Tonight’s meeting in St Nicholas Church was quite interesting .
There were over 30 people there – 4 from the developers side, 2 District Councillors, 2 Rawreth Parish Councillors, 2 Rayleigh Town Councillors, Rev Paul Trathen chairing the meeting, OnlineFocus regular Canterbury Close Resident taking the minutes, Echo journalist John Georghan and most importantly, more than 20 residents. Everybody had a chance to have their say.
We’ll be publishing Canterbury Close Residents’ minutes later on. The main news from tonight was that the developers are amending their scheme to try to overcome the District Council officers concerns and might even withdraw their application from next weeks meeting.
It was also clear that the applicants read Onlinefocus to see what people are saying!
I was at the meeting last night, and was a little frustrated that the developers said if the application was rejected they would just go to the secretary of state and get the result over turned anyway. Which is what ASDA did too.
It feels like the people it effects most, have the least say. The estate is at bursting point in regards to traffic, parking, and ASDA Lorries arriving a few times a day.
It was great to have a say, but I feel that is all it will be and the developers will have their way regardless of what the residents or town council stance is.
One of the concerns I never got the chance to raise is the effect on my re sale price. At present I live in a 2 bedroom flat directly opposite the proposed site. There is only one space and no visitors parking, when ever we have trades people or visitors they park in the grave area. Once this site is developed then there will be no overflow parking. This would mean anyone with 2 cars would be put off purchasing my property, or the fact there is no visitors parking could also put someone off. I have spoke to an estate agent today and they advised it would narrow the market down. It was also pointed out that in the planning application property prices are not considered.
I am now looking at moving before the developement goes ahead, as I feel the estate will become unworkable with no overflow parking not even for vistors / contractors.
Chris,
To back what Iain has to say about traffic in Priory Chase, I stood at the Asda bus stop a couple of weeks ago waiting for the 4.15pm bus. Just to pass the time I counted the number of vehicles entering and leaving the road. The figure of 100 was reached in just 8 minutes which equates to 750 per hour.
I remember that Highways predictions were in the region of 900 per hour during rush hour ie 5pm to 6pm so at an hour earlier, when they are approaching this figure, I would guess that rush hour figures are being reached or exceeded.
You may have some use for this information
Greenbelt,
As you conducted this mini survey two weeks ago I’m assuming that these figures didn’t include the gas gussling school run traffic?
TWR, It was hardly a mini survey, just an observation. However, it was during the holidays but being 4pm I think that all school traffic would have finished by then