Option EA3

SAME AS EA1

If either option EA1 or EA2 can provide the capacity required this option will take green belt land unnecessarily and should therefore be rejected.

Similar to EA1

The comments already provided against EA1 and EA2 also apply to EA3 with the added impact of both sites adding to traffic loads on Brays Lane and Ashingdon Road.

OPTION EA3

This is the most suitable of the three options identified by the Council as it includes sufficient land for the school improvements, with the site being able to accommodate a larger area for residential development. However, we believe that the site area is not sufficient to deliver a high quality scheme, which meets parking and amenity standards and provides for all of the wider requirements of the Core Strategy. The site area should therefore be amended to include additional land to the north, for reasons set out below.

We note that the Council considers that "the site to the north would not provide a defensible green belt boundary". A Preliminary Landscape and Visual Appraisal has been undertaken to examine this. This report reveals that although the area of countryside is within the Green Belt, its intrinsic value and sensitivity of the landscape is low. The land parcel to the south of Brays Lane is well enclosed and has little relationship with the outlying countryside. The southern third of the northern parcel also has no publicly appreciable relationship or visual link to the outlying countryside and development here would not affect the character and the openness of the remaining Green Belt land. Further north the site does have some visual link with the Green Belt, however influences are highly limited. Development would not bring significant changes to the scene that cannot be mitigated. It is also possible that good design of the development edge could result in an enhanced urban edge. This option has a total site area of 5.44 ha and is capable of accommodating around 123 dwellings at a density of 30 dwellings per hectare. Given that extending the site boundary further to the north has limited impacts in terms of landscape and visual amenity, it is submitted that any harm will be outweighed by the positive contribution to housing supply in a sustainable location.

In considering detailed proposals for this broad location a scheme was sought that met a number of criteria. These included meeting the objectives of the Core Strategy, providing a viable scheme given the substantial contributions required and ensuring that the proposals would be technically acceptable and that the impact on the Green Belt and landscape would be kept to a minimum.

As stated above, we put forward a preferred option, EA4, which is shown on the attached plan (ref. 010036/06). This option is considered in greater detail below.

Option EA3 is as Option EA2, but also incorporates land to the south of Brays Lane. The northern site provides separation between the eastern edge of Rochford and development along Brays Lane. Therefore, if developed, it would lead to this existing development becoming part of Rochford. It will also be difficult to provide a defensible green belt boundary to the north of the site.

Having attended the exhibition by Andrew Martin Associates at King Edmund School on Friday 23rd April, with my wife where we did express our views, we have decided to put these directly to you to ensure they are given every consideration.
To site 150 houses both north and south of Brays lane is, we believe, totally out of order for the following reasons:-
150 houses will bring at least another 150 to 300 cars into a very congested area, which Rochford planning department ought to be already aware of.
Let us explain, any access into this area involves crossing over Warners Bridge past the roundabouts at the Anne Boleyn pub down into Bradley Way and passing the station entrance. On this route the holdups are at the roundabouts, especially the Anne Boleyn where as motorist's we have waited for long periods if approaching from Sutton road, the one into the town and at the station. The station roundabout is also a nightmare coming in from Hall road.
We then join the very busy and not fit for purpose Ashingdon Rd where there are four schools and day nurseries. Here long hold ups are encountered at school times.
A busy roundabout follows at Rectory Rd and a right turn into Brays Lane. Brays Lane has traffic going past from 04-00hrs to very late at night. Many of these being HGV's which are a constant source of noise and danger to residents. Over the last five years we have had telephone and power lines torn down by traffic also several accidents. Gas repair people have had the road up many times because of leaks. In September 2009 the gas leak was directly outside our bungalow. Speaking to the repair men, we were told that the gas pipes were in a very bad state, caused by the constant heavy and speeding traffic.





To consider bringing even more traffic into this area is completely ludicrous as even a car parking for five minutes in the Ashingdon Rd can cause hold-ups for a considerable time. For example the current gas works near the garage in Ashingdon Rd caused a fifteen minute delay this morning on our way to Southend. Refuse collection Lorries are another cause for delay.
How can bringing up to twenty school buses four times a day plus all the extra cars into Brays lane be justified? This is a road which we counted eight large timber and steel Lorries enter and leave in ten minutes.
Another cause for concern is that you are planning to build on Green Belt Land. Green belt land should remain green belt land as was originally intended.
We are completely opposed to this scheme which we believe only benefits King Edmunds School, the land owners and the property developer, who let's be honest is not interested in anything other than profit.
As parents and grandparents we are not opposed to improvements at King Edmund school but how many football fields does one school need.

This location is further from Rochford Town Centre and train station than other options that are being considered for Rochford, which are considered to more sustainable development options.

Option EA1 is also considered as a suitable location for the expansion of King Edmund School (KES2 & KES3), therefore there is a potential conflict with another key objective of the document.

Option EA2 & EA3, both of these options are located wholly or partly to the north of Brays Lane, and would not create a defensible boundary, contrary to PPG2.

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.

Objection and comments to the housing in East Ashingdon.
See paper copy for details.

Comments regarding land allocation for East Ashingdon.

For further information, see paper copy.

Comments received regarding option EA1, EA2, EA3 and KES1.

For further details see paper copy.