Town Centre Masterplans

Comment

Representation ID: 874

Received: 15/02/2008

Respondent: Hockley Parish Plan Group

Hockley Town Centre Masterplan - Proposals from HPPG

In June 2007, HPPG made 4 representations on the Local Development Framework Rochford District Core Strategy Preferred Options Regulation 26 Draft, which were based on responses to a questionnaire sent to each household in Hockley. The representations cover the whole Parish of Hockley but are also relevant in the development of the Hockley Town Centre Masterplan. The representations are repeated below for your reference.

Representation Number 158
Section: 4.2.7 Green Belt & Strategic Gaps Between Settlements Preferred Option
Support/Object: SUPPORT
Summary: 1. Should Hockley remain as a distinct community?
It was unanimous with almost 100% of responses that Hockley should remain as a distinct community with clear boundaries and green spaces with no further infilling between Hockley and its neighbouring parishes.

Representation Number 159
Section: 4.5 Housing Numbers & Phasing
Support/Object: COMMENT
Summary: 2. Preferred methods of absorbing new homes
The most popular vote, with over 40% of responses, was that there should be no further development in Hockley. However, we are aware of the planned increase of 3700 new homes of which 50% seem to be in or east of Hockley, which will obviously have a serious impact.
The preferred methods for absorbing new developments were as follows:
* Building on plots that form part of existing property / industrial sites
* Small groups of houses
* Replacing houses with flats / apartments to protect greenbelt and open spaces
* Provision of a satellite village remote from Hockley
The least preferred methods were:
* Large housing estates
* Building on greenbelt and open spaces
* Infilling with mini-roads off main roads

Representation Number 160
Section: 4.10.8 Character of Place & the Historic Environment Preferred Option
Support/Object: SUPPORT
Summary: 3. Protection of old and historic buildings
There was strong support for preserving all the buildings that are currently listed. In addition, there were recommendations for several buildings that were previously put forward but rejected for listing, plus several buildings that have not previously been proposed. A list is currently under preparation for follow up with the appropriate departments to ensure their protection during development.

Representation Number 161
Section: 4.6 General Development Locations
Support/Object: COMMENT
Summary: Appropriate development in terms of housing, leisure, community and business
The preferred types of appropriate development for Hockley were as follows:
* Youth centres
* Shops
* Restaurants
* Leisure facilities
* Starter homes
* Sports facilities
The least preferred appropriate development included:
* Workshops / Industrial Units / Business Parks
* Housing (except starter homes)
* Pubs

Appropriate infrastructure to match development.
There was a major concern that infrastructure will not match housing developments in Hockley. The main issues included:
* Inadequate highways - need for a by-pass or alternative proposals to alleviate traffic congestion
* Insufficient medical centres
* Inadequate parking
* Inadequate community services
* Inadequate public transport
* Insufficient school places
The areas which seem to best match development include:
* Sewage disposal
* Water supply
* Gas and electrical supply

Priority types of accommodation needed in future years
Apart from starter homes, there was very little support of additional housing in Hockley. However, assuming that the proposal for additional homes goes ahead, the preferred categories of accommodation needed in Hockley are:
1) Owner occupied
2) Private rented
3) Housing association
4) Shared ownership

The priority general types of accommodation needed are:
1) 2 Bedroom properties
2) 3 Bedroom properties
3) Retirement homes
4) 1 Bedroom properties
5) Sheltered accommodation
6) Homes for the disabled
7) 4+ Bedroom properties

The top 10 individual types of property needed are:
1) 3 Bedroom house - owner occupied
2) 2 Bedroom house - owner occupied
3) Retirement homes - owner occupied
4) 4+ Bedroom house - owner occupied
5) 1 Bedroom house - owner occupied
6) Retirement homes - private rented
7) 2 Bedroom flat / apartment - owner occupied
8) Sheltered accommodation - owner occupied
9) Sheltered accommodation - housing association
10) Retirement homes - housing association

Location of power cables
It was unanimous with almost 100% of responses that new power cables should be located underground.

Location of mobile phone masts
The most popular vote, with 64% of responses, was that there should be no additional mobile phone masts in Hockley. If there has to be more mobile phone masts, then there was a strong recommendation that they should be located remote from people and animals. As such, they should be remote (by at least 500 metres) from residential areas, schools and medical centres.

