330 reasons to object to new houses in Hawkwell

160 residents from Hockley and Hawkwell went to the Rochford District Council Meeting held at the Hawkwell Village Hall to protest against the proposal from the Council to build 330 new houses between Thorpe Road and Clements Hall Way.

Independent District Councillor John Mason for Hawkwell West spoke at the end of the Meeting at the request of a resident to explain whether he was against the proposal.

Hawkwell Residents Meeting

The Hawkwell Residents Association AGM is to be held in the annex of the Hawkwell Village Hall 6th August at 20.00 hrs.

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Arriva - Cuts to the 8 Service - Please Object

Arriva have announced to the District Council proposals that from 5 October the 8 Service could be extended to Rayleigh but cut to once an hour. The public was campaigning for the 8 to be extended to Rayleigh but NOT once an hour instead of a 30 minute service.

To object please email Arriva. Matthew Arnold customerservice@arriva-shires.com

So getting to Hockley for the Doctor, Clinic, Library etc., will be harder for many who have no transport and cannot walk well or far, uphill.  And if there is a cancellation then one bus in 2 HOURS!!  As well as Hockley we will be cut off just same from Rochford and Southend if you need to go in the other direction.

Hawkwell says it does not want 365 houses on green belt

Residents at the Public Meeting arranged by the Hawkwell Action Group said “No !”

• click here for photos
• click here for aerial photos

Please protest about this here

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‘Fair Shares for All’ Housing Allocation? - 365 is NOT a Fair Share in Hawkwell West

The story so far:

In the Summer of 2007, after the first public consultation, 32 Conservative Councillors met in private to allocate 2200 new housing units across Rochford District.  They came up with 365 for Hawkwell West and just 740 for the whole of Rayleigh.

The Liberal Democrats seem to have gratefully accepted the reduced allocation for Rayleigh and have not raised any objection yet to the allocations across the remainder of the District. Not surprising because any objection to what is going on elsewhere might lead to the Rayleigh allocation increasing !! 

But Lib Dem Councillor Chris Black, Leader of the Opposition at RDC, has written “We support a ‘fair shares for all’ policy for new housing in Rochford District.”

But how can 365 new houses in Hawkwell West be described as ‘Fair Shares for All’ ?  It is not Fair Shares At All !!

• A ‘Fair Shares for All’ policy would mean just 110 new houses in each of the 23 District Wards
• Rayleigh should have 1000 new houses not 740
• Hockley should have 330 not 36
• So why is one Ward in Hawkwell allocated 365?
• This would mean an increase in the number of houses in Hawkwell West by 25% Read more
  
  
  
  
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The Hawkwell Action Group (HAG)

A group of residents in Hawkwell West have formed a organisation called the Hawkwell Action Group (HAG) which has the purpose of ensuring that all of the residents of my Ward are independently advised of proposals affecting Hawkwell West in the Local Development Framework (Planning for Housing) and that as many residents as possible respond to the public consultation.  I was invited to join the HAG Committee and I have done so.

From the Echo, 12 May 2008 - Do you believe that Hawkwell Green Belt will be saved? Or is it still at risk? 

District’s green belt aims to skirt housebuild quotas

Row over Publication of Direct Dial Number of Head of Planning, RDC

This has been printed in the “Community Voice” leaflet. ”Community Voice” is the periodic newsletter of the Hawkwell Residents’ Association which owns a registered political party called Hawkwell Residents. The Hawkwell Residents registered political party has two seats on Hawkwell Parish Council.

We hear on the grapevine that someone at the Council is not very happy with the Hawkwell Residents Association about this as all calls to the Head of Planning are supposed to be screened by a Personal Assistant.

Local Residents in Hawkwell Meet to Oppose New Housing

The meeting was so well attended that the organisers, Jamie Popplewell and his neighbours in Mount Bovers Lane, asked Belchamps if they could move the meeting to the larger upper hall.  Luckily, Belchamps were happy to do this otherwise about 90 people would not have been able to get in because the small hall only held 60.

Over 150 concerned residents attended mainly because of the possible threat of new housing being allocated to the Mount Bovers field but also the threats to land at Thorpe Road and behind Rectory Road adjoining Windsor Gardens and Clements Hall.

Hawkwell/Hockley Anti Social Behaviour Reduction Plan

Anti Social Behaviour : Matter of Concern Number 1, Residents Survey - Hawkwell West 2007

So the Police want the Youth to congregate at Clements Hall Leisure Centre. Not good news for Hawkwell residents living nearby.  But the Police want the Youth to be able to use the facilities.

So will Virgin Active and RDC offer the use free or subsidised?

I have written to a senior officer of RDC to ask how this Police request will be actioned. Read more

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Hawkwell Parish Council - No Village Plan When Needed

Planning : Matter of Concern Number 5, Residents Survey - Hawkwell West 2007

In 2003 I was elected by you as a Member of Hawkwell Parish Council.  One of the priority projects was the development of a village plan. This is one of the projects that I wished to see taken forward by Hawkwell Parish Council 2003 - 2007.

One of the big questions is development, what is going to happen to Green Belt?  Houses or not?

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