Object
Rochford Core Strategy Development Plan Document - Schedule of Changes
Representation ID: 26105
Received: 29/10/2010
Respondent: Mr T Gleadall
Legally compliant? Not specified
Sound? No
Duty to co-operate? Not specified
Local Development Framework Core Strategy Amended Submission
Although the amended version of the Core Strategy spreads the number of dwellings over a twenty year period at a rate of 190 per year compared with the previous rate of 250 per year, the proposal is unacceptable as follows:
Objection - Need for 3800 additional dwellings
No evidence is provided and no consultation has taken place on how the total of 3800 additional dwellings has been calculated, and hence the proposal is unsound.
Objection - Loss of greenbelt and open spaces
The Hockley Parish Plan states that due to a shortage of available building land, housing development in Hockley and the surrounding areas should be minimal, with no loss of greenbelt or open spaces. It is essential that the countryside in and around Hockley is preserved 100%.
The amended Core Strategy submission shows that 67% of the new dwellings will be sited on greenbelt land. Proposed greenbelt development in the first 10 years (2011-2021) is concentrated 100% in the central region of Rochford District, with no greenbelt development in the outer regions of Rayleigh, Hullbridge and Great Wakering. The development plan has not been evaluated with any clear logical reasoning by the Planning Department, and is not sustainable. Furthermore, two new Industrial Estates, planned to replace four current Industrial Estates to allow brownfield housing development for 708 dwellings, will also be sited on greenbelt land.
Objection - Inadequate Highways Infrastructure
Proposed greenbelt development in the first 10 years (2011-2021) is concentrated 100% in the central region of Rochford District which has narrow roads, country lanes, and railway bridges which cannot be widened, inherited from times when traffic numbers were significantly lower, and barely copes with current traffic levels. Proposed housing development at Stambridge Mills and Eldon Way Industrial Estates is also planned during this period.
As the majority of overall housing development is planned to the east of Hockley, the impact has not been fully assessed and the plan is not sustainable in the Hockley to Rochford region due to insufficient highway network infrastructure proposals to support additional population numbers and traffic volumes, especially at bottleneck junctions such as the Spa roundabout in Hockley and the railway bridges at Hockley, Hawkwell and Rochford. Roads through Hockley and Hawkwell already suffer from major congestion issues, and no plans are evident in the core strategy to offset current, and more importantly, eliminate future traffic problems, which will be further enhanced following the approval of Southend Airport expansion. There is no inexpensive alternative solution to the growing traffic problem in the central region.
Objection - Loss of village character due to proposed development of 150 dwellings in Central Hockley (Eldon Way)
Based on the Hockley Parish Plan published in October 2007 and a Resident Survey completed in October 2009, the proposal for 150 dwellings in Central Hockley (Eldon Way) is unacceptable to Hockley residents. It is imperative that any town centre development must maintain the village character of Hockley. It is recognised by residents as a village and must not change into a small town. The Hockley Parish Plan states that housing development in Hockley should be minimal, and any enforced housing development must not include large housing estates, as proposed for Eldon Way. Current infrastructure in terms of highways, schools, healthcare, community services and leisure facilities, cannot support additional population levels. In the Resident Survey, on the subject of Hockley Village Centre Redevelopment, only 13% of residents supported redevelopment of Eldon Way Industrial Estate, and if major redevelopment was enforced in the area, the least favoured type of development was shown to be residential units with only just over 1% of response support. There is already traffic congestion through Hockley, and additional vehicles from 150 new dwellings in the centre would further increase the traffic problem brought about by Core Strategy and Airport expansion proposals.
The Core Strategy includes the redevelopment of Hockley Town Centre prior to completion of a properly conducted public consultation with the residents, and although the District Council has apologised for the previous poorly prepared town centre development options paper, which led to major unrest amongst residents, they are still proposing to destroy the village life that currently exists.
Local Development Framework Core Strategy Amended Submission
Although the amended version of the Core Strategy spreads the number of dwellings over a twenty year period at a rate of 190 per year compared with the previous rate of 250 per year, the proposal is unacceptable as follows:
Objection - Need for 3800 additional dwellings
No evidence is provided and no consultation has taken place on how the total of 3800 additional dwellings has been calculated, and hence the proposal is unsound.
Objection - Loss of greenbelt and open spaces
The Hockley Parish Plan states that due to a shortage of available building land, housing development in Hockley and the surrounding areas should be minimal, with no loss of greenbelt or open spaces. It is essential that the countryside in and around Hockley is preserved 100%.
The amended Core Strategy submission shows that 67% of the new dwellings will be sited on greenbelt land. Proposed greenbelt development in the first 10 years (2011-2021) is concentrated 100% in the central region of Rochford District, with no greenbelt development in the outer regions of Rayleigh, Hullbridge and Great Wakering. The development plan has not been evaluated with any clear logical reasoning by the Planning Department, and is not sustainable. Furthermore, two new Industrial Estates, planned to replace four current Industrial Estates to allow brownfield housing development for 708 dwellings, will also be sited on greenbelt land.
Objection - Inadequate Highways Infrastructure
Proposed greenbelt development in the first 10 years (2011-2021) is concentrated 100% in the central region of Rochford District which has narrow roads, country lanes, and railway bridges which cannot be widened, inherited from times when traffic numbers were significantly lower, and barely copes with current traffic levels. Proposed housing development at Stambridge Mills and Eldon Way Industrial Estates is also planned during this period.
As the majority of overall housing development is planned to the east of Hockley, the impact has not been fully assessed and the plan is not sustainable in the Hockley to Rochford region due to insufficient highway network infrastructure proposals to support additional population numbers and traffic volumes, especially at bottleneck junctions such as the Spa roundabout in Hockley and the railway bridges at Hockley, Hawkwell and Rochford. Roads through Hockley and Hawkwell already suffer from major congestion issues, and no plans are evident in the core strategy to offset current, and more importantly, eliminate future traffic problems, which will be further enhanced following the approval of Southend Airport expansion. There is no inexpensive alternative solution to the growing traffic problem in the central region.
Objection - Loss of village character due to proposed development of 150 dwellings in Central Hockley (Eldon Way)
Based on the Hockley Parish Plan published in October 2007 and a Resident Survey completed in October 2009, the proposal for 150 dwellings in Central Hockley (Eldon Way) is unacceptable to Hockley residents. It is imperative that any town centre development must maintain the village character of Hockley. It is recognised by residents as a village and must not change into a small town. The Hockley Parish Plan states that housing development in Hockley should be minimal, and any enforced housing development must not include large housing estates, as proposed for Eldon Way. Current infrastructure in terms of highways, schools, healthcare, community services and leisure facilities, cannot support additional population levels. In the Resident Survey, on the subject of Hockley Village Centre Redevelopment, only 13% of residents supported redevelopment of Eldon Way Industrial Estate, and if major redevelopment was enforced in the area, the least favoured type of development was shown to be residential units with only just over 1% of response support. There is already traffic congestion through Hockley, and additional vehicles from 150 new dwellings in the centre would further increase the traffic problem brought about by Core Strategy and Airport expansion proposals.
The Core Strategy includes the redevelopment of Hockley Town Centre prior to completion of a properly conducted public consultation with the residents, and although the District Council has apologised for the previous poorly prepared town centre development options paper, which led to major unrest amongst residents, they are still proposing to destroy the village life that currently exists.