Category: Channels Development

Phase 1/2 Estates Update

A meeting between the CRCG, RMC, POD Management & Bellway was due to take place today (30th September) to undertake a final inspection of the site with a view to handover of the last Phase 1/2 areas that will become the responsibility of the RMC (via POD Management). Concerns raised by residents about the state of the nursery site were also due to be discussed.

Unfortunately much of the work due to be progressed by Bellway had not yet been completed and as such the meeting has been re-scheduled for the end of October. I have however received confirmation that the rubbish in the central communal area will be collected and cleared tomorrow (1st October).

POD Management are preparing to lead a tender process for grounds maintenance in line with the Service Specification that was produced by PBA Consulting in conjunction with the CRCG and Bellway earlier in the year. This is a very robust and detailed document that will enable the RMC & POD Management to hold future contractors to account and to monitor service delivery more effectively.

The issue of the water level in the lake (and therefore the non-functioning fountain) has yet to be resolved and at this point in time there is no confirmed position as to why the water level has remained so low, despite plenty of rainfall. The surrounding drainage gulleys which feed that lake have been checked for blockages and there is still a belief that the drop in water level is linked to the draining of the main lake where Marden Homes are building. Investigations are continuing so that the fountain can be restored to its former glory.

I will provide a further update following the re-scheduled meeting with Bellway however both the RMC & POD are clear that we will only accept responsibility for land that has been properly prepared and signed off as not requiring any further remedial work.

Andrew Wright, Interim Director
Channels (Chelmsford) Management Company Ltd

2019/20 Service Charges

Please be advised that POD Management will be sending out service charge demands to residents for the period 1st July 2019 to 31st December 2019 within the next few days.

Residents are obligated, as stated in their deeds, to pay an appropriate fee for upkeep of the estate (which residents will ultimately own) in perpetuity whilst they remain the owners of their properties. The council will not take on any responsibility for the communal areas. There is also an obligation for residents, as part of planning conditions, to contribute to the upkeep of site-wide estate areas.

The service charge notice has been issued later than planned because as previously noted, it took far longer than expected to obtain information necessary from the previous managing agent.

The 2019/20 service charge estimates and supporting information will be posted on the website in due course.

Andrew Wright, Interim Director
Channels (Chelmsford) Management Company Ltd

Street Name Change

Further to comments raised in relation to confusing street names at the entrance to the development following the road layout change, Bellway has approached Chelmsford City Council (as street naming authority) with a proposal to amend them.

Currently anyone driving into the development has to turn right off of Fairway Drive to continue on Fairway Drive into Eagle Rise. The proposed change is to rename the section of road from the roundabout to the entrance of the development as Brassie Wood. The area in question is shown hatched in red on the image below:

As part of the legal process, a notice advertising the proposed change is due to appear on-site Thursday 26th September.

Subject to consideration of comments received, the process should be complete in November and Bellway will arrange for the street nameplates to be updated and moved to accommodate the change.

Highways: RDR Timeline

Further to a number of questions from residents and based on information received from Countryside, the timescale for completion of the Radial Distributor Road (“RDR”), which is planned to run from Essex Regiment Way to the Boreham Interchange, is as follows:

RDR Phase 1 (through Channels)
Completed

RDR Phase 2a and 2b
Construction from May 2019, due for completion June 2020

Boreham Interchange Works
Completed by September 2020 (subject to approval by Highways England)

Generals Lane Bridge Demolition
Completed by January 2021

RDR Phase 3
Construction from May 2021, due for completion September 2021

A pdf version of the above image and key dates can be found here.

NHW Update

As a result of recent reports to both Essex Police & Chelmsford City Council in relation to anti-social behaviour in the vicinity of the flats on Aqua Verde, both were onsite today with Colne Housing to meet and talk to tenants to gauge the extent of the problems.

As part of the operation, a warrant was executed and drugs recovered:

It is important to report all instances of crime and anti-social behaviour and the actions from today should give assurance that intelligence received is collated and used by the relevant agencies.

Coffee with Cops!

Your Neighbourhood Watch Team has been hard at work and has arranged a Channels Coffee with Cops session with Valerie Whitchurch PCSO from the Chelmsford & Maldon Community Policing Team.

The session will take place at the Channels Brasserie on Saturday 5th October between 3-5pm.

You can find out more about the Chelmsford & Maldon Community Policing Team via their Facebook page.

2019/20 Service Charges

Unfortunately there will be a further delay in distributing 2019/20 Service Charge estimates. RMC Directors, in conjunction with the CRCG Committee, have raised a number of questions in relation to the site-wide contributions that we make and as yet satisfactory answers have not been received.

I have outlined the current position in an open letter to all residents which can be viewed and/or downloaded here.

Andrew Wright, Interim Director
Channels (Chelmsford) Management Company Ltd

Community News

Public Open Spaces
Following liaison between Ptarmigan Land and Marden Homes (who are responsible for delivering the site wide open spaces), construction of the strategic open space areas is now expected to commence in late September/early October this year and run through until the end of 2020.

