The Village Strategy Working Party was given the task by the Hatfield Peverel Parish Council to undertake a "Village Appraisal". The Appraisal would conduct a survey of all aspects of the village, analyse its assets, deficiencies, problems and needs and publish a report on its findings. This report will allow future decisions to be based on village requirements. To support the task the current and future status would be examined and the opinions of all Hatfield Peverel residents would be polled.

It was also agreed at an early stage that the Appraisal would not be completed in a matter of months, and that it would be at least a two-year undertaking, with several key stages identified. The Appraisal was supported by many organizations and individuals listed at the end of this report. It was also financed by a grant from the Countryside Agency

In September 2003 a confidential questionnaire was distributed and collected by a band of well organised volunteers. The team was pleased with the excellent return of 51%. The Rural Community of Essex, with experience of village appraisals throughout the County, says that a 30% response is average, so we have beaten this. Input and analysis of the results took many hours of effort using both a professional firm and the team’s computers. The efforts of yet more volunteers were appreciated.

When the report stage was reached it was felt that it would be preferable to be able to include the responses made by villagers, various organizations and statutory bodies in reply to the points that had been made. (This draft is to be circulated for consultation before finalisation). This would help to provide a more comprehensive publication.

It was also determined that the report would not include a mass of statistics or excessive graphical data, as the raw data was published with the October 2004 issue of "The Review". It was also felt that this would generally obscure the content of the report.

Finally I would like to thank the Village Strategy Working Party and the Appraisal Group for their support during the months that it took to complete the project and also the many volunteers that assisted.

Ian Goldsmith; Chairman of the Village Appraisal Group

The majority of the work undertaken in preparing the Village Appraisal related to the collection and collation of the individual views expressed through the questionnaire process. The bulk of this document deals with the responses to the questionnaire. By its very nature, this process is both subjective and forward looking. It was felt useful to include a section in the report to establish the context of the work. This section aims to present a factual and objective picture of the village and broader Parish, which will serve as a complement to the questionnaire based process. Taken with the output of the questionnaire, the description of the village and recent changes and trends may help to either explain or legitimise the Village’s concerns and priorities for the future.

It is a truism that past performance is no guide for the future; however without some understanding of the changes that lead to the development of current speculation about the future, planning becomes less certain.

Hatfield Peverel is located between Chelmsford, 7 miles to the west and Witham, 2 miles to the east and some 4½ miles to the northwest of Maldon. The parish covers approximately seven square miles (1912 Ha [1]) and is unevenly bisected by the A12 and the railway line, which runs through its northern part from the Southwest to the Northeast. Access to the countryside for walkers is provided by a well-established network of footpaths [2]. The majority of the land area is located to the south of the A12 in an area bounded by the Chelmer valley to the south and the Blackwater valley to the east. There are two centres of population, the village of Hatfield Peverel itself and approximately ¾ of a mile to the south, Nounsley.

Two rivers flow through the parish, the Ter, a small tributary, flows roughly north to south to join the Chelmer at Rushes Lock, the Chelmer forming part of the parish’s southern boundary. The landscape is one of gently undulating agricultural land interspersed with small areas of woodland, with a few substantial woods.

[1] Braintree Trends 2001, Braintree District Council 2001

[2] Nine walks around Hatfield Peverel, Catherine Voysey, Essex County Council 1993

The highest point of the parish is recorded as 157 feet above mean sea level and the lowest about 50 feet above mean sea level. Whilst there are no dramatic geographical features within the parish, a number of locations are designated as being Special Landscape areas in order to protect the traditional qualities of the landscape.

The local geology includes beds of sands and gravels which are of glacial origin and which have been actively extracted. These activities, mostly to the eastern side of the parish, have resulted in several lakes being established, some of which are used for recreational fishing. As at 2004 only one quarry (Danatts in Wickham Bishops Road) is actively operating.

The most significant communication links are provided by the A12, which actually divides the village in two, and by the London-Ipswich railway line which has a village station. These links give direct access to Chelmsford and on towards London in one direction and towards Colchester and Ipswich in the other. The access in particular towards London has been a significant feature in the development of the village. This change has been from a self-contained rural economy in the past, to one that is more of a rural dormitory for workers who commute to their place of employment.

Communication links in a north/south direction are less well developed and have been the focus of much discussion and debate. The decline of the coastal fishing and transport activities, post WW II, had a negative impact on Maldon’s economy, as did the closure of the Maldon to Witham rail link. Over the past decades the regeneration of economic activity in Maldon, combined with the expansion of Witham as a centre for light industry has increased the volume of traffic flowing between these two areas and from further a field. There is no easy and direct road link between Witham or the A12 and Maldon. This has resulted in an increase in both volume of traffic and size of vehicle, which need to move through Hatfield Peverel.

