ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR LOUGHTON - Loughton Residents ...
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Rose Farm, Traps Hill drawn by Bob Stevenson Newsletter 212
LRA’s committee members and
ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR LOUGHTON councillors have been active in the
various panels, committees and Focus
After years of campaigning by LRA and Brooklyn Parade into Brooklyn Avenue, Groups working on the High road
planning by consultants, council officers with pedestrianisation of that area and a enhancement plans. They, and all the
and Town Centre groups, the first stage reorganisation of the traffic lights, plus others who have been involved, are to
of Loughton High Road’s enhancement rearranged parking in the remainder, be congratulated. At last we can see
has been given the go-ahead. Following with a lay-by. The final stage will take the beginning of the project, which will
last year’s public consultation, the the new works to the lower end of improve the appearance of the High
District Council Cabinet has accepted Church Hill, bringing the whole of the Road and make it a safer and more
the plans, which divide the High Road shopping area of the High Road up to pleasant environment for pedestrians,
into four phases. the same design and standard in motorists, traders and shoppers.
The first phase, from the Crown to St paving, lighting and street furniture.
Mary’s Church will be put in hand next When the works are complete, the High
year by Sainsbury’s, under a legal Road will be a shopping area of which
agreement which was included in the we can be proud. Parking will be easier M&S PLANS
planning approval for their new store. for shoppers, pedestrians will have Marks & Spencer has won planning
The remaining phases will be carried out room to stand and chat, while traffic permission for a food store on the old
as and when the District council should have an easier journey through Lambs Garage car park, after a decision
identifies funds for the work. LRA the town. had been deferred to allow negotiations
councillors will continue to press for the For many years LRA has been the on a number of points. It has now been
completion of this scheme and for only group to fight for the enhancement agreed that the car park, which will be
further funds to be made available at an of the High Road, which has not had a owned and managed by M&S, will remain
early date for the enhancement of the major refurbishment for over 20 years. open in the evenings until 11.00pm,
Broadway. Work on Phase 1 of the High The last refurbishment only happened which will allow Lopping Hall users to
Road will probably not begin until mid- because there were materials left over park off-street. In addition, daytime use of
2005 and will be organised to avoid the from work to improve Waltham Abbey the car park will not be restricted to M&S
Christmas shopping period. town centre, which is why the brick customers. M&S have also agreed to
Phase 1 will mainly consist of paving paviours stop at the end of Centric contribute £100,000 towards the Town
works, with some controlled parking Parade – the Waltham Abbey leftovers Centre Enhancement plans in the area of
lay-bys; Phase 2 will see the ran out at that point! The High Road is the new store. Other issues regarding
pedestrianisation of Centric Parade and now unattractive to shoppers and new vehicle fumes, boundaries with adjoining
lay-bys off the High Road. Phase 3 will traders, and without them Loughton will properties and delivery lorry routing have
involve the closure of the exit from deteriorate as a major shopping centre. also been resolved.
PLEASE BE AWARE that any suggestion that LRA councillors are part
of any coalition with any political party or parties, on any council,
is TOTALLY UNTRUE.
Loughton Residents Association Townwide Edition www.loughtonresidents.com Townwide EditionHow will all of this be reflected in the other issues mentioned are linked
YOU SAY …… LRA’s programme for the next year or
so?
with this, for example poor traffic
management and parking. Happily, the
In the September issue of Loughton
We are enormously fortunate that the first stage of High Road enhancement is
Life we asked you to let us know what
Forest is protected by a specific Act of now on track, but it may be some time
you most like and dislike about
Parliament, but our other green spaces before the other sections are
Loughton, so that this could be
and the surrounding green belt are completed. In the meantime we intend
reflected in LRA’s priorities. under tremendous threat from to come up with some practical
Nearly 200 of you replied and the government policy on development (see solutions that, hopefully, EFDC will feel
same issues came up time and time elsewhere in this issue) and LRA will be able to act upon in the short term.
again. working with other interested groups to We keep in contact with Essex Police
Not surprisingly, for a large try and mitigate the proposals. regarding problems in the town.
proportion of respondents (73%), We shall certainly be taking on board Inspector Quinnell, who is now in
proximity to Epping Forest and the your concerns about litter, and looking charge at Loughton Police Station, is
countryside was Loughton’s most at practical ways in which the situation targeting the problem of gangs of
important positive feature. This was can be improved. Several of you youths, and his policy seems to be
followed by the town’s convenient mentioned specific problem areas and having an effect.
