Some local cycle enthusiasts have come up with an interesting proposal for 56 acre BMX bike park. It will be on land north-west of Hockley Road, Rayleigh , and High Road Hockley.
To understand the location a bit better, here’s a map – click on it to enlarge it.
We expect there will be a proper planning application soon, so we cannot express an opinion on this. However the people who are proposing it have arranged a meeting on 13 July at 7.30 in Kilnfield House, Hockley to discuss the issues with Hockley residents. Some of us will be going along to check on whether this could affect Rayleigh residents, including places like Wellington Road, Ferndale Road and Mortimer Road.
We hope to write some more after the 13th.
The proponents of the scheme say:
The Bike Park open hours are proposed to be in Summer months (between May ? October) and 0900 ? 1800 in winter months (Oct ? April). Between these hours we do not foresee significant vehicle increase.
There will be a number of Bike events during the year that will draw competitors from around the county. However, great care and attention has been given to traffic management. MUD Management have recorded traffic statistics for the Rayleigh Road to consider and manage the effect of perceived event traffic volumes and participant numbers.
Directing participant vehicle to the site via Rayleigh will have little effect on traffic flow and by restricting participant entry numbers we plan to have little effect on traffic volumes during these events.
Part of our Mission Statement is to be as Carbon Neutral as possible. Cycling as a sport is well known for car sharing, using public transport as well as cycling to and from events which is something we will encourage.
We hope that MUD bike Park, would one day be linked to a series of cycle networks to encourage safe cycling across the district.
I have made enquiries about this already and it seems unlikely that residents in Ferndale Road etc need be concerned. Entry will be via Hockley and developmant is the other side of the railway line to us.
I think this will affect the Rayleigh residents particularly when there is an event as I would assume people are either going to get there by coming down Rawreth Lane, London Road or through the High Street we all now how congested these become anyway at peak times.
So I do think we need to find out how many competitors they expect at these events, as often on a “normal” Saturday or Sunday I have sat in a queue of traffic up to the Bull pub trying to get down to the spa roundabout.
The site is on the side of a hill and sound will travel over a large area of west rayleigh .I am sceptical that it can be commercially viable so when it becomes defunct will there be an application for housing on this site ? These facilities can only be provided by local authorities and will always be a drain on their resources .I was not aware there was a demand for this from cyclists , I cycle myself ,it would be great ,but i can not see it being successful .It is well farmed i am led to believe and the tenant farmer is opposed to it as it makes the rest of the holding unviable .There is too much loss of agricultural land already .
This is a far larger plan than I envisaged and agree that it appears to be non viable as a business. Unless there are large weekend events which would of course be unacceptable to residents. Noise would also be a lot greater than I believed. Cannot really see planning permission being given.