South West Hullbridge 500 dwellings (250 between 2015 and 2021, and 250 post 2021)

Re: Allocations DPD Discussions and Consultation Document dd Feb 2010

I am writing to you about the proposal of building on Green Belt land in the Lower Road / Watery Lane area of South West Hullbridge.

If Hullbridge is to house 1500 plus people, I feel that the infrastructure cannot take the strain as: -

The doctor's surgery is already difficult to get an early appointment. The new housing development would put a huge strain on this amenity.

Due to the re-development of housing over the former senior park school. The majority of senior children in Hullbridge attend Sweyne Park, where the free bus service is unauthorised for the children south of the village. Therefore in these proposed houses all the senior children parents would probably drive their child to school. Congesting the traffic which at present suffers already.

The sewage system already struggles to cope, who will pay for improving the current system so that the development can connect efficiently for all the waste and without contributing to flooding of local roads such as Watery Lane. Development of Green Belt land results in increased foul water and more importantly more surface water that contributes to local flooding, hence the recent charges in planning policy for domestic driveways.

With such flooding that occurred this winter to Watery Lane, combined with an already significantly struggling infrastructure, I do not understand how such a thoroughly impractical location can be considered for any proposal options.

Please accept this letter as a firm objection to the proposal. I expect all these points to be investigated and a written response from you addressing the same.

Re: Proposed housing in Hullbridge

I am writing to voice my concern over the proposed new housing in our area, particularly on the scale proposed.

My first objection would be with regards to access in and out of the village. There is one main road that goes into Hullbridge from either direction. These are single track roads and they struggle to cope with the current volume of traffic. If you take Rawreth Lane as an example, my husband currently spends around 20mins sitting in traffic on the way back from work at this junction and when Watery Lane is closed, the traffic is two or three times worse.

The main area proposed for development (on the fields just on the corner of Watery Lane) would be my next objection. That area is constantly flooding, with the lightest of rainfall. Apart from the obvious traffic issues this causes, how can building be considered under those circumstances.

My son currently attends the Primary School in Hullbridge but by the time this proposed housing would be in place, he would be due to attend one of the two secondary schools in Rayleigh. As I understand, these schools are already refusing admittance to people living in the area due to there not being enough places available and that these children are being referred to schools in Basildon! This situation is unacceptable as it is, without the additional places that would be needed if this housing goes ahead. At the moment we have to fight for school places, fight for transport to school etc. I can only imagine (and it's not a pleasant thought) the length of time it would take to get my son to and from school, even if we were to get a place Rayleigh with all the additional traffic in the area.

On the whole, Hullbridge does not have the infrastructure in place to cope with this level of housing. We have no banks, no main stream shops etc., which leads me back to my initial objection - if general day to day items cannot be sourced from within the village, we would need again, to travel out of the village thus increasing the traffic congestion.
As it stands, the public transport in and out of the village is appalling and if we need to travel out of the village, what with the afore mentioned poor public transport and the fact that there is no train station in Hullbridge, again - more cars on the roads - again, back to my initial objection.

If the above issue are taken into consideration, I would assume that major works would need to be carried out to the road and transport system incorporate this level of new housing? Many of our existing road are unmade and riddled with potholes (that residents are forced to try and repair themselves) with the council refusing to re-surface or make them properly. How can this possibly be justified?

I would like to know what stage these proposals have reached so I would appreciate an urgent response to this letter.

With regard to the intended building of houses o green belt land adjacent to Watery Lane, Abbey Road, Elm Grove and the Hullbridge Road. I strongly object to this ill thought out development, as the extra houses would cause complete disruption to village life and the surrounding roads are unsuitable to cope with the increase of traffic that would be around. Also the wildlife that live on these green belt fields would be eradicated, we have a present; woodpeckers, foxes, bats (a protected species), badgers in Watery Lane, what will happen to the wildlife?

The amenities available at present would be completely overrun, including the doctor's surgery, library, available senior school places, small shops, etc. Horse riders would be risking live to ride out in such an overrun area with the amount of traffic that would be around. The regular flooding of Watery Lane causes traffic jams now, so what would happen with such an increase.

All these points appear to have been completely ignored by the Council when proposing these sites.

The whole of Hullbridge community are in agreement that this situation has been wrongly handled and not properly considered, and oppose this proposal.

Re: Housing development within Hullbridge on green belt land.

I moved to Hullbridge in September 1969. My husband and I just married. I like many people in the village strongly oppose the plan for new houses on green belt land in Hullbridge. The infrastructure will be unable to cope.

Flooding - Watery Lane (it lives up to its name) during last winter it flooded so badly it was reported on National Television News. Our inadequate drainage cannot cope now. How will it cope with more houses.

Roads - Watery Lane could not cope with increased traffic. To upgrade this road would cost a great deal of money. Who would pay for this?
Hullbridge Road junction with Rawreth Lane this is already a bottle neck at peak times. With more cars crossing the river at Battlesbridge there would be the need for a new bridge.

