Community and public engagement for first three sites in Rochford District Council’s Asset Delivery

Plans for Rochford District Council’s regeneration programme are coming together. Before planning applications are finalised and formally submitted in Spring 2021, the Voyage Partnership is engaging with people living and working in the community for their views on the plans.

The Voyage Partnership want to hear from the community to ensure that the designs best reflect the future needs of the people that will use or live in the buildings.COVID-19 restrictions provide challenges in terms of community engagement, so we have set up an online community and public engagement survey which will be available at www.voyage-partnership.co.uk/have-your-say for people to complete between 15th February and 28th February 2021 for the following three sites:

• 3-15 South Street, Rochford (current council offices)

• The Freight House, Rochford

• 57 South Street, Rochford

Engagement surveys for the Mill Arts & Events Centre and the Civic Centre sites in Rayleigh will both open on 15th March 2021. A list of frequently asked questions about the programme are available at: www.voyage-partnership/faqs

Artist impression of New Freight House

Leader of the Council, Cllr Simon Wootton, said: “This is an exciting programme which will see the regeneration of key sites across the Rochford District, providing the modern and flexible spaces that our community will need in the future. “It is vital, therefore, that we hear the views of local residents and businesses as we move forward on this journey together, so that we can ensure we are making the best possible use of our council-owned buildings.”

George Farley, Director, gbpartnerships Rochford Limited, said: “We believe that it is essential to engage with the local community in order to incorporate their views as far as possible within our designs. The COVID-19 pandemic provides us with specific challenges in this regard, we have a dedicated website for these developments and will also take on board all comments received in writing. We very much look forward to hearing what the community think.”

Editors’ notes: Between July 2019 and April 2020, Rochford District Council completed a rigorous tender process to procure a development partner and design team with which to deliver the Council’s Asset Delivery Programme. The successful development team is led by gbpartnerships and this venture with the council is called Voyage Partnership. Since October 2020, gbpartnerships and their team have completed technical surveys of the sites to best understand the opportunities and constraints that define the development proposals.