There’s an interesting piece on Councillor John Mason’s website today re the proposed housing figures for the district:
Now is the time for Rochford District to call for help. Delay and it will be too late quite soon.
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Why?
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An environmental catastophe will definitely hit the Rochford District in 2011 and the ?development storm? will continue unabated for a decade or more unless you act now.
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Everyone living in Rochford District has known about this for years and it is something that residents have been shouting out about at public meetings to try to get someone to listen for 3 years.
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The response from local politicians has been ?Yes, OK, we know? but the Law stops anything from being done about it.
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But now is our chance. A chance of a lifetime because, suddenly, the Law can be changed. Who can change it and stop an Environmental disaster even at the eleventh hour? Well you can because we have in the UK a Liberal/Conservative Coalition Government and David and Nick are up for change.
John makes a lot of sense in asking how the new government will change the system. Although calling new housing ‘an environmental disaster’ may seem an exaggeration …. isn’t that term more suitable for events such as Hurricane Katrina hitting New Orleans?
It is an avenue we in Hullbridge are pursuing. It was put forward by Cllr Willie Stevenson at our last meeting.
Perhaps I should have explained in more detail why I see the proposal to build the quantum of houses in the Rochford District proposed in the Core Strategy as an impending environmental disaster.
The Department of Transport published its view called Transport 2010: meeting the local transport challenge. (http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/policy/transport2010/transport2010meetingthelocal3735?page=4#a1001).
Please note that the warning on that page “Content on this site is under review following the formation of a new government.”
It is no surprise to expect the proposed settlement in public spending to be curtailed but this was all about local transport improvements where the settlement was to fund the County LTP’s (Local Transport Plan which is the responsibility of Essex County Council) which in the case of Essex is due for review and improvement in 2011.
It is evident that the viability of the Rochford Core Strategy is predicated on the delivery of improvements from the LPT.
These are the issues which were to be addressed in the LPT. All things which needed to be dealt with if the Core Strategy proposal goes ahead.
For example, to reduce road congestion below current levels, a 10% increase in bus passenger journeys,Improvements in air quality, noise pollution and the local environment, and reductions in CO2 emissions,better access to jobs and services,better integration and co-ordination between transport modes through local transport plans and improved interchanges.
November 13th, 2008 – Cllr Hudson said [at the Central Area Committee in Hawkwell] a “billion pounds” is needed to put right our poor infrastructure.
Increased road congestion is an environmental disaster just on its own and the associated billion pounds figure puts it into perspective.
Perhaps an RDC Lib-Con coalition (with John, of course) could press the case with the Lib-Con coalition at Westminster? There is no time like the present …
Sid, I remember some years ago Sylvia Lemon , as a senior Lib Dem councillor, led a delegation to Whitehall. The government were planning some new council housing rules which would cost Rochford £100,000 a year. She managed to get an exemption for small councils like ours….
I had hoped to campaign using a e-petition to Number 10 because these were given a response. But the message is “The new administration is currently assessing how best to proceed with the e-petitions service. We will update users as soon as practicable.”
Elsewhere on the Government web site that there is an admission that e-mails will not receive a personal reply.
So I chose to recommend letters by snail mail because Number 10 admitted that these get a personal reply. But there would need to be a lot of letters.
The Summer Recess of Parliament is only some 50 calendar or so days away and the Summer Recess will last at least 80 days. So any action needs to be effective in a short timescale.
I agree with John. If the Core Strategy is approved, the majority of residents will be very unhappy. If the CS is rejected, then the large developers will have a field day. Damed if you do and damed if you don’t! Lets all combine our efforts for the common good.