ChannelsResidentsUK

Running & Riding!

As the community expands, and as people may be new to the area, I have set up two Facebook Groups and two Strava Clubs (one each for running and cycling) to facilitate the sharing of information.

This might simply be sharing favourite running or cycling routes or perhaps warning others when there are road closures, when the dreaded surface dressing is being undertaken on roads or where there are other issues on paths/bridleways etc. Of course, feel free to use the groups to discuss anything running or cycling related!

For Runners:
Facebook Group ¦ Strava Club

For Riders:
Facebook Group ¦ Strava Club

I am a triathlete so I do a fair bit of running & cycling so I will certainly be sharing some favourite routes. As the area around us develops, there are also some great combinations of running/walking routes appearing so be sure to share your favourites & experiences!

If you have never heard of Strava, you can find out all about it here!

Andrew Wright

Community News

Parish Council Update
There is some more good news in that a further two residents, Chloe Tron & Michael Eve, have been co-opted onto Little Waltham Parish Council (following a formal application process). Together with Melanie Williamson, we now have three residents involved which will help give us a voice in what happens locally in what is a rapidly growing Parish.

We are still waiting for the outcome of our petition to amend parish boundaries so that the Bellway estate forms part of the Little Waltham Parish along with the rest of the wider Channels development. The City Council has been busy over the last couple of months preparing for both the City Council elections and the European Elections however we are due to receive an update imminently.

Site Wide Update
The village green area adjacent to the Channels complex will soon be ready for use by residents and as soon as confirmation is received, a notice will be posted on the website.

The landowner, land agent, developer and design company also met at the end of last week to discuss the construction plans for the public open spaces and information is awaited as to which areas will be made available for residents to access over the next few months. Again as soon as confirmation is received, the areas that can be used will be posted on the website.

Phase 1/2 Update
Bellway have advised that they will be leaving the site within the next month, although it may not be until the end of June. The central green open space between Eagle Rise & Aqua Verde will be landscaped and the nursery site will be prepared although as yet it is not clear how this will be left. There are still multiple highway snagging issues which need to be addressed and which are a cause for concern. These issues have been raised with both Bellway and local councillors.

Summer Community Event!
Following the success of the Christmas event (if a little damp), it has been suggested that residents get together and organise a summer event including a fete and if possible an open air cinema. The owners of the Channels complex are very keen to work with the community on this project and the new village green area will be an ideal location.

If you want to get involved in planning and running the event, click here!

Parish Council Meeting

Little Waltham Parish Council has its next meeting on Monday 20 May 2019 in the Tufnell Hall, The Street at 7.30pm.

The agenda can be found here and any resident is welcome to attend. There is a public session during each meeting if you wish to raise an issue.

We do have a resident, Melanie Williamson, who has recently been elected as a Councillor for Little Waltham Parish Council and we are still awaiting the outcome of a recent petition to Chelmsford City Council in relation to our homes on the Bellway development becoming part of the Parish.

There is more information about the Parish Council generally at: https://www.essexinfo.net/littlewaltham/

Phase 4/Marden Homes Development

We have received confirmation that Marden Homes will begin construction of ‘Phase 4’ around the large lake to the side of Channels Drive in June 2019. You may have noticed that hoarding has been erected and that some ground preparation has already started to take place.

For reference, the approved ‘Construction Method Statement’ can be found here and the Construction Management Plan/Site map (also contained within the full document) is shown below:

There is clearly going to be an increase of heavy plant and contractor traffic along Channels Drive and the time-frame for completion is likely to be circa 18-24 months. If there issues that adversely impact on Bellway residents arising from the construction work, this can be fed back to Marden via site wide meetings that take place on a regular basis.

If you do need to report an issue, please do so using the Log A Concern form via this website.

Planning Applications

Please find details & links below of 3 recent planning applications that residents may wish to view and comment on:

The details can be found here and comments need to be submitted no later than 25th May 2019.

The details can be found here and comments need to be submitted no later than 28th May 2019.

The details can be found here and comments need to be submitted no later than 29th May 2019.

Fire Safety Concerns

For reference purposes, please see a response from Bellway Head Office in response to questions raised following the recent BBC investigation:

I write to acknowledge receipt of your message, highlighting your concerns with the content of recent media articles relating to firestopping and cavity barriers on a Bellway Homes development in Scotland.

West Lothian Development
Bellway can confirm that the properties in question have now been the subject of inspections carried out by an independent Chartered Fire Engineer. While we will not have the full report from this inspection until sometime in the next week, we have been advised that the minor gaps between the cavity barriers and firestops reported by the BBC will not affect the statutory time required for safe evacuation of the building, should a fire break out in any of the internal compartments of the home. There are no materials or components in the wall cavity capable of igniting a fire in the cavity in any of our homes and the cavity barriers and firestopping in this area are designed to impede the spread of smoke and flames through the separated compartments of the wall cavity.

The specific development in question has been constructed using materials and details which are completely different from those used in most of the homes constructed by Bellway in England and Wales.

Your Home
The structural element of your home is constructed using masonry blocks or a similar inert material. This construction method does not require the compartmentalisation of the cavity required in the homes in question in Scotland and for this reason we are able to reassure you that your home is not affected by this issue.

Should you be unaware of the nature of the construction of your new home, please consult the documentation provided at handover or alternatively, contact your divisional customer care team for clarification.

