Our members and residents are very concerned about the additional homes proposed in the Rochford District Council Core Strategy. Please find attached our response as requested by the 17 Dec 2008.

The Hawkwell Residents Association has discussed the RDC Core Strategy document and wishes to put forward the following points:

Producing a heavy weight document that prevented printing and general distribution was an unfair method of consultation.

There is in our opinion, an unfair allocation of homes throughout the district especially in the Hawkwell area.

We believe the required additional homes should be built as a new village with self-contained services in the west of Rochford from a new access road to the A1245 (old A130). This is by far the best location for access to the existing trunk road network and would eliminate the detrimental effect on the rest of the district.

Our concern is that we are being asked to respond to this document in isolation, without considering the impact of the JAAP report regarding Southend Airport and the Site Allocation Development.

The stated government policy of 60% brown field first before green field seems to have been reversed, with many potential sites for building being of a green field nature.

We are concerned that all the 300 houses could be centered in one place changing the nature of the village, we belive it would be better to spread them throughout the Hawkwell area.

That comprehensive consultation takes place with ECC, other district councils, local parish/town councils, residents associations and other interested parties in and around our district.

The report continually talks about sustainability and we are concerned that no definition of sustainability has been made and we would seek clarification on this point. The additional homes will put an enormous strain on the infrastructure of our area, particularly the road system, which has not been addressed in the document. Our main concerns include:

Loss of Green Belt in our area, which would change our village into a town.

Additional vechicles on the roads including proposed additional airport traffic.

Additional demand on our doctors and dentists.

Additional demand on schools and social services.

Bus services. It is now proposed to reduce the 7 and 8 to one bus an hour.

Additional demand on gas, electric, telephone, water, sewers and surface/storm water drainage.

Assuming the proposals go ahead with the current allocation of homes and the inevitable increase in airport traffic, we would like to see improvements to the infrastructure in and around Hawkwell to create a more sustainable environment. We would expect the necessary infrastructure to be in place before the commencement of any new development and to include the following:

Replacement of Rectory Road Railway Bridge giving two-way traffic.

Upgrade the B1013 Hall Road and provide missing and upgrade existing pavements.

Proper main road street lighting for the B1013 Hall Road and B1013 Rayleigh Road.

A cycle path route from Rochford through Hockley to Rayleigh.

A new pelican crossing in B1013 Main Road near Tudor Way.

Return to two buses an hour in both directions for the 7 and 8 services between Southend and Rayleigh.

Improvements to all services including gas, electric, telephone, water, sewers and surface/storm water drainage.

Increase capacity at all the local schools in the area.

Increase capacity at all the local Doctors and Dentists and hospital services in the area.

Increase ambulance, fire and police emergency services.

Provide and run a youth club in the Hawkwell area.

To provide and run allotments in the Hawkwell area.

To extend the existing Cherry Orchard Park to Mount Bovers Lane and Hockley Woods.

Replace the existing Hockley Spa roundabout with a wider traffic light junction complete with pedestrian cross lights.

Install a double mini roundabout at Station Road and Station Approach junction with Spa Road for Hockley Station.

Install a mini roundabout on the B1013 at Folly Lane.

Make up/upgrade Plumberow Avenue through to Lower Road in Hockley complete with pavements, main road street lighting and a mini roundabout at the Lower Road junction.

Upgrade Watery Lane/Beeches Road in Hullbridge from Lower Road complete with pavements, main road street lighting and a mini roundabout at the Lower Road junction.