Railway Stations - the nearest railway station is in Rayleigh, 3 miles away, which is too far to walk. The parking at Rayleigh Station is limited, would extra parking be provided?

National Grid - All electric cables are over ground and power supplies are not good enough as we suffer from power cuts. All this must be improved.

Farming - Malylons Farm run a livery yard stabling in excess of 30 horses. My daughter's horse being one of them. Stabling in the area is hard to find. Where will her horse end up, in the 'knackers' yard?

Jobs - There is no work in Hullbridge. EON in Rayleigh is to close in June with a loss of 600 jobs. Where are the jobs for people in these new houses?

Housing - What type of housing is proposed to be built? What amenities are proposed?

Our infrastructure struggles to cope now. It will simply not be able to with all the proposed development.

I feel a more in depth investigation must be made to the proposed plans. Green belt, open spaces are very precious to us all to maintain our health and the health of the environment.

Will you please forward to me your reply to my concerns at your earliest convenience.

Hullbridge is a lovely village - not a picturesque village by far. The state of the roads, pavements, grass verges and overhead wires are a disgrace. For all this Hullbridge is a community where I and my family feel happy and safe.

I am writing to you regarding the proposed housing development on Maylons Farm in Hullbridge, Essex.

I strongly oppose the building of 500 houses, as proposed in the Allocations Development Plan and the Development Management Development Plan, on this site for the following reason:

The building of 500 houses would mean an increase of at least 1500 extra people in the village or 20% of the current population of Hullbridge. I feel this is an extortionate increase in a village where a quiet and peaceful community is valued by all, including the young folk of the village who enjoy living in an area of beauty - now a rare commodity found in South East Essex.

The secondary schools in the area are already over subscribed therefore there would be no local school spaces available for children aged 11 to 16 years.

Extra housing would mean an increase in the amount f cars in the area - approximately two per household, meaning an extra 1000 cars in our village. The main highway, from Ashingdon to Rayleigh which serves Hullbridge traffic, is overburdened at the moment. In fact when the A1245 is close, traffic uses the Hullbridge road, Lower Road and Coventry hill as a diversion, causing traffic hold-ups that can impact as far as the junction with Rawreth Lane on the A1245 and along Watery Lane to Battlesbridge on beeches Road. Add another 1000 cars all trying to travel to Hullbridge and the area will be totally gridlocked.

Watery Lane is below sea level and is prone to flooding which often make it impassable. Again, traffic id diverted via Rawreth Lane which causes long hold-ups in the village. The effect of another 1000 cars would cause total disruption to local highway networks.

In the morning, the school run to Rayleigh causes an increase in the amount of cars on the road. This manifests in a long queue of traffic at the bottom of Hambro hill which extends as far as lords golf Course, Adding another few hundred cars to this would mean the queue would extend past Watery lane. The plans propose a mini round about at Watery Lane to allow access to the housing estate on Maylons. However, this would further complicate the movement of traffic via Coventry Hill from Ashingdon as this traffic would have to give way to vehicles joining from the right at the new round about, consequently causing major traffic jams through Hullbridge.

The proposed plans extend to butt on to existing 'dead ends' such as Grasmere Avenue and the Drive. These roads are quiet residential areas which would be detrimentally affected if the housing estate was opened on to them. Most of these roads are unadopted and unmade; the condition of these roads would be seriously affected by the vehicles of people not living in the road. The Parish Council suggested that these roads became adopted by the Council but to do this each household living along these roads would need to pay for the road to be made-up. The majority of householders were against this proposal and it never came to fruition. I suggest that the same thing would happen again - we like the unmade roads as they slow traffic along these straight roads. Tarmacing these road and opening them up to the new housing estate would mean more cars, travelling at speed along residential streets in which children play - a recipe for accidents involving the young people of the village.

To build on the land at Maylons Farm could alter the water table which would have adverse affects on the existing properties in the proximity of the new estate. We live in an area that suffers from flooding in rainy conditions. The building of new properties will affect the run-off from rain. Building on the fields means there will not be enough soil for the run off from rain to soak through. I understand that a drainage system will be installed in the housing estate but there will inevitably be some surface water that will run into Lower Road and Water Lane. As previously stated, these roads are liable to flooding, adding the excess of water from the run-off from the new housing will further compound the flooding of local roads.

Building new houses without an adequate road system is ludicrous. I wonder if, to overcome this barrier, the Council wishes to resurrect the plan to build a dual carriageway from the A130, across the southern end of Hullbridge, to Rochford and Southend. This would tie in with the plans to expand Southend Airport by providing another road link to alleviate the traffic congestion on the A127 and A13. Once again, I draw your attention to local opposition to this plan which was strongly opposed several years ago and consequently dropped.

I do not want our roads widened, developed or altered in any way, it is part of the charm of our village which is why people move here. I do not want the addition of a housing estate either especially as I understand that 1/8 of the buildings will be council properties and the majority so called affordable housing. The price of property in our village is now, like for like, more expensive than in neighbouring communities. This is because we do not have council/affordable housing estates which can attract unsuitable individuals, the likes of which are seen in Basildon. I wonder if the Council will compensate each householder in Hullbridge for the inevitable drop in house prices if the housing estate is built.

