm of the previously approved non-food floorspace.

8.60 If implemented in full, this latest Brook Retail Park, recently developed on land north of Clacton between the A133 and London Road,, development will has

accommodated approximately 50% of the non- food bulky goods retail shopping floorspace need for the catchment area for the period up to 2006 and all of the convenience floorspace need up to 2011. It would also be capable of The development will enable the town to clawing back a proportion of shopping trade which currently has takens place outside of the District in recent years, principally in Colchester.

8.61 The overall effect of the implementation of the non-food bulky goods element of the Brook Farm proposal will has been to postpone the need and justification for further bulky goods floorspace in the Clacton area until the latter part of the Plan period. This approach is intended to secure the development of the identified sites within and on the edge of Clacton town centre, in particular on the site north of the Waterglade Centre allocated for non-food retail and leisure development in Policy CL10.

8.62 In protecting the area of the proposed Country Park, the Council will restrict the site area for retail development on the Brook Farm site to 5.4 hectares shown on Proposals Map Inset 1.

8.63 In the interest of protecting the vitality and viability of existing shopping centres in the Clacton catchment area, the Council through Policy CL13 will confine the sale of convenience goods on the Brook Farm site to the 6,810 sqm of floorspace of the proposed food superstore. For the same reason, the sale of non-food bulky goods will be confined to 6,040 sqm and the subdivision of retail units that create units of less than 1,000 sqm will not be allowed.

8.64 Regarding convenience goods stores including supermarkets and food superstores, the proposed new Brook Park superstore, and the existing Safeway Morrisons stores at the Waterglade Centre and Centenary Way coupled with other existing outlets; Somerfield (town centre and Gt. Clacton), Fiveways and Co-op, Iceland and Lidl supermarkets provide for adequate provision for food shopping to meet future needs of the catchment area to 2011. Therefore, the Plan does not make further specific allocations for additional out-of-centre comparison or convenience floorspace. New The appropriate location for significant new retail provision are the town centres. Such proposals will be judged on their merits against Policies ER31 and ER32 and any other relevant policies of this Plan.

Forecourt Trading and Markets

8.65 Notwithstanding the general guidance provided by Policy ER40 in this Plan, the Council considers that the establishment of additional forecourt trading within the Town Centre’s main shopping area would in general be detrimental to visual amenity and pedestrian safety. The existing significant amount of forecourt trading fronting commercial premises in the Town Centre narrows available pavement widths for pedestrians in one-way streets which are becoming increasingly busy with traffic. In addition, further forecourt trading would do nothing to improve the general appearance of the Town Centre shopping environment, resulting in pavement clutter.

8.66 Pedestrian priority proposals for the town centre recommended in the Town Centre Strategy and supported in this Plan, when implemented, would provide an alternative site for the Warwick Castle open market which will need to move once the existing site in Old Road has been redeveloped. Any proposals to relocate the market will be subject to Policy ER39 of this Plan.

Sustainable and Affordable Housing

A Sequential and Sustainable Approach

8.67 The Clacton-on-Sea urban area, in terms of the Adopted Replacement Structure Plan, is defined as a “large urban area” with a resident population of almost 56,000 (2001 Census), including Holland-on-Sea and Jaywick. It is both the largest urban area in the District and, whilst subject to some environmental constraints, is the least environmentally constrained of the District’s coastal towns.

8.68 Reflecting PPG3 “Housing”, the Plan seeks to meet as much of the District’s housing requirement as possible within settlements, including Clacton-on-Sea, on suitable previously developed sites accessible to facilities and at appropriate densities making efficient use of urban land. In accordance with the Plan’s Spatial Strategy described in core Policy QL1, the sequential approach of PPG3 “Housing” and Adopted Replacement Structure Plan Policy H2, most new housing will be concentrated in the “large urban areas” of Clacton and Harwich as set out in Table 1 to Policy HG1. This includes urban extensions to Clacton and Harwich as insufficient suitable and available previously developed land is likely to come forward in the Plan Period in the District’s settlements to meet the Structure Plan housing requirement for the District.

8.69 Potential housing allocation sites were assessed sequentially against a range of PPG3 sustainability criteria. As a result, sufficient suitable urban extension sites for housing have been identified on the edges of Clacton and Harwich such that proposed expansion of smaller towns with more limited accessibility to employment, choice of sustainable means of transport, shops and other facilities and services, has not been necessary.