Currently plans are actively being examined to increase the capacity of the A12 and resolve the poor access and egress between this road and the village. The status of any of these plans is currently uncertain.

The current A12 follows a similar, if less direct route to the old Roman road which linked Colchester (the Roman capital of Britain) to London. The old A12 and Roman road passes directly through the village as "The Street". The exact origins of the village are uncertain, but it could date back to Roman times originating at the point where the Roman road forded the Ter. Records point to the establishment of a community at Hatfield Peverel shortly after the Norman Conquest in 1066 when a manor was established by Ranulf de Peverel [3].

What ever its earliest origins Joyce Fitch’s book gives a concise history [4] and a fascinating source of detail may be found in the Worker’s Educational Association (WEA) report on the village and its recent history written in early 1953 [5]

The key messages, which may be drawn from any review of recent (50 year period) history of the village are of a marked change away from agriculture and related activities and a significant increase of the population, with all that this implies as regards development of housing stock, expansion of schools, need for physical communications and transport, leisure provision, etc.

A variety of statistical information is provided below. These are drawn from a number of different sources although all rely quite heavily on the Office of National Statistic’s decennial census. In summary the statistical information shows a parish which can be characterized as being reasonably affluent and healthy compared to the rest of the Braintree District and one that has a slightly older than average population.

[3] Doomsday Book 1086

[4] Hatfield Peverel in old picture postcards Vol 1 Joyce P. Fich Zaltbommel; The Netherlands 1995 ISBN 90 288 6141 6

[5] Our village-Hatfield Peverel. Informal Publication of local Workers Educational Association (WEA)1953

According to the figures from the decennial census, the population remained fairly constant between 1831 and 1911 at around 1,350 persons. Following the First World War there was a steady increase in the population of the parish. In 1981 the total population was 3,933, which rose to 4,310 in 1991. The resident population of Hatfield Peverel, as measured in the 2001 Census was 4,384 of which 49% were male and 51% were female. The resident population of Braintree was 132,179, of which 49% were male and 51% were female.

Source 2001 Census, ONS

Source 2001 Census, ONS

In terms of the Indices of Deprivation measure, which brings together a wide variety of social and economic information to assess the scale of need, Hatfield Peverel occupies a reasonably privileged position. The Parish has a rank of 6,658 out of a total of 8,414 English electoral wards, where the most deprived has a score of 1.

Resident population aged 16 to 74 (percentage)

Source; 2001 Census, ONS

Within Hatfield Peverel, 30% of those unemployed were aged 50 and over, 0% had never worked and 35% were long term unemployed.

Source; 2001 Census,ONS

Between 1991 and 1998 the number of dwellings in the Parish increased by 64 from 1,699 to 1,764. The most recent census showed that there were 1,777 households in 2001, although the definition in the statistics makes it slightly difficult to differentiate between dwellings and households. In 2001 97% of the resident population lived in households, the remainder of the population lived in communal establishments. The number of households in Braintree was 54,332.

Number of Households (percentage)

Source: 2001 Census, ONS

Lastly, as regards households, it would have been useful to identify a source of information that detailed the rates of immigration to and emigration from the Parish, together with an idea of the length of time people remained resident, but this could not be discovered.

Because of the lack of "co-terminosity" between the Local Government Ward structure and Health Authorities, Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Organisations, Provider Trusts and Primary Care Trusts – all of which have a role in the provision of care and the collection of statistics- it is virtually impossible to obtain detailed epidemiological or health information which relates to Hatfield Peverel alone. Large quantities of specialist information were reviewed and can be summerised, crudely, as follows. In general the population’s health appears to compare quite favourably with that of the Local Districts and there are no obvious and significant negative features shown by the statistics. Given the age and social profile of the Parish the morbidity (Illness rate) and mortality statistics appeared reasonable with probably a better standard of health locally than that within other wards in Braintree, particularly where all of the wards score poorly in terms of deprivation.

A concern for the future will be the provision of services specifically for the elderly and to ensure access to services for elderly persons, given the age profile of the Parish.

The 2001 Census asked people to describe their health over the preceding 12 months as ‘good’, ‘fairly good’ or ‘not good’ It also asked questions about limiting long term illness, health problem or disability which limited peoples daily activity or work they could do. For the first time the 2001 Census asked a question about voluntary care provided to look after or give support to family members, friends, neighbours or others because of long term physical or mental ill health or disability or problems related to old age

Resident population (percentage)

Source: 2001 Census, ONS

Students and Qualifications

Resident population aged 16 to 74

Source: 2001 Census, ONS. Note Students and schoolchildren were counted at their term time address.

