News

Parking Update

As advised in January, we have engaged a Parking Management Company to help improve the parking across the development. We have worked closely with both the Parking Management Company & Remus to ensure that the policy is fair to all and addresses the issues that have been raised.

The timeline for implementation will be as follows:

Week Commencing 1st March 2021
The Parking Management Policy & covering letter will be sent to owners/occupiers by Remus and added to the CCMC website.

Week Commencing 8th March 2021
The Parking Management Company (PCM Ltd) will install signage and undertake a manual letter drop of their literature. This will include installation of a section of double yellow lining around the bend at the top of Fairway Drive which has been approved by Highways.

Week Commencing 15th March 2021
Residents Meeting to take place so that any outstanding queries in relation to the Parking Management Scheme can be addressed. A formal Notice of the meeting date will be posted imminently.

Week Commencing 29th March 2021
Parking Management Scheme to begin.

The above timeline is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances however at present it represents the agreed plan for implementation. We thank you again in advance for your cooperation and hope you see this as a positive step to improve the safety of residents and visitors.

Site-Wide Residents Meeting

Please note this notice is on behalf of Channels Management Company Ltd, the organisation that looks after communal open spaces across the wider development and will therefore be of interest to all residents.

A Channels-wide residents meeting will take place on Thursday 28th January at 6.00pm and due to the current lockdown will be hosted online via Zoom. Residents are asked to submit questions in advance via e-mail no later than 10am on Monday 25th January 2021 to:

Residents@channelscic.co.uk

To join the meeting residents can click here or join on Zoom directly and input the meeting ID of 829 0881 8921 and passcode of 378799.

Full details of the agenda and further joining instructions can be found here.

Site Wide Cost Queries

The opening of Channels Park, which is part of site-wide communal land that is gradually being opened up for use, has raised a number of questions in recent weeks and has prompted correspondence both to CCMC Ltd directors and the site wide management company.

Channels Park formed part of the original Planning Consent back in December 2012 (which can be found on the Chelmsford City Council Planning Portal). The image below is the Red Line outline for the planning consent that clearly shows the park area. The Skate Park and the Play Area were also part of the original Planning Consent.

The Deeds of sale for every home at Channels include a requirement to contribute towards the maintenance of site wide open space and provision for this is included in the planning consent.

The provision of open space maintenance through a service charge has become the norm for large developments in the last 10 years for several reasons, not least that historically Councils have been poor at maintaining such space, leading to very poor quality public domain space and indeed most Councils don’t want the responsibility.

All of the developers should have made it clear to their buyers that there was a service charge which included site wide elements and additionally solicitors should also have made this clear to buyers.

We have collated some further information on the Service Charges page for your reference that explains the obligations on owners and where the requirement to contribute to site wide open space is documented.

Directors are working closely with Remus and the site-wide management company to better understand future costs and how ongoing decisions in relation to site-wide communal land are made.

The site-wide elements will continue to be collected via the Service Charge however as previously notified, no further monies will be released to the site-wide management company until there is clarity on these matters.

Estate Parking Update

Following significant feedback from residents we have now formally engaged a Parking Management Company to help improve the parking across the development.

This has been necessary due to increased health and safety issues in the manner that vehicles are being parked on pavements, landscaped areas, turning heads blocking signage and on corners forcing vehicles into the centre of the road into on coming traffic.

The scheme will also prevent the inevitable parking issues with the opening of Channels Park. Further discussions are still being held with Highways regarding traffic calming options.

A detailed letter will shortly be forthcoming from Remus which will provide further information on the scheme. A short period of grace will follow allowing residents, where applicable, to amend current parking practices and for signage to be installed. The scheme will be Permit and Visitor App based.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and hope you see this as another positive step to improve the safety of residents and visitors.

CCMC Ltd Directors

Grounds Maintenance Contract

The Grounds Maintenance contract with Channels Estates was due to expire at the end of February however given the recent change of managing agent, directors have agreed that the contract should be extended by four months to 30th June 2021.

Extending the term ties in with the Service Charge Year End, it will be clear by then if the initial contract with Remus has been successful and it gives time for directors to fully consider how to move forward including putting the service out to full tender to demonstrate best value. The contract extension was discussed with Remus who have advised it would be a sensible course of action.

Directors recognise the risk of not knowing the cost of a potential future contract prior to the 2021/22 budget being set however the risk is considered small as there is no expectation that the cost should exceed the current budgeted sum.

Channels Estates has accepted the contract extension on the same price terms however we will work with Remus to review the agreement in place to ensure any issues can be managed effectively over the coming months.

Andrew Wright
For and on behalf of CCMC Ltd Directors

AGM Postponement

The last Annual General Meeting was held on Thursday 9th January 2020 and ordinarily it would now be time to call the next meeting. However as three directors have only been in post since September, as we have just changed over managing agent and as we have some other key matters that all directors are involved in, the decision has been taken that we will not hold a General Meeting this January.

There is no legal need for a limited company to hold an Annual General Meeting, unless the Articles of Association require the company to do so and the constitution of CCMC Ltd does not specify that one must be held.

The accounts for the 2019/20 Service Charge Year (to 30th June 2020) are being prepared by POD however there have been a number of queries that we are waiting for answers on. Once the draft accounts have been approved by directors they will be sent for final checking by external accountants and will be included in a Chairs report to be published in due course.

Directors will arrange a residents meeting following publication of the Chairs report and we will also push for Channels Management Company (now a Community Interest Company) to hold the development wide residents meeting that was promised so that some of the broader estate-wide issues that have come to light recently can be discussed.

A formal General Meeting will be held as we approach the 2020/21 Service Charge year end.

Andrew Wright
For and on behalf of CCMC Ltd Directors

New Managing Agent

Remus officially started as our new managing agent from 1st January. Welcome letters were sent out week commencing 21st December and please do make every effort to return the information requested so that Remus has the most up to date contact details for you.

The best way to contact Remus is outlined here to ensure that directors are copied in to all issues and can follow up if required.

Happy New Year!

Soft Landscaped Areas

As you will be aware, the soft landscaped areas across the development have become water-logged over the last week and we would ask that you take extra care when making use of the communal open spaces.

We would be grateful if you could refrain from riding bikes on any grass areas (especially in the swales) and please do not park on any soft landscaped area, including grass edges next to any of the roads. The cost of remedial work required will ultimately be the responsibility of residents via the service charge so if we can take a bit of extra care now, we should be able to keep our landscaped areas in good condition ready for your enjoyment during the coming year.

Many thanks 🙂

New Salt Bins

As our old salt bins were in a poor state of repair, two new bins have been installed in the same locations (see image below). There is a supply of salt in both bins and we are also waiting for some additional salt due to be delivered by Broomfield Parish Council.

At present neither Remus nor Channels Estates provide regular gritting as part of their service offer however the salt is available for all residents to use as necessary. The salt bins are not currently locked however if it is found that rubbish is being left in them (as they were in the old bins) then they will have to be locked and a system introduced to gain access.

Feel free to use the salt as required during periods of cold weather but please look after the bins and please do not block access to them.

If you observe any issues with the bins, please log them in the usual way via this website. Costs associated with repairs or replacements will be recorded as expenditure against the annual service charge.