To whom it may concern,

Please find below my comments on the Spatial options document consultation.

Ref: COL07 and COL20

I strongly object to any development on the site C0L07 (Mill Hall, car park and green) and also site COL20 (Civic Suite and gardens) being included in the Local plan for future residential development.

The sites are in the existing RDC designated Conservation Area and should not be used for new housing or commercial / council developments or redevelopments. Rayleigh Town Council agrees with this statement in their official response to the Spatial Options consultation - I quote:

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"Q44. Are there areas of the District we should be considering for conservation area status beyond those listed in this section? You should not take areas of precious woodland to make way for housing. Sites within the existing Rayleigh Conversation Area should not be considered"
All green spaces, no matter how small, hold some significance, especially to those who use them for recreation. They are of particular community value and should not be developed. They must be seen as the vital green area not the next place along the line to be built on.

Rayleigh like other towns that have suffered from overdevelopment in recent decades and should be protect from large scale private development during the forthcoming Plan Period. Only development or local needs should be permitted. Local facilities like Mill Hall would be saved and car parking retained and made cheaper to assist local town centre business to survive what will be a challenging period. Secondary shopping facilities in Rayleigh would be supported and encouraged with public finance where required.
Public transport would be supported and encouragement, especially when given for children to reach school without parents’ vehicles. Renovation and refurbishment of historic buildings with modern green energy would be promoted over demolition and intensification. Public services would be encouraged to return/expand to Rayleigh, in existing buildings like Council Offices, Police Station and Library etc. The town centre should be the heart of our community not just something you drive through to reach somewhere else. This could be our vision and our aim for the future.

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The loss of car parking will have a devastating effect on an already under strain Rayleigh town centre. Demolition of existing buildings and rebuilding is bad for the environment. The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) estimates that 35% of the lifecycle carbon from a typical office development is emitted before the building is even opened. It says the figure for residential premises is 51%. This all happens during demolition and new building. Upgrading of under efficient council properties should be the way forward, not demolition.


Many trees and green areas will be lost in our conservation area if the above sites are developed which is unacceptable. This will harm wildlife.

Development of the Mill Site will seriously harm the Scheduled ancient monument Mount area and Listed Windmill as will development of the Civic Suite site with its Grade 2 listed Barrington’s building. This is underlined by the Spatial Options evidence base in the ECC Place Services Heritage assessment:

Rayleigh Civic Suite - Assessment: Major Adverse
The development of this site will cause substantial harm to a heritage asset. There are likely no options for mitigation. Proposals causing this level of harm to the significance of a heritage asset should be avoided.
Built heritage - Lies within the Rayleigh Conservation Area and & medieval town extent. Contains GII Listed Barringtons [1168536]

Archaeological impact - Will need archaeological investigation.

Mill Events Centre - Assessment: Moderate Adverse
The development of this site will cause (less than) substantial harm to heritage assets and this harm is considerable. There are likely no options for mitigation. Proposals causing this level of harm to the significance of heritage assets should be avoided.

Built heritage - Lies within the Rayleigh Conservation Area & medieval town extent. Careful master planning will be required with early involvement of the Conservation Officer.

Archaeological impact - Impacts the scheduled Monument of Motte and Bailey

Options 2a and 2b ‘Urban Extension’ must not be allowed to happen, especially in the area of Rayleigh which is already overdeveloped and has no additional infrastructure to cope with any more.

My preference for any future development of the district is for a satellite new garden village in the East of the District to be built under Options 3a and 3b with the site close to Fossetts Way on the Southend Border. Co-operation with Southend on these options is good for all of Rochford District.

Thank you for your time.