Posts

Showing posts from September, 2020

Flytip hazard needs more effort from District and Parish Council.

Image
Complaints have been received via local Chigwell residents concerned about the amount of fly-tipping along Millers Lane and the frequency of it. Today (3oth Sept) Chigwell Row Residents Association have emailed Epping Forest District Council and Chigwell Parish Council to find a longer term solution. The District Council has the power to install temporary enforcement cameras on the Road to thwart fly-tippers and can charge up to £50,000 to those who break our local by-laws. However, their is a waiting list for the service and provision is for a limited period. Moreover, Millers Lane is quite long and would need more than one camera for the facility to be useful. On the other hand, any enforcement activity on the road is likely to have an effect as law-breakers always seek the easiest less-observed option. We have reported three green bags that have been dumped on the grassy bank between the homes named Millers Lodge, Billingsbourne Farm and Willow Park farm. They do look like the counc

Thames Water must begin overhaul of Chigwell Water supply infrastructure to stop water flow interruptions

Image
Here is a copy of an email sent to Thames Water today: Dear Thames Water, RE: Water issues in Chigwell. Please sign our petition (click here) Residents of Chigwell Row have been disturbed by the incompetence shown by Thames Water which is causing a major loss of a water resource and causing huge discomfort, health concerns and in some cases anxiety to those in our community. A brief look through our community whatsapp group which has over 300 members reveals this list of dates for water loss to our supply to residential homes. Outages occurred on these dates: 01.07.19 27.08.19 09.01.20 19.04.20 29.05.20 16.06.20 19.08.20 22.08.20 There was also extremely low pressure water (a dribble) on 14 th Sept. It should be noted that some of these dates are a start date for two days of no water. Local residents find this extremely unacceptable and have been asking for a permanent solution to the problem.  The main reason purported by Thames Water for these concerns has been a problem with a boost

Chigwell Pothole crises

Image
Whilst travelling along Lambourne Road during the recent Parish litter-pick I noted down defects in the surfaces of two roads, that I believe would cause a danger to people traversing along the footpath. We have a large percentage of elderly people living in our community and they already have COVID-19 to contend with.  Moreover the depth of the defects could easily cause serious damage to any users of the footway and both roads are very close to our local secondary shopping arcade. Lambourne Close at the junction has several deep defects and I have now reported this to Essex Highways Team and to the Parish Council.  Essex Highways have given the following reference:  2681988 . The very deep defect on Raymond Gardens is also a concern and Parish Council and Essex Highways have been informed. Hannah Chowdhry has reported the case with Essex Highways reference:  2681985 . If local residents could send me images of other defects I will ensure that they are appropriately registered for rev

Frustrating number of leaks on Hainault Road causes another unbelievably long road block.

Image
It is frustrating that we live in an area where Thames Water are unable to find a long term solution, to frequent similar problems with their water supply.  Thames Water keep getting things wrong with boosters and leaks at Manford Way and repairs inevitably cause traffic congestion and take days to resolve.  Worse still in the course of my two-and-a-half years living in Chigwell, I must have experienced 8 tap-droughts!  Whilst living in Redbridge I experienced one in 42 years from my recollection. Thames Water are also constantly repairing leaks along Hainault Road.  Inexorably their repairs cause havoc with traffic having to take extremely long alternative routes, all of which are already heavily congested. Watch this video to see how much water was wasted and how many staff it took to resolve the problem. The only consolation was my daughters excitement...si some of the inconvenience was excused. But the frequent water waste at this despite deserves some environmental scrutiny. What

We don't need Wombles with so many stalwarts in our community!

Image
A well attended community litter-pick organised by Chigwell Parish Council has made Chigwell Row more aesthetic and salubrious. I joined at least 20 volunteers in helping to remove unwanted waste from our streets, which was then placed into green bags, making our streets cleaner and safer on Sunday 27th September 2020.   The programme began with a short guidance from Anthony Belgrave the Parish Council Clerk, who explained how things would work.  He introduced us to Sam one of the Council's operatives who was driving our new electrically powered vehicle who was ensuring that full bags were disposed of correctly. Gloves and litter-pickers were provided (though I brought my own) and people got into small groups to clear the rubbish left from selected roads.  I was joined by Parish Councillor Kewal Channa, Parish Cllr Jamie Braha  District Councillor Sheree Rackham and a local man named Dev, tasked with clearing Lambourne Road.  It really was a super team!  We collected numerous glass

Can anyone tell us who placed cones on Lambourne Road?

Image
While joining mainly councillors and a few residents for a litter pick in Chigwell Row, I noticed some cones were preventing parking on Lambourne Road. Some of the cones had been moved and kicked about and others had been broken.  I am wondering if anyone knows who placed the cones on the road, or whether they are simply a case of a local residents trying to ease the dangers that parking on that side of the road introduce during busy periods? If some from of parking measure such as bollards are in favour CRRA are willing to seek these via our Parish council. Please share your thoughts by emailing wilson@eastilfordbettermentpartnership.org

Epping Forest unexplained planning delay slows progress towards affordable housing, sustainable transport, educational infrastructure and GP improvements!