More cost to the community would come with the increase in community charge which would inevitably be levied on each household to pay for upgrading the local infrastructure. Why should I pay for something I do not wish to be built?

Maylons Farm is Green Belt Land. I feel very strongly that this land should remain green belt. I cannot understand why brown land is not being used to accommodate housing. Also, Southend and surrounding areas have many derelict and rundown properties which have the potential to be turned in to affordable flats or council housing. Why are these options not being considered by Essex County Council? Why use green belt land?

I do not understand the need for all this extra housing in Hullbridge the role in the local primary school has drop by half in the last few years. In ten to fifteen years time when the housing estate has been built, there will only be half the number of young people looking for affordable to buy in Hullbridge than there is now. This suggests that there will be a surplice of property in the village as the older community die and leave empty housing to be purchased by less and less young people. I wonder if the Government and Councils have done their research recently or are relying on information from the last census nearly ten years ago.

We are a community who live here because of the village atmosphere, the quiet and peaceful feeling as you enter Hullbridge along the Hullbridge Road or from Watery Lane, the lack faceless housing estate, the love of our flooded roadways because they are reminders of living in the countryside - not despite all these things. We embrace the short-comings of the village because it gives us an identity as a little oasis of countryside living amongst the jungle of concrete that Rayleigh and Southend present.

With regards to the new houses in Hullbridge.

Hullbridge will be far too crowded and it will have an huge impact on the roads, schools, doctors surgery, community, crime, children's welfare, the elderly and much more. Hullbridge will no longer be a village and will lose the village atmosphere that everyone lives here for. What do you class as affordable housing, another Laindon?

The proposed site is liable to flooding and this scale of building will exacerbate the problem, with the likelihood of flooding more of Hullbridge village.

The sewage system is already overloaded and the electric supply often struggles to cope.

Much of Hullbridge Road, Lower Road and Watery Lane is nose to tail during the morning/evening rush hour and after school times, particularly in the Rayleigh direction.

The school is too small to take the children this will bring into the area and will mean the village school will close resulting in the children being transported out.

The low crime rate and friendly atmosphere are just two of the features I and many others enjoy in Hullbridge which are likely to be destroyed by this over development. I await your reply and explanation of the above.

I wish to object to the proposal of 450 houses on green fields in Hullbridge.

Short term the disruption caused by the building of the homes (which I understand will be over many years) will inevitably affect the peace and quite which is why so many have chosen to live and retire in Hullbridge, the Value of properties in the area will be greatly affected.

Long term as this area floods there is great uncertainty of the effect which the large amount of concrete in the construction will have on the existing water table. The infrastructure is inadequate for the umber of houses proposed, and the addition to the population of Hullbridge will inevitably change the social cohesion of the village.

Proposed Allocation of green belt land for housing HULLBRIDGE SW
Dear Sir,
I am writing regarding the Local Development Framework and the proposal to allocate green belt land in the south west of Hullbridge for housing.
I object strongly to this proposal for the following reasons-
1. Loss of character of Hullbridge village
To increase the population of the village by 500 homes or at least 20% will inevitably lead to poor community cohesion and the loss of character of a rural village such as Hullbridge. We would then become the size of a small town, but without the infrastructure or amenities. The density of new housing would be vastly different to existing stock and the area would be overcrowded compared with existing streets etc. Hullbridge would be swamped by such a development and the quality of life would suffer. There would be a clear distinction between the newly developed area and the original village and it would not promote the development of a cohesive community. Hullbridge is a rural village, and to see a dense housing estate on entry to the area would completely change that .It would change the landscape of our village completely. Local towns nearby could incorporate further development and new estates would not have the same impact on their nature.
2. Poor Transport links into Hullbridge village
Even with the proposal to improve road access locally , it is clear to anyone trying to travel in and out of Hullbridge at peak times that the network of roads locally is unable to cope with the volume of traffic that would be generated not only by commuters but also by additional school traffic, deliveries etc, Coupled with the plan to use Rawreth Lane industrial area- a brownfield site- for 750 new homes, the travel disruption will be immense, making Hullbridge inaccessible at certain times of the day. That is notwithstanding the chaos that would occur for the years that the building of the development and any possible improved infrastructure would take. No amount of improvements to Rawreth Lane or Watery Lane(impassable at certain times of the year) will help.
3. No new amenities/employment in Hullbridge village
There are few employment opportunities in Hullbridge and the new proposal does not change that. Thus Hullbridge will only support commuters who will need to travel in and out of the village by car to the rail network or local employment elsewhere. The cost of using even an improved bus network will prove too costly for many. This is not a "green" option and there are no doubt other sites that would be better used nearer to transport links such as mainline stations. Equally Hullbridge does not have the amenities to support a 20% increase in its population, as the Parish council have already indicated. Nearby towns already have the amenities in place.
4.Maintenance of our green belt
Whilst understanding the pressure for new homes to cope with an increased UK population, I feel strongly that we should preserve our green belt and "green lungs" , and defend any attacks into it. Rochford is a rural area, and we should resist pressure to change that from whatever source., even central government.