1(a) There are a significant numbers of people who would like to work nearer home than they do at present. However there is a strong feeling that this should not be achieved by providing working premises in the village, other than retail premises, which do get some support. There is a very strong feeling against converting residential to business use.

Action: The Parish Council contact Braintree District Council’s Planning Department to reinforce that a change of use from residential to office, industrial or light industrial is not acceptable within the Parish.

Time; Immediately.

Action: The Parish Council to produce a ‘Parish Map’ and ‘Design Statement’ to ensure that this requirement is stated [6]

Time; Within six months of the publication of this report.

1(b) Any suggestions for extending the growth of the village beyond its present extent is strongly opposed, but support is evident for allowing development within it (infill sites). Where development does happen there is a feeling that design and materials used should be controlled and that priority should be given for permitted planning of social housing, especially retirement accommodation

Action; The Parish Council to consider this requirement when considering Planning Applications from Braintree District Council.

Time; Immediately.

[6] A "Parish map" and "Design Statement" supports the Appraisal requirements and can be used by all Agencies who affect planning and alterations to Hatfield Peverel.

Action; The Parish Council to notify Braintree District Planning Department of this requirement.

Time; Immediately.

Action; To produce a ‘Design Statement’ that can be lodged with and accepted by Braintree District Council Planning department.

Time; Within six months from the publication of this report.

Action; The Parish Council to notify Braintree District’s Housing Department of the need for the planning of social housing and retirement accommodation.

Time; Immediately.

2(a) Worries about road safety and inconsiderate parking are strongly felt issues with damage to the highways/footpaths also causing concern. Noise, fumes and vibration were less affecting issues, possibly because these are more closely related to where one actually lives and would therefore be minority issues, though no less important to those affected.

There is considerable support for more policing, speed cameras and signage control, though noticeable opposition to the use of certain specific traffic calming measures such as speed bumps and road narrowing. The attitude to extending 30mph zones and introducing 20mph zones were neutral on balance.

Action; The Parish Council to negotiate with the County Highways Division and the Police Authorities to obtain the enforcement of the 30mph speed limit within Hatfield Peverel by the introduction of suitable signs, more traffic police presence and pursuing any possible prosecutions arising from breaking the speeding law.

Time; immediately with a positive reduction of speeding in the village within one year of the publication of this report.

Action; All residents of the Parish to recognise their responsibility and keep within the speed limits set within the village.

Time; Immediately.

Action; The Parish council to pursue with the Chief Constable of Essex the introduction of a Community Speed Watch programme and solicit volunteers from the Parish to participate.

Time; Within one year from the publication of this report.

Action; The Parish Council to have printed adhesive rear window stickers for resident’s cars bearing the words "Hatfield Peverel has a 30mph speed limit. Please stick to it" or similar, for sale at minimal cost.

Time; Within six months.

2(b) The opinion on the control of LGV’s (heavy lorries) is very heavily in favour of weight restrictions and fairly heavily in favour of time restrictions also. Some kind of change to the junctions of The Street with the Maldon Road and Station Road is strongly supported especially in respect of the former, with mini-roundabouts being favoured more than traffic lights. Opinions on the Bury Lane junction were less clear-cut though the majority being against any change.

Action; The Parish Council to pursue with the County Highways Division the provision of a mini-roundabout at the junction of The Street and the Maldon Road with the intention of having this facility in place within the next financial year [7} 2005/2006.

Time; Immediately.

Action; Should there be introduced traffic solutions that do not require the through traffic of heavy goods vehicles, the Parish Council will seek to have a lorry ban imposed within the village limits (except for deliveries).

Time; Within six months of any alternative route being completed.

[7] This mini roundabout should be ‘temporary’ and not delay the introduction of, or preclude more satisfactory traffic solutions to alleviate heavy vehicles and other traffic passing through the village.

Finding actual parking space for oneself seems a minority problem with most having no persistent complaints in this respect.

2(c) The ‘by-pass’ issue showed that there is strong support for the idea that something must be done about through traffic in the village. By far the most supported idea is a direct connection between the A12 and Maldon, Regarding a ‘link road’ with Witham a Northern route being firmly favoured over a Southern route by those who expressed an opinion. It should be noted that fewer people answered the questions related to these choices, reflecting on the difficulty in visualising where such routes would actually be sited.

