If you look at the bottom left-hand side of your screen, you’ll see a section marked “Rochford District Council RSS Feed”.
This section is for people who are seriously interested in what’s happening at the District Council – every time a page on the council website is updated or added, you’ll see itmentioned here.
One thing to look out for every Friday is the “Weekly Parish Lists of Planning Applications”. This leads you to a list of new planning applications to the council.
Probably the most interesting one this week is in Rayleigh High Street:
“Demolition of Existing Shops, Offices and Outbuildings to be Replaced by a Mixed Use Development Comprising Ground Floor Retail and 23 Flats over all within 3-4 Storey Building. Access Via the High Street to Rear Parking Court. Location: 162 – 168 High Street Rayleigh”
If you are trying to work out where 162-168 Rayleigh High Street is, , it’s just past the old Rayleigh Post Office, on the way to the Paul Pry. ESW Accountants are at 162-164.
Have a look at the number of flats – 23. If the developers had applied for 25, they would have had to include some affordable housing….
Rayleigh does not need loads and loads of flats, the charm of Rayleigh is wearing off, I have lived here all my life, my Children, Nieces and Nephews cannot afford to buy property in Rayleigh even though they have lived here since they were born, if Rayleigh has to have more housing then it should be made affordable for local people!!!!
The housing situation in Rayleigh is already at breaking point the council has so few property’s the waiting list is 12 years plus thats if you can get on the list!, this is because they have sold most of them off, what has happend to that money????
We do not need loads of private flats for people who currently live outside the area, the services and roads are stretched most of the time, and where these flats are planned will cause more traffic problems on an already busy road!
Rayleigh used to be a safe family place, but now I fear it is turning into what Westcliff has become over crowded flat hell.
Well said Dee, thanks for commenting!
Chris, There must be lots more people out there feeling the same as Dee. Maybe there could be more members of the public at the next West Area Committee meeting?
I think there probably will be – for one thing , it’s at Downhall School..
I would say to anyone, if you can get to the next West Area Committee meeting and have a question or just want to listen, its your best opportunity to speak to your local Councillors and put your questions and views, about Rayleigh, across to the people who make decisions on our behalf. We are the only ones who can tell them we do or do not agree with what is going on in our Town. Whether its too many flats or anti-social behaviour, this is a chance to speak out. If we dont take it we cant complain.
Chris, on the subject of affordable housing, do you know how or if the planning department monitors what happens when a new development is given the go ahead. Is there a specific number of market rate houses and a percentage then have to be affordable? Does the Council follow through and ensure that the right amount is affordable? and how they come to a price for the affordable houses? Does the Council leave the developer alone to go through the motions or is it tracked? If there is no audit trail to pricing, and who buys these houses, the process is open to abuse. I am not saying it is but would like more info on what happens. Is that a question for the next West Area meeting?
There is an interesting article in the Echo today featuring a Labour Councillor, David Norman extolling the virtue of further residential development. Now I do agree with Cllr. Norman that we do require affordable housing for the people of this district who have lived here all their lives and are unable to get on to the property ladder. What we are not getting is exactly that, most of the housing is being put up by development companies who could not give a damn about making their houses affordable (or their flats come to that). And until the Council planning office get their act together we never will give the people of Rochford / Southend what they need.