Late Autumn in Rochford

Just a few images from around Rochford on a beautiful sunny day.

Rochford Art Trail

Great to see local artists, businesses, and the Council coming together for the Rochford Art Trail which runs until the end of October. Click on the title for a link to details of venues, etc

Planning and green belt development in Rochford

We are in a genuine "quiet before the storm" period for new development in Rochford, but the largest and most controversial schemes have not gone away. Coombes Farm's potential developers have applied for judicial review against the Government's planning refusal a few months ago and it's likely it will be early 2011 before there is any further news, although another, separate, developer has taken it's case to the High Court and the outcome could have some bearing on the outcome for Coombes Farm. Cala Homes are trying to build new homes at Barton Farm in Winchester and yesterday went to the High Court to challenge the Government over its abolition of regional strategies, which included house building targets. Eric Pickles, in doing this, passed responsibility for setting numbers of new homes to local Councils. Not having a regional strategy to support them, Cala's plans were somewhat undermined and they are contesting that the Government acted illegally in abolishing Regional Strategies without an Act of Parliament being passed. The Government's reply is that existing legislation empowers them to "revocate" Regional Strategies. The High Court will consider the arguments and a Judgment will be issued in the near future. The QC representing Cala Homes was Peter Village who also acted for Colonnade and the Government's refusal to allow building at Coombes Farm included a reference to the abolition of regional strategies, hence the Judgment on Cala versus HM Government could set as a precedent for many other potential developments in England.

Inner London Group, the owners of Stambridge Mill, have finally submitted their planning application for redevelopment of the site. They will also shoulder the cost of repairs to flood defences in the vicinity but this will still be a controversial development, not least because the Mill, as forlorn and ravaged as it now remains, has been a landmark in the area for hundreds of years. Many people have fond memories of the site, indeed people were working there until the 1990s. Even now, many people enjoy the footpath leading past this vast hulk of a decayed building where birds and other wildlife have taken up residence, so quiet and peaceful compared to the industrial noise that once could be heard miles away.

And what is happening along Hall Road? Bellway's plans to build 600 homes on green belt between Ironwell Lane and Hall Road are still very much alive, and under a planning agreement between the developer and Rochford Council a decison will need to be reached in early 2011. This, if it's allowed to proceed, will surely be the most major redevelopment in Rochford since the Hospital site? Apart from the assault on the environment it will not do wonders for the senses either. The green fields and attractive properties along Hall Road are a pleasing welcome to Rochford, a horrible ticky tacky estate of toy town houses will destroy the essential character of this part of Rochford and the scheme should be rejected outright.

We're seemingly bombarded with preaching about how we need new homes and that everywhere needs to take its share but I wonder if that's really true. People are under the misconception that we're running out of land in this country but that's simply not the case. Because of the density of house building, basically the majority of us are all tightly packed in together, 85% of the population lives on approximately 15% of the land. Take a drive up past Chelmsford, into Suffolk and Norfolk and you will see my point. South Essex has been appallingly over developed; it's highly urbanised and any relatively rural, historic, towns and villages - such as Rochford, should be protected from any further desecration.

Rochford Council are continuing with their plans to complete their core strategy, a further questionnaire has been sent out to households this week. They tell us by adopting a structured approach to planning and house building they can control where houses will go and how many. This way the Council will be protected against "rogue" developments such as Colonnade's obscene plans for Coombes Farm. But does Rochford need any large scale developments on green belt at all??? In my view it would save time, money, and bureaucracy to simply adopt a no development on green belt policy. If you share my views, I would urge you to respond to the Council's core strategy Questionnaire accordingly and then we can see whether our concerns are acted upon.

Stambridge Mill 1955

Found this old photo, approx 50 years old. No date set yet for planning application for Stambridge Mill's demolition and replacement with ticky tacky houses and flats.