situation and transport links (45%). our councillors are bringing these to the Many thanks to all those who
Good housing, shops and schools attention of the waste management completed the questionnaire. We were
were mentioned by nearly 20% and contractor. particularly encouraged by the number
the friendliness of the neighbourhood The state of the High Road has long of positive and encouraging comments
was appreciated by 14%. been an LRA concern and we are about LRA – thank you for your
When it came to dislikes, litter and continuing to pursue this. A number of invaluable support. Carol Murray
lack of cleanliness were top of the list
for 38% of respondents, closely
followed by poor traffic management
(37%). Police issues (mainly gangs of
youths) were highlighted by 24% and
LOUGHTONRESIDENTS.COM
the poor state of the built Is the new website packed full of information
environment (High Road, roads,
pavements) by 23%. Interestingly, a
about Loughton and LRA.
number of respondents said that Visit Loughtonresidents.com to contact us for
Loughton was deteriorating and information and help.
becoming like Leytonstone.
Uncontrolled parking was a concern Loughtonresidents.com is updated frequently to
for 19% and a poor retail mix was bring you news about our town.
mentioned by 11%.
CHURCHES RING THE CHANGES
Two churches in the district are about to submit plans for new
developments. Trinity Church held a public consultation last
Autumn where they unveiled the plans for a new church,
community hall and housing development. After making
changes to meet some of the objections of local residents the
church now plans to apply for planning permission in the
spring.
St. Mary’s in the High Road wishes to replace the church
hall which they feel no longer meets the needs of the
community and is becoming a liability to maintain. They hope
to sell off land adjacent to the vicarage for a housing
development in order to partially finance the new hall. A public
meeting was held on the 28th January and opposition was
expressed by some residents of Priory Road and Churchfields
who would lose the current open aspects at the rear of their
properties. The vicar and architect agreed to consider the
objections in any revision of the plans prior to an application
for outline planning permission, probably in April. The land will
be sold to a developer under a deed of covenant that will keep
strict control in the hands of the church. No plans for the new
hall will be drawn up until it is known how much money is
raised from the sale of the land.
LRA has taken a close interest in both proposals and will
formally comment when the planning applications are made.
Ken Angold-Stephens
Loughton Residents Association is non party political, working for the best interests of Loughton residentsreal life many of these new homes will
LOUGHTON – THE NEW CONCRETE JUNGLE? be snapped up by commuters wanting
We know that people who live in on our roads. We will need more to get out of London, adding more
Loughton value the countryside around schools, libraries, hospitals and health pressure to the already overcrowded
the town, but will it still be there in 20 centres – and guess who will ultimately Central Line and the roads into the City.
years time? The Government has plans be paying for them! The District Council believes that
to build more than 18,000 new houses The civil servants drawing up these 8,000 houses would be realistic, not
in Epping Forest District in the period plans have the weird idea that the 18,000. The County Council agrees.
to 2021. (For comparison, there are people in these new homes will work So do we, and LRA will be fighting to
about 12,000 houses in Loughton at nearby (which would then mean even protect Loughton residents’ quality of
the moment, and 52,000 in the whole more land will be lost for offices and life.
District). light industrial buildings). However, in County Cllr David Linnell
Where will these houses go? Well,
the planners will be looking for “gaps”
• between Loughton & Theydon Bois
CARE
• between Theydon and Epping Caring And Repairing in Epping private work in addition to their work for
• in the areas to the east of Loughton Forest (CARE) is an agency based at the the agency, and CARE will provide
within the M25, as far as (about) Civic Offices in Epping, which is jointly names and contact details for builders,
Lambourne funded by the District Council, the electricians, plumbers and carpenters
• to the east of, and close to the M11, County Council, Circle 33 Housing who can be contacted privately.
in Chigwell parish. Group and central government. CARE Residents who use tradespeople
But this will mean building on Green helps elderly or disabled people to approved by CARE can be sure they are
Belt, and breaking the planning rules remain in their own homes by assisting not employing cowboys or rip-off
about keeping settlements such as them to access benefits or grants, find merchants.
Loughton and Theydon Bois specialist support and obtain reliable Whether you are looking for grant- or
separated. contractors to do repair work. benefit-aided assistance, or simply the
It’s not just the loss of part of our Tradespeople and contractors used name of a reliable person to carry out
“green lung”. A new road to the south by CARE are vetted for the quality of repairs to your home, CARE can be
and east of Harlow, with associated their work and the appropriateness of contacted on 01992 564086.
building, will put extra traffic pressure their charges. Most of them also do Carol Murray
MORE MEMORIES OF OLD LOUGHTON route out of the East End
Leytonstone and Buckhurst Hill.
via
Following the review of the book Life lived in Carroll Hill. I thought then that
in Loughton 1926-1946 in our last issue, Loughton was a magical place and (We’d love to publish other
Ron Heath contributes the following longed to live there. Happily, that reminiscences of old Loughton. If you
reminiscence: ambition was achieved in 1963, when I have interesting memories, do please
The photograph shows W J Scott’s moved with my family into Ollards get in touch with Carol Murray or Diane
pick-up truck (a converted Austin Grove, having followed a traditional Rhodes – contact details on back page.)
saloon), decorated for the
carnival celebrating the
coronation of King George V!
in 1937. In the picture are
Walter Scott, his nephew
John and son Eric. I’m told it
came second, but would have
won first prize had they
covered up the name of the
business on the side of the
vehicle!
