Hockley Area Action Plan Options Report

Ended on the 4 February 2011

(193) 7. Spatial option 3

Spatial option 3 provides a higher level of intervention in Hockley centre than options 1 and 2, in order to strengthen the uses in the centre, provide new homes in the area and provide greater improvements to the public realm.The key elements of option three can be summarised as:

Development and land uses

Providing shop front improvements to the units on the retail stretch of Spa Road and the central sections of Main Road and Southend Road.
Replacement of warehouse style building at 2 Main Road with a new shop units and a small number of homes to provide stronger frontage to the historic centre of Hockley.
Replacement of the corner building opposite this on Spa Roundabout, to provide stronger frontage to the roundabout and establish new shops and homes.
Redevelopment of the existing library and health centre to provide a new combined community centre with library and health facilities and shop units fronting Southend Road.
Replacement of poor quality building on Southend Road, with retail and homes to the rear
Creation of two new homes at the northern end of the churchyard, to provide overlooking and natural surveillance for the pedestrian route through the green space here.
Replacement of the Alldays building and one building on Eldon Way with business start-up/public sector offices employment space above shops, fronting onto a small public space.
Creation of a new leisure space which could accommodate the potential skating rink in the area, replacing one building in Eldon Way.
Replacement of the Somerfield/Co-op buildings and houses, with new retail and homes, fronting onto a small public space.
Replacement of two buildings on Eldon Way with new homes, with public realm improvements.
New homes to replace the health centre at Eldon Way, with this moving to a new combined community centre on Southend Road.
Replacement of poor quality buildings at 34-40 Spa Road, with new retail.
A new home on Spa Road, close to the train station.

Traffic and parking

Creation of a new parking area on the south side of the train station, for weekday commuters and weekend shoppers, with vehicular drop-off and pick-up points moving from the roundabout to here.
Narrowing of the train station roundabout, to prevent waiting here but providing drop-off points next to the station.
Creation of a new parking square for short-term parking , fronted by shops and offices.
Increasing the amount of parallel on-street parking on Spa Road and providing echelon parking, where space permits.
Providing a shared surface at Spa roundabout.
Consider the potential to open the western entrance to Potters car park, to help ease congestion at the Spa roundabout. Cars entering and exiting the car park from the west would no longer need to use the roundabout and Spa Road to access the car park, relieving congestion at this point.This would need to be subject to further testing.

Movement and public realm

Improvements to the train station frontage and the public realm to provide a real front entrance to the station.
Establishing a pedestrian link between the train station and Eldon Way employment area.
Enhancing the green pedestrian link between Bramerton Road and Eldon Way.
Provide paving and streetscape improvements to the retail core of Hockley, on Spa Road, Main Road and Southend Road to strengthen the presence and profile of the centre.
Tree planting along Spa Road and other key areas
Providing table-top crossings for pedestrians at secondary road junctions on Spa Road
Providing a large table top crossing at the northern end of Woodlands Road, to help create a public space at the Spa roundabout, the historic core to Hockley
Enhancing the public realm at the new combined community centre on Southend Road
Strengthening the link between Spa Road and Eldon Way
Creating a green link between Spa Road and Southend Road, through the churchyard
Enhancing the environment and improving safety in front of the existing leisure uses in Eldon Way
Improving the parking facilities and public realm at the neighbourhood shops on Main Road, to bring these into the centre and support them commercially.

Potential Issues

The scheme requires the removal of an existing building in Eldon Way

The scheme requires the support and cooperation of land owners within the centre

The scheme includes the replacement of the library and health centre with similar uses, which may be challenging to fund

The scheme moves parking access on Spa Road to Eldon Way, which will increase the use of these roads

The scheme has a large number of public realm improvements and lower number of developments, which may prove challenging to finance

The scheme has potential for greater impact on Hockley’s character, though if managed carefully, this could be a positive impact

A larger level of intervention in the centre would need to be carefully phased, to avoid disruption to shops and services during development

Community infrastructure will need to be considered to test whether reasonable number of new homes can be accommodated in Hockley

Benefits

The scheme improves parking capacity and accessibility in the centre

The scheme supports the commercial health of Hockley centre, providing new retail which can complement but not threaten existing retailers

The scheme provides flexible employment space, preserving Eldon Way as an employment and leisure area in option 3a

The scheme provides new leisure space which could accommodate a skating use (currently seeking space in the area) and which connects well with the existing leisure uses

The scheme strengthens community uses in the centre

The scheme has the potential to cross fund public realm improvements in the centre of Hockley

The scheme strengthens links between Spa Road and Eldon Way

The scheme dramatically improves the physical environment at Spa roundabout, the historic core of Hockley

The scheme accommodates new homes in the area, easing pressure on the surrounding Green Belt

(154) Spatial option 3a

Spatial option 3a is very similar to option 3, with a minor difference that new housing is provided to the north of the railway line, along Plumberow Avenue, in order to provide new homes whilst preserving the existing employment space on Eldon Way,This also helps to create a strong northern entrance to the train station. In this option, the leisure uses have been consolidated in one area of Eldon Way as in option 2, to increase safety levels for visitors.

