Meeting Notes
Present
Keith Powell (Vice Chairman) (KP) - Business, Maritime Community \ Independent
Angela Hutchings (AH) - Rochford District Council
Paula Chapman (PC) - Rochford District Council
Helen Quinnell (HQ) - Chelmsford City Council
Alexis Corless (AC) - Maldon District Council
Rachel Fancy (RF) - RSPB
Cllr Arthur Williams (AW) - Rochford District Council
Cllr Nick Skeens (NK) - Maldon District Council
Darren Braine (DB) - Natural England
Apologies
Cllr June Lumley (Chairperson) (JL) - Rochford District Council
Cllr Simon Wootton - Rochford District Council
Ken Wickham - Crouch Harbour Authority
Absent:
Cllr Mike Halford - Canewdon Parish Council
Cllr Roy Hart - Battlesbridge Business
David Overton - Natural England
Matt Mason - Baltic Wharf Distribution
John Lindsey - Environment Agency
Cllr Paul White (PW) - Hullbridge Parish Council
Cllr Glen Dryhurst (GD) - Ashingdon Parish Council
Doug MacEwen (DM) - Crouch Area Yachting Federation
Cllr Alan Shearing - South Woodham Ferrers Town Council
No nomination received - Rettendon Parish Council
Awaiting new nomination - Burnham-on-Crouch Town Council
No nomination received - Burnham Chamber of Commerce
Notes
Julie Jakes (JJ) - Rochford District Council
Duration
Not Noted
Note 20/20
Welcome and Introductions
KP gave apologies from JL and advised that he would be chairing the meeting. Introductions were made and noted.
Note 21/20
Notes of the Last River Crouch Coastal Community Team Steering Group Meeting held on 15 September 2020
Noted and agreed.
Matters Arising
No matters arriving.
Note 22/20
Footpaths Group – Update
KP updated the Group as follows:
- The Railway Project Group – extension of the Wickford to Southminster line which, unfortunately, was not supported by the local MP. Therefore, it was decided that the Group should be closed and no further action taken.
- The Public Rights of Way Group- this was originally intended to deal with a particular problem with the reinstatement of a footpath in the Hullbridge area. It was decided that the whole question of footpath integration would be a much better project. Now attempting to ensure it all works together as a cohesive unit. PC provides guidance and attends when her work commitments allow.
Note 23/20
Update on:
The Group noted that although all of these projects involved footpaths, they were in fact all separate projects.
Coastal Path and Proposal for Latest Stretch of Wallasea to Burnham
DB updated the group as follows:
- Southend to Wallasea Island report published in 2019 and has been approved by the Secretary of State for establishment works to proceed. Essex County Council have applied for the grant to do this work and may already be undertaking the necessary works to establish this part of the trail on the southern mouth of the Crouch Estuary.
- Burnham to Maldon report published in 2017. This has been held back from approval because of a European court ruling on how developments consider impacts on the international designation and we have had to review our Habitats Regulations Assessment. This is in the final stages of drafting and will be presented to Defra imminently allowing them to consider if to approve this section for establishment works.
- Wallasea Island to Burnham report was published in January 2020 and closed for public comment on 25 March 2020. This was a compendium of 5 reports. 1 report received no objection. Landowners in the other 4 reports raised objection. The report with no objection (Wallasea to Hullbridge) could be ready for Secretary of State approval, but has not risen as a priority yet (they have concentrated on longer lengths around the English coastline e.g. Tilbury to Southend in its entirety, Southend to Wallasea vast majority).
- The 4 reports of Wallasea Island to Burnham with objections are currently with the Planning Inspectorate for consideration. They no doubt will call a site visit with the objector and Natural England to review the ‘lie of the land’ and will then submit their recommendation in relation to the objection to Defra. The end of this part of the process may still be 9 months away. If there are no changes required to the route proposals, then I would not expect the Trail to be approved and establishment start until 2022.
- Once a stretch is established, then we have to return to Defra for a Statutory Instrument to be laid before parliament to start the Coastal Access rights (this opens the areas that currently have no access and installs the rights of access over the land between the Trail and mean low water. It also starts the low level of public liability for landowners). This Statutory Instrument is in effect the legal opening of the Trail.
In response to a question, DB confirmed that the site visits are controlled by the Planning Inspectorate and are just to see what it looks like on the ground. The objector would be invited as a courtesy and Natural England would also attend as proposer. Very much a speak if spoken to type of event.
NS requested maps/illustrations of the routes and KP advised that he held them in a drop box and would forward the link to NS.
Action: KP to forward drop box link to NS.
Path to Prosperity Project
PC updated the Group as follows:
- All three Councils were heavily involved in this project. Essex County Council (ECC) had successfully obtained funding from the Coastal Community Fund in 2019. Part of their project was about signposting to the coast to support the national project and also to highlight the coast, particularly in Essex which has over 350 miles of coastline.
