Author: ChannelsResidentsUK

Dementia Friendly Communities

One of the key aims of the Community Group is to develop a community where people with dementia are well respected and which encourages everyone to share responsibility for ensuring that people with dementia feel understood, valued and able to contribute to their community.

The intention was to begin running face to face information sessions across Channels to get people involved however as this clearly won’t be possible for some time, you can join the 3.3 million people who are currently Dementia Friends via an online session:

https://www.dementiafriends.org.uk/register-digital-friend

Given the current situation, it’s definitely worth taking the Dementia Friendly Communities initiative forward in this way 👍

Coronavirus Support

Dear all,

There is an additional page on the website which contains information about a new Coronavirus support initiative and how we, as a community, can help each other during these difficult times.

Please do take a few minutes to find out about the new initiative and how the Channels Residents Community Group is planning to assist.

www.channels.community/coronavirus/

Bridleway Update

The City Council Parks Team were due to undertake work on the section of Bridleway 18 which connects Channels (Bellway Homes development) with Beaulieu between 2nd-6th March. The project had already been re-scheduled from mid-February due to the need for a Traffic Regulation Order to temporarily close the section of bridleway whilst the works to lay the new surface are in progress. There was also a need to discuss and agree a time-frame for the works with Cadent Gas who require access over the land to their gas compound.

Whilst the Traffic Regulation Order technically came into force from 2nd March the Parks team, despite their best efforts, have struggled to obtain a response from Cadent Gas despite chasing regularly and as such the works have been re-scheduled again to start on 9th March.

Update 9th March
Work has started! The City Council Parks Team estimate that it will take a week to complete the temporary surface upgrade. All being well residents will have a surfaced route, which can be used in all weathers, week commencing Monday 16th March. 🙂

Proposed 50MPH Speed Limits

For information, there is a Traffic Regulation Order proposal (TRAF/7221) listed on the Essex Highways website which introduces a 50mph speed limit on a number of roads (or sections of road) around Chelmsford. It mainly covers Chelmer Valley Road and Essex Regiment Way however Channels Drive is listed as follows:

“from its junction with the roundabout at A130 Essex Regiment Way, east for approximately 56 metres.”

The general intention of the order appears to be “to improve and regulate the wider management of traffic flows along the A1016 and A130 route into and out of Chelmsford City Centre” however it seems odd as to why traffic would travel at 50mph for 56m along Channels Drive especially as this location will become busier if planning for the proposed supermarket goes ahead. Additionally pedestrians are still walking down Channels Drive to the retail units on Essex Regiment Way although this will be hopefully be short term as a path is created through the parkland areas.

There are full details at:
https://www.essexhighways.org/highway-schemes-and-developments/traffic-regulation-orders.aspx

Any comments or objections need to be forwarded by email to:
trafficregulation.order@essexhighways.org

Pegasus Crossing Update

We have received an important update today in relation to the much needed crossing at the bottom of the bridleway, which runs adjacent to the Southern border of Eagle Rise (Bellway), to facilitate safe passage across Essex Regiment Way.

Essex County Council is now in a position where it can avoid a number of complex land issues (and potential public inquiry) which means that the Pegasus crossing design has commenced as it can now be delivered within Highway controlled land. This also means that the time-frame for delivery (i.e. design, tendering and installation) comes back into Council control.

As a result the project team has confirmed that the scheme will be out to tender in the spring with detailed design and approvals to follow. Dates for installation are not confirmed at this stage however it is hoped that construction would begin later this year and completed before the end of the 2020/21 financial year.

Many thanks to Cllr John Aldridge and Little Waltham Parish Council who have lobbed strongly on our behalf over recent months.

🙂

Planning Notice 20/00071/FUL

Residents may be interested in Planning Notice 20/00071/FUL which is a hybrid application, part full and part outline comprising:

  1. Retail foodstore (A1), retail/cafe units, including drive thru (A1, A3, A5), associated parking, servicing and landscaping (full).
  2. General industry (B2) and storage and distribution (B8), associated servicing and landscaping (outline – all matters reserved except access).

