A densely populated, predominantly urban area that benefits from 7 miles of coastline and a range of parks and gardens, 14 Conservation Areas and a wealth of listed and locally listed buildings, the Council’s aim is for Southend to be a ‘City by the Sea’. With 9 mainline rail stations providing connections to London and neighbouring areas, London Southend Airport providing national and international connections, local bus services, cycleways and pedestrian routes, and two main arterial roads (the A127 and A13) providing east-west access in and out, Southend is an accessible Borough. The A127 is a key component of the transport network providing the main strategic link to the wider trunk road network across South Essex, although it suffers from congestion, and there is a strong focus on improving the A127 Growth Corridor.

Southend Central Area is home to the town centre - an important sub-regional retail centre - as well as providing educational (University of Essex and South Essex College campuses), cultural, leisure and tourism facilities and attractions, including those of the central seafront area. These leisure uses span along Southend’s coastline, from Leigh on Sea (its Old Town and working marine village character) in the west to Shoeburyness (with its Victorian military Garrison) in the east, and the coast is home to a number of important environmental designations, including Ramsar, SSSI, SAC, SPA and Local Wildlife Site and the Council’s planning policies look to balance development with the interests of nature conservation designations on the foreshore.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council	Local guidance	Countywide / Subregional	Not currently available
Local Development Plan
Adopted Local Plan (comprising: Core Strategy, Development Management DPD, Southend Central Area Action Plan, London Southend Airport and Environs Joint Area Action Plan, and Essex and Southend Replacement Waste Local Plan).	●
Draft Local Plan	●
Development Viability
Developer Contributions			●
Greater Essex Growth and Infrastructure Framework (GIF)		●
Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)	●
Development and Urban Design
Neighbourhood planning			●
Planning Policy	●
Design Guidance	●
Parking Policy	●
Health and Wellbeing
Health Impact Assessment(HIA)		●
Accessible and Adaptable Dwellings		●
National Space Standards	●	●
Public Health Profile		●
Open Space Appraisal	●
Open Space Strategy			●
Playing Pitch Assessment			●
Climate Change and Flood Risk
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)	●
Water Cycle Study	●
Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP)	●	●
Sustainable Drainage Systems Design Guide		●
Environment Quality
Landscape Character Assessment			●
Green Space Strategy	●
Historic Characterisation			●
Local Wildlife Site Review	●
Conservation Appraisal	●
Transport and Communications Infrastructure
Highways Standards			●
Cycling Strategy	●	●
Local Transport Plan	●	●
Protected Lanes			●
Economy & Retails
Economic Development Needs Assessment (EDNA)	●
Retail Needs Assessment	●
Housing
Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA)	●
Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA)	●
Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Assessment		●
Green Belt
Green Belt Functions Assessment			●
Green Belt Landscape Assessment			●
Green Belt Boundary Review			●