Work on construction of the play areas on the area adjacent to Channels Drive is likely to commence in December 2019/January 2020 and be complete by Spring 2020. Final works to the village green will be completed before the end of October this year with pedestrianisation of Belsteads Farm Lane due for completion by January 2020 (subject to relevant Highway’s approvals).

There are however a series of works that the landowners are looking to accelerate by undertaking the work themselves, the detail of which is presently being finalised with Marden. This includes looking at where opportunities exist to enable early access/release of open space areas and more importantly in relation to safe access through to the retail units on Essex Regiment Way.

At present all timings noted above are indicative as the more detailed phasing continues to be worked up by Marden, the landowners and their technical team.

Neighbourhood Watch
We are in the process of arranging our own Channels ‘Cuppa with a Coppa’ event during the autumn. Channels Estates have kindly offered us a venue that we can use for the session and we are waiting for confirmation of availability from the local community policing team. The provisional date we are working to is Saturday 5th October between 3.00pm–5.00pm so note this time in your diaries!

The latest Chelmsford Crime Report, as at 18th August 2019, can be found via the Neighbourhood Watch Useful Information page or directly here. Unfortunately we have a mention on page 2.

Dog Fouling
As a result of a number of comments about Dog Fouling, there is some information here which includes how and where to report observed instances. Chelmsford City Council has a Public Spaces Protection Order in force which makes dog fouling an offence.

Fountain & Lake
We are currently exploring whether the significant drop in water level in our lake is as a direct result of Marden draining the lake at the front of the development which borders Essex Regiment Way. Given the level of rainfall that we have had (and observing many of the natural drainage areas in Beaulieu holding water), it is very odd that the water level of our lake remains lower than ever before.

It seems too much of a coincidence that the level in our lake started to drop at the exact point that Marden lowered the water levels in the front lake. We have logged the issue with POD Management and in addition Bellway will check the drainage gulleys that feed the lake from the adjacent roads to ensure there are no blockages as a result of the highways work that has been on-going for the last few weeks.

We do not want to end up with a shallow, stagnant pond and of course we would like our fountain switched on again!

Andrew Wright
Channels Residents Community Group

POD Mobilisation Update

It has been 2 weeks since POD Management commenced services as the new Managing Agent. The majority of mobilisation tasks have been completed although there have been delays due to DJC Property Management not providing details of financial balances to be transferred, although this has now been completed.

Service Charge Budgets
The RMC & POD Management had planned to distribute new Service Charge Budgets & associated invoices by mid-August. Unfortunately due to the delay in POD Management receiving the necessary financial details and balances from DJC Property Management, there will be a further delay in getting the Service Charge information out to residents.

The new budgets will be distributed at the earliest opportunity but certainly no later than the end of August.

Estate Issues & Concerns
All issues that have been logged via the CRCG website are now live on the POD Management system. RMC directors have access to the system and can track progress to ensure that the issues are being dealt with. The key priority for POD has been to transfer the financial balances from DJC (which has proved to be a painful process) to enable Service Charge invoices to be sent out.

As such the majority of issues have not yet been dealt with however the position will be fully reviewed at a meeting due to take place on 22nd August. Please continue to log issues at:

https://channels.community/log-a-concern/

Landscaping Dilapidations
A meeting is to be held on 22nd August between POD, the RMC and Bellway to determine what is outstanding and how Bellway will address the areas still in need of being brought up to standard.

Bellway have asked that POD to give them a price for taking on the newly prepared areas to ensure they are in a suitable state for on-going maintenance at which point the areas will transfer to the RMC. This will also be discussed at the meeting on 22nd August. All existing dilapidation items have been added to POD systems for audit purposes.

Ongoing Mobilisation
POD have been asked to provide updates on a weekly basis until RMC Directors are satisfied that all core mobilisation tasks have been completed.

Andrew Wright, Interim Director
Channels (Chelmsford) Management Company Ltd

Community Grant Award

The CRCG is pleased to announce that the Bellway at Channels Development (Phases 1&2) has been awarded a Community Initiative Fund (CIF) Microgrant from the ‘Community Chest’.

The CIF was launched by Essex County Council (ECC) on 1st April 2019 and is administered by the Essex Association of Local Councils (EALC). The Grant has been awarded to enable the purchase of a marquee to support community events and activities into the future.

The CRCG, on behalf of the entire community, would like to show their appreciation for the generosity and give thanks to those involved in the awarding of the grant including the CIF Panel, Councillor David Finch (the leader of Essex County Council) and the EALC funding officer.

The CRCG have also been successful with a pre-application checklist submission for a Main Community Initiative Fund Grant. The full application is due on 18th August and the CRCG would be grateful for volunteers to assist in the completion of the bid.

If you are interested and are willing to assist with finalising the budget and application, please contact us via the form below:

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Thank you for your response. ✨

Information submitted via the above form will be held only for the purpose of ensuring residents can be contacted about the CIF Grant submission.

With thanks to Melanie Williamson & Carroll Crumpen who have worked over recent weeks to open a CRCG Bank Account (with Metro Bank) and to get the ball rolling in securing grant funding for our community.