The application covers the land East of 1 To 5 Eagle Way which is adjacent to the current retail outlets at the bottom of Channels Drive (i.e. Shell garage, Costa & McDonalds). It will also be directly adjacent to our site wide open parkland space.

The full set of documents can be found on the Chelmsford City Council Planning Portal and Little Waltham Parish Council will no doubt have this on their list of Planning Notices to be discussed at their next Parish Meeting on Tuesday 3rd March.

Please note that comments have to be made by Friday 13th March 2020.

Bridleway Update

Further to the last update in mid January, the City Council Parks team have visited and inspected the section of Bridleway 18 which connects Channels (Bellway Homes development) with Beaulieu.

It has been agreed that they will undertake works to create a temporary surface, akin to that shown in the photo below. The material will ‘self-bind’ and is porous so as to avoid any excessive surface water build up although the texture and colour may vary slightly from the image.

As the bridleway is so muddy and boggy in places, some sections will have to be dug out completely in order to lay the new surface. The works will require a temporary closure of this section of the path for approximately one week due to the need for a mini digger and smaller site vehicles to access the bridleway and remove material.

Update 20th February 2020
The City Council has advised that the works are now scheduled to take place between 2nd-6th March. This is because there has been a need to apply for a traffic regulation order to temporarily close the section of bridleway whilst the works to lay the surface are in progress. There was also a need to discuss and agree a time-frame for the works with Cadent Gas who require access over the land to their gas compound.

Bridleway (Eagle Rise to Beaulieu)

As previously noted, and following a site visit in early December, Chelmsford City Council has been liaising with the Essex County Council Highways team (who are in turn in discussion with Public Rights of Way team officers) with a view to laying limestone chipping along the 80m section of the bridleway route between the South West corner of Eagle Rise and Beaulieu. This will provide a temporary hard surface and whilst the route will remain unlit, it should be possible to negotiate safely without getting covered in mud.

We have been advised that Highways officers are currently seeking to ascertain the cost of the proposed temporary surface works and a source of funding has been identified to pay for the work.

The City Council Planning Officer is expecting to receive an update from Highways Officers by the end of this week and will aim to provide us with a confirmed position and hopefully, a timetable for completion of the works.

Site Wide & Highways Updates

Site-Wide Management
It was previously reported that DJC Property Management were given notice by the site-wide management company and as such there has been no formal site-wide management taking place since August 2019. POD Management has been appointed as managing agent for site-wide matters and this should facilitate more efficient management across the development generally on the basis POD also provide services to Bellway residents.

This also means that the ongoing investigation into site-wide costs will be easier to progress as POD now have formal authority to undertake a forensic analysis of the records previously kept by DJC.

Channels Signage
Residents will no doubt have noticed the broken signage at the entrance to the Channels Development. The large sign as you drive in from the first roundabout on Essex Regiment Way has a number of letters missing and does not give a good impression.

This was previously the responsibility of Bellway however as they have now left the site, the landowner agent (Ptarmigan Land) will work with POD to confirm whether the signage is to be removed or whether it will be repaired and maintained appropriately.

Speed Limit Signs (Eagle Rise & Aqua Verde)
The specification for the missing 20mph speed limit signs has been agreed with the Council, all signs are on order and Bellway are awaiting delivery. The intention was to have the signs installed prior to the end of December however it is likely this will now roll over into the new year.

Highways Adoption (Eagle Rise & Aqua Verde)
The contractor has the details of what Essex Highways require before roads can be signed off for adoption and Bellway believe that the majority of those works have now been completed. Any outstanding remedial work will be completed early in the new year and there are also ongoing discussions about implementation of traffic calming measures.

However given the number of issues that still appear to be present, the Estates & Amenities Sub Committee may need to review the position and with the assistance of POD & the RMC, further challenge Bellway. Unfortunately if Essex Highways sign off the roads as suitable for adoption, it will be very hard to get Bellway back to change anything.