Rawreth Parish Council are hand delivering a leaflet to every property in the parish regarding the core strategy. (which, knowing the dispersed nature of the homes, is not that easy). With permission, we are showing the contents below. Even if you live outside the parish, you might like to follow their advice….
“Rochford District Council consultation on the latest Changes to the Core Strategy Submissions Document
This is the last Consultation on this document. We know you are bored with the whole thing and think you’ve done it all before but this the LAST CHANCE you have to object to the large development proposed for Rawreth. Rochford District Council have made small changes like delaying the start of building on the land ?North of London Road” until 2021 so……… by doing this it looks like they are protecting the Green Belt but they are not, they are just building them all a bit later.
.They’re not proposing to do anything to the roads early either, so the misery and chaos will just get worse and worse through Rawreth
.Our reasons for objecting to the current proposed Core Strategy are:
.1. Green Belt proposals have not been evaluated properly, contrary to government policy, and alternatives have not been evaluated. Constantly they say “brownfield” and previously developed sites will be developed first, but this is not being done and is, therefore, UNSOUND. RDC dismissed out of hand our alternative proposals for approximately 300 houses in the middle of Rawreth alongside Bedloes Corner – on sites put forward by the owners. This site would have delivered good access to roads and Battlesbridge railway station, schools, doctors and local shops.
.2. Rochford District Council suggests that the use of Green Belt land totals around 60%, if you take into account the relocation of industrial sites the figure will be in excess of 80%.
.3. There is no justification for the proposed 3,800 homes across the District nor clear explanation as to how this figure was calculated. The Government recently told all local Councils to abandon previous figures and calculate their own local needs – RDC have stuck to the original figures without proper evaluation and explanation despite all your previous protests this is UNSOUND.
.4. Within the Core Strategy Document, Policies H2 and H3 set out the extensions to residential envelopes and phasing of those extensions. The first phase is between the years 2015 and 2021, the second 2021 to 2026 and in addition they are also imposing housing targets for post 2026. This last phase, post 2026 will not take into account the needs for future generations as the need may increase or decrease, therefore it is unfair to agree this proposals and we believe this should be looked at and agreed by future Council leaders, when present housing needs pan out.
.5. Lack of appropriate infrastructure – as they will NOW not build here before 2021 anything built anywhere else throughout the District will cause ALL traffic to proceed through Rawreth. Highways impact has not been assessed or mapped to housing phasing.
.6. Traveller & Gypsy site – although RDC’s preferred option was to use the existing Traveller site at Bedloes Corner, and double it in size. A recent application by the Travellers themselves for the same site was REFUSED by the full Development Committee. So, where are they going to put it? this has caused much distress to residents. Cllr Hudson indicated that they wanted to provide a transient site as opposed to a private, permanent residential one as at Bedloes Corner.
.7. Flood Risk – the only consideration they have given to this is Fluvial (tidal) with no consideration to surface water risk, as happens regularly in Church Road and Watery Lane and surrounding fields – this is UNSOUND.
.8. Rawreth Industrial Site is to be built on earlier than was first proposed, so the industrial site must be cleared and relocated onto Green Belt land sooner than previously thought. Where is this going to go?
.9. The last Consultation on the DPD Allocations document which took place six months ago has not even been considered by Members and yet they are now pressing ahead with these changes ? surely this is undemocratic at the least.
.There are 3 ways for you to register your protests to the proposed changes and the Core Strategy Document as it stands.
.
Email the planning department directly on planning.applications@rochford.gov.uk
.Complete the online questionnaire on the Rochford District Council Website.www,rochford.gov.uk (this is the RDC preferred option – at least this way your protest gets entered into the system)
.Lastly by letter to Rochford District Council, Council Offices, South Street Rochford Essex SS4 1BW but please remember, last time paper objections were not entered onto the system properly and therefore did not shown on RDC website .
.Rawreth Parish Council will be holding an open evening at Rawreth Village Hall on Wednesday the 17th of November between 7.30pm and 9.30pm for anyone who would like help or advice on completing a response to Rochford District Council, or clarification on any aspect of the Rochford District council Core Strategy Document.”