Please consider other options in the Rochford area for such a proposal ,.
I await your response.

I am writing in opposition to the planning of an estate in which 500 houses are to be built in Hullbridge. I feel that this is a very bad idea and has had no thought go into it, this is farming land green belt in which I have had a horse on this farm for many years.

We are a little village that cannot cope with something this size and it is a very inappropriate area to consider building on, the flooding is terrible around Watery Lane and traffic can barely pass it at such times, the road can only stand light traffic.

I am totally confused to why you have not considered moving this estate not even a mile up the road to the other end of Rawreth Lane past Makros where there is a vast amount of open space that has 2 busy road running parallel, Rawreth Lane and London Road, and the A130 at the end there are only a few houses that this would affect unlike upsetting a whole village.

Also there is already a shortage of senior schools so where would all the children be educated?

I am very disappointed by the way all us Hullbridge residents were informed apparently it was put in a local matters paper in which I did not see and everyone I spoke to had not seen it. I was to find out about this development from my dog groomer through word of mouth, terrible from your behalf when I live only a few houses from where some of the new houses plan to be built.

I strongly disagree with all this and hope something gets sorted out.

I strongly object to the housing development in Hullbridge.

I was born in Hullbridge and have chosen to live in Hullbridge as I want my two children to enjoy the lifestyle that I enjoyed as a child. It now seems that someone wants to spoil the place where I have always lived. They want to build houses which nobody wants and the village cannot sustain.

There are many reasons why Hullbridge is unsuitable for this ridiculous amount of devleopment, the roads are just not big enough, there are not any jobs for the new people, none of the services will be able to accept the extra demand. We have power cuts now and sewage comes up in certain parts of the village when it rains. Schools, will they be able to cope? 500 houses may well mean 5000 children and more. This scheme is so ridiculous.

These new houses are to be built on the very farmland that my horse is kept on, another reason why I live here. What is going to happen to him? I really need to know if any provision for this has been made.

Can you please answer my concerns at your earliest convenience?

I am writing to object against the building of houses on green belt within Hullbridge.

I live in Hullbridge and put up with the untidiness and lack of facilities because I enjoy the open spaces and community spirit.

This would be lost with your proposal to build 500 houses on farmland.

The infrastructure in Hullbridge is poor, all services are above ground. Electricity cables and telephone wires hang from poles. There are large gas boxes on pavements and a telegraph pole in the middle of the pavement by the crossing to the school. When it rains sewage overflows the drains which gives Hullbridge its distinctive smell.

The road system cannot cope. The traffic tails back down Rawreth Lane during peak times and it can take forever to get into Hullbridge. Watery Lane floods regularly ad can barely take the traffic using it now. It even made TV news this winter due to flooding.

Where are the jobs for these extra people? There aren't any in Hullbridge so all of the people in the new houses will have to drive to work meaning more cars and even more congestion on the roads.

I feel our councillors have badly let us all down. We have had no information concerning this development until now when it may be too late. We have been sold down the river.

Can you please answer my concerns at your earliest convenience.

I wish it to be noted that I strongly object to the above proposal. I moved into the village of Hullbridge 20 years ago and have found it to be a haven away from the hustle and bustle of town life. To make a proposed development of 500 properties will completely destroy the tranquilly of our village.

Our roads will be more congested, at the moment the roads to and from Hullbridge to Rayleigh and outlying district are at capacity at commuter times, these will be even more so with the possibility of more than 500 extra cars.

Our electricity supply is often stretched to its limit, and as for building in the area of Watery Lane, it is ludicrous!, it is often flooded and closed even when we have just an average amount of rain. how can you even think this is an acceptable site for so much development?

I also strongly object to our Green Belt area being eaten into - SHAME ON YOU !!!!!

Your written reply to my objection would be greatly appreciated.

It has been brought to my attention that there are significant plans been drafted to build in excess of 500 houses within the village boundary. There have also been rumours of 18 gypsy pitches being allocated again within our village boundary.

I have a number of questions relating to the proposals that I seek clarification on:

* I have not received any formal notification from RDC as to the Core strategy and the proposals due to their significance. I would like to receive confirmation that you have indeed acted upon this.
* Also, I have not received any door drop either via RDC / the local parish or any other method of communication. I would appreciate proof or confirmation that you have successfully delivered such notification to my address.
* Such as sizeable plan must have been created many months ago. I understand that this process of searching was back in September 2009 and any objection has to be raised by the 30th April 2010. Again, I seek clarification of notice and in particular the consultation to the residents of Hullbridge.
* I understand that Rayleigh recently went through a similar process and apparently reduced their allocation of 1800 by 50%. I am led to believe that the original allocation for Hullbridge was 50 houses under the Council target plan. Could you confirm that the dramatic increase in allocation for Hullbridge is a direct result of other parishes reducing their allocation and significantly increasing the allocation for Hullbridge? The Rayleigh scenario has surely created and unequivocal precedent. Please confirm the RDC position on this precedent.
* What infrastructure plans have been drafted to cope with the volume of people and cars inclusive of the amenities required supporting such an influx?
* Can RDC explain the rationale for creating such an overwhelming construction as opposed to a stepped increase across wider region? There appears to be a definite decision on the number of new builds but no supporting documentation on how the area is supposed to cope with such an increase in housing and the subsequent effects on services and amenities. Please clarify and substantiate the RDC scooping document
* In theory if there are three times the houses then there be three times the benefits / amenities to support the new build. Please clarify.
* Such a development will bring untold challenges including health and safety issues inclusive of access, availability of emergency support services and quality of life for existing residents?
* What contingencies has RDC considered for flooding in the region? I am concerned bearing in mind the intended location of the new build will have on the river and adjacent land, which are prone to flooding?
* Recent searches made by new residents moving into the village had no sight of any such development plans. Their solicitors would not have visibility if not mad available. Can RDC confirm that the plans that have been made available for all local searches by legal and conveyance companies?
* I am aware of huge difficulty in obtaining planning permission for 1 house or extension particularly within Green Belt. If this is the case then plans on this scale should be brought to the attention of the residents immediately affected by them. Please clarify the position and the position on Green Belt policy.

I am formally requesting that RDC reconsiders these unfair proposals and amends its core strategy forthwith.
I have never challenged local governance before but being a home owner and tax payer I fundamentally disagree with the plans to build such an excessive number of houses. I am shocked and dismayed at the position I find myself in and respectfully request that RDC listens to its residents.

I really must protest to the building of 500 new houses in Hullbridge.

Having lived here for some 37 years and enjoying the village way of life, if the new development comes to fruition this will all change (and not for the better). If I wanted to live in a town I would have lived somewhere else. So for me and know doubt plenty of other residents our way of life will change irreparably forever.

Apart form the noise, dust etc this development will entail for years, the pressure on the already busy roads locally will be busting.

When Watery Lane floods and is closed as it is frequently, the traffic can become gridlocked between Church Road Hockley and the far end of Rawreth Lane some 3 to 4 miles. So presumably you will be building a new relief road somewhere to alleviate this problem?

I would also like to know how the access to this new development is to happen as most of the local roads are unadopted or too narrow for this purpose.

I wait expectantly for your reply to my questions.

I have been a resident of Hullbridge for 47 years, I have seen quite a few changes in that time, some good and some bad, but I think the proposal to build 500 homes in this village is absolutely absurd especially in Watery Lane which is always getting flooded and the amount of extra traffic it will make, when it is already busy enough the village could not cope with it. Please accept my objections and reply explaining this letter.

Regarding a recent meeting held on Monday 12th April in Hullbridge, which was kept as secret from the majority of the residents of Hullbridge.

We were asked to write to you by 30th April with any objections.

During the meeting several valid points were raised against the proposals these being namely:
- spoiling the village and surrounding areas.
- changing the character of the village.
- usage of Green Belt Land for this unpopular building decision.
- Usage of Flood Plains for building the 500 houses - irresponsible for the new houses and those already in existence.
- Lack of information at an early stage to these proposals.
- Hullbridge can't cope with the intrusion of the contractors due to lack of infrastructure.
- Hullbridge is on the flood plain for the River Crouch we have flood warning sirens in Hullbridge.
- Brown belt can be used instead of Green Belt land.
- Travellers' sites being foisted upon Hullbridge - why are we allowing this?
- The houses proposed will not be for the benefit of the village, it will create a 'them and us' atmosphere, there will not be any natural integration.
- Our children and families deserve fresh, clean air, nice green areas to walk in, wildlife, sense of community, these proposals will do the opposite to what we are all striving to find and keep in Hullbridge.

I wish to lodge these objections and I await a reply to the above points.

We are writing to object to the proposed development of 500 houses on green belt land in Hullbridge.

The reasons being that the land is liable to flood, these is insufficient access to the area of land and the strain on the school and doctors would be detrimental to the present population.
At a time of possible spending cuts in all areas there is no guarantee of any increase in public spending for any public transport or other infrastructure.

We are writing to object to the proposed development of 500 houses on green belt land in Hullbridge.

The reasons being that the land is liable to flood, these is insufficient access to the area of land and the strain on the school and doctors would be detrimental to the present population.
At a time of possible spending cuts in all areas there is no guarantee of any increase in public spending for any public transport or other infrastructure.

I am writing in opposition to the Planning of an estate in which 500 houses are to be built in Hullbridge. I feel that this is a very bad idea and has had no thought go into it, this is farming land green belt in which I have had a horse on this farm for many years.

We are a little village that cannot cope with something this size and it is a very in inappropriate area to consider building on, the flooding is terrible around Watery Lane and traffic can barely pass it at such times, the road can only stand light traffic.

