Castle Point
Encyclopedia
Castle Point is a local government district
and borough
in south Essex
. The borough comprises the towns of Canvey Island
, Hadleigh
, South Benfleet, and Thundersley
which also provides the site of the council headquarters.
and the Canvey Island Urban District
. The name of the new district contained references to the principal landmarks of the two combined urban districts: Hadleigh Castle
and Canvey Point
. The district was granted borough status
in 1992.
is preserved as an ancient monument from the 13th century, forming the most important historic site in the borough and the most important late medieval castle in Essex. The Dutch Cottage Museum contains a variety of exhibits that illustrate the history of Canvey Island, and the Castle Point Transport Museum, also situated on Canvey in the retired District bus depot, features a display of over thirty old buses, coaches and commercial vehicles.
The borough is crossed by the A13 and bordered to the north by the A127
, providing direct links to both Southend and London. The M25
is just 20 minutes drive away.
Frequent train services run through Benfleet
on the London Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness
line. Operated by c2c
, the line offers a high quality and reliable service. In September 2007, Benfleet station
also had a £115,000 improvement programme to make the station more accessible for people with disabilities or using pushchairs.
Southend Airport is just a few miles from the border of Castle Point and currently offers private flights and summer trips to Jersey
through low-cost operator Flybe
. A £35 million development scheme – including a new control tower, terminal building and hotel - is currently underway to extend the passenger services available from Southend.
London Stansted Airport
is just 35 miles (56.3 km) from the borough and offers a full range of national and international flights. Stansted
is the third busiest airport in the UK and serves 160 destinations across 34 countries.
Castle Point also has an extensive bus network operated by the First Group and Arriva
, with services across the borough and to Southend, Basildon
, Lakeside Shopping Centre
and Rayleigh
. Weekday services by Stephensons of Essex also travel to London, Southend and Thurrock
College and Regal Busways offers a six-day-a-week service to Chelmsford
.
Opposite the Sports Centre is the Castle Point Golf Course, an 18-hole par 71 public pay-and-play course with a 17-bay floodlit driving range. The course is open seven days a week during daylight hours, 364 days a year. There is a PGA-qualified professional on site offering lessons for all abilities, both individually and as a group.
Runnymede Pool is situated behind the Council Offices in Kiln Road, South Benfleet. The pool complex consists of a 25 metre pool and learner pool, and is home to a very popular swimming club for disabled people.
, making it the focus for some exciting regeneration projects. Castle Point Borough Council has been working with other key local agencies through the Castle Point Regeneration Partnership to look at long-term improvements to the borough.
The first phase of improvements focus on Canvey seafront. Investment in this key area of the borough, is designed to make the area more attractive for residents and visitors and also to encourage additional business investment.
Other regeneration projects in Castle Point have included:
The partnership brings together all local organisations working to improve Castle Point through long term regeneration. It includes Castle Point Borough Council, Essex County Council, East of England Development Agency (EEDA), Thames Gateway
South Essex Partnership, the Greengrid partnership, the RSPB and many more. They work together to make local improvements in a co-ordinated way and champion the area's interests regionally and nationally.
The partnership has also been:
In the long term also plans improvements to Manor Trading Estate in Thundersley and the Benfleet and Thundersley shopping centres.
The annual firework fiesta, held on the nearest Friday to 5 November, is also a popular event for residents and visitors from further afield. A spectacular display with background music wows the crowds each year at Waterside Farm Showground, Canvey.
Each year the Mayor of Castle Point holds a carