Planning Obligation - A Guide to Section 106 and Developer Contributions

Support

Representation ID: 309

Received: 05/01/2010

Respondent: Highways Agency

The Highways Agency strongly supports the production of the Developer Contributions Guidance Supplementary Planning Document The document should provide clear guidance to developers on expected levels of contribution and will help to ensure funding is available for infrastructure improvements necessary to support new development.

Comment

Representation ID: 310

Received: 05/01/2010

Respondent: Highways Agency

It should be noted that the Communities and Local Government (CLG) is currently investigating the possibility of introducing a Community Infrastructure Levy. The Highways Agency recommends that mechanisms should be put in place to ensure the Supplementary Planning Document can be updated in line with Government guidance as and when this is made available.

Comment

Representation ID: 311

Received: 05/01/2010

Respondent: Highways Agency

The Highways Agency welcomes proposals to pool contributions from a number of developments which share facilities in Southend-on-Sea. Paragraph 2.19 states that these contributions will be pooled towards wider projects. Whilst the Highways Agency is broadly supportive of this approach, in order to maximise sustainable travel it is recommended that a proportion of developer monies should be set aside to help fund local sustainable transport initiatives.

Comment

Representation ID: 312

Received: 05/01/2010

Respondent: Highways Agency

In general, the Highways Agency is supportive of sustainable transport initiatives in preference to costly highways improvements. Contributions towards highways improvements should only be considered following a full investigation of more sustainable alternatives. It is recommended that this preference is clarified in paragraph 2.20 in the Supplementary Planning Document as this will provide clear indication to developers that sustainable initiatives represent the preferred approach to mitigating
transport impacts. It is also recommended that for large developments, planning conditions should be attached detailing infrastructure which must be in place prior to occupation of the development in order to ensure impacts are successfully mitigated.

It is not clear how funding will be directed towards local sustainable transport improvements (public transport, cycling and walking), specifically those in Policy CP3 of the Core Strategy (Adopted December 2007). It is recommended that Policy CP3 of the Core Strategy should be cross-referenced in the DPD Document. This will help to ensure that sufficient funding is available to ensure the timely implementation of the sustainable transport improvements outlined in the Core Strategy.