Comment

Representation ID: 41469

Received: 21/09/2021

Respondent: Mr P Woodford

Number of people: 2

Re CFS043 land at Bolt Hall Farm which we will refer to as Lark Hill from now on.

We wish to persuade you to give this a higher site assessment score rather than proposing it for ‘exclusion as too remote’.
Canewdon is seen by many as only ‘the village’ but Canewdon is a big parish with a large percentage of parishioners living outside of ‘the village’, they are forgotten when it comes to amenities as only ‘the village’ is the focus of attention. A development at Lark Hill will help many of these forgotten parishioners.

Lark Hill is an ideal position, it does not as others do, fall in the Coastal Protection Belt which RDC designated as having the most stringent restrictions on development. The existing high hedge along Lark Hill Road which will be kept, screens the site from being seen from Lark Hill Road. All development proposals in Canewdon will by default bring extra traffic, but Lark Hill will not bring extra traffic through Canewdon Village, past Canewdon School and the pinch point in the high street opposite one of the school entrances and Rose Cottage which is really only wide enough for one car at a time, as is much of Anchor Lane especially during school time. There is not a even a complete pedestrian pavement through Canewdon high street leading to the park and village hall, residents of Canewdon Village do not want a development that brings extra traffic through their village making it more unsafe for pedestrians.

The 80 or so houses adjacent to the proposal at Lark Hill do not have access to mains sewage, a public bus stop, public bus service, walking infrastructure, green space/playing field. They have lost the bus route along Lark Hill/Canewdon Road where there used to be at least 4 bus stops including one on the proposed Lark Hill stretch of road; as youngsters this was our route to Rochford, Rayleigh and Southend. This bus route has been lost for the moment but a development at Lark Hill would stimulate demand for this route to be reinstated, this would be a benefit to so many especially as public transport is going to be so important in a future low carbon economy.
Canewdon Parish has lost so many facilities to development which have been turned into housing; Younnes Village shop, the Chequers Pub and Creaksea Ferry Inn; hairdresser, bakers, hardware shop and village garage; the village café along Lambourne Hall Road and of course the riding stables which was enjoyed by people far and wide and is now a housing development.

We would like to persuade RDC that Lark Hill is not remote, a recent case Braintree Council v Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government found that a site for residential development in a rural area should not be considered to be isolated, ‘if there are other houses close by’, there are circa 80 dwellings close by along Lark Hill Road and Pudsey Hall Lane. All of these adjacent dwellings will benefit from a development at Lark Hill.
If developed, Lark Hill will aid/provide the following:
1: Sewage will need to be laid on for Lark Hill allowing a connection to mains sewage for nearby houses.
2: Public transport will once again become viable along Lark Hill/ Canewdon Road.
3: A green space/park will be built at Lark Hill.
4: Walking infrastructure will be improved alongside Lark Hill Rd.
5. The creation of up to 8km of bridleways.

We have picked some scores for Lark Hill that we would like to discuss from your site assessment proforma for CFS043..
Critical Drainage only 2: It is envisaged all surface water will be recycled on Lark Hill in 2 large ponds and a wildlife reed bed will be created.
Impact on Built Heritage and Archaeology only 2s: Is this because of the Pill Box? This will be protected and will not be demolished as so many have been, as a family we are proud to be caretakers of a piece of history.
Access to bus services is only 1: We agree with this and it highlights the need for the bus route to be reinstated for the existing residents along Lark Hill/Canewdon Road/Hyde Wood Lane and Pudsey Hall Lane.
Public rights of way only a 3: There is a public foot path through the site which links to a network of footpaths so why such a low score? There will be a public footpath created to the North of the site which will join with other parts of the local footpath network leading to the River Crouch.
Secondary Schools only a 1: Considering the catchment area for King Edmunds encompasses Wakering and Foulness we believe Lark Hill should be higher as Greensward is only 2.9 miles away and closer still King Edmunds 2.3 miles.
Impact on jobs only a 3: The land at Lark Hill only provides enough work for about 1/10th of a man year, developing Lark Hill will create many local jobs.
Access to train services only a 1: Train stations at Rochford and Hockley are nearby being only 3.6m and 3.2m away. When reading estate agents selling points for properties along Lark Hill Road, they extol the fact Greensward and King Edmunds schools and the train stations at Hockley and Rochford are so close.

Self Builds: Government encourages self- build housing and councils to make sites available, there is already a demand with over 80 people on the RDC self-build register. Self-builders would be actively encouraged at Lark Hill so fulfilling the duty RDC has to provide self-build plots.
The community benefits of a development at Lark Hill.
1: No extra traffic through Canewdon Village.
2: Access to mains sewage for existing adjacent residents.
3: Improved public footpath network.
4: Reinstated bus route.
5. Creation of bridleways.
Environmental benefits of a development at Lark Hill.
1: 2 wildlife ponds will be created on site.
2: A 22 acre reed bed will be created for wildlife.
3: During the building phase spoil will be used to help create the reed bed and for maintenance of the Upper Raypits seawall, so no muck away lorries will need to use the local road network.
4: With the transition away from gas and also hydrocarbons Lark Hill will be heated by a community heat network using the latest green renewable energy technology available.
5: Green renewable energy will be generated to produce as close to 100% availability as possible.
6: Houses to be built to Passive Haus standards.
Points 4, 5 and 6 will be a showcase for existing communities such as Canewdon village showing how to lower their carbon emissions. Government is banning the use of gas and oil in new build houses by 2025 which as we write this letter is only just over 3 years away. It`s unbelievable that new developments are still being built using gas and oil for heating and without electric car charging points infrastructure at the 11th hour!

In the 60`s Canewdon was at the forefront of housing development when the ` new model village` was created and could be at the forefront again. Lark Hill is ready to step up if given the go-ahead to showcase a new affordable low carbon emission community that we all need to adopt for the future.