Development Plan Documents (DPD's)

As part of the new Statutory Development Plan for Southend-on-Sea, we are producing an Area Action Plan for the town centre. This is in accordance with our Core Strategy which, because of the significant challenges facing the town centre and opportunities for major change, identifies the need for the preparation of an Area Action Plan for the Town Centre (AAP). 

Southend Town Centre is a major retail, employment and commercial centre serving a catchment population of over 325,000 people. It lies at the heart of the Borough and its health and vitality are critical to the well being of the local economy. 

The regeneration of the town centre is a key objective for us as part of wider initiatives for the Thames Gateway, the Government's national and regional priority for regeneration and growth as set out in the existing and emerging Regional Spatial Strategy (draft East of England Plan). Improving the accessibility, amenity and attractiveness of the town centre will be key to achieving regeneration and delivering a renaissance of the town centre. 

At this initial stage of plan preparation, the Area Action Plan identifies 40 key issues affecting the town centre and puts forward possible options for how the town centre policy might respond to these. These are posed as questions and answers. 

Once adopted the Southend-on-Sea Town Centre Area Action Plan will provide a comprehensive planning policy framework for the town centre to guide all future development decisions to 2021. It will contain policies covering a range of key issues including shopping, housing, transport, design and the environment. It is therefore vitally important that key stakeholders and other interested parties make their views known at this initial stage of public consultation.

We are also publishing an independent Sustainability Appraisal. This uses as a set of social, economic and environmental criteria to assess the impact of the options put forward.