It’s not just Basildon that’s threatened with a rash of high rise apartments that will do zilch to meet existing housing needs in the area: More thoughts on the ‘masterplan’ for Basildon town centre. The sodding things will be popping up all over the place if we’re not vigilant.

This is from the Romford Civic Society Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/RomfordCivic/

We’ve tried again to get Romford councillors to explain the eye-watering level of density which they are proposing for Waterloo Road. We would have thought they would have had the information required at their finger tips, but perhaps not, or perhaps they’re not bothered about the environment of the town? Fortunately we are, though, and we’re not prone to giving up……

If this is too small you can see the letter on p.30 here: https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/home/e-edition

This is despite experts such as Danish architect Jan Gehl Hon. FAIA arguing against high rises: 7 Reasons Why High-Rises Kill Livability.

Could Grays town centre be in line for a high density, quite possibly high rise development? Reading between the lines in this piece – Funding boost for 1,000 new homes in Grays town centre – it looks like that could be the case. We can’t see how else you could cram up to 1000 new homes into Grays town centre, which doesn’t have a big footprint, without going up a fair bit:(

We recognise there has been and always will be a demand for flats to live in. We also recognise that a fair few people like living in flats. What we have a problem with is the sheer scale of what’s being proposed all over the region we cover. There’s a world of difference between well designed blocks of flats surrounded by landscaped grass, planting and trees, and the high density, dystopian looking hell towers that are being foisted upon us.

People need room and access to greenery and nature to live properly and flourish. No matter how well appointed and digitally connected these new apartments will be, they will deprive people of what’s needed to live a decent live. This is why we’re joining the fight against having this kind of living imposed upon us.