We understand that these news articles are highly alarming for all residents of new homes and I hope that the above statement has allayed any fears you may have over the safety and construction of your Bellway home.

Yours sincerely

John Enright
Group Head of Customer Care
0191 217 0717
firesafetyhelpline@bellway.co.uk

Bellway Homes Limited (Head Office)
Seaton Burn House
Dudley Lane
Seaton Burn
Newcastle upon Tyne

NE13 6BE
http://www.bellway.co.uk

Estate Management Update

Most residents will be aware that the contract with DJC Property Management Ltd for management services at Channels (Aqua Verde and Eagle Rise) has been terminated and as such DJC will cease to provide any services on the development from the end of July. DJC provides managed services (landscape maintenance, communal cleaning etc.) for which residents pay an annual Service Charge fee. They also act as Company Secretary for the Channels (Chelmsford) Management Company (“CCMC”).

The decision to terminate the contract was taken by CCMC Directors in response to numerous concerns and complaints raised by residents over the last year. The Directors of both CCMC and DJC have worked hard to try to improve matters for many months but unfortunately were unable to reach agreement on what is an acceptable level of service and consequently have agreed to part company.

The Directors of CCMC have invited a shortlist of contractors to tender for the management, landscaping and company secretarial services and each will be asked to present their proposals on Friday 10th May. A detailed information pack and specification has been put together to ensure that all companies are bidding on the same basis.

The Channels Residents Community Group has been assisting CCMC Directors with the above process and has recommended that residents should be able to submit their ideas, thoughts and suggestions for consideration by CCMC Directors.

If you would like to submit suggestions, or any other feedback, please do so using the online form below, no later than close of play on Friday 3rd May. All responses will be collated, considered by CCMC Directors and used in preparation for when contractors present their proposals on 10th May.

Go back

Your message has been sent

Please note that due to the tight time-frames that are being worked to, you will not receive a personalised response however all feedback will be collated, considered by CCMC Directors and used in preparation for when contractors present their proposals in May. Your details will not be kept for any other purpose.

Parish Council Update

Dear Residents,

You will recall that Little Waltham Parish Council, at their meeting on 4th December, formally supported triggering a formal process to amend parish boundaries to ensure that we formed part of the Parish along with the rest of the wider Channels development. The information originally posted explaining the rationale for the change of boundaries can be found here and the Parish Council is still very keen to begin a new era with the Channels development becoming part of their Parish area.

Unfortunately we have been informed by the City Council that a large number of residents that signed the petition (required to kick off the formal process) were not actually registered as a Local Government Electors and as such we have been collecting more signatures to ensure that the process can move forwards.

With local government elections just around the corner, it is important that every resident is registered. You must register again if you’ve changed address and if you believe you are not registered for any reason, the easiest way to do so is via www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

On 2nd May 2019 the election for Little Waltham Parish Council will take place. The election was officially declared on 26th March 2019 and the notice may be viewed by clicking here.

The allotted number of Councillors for Little Waltham is 9 however as less than 9 people were nominated for election those persons will be elected on 2nd May and there will not be a contested poll. Notice of the uncontested election may be viewed by clicking here.

The fantastic news is that we now have a Channels resident, Melanie Williamson, duly elected as a Little Waltham Parish Councillor. Whilst our part of the development may not yet formally be part of the Parish, it does mean we have someone that can represent our views (and of course those of the wider development who do already sit within the Parish) on the council.

There are still 3 spaces to fill and the Parish Council will be at liberty to co-opt new Councillors after the election date so if anyone else is interested, you can find out more by clicking here.

You can also complete an application form which you can download and that can be sent via email to the Parish Clerk at littlewaltham@gmail.com.

Lastly, if you do want to vote in any of the local government elections, the deadline to register to vote is Friday 12 April!

Road Works Update (2)

The site team have advised that further works to complete the roads at the entrance of the development along Fairway Drive and Mashie Link are due to be carried out on Thursday 21st March and Friday 22nd March.

The area in question has had its ironworks and damaged kerbs replaced as per previous updates and there will continue to be access along these roads during the above dates, albeit restricted.

The Bellway traffic marshal will be present to assist and residents directly affected should have been notified where this has been possible.

Road Works Update

Further to the information posted in late January in relation to the raising of ironworks in preparation for the tarmac topping of Fairway Drive & Mashie Link, the Bellway site team have advised that the work could not be completed at first visit due to the bus route being affected, even though at initial planning this was not thought to be an issue.

Barconn will be raising ironworks as part of their 2nd phase of operations to the area along Fairway Drive and Mashie Link in readiness for tarmac which is pencilled in for the latter part of week commencing 11th March 2019. The areas affected are highlighted in the diagram below:

After discussion with First Bus, Bellway have agreed a temporary change to the normal route for the bus to allow completion of the required works. This will commence on Monday 4th March and end on Friday 15th March:

Please note:
Bellway will supply a traffic marshal to assist in the reversing of the bus during working hours (7.30am to 5.00pm) however the bus will revert back to its normal route during non-working hours (5.00pm to 7.30am) and at weekends.

Access for vehicles to Fairway Drive & Mashie Link will continue to be available albeit there may be some barriers to negotiate in various places during the 2 week works period.

If you know someone that doesn’t have access to the Facebook Group or this website, please advise them of the above plans 🙂