- Working with ECC on the project and one of the developments was a digital app for trails. Some are for trails that will form part of the England Coastal path, but others touch the coast and promote businesses along that route. The project involves posters at the main line railway stations to direct people to the coast and the facilities that are available on route. Part of the project to support sustainability was a pilot hopper bus, but due to the pandemic and lockdown restrictions it would not have been appropriate to encourage visitors to come to our District.
- A procurement process took place and prospective companies were interviewed for a digital trail app; Go Jauntly was successfully procured. It was agreed that each Council would submit at least one trail for each District involved on the coast project. All routes have now been submitted. Rochford wanted to promote the Hullbridge to Battlesbridge route, but due to the problems with the coast path routing along the busy Beeches Road, it did not want to be seen to be encouraging families to walk along this busy and fast road.
- The project was due to end in March 2021, but a 6-month extension application had been made to allow for the hopper bus service. The Digital trail app was going to be launched imminently for the October half-term, but then the County went into another lockdown. Now looking to delay the launch until we know what is happening with local restrictions. Concluded for Rochford that our route will go along the River Roach, starting and ending at the train station. This was the most practicable route within our time constraints. More routes can be added and there will also be an opportunity to promote the coastal paths once they are approved.
- KP advised that the Beeches Road route does not actually run along the road. It is inside a field on the northern part and then cross over the road to be inside the hedge for the southern part of the route. He had received assurances from Natural England that the route is through fields and not along the road.
HQ provided the following update:
- Similar issues had been experienced where Battlesbridge joins up with South Woodham. There had been some deliberation when choosing the route that would be submitted. In terms of supporting businesses there was not a huge amount of opportunity to by-pass businesses.
- As a vast majority of the river front went through Marsh Farm Country Park, the route that had been put forward for the app commenced at the train station at South Woodham Ferrers through to the Marsh Farm Country Park, via the Woodham Fen Nature reserve. The route jointed the river via Fen Creek before arriving at the Marsh Farm Country Park. It was noted that public facilities are provided at this location and the pathway was reasonably well maintained. Now looking to do an extension to the walk in the opposite direction towards Fambridge. To finish off the offering and enhance the aesthetics of the route, the Community Rail Partnership had commissioned a new mural to be painted at the back of the station house. This had now been completed and included the river.
AC provided the following update:
- Maldon have chosen a Burnham to Creeksea trail – starting at the railway station, carrying on round and through to Riverside Park leading into the Town and back to the station. Work is underway to populate the website - theessexcoast.com - with more detailed information about key points of interest, historical facts, and most importantly businesses on route to have lunch and/or a refreshment. The App Go Jauntly has short points of interest, but the project team are keen to provide more detailed information about the area if possible, so that those who visit may be able to find out. The app has an established following in London which it is hoped will be convinced to venture out to the coast once restrictions are lifted. Work will continue to build that microsite which is linked to the main VisitEssex website.
- Linked to the success of Essex P2P, AC reported that they have managed to build a relationship with Ordnance Survey who have recently launched an additional app to their main mapping app, called ‘Get Outside’ This is focused on encouraging people out to enjoy their surroundings including attractions, events and hidden gems. We are currently scoping an Essex wide project to help populate this and an additional app called ‘Secret Stories’; this is one that delivers their corporate responsibilities and is focused on children to tell stories about a place or venue potentially using new augmented reality technology.
Note 24/20
RSPB Wallasea Island – Latest Developments
RF provided the following update:
- The RSPB has now completed all the work that was funded by RDC as part of the visitor improvements and Beagle Trail. The Beagle viewpoint has been in place for a while but it is now finished with the interpretation board, along with a further interpretation board at the lagoons (which visitors see on their way to the Beagle viewpoint). The funding consisted of the viewpoint, surfacing part of the trail, benches, a pad for a future portaloo and also an overflow car park. The reserve has become very busy this year and many people have appreciated the extra facilities put in.
- In addition to the RDC funded work, money for a hide came from a large donation to the reserve. This is not quite open as the path has yet to be surfaced and some final finishing touches made.
Note 25/20
HMS Beagle Scheduled Monument Status and Launch of Computer Generated Image (CGI)
AH provided the following update:
- With a grant funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund, RDC had commissioned a CGI web tour of HMS Beagle which could be accessed via www.discover2020.co.uk or via a QR code on the interpretation boards at RSPB Wallasea Island. Not only does this project raise the profile of the district’s association with this ship but it also provides an additional point of interest for visitors to the coast at Wallasea Island and, by extension, to hospitality and leisure businesses nearby.
Note 26/20
Any Other Business
None
Note 27/20
Date of Next Meeting and Close
It was agreed that the next meeting would take place on Tuesday, 2 March 2021 commencing at 11:00.