Re: Spatial Options Consultation, Site Reference CFS064

As residents of nearby Folly Lane, we were very concerned to learn of the potential plans to build 214 new homes on the land north and east of Folly Chase, Hockley. Adding this amount of homes to an area that already experiences a vast amount of congestion on nearby roads is inevitably going to make things worse. It is already gridlocked throughout Hockley and going into neighbouring towns at peak times and these plans will just exacerbate the issue.

More homes also means more school places will be required for children moving to the area. There is already strong competition for places at the nearby schools; the Essex County Council Primary, Infant and Junior Schools Admission Policies Directory 2022/2023 reflects that the number of applications at each of these schools was between 3-5 times more than the places on offer. Again, this situation will only be made worse by building such a large number of homes in the area. As a parent of a child at Hockley Primary School, I also have safety concerns over the inevitable influx of vehicles to an area where many children will be present during peak times.

The plans will also mean greater stress on local health facilities, which we already struggle to access due to the shortage of appointments and practitioners available. Trying to get an appointment at local doctors and dentists is a gamble at times and substantially increasing the number of residents in the local area will stretch already limited resources further.

In addition to the practicalities of such plans, the land itself provides valuable green space for the local community. The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Walk cuts through the land and has provided a much needed escape for many local residents during the past 18 months. The opportunity to walk in this peaceful area does much for both our physical and mental well-being.

We urge you to rethink the plans for this area as it will be detrimental to local residents for the reasons we’ve identified above and more. If such plans were approved then we fear this may lead to current residents moving out of Hockley in the coming years, a scenario that I’m sure the Council would prefer to avoid.