Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

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Comment

Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

Which of the options, or combination of options for Site A do you prefer?

Representation ID: 17002

Received: 30/11/2009

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

SITE A - redevelopment of this site should be informed by a carefully thought out design brief, with the height and scale of new building reflecting the other buildings in the square. Any development option for Site A will need to consider the potential for extensive urban archaeological deposits surviving within the area of the Market Place, and the impacts the development will have upon this resource.

Comment

Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

Which of the options, or combination of options for Site B do you prefer?

Representation ID: 17003

Received: 30/11/2009

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

SITE B - restriction of vehicular use in the square will not automatically create a pedestrian space. It could become merely empty unless some attraction or facility makes pedestrians want to use the square. The routing of buses through West Street should be carefully considered because buses have caused damage to listed and other buildings and create traffic congestion. The full or part pedestrianisation of the Market Square would need to consider the potential for extensive urban archaeological deposits surviving within the area and the impacts development will have upon this resource.

Comment

Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

Which of the options for Site C do you prefer?

Representation ID: 17004

Received: 30/11/2009

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

SITE C - any redevelopment should consider retention of the Indian restaurant and florist. Any development option for the site would need to consider the potential for peripheral urban and industrial archaeological deposits surviving on the fringe of post-medieval Rochford and the potential impacts the development will have upon this resource.

Comment

Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

CONSERVATION AND HERITAGE

Representation ID: 17005

Received: 30/11/2009

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

Although the current document is a Issues and Options Report (rather than the Area Action Plan itself) it should be mentioned that, where appropriate, further guidance will be provided in the further stages of the Area Action Plan that will guide the form and character of developments in more detail. This guidance should include schematic layouts and perspectives, in the form of Design Briefs where appropriate. It would be an important element in achieving an acceptable form of development and helping to ensure that the aims of the Area Action Plan are achieved. This particularly applies to some of the more central sites, redevelopment of which would have the potential to have a considerable impact on the character of the town as a whole. The importance of a thorough site context analysis should be stressed as a prelude to production of any site brief.

The document acknowledges (paragraph 2.15) that the Conservation Area Appraisal and accompanying management plan set out measures to preserve and enhance the character or appearance of the area. The key elements of these documents will need to be reflected in any solutions brought forward for Rochford Town Centre. The Area Action Plan provides an ideal opportunity to do this. Specifically, these initiatives could include the rationalisation of signage, the reduction in street clutter, upgrading of surface materials etc.

The Issues and Options document concentrates on specific sites but the importance of Conservation Area-wide initiatives that would result in an upgrading of the area should not ignored. The Conservation Area can be enhanced through the encouragement of incremental, small-scale improvements throughout the whole Conservation Area. Also, tree planting and landscaping improvements in car parks should be specifically encouraged as identified in the Management Plan.

In terms of presentation, the Issues and Options document would have benefited from a composite plan showing the locations of the potential opportunity sites (A-K). This would have enabled easier and better appreciation of how the sites relate to each other and to the overall town structure. Also a plan with road names shown would be useful. It is hoped that these omissions can be remedied during the further stages in preparation of the Area Action Plan.

Comment

Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

Which of the options for Site D do you prefer?

Representation ID: 17006

Received: 30/11/2009

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

SITE D - redevelopment of the site would fill the gap in the street scene and enhance the appearance of the town. The size and appearance of any buildings are important in Conservation Area terms, but their use is a lesser issue. Any development option for the site will need to consider the potential for urban archaeological deposits surviving within the historic core of Rochford and the impacts the development will have upon this resource.

Comment

Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

Which of the options for Site E do you prefer?

Representation ID: 17007

Received: 30/11/2009

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

SITE E The car dealer's is pretty much an historic building and should remain. Any development option for Site E will need to consider the potential for peripheral urban and industrial archaeological deposits surviving on the fringe of post-medieval Rochford and the potential impacts the development will have upon this resource.

Comment

Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

Which of the options for Site F do you prefer?

Representation ID: 17008

Received: 30/11/2009

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

SITE F - development could help create a stronger, continuous frontage on Bradley Way. Any development option for the site will need to consider the potential for archaeological deposits surviving on the fringe of post-medieval Rochford and the potential impacts development will have upon this resource.

Comment

Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

Which of options for Site G do you prefer?

Representation ID: 17009

Received: 30/11/2009

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

Sites G & H - Any development option for these two sites will need to consider the potential for peripheral urban archaeological deposits surviving outside the present built area of Rochford and the potential impacts development will have upon this resource.

Comment

Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

Which of the options for Site H do you prefer?

Representation ID: 17010

Received: 30/11/2009

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

Sites G & H - Any development option for these two sites will need to consider the potential for peripheral urban archaeological deposits surviving outside the present built area of Rochford and the potential impacts development will have upon this resource.

Comment

Rochford Town Centre Area Action Plan - Issues and Options

Which of the options for Site J do you prefer?

Representation ID: 17011

Received: 30/11/2009

Respondent: Essex County Council

Representation Summary:

Site J - Any development option for the site will need to consider the potential for peripheral archaeological deposits surviving outside the historic core of Rochford and the potential impacts development will have upon this resource.

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