Senior residents of
Loughton may remember the
Scott family’s wood
yard/shop in Old Station
Road, which always appeared
totally chaotic, yet they knew
where everything was,
whether you wanted a piece
of 4x2, a tube of glue or some
2 inch No. 8 screws. It was
probably Loughton’s first DIY
shop. The Forest Medical
Centre now occupies the site.
As a child, before and
during the war, I used to be
taken to visit the Scotts, who
Loughton Residents Association Townwide Edition www.loughtonresidents.com Townwide EditionWORKING TO IMPROVE LOUGHTON
LRA has liaised with various organisations over the years to
improve Loughton – some of the things we work on take
years to achieve success, but they are worth the wait!
EFDC wanted to mow the Roding Valley meadows on the far
In the 1980s Loughton was flooded several times. Hard work side of the River Roding, to make more football pitches, but
by LRA eventually resulted in a Flood Alleviation Scheme LRA discovered they were the last remaining ancient water
being agreed and implemented by Thames Water. The most meadows in Essex. We took EFDC to Appeal and won. As
visible sign of this major scheme is the reservoir in Staples a result Loughton now has the Roding Valley Nature
Road, which collects and regulates excess run-off from the Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest for
Forest. everyone to enjoy.
CONSERVATION AREA
REJECTED BY EFDC
In the September 2003 Loughton Life we reported that LRA
had suggested Conservation Area status for Debden Green,
in order to protect its particular charm. Unfortunately, the
suggestion has been rejected by the Council’s Conservation
Officer, Paul Sutton.
Reasons given for the decision are that it has
insufficient ‘special interest’, its Green Belt status already
affords protection and the Council does not have enough
staff and resources to look after the current Conservation
Areas (there is one full-time member of staff and an annual
It took 15 years of determined effort to get the Children’s budget of £8000 to cover the district’s 25 existing
Playground in Traps Hill, which was opened in 1998. Conservation Areas!!).
Perhaps Mr Sutton might now have
second thoughts about the amount of
GREEN BELT, GREEN ARC – OR BOTH? protection afforded by the Green Belt,
given that Government proposals for
‘The Future of the Green Belt’ was the establishment of a ‘green arc’ in the housing and light industrial
subject of a talk given by Jeremy region. development in our part of Essex are
Wisenfeld, Superintendent of Epping In a lively question session, speakers likely to mean a huge expanse of
Forest, on 6 February. He described asserted the popularity of the local concrete from Loughton to Cambridge,
the new concept of a Green Arc (as in Green Belt. Mr Wisenfeld regarded the swallowing up Theydon Bois and
the Office of the Deputy Prime Green belt as having failed some of its Debden Green in the process.
Minister’s ‘Communities Plan’) as open original purposes, in that the Carol Murray
space within urban areas leading out countryside was not always accessible
into the countryside and extending to for town dwellers’ leisure, and that there
include areas of special countryside were areas of dereliction and non-
value (forests, new/existing woodland, conforming uses which maybe should
lakes, footpaths etc) – for access and be built upon.
leisure for those living in towns, and to Leaving the meeting, the audience
create movement corridors for wild- were wondering whether to regard the
life. Green Arc as an exciting new creative
Clearly Epping Forest will play a huge approach – or as a ‘consolation prize’
part in the ‘Arc’ for NE London & West on offer for relinquishing much of our
Essex, and the Conservators are part of Green Belt to Government-sponsored Debden Hall Gates drawn by Christine
a consortium which is looking into the development. John Woods Brunn.
