Southend-on-Sea City Local Plan

Policy L1 - Facilities for Tourism - Saved

Proposals to provide new visitor attractions or improve existing tourist facilities will be encouraged where they enhance the resort's ability to attract and cater for visitors, increase local employment opportunities and provide for environmental improvements.

Policy L2 - Central Seafront Area - Saved

Within the Central Seafront Area, as defined on the Proposals Map, the City Council will promote new leisure facilities and seek to introduce the following measures to improve its environment for visitors:

• the creation of a wide landscaped pedestrian concourse from the High Street to the loading jetty to include segregated facilities for cyclists;
• the provision of a more direct pedestrian route from Seaway Car Park to the promenades;
• improved rear servicing facilities for Marine Parade properties;
• protection and enhancement of the character of historic buildings in the area, including those within the Kursaal Conservation Area; and
• promotion of the redevelopment or refurbishment of other buildings, where appropriate.

Development proposals south of the seafront road will be considered where they are predominantly visitor orientated and contribute to the leisure and tourism facilities of the town, having regard in particular to their impact, if any, on the following:

• the tidal regime of the Thames Estuary;
• sites of value to Nature Conservation (see also Proposal P1a);
• the availability of visitor parking facilities, public beaches and moorings;
• the long-term future of the Pier (see also Policy L3);
• wider foreshore views;
• the environment of the Central Seafront Area itself; and
• the highway network.

A detailed environmental impact assessment will be required for any proposals likely to have significant environmental effects on the seafront or foreshore.

In addition, planning permission will not normally be granted for proposals involving the reduction or loss of leisure facilities or associated car parking, unless the proposal increases the resort's ability to attract and cater for visitors, and results in environmental improvement.

Policy Cross References : L3 Southend Pier (see below) and Proposal P1a (Southend Foreshore Local Nature Reserve).

Policy L3 - Southend Pier - Saved

Southend Pier will be retained over water as a traditional pleasure pier. In order to safeguard its future as a unique leisure facility for visitors to the town, development will be promoted at the pierhead, subject to the design of any building or structure being sympathetic with its designation as a Grade II Listed Building and subject to the need to retain access for sea anglers.

Policy L4 - Water Recreation - Saved

The provision of new and improved facilities for water recreation, including slipways, will be encouraged in appropriate locations where they do not reduce significantly the amount of beach available for public use or public accessibility to the foreshore, where adequate means of access can be provided and, outside the Central Seafront Area, where they do not restrict views of the foreshore from the promenade, beach or residential properties (see also Policy C16).

Policy Cross Reference : C16 Foreshore Views, page 34.

Policy L5 - Entertainment and The Arts - Saved

The City Council will encourage the retention and development of existing entertainment, cultural and arts facilities and the provision of new ones in support of local arts organisations - in particular by the establishment of a central community arts centre. Permission will not normally be given for proposals involving the loss of such facilities unless it can clearly be shown that these can no longer be justified or that improved alternative provision is available.

Policy L6 - Hotels and Guest Houses - Saved

Within the Central Seafront Area and those areas defined as Visitor Accommodation Areas on the Proposals Map, proposals for the establishment, extension or improvement of hotel and guest house accommodation will be encouraged subject to the requirements of Policy H5 and, within Conservation Areas, Policy C4.

Elsewhere permission may be granted where the following criteria can be met:

• the proposal is well related to the primary road network or the seafront promenades;
• the character and amenities of residential streets are unlikely to be adversely affected, having regard to the size of the proposal and the level of activity generated;
• conversion proposals involve properties which have a gross floor area of 160 square metres or more, in order to retain an adequate stock of single family dwelling houses, and to ensure the premises are suitable for the use;
• the requirements of Policies H3, H5 and E5 are complied with. In addition, where the proposal affects a property or site within a Conservation Area, the requirements of Policy C4 can be met.

In order to safeguard the stock of serviced accommodation in Southend and to ensure that the town remains attractive to visitors, the City Council will consider the need to prohibit future changes to a particular use or uses which would otherwise be permitted by virtue of the Use Classes Order. Where a proposal is considered to be for long-term residential accommodation, having regard to the guidelines in Appendix 5, it will be assessed in accordance with Policy H9.

Policy Cross References : C4 Conservation Areas, H3 Retention of Small Family Houses, H5 Residential Design and Layout Considerations, H9 Non Self-Contained Residential Accommodation, E5 Non-Residential Uses Located Close to Housing, and Appendix 5 Non-Residential Policy Guidance.

Policy L7 - Retention of Hotel And Guest House Uses - Saved

Development which would involve the loss of any form of hotel/guest house accommodation in the Central Seafront Area and in Visitor Accommodation Areas, as defined on the Proposals Map, and elsewhere in establishments of 20 or more bed spaces*, will not normally be permitted unless:

• there is an overriding need for the development which cannot be met elsewhere;
• the development will enhance the quality and viability of the hotel/guest house;
• there are overriding environmental reasons for the development.

Policy L8 - Self-Catering Accommodation - Not Saved

The provision of self-catering accommodation in purpose-built developments which may include ancillary communal leisure facilities will be encouraged within the Central Seafront Area. Elsewhere such proposals will be considered on their merits. The conversion of residential property to self-catering accommodation will not normally be permitted unless it is located within a Visitor Accommodation Area and it provides self-contained accommodation to an appropriate standard for use by visitors. The Council may also require an applicant to enter into a legal agreement to restrict the use.

Policy L9 - Caravan and Camping Accommodation - Saved

No additional permanent camping or caravan sites will be permitted within the City. In addition, the extension of the existing site at Shoebury East Beach may only be permitted if:

• the extended site is screened by substantial landscaping from any nearby residential property and public areas;
• the landscaping of the internal layout of the site provides a good standard of amenity for visitors;
• there is control of noise from the site;
• adequate parking space is maintained; and
• it is used only for non-residential caravans, and provision is made for touring caravans.

Policy L10 - Seafront Visitor Parking - Not Saved

The Council's adopted standards for car parking will normally apply to proposals for hotels, guest houses and seafront leisure development, in accordance with Policy T11. Within the Central Seafront Area and the Visitor Accommodation Areas, a relaxation of these standards will, however, be considered where proposals involve the conversion of existing premises and where they result in a desirable improvement of the resort's facilities for visitors, and, when leisure developments are involved, adequate alternative public parking is available close to the site.

Policy Cross Reference : T11 Parking Standards, page 155.