I am totally confused to you have not considered moving this estate not even a mile up the road to the other end of Rawreth Lane past Makros were there is a versed amount of open space that has 2 busy roads running parallel, Rawreth Lane and London Road, and the A130 at the end there are only a few houses that this would affect unlike upsetting a whole village.

Also there is already a shortage a senior schools so were would all the children be educated.

I am very disappointed by the way all us Hullbridge residents were informed apparently it was put in a local matters paper in which I did not see and everyone I spoke to had not seen it. I was to find out about this development from my dog groomer through word of mouth, terrible from your behalf when I live only a few houses from were some of the new houses plan to be built.

I strongly disagree with all this and hope something gets sorted out.

Objection to housing development within Hullbridge.

I am writing to raise my objections to the proposed housing development within Hullbridge. I believe that this development would ruin the village that exists. I don't think such a large influx of homes and people would improve the area but would spoil the whole of Hullbridge.

The effect it would have to the village would be colossal:-

Drainage - Have you considered the drainage in this area? It is already very poor surely this development would just make the flooding worse.

Traffic - Have you considered the traffic in the area? The traffic in Lower Road and Hullbridge Road has already increased in recent years. How can the Infrastructure cope with an increase in traffic? Do we want another Canvey Island scenario? Will the council do anything about the maintenance of existing roads? The answer to this has always been no! How will the roads cope with plant machinery should the building work go ahead?

Medical Centre - The medical centre is currently being made bigger to cope with the increase an residents in Hullbridge. What will the waiting times be like with an additional 1000+ patients?

Schooling - with 450-500 new homes being built where are all these children going to go to school. The local senior schools are already oversubscribed following the demolition of Park School for yet more houses!!

Nation Grid - Our power supplies are already erratic and we suffer with power cuts on a regular basis. How will this be effected with even more houses in the area?

Pollution - 500 + houses + cars = INCREASE IN POLLUTION

Hullbridge already suffers from poorly maintained streets and roads, insufficient public transport, power buts, lack of schools, pollution and local facilities. How can building on green belt land be justified where there is plenty of derelict industrial land in Essex which could be built on.

PLEASE LEAVE OUR VILLAGE AND THE SURROUNDING CONTRYSIDE ALONE!!

I look forward to your response to this letter and would like it notes that I strongly oppose to this development.

I am writing in opposition to the Planning of an estate in which 500 houses are to be built in Hullbridge. I feel that this is a very bad idea and has had no thought go into it, this is farming land green belt in which I have had a horse on this farm for many years.

We are a little village that cannot cope with something this size and it is a very in inappropriate area to consider building on, the flooding is terrible around Watery Lane and traffic can barely pass it at such times, the road can only stand light traffic.

I am totally confused to you have not considered moving this estate not even a mile up the road to the other end of Rawreth Lane past Makros were there is a versed amount of open space that has 2 busy roads running parallel, Rawreth Lane and London Road, and the A130 at the end there are only a few houses that this would affect unlike upsetting a whole village.

Also there is already a shortage a senior schools so were would all the children be educated.

I am very disappointed by the way all us Hullbridge residents were informed apparently it was put in a local matters paper in which I did not see and everyone I spoke to had not seen it. I was to find out about this development from my dog groomer through word of mouth, terrible from your behalf when I live only a few houses from were some of the new houses plan to be built.

I strongly disagree with all this and hope something gets sorted out.

Planning for 500 Houses in Hullbridge

I am writing regarding my objection to the building of 500 Houses within Hullbridge.

I no longer reside in Hullbridge but lived there with my parents until I was 22 years old, and I strongly disagree with the proposed planning.

Hullbridge is a quite, Peaceful village, with the extra houses being built here it would cause a lot of problems, mainly the proposed site where you are planning to build the houses in the wintery months is prone to flooding. These is only of road out of Hullbridge and at times now the traffic is bad.

Also in Hullbridge there is no Police Station, dentist or bank and Rayleigh is the nearest facility. I am also aware that at the moment you have to wait for a long time for an appointment to see the doctor in the village, so you can imagine how busy the doctors would become with an extra 1000 people or so moving to the village.

I am writing in to express my objections to the new housing development proposal for Hullbridge. I find it unbelievable that the council would consider to build such a large amount of houses on the outskirts of such a small village and on green belt land that has been known flood.

I have lived in Hullbridge for 36 years. There have been many changes to the village over the years. Many houses have been knocked down and flats put back up, but these have been gradual changes that the village has been able to cope with. It has not been affected the wonderful sense of community that is to be found here. To build a new housing estate on the edge of the village is entirely inappropriate. This kind of new development would be very isolated. The infrastructure of the village would not cope with a large influx of people. As I am sure you are aware many of the roads in Hullbridge are unadopted. The stretch of road that I live on has no real surface and no surface water drainage, many other roads are single lane only. This many houses would most certainly cause a huge increase in traffic and congestion. There is a small primary school that would not cope with a large increase in children. There is no secondary school, the children of Hullbridge have to bus into Rayleigh - many who do not receive free travel as the school is considered close enough to walk to!