8.70 A combination of rolled forward large site commitments that accord with this Plan (Appendix 1) and allocated large sites (Appendix 2) should provide almost some 900 1,600 dwellings on 17 21 identified large sites within or adjoining Clacton-on-Sea urban area up to 2011, (see Table 1). These sites are generally well located in relation to public transport corridors, including the 5 proposed new urban extension sites on the north-west edge of Clacton that should is capable of delivering nearly 400 nearly 1,100 new dwellings in the second half of the Plan Period.

8.70a Located within an Urban Regeneration Area, it is proposed that the urban extension to Clacton takes the form of a mixed-use allocation that will contribute positively towards the wider regeneration of the area. Notably, the development will include a purpose built health centre to address a shortage of health care provision in an area identified by the Tendring Primary Healthcare Trust as a priority for improvement. In addition, the scheme will incorporate small-scale convenience retail uses and other community facilities to meet local needs plus open space. To enable the area to be developed in a comprehensive manner, a Development Brief will be prepared.

8.71 In addition a substantial number of small windfall housing sites, residential conversions and possibly a few larger windfall sites on previously developed urban land will continue to come forward for consideration through the development control process. The scale of new housing provision locally in Clacton-on-Sea should therefore make an important contribution to meeting the District’s housing provision requirement in a sustainable way well related to employment, shopping, educational and other community facilities, which are easily accessible by a choice of means of transport.

8.72 Residential development of land in the curtilage and in proximity to the Grade II* listed Cann Hall will be required to be in accordance with the Adopted Design Brief for this site. This Design Brief was subject to extensive Public Consultation and involved inputs from the County Council and English Heritage. This is reflected in the indicative dwelling capacity for the site in Appendix 2.

Affordable Housing

8.73 In accordance with Policy HG4, housing schemes of 15 or more dwellings will be expected to provide a substantial element of genuinely affordable housing, normally for rent from a registered social landlord, to meet local housing needs. This will apply to both large allocated and windfall sites that emerge within Clacton-on-Sea. Affordable housing site targets are set out for allocated sites in Appendix 2, in accordance with PPG3 “Housing”, as a basis for negotiation with the developer.

Dwelling Sub-Division

8.74 It is important to maintain a range of residential accommodation within the town. This is particularly important in the areas of older housing surrounding the town centre, conveniently located for town centre services, and in terraced streets off St. Osyth Road. Many older properties in these areas comprise a useful stock of smaller, more affordable homes for small families and small households, although often without off-street parking facilities. There have been applications for flat conversions of the larger, and in some instances among the smaller properties. It is important that these areas of smaller, cheaper dwellings are retained to meet the needs of smaller households and first time buyers and do not cater for development that would intensify parking problems. Proposals to sub- divide dwellings will be considered with these points in mind and will also have particular regard to Policy HG10.

Regeneration and Development in Jaywick

8.75 Jaywick was originally built as a seaside resort for Londoners in the 1930’s with small chalets built on private unadopted roads running at right angles to the sea. Over many years, the occupation of the older part of the area has switched progressively from holiday to permanent residential use, but without the benefit of the services and facilities that would go with planned development today. In Jaywick there are two distinct areas of housing development for which the Council has introduced specific development control policies.

8.75a The Council’s corporate approach is to support the people of Jaywick to maintain a cohesive and viable community where they can safely live and enjoy a wider range of services than presently provided. The parts of Jaywick most in need of regenerative effort are the Brooklands, Grasslands and Village areas, and to date, a number of major projects have been completed here in partnership with other organisations. Recent examples include the construction of the Jaywick Community Resource Centre, the Lotus Way Spine Road, the Jaywick Enterprise Centre and 40 new homes.

8.75b Located within an Urban Regeneration Area, the Council, in partnership with other organisations and stakeholders is working to bring about additional investment for social, economic, transportation and infrastructure improvements in Jaywick. A positive approach to bring about the regeneration of Jaywick is the establishment of a Masterplan. This will provide the stimulus for ’step-change’ improvements and a positive vision for developing a comprehensive programme of measures aimed at bringing about the managed regeneration, redevelopment and upgrading of the area. The Masterplan will be the subject of public consultation and community engagement and will influence how Local Plan policies might best be fashioned to produce the benefits and quality living environment people have aspirations to achieve.

