I am writing to object to the use of Site CFS064 (Land north and east of Folly Chase, Hockley) as part of the Spatial Options Consultation.

As stated on the Site Appraisal Paper, this site will impact on the ancient woodland of Betts Wood that adjoins this site. This is only a small ancient woodland and should be protected for future generations. Having lived next to the woods for many years, I have seen first-hand the wildlife and fauna that inhabits this small beautiful woodland. I have seen many animals including badgers, foxes, owls, deer, squirrels, bats and insects that live in the woodland and traverse across the field CFS064 to hunt. By building on the allocated site you will be turning the woodland into an isolated island which will have a detrimental impact on the wildlife and biodiversity that live there. Ancient woodlands account for only 2.5% of land cover in the UK. I understand that Paragraph 175C of The National Planning Policy Framework for England states that "when determining planning applications, local planning authorities should apply the following principles" - "development resulting in the loss of irreplaceable habitats (such as ancient woodland) should be refused unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists". Please can you confirm what your "exceptional reasons" are for choosing this site.

The site also adjoins an open space (behind the Community Centre) where children can play safely away from traffic. There are not many open spaces like this within Hockley and this should be left for the children of the village to enjoy where they can ride bikes away from vehicles and play ball games safely.

The Site Appraisal Paper states Primary Schools as a "4". I know there are three primary schools in Hockley but I also know that all the schools are at "bursting" point now. My daughter attends Hockley Primary and her classroom just barely accommodates the children within in her class. How do you propose fitting more children into the school if you build 214 homes on this site. The school will also be impacted by the noise and pollution that will occur from building on this site. The roads are already congested around the school during drop off/pick up and it is extremely dangerous for the children attending trying to negotiate the roads now. How do you propose alleviating the congestion to the roads around this area?

The Paper also states Health Care as a "4". With only two doctors' surgeries in the area, where it is almost impossible to get an appointment now, how do you propose accommodating the building of more houses not only on this site but in Hockley generally.

The same can be said in relation to the roads entering and leaving Hockley which are already congested - how will you alleviate the impact of more traffic due to building more houses in the vicinity. Hockley does not have the infrastructure in relation to roads, schools and health care at present to accommodate more home building.

This site has previously been flooded, can you confirm that this will not happen again in the future or have any impact on existing properties in the vicinity.

For the sake of building 214 homes there must be only marginal gains for the home owners with increased noise and pollution for everyone in the vicinity.

I hope you will take this email and my objections into consideration when deciding on the sites you wish to build upon.

[additional email via same address from daughter]

To Sir/Madam,

Please don't build on the field! Your actions will destroy a perfectly good habitat and effect everything around it. All wildlife will be destroyed or will move out which would be a very tricky situation as you have the school on one side the Community centre in the middle and the train tracks on the other side. However, they could move to the other little woods but it is almost full and it would be impossible to make it a home for other animals. It would also affect Betts woods which I have seen every single secret den and hiding place spending hours after school exploring with my best friends. I would hate to see what they would look like after you started to build near them. If you hadn't noticed there is a stream that gives me and my family water but it would be piloted and disgusting! There is a badger's den which I have seen myself and I am concerned that you could disturb it. There may also be a whole underground burrow underneath the field and if you began to build houses on it will collapse and you will not be able to build on it anyway ruining a habitat at the same time.