I wish to register my protest to Rochford District Council`s proposal to allow the building of an additional 2,850 new homes in the Rochford District within the next 15 years.

I am not surprised that a government inspector has directed the Council to further examine their consultation process as to whether the Council`s intentions towards future housing development, really reflect the views of responsibility and obligation to future generations and are in agreement with the majority of the people living in this area, who are supposed to be represented by those that they voted into office. There is a difference between consultation and "consultation and agreement".

1.Prior to the election, the Conservative Party claimed that it would bring "Power back to the People" in local government. If Rochford District Council pursue the policy to add a further 2,850 homes in an already over populated and congested area, not only would it be a betrayal to the people that elected them but also to the Conservative Party. One must question just whose views does the present Core Strategy Plan represent?

2.To proceed with such a short sighted plan without any proposals to build new roads, relieve existing bottlenecks and upgrade existing rail links with future investment, is pure negligence on the part of our planners. What plans are proposed to accommodate another 5000 cars on our roads and in our Streets? Not even the hint of a suggestion of a motorway link from the new London Southend Airport to Stratford in time for the Olympic Games.

3.To proceed with such a shortsighted plan when there is no money to build extra hospitals, improve health services in the community and build extra schools in the area, is unthinkable.

4.What evidence is there that the Council have examined and reported on all brownfield sites in the area, before deciding to encroach into green belt land. Is it really necessary to propose two new industrial areas on greenfield sites? Are our present planners the best people to protect and conserve our environment?

5.With so much unemployment being created by the Spending Review Cuts, where is the wealth and prosperity being created to enable the population to buy these new houses?

6.I would feel more confident that the Core Strategy Plan made sense, if the planning authority could confirm that Essex and Suffolk Water, Anglian Water Authority, the Environment Agency, the Fire Fighting Services and police authority have given assurances that they have no objections to the extra demands to be made on their services.

People should go abroad more often to see how far Britain is lagging behind the rest of Europe when it comes to investing in the environment to improve the quality of life for it`s citizens.

It would be criminal negligence by the planning authority to saturate this area with a further 2,850 homes and proceed with the Core Strategy Plan in it`s present form without any investment being made on the environmental impact and demands that will be made on the essential services, necessary to guarantee an acceptable quality of life.

Conclusion

1. My protest concerns the sheer numbers of 2 850 houses to be built in the next 15 years within the Rochford District Council area in the present economic climate, together with the impact that the Spending Cuts Review with have for some considerable time on the future of our local environment and the quality of life in this area. It would seem illogical to go ahead with a plan of expansion on this massive scale when Rochford District Council like all other public bodies are being required to scale down and make economies. The two concerns must be linked

2. With lack of funds being available for improving the national and local road networks and rail links:
With lack of funds being available to build new hospitals and schools and expand care in the community organisations;
With lack of funds being available to increase the capacity of water and sewage treatment works;
With lack of funds being available to meet the increase demands on the police and fire fighting authorities;
What are future generations going to think about this local authority if we inflict this nightmare scenario upon them?

3. My protest also concerns the lack of protection being given by the planning authority to green field sites to the detriment of amenities available for future generations.

Think again Sean Scrutton. Is this how you want to be remembered by future generations?

I look forward to receiving a reply together with your comments on the future of this region.