Pollution issues related to traffic and businesses
The main pollution issues were attributed to traffic (noise, smells and fumes) and businesses (smells and fumes). Any future development in or around Hockley is likely to increase pollution issues, and every effort must be made to offset pollution effects. In addition, any expansion at Southend Airport will increase pollution, and must be considered in any planning applications.

Additional content to be included in the Masterplan

In addition to the representations above related to future development in Hockley, and based on further recommendations in the Hockley Parish Plan, HPPG suggest the following for inclusion in the Masterplan for Hockley Town Centre and its immediate vicinity.

Environmentally Friendly
* Pollution free in terms of litter, dog mess, graffiti, smells, fumes, noise, lighting and mobile phone masts
* More flowers, trees, shrubs and seats
* Tidy and appropriate shop fronts
* Well maintained roads, pavements and street lighting
* Frequent collection of refuse and recyclable materials for residents (including flats / apartments) and businesses, including separation of garbage, recyclable materials and compost (food and garden waste)
* Increased types of recyclable material for both doorstep and central collection locations

Appropriate development and infrastructure (in addition to the 4 representations above)
* Additional restaurants (not Chinese or Indian) with less take-aways
* Additional shops with less charity shops
* A Youth Club
* Youth meeting places / shelter

Elimination of transport issues
* Better traffic flow through Hockley by improved junctions in the vicinity of the village centre
* Zebra crossings replaced by pelican crossings
* 20 mph speed limit through village centre
* Enforcement of regulations related to on-road parking and commercial deliveries at peak periods
* Bus stop outside Alldays in Spa Road relocated to improve visibility for cars exiting car parks at Alldays and Somerfield
* Additional parking facilities for bicycles
* Additional free parking behind the shops, in the Industrial Estates, and at Hockley Station
* Free parking for first half hour in public car park behind Hockley library

Facilities for people with disabilities
* Improved access to shops / service providers, automatic doors, and wider entrances and aisles
* No uneven, sloping or poorly maintained pavements. Wider pavements. Lowered kerbs at road crossings, disabled parking areas and bus stops
* Stop cyclists riding on pavements
* Stop vehicles parking on pavements
* Relocated obstructions on pavements e.g. telephone poles, electricity poles, street furniture and billboards
* Better maintenance of overgrown trees and hedges on pavements
* More disabled parking spaces near shops
* Stop illegal parking in disabled bays
* Seats and shelters at bus stops
* Improved facilities for disabled youths

Reduced Crime and anti-social behaviour
* Latest digital CCTV cameras in identified problem locations
* More police presence including foot patrols and night patrols
* Elimination of drugs and alcohol abuse

Comment

Representation ID: 889

Received: 27/02/2008

Respondent: Hockley Parish Plan Group

Although Hockley Parish Plan Group has already submitted a representation with respect to the Hockley Town Centre Masterplan, we would like to summarise our findings during the placecheck walk, most of which support our representation.

Things we disliked during the walk

* Poor state of seating
* Poor state of bus shelters in Southend Road
* Poor state of décor at shops, residential properties, rail station, clinic etc.
* Poor state of gardens / open space near the railway bridge
* Pavements in need of repair
* Shop car parks in need of repair
* Litter, especially cigarette ends outside eating, drinking and gambling establishments
* Telegraph poles as an obstruction to less mobile people
* Disregard of parking regulations, including delivery vans
* Location of bus stop at Alldays (including driver make-up time) causing a visibility hazard for vehicles exiting Alldays and Somerfield car parks
* Traffic congestion build-up at Spa roundabout
* Many closed down empty shops
* Too many charity shops
* Too many take-away food shops

Additional facilities we discussed during the walk

* Specialist shops
* Family restaurants (especially Italian) and cafes
* Youth club
* Youth meeting place, possibly in one of the empty shops
* Police station
* Possible community use for the Spa Pump rooms
* CCTV cameras
* Bins for cigarette ends including stubbing out feature, similar to Spa pub
* Additional seating in the vicinity of the Spa roundabout
* Seating and a shelter at the Royal Taste bus stop
* Flower beds in the vicinity of the Spa roundabout
* More central bicycle parking facilities
* Possible bus lay-by in Southend Road
* Better signposting of car parks
* Clearer marking and regulations of parking spaces, including disabled spaces
* Additional free parking behind the shops in Spa Road
* Join up Somerfield and Alldays carparks to make better use of space
* Additional disabled parking spaces on and off road
* Additional car parking on the Plumberow Avenue side of the Railway station
* Free parking (especially short term) at the public car park behind the library