Image
A Chigwell Row Residents Association review of the planning application for Chigwell Primary Academy evidences political bias in Epping.  A  planning application with the potential to have massive long-term benefit to our local community is being delayed over the lack of desire to follow through on a financial agreement by the developers for our local yellow bus. The planning application will include a large donation towards affordable housing which will be offsite, meaning it will create less burden on the already poor infrastructure in Chigwell. The application has met the special conditions set by District Council for development of our Green Belt when investigated by the District's Senior Planning Officer. Here is what our community is missing out on by the delay to the planning application for Chigwell Primary Academy.    (2)          That the Legal Agreement under Section 106 of the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 be concluded prior to any development on the site to secu

Freedom passes and entitled school travel to be honoured by Yellow Bus Service - apply for travel using links in this post.

Image
The Chigwell Parish yellow bus service operated by Epping Forest Community Transport (EPCT) will allow free travel to those entitled to free school travel and Freedom Passes.   After a number of queries I asked the manager for the bus service and it has been confirmed that the such travel will be subsidised directly by Essex County Council.  However passengers benefitting from such subsidies will still need to pay an annual fee of £15 for membership to EPCT.    I remind everyone the costs for using the bus from October 5th will be: £2 one way, £3 return, adults £4.20 one way, £6 return (in addition to the annual membership) . Some children that travel to West Hatch will be able to apply for this free travel if more that 3 miles away from the school.   An application for the free school travel can be accessed (here) An application for a freedom pass (disabled or elderly) can be accessed (here) Full details of DaRT service can be found  (here) Details for the DaRT contract can be found 
Image
Dear neighbours, RE: Potential loss of free yellow bus service. I write to you to make you all aware of the potential loss of our community bus in Chigwell Row, if more of us do not take action. The service started in September 2018 after councillors agreed to push through plans for the two bus service while still awaiting £800,000 from a section 106 agreement (legal agreements between local authorities and developers to pay towards community infrastructure) with Chigwell Primary Academy (CPA).  The bus service was meant to be funded by several S106 agreements but after CPA's planning application was refused, to meet deadlines for the S106 obligation parish councillors agreed to subsidise the service through their General Reserve.  To cut a long story short a new planning application was submitted by CPA who again agreed to the £800,000 commitment. But Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) has sat on the Parish recommended application which normally would be approved within a matte

Limes Farm could be developed to include a further 100 homes amongst several other sites that will add up to over 300 new homes in Chigwell

Image
Congested unsafe roads are what we will have to expect in Chigwell if Epping Forest District Council have their way. Above an image of an off duty Highways vehicle that caused traffic chaos on Pudding Lane, earlier this year. Please sign our petition supporting an ongoing free yellow bus service  (here) In December 20717, Epping Forest District Council drafted a Local Plan that provides a base for their core planning policies.  The core planning policies included: Achieving Sustainable Development Objectives Protecting the Quality of the Rural and Built Environment New Development Energy Conservation Sustainable Building Achieving Sustainable Urban Development Patterns Urban Form and Quality   Sustainable Economic Development Sustainable Transport  Renewable Energy Schemes You can read the full document  (here) Rather than bore you with specifics the most important aspect of the document is the permitted development on sites like The Limes Estate (100 homes), The Maypol

Chigwell Parish Yellow Bus Service Timetables and Future service

Image
Current Timetable for free bus service till 5th October 2020  TWO BREWERS     Monday to Friday     Two Brewers 07:45 08:30 Chigwell Primary Sch (Via Vicarage Lane) 07:50 08:40 Chigwell High Rd - Shops 08:00 09:00 Luxborough Lane (Chigwell Grove) 08:06 09:06 West Hatch School 08:09 09:09 Limes Ave Loop (anti-clockwise) via Turpins Lane 08:16 09:16 Grange Hill Station 08:23 09:23 Two Brewers 08:30 09:30       TWO BREWERS     Monday to Friday     Two Brewers 15:00 16:15 Chigwell Primary Sch (Via Vicarage Lane) 15:10 16:25 Chigwell High Rd - Shops 15:30 16:35 Luxborough Lane (Chigwell Grove) 15:36 16:40 West Hatch School 15:40 16:45 Limes Ave (Loop anti-clockwise via Turpins Lane 15:46 16:55 Grange Hill Station 16:00 17:00 Two Brewers 16:10 17:10       Proposed School Bus Service Minibus 1 Chigwell Row to Minibus 2 Chigwell Row to     Arrive Chigwell school 7.55 8.10 Chigwell Primary school 8.25 8:40 Davenant Foundation 9.05 9.25 Return from     West Hatch 15.05 15.20 Chigwell Primary scho