Resplendent in the evening sun today the Hall car park appears transformed from its former pot-holed and generally dishevelled appearance of late. Groupbridge our doughty and endlessly accommodating contractor has departed leaving only the portaloo as evidence of the workforce and equipment which has been a feature of the car park over the past 6 weeks.
Over the summer holidays the following work has been carried out:
- Old surfacing scraped off and potholes filled in
- Surface levelled and prepared to form the hidden (but essential) base-course of the parking area
- New kerbing has been laid to the perimeter
- Two new soakaways have been installed to take drained rainwater away out of harm’s way
- French drains have been installed for water to percolate through to the edges
- New drains installed and pipework fitted
- New blacktop course laid to the entire car park
- Planting areas prepared
- Cycle stands installed
- Ramps installed to some hall entrances
- 44 regular car parking spaces marked out together with4 disabled spaces and a loading bay
- Access to adjacent areas of the Muga and football pitch created and protected from encroachment
Some of these features are shown in the slide show.
All this has been achieved with minimal inconvenience to hall and Lorkin Daniell field users. There are one or two “snagging areas” to revisit in the coming weeks and planting areas will be planned for landscaping activities (both hard and soft landscaping will be employed).
The Parish Council would like to reiterate its thanks to: Groupbridge (especially Chris Souter the Project Manager) our excellent contractor, to Doldens our designers and contract managers, to nearby residents and hall and Lorkin Daniell field users. Especial thanks also go to Essex County Council for their generous grant of £12,000.
As the lead for the Parish Council on this work I would like to thank the following for their assistance. Firstly my fellow Cllrs on the PC project team Bob Tyrell, Andrew Savage and Brian Butcher, as well as those who assisted with co-ordination, namely the Hall Administrator Vicky Beckwith-Cole, the Chair of the Environment Committee Phil Walby and last but by no means least our PC Chair John Gill-Ross whose almost daily inspections towards the end of the project ensured we picked up many of the users’ needs, using his long experience of the way the community interacts with the hall and environs.
I hope the community makes good use of the car park over the coming months and years. I hope readers will agree with me that the work has been transformative.
Chris Stevenson, Chair of Planning and Development Committee – 10th September 2014.