Track record raises questions over the delivery!
They said Shoebury was at serious risk of residents drowning from flood waters in 2011, but after two Consultants fees and public outcry, the 2 metre high mud wall with huge floodgates was shelved with no alternative flood protection being considered in the last 14 years.
They obviously just wanted to dump the 55,000 tons of London Clay from the Cliffs on Shoebury Common, rather than landfill.
They said we needed a Museum on our promenade and after spending over £1.5m on Consultants, it was shelved, but did we have a say?
They said they were going to build a football pitch size lagoon costing £1.9m and 1.1m deep, but ending up as a small paddling pool, green, slimy and smelly.
Queensway Scheme in Doubt
Queensway wanted £300m funding in 2016 (now £425m) but developers failed to deliver, so this year our Council are being forced to in-fill the underpass to avoid repaying their £15m fund, without even knowing if the original scheme will ever be completed.
Seaway lease was sold for £1 and then the Council purchased the Gas works site for £7m with another £2m to turn it into a car park and now provides just a great place for learner drivers to practice parking.
Add Fossetts Farm, Roots Hall, Kursaal etc, all costing us taxpayers millions, with nothing being delivered in return.
Greenbelt Promise, Empty Words!
At the recent Council meeting the leader and all the cabinet members were passionate about delivering 10,000 new houses on Bournes Green greenbelt land with 40% Social housing, demanding a tree for every home, new jobs, a Health Clinic, bold Green spaces, increased biodiversity, more doctors, better roads, better transport and it will recover nature’s habitats. We all know this will never be provided.
In the March Oracle, Cllr. Mulroney said people need decent and Affordable Housing and in Southend, with a 1,500 waiting list, we need 40% Social Housing. She has worked in and around Planning for over 50 years. Cllr. Mulroney said the problem is the Government and she knows we cannot meet their target, even if we build on our Green Belt land, so why do they now feel the government will provide many millions for infrastructure in Southend?
Selective Objections Raise Questions
Cllr. Mulroney was insisting that Castle Point reject the Salvation Army land development, but is approving Bournes Green. Could it be because it does not affect her ward in Leigh? Cllr. Mulroney even went as far as saying she will object if the Castle Point Council approves and will oppose them before the Local Planning inspector.
Who can we object to in Shoebury for our 10,500 houses and 40,000 lorry movements?
Cllr. Mulroney also knows as a leading Planning Officer that developers must provide 30% Affordable Houses (Government and Council Policy) in order to obtain planning permission, but these same Councillors have already removed Affordable Houses on the Wimpey site and are going to approve a reduction to 10% for Bellway, because they cannot make a profit. This is the same company that has shown an interest in the Bournes Green land with the Councillors saying they will not only get 40% Social housing, but they will also get the infrastructure, before approving plans. Why is Bournes Green different from Shoebury sites?
One Rule for Developers?
Councillor Hyde is going to insist on the developer planting a tree for every property, but this is the same Council that allowed Wimpey to remove 70 trees, even those with protection orders. We were told previously that the Council was going to plant a tree for every baby born in Southend and that is only roughly 1,800 and that was cancelled, because they could not afford it.
False Promises on Healthcare
They said this development will create jobs with a new Health Centre and more doctors and dentists. They said that on the Bellway site but after being approved, Bellway didn’t even buy the retail land and it is going ahead without the jobs and was also approved knowing that the NHS would never build a Health Centre on a flood plain and have shelved our Health Centre anyway, due to a change in government. Doctors are independent companies, so how are they going to provide more?
Southend Struggling to Cope
Is our Council aware that 17,000 houses will also be built across Rochford, with 1,000 in Wakering which will use our Southend Roads as well? Are they aware that Priory Crescent is already at bursting point, without the 25,000 additional houses proposed in the future?
Young residents cannot buy their first homes and are being forced into rented accommodation, forcing up rents, leaving all our executive houses either unsold or purchased by Londoners. Waiting lists are increasing, as are Homeless people.
After listening to our passionate Cabinet members presenting their case, you want to shake their hands, but the only problem is it will never be delivered.
by Peter Lovett
Local Resident