Action; The Parish Council will work with the Highways Agency and the County Highways Division to provide a solution for safe access to and from the A12 to the

Northeastern end of the village, which does not increase the through traffic in Hatfield Peverel.

Time; Provision of safe access’ within 5years.

Action; The Parish Council, with the support of any resident’s pressure groups, will lobby and work with the Highways Agency and the County Highways Division to consider a direct link to the A12 to and from Maldon to relieve the through traffic in Hatfield Peverel. A suggested route to be marked on the ‘Parish map’.

Time: The lobbying to start immediately with the intention of having a physical solution within 10 years.

2(d) There was very strong support for a new direct access between the A12 and the Arla Dairy and almost as much support for the widening of the A12 to 3 lanes in each direction.

Action; The Parish Council will work with the local landowners, Arla, the County Highways Division and Braintree District Council to provide a direct link to the dairy from the A12 which obviates heavy delivery lorries from using The Street and Station Road. A suggested route to be marked on the ‘Parish map’.

Time; Negotiations to start immediately with the object of having the road within 5 years.

Action: The Parish Council will ensure that they are kept informed by the Highways Agency on any proposed improvements to the A12 by the Highways Agency and ensure that local residents have an opportunity to comment. (Widening of the A12 is a national issue and the Parish Council and local residents will have little influence.

Time; Dependent on the Highways Agency programme.

3(a) The response to the question about ‘discomfort’, issues of pollution and public facilities showed an apparent lack of overall concern, but this has to be looked at in terms of each issue being of concern to a specific minority of people. The fact that any percentage at all marked the ‘badly’ or ‘moderately’ affected boxes indicates a problem of considerable importance to them (eg with smells, lack of disabled facilities etc.) while being of less noticeable concern to everyone else’.

3(b) There is overwhelming support for a conservation policy regarding the village buildings and public open spaces.

Action; The Parish Council to consider the individual responses and set up and advertise a specific Public Meeting with the intention of forming resident’s action group to tackle the problems.

Time; Within 3 months of the publication of this report.

Action: The Parish Council to produce a ‘Parish Map’ and ‘Design Statement’ to ensure that this requirement is stated [6].

Time; Within six months of the publication of this report

3(c) Public services generally received a good level of satisfaction, though again those receiving ‘poor’ assessments in significant number need to be taken note of, eg dissatisfaction with surface water drainage, street cleaning and public transport having a third of respondents rating them ‘poor’ is clearly a concern even though the satisfied customers outweighed them in each case.

Action; The Parish Council to consider the individual responses and set up and advertise a specific Public Meeting with the intention of forming resident’s action group to tackle the problems.

Time; Within 3 months of the publication of this report.

Action; The Parish Council to inform the County Highways Division and Braintree District Council of the specific problems within their control and have matters improved.

Time; Immediately with the intention of having rectification within one year.

3(d) The support for the various initiatives suggested for the village was strong , especially those in relation to the need for extra dog mess bins and more litter wardens. The ‘car sharing’ and ‘best kept village’ schemes were supported by those who did give an opinion, but approximately half the respondents had no opinion on these. There was little support for the need for a public toilet.

Action; The Parish Council to install more dog mess bins in appropriate locations.

Time ; Within six months of the publication of this report.

Action; The Parish Council to advertise through the Parish magazine for extra volunteers to act as litter wardens and report on their success.

Time; Within two months to advertise in the ‘Review’ and to report in the following issue of the ‘Review’.

3(e) On the question of which of the urban facilities need to be protected most the majority were in favour of the Post Office with the following, in descending order,: public open green spaces, the Library, our schools, the footpaths, the village hall, the churches, shops/ businesses/ pubs, our listed buildings, the allotment sites, seating and shelters, the cricket ground.

Action; the Parish Council will take note of this priority rating should any of these initiatives be threatened.

Time; As and when such issues are raised.

3(f) On the question of which of the rural facilities need to be protected most the majority were in favour of hedgerows/trees/verges, with the following in descending order; streams/ponds/lakes, country lanes, rural landscape, public open spaces, footpaths/equestrian routes, wild flora/fauna, farmland, traditional/ historic architecture, watching the sky by night.

Action; the Parish Council will take note of this priority rating should any of these initiatives be threatened.

Time; As and when such issues are raised.

3(g) The question about cultural initiatives for the village seemed to reflect minority interests, although the idea of a leisure center was quite positively supported. The festivals and children’s farm received modest support, while museum and arts centre very little.

