Priorities

Friday, 19 March 2010 17:21 |

Written by jgr |

My Priorities for our Rural Communities

I have four clear priorities:

addressing over-development in north Colchester
quality high-speed rural broadband
safer roads
safer communities

Over Development

North Colchester landscape is under threat by the number of large scale developments planned or in progress for north Colchester between the A12 and the mainline railway line over the next few years. Consider the following development programmes:

Active development in New Braiswick Park (the former Woods site) c750 homes;

Planned development of the former Severalls Hospital site will begin shortly. c 1,500 homes;

The Northern Approaches expansion c 300 homes;

The Turner Village development south of the General Hospital c 450 homes;

The planned development known as North Growth Area Urban Extension. (NGAUE) c.2,200 homes.

These developments coupled with the unknown traffic impact the new A12 intersection will have on traffic into and out of Colchester is a major concern to all of the rural and urban communities to the North of Colchester.

The NGAUE development is the green open spaces bordered by the A12, Myland to the east, Colchester Golf Club to the west and the existing properties fronting Bergholt Road. This development alone will build more homes than are currently in place in West Bergholt and is almost the equivalent to the total number of homes in Eight Ash Green and West Bergholt combined. I believe this proposed development should not be permitted until additional routes are implemented under the main line railway in the vicinity of North Station main railway line,improvements are made to traffic flows on Bergholt Road and a segregated cycle way system implemented to connect the existing cycle paths at North Station and West Bergholt.

Inappropriate Development - Wormingford Waste Management Proposal

My priority is to resist the inappropriate expansion of the waste management facility in Wormingford which already adversely affects West Bergholt and Eight Ash Green’s village roads and our lifestyle. The current location for this facility should be changed to a more appropriate location closer to the A12 and where waste management vehicles are not required to pass through our villages to gain access to the site.

With your vote it will be my priority to resist any further large scale development to the north and north west of Colchester until we can clearly understand the impact these developments will have on our daily lives in terms of roads, cycle and pedestrian infrastructure, public transport services and travel to and from our schools.

Quality Rural Broadband Services

Access to a quality broadband service is now an essential utility for many residents and businesses in our rural communities. I was instrumental in providing a quality service in West Bergholt, however much of Eight Ash Green is currently denied similar access. Government funding for high speed quality broadband will be available this year and it is essential to work closely with Colchester Borough Council and Essex County Council so that our villages receive our share of government broadband funding for our village residents and businesses. My objective will be to ensure our villages receive adequate funding

when monies are released.

Safer Village Roads

A Community Speed Watch (CSW) service will begin in West Bergholt from May 2011 as a result of my work with our local police team to obtain mandatory training for village volunteers. Speeding vehicles in our villages remains a number one cause of complaint and concern by residents. The presence of a voluntary CSW team will help reduce this concern particularly for roads near our schools and shops. If Eight Ash Green residents also wish to set up a CSW team, I will work to share training opportunities and equipment between the villages for the benefit of all.

As a member of the 20mph “Task & Finish” group I have visited and analysed how communities in Portsmouth and Oxfordshire have successfully implemented 20mph zoning in villages and towns. I believe residents should have a say on whether 20mph zones are desirable and whether such zoning should be implemented in our villages to make our roads inherently safer for all users.

SAFER COMMUNITIES

We all demand safer communities. Through the Neighbourhood Action Panel I will

continue to represent our village interests and broker suitable solutions between the

Police, CBC and ECC to achieve speedy resolutions to identified village issues. Our local police resource is again under threat of reduction as officers are aligned to more urban areas, potentially neglecting our villages as a consequence. I will fight to maintain an adequate village police presence with identified officers that are familiar with our villages and the service we expect and pay for through our council tax payments.

Last Updated (Monday, 25 April 2011 09:28)

John Gili-Ross