West Mersea Neighbourhood Plan

(1) 3 Vision and Objectives

The West Mersea Vision

To maintain and enrich West Mersea as a vibrant and cohesive community ensuring new development will be both sustainable and improve life for ourselves without prejudicing lives for future generations. Support the local economy; provide high quality accommodation for all in our community while respecting the individual character of the town and protecting our natural environment.

Objectives

Housing

1. To ensure that new housing meets the needs of West Mersea.

2. To ensure new housing is available, appropriate and accessible to people of all ages and circumstances in order to maintain a balanced, cohesive and diverse population.

Open Space, Sport and Recreation

3. To preserve and promote open spaces and recreation.

4. To provide a balance between the different types of open space.

5. To make parks and open spaces accessible to a wider range of people.

6. To provide for more attractive communal areas for informal and formal recreation.

Traffic and Transport

7. To ensure that any proposed development provides footpath and cycleway links to the town, coastal and recreational areas to encourage residents to walk and cycle easing congestion, pollution and parking problems.

Business

8. To preserve the long-term viability of the harbour area for maritime, commercial and leisure activities.

9. To support the sustainable development of satisfactory, long-term employment on the island for Mersea residents.

Infrastructure and Services

10. To support maintenance and improvement of Water, Gas, Electricity, Broadband, Mobile Telephone, Waste Disposal and Recycling services, to provide satisfactory utility infrastructure, emphasising Mersea Island's unique situation.

11. To maintain the town centre's character and focal point for commerce and the community with its cafés, Community Centre and historical heritage.

Natural Environment and Landscape

12. To preserve and enhance existing wildlife corridors and ensure that any new development meets the NPPF requirements.

13. To protect and enhance the international, nationally and locally designated habitats in their own rights and from the impact of new development.

14. To protect and enhance the unique landscape of the island from inappropriate development.

Tourism

15. To ensure where tourism is encouraged it respects the character of the rural countryside, coastal character and natural habitat.

16. To support existing and new tourist facilities and leisure developments which benefit the island's economy and employment and are not contrary to the well-being of the island's residents.

Heritage

17. To conserve and enhance the town's many heritage assets and ensuring that any new development serves to makes a positive contribution to the existing historic environment.

Development Design

18. To preserve the Town Centre character, the Strood Causeway and Packing Marsh Island

19. To minimise the impact of new development on the environment.