Autumn walk across Coombes Farm and Stambridge

Those, like us, who live close to Coombes Farm are so fortunate to have green, open countryside on our doorstep. Which is exactly the way we want to keep it of course. Oddly, it's at this time of year, as winter approaches, that I appreciate it all the more. I suppose the frequency of sunny "walkable" days diminishes so you try to grab any opportunity that comes along. Today was such a day. A mild hangover to contend with, so what better cure than an invigorating and restorative walk across Coombes Farm, down Little Stambridge Hall Lane and across to the Royal Oak. It was so sunny and settled that we were able to sit outside the pub and enjoy a "hair of the dog" pint of Guinness. And then back, slightly different route, which (by sheer coincidence of course) brought us alongside The Cherry Tree. We had just enough loose change for one more drink before heading home across Coombes Farm. Our new friend, which we'd met on the way out, had been repatriated with his siblings by now but I guess he enjoyed the freedom while it lasted.

Stambridge Mill ancient photo

I came across this old photo, it must be over a hundred years old. Amazing how wide the Roach was then.

Coombes Farm to go to Judicial Review? UPDATE 15th September

Colonnade's last throw of the dice? Full info on campaign website (click on title of this post)

Now the application for 163 houses at Stambridge Mill has been submitted and, given the location is on brownfield and has Council support, is likely to get approval, the nightmare scenario of nearly 500 new homes in a small area moves another step to becoming reality.

But stepping back from a moment I have to remind myself what the judicial review process involves. It's not about questioning the decision the Planning Inspector made when refusing development at Coombes Farm, it's about the process she followed to get there.

Therefore if you accept that the decision was correct - basically, refusal due to there being no exceptional circumstances allowing re-classification of Coombes Farm as green belt - and it is only process that is found at be at fault then the judicial review is far from guaranteeing Colonnade, the developer, success.

It may be that the process has to be reviewed, but the same decision is reached.

It may be that this is indeed Colonnade's last throw of the dice and the Judge throws out their application for review.

It may of course be the first step towards Coombes Farm being concreted over but I remain optimistic, but frustrated and disappointed that Stambridge and Rochford residents, who have been united in their opposition to these plans, have to endure the agony of a further protracted period of uncertainty.

In the meantime the Council continues with its attempts to get its "core strategy" signed off by a Government Inspector, and other planning applications such as Stambridge Mill and Brays Lane will no doubt be shortly decided upon.

For Coombes Farm, perhaps the longer the application for Judicial Review takes, the better. Much time in the Planning Inquiry was devoted to affordable housing, or rather Rochford's lack of. This was presented by Colonnade as a strong reason for agreeing the development. If other developments come forward, in sites which are less controversial, which address the affordable and overall housing targets this may help to defend Coombes Farm if a further Court hearing has to take place.

The ifs and buts continue...

UPDATE 15th September

22nd October could be a key date for the Coombes Farm saga. A completely separate housebuilder, Cala Homes, has succeeded in obtaining a fast tracked judicial review hearing in respect of their plans to build a few thousand homes in Winchester. Their plans were refused partly because Eric Pickles wrote to Councils advising that they no longer were bound by the previous Government's house building targets. Whilst the Government plans to reinforce this with a new Act of Parliament probably in 2011 (the "localism bill")the issue at stake is whether Eric Pickles' letter can be given "material weight", ie can it be relied upon in a legal sense when planning decisions are made by Councils, Government Planning Inspectors, etc. The Government has sought legal advice and believes it can, but Cala Homes' legal advice is obviously different which is perhaps hardly surprising since they are represented by the same QC as Colonnade, Peter Village.

The relevance to Coombes Farm? Given the Inspector based her decison largely on green belt legislation you would think very little. However, as I've mentioned earlier in this post, the application for Judicial Review isn't about the decision it's about the process to get to the decision. In the Grounds for Appeal, Colonnade cite the Inspector's reference to Eric Pickles letter. They reckon the letter is unlawful and the Inspector should not have even referred to it in her decision making. If Colonnade are right, the Cala Homes Hearing will, if it succeeds, give them the precedent they need. But as I've stated at the beginning of this post they're still a long way away from getting the decison changed.