Hockley Town Centre

On behalf of Hockley Parish Plan Group, I would like to register the following comments and objections in response to the RDC Core Strategy Preferred Options (2008) Document:

Comment 1
Hockley must remain as a distinct community with clear boundaries and green spaces between Hockley and its neighbouring parishes. Countryside in and around Hockley, including woods, footpaths, bridleways, play areas, playing fields and nature reserves must be 100% preserved. There should be no loss of greenbelt or open spaces in Hockley or the surrounding areas.

Comment 2
Due to shortage of available building land, housing development in and around Hockley must be minimal, and should include starter homes and affordable housing. Historic and listed buildings in Hockley must be preserved.

Comment 3
Hockley town centre development must maintain the character of Hockley, and include a variety of shops, family restaurants, enhanced parking facilities, and facilities for the youth. It must consider appropriate facilities for people with disabilities.

Comment 4
Increased population in Hockley and its neighbouring parishes must be supported by additional healthcare (dentists and doctors), primary and secondary school places, community services, and leisure facilities.

Comment 5
Improved highways and cycle networks are essential in and around Hockley to support increased traffic volumes, improve road safety, and eliminate congestion.

Comment 6
There must be no additional pollution in Hockley in terms of air quality and noise, particularly related to increased traffic volumes and airport expansion programmes.

Comment 7
Public transport must be improved in and around Hockley in terms of routes and frequencies to support additional population and to alleviate the impact of additional traffic volumes.

Comment 8
Additional controls must be introduced to ensure crime levels, vandalism and anti-social behaviour issues, in and around Hockley, do not increase due to additional population numbers.

Objection 1
The core strategy does not provide an option of placing all 3500 homes in one new location, remote from Hockley, with provision of appropriate self supporting infrastructure (schools, healthcare, community services and leisure facilites), and including public transport and highway networks that do not impact on Hockley.

Objection 2
As the majority of proposed additional housing, population and traffic is located to the east of Hockley, the plan is not sustainable, in and around Hockley, due to insufficient infrastructure proposals (schools, healthcare, community services and leisure facilities), and particularly related to public transport and highway networks. Roads through Hockley already suffer from major congestion issues, and no plans are evident in the strategy to eliminate current and future traffic issues.

Best regards

The Hockley Town Centre Plan will have a major impact on Hockley, probably including extra houses. It is impossible to assess the combined impact of the Core Strategy and the HTCEP until both have been published

I have just received information from the Hockley Residents Association regarding the Rochford District Council's new Core Strategy Preferred Options.

It would have been nice to have been fully informed of all the proposals which have been put forward with regard to Hockley Town Centre, new homes etc but it appears that we have only been given "certain" figures i.e., 1700 new homes in the Hockley Area.

I feel that there a a number of points which need to be raised before such changes can be made, to the benefit of all who live in Hockley and the surrounding areas.

I have actually lived in Hockley for just under 5 years and in that time have seen an alarming increase in traffic clogging up the main roads during the peak rush hour times. This means if I have to drive during those times, exiting Woodlands Road takes far longer than it should, traffic builds up along the main road and just getting to Rayleigh takes at least half an hour (three miles). This is before the proposed cuts in Public Transport so there will be even more people on the roads. Parking in Rayleigh is almost at its limit so where will all the extra cars park?

Why does to council do nothing about people using residential roads as FREE car parks. I have drawn this to the attention of the Police and Council. We have a more than adequate Car Park so why can't they enforce parking restrictions on all residential roads and I don't mean charging residents to park outside their own homes. At least put in place restrictions such as no parking before 10 am up to 12 noon and say 3-5 pm. Most of those parking are either Mums or people who work in Hockley, therefore their revenue would help brighten up the Town Centre.

Are we to get a new School to take care of new children in the area? Westerings School creates havoc now in my road Kilnwood Avenue, with mums parking irresponsibly across drives on both sides of the road etc etc (blah blah been over this no end of times with the Council and Police).

We are losing shops in the Town Centre, due to a large raise in rents, so we are told. There is no competition with regard to supermarkets for those who cannot drive. We have to pay extortionately higher prices for less that a best quality goods. Apart from our excellent butcher! We have too many eating places and we now have another just opened!

If the Airport expands with no road infrastructure and the A127 is not widened, we will become a no go area due to excessive traffic and Hockley would lose it's appeal to those who wish to live in a more rural, peaceful area. The same goes for places like Ashingdon, Rochford etc. It takes me back to the problems they used to have in Margate, Ramsgate etc where there were no decent roads and no businesses moving into the area!

We don't want to become part of the "Greater London" suburbs. That's why we moved here!

I think I've said enough but will be at the meeting on 9th December!

Happy Christmas

The Town Centre plan COULD have a major impact on the area with more houses and possible road changes. It is impossible to comment on the CS without knowing the full impact