Comment
Rochford Area Action Plan Focussed Changes: Market Square
Representation ID: 34337
Received: 02/05/2014
Respondent: Mr Adrian Rutter
I wish to protest in the strongest terms of the planned pedestrianisation of the Market Square in Rochford.
I believe that this plan would 'kill off' Rochford completely as many people would not easily get to the shops.
The Government's policy is to seek to promote growth in existing centres to encourage a full range of services in high-quality areas that are accessible to all. Town centres are recognised as being central to the delivery of sustainable development patterns. By pedestrianising the town centre it would do nothing for regeneration nor development as the centre of the town would die. Why come to a town where the local shops are not easily accessible?
I have an elderly mother 85 years old and I take her to the local butchers, bakers and other shops in the town. She, like many elderly people is disabled so cannot get around easily and we have to queue for a parking space now. She like many others need accessibility to shops.
We have a good range of services in high-quality areas that are accessible to all - butchers, bakers, cobblers, health food, fancy goods, general stores, hardware, nail bar, china, newsagents and post office. If the public cannot easily get to them this plan will close them all down.
I myself stop in the market square to do some shopping if this is lost then I like many other car users will simply go to the large supermarkets in Southend, why pay an extra 40pence for a loaf of bread or pay 40p to get some cash out or pay into the bank.
Any observer can see that the car park is well used now, cutting down on spaces in the centre of town will make the queues worse. It is interesting that on TV these last few weeks has been a documentary about parking it is clear from this programme that where councils have made more pedestrianisation the shops close down. The car queuing got worse when the council changed the entry and exit's a few years ago.
Looking at your Introduction and Background
Item 1 'could encourage a complementary café culture - wonderful you can get a coffee but you can't get a pint of milk or a loaf of bread! To encourage people to come to a café society there needs to be attractions, shops and events on a regular basis. Having the art trail once a year is not sufficient.
Item 2 What are the positive benefits - when the shops close because no one can stop to get any items it will create a ghost town.
On page 3 of your leaflet 'Rochford Area Action Plan' you say the market square is currently being used as a car park well what is wrong with that? Why is it a missuse? Would the area be used as recreation and civic focus from 8.00 am to 7.00 pm every day. No of course it would not. It would probably encourage more young people to hang about the square.
Who wants then café society? There was a café in West Street which closed years ago, there was a café which closed down where the Kebab shop is now. The café with the wet fish shop is closing - don't you think we have enough with the 3 cafes already? I sincerely hope that the council official who wants the café culture will bring their families every weekend so that they will be supported before they run out of customers and have to close.
Why must councillors come up with plans to make the lives of ordinary people and council tax payers more difficult?
The idea is flawed and totally against what the public in this area wish and should be stopped straight away. It seems to have resurrected from a few years ago so if you are told no by the council tax payers and residents and shopkeepers why do you still want to keep bringing it up. Listen to what the residents want!
I wish to protest in the strongest terms of the planned pedestrianisation of the Market Square in Rochford.
I believe that this plan would 'kill off' Rochford completely as many people would not easily get to the shops.
The Government's policy is to seek to promote growth in existing centres to encourage a full range of services in high-quality areas that are accessible to all. Town centres are recognised as being central to the delivery of sustainable development patterns. By pedestrianising the town centre it would do nothing for regeneration nor development as the centre of the town would die. Why come to a town where the local shops are not easily accessible?
I have an elderly mother 85 years old and I take her to the local butchers, bakers and other shops in the town. She, like many elderly people is disabled so cannot get around easily and we have to queue for a parking space now. She like many others need accessibility to shops.
We have a good range of services in high-quality areas that are accessible to all - butchers, bakers, cobblers, health food, fancy goods, general stores, hardware, nail bar, china, newsagents and post office. If the public cannot easily get to them this plan will close them all down.
I myself stop in the market square to do some shopping if this is lost then I like many other car users will simply go to the large supermarkets in Southend, why pay an extra 40pence for a loaf of bread or pay 40p to get some cash out or pay into the bank.
Any observer can see that the car park is well used now, cutting down on spaces in the centre of town will make the queues worse. It is interesting that on TV these last few weeks has been a documentary about parking it is clear from this programme that where councils have made more pedestrianisation the shops close down. The car queuing got worse when the council changed the entry and exit's a few years ago.
Looking at your Introduction and Background
Item 1 'could encourage a complementary café culture - wonderful you can get a coffee but you can't get a pint of milk or a loaf of bread! To encourage people to come to a café society there needs to be attractions, shops and events on a regular basis. Having the art trail once a year is not sufficient.
Item 2 What are the positive benefits - when the shops close because no one can stop to get any items it will create a ghost town.
On page 3 of your leaflet 'Rochford Area Action Plan' you say the market square is currently being used as a car park well what is wrong with that? Why is it a missuse? Would the area be used as recreation and civic focus from 8.00 am to 7.00 pm every day. No of course it would not. It would probably encourage more young people to hang about the square.
Who wants then café society? There was a café in West Street which closed years ago, there was a café which closed down where the Kebab shop is now. The café with the wet fish shop is closing - don't you think we have enough with the 3 cafes already? I sincerely hope that the council official who wants the café culture will bring their families every weekend so that they will be supported before they run out of customers and have to close.
Why must councillors come up with plans to make the lives of ordinary people and council tax payers more difficult?
The idea is flawed and totally against what the public in this area wish and should be stopped straight away. It seems to have resurrected from a few years ago so if you are told no by the council tax payers and residents and shopkeepers why do you still want to keep bringing it up. Listen to what the residents want!