Knowledge is Power
Woh - where to start with @Uni_of_Essex‘s Knowledge Gateway project and the projected impact that the flagship programme will have upon Wivenhoe residents?
Well…
The Nottage on a Friday night would be a good start. Having bundled a previous public meeting through inadequate advertising, the Estate Management team of our academic friends from up the road called Round 2.
Almost two hours later after a hostile dialogue between Town and Gown, some form of mediation was realised when Wivenhoe’s Mr Mayor, Brian Sinclair, summed up the mood at the meeting by stating:
“We are not against the University. We recognise the contribution that you make towards the town. Wivenhoe however is deeply concerned about the construction work involved for the Knowledge Gateway.
Oh the irony in the centre piece of the project being a Conflict and Resolution Centre…
In the blue corner representing the University were Andrew Nightingale, the Director of Estate Management, and his colleague, Andrew Heyward, the Knowledge Gateway Project Officer.
A two-thirds full floor was seated at the Nottage - not bad for a Friday night, and with many familiar local friendly faces including Wivenhoe Town Councillors Robert Needham and Penny Kraft, Colchester Borough Councillor Steve Ford and Essex County Councillor Julie Young.
The Knowledge Gateway is defined by the University as:
“The new home for social and scientific research and business space in Colchester.”
But not in Wivenhoe, I note.
Wivenhoe locals are defining the project as the road junction feeding into the already congested Clinghoe Hill.
Planning for the project was passed in 2005. Clearance of the site leading down to the Colne is already underway. Work on the highly contentious slip road will start in April of this year, lasting a total of seven weeks. The Knowledge Gateway itself has a completion date of five years from now.
Andrew Nightingale opened the meeting, stating:
“We are not use to presentations. We are very much campus contained. The University is conscientious however of the impact that this will have on the community. We apologise for the poor advertising for the first meeting. This is NOT a consultation though. We already have planning permission.”
Andrew then outlined some of the finer detail of the scheme. The Knowledge Gateway is not all about the pursuit of academic excellence. There is also the slight matter of making money from the project.
Roughly a quarter of the site has been put aside for private residential accommodation. The University is selling on the freehold to a developer, with 400,000 square feet of commercial space also contained within the plans.
But new builds and new businesses need some entry point to get into the homes and office space. The Tesco end of Boundary Road will be blocked off, and a new road will be built to feed into the site.
Before Wivenhoe locals start to get excited about an alternative route into Colchester, no surprises to discover that once again, this will be a private road. The barriers from Boundary Road will be replicated in the new development, only allowing University traffic and public transport to pass through.
So where does this leaves Wivenhoe locals wanting a route into the Greenstead and Tesco roundabouts? Ah, that will be everyone’s favourite commute of choice, Clinghoe Hill…
With congestion during the rush hour already making the journey from Colchester Road down to Greenstead a half hour (ish) hell (ish) experience, if you were a transport planner then common sense would suggest not to add further to this existing congestion problem.
Plans were shown at The Nottage on Friday evening for… a new slip road towards the top of Clinghoe Hill, built purely for the purpose of allowing University traffic to flow into the Knowledge Gateway. The University Estate staff tried to sell this flawed thinking to Wivenhoe folk as a safety argument:
“This well help students to cross Clinghoe Hill safely,” said Andrew Nightingale. “The new junction will provide a safe crossing from the Greenstead Estate.”
It was around this point in the evening when the usually mild-mannered and tolerant folk of Wivenhoe turned the heat up on our academic neighbours:
“There already is a safe crossing,” came the cry from the floor. “The students are too stupid to use it.”
Ouch.
If the long-term imposition of extra traffic on our one route out of Wivenhoe wasn’t bad enough, the construction process looks like cutting off Wivenhoe, with no adequate commuting route into Colchester.
The seven-week period starting in April of this year will reduce Clinghoe Hill to a solitary lane. Andrew Nightingale outlined the alternative transport options:
“Wivenhoe is well served by public busses. There is a car share scheme, and it is possible to walk into Colchester along the Wivenhoe Trail.”
It’s extremely picturesque, ‘n all that, even with the Knowledge Gateway being built right behind you - but walking for forty-five minutes or so each day into Colchester? You’ve got to be one hell of a nature lover to walk it like you talk it.
The meeting was then handed over to Martin Mason from the Highways Agency at Essex County Council. With the University pitch to try and sell the project to Wivenhoe complete, now was the time for the nuts and bolts of transport to be addressed.
“The original option to access the Knowledge Gateway was a roundabout. Following some fatalities, we then asked the University to re-visit the access solutions.”
“Why don’t you build a bridge for the students to cross?” came the cry from the floor.
“People don’t like using them. They are lazy and like the quickest route.”
As was then pointed out from the floor, for the nation’s next leaders to be playing a game of cat and mouse across Clinghoe Hill, doesn’t exactly inspire you with confidence for the future.
Mayor Brian Sinclair then addressed the meeting, stating the opposition that he has encountered for the construction work whilst talking to Wivenhoe locals around the town:
“Greenstead roundabout was perfect when it was first opened. The congestion problem only came later when Tesco’s opened. The pedestrian controlled crossings means that students simply press a button and the traffic comes to a standstill.
I respect the overall development and support the Knowledge Gateway. Our feeling on Wivenhoe Town Council however is that the decision was made with no local consultation with the road users of the entire Tendring peninsula. This new proposed junction is simply crazy.”
Questions from the floor were then invited, and unlike the pace of traffic along Clinghoe Hill, they came in thick and fast:
“Why isn’t Boundary Road being used to access the Knowledge Gateway”
“…the planning application didn’t stack up.”
“It didn’t stack up for who?”
No answer was given.
Councillor Penny Kraft asked:
“Have you actually spoken to local residents? The problem is the controlled pedestrian crossing. If you install another one as proposed, this is going to cause immense problems.”
“…we do listen to local residents,” came the reply.
Councillor Robert Needham enquired:
“Is this the final option?”
“…yep.”
“Who didn’t the figures stack up for with regards using Boundary Road?”
“Boundary Road would be a bomb,” was the answer.
Councillor Steve Ford then intervened, drawing upon his knowledge sitting on the Planning Committee at Colchester Borough Council:
“I would like to share some knowledge as to how these decisions are made. The developers carry out the projection of the traffic flow for this type of project. They obviously have a very prejudicial interest.”
Boundary Road once again dominated, with a question from the floor asking why Wivenhoe locals can’t use Boundary Road during the seven-week construction period.
“Boundary Road is… scheduled for roadworks during April to June.”
Which as pointed out from the floor, simply blows apart the suggestion that Wivenhoe folk can rely upon public transport during the construction period. Best dig out those walking boots, I say.
It was at this stage of the meeting that the weekend was starting to kick in, the sound of which was starting to drift in from the Rose and Crown nearby.
We ended with some degree of optimism. Mayor Sinclair once again praised the University and its broad objectives and benefits that it brings to Wivenhoe. There was plenty of broad agreement from the floor. Two thousand jobs are to be created as part of the project. The price to pay for this however is road congestion,
And so having sat through the two hour meeting, I have to come out with the disclaimer of, um… I don’t actually drive. As a non-user of Clinghoe Hill, I can only speculate as to the frustration this brings to regular commuters. You have my sympathy.
My own personal observation is the surrender of green space down by the Wivenhoe Trail. I am alarmed that this was granted planning permission with such ease. Once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.
It’s enough to make you want to stay within Wivenhoe.
Be careful for what you wish for, folks.