8.75c In 2003, the Rural Community Council of Essex worked with the residents of Jaywick to produce the “Jaywick Community Plan”. That Plan sets out what the Jaywick community wants for the future of the area. It will help inform the preparation of the Jaywick Masterplan. ‘Step-change’ improvements will require a positive vision for the area with all stakeholders working together.

8.76 The original Brooklands, Grasslands and Village areas defined on Proposals Map Inset 1b, were was originally developed for holiday purposes in the 1930’s with plots for chalets measuring as small as 6 metres (20 Feet) x 15.2 metres (50 Feet) off 2.4 Metres (8 Feet) wide unmade concrete roads located at right angles to the seafront. The residential density throughout the area typically varies between 60 and 100 dwellings per hectare. In addition, this part of Jaywick lies within an area of high flood risk. The Environment Agency warn that the consequences of climate change and any subsequent flooding could be severe, particularly given that many existing dwellings are substandard and single storey.

8.76b To both reduce the density of development in an area vulnerable to flooding and at the same time raise the standard of design and safety, the Council will encourage the redevelopment of the existing sub-standard housing stock in accordance with the criteria of Policy CL15. The Council considers the most appropriate form of redevelopment to be 3-storey structures containing no living accomodation on the ground floor, erected on a minimum plot size of 225 sqm . The ground floor of new dwellings can incorporate off-street car parking and utility rooms etc.In areas of Aflood risk, an assessment shall will need to be carried out before any application is made in accordance with Policy QL3 for any development proposal and the advice of the Environment Agency in this regard will be an important material consideration.

8.77 Between Meadow Way and Broadway there is a more mixed area of housing comprising mainly chalets and bungalows on publicly adopted roads where development is still at quite high densities.

8.78 To ensure that new buildings at Brooklands and Grasslands are constructed to the best possible space standards, within the constraints set by the layout of roads and plots, development control standards will be applied. Their aim is to achieve an improved standard of accommodation by allowing new dwellings or redevelopment, preferably on combined plots, for permanent occupation.

8.79 In areas of flood risk, an assessment shall be carried out in accordance with Policy QL3. With Brooklands and Grasslands being such an area, it is considered appropriate in terms of safety not to allow any further single storey development in the area.

8.79a The Jaywick Masterplan will enable the Council, using both public and private funding to adopt a pro-active approach to the application of Policies CL15 and CL15a to bring about the phased redevelopment of sub-standard housing in this high flood risk area, and generally improve the quality of the environment including the highway network, roads, footpaths and cycle routes. To enable this redevelopment to begin within this Plan period, a number of sites in the Jaywick area, as identified on Inset Map 1b are exceptionally allocated for private residential and mixed-use development through Policy CL15a below. Development on these additional sites will help bring about the regeneration of Jaywick both financially, through developer contributions towards the assembly of viable redevelopment plots, but also by introducing new standards of design and safety.

8.79bPPG25, the Government’s Planning Policy Guidance on Planning and Flood Risk, which promotes a sequential approach to the location of residential development, seeks to direct new housing development towards areas at the lowest possible risk of flooding. The Council’s proposals for Jaywick would result in a net decrease in the number of households exposed to the threat of flooding and therefore helps to achieve the objectives of the Guidance. The Environment Agency is supportive of the Council’s desire to bring about improvements and reduce the level of flood risk, provided that the redevelopment does not generate an increase in the population of the area.

8.79c The exceptional nature of redevelopment in Jaywick does not have a bearing on general housing provision in the District and therefore does not feature as an item in Appendix 2 of this Plan.

8.79d In accordance with the exceptional nature of the proposals for development at Jaywick, the Council will set aside the normal range of infrastructure investment required from developers by way of Section 106 legal agreements. This is an exceptional area which requires new thinking. Therefore a tariff will be levied on each new residential unit built both within the existing Brooklands, Grasslands and Village area and on the additional new sites allocated in Policy CL15a to be invested specifically in a regeneration fund to provide the means to finance continuing improvement in a managed way. The precise level of tariff will be determined in accordance with the parallel work undertaken on the Masterplan.