Axonometric visualisations of option 3

Axonometric visualisations of option 3a

Option 3 public realm investment detail

Detail on the public realm investment is provided on these pages. Distinct areas have been identified which would be likely to come forward either with development areas or as public realm investment projects.The project areas have been lettered and detail on the proposed improvements is set out in the table below.

Site	Public realm description	Floor area (Red line area minus road area receiving no new treatment)
A	Extension of paving along Main Road and Southend road from Spa Road roundabout. On street parking along Spa Road on paved surface and slight narrowing of Spa Road. Tree planting throughout area. Secondary road treatment at start of Woodlands Road, Bramerton Road and car park entrances. Potential for new street furniture. Shared surface at Spa Road roundabout. Where possible, paving improvements to include areas within private ownership that were excluded from previous improvements. On street parking reconfigured in front of western shops on Main Road with new spaces paved.	5,000
B	New paving and shared road surface at entrance to train station. Improvements to footpath linking to Spa Road	700
C	New car park	3,350
D	Paving improvements along Station Approach including potential pavement widening and tree planting. Roundabout reduced in size to create small green space on approach to station.	715
E	Paving improvements along Eldon Way befitting its new mixed residential character.	2,360
F	New car park with high quality floor material. New public space facing Spa Road with soft landscaped 'village green'.	2,700
G	This is currently private green space owned by the Church, and public access would need to be granted before opening up this area. If consent is granted, there is potential for new footpaths and small scale landscaping to develop a valuable area of public open space within the centre of Hockley.	1,000
H	Linking road and pedestrian route to new train station car park Extension of paving along Spa Road linking to improvements to Station Approach.	475
I		490
J	Further paving improvements to Spa Road / Greensward Lane.	415

Option 3 development site details

Detail on the areas of intervention is provided on these pages. Distinct areas have been identified which would be likely to come forward as development sites.The sites have been numbered and detail on each of these is set out in the table below.

The table below provides an overview of proposed land uses within the option.

Total increase if whole of masterplan delivered
Land use	Gross external floor area (sqm)	Approx units
Retail normal shops	940	1-2
Retail large shops	1,370	1
Flats	8,210	95
Houses	6,780	54
Offices	3,665	-
Light industry/ attached offices	-14,520 (minimum, potentially more offices on upper floors)	20-25
Leisure	3,060 (new build only, does not factor in existing leisure)	3-6 (new build only, does not factor in existing leisure)

Site	Existing use	Proposed use	Number of storeys	Existing areas			Proposed areas			Site Area (sqm)
				Land use	Approx. no. of units	Gross external floor area (sqm)	Land use	Approx. no. of units	Gross external floor area (sqm)
1	2 single storey retail units	2 retail units with flats above	3	Retail	2	275	Retail	2	360	700
							Flats	4	720
2	Single storey retail	Retail with flats above	2	Retail	4	390	Retail	5	470	750
							Flats	5	440
3	Retail units facing Spa Road, with flats above main parade. Post sorting office. Detached house. Light industry with associated offices facing Eldon Way.	Retail with offices above, as well as some offices on ground floor. Leisure, including displaced from site 6. Shops with flats above, including large format store.	2 - 3	Light industry / offices	6 (3 occupied by single operator)	8,400	Retail (large format)	1	1370	13,010
				Retail	11 - 12	1,635	Retail	10	1905
				Flats	7	600	Offices	240 people	4565
				Sorting office	1	450	Flats	22	1830
				House	1	150	Leisure	3 - 6	3060
4	Library and health centre	Library and health centre with flats above and private parking for flats	2 facing Southend Main Road, 3 to rear	Library	1	280	Library	1	355	1,350
							Health centre	1	425
				Health centre	1	245	Flats	13	1030
5	Single storey retail	House	2	Retail	1	45	House	1	170	250
6	Light industry / Leisure	Flats and houses	2	Light industry / leisure	10 - 15	4970 (building footprints)	Flats	21	1750	9,185
							Houses	36	3810
7	Light industry	Flats and houses	2	Light industry	4	1150	Flats	16	1350	3,050
							Houses	7	700
10	Health centre	Flats and houses	2	Health centre	1	260	Flats	6	480	950
							Houses	4	440
11	Rear of church grounds	2 houses	2	N/A	N/A	N/A	Houses	2	270	215
12	Restaurant car park	Shops with flats above and houses	2	N/A	N/A	N/A	Retail	1	130	600
							Flats	2	130
							Houses	4	380
13	Offices	Shops with flats above	2 - 3	Offices	-	900	Retail	2	420	920
							Flats	13	1080

