Hailsham is a market town within the largely rural Wealden District in East Sussex. The town faces many of the challenges that typically confront rural towns – new development that fails to enrich the existing built heritage of the town, a lack of safe space for walking and cycling resulting in high car dependency, a lack of railway services, an under-provision of services and facilities, pockets of deprivation and an ageing population.
In response to continued proposed growth, and to address the associated challenges, Hailsham Town Council created a Neighbourhood Plan framed by the concept of Hailsham being a ’10-minute town’: a walking and cycling friendly town where all day-to-day services and facilities are in easy reach of home for everyone. The plan was formally made (adopted) in July 2021 and is used as part of the local development plan to assess planning applications in Hailsham.
Who and where?
Hailsham Town Council
Hailsham, East Sussex
Features and Principles highlighted
- A compelling vision, well communicated (Principle for success)
- Adopting policy (Principle for success)
The challenge
Hailsham is a market town dating back to the 12th century, lying within the largely rural Wealden District Council area. The town has experienced significant expansion since the Second World War and faces many of the challenges typically confronting rural towns, including new developments that have failed to enrich the existing built heritage of the town, a lack of safe space for walking and cycling resulting in high car dependency, the lack of a railway station, an under-provision of services and facilities, pockets of deprivation and an ageing population. Despite being relatively compact in nature, the streets and connections in the town do not provide space for, or support, active travel and movements are biased towards travel by car.
In 2015, a new significant urban expansion was proposed for Hailsham and the Town Council decided that in order to influence this development so that it would not exacerbate the issues outlined above, a Neighbourhood Plan would be developed. The Neighbourhood Plan would make sure that local priorities and aspirations shape the town going forwards, to make Hailsham a better place to live, grow up, work and do business in.
The solution
The Neighbourhood Plan presents an alternative model of growth based on how Hailsham residents want to see the town change. A key principle in the plan is that Hailsham should be a ’10-minute town’ where people of all ages and abilities can easily access the services they need, including schools, healthcare, shops, leisure and cultural activities. But more than this, the 10-minute town principle supports that the town should change and develop in such a way that social networks are strengthened, that people can easily meet their friends and family, that the mix of housing provides for cohesive communities and that people can work closer to home.
To achieve this the Neighbourhood Plan sets out the need for land use and transport decisions to be considered together so that new growth knits new development into the existing urban fabric whilst re-thinking the quality of streets, spaces and public transport provision and connection in the town. There is a focus on good design and holistic placemaking principles covering active, smarter and sustainable travel, enhancing green space and biodiversity and mixed use development including local employment and community opportunities. The 10-minute town principle supports all of these strands of placemaking for Hailsham.
The neighbourhood plan is fabulous and the 10-minute town principle – people just get it.
Cllr Mary Laxton, Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Committee, Hailsham Town Council
The Neighbourhood Plan was co-developed with town residents and extensively consulted on with the local community.
Key lessons
- A compelling vision, well communicated (Principle for success)
The Neighbourhood Plan was positively developed to look forward whilst learning from what has not worked in the past. The vision of a 10-minute town embodies in a compelling and accessible way the principles of sustainable development and it seeks to direct and shape growth and change in Hailsham such that it enhances the quality of life for current and future generations. The neighbourhood plan works in tandem with strategies across the Town Council to deliver a thriving town.
The 10-minute town concept is shown as a feasible and desirable way to approach growth in the town, with benefits accruing to existing and future residents over the long term.
- Adopting policy (Principle for success)
Neighbourhood planning was introduced in the Localism Act 2011. It is an important and powerful tool that gives communities statutory powers to shape how their communities develop. The Hailsham 10-minute town principle in the Neighbourhood Plan sets a clear expectation of what is required of proposed development and can help to ensure that local priorities and aspirations are considered by decision-makers.
Developer contributions (payments made by developers towards the costs of new infrastructure to support the development) have also played a key role in Hailsham Town Council being able to deliver projects for the town in line with the neighbourhood plan projects around active travel, improving quality of, and access for all to green space and improvement projects in the town centre.
What next?
The plan was formally made (adopted) in July 2021 and has been used since then as part of the local development plan to assess planning applications in Hailsham.
The Town Council consider that the neighbourhood plan has positively influenced planning proposals and decisions in the area despite the challenge of a new Local Plan for Wealden District Council being slow to come forward. The Town Council have at times sought to engage directly with local developers to influence proposals coming forward in Hailsham and to negotiate for new assets for the community. Most notably, the Council have secured new open spaces for local people to access and are working with community groups to develop and maintain these as community gardens and wildlife spaces, as well as spaces for new tree planting.
A new Local Plan for Wealden is expected, and this will provide an opportunity for the Town Council to review the neighbourhood plan so that the policies and projects are fit for the next challenges that Hailsham will face, notably adapting to climate change and meeting the growing infrastructure needs required to support a healthy and thriving population.
The local elections in May 2023 provide a new opportunity to see the neighbourhood plan listened to, acted upon and enforced, and the Town Council are ready to review, enhance and work on it as the new Local Plan for Wealden District Council emerges.
Cllr Mary Laxton, Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Committee, Hailsham Town Council
With thanks to Cllr Mary Laxton, Chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Committee, Hailsham Town Council.
For more information, please see:
