The application from Countryside for “North of London Road” can now be found on the council website. The reference number is 17/00578/REM and you should be able to see it by following this link.Â
We have asked the council to put a link on the front of the council website.
The expiry date for consultation responses is 18/07/2017
It is a “reserved matters” application for phase 1 of the scheme.
Are you wondering what “Reserved Matters” means? Well, the principle of development has already been agreed – that happened when the outline application was approved. We are now looking at the details – and these are called reserved matters. It’s a more accurate name than just “details” because some of this is important stuff! It needs a lot of study by councillors …
There is also an application 17/00588/REM – this si apparently for additional open space.
Thanks Admin – please spread the word via FB that this easy link is available ( to encourage people to comment on it )
as finding it on the RDC website is ( probable deliberately ) difficult to find for non expert Joe Public .
Obviously this is a voluminous document which will take me sometime to digest but my first scan suggests these issues:-
1. The format ( online ) is not easy to read in some places ( small/light grey font which blurs when magnified ).
2. The plans show no signs of the ( much vaunted ) storm water Retention Pond at this Phase 1 stage .
3. Construction traffic impact on local roads was’nt assessed at the ‘outline’ stage , nor does it appear to be now.
4. Given simultaneous Construction sites to the South ( Grange Villa / Timber Grove ) presumably RDC planners
will be looking hard at the cumulative impact of both construction traffic locally and rainwater run-off rates during
each interim stage – and imposing conditions on any approvals that they are culpable for?..
Yep, I have now read right through once –
There is no start date or timescale in this submission ( although the Developer’s press release above says 2018 start ).
There is no indication of where site access ( for the construction phase will be ) , I suspect they will use the current
entrance to the Industrial Estate – that means RH turns accross traffic flows in Rawreth Lane at an already awkward
junction.
The broad ‘Landscape’ documents cover the whole site concept and indicate Retention Ponds however the actual
Layout Plans for phase 1 do not include the Ponds / Swales or Landscaping elements – that means increased water
run-off rates to the Brook which would threaten Rawreth Village in heavy rain conditions ( that we have seen before ).
This is a typical inward looking Developer’s document with no thinking outside the box in respect of the impact on the
surrounding area ( Traffic / Flooding ) – the responsibility to impose conditions on any approval lies with RDC and they
do need to think outside the box or be culpable for the negative impacts in due course. I will make these points to both
the HS&E Inspectorate and Environmental Agency so that is on the record for future reference , as I do not expect
RDC to take any notice of my formal response ( objections) to this latest submission.
A 2nd read tomorrow in order to get into more detail…..please read for yourself and raise objections in quantity.
Just returned from Town Council meeting where this was on the agenda. All points mentioned were raised as concerns, along with parking on the new streets and for construction traffic and workforce as work is in progress. No one there from developers to answer points raised.
Come on people , get your submissions in on time – lets us not forget that simultaneous multiple sites ( for years ) will
negatively impact you , particularly if you live near or use :-
Rawreth Lane – Countryside 500 / Hullbridge 500 / Hullbridge Rd 15
London Road – Countryside 500 / Gange Villa 40 / Timber Grove 90
And both roads no doubt hit by through traffic to / from Hockley Sites 200-300 ( could see Downhall Rd used too…. ).
Last chance to register a demand for an overall SITE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN from RDC.