Loughton Residents Association is non party political, working for the best interests of Loughton residentsWHY LRA? LOUGHTON ON
District and Town Council elections will be held on Thursday 10 June this year, and
many candidates will be looking for your vote. Why should you support the LRA BBC WEB SITE
candidates? Richard Morris, Secretary of Loughton
BECAUSE LRA has a record of over 22 years of independent and committed & District Historical Society, was
service for Loughton and for all Loughton residents. recently contacted by the BBC and
BECAUSE LRA councillors and members have a consistent record of involvement asked to contribute material to their
in community affairs. We do not appear just before elections making reckless
new ‘Legacies’ website. BBC web
promises.
teams from across the UK have
BECAUSE LRA has always fought for high quality services at the lowest possible
cost, looking for real value for your money. Our Councillors look for savings by collaborated to supply local detail on a
cutting waste and bureaucracy – not essential services. range of historical themes for the new
BECAUSE LRA councillors are Independent – they will support good ideas from site.
other groups, but WILL NOT BE PART OF A COALITION IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS The BBC suggested that Richard
BECAUSE unlike other groups, which have to work to the policies of their national write three articles – The Verderers of
parties, LRA councillors are only responsible to YOU, the residents. Epping Forest, Dick Turpin and Epping
BECAUSE LRA has always sought your views on important local issues and has Forest and The Bank of England
worked to meet your wishes. Printing Works. These are now on the
BECAUSE we inform and consult you via our newsletter, Loughton Life, and via our
website and the BBC have made a
website www.loughtonresidents.com
reference to the Society.
BECAUSE although national parties deserve your support in national elections,
there is a better alternative for you at the local level. LRA councillors are free from To access the articles go to
the pressures, posturing and play-acting of national party politics and are backed by www.bbc.co.uk/legacies. Then click
an association of over 1500 households in every part of the town. on the UK index, select England, then
LRA – a better alternative Essex and click on ‘Your Stories’.
THE FARMERS’ MARKET – HOW DOES IT WORK?
Loughton’s highly successful monthly provides our only income and 2 stalls for singing in December, with mince pies
Farmers Market is promoted by LRA in charities. with mulled wine – which went down
order to meet a need in the town, and it LRA has also arranged special very well! A collection was also made
also creates a ‘community occasion’ events at the market, including carol for charity.
where people can The market has
socialise. LRA has a proved popular with
stand at the market as a both buyers and traders,
means both of keeping but despite requests for
residents informed and more, there can only be
of gathering reactions one each month – 14
and comments. markets are the
When the idea of the maximum which can be
market was first held in a year without
suggested, LRA turned planning permission,
to Hughmark, the and it must be
company which runs remembered that the
North Weald Market. As LRA side of the
a residents’ association operation is run by a
we had neither the small band of unpaid
expertise to manage a volunteers. If you’d like
market, nor the stalls to help, do please
and other equipment contact Suzanne Harper
needed. LRA oversees (details on back page).
the bookings for the The market is held in
market which enables us Centric Parade in the
to have some control High Road on the first
over the kinds of stalls, Sunday of each month.
but Hughmark supplies It runs from 9.00am to
the stalls and collects 2.00pm, but if you want
the rents from the the best produce, come
traders. LRA receives no early!
money at all for John Woods
arranging the market,
but we receive 2 stalls LRA committee
for our displays and member Mitch Cohen at
book stall which the Farmers Market,
assisted by Seamus
Loughton Residents Association Townwide Edition www.loughtonresidents.com Townwide EditionLOUGHTON RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
COUNCILLORS’ NEWS Chairman
Chris Harper 23 Algers Road IG10 4NG
020 8508 4770
Borders Lane: in our last newsletter we told Members that, after Vice Chairman
Diane Rhodes 9 Ashley Grove IG10 1HS
months of pressure by County Councillor David Linnell, the 020 8508 3284
construction of a footpath on the north side of Borders Lane, along to Hon Secretary
Carol Murray 20 Queens Road IG10 1RS
Traps Hill, was finally underway. Work has now also been carried out 020 8508 4892
to construct a “refuge” at the top of Traps Hill, so that those using the Treasurer
footpath can cross Traps Hill in greater safety. Further along Borders Tony Paddon 12 Forest View Road IG10 4DX
020 8508 2238
Lane, again after months of pressure from David, Epping Forest Press Officer