Without doubt this development would be very detrimental to the people of Hullbridge, to suddenly increase the population by 30% will affect everyone. The land you are considering is wonderful green pasture that stretches from Hullbridge to Battlesbridge. We are all aware of the need for new housing but please - not here, not on green belt land.

I am writing in opposition to the planned core strategy 500 unit housing estate planned for Hullbridge. I feel that this is a very poorly thought out and completely unsustainable for a village with such an inadequate infrastructure.

It seems that Rochford district council are choosing sites by guess work and just sticking a pin into a map and without properly researching the facts related to the chosen sites, that we the residents should be told about. As we know that the suggested site in Hullbridge is a boarder line flood plain. If this is a serious site for the new development could the council please explain in detail how they plan to prepare that indicated land to accept that amount of building work. And how (in detail) they plan to adapt the village's present infrastructure to cope with a 30% increase in population.

Also there are real and very serious consequences in building on land of this nature. Therefore the council are morally bound to appoint a council official by name. Who would be totally held responsible for any negative damage and grievments arising from any of the consequences that would unfold from this development? Importantly a very large sum of many money needs to be seen to have been put aside to allow compensation for all residents that might be affected negatively by such a risky development. And where is this money going to come from. Surely the residents must not be held responsible for paying themselves for a very poorly designed building estate that they didn't want in the first place.

It is also very important for the council to take the moral position to inform any family who is in position to buy a unit on this land, that they are purchasing a property that is prone to flooding. If this issue is not highlighted to potential buyers. Then there must be an official council body appointed that they would be able to take legal action against for questionable appointment of inappropriate land.

More importantly, as the intended site is indeed sub prime building land could the council please indicate why this particular site was chosen. And could the council remit in detail how much this would cost to install the correct drainage and access to make the building on this land possible. We also demand how much this infrastructure change would cost and would that in turn be past on directly or indirectly to the council tax payer.

We are very disappointed in the effectual manner in which this core strategy plan was communicated to the residents it will affect the most and are indeed suspicious that this ineffectual communication was indeed an intended strategy in order to avoid opposition.

Please note that these points and concerns are not unique to the residents of Hullbridge, and are commonly felt by other residents in the Rochford District Council area who are facing similar developments. This indicates that Rochford Council have failed to process the core structure effectively. Resulting in a growing suspicion in a large number of tax paying voting residents that perhaps the manner in which this matter has been conducted has been intentional. This does not present our officials in Ombudsman to examine and police the structure and processes of the council's actions in close scrutiny.

Re: The proposal to build 500 homes in Hullbridge

I feel I must write regarding the house building plan for Hullbridge. I have lived in the village for over 35 years. I have seen many changes over the years indeed my own road was unmade when I moved here. There were what was known as 'holiday homes' in many parts of the village. Times have changed not always for the better with the building of new estates and the influx of large numbers of people.

At present our shops are closing and flats which have not been taken up for rent, and houses not sold. The traffic is relentless during the rush hour as we only have Lower Road to get in and out of the village.

At the bottom of my road when it rains heavily the road is severely flooded, not just a trickle across the road but an area of thirty feet is not uncommon. This has been that case for years and nothing is ever done.

A year or two ago a neighbour had trouble with the drains. A new extension was being built but it was continually flooding thus hampering the build. Anglian Water came out so many times and upon looking down several neighbours' drains found that they had no record of these drains and over and over again tried to tell us that water ran up hill to a drainage ditch in Harrison Gardens. From the encounter I'm afraid I have little faith in their being able to sort out the flooding problem which occurs in Watery Lane. It would be very interesting to know how many times Watery Lane has been closed over the past 5 years.

Is it not possible to build all the homes that are needed to be built by Rochford District Council in one place. There must be somewhere in the district where this could be carried out. I have heard that the areas where you propose to carry out the building works across the district are against this plan. By building a complete village somewhere in the area all opposition would be removed, good infrastructure could be put in place ad disruption would not be felt by existing community.

I have always loved living in the village environment and thought to see me days out here, not to end up being caught up in an environment more like London. We people of Hullbridge have a sense of community looking out for each other but with so many people coming all that will be lost.

Access into and out of Hullbridge - At present there is just 1 road (Lower Road) that leads into and out of Hullbridge. During rush hours (morning and evening) this road becomes a huge problem with the amount of traffic using it. As you can see, I live off Abbey Road which is accessible from Lower Road so I am well aware of the difficulties this causes. Apart from the residents of Hullbridge this road is also used as a 'cut through' to Hockley, Ashingdon and beyond. On some occasions when there has been an accident along this road, the whole area has become gridlocked. I feel that by adding a further 500 houses to Hullbridge the level of traffic could become critical.

Localised flooding - The land on which you propose to build has a problem with flooding. My garden, which backs directly onto the land, is 80 foot long and 32 foot wide, during the winter we literally lose half the garden form the house to the fence. At times the water has been just a couple of inches from the bottom of my patio doors and even closer to the airbrick in my neighbours extension. Incidentally, my next door neighbours garden floods entirely - you cannot see her lawn at all. In the past I have contacted the local council, Essex & Suffolk Water and the Environmental Agency regarding this matter, everyone of them said it was nothing to do with them. One man was rather helpful and suggested I call the fire brigade to pump the house out when it floods..... I have major concerns that this could become a reality if this land is built on.