Action; The Parish Council will set up and advertise a meeting to better define the requirements and investigate the findings.

Time; Six months from publication of the Plan.

3(h) 72% of the respondents were in favour of the provision of ‘quiet lanes’ around the village for the safer use of cyclists and pedestrians.

Action; The Parish Council will work with the Essex County Council, the Council for the Protection of Rural England and the neighbouring Parish Councils to establish a network of quiet lanes within the Parish.

Time; To establish a planned network within one year and the designation to be in effect in 3 years.

Action; The Parish Council will work with Essex Police and the agencies of the Braintree District Council to reduce the amount of anti-social behaviour and vandalism in the village.

Time ; Immediately with a perceptive result within one year.

Action; The Parish Council will assist individuals in setting up a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme.

Time; Immediately.

4(b) With respect to the central recreation ground (The Strutt Recreation Ground)in the village, the firmest support was for it remaining as an informal green space with more seating and flower beds. There was little support for the Village Hall to be expanded or for more hard surface car parking.

Action; The Parish Council is to prepare plans for the future recreational use of the Strutt Recreation Ground and after public consultation implement these.

4(c) The play area at the rear of the library aroused the interest opinion of only about half the respondents. These were on the whole in favour of some change, all the ideas refurbishing play equipment, more seating, garden shrubs, nature conservation gaining support of a significant majority of them.

Action; The Parish Council will prepare plans and improve the area.

Time; Within one year of the publication of this report.

4(d) The Wickham Bishops Road site development possibilities received firm but mixed opinions. There was certainly united opposition to the site being reserved for club members only. The need for safe access by direct footpath/cycle track received extremely strong support.

Action; The Parish Council after suitable consultation will seek to clarify the policy of the access to and use of the site, taking consideration of safety and security.

Time ; Within one year.

Action; The Parish Council will endeavour to establish a pedestrian/cycle access to the Wickham Bishops road site from the village centre.

Time; Starting immediately with possible installation within two years.

5(a) The source of information about local events, services and opportunities which are most relied upon include the Hatfield Peverel Review (very pronounced), friends/neighbours and to a lesser extent, the local newspapers and parish notice boards. Minorities use the Parish Guide, the Post Office and the Library, even fewer numbers use local radio, free newspapers and the website. There is an expressed wish to receive more information about the Parish Council, but a less pronounced desire in respect of District and County Councils. The wish for Job Vacancy information to be displayed was quite pronounced for a specially provided board.

Action; The Parish Council will explain through the ‘Review’ where information on the actions and decisions taken in Parish Council Meetings can be obtained.

Time; Starting immediately.

Action; The Parish Council will invite Braintree District Council and Job Placement Agencies to provide and run a job vacancy notice board in at an appropriate site/sites within the village.

Time; Within six months of the publication of this report.

Action; The Parish Council will evaluate the continuing need for the "Village Guide".

Time; Starting immediately.

5(b) There was a balance of feeling against being prepared to pay an extra amount of Council tax to achieve better facilities in the village. But then this was to be expected.

6(a) There were 139 respondents to the Youth questionnaire, with a good age distribution , especially across the age range 8 to 15. The male/female (46%/54%) was interesting but not dramatically significant. The great majority find their regular leisure activities take them outside the village, which implies a need to acquire means of transport. Most depend on lifts from family/friends, but more than half use public transport.

6(b) A clear majority favoured a village website with nearly a fifth willing to contribute to it. More than two-fifths suggest that they would contribute to it .

Action; The Parish Council, through the Review and notice boards will publicise the village website inviting the youth to make their contribution.

Time; Immediately in the next issue.

6(c) The ideas for other youth facilities within the village suggested by the questionnaire got a generally good response. An all weather multi-use area was a popular option. A separate youth club or meeting point was an idea positively supported by more than half. A BMX/skate board facility was almost as popular. There was certainly firm opinion that there are not enough areas currently within the village where children can go and play safely.

Action; The Parish council will facilitate the formation of a Youth Council and work with the Braintree District Council and the Essex County Council to establish a youth club within the village. They will also canvass support from parents, without who’s help the project may not succeed.

Time; Immediately with a youth club up and running within eighteen months.

This document has been through a period of public consultation, including the Statutory and Local Authorities. The Hatfield Peverel Parish Council wishes to thank all of those that have made their contribution in both the preparation and consideration in the formation of the plan. Especially The Countryside Agency;The Community Council of Essex; Officers of the Braintree District Council; Officers of the Essex Police; Officers of Essex County Council; The distributors and collectors of the questionnaires; The Village Appraisal Group.