8.80 In the intervening period until the regeneration of Jaywick is substantially completed, Policy CL16 will remain in place. The whole of the Brooklands, and Grasslands and Village area , together with the area bounded by Meadow Way and Broadway is the subject of an existing Article 4 Direction under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order. The Direction requires planning permission to be obtained for any enlargement, alteration or other improvements to dwellings including extensions, porches or the placing of structures in gardens. Normally such works are exempt from the need for permission but because the buildings in Jaywick are already so close together, the Council decided in 1978 to impose the direction to protect the amenities of local residents and to strictly control the appearance of the areas.

8.81 It is already normal the policy of the Council District Planning Authority to resist certain other types of development to which the Jaywick area has proved to be vulnerable in the past. These include the stationing of caravans on vacant plots, the sale of goods from forecourts or the use of open land for business purposes. Such activities are clearly out of character and incompatible with the protection of residential amenities particularly in such a high-density area.

8.82 The residents of Jaywick are currently working with the Rural Community Council of Essex to produce a consultation “Jaywick Community Plan”. This Plan will incorporate a “Village Design Statement” that, if adopted, will be used as SPG providing design guidance to inform planning decisions in Jaywick.

Safer and Healthier Communities

8.83 Clacton-on-Sea has the most extensive range of community services and facilities in the District. Many respondents to the Issues Report in 2000 highlighted the importance of community facilities and access to services as essential to community well-being.

Residential Institutional Purposes

8.84 Clacton had witnessed substantial changes of use of properties from residential or holiday uses to institutional use prior to the adoption of a Control of Institutional Uses Policy in the 1998 Adopted Local Plan; much to the detriment of the character of the town centre and seafront. This Policy of control is carried forward into this Plan so within the Control of Institutional Uses Area as defined on Proposals Map Inset 1 and 1a, changes of use to institutional use are not allowed under Policy COM5.

8.85 In a change from the Adopted Local Plan, the Control of Institutional Uses Area has been extended eastwards to include the Gardens Area of Special Character, where it is considered that Institutional Uses could be harmful to the character of the area.

Recreation and Open Space

8.86 The Council hasve recently undertaken a comprehensive assessment of the quality and quantity of public open space across the district. When measured against the National Playing Field Association (NPFA) standards, the district was found to be deficient in virtually all types of public open space and it was found that the quality of existing facilities also need to be improved. In order to redress these concerns, new policies have been introduced to help redress this imbalance and the following sites have been identified as new areas of public open space to be safeguarded and brought into public use as and when sufficient funds becoame available through applying Policy COM6. The proposals in question are:

(i) To extend the Pickers Ditch Walkway along the northern edge of the Cann Hall development, and eastwards from Sladbury’s Lane to Holland Haven. Additionally to link the walkway with an existing public footpath connecting to Little Clacton Road; and

(ii) To provide a new area of public open space in Brooklands and Grasslands at Jaywick.

8.87 Both of these areas are shown on the Proposals Map Insets as well as all areas of open space safeguarded under Policy COM7 and COM7a of this Plan.

Country Parks

8.88 As part of the Brook Park proposal north of Clacton, a 14-hectare Country Park is proposed north of the retail development. This, along with Holland Haven Country Park are allocated and safeguarded respectively in Policy COM13 of this Plan.

Provision of Healthcare and Education

8.89 In July 2000, the Government published the NHS Plan. This is a 10-year plan for reforming and modernising the NHS. The Plan identified that a key constraint to the development of services was the lack of modern purpose-built premises. Accordingly, Tendring Primary Healthcare Trust is intending to improve doctors’ practice facilities in north Clacton and Holland by centralising them in new purpose built premises funded under the government’s private finance initiative for health. Any proposal for such facility will need to be in accordance with Policy COM24 of this Plan. In addition, the allocation of land at north-west Clacton for residential and mixed-use development makes provision for a new health centre through Policy HG14a.

8.90 Clacton now has three secondary schools with the recent addition of Bishops Park College, Jaywick Lane. Each of these schools are undergoing major expansion and upgrading of educational facilities financed partly through a private funding initiative. Proposals include a permanent 900 place school building at Bishops Park and improved teaching, sports and library facilities at Colbayns High School and Clacton County High.