Option 3a public realm investment detail

Site	Public realm description	Floor area (Red line area minus road area receiving no new treatment)
A	Extension of paving along Main Road and Southend road from Spa Road roundabout. On street parking along Spa Road on paved surface and slight narrowing of Spa Road. Tree planting throughout area. Secondary road treatment at start of Woodlands Road, Bramerton Road and car park entrances. Potential for new street furniture. Shared surface at Spa Road roundabout. Where possible, paving improvements to include areas within private ownership that were excluded from previous improvements. On street parking reconfigured in front of western shops on Main Road with new spaces paved.	5,000
B	New paving and shared road surface at entrance to train station. Improvements to footpath linking to Spa Road	700
C	New car park	3,350
D	Paving improvements along Station Approach including potential pavement widening and tree planting. Roundabout reduced in size to create small green space on approach to station.	715
E	Paving improvements along Eldon Way befitting its new mixed residential character.	1,215
F	New car park with high quality floor material. New public space facing Spa Road with soft landscaped 'village green'.	2,700
G	This is currently private green space owned by the Church, and public access would need to be granted before opening up this area. If consent is granted, there is potential for new footpaths and small scale landscaping to develop a valuable area of public open space within the centre of Hockley.	1,000
H	Linking road and pedestrian route to new train station car park Extension of paving along Spa Road linking to improvements to Station Approach.	475
I		490
J	Further paving improvements to Spa Road / Greensward Lane.	415
K	New station entrance and drop off point	920
L	Paving improvements along Eldon Way and new parking spaces. With leisure uses consolidated in the main building to the west, vehicular access no longer needed into the buildings for loading and a wide paved area created between the building and car parking. This is seen as a 'child safety zone'.	1,970

Option 3a development site details

The table below provides an overview of proposed land uses within the option.

Total increase if whole of masterplan delivered
Land use	Gross external floor area (sqm)	Approx units
Retail normal shops	940	1-2
Retail large shops	1,370	1
Flats	7,150	82
Houses	2,690	25
Offices	3,665	-
Light industry/ attached offices	-8,400	-6
Leisure	3,060 (new build only, does not factor in existing leisure)	3-6 (new build only, does not factor in existing leisure)

Site	Existing use	Proposed use	Number of storeys	Existing areas			Proposed areas			Site Area (sqm)
				Land use	Approx. no. of units	Gross external floor area (sqm)	Land use	Approx. no. of units	Gross external floor area (sqm)
1	2 single storey retail units	2 retail units with flats above	3	Retail	2	275	Retail	2	360	700
							Flats	4	720
2	Single storey retail	Retail with flats above	2	Retail	4	390	Retail	5	470	750
							Flats	5	440
3	Retail units facing Spa Road, with flats above main parade. Post sorting office. Detached house. Light industry with associated offices facing Eldon Way.	Retail with offices above, as well as some offices on ground floor. Leisure, including displaced from site 6. Shops with flats above, including large format store.	2 - 3	Light industry / offices	6 (3 occupied by single operator)	8,400	Retail (large format)	1	1370	13,010
				Retail	11 - 12	1,635	Retail	10	1905
				Flats	7	600	Offices	240 people	4565
				Sorting office	1	450	Flats	22	1830
				House	1	150	Leisure	3 - 6	3060
4	Library and health centre	Library and health centre with flats above and private parking for flats	2 facing Southend Main Road, 3 to rear	Library	1	280	Library	1	355	1,350
							Health centre	1	425
				Health centre	1	245	Flats	13	1030
5	Single storey retail	House	2	Retail	1	45	House	1	170	250
6	1 / 2 storeys of light industry and leisure	Consolidated leisure uses within existing refurbished buildings	1 / 2	Light industry / leisure	8 - 13	4,150 (building footprint)	Leisure	6 - 10	4,150 (building footprint)	9,185
8	Railway siding	Houses	2	N/A	N/A	N/A	Houses	16	1,560	2,500
9	Surface car park and railway siding	Flats and new railway station entrance and drop off	2	N/A	N/A	N/A	Flats	24	2000	3,250
10	Health centre	Flats and houses	2	Health centre	1	260	Flats	6	480	950
							Houses	4	440
11	Rear of church grounds	2 houses	2	N/A	N/A	N/A	Houses	2	270	215
12	Restaurant car park	Shops with flats above and houses	2	N/A	N/A	N/A	Retail	1	130	600
							Flats	2	130
							Houses	4	380
13	Offices	Shops with flats above	2 - 3	Offices	-	900	Retail	2	420	920
							Flats	13	1080

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