It seems that Bellway Homes are intending to build new homes on the former E.On site in Rayleigh.
They say they have draft proposals for ‘predominantly family homes’
Councillors received a letter from them yesterday. They are planning their own exhibition/ consultations with the public:
They have also proposed a separate session with councillors as well – though councillors may be wary of meeting with developers without council officers present.
This is why I am leaving Rayleigh. A town I moved into ten years ago for the sake of my children. I make no apologies for this comment but this town is no better now than the overflow towns of the past. I was captivated by the semi-rural town when I moved here but I suppose ‘some’ councillors will welcome this expansion as it will give kudos and help to increase their expenses consumerate with their responsibilities. I speak from the heart when I make these comments.These are my thoughts and not meant to be of any party views. My views are that the expansion of Rayleigh will not help the current residents of this town, but will bring more anti-social behaviour into our midst. I will be moving out in ten days time and if this urbanisation of Rayleigh was not taking place I would not contemplate moving. I hope my fears do not come to fruition.
Mike, I understand your sentiments but am more optimistic.
I can remember a resident telling me about 20 years ago that Down Hall Parkway ‘would be the slums of the future.’ It’s actually turned into one of the nicest parts of Rayleigh.
Chris, Anti-social behaviour has got worse over the past few years and I just can’t see it getting better without a real change in some people’s attitude, not the majority of people but the minority who make it worse for everyone else and with the urbanisation of Rayleigh, as will happen, I can envisage what the town might become like in another five years It is not the same town that I moved into ten years ago and so it is time to move on.
Mike – I do not know the ages of your kids but I imagine there will be a time when they want to have their own property. So – Yes – this means more houses unless they are going to live in a tent in your garden. If you think you can move away from anti-social behaviour then you are going to be in for a shock. It happens in every town & village in the country to a greater or lesser extent.
Rayleigh Resident, my children are in their twenties and are buying their own homes now. They are young and well brought up and I have had no trouble from them, they were taught to respect other people and have done so from an early age. I just feel that if all parents did the same we would have far less trouble. I grew up in an era where respect was taught and given.
Mike – without getting into an endless debate on line I have no doubt that your children are respectful and well behaved. However you have again missed the point about a growing population and the need for new housing. If people continue to have 2-3 children then there will be pressure to build homes to accommodate them in the future.
I agree with you Mike anti-social behaviour is on the increase, but it’s nationwide, not just Rayleigh. Housing too is of course on the increase due to an ever expanding population. We just have to keep using “people power” locally to try and deal with both issues. We have to work particularly hard to keep the housing expansion in Rayleigh sensible.
Mike – where are you going to move to? With the changes the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats want to make to the planning system, nowhere in the green belt is going to be safe from this kind of development any more, so you would have to move to an area outside of the South East, where there is a lack of demand for housing because of a lack of jobs.
As a parent of two young children I have to say on a daily basis I encounter parents who have children of varying ages who do teach their children respect and discipline, these children are well behaved and thoughtful towards others and are proud of where they live. The local schools are extremely proactive in working with children to teach them right from wrong and teach them respect for their town and their neighbours. As RR quite rightly said, “anti-social behaviour happens in every town & village in the country to a greater or lesser extent” perhaps some of what happens in Rayleigh is not actually committed by our residents and why let the minority spoil it for the majority. I am extremely proud to live in Rayleigh, I have done for 18 years and have no desire to move, I consider myself and my family extremely privileged to live here, as the recent riots showed, we really don’t realise how other people do live and the daily threats they face. Instead of jumping ship the residents of Rayleigh need to continue to unite and ensure the Town continues to thrive. Unfortunately housing will always increase wherever you live, it’s the level by which it increases and where that we the residents should be vocal about and if residents want to see change they need to be proactive and respond to consultations and planning applications, it is after all their right to do so. . And thanks Chris, I have to agree DHPW has actually turned into one of the nicest parts of Rayleigh with some extremely nice, friendly people living on the development who help each other out.
We all live in different parts of Rayleigh and I am glad my comments stimulated various thoughts from residents. I still stand by what I have witnessed over the past ten years living here. Friday and Saturday nights are not particularly inviting in the town centre. Having buckets of waste thrown over me on halloween was not a very nice time, especially as it cost me over £300 in a new suit,shirt, shoes etc, however I will miss neighbours etc.
I Have read and thought about all the comments, I fortunatly live in Rayleigh and have done for 5 years. My family and I really love it here, we have son at Sweyne and a son at Downhall Primary, both schools have very good ofsted reports and have nice polite children. In a day and age of an increase and population due to migration and procreation new homes are required. As a social housing tenant in a key worker property (as I am a Nurse) I feel more homes are required in a ‘affordable’ price range. As a nurse i am well and truly priced out of the market in Rayleigh and would certainly not choose to bring my children up anywhere else. I say build the homes, improve the infrastructure, and get Bellway to build a fit for purpose health centre like the PCT have already built in Leigh and Canvey!!
John, I very much agree that we need a health centre, however in practical terms it would need to serve Hockley as well as Rayleigh and down London Road is probably too far out of the town. We should be looking at a location in Rayleigh Town Centre.
Interested to know where this “Nirvana” that Mike is going to is located??
Chris – there have been some very good contributions to this post. Like DHPW resident and John – it’s time to stand up and be proud of this town and enjoy it. Nothing will ever be perfect but this is a very nice, prosperous, clean and well kept place to live. I don’t see that many people moving away ( except Mike…)
Yes there have been some very good comments on here, and I’m proud of Rayleigh and feel privileged to be a councillor for the area I represent.
My gut feeling is that anti-social behaviour, vandalism etc got gradually worse until about 5 years ago and has remained at about the same level ever since.
And even in the distant past there was bad behaviour – eg my Mum told me about someone during WW2 kicking around a cabbage from a Rayleigh allotment and using it as football – at a time when every bit of food mattered.
But people should bear in mind that anti-social behaviour when it happens can be very nasty and also very localised. There’s been at least one time when I’ve known one household was suffering badly, whilst their neighbours were comepletely unaware and unaffected.
There seems to be a lot of NHS buildings in Rayleigh, but I haven’t a clue what they’re for. We’ve used the one in Websters Way and Eastwood Road for the kids, but there are sites in Castle Road and Rawreth Lane as well. Seems a lot for one town.
Castle Road is the trust HQ for the PCT and the one in Rawreth lane is a rehab centre for SEPT. i agree it seems alot for one area, and agree with Chris that maybe a Rayleih health centre should be built near the highstreet but again thw issue of parkng and traffic may be an issue. We should all be proud of rayleigh
CCR it is no Nirvana that i am moving into but in general there is respect for residents. I have brought my children up in Rayleigh and I instilled into them respect for fellow people. My children are at an age where they are buying their own properties. I do not put down anyone who teaches their children to be respectful but there are far too many people who are not doing this. I have watched and listened to many people who have children who have engendered thuggery to which you would not comprehend. I have witnessed some of this thuggery but the police did not want to know. I hope Rayleigh, where I have lived for the past ten years flourishes, but I have my doubts. Chris good luck but for all your bravado I do wonder!
Good Luck Mike and I do hope all turns out to be as you want it to be.
CCR
On the theme of yob behaviour I see that one of our creative local yoofs has been busy with his little red spray can around ADSA and the top of DPW.
Sadly yes, and someone has reported it via FixMyStreet:
http://www.fixmystreet.com/report/208154
Yes, good luck Mike 🙂