Sustaining Our Environment

Local Green Gaps

8.91 Local Green Gaps, as shown on the Proposals Map Insets, are designed to maintain separation between areas of distinctive character. The open character of these areas is protected from harmful development under Policy EN2 of this Plan. This Policy also encourages the enhancement of public rights of way and existing leisure and recreational facilities.

8.92 Local Green Gaps are allocated between Seawick and Jaywick, between Jaywick and West Clacton, between North Clacton and Little Clacton, between Great Clacton and Holland-on-Sea and between Holland-on-Sea and Frinton in the east. The landscape of these areas is described in more detail in the Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) commissioned by the Council.

Sites Designated for their Nature Conservation, Geological or Other Scientific Value

8.93 Certain areas of land within the area have been identified by English Nature as SSSIs and by the Essex Wildlife Trust as SINCs including parts of Clacton Cliffs and Foreshore, Holland-on-Sea Cliff and Holland Haven Marshes. Policy EN11 seeks to safeguard these SSSIs and other important wildlife habitats from inappropriate development. LNRs have been delivered at Burrs Meadows and Holland Haven.

8.94 Coppin’s Hall Wood and Hartley Wood have been identified by English Nature as Ancient Woodlands which are also protected from inappropriate development by Policy EN8. All designated areas are shown on the Proposals Map Insets.

Historic Parks and Gardens

8.95 The Seafront Gardens are located in the centre of the resort, west of the Pier and provide one of the town’s most valued attractions. They were substantially upgraded in 1997 with financial assistance from the Heritage Lottery Fund; and in recognition of their historic value, they were included on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in 2002 as a Grade II site. Registered Parks and Gardens are protected from harmful development in Policy EN91 of this Plan.

Conservation Areas

8.96 Clacton has two Conservation Areas: Great Clacton and Clacton Seafront. The Great Clacton Conservation Area was designated in 1983 and it is particularly important locally as it contains thirteen Listed Buildings, including the Grade I St Johns Church which dates from the early 12th Century.

8.97 The particular historic character of the seafront and town centre has been recognised by the designation of the Clacton Seafront Conservation Area in 2001 stretching from the moated Martello Tower adjoining the hospital at the western end to the former Colchester Institute buildings at the eastern end. It includes the Pier, the seafront gardens and many surviving buildings fronting the seafront or in nearby side streets. The layout of this area dates from the development of Clacton as a resort at the end of the 19th century.

8.98 In addition to control over demolition of buildings, felling or lopping of trees and greater influence on the design of development, Conservation Area designation offers opportunities for schemes of enhancement to achieve visual improvements. Sites within these Conservation Areas that would benefit from such enhancement are highlighted in the Council’s draft Conservation Area Appraisals. These documents highlight the main features of the historic environment that both contribute and detract from the special character and when adopted, will be used as SPG when determining relevant planning applications.

8.99 Policies dealing with Conservation Areas are found in the Sustaining Our Environment Chapter of this Plan.

“The Gardens” Area of Special Character

8.100 The Gardens area off the seafront in east Clacton was laid out in the 1920’s and 1930’s as a low density residential area of high quality enhanced by 2.8 hectares of long formal gardens. It is important that the essentially Arcadian character of this area is preserved by ensuring that it remains an area of large detached houses on spacious plots in a well-landscaped setting. This Area of Special Character is identified on Proposals Map 1 and in Diagram 7.

8.101 SPG relating to this area was adopted in 1990 to provide detailed guidance for the future planning of the “Gardens Area” to supplement the Council’s Local Plan policies. This guidance will be a material consideration in the determination of planning applications within the Gardens Area.

Sustainable Transportation

8.102 Priorities for transport investment are contained within the Essex Local Transport Plan and the Tendring Transportation Strategy.

Supporting Public Transport

8.103 Throughout the Town Centre Strategy consultation period in 2002, one of the most popular requests from the public was that a bus station be reinstated somewhere within the town centre. At present, a number of bus stops in the centre of town drop passengers off directly on to the busy shopping streets causing congestion for motorists and an uncomfortable experience for public transport users. There is also a need for an interchange to allow buses to park/stack near to the railway station. The Council, with support of funding through the Local Transport Action Plan, propose a new bus and rail interchange on land fronting Carnarvon Road, west of the railway station.

