Environment
There are proven health benefits associated with communities having access to local green space.
Accessibility to green spaces needs to be ensured, particularly benefiting the elderly and people with disabilities.
Green space provide essential habitat for wildlife particularly beneficial to endangered species.
Green areas enable us to connect with wildlife.
Open spaces are proven to reduce the impact of pollution.
Provide recreational areas benefitting communities.
TIt is important to maintain green space between towns and villages as they provide natural wildlife habitats/ nature corridors.
The town enjoys the benefits of natural water on three sides. However, like any waterway, these areas can be heavil affected by weather. Combined with the fact that these are tidal waters, we must be vigilant to the risk of flooding. The town has suffered a number of such incidents over the years, with significant flooding in both 1953 and 1978.
- We must maintain costal defences to avoid the river Crouch and creeks breeching its banks, flooding the town, and impacting on private dwellings and businesses.
There is high demand for allotments in South Woodham Ferrers and under provision; at the end of March 2020 the waiting list for allotments extended to [are we able to get this figure from the Allotment Society?] town residents. The new Town Plan includes proposals from the developers to provide additional land for allotments this BUT is highly unlikely to meet demand. The South Woodham Ferrers Town Council has a statutory responsibility to meet reasonable demand for allotments from residents; such demand has not been met notwithstanding the unacceptable waiting list.
- We intend to work with the Town Council to ensure that reasonable allotment provision is made for allotment space into the future.
South Woodham residents are encouraged to recycle weekly household waste through the effective provision of kerbside refuse collection. We fully support the continuation and extension of the service to increase recycling in our town to benefit the environment. The local Recycling Centre is welcome, however following a reorganisation in 2016, services have diminished significantly, this has resulted in an increase in fly tipping in the locality and residents needing to travel to Maldon or further afield to recycle larger items, soil and hardcore or when the Centre is closed on some weekdays.
- We will press for a return to previous levels of services that protect the environment and better meet the needs of residents.
- We want to see all residents able to use their local recycling centre and would press Essex CC to use number plate recognition technology so that all domestic vehicles are permitted - including non-commercial vans.
- We would also like to see provision made for commercial vehicles to use any amenity site for a reasonable charge to cover costs.