One of the major attraction for us when purchasing our house was the view from our back garden and the fact that it is quite secluded and not overlooked. It will become a great disappointment to have a housing estate built at the bottom of our garden. Not only do I feel this would have a detrimental affect on the price of my property, it would also make it harder to sell in the future.

Will the council be offering compensation to the residents of Abbey Road for taking away our privacy and views?

Schooling
The building of 500 properties has the potential to add 1500+ residents to this small, already full, village. Most of which could be children.

In Hullbridge there are 2 pre-schools, 1 primary school and no secondary school.

There are waiting lists to get into the pre-schools - my youngest son attends pre-school but is unable to use his government allocated 5 sessions per week because there isn't enough space for him. Further pre-school aged children in Hullbridge has the potential to make this issue dramatically worse. Likewise, I do not feel our Primary School has the capacity to cope with a large increase in pupils.

Doctors Surgery
In Hullbridge we are lucky have our own surgery. With a population of approximately 7,300 already living there do you think that a relatively small practice like this could cope with an additional 1500+ new patients? I have my doubts. How long would it take to get an appointment to see the doctor? I have lived in areas where doctors are booked up days or even a week in advance. This is not what I would like to see happen to our local surgery but feel that this would become reality.

I am not an unreasonable person, and I do understand the need for new housing to be built, I just feel that Hullbridge is not necessarily the right place to build it all. There are many other local that have better facilities (shops, train lines, bus routes, schools etc) that would be better able to accommodate this level of development.

With regards to the proposed new houses in Hullbridge. I am against them!
I have lived in Hullbridge for over 40 years and seen it grow from a pleasant little village to a 'Mini' town and every year at some time there is flooding around the Watery Lane area and one year the area flooded to almost Ferry Road, building 500 houses in this area will only bring more problems of this nature, this along side that, the road into Hullbridge will not be able to cope with so much more traffic as at the moment at peak periods the roads are jammed and come to a stand still. Also we suffer from low water pressure quite often and drainage is often a problem, we also suffer from electricity cuts due to demand, we have no Police Station and the Fire Station is now further away it all goes against the infrastructure of the whole area.

I am writing to tell you how utterly discussed I am to hear about you plan to build 450 houses in the South West Hullbridge area. I only found out about the proposed housing in our local magazine 'Ripples' and not by any publication from Rochford District Council.

I attended the meeting in Hullbridge on Monday 12th April which was well attended by the Hullbridge residents and I believe the consensus of the room was totally against any planned housing in Hullbridge.

I was totally dissatisfied with how the meeting went as many residents asked questions and time and time again their questions were not answered.

A previous meeting re housing allocation had taken place and on one represented Hullbridge at this meeting why?

My reasons for protesting against housing in Hullbridge are:-

* No road infrastructure only one road in and out of Hullbridge

* No secondary school in Hullbridge and surrounding secondary schools are at full capacity. The joke is that Park School was the school that Hullbridge children attended which has now been knocked down and built houses on.

* No train stations unlike Rayleigh, Hockley and Battlesbridge.

* No police Station

* The possibility of flooding in proposed site and the impact on the existing roads in surrounding area.

* When watery lane 'proposed housing site' id flooded the traffic is unbearable and an extra 1,000 car will have a massive impact on Hullbridge, Rawreth and Rayleigh.

* Hullbridge will lose it village atmosphere,

I grew up in Hullbridge where I had a wonderful childhood and returned here when I started my own family as I enjoyed the village community and feel totally sage here. I believe the proposed housing for Hullbridge will change this and for that I am deeply saddened.

When the houses on Rawreth Lane were built by Asda they received a new sport centre and a new car park what are Hullbridge being offered inn return for all this new housing?

I am writing in opposition of the planning of an estate in which 500 houses are to be built in Hullbridge. I feel that this is a very bad idea and has had no thought go into it, this is farming land green belt in which I have had a horse on this farm for many years.

We are a little village that cannot cope with something this size and it is a very inappropriate area to consider building on, the flooding is terrible around Watery Lane and traffic can barely pass it at such times, the road can only stand light traffic.

I am totally confused to why you have not considered moving this estate not even a mile up the road to the other end of Rawreth lane past Makros were there is a versed amount of open space that has 2 busy roads running parallel, Rawreth land and London Road, and the A130 at the end end there are only a few houses that this would affect unlike upsetting a whole village.

Also there is already a shortage of senior schools so were would all the children be educated.

I am very disappointed by the way all us Hullbridge residents were informed apparently it was put in a local matter paper in which I did not see and everyone I spoke to had not seen it. I was to find out about this development from my dog groomer through word of mouth, terrible from your behalf when I lived only a few houses from were some of the new houses plan to be built.