Option SH1

No, I am of the view Hockley/Hawkwell is currently reaching maximum development, and untill the roads, in particular, are developed to handle the current volume of traffic that not only services Hockley/Hawkwell, but is taking traffic that is avoiding the A127 congestions between Rayleigh and Southend, to get to Rochford, Ashingdon and Southend/Southend Airport. Cherry Orchard Lane has been upgraded, but it has increased traffic through Hockley. New Roads must be developed, that are feeder roads to RDC towns, and are free from houses, industrial estates, etc., hence allowing traffic to clear the area smoothly and efficiently

SH1, page 26: Support is given to this site option for residential redevelopment. The recent appeal and application has demonstrated that all the environmental, character and sustainability issues surrounding the redevelopment of the site can be managed in such a way that the development will make a valuable contribution to the minimum housing requirements. The identification of the whole area is necessary and so the boundary of the site should include land to the western edge of properties along Thorpe Road/Thorpe Close. This is necessary in order to secure the vital enhancements to the woodland and ecology within the site in a manner which contributes to PPS9 objectives and which can only be delivered via a planning application. It is also necessary to identify the whole site under option SH1 plus land up to the boundary with the properties along Thorpe Road/Thorpe Close in order to enable the opportunities and constraints to be fully managed including the necessary relocation of the gas pipe line which as currently laid has important implications for any new development in terms of zones where development is acceptable.

It is agreed that the site would be able to be developed in a way which provides a defensible Green Belt boundary, particularly along Rectory Road but also along the northern edge where there is a ditch. Attached is a plan explaining an appropriate layout for the site.

In principle I do not agree with any of the options put forward because I disagree with the loss of any further green belt land for development. The additional housing needs of Hawkwell are far less than 175 and such needs can easily be accommodated on smaller brown field sites rather than green belt. However, if you are going to force a 175 housing estate on us in Hawkwell West which in my opinion is unsustainable, then I would prefer Option SH3.

Access to the site would be along Rectory Road which could not sustain the additional traffic. Data from Essex Police actually shows that 34% more traffic use Rectory Road than the B1013. Therefore why do all sites centre around Rectory Road? Hawkwell is a semi-rural area and it is unsound to put a housing estate in such a place.

Infrastructure insufficient i.e road network. Risk of flooding. No mature trees should be removed to accommodate any development.

Although this site would be less damaging to the Green Belt it would impact on the area as a whole. The roads in the area cannot cope with the current requirements, especially the Ashingdon Road.

Option SH1 is a large site which if developed would significantly contribute to the coalescence of Hockley and Hawkwell.

My objections to this development are twofold.
1. This development will set a precedent locally reducing our ever diminishing "green belt" resource....once lost never
replaced
2. The local infrastructure is totally inadequate.
2:1 The existing road network was never designed to carry the present volume of traffic, let alone the volumes
this and other locally proposed developments will create.
2:2 G.P. surgeries, schools, and local hospital will be put under even greater pressure.

RE: ALLOCATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PLAN DOCUMENTS



Thank you for giving Anglian Water the opportunity to comment on the above document.



Please find our comments summarized on the attached document.

Various questions and comments received.

For further details see paper copy.