8.104 The development envisaged on this site includes access from Oxford Road and egress to Carnarvon Road, a roundabout and a bus shelter where passengers can be dropped off to catch the train and vice versa. Integrated development of this kind is in accordance with government guidance in PPG13. It will reduce the demand for car parking provision, encourage people to use public transport and reduce reliance on the private car.

DIAGRAM 7: THE GARDENS, CLACTON AREA OF SPECIAL CHARACTER

[Click to see larger image in a pop-up window]

Pedestrian Priority and Traffic Management

8.105 The Town Centre Health Check for Clacton identified a conflict between traffic and pedestrians and the need for pedestrian priority measures. In response, the Town Centre Strategy report recommended a number of measures aimed at improving the shopping environment for pedestrians and easing congestion by improving traffic circulation around the town centre whilst creating a safe, pedestrian priority area in main shopping streets. Some traffic calming measures have already been introduced in the central section of Pier Avenue in an attempt to improve the safety of pedestrians.

8.106 The Town Centre Strategy report recommended improving the balance in favour of pedestrians as well as reconfiguring the inner traffic circulatory system to divert traffic away from the Primary Shopping Frontages. In order to achieve this, it is vital that a pedestrian priority scheme be introduced in the central and southern sections of Pier Avenue and at the junction of Pier Avenue, Station Road and West Avenue would further improve pedestrian accessibility.

8.107 In addition to the pedestrian priority measures put forward by the Town Centre Strategy report, the Council recognises the scope for pedestrian priority measures being introduced in Rosemary Road West. This would support longer-term expansion of the town centre and provide a strong pedestrian link between the main town centre and Waterglade.

8.108 In a tourist resort like Clacton-on-Sea the town centre is an important leisure facility that visitors as well as the resident population should enjoy. Therefore the District and County Councils, in conjunction with local interest groups such as the Chamber of Trade, need to provide improved amenities in accordance with the general traffic management and pedestrian priority proposals for the Town Centre.

8.109 These would need to be implemented in conjunction with a number of other policies aimed at protecting and enhancing the appearance of the existing principal shopping streets. Such improved amenities will include well designed and co-ordinated street furniture, improved toilets, seating, additional soft and hard landscaping and convenient facilities for the disabled.

8.110 Related to the improvements of accessibility, the report recommended the implementation of a small number of key environmental enhancement schemes. These include:

• the creation of a key “town square” as a focal point at the junction of Pier Avenue, Station Road and West Avenue;

• improving forecourts in Station Road and the introduction of a tree lined avenue boulevard between the Primary Shopping Frontage and the railway station;

• introducing landscaping schemes to the speciality shopping area east of the Primary Shopping Frontage;

• hard and soft landscaping to the central part of Pier Avenue;

• upgrading of shop fronts and canopies including the control of advertisements

• introducing quality street furniture; and

• Improving links between the Primary Shopping Frontage and the Waterglade Centre and Old Road.

8.111 Suitable off-street vehicular access and egress arrangements will be expected for town centre proposals wherever practicable. Such arrangements will not only be in the operational interests of business for loading or unloading goods and the convenience of visitors, but will be an important consideration in relation to pedestrian and highway safety.

Public Car Parking

8.112 It is important to retain the existing public and privately owned off-street car parks in the town centre, particularly as there the Town Centre Strategy Final Reportis identified only limited provision at present compared with other major seaside resorts. The continued viability and vitality of the town centre as a major shopping centre depends upon there being adequate and convenient car parking provision available.

8.113 The provision of more off-street car parking in the town centre is a desirable objective in principle. However, in the interests of other objectives such as pedestrian priority measures, it may not always be technically acceptable or desirable.

8.114 Policy TR8 of this Plan safeguards the public car parks shown on the Proposals Map Insets.

Clacton Airstrip

8.115 Fixed wing aircraft have operated from a grassed airstrip at West Road since 1958. This small airstrip is not subject to any land use safeguarding control zones of the kind imposed at larger airfields by the Civil Aviation Authority. Nevertheless, the presence of light aircraft may affect other land use proposals in the vicinity.

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