College have finally cut back the branches which were overhanging Michael Benbow 28 Brook Road IG10 1BP
020 8508 4457
the verge and restricting drivers’ vision. Membership Secretary
Juliet Pollard 14 The Hawthorns IG10 3QT
020 8502 0552
Epping New Road: work has been carried out by the County Council Committee
on traffic calming measures on Epping New Road and Rangers Road, Ken Angold-Stephens 89 Lower Park Road, IG10 4NE
020 8281 0674
and there will be consultation on speed restrictions. County Councillor
Jack Benjamin 23 Newnham Close IG10 4JG
David Linnell will be monitoring the effect – the aim is make the roads 020 8508 4765
safer for drivers and for those using the Forest. Rose Brookes 3 Lower Park Road IG10 4NB
020 8502 5981
Mitch Cohen 16 Ollards Grove, Loughton IG10 4DW
New Housing: the Government has offered to put up some money for 020 8502 1533
James Dean 69 Colebrook Lane IG10 2HN
extra health, environment, education and transport services to go 020 8281 7932
alongside their plans to build thousands of houses, together with light Ron Heath 46 Ollards Grove IG10 4DW
020 8508 3458
industrial units, partly on Green Belt land in Epping Forest District Jan Kinrade, 28 Hillyfields, IG10 2JS
(including the buffer land between Loughton and Theydon Bois and 020 8532 0488
Brian Moore 6 Forest View Road IG10 4DX
land to the south-east of Harlow). However, the amount is minuscule 020 8508 7112
compared with what would be needed, and LRA and its councillors will Sheila Shillitto 11 Eleven Acre Rise IG10 1AN
020 8508 2900
continue to fight these plans. Janet Woods 1a Woodland Road, IG10 1HQ 020
020 8508 1764
John Woods 1a Woodland Road IG10 1HQ
Wansfell College: the County Council has had to subsidise the 020 8508 1764
College in recent years, and has decided to close it, despite the Bela Yorke 8 The Greens Close IG10 1QE
020 8508 4729
Governors developing a Business Plan which would have returned the Sam Zendell-Ellis 4 Clifton Road, Loughton
College to financial stability. The closure was rushed through by the 020 8532 0025
Tory majority in County Hall – the prospect of millions of pounds from
LRA COUNCILLORS (County, District & Town)
the sale of the site clearly counted more than the loss of a valuable County Councillor St Mary's Division
educational resource! Many people, including LRA and the District David Linnell 20 Eleven Acre Rise IG10 1AN
020 8508 2932
Council protested, but to no avail. This is a sad loss to the area. Roding Ward
Larry Ford (T) 47 Stonards Hill IG10 3EH
Land transfers: LRA Town Councillors are still trying to mop up the 020 8508 4344
St John's Ward
unfinished business caused by Epping Forest District Council not Kay Ellis (T) 31 Algers Road IG10 4NG
having transferred either the Roding Valley or the Willingale Road 020 8508 6018
John Markham (D) 77 Queen’s Road IG10 1RR
allotments to the Town Council when it was set up in 1996. This has 020 8508 1945
dragged on over eight years of interminable meetings and legal Roger Pearce (T) 32 Millsmead Way IG10 1LR
020 8281 1386
squabbling. The latest state of play on Willingale allotments is that the Caroline Pond (D) 7 Staples Road IG10 1HP
very energetic allotments association has managed to let a large 020 8508 2361
Chris Pond (T) 7 Staples Road IG10 1HP
number of plots to new tenants, which has rather undercut EFDC’s 020 8508 2361
plan to reserve part of the site in case future housing land is required. Bob Wilmot (T) 50 Baldwins Hill IG10 1SF
020 8508 1987
LRA councillors (supported by the ward councillor) have been pressing St Mary's Ward
for this land to be retained as open space, and as much of it as Tony Lee (D&T) 33 Priory Road IG10 1AF
020 8508 7649
possible as allotments. Pam Meadows (T) 98 Roding Road IG10 3EJ
020 8508 4136
School Green – reconciling the irreconcilable?. The Conservators of Dorothy Paddon (D)12 Forest View Road IG10 4DX
020 8508 2238
Epping Forest own School Green (at the junction of Staples Road and Mike Wardle (T) 61 The Drive IG10 1HG
020 8508 2771
York Hill), and Loughton Town Council (LTC) pay for grass mowing. A
Forest Ward
dispute has now arisen as to how frequently the grass should be cut. Ken Faulkner (D) ‘Briar Patch’, Park Hill IG10 4ES
Some people prefer it to be left long, whilst others, possibly a majority, 020 8508 1215
Suzanne Harper (T) 23 Algers Road IG10 4NG
want it cut more frequently. A meeting has now been arranged 020 8508 4770
between LTC and the Corporation of London to take instructions from Les Harris (T) 32 Upper Park IG10 4EQ
020 8508 1333
the landlords, bearing in mind residents’ views as much as possible. Peter House (D) 10 Connaught Avenue IG10 4DP
020 8532 1275
Judith Woodman (T) 164 Forest Road IG10 1EG
Have your say: members of the public can now briefly address 020 8502 0785
meetings of LTC and its committees on agenda items. If you see an
item on which you want to speak, phone the Town Clerk 3-4 days in April 2004
advance of the meeting. © Loughton Residents Association 2004
Loughton Residents Association is non party political, working for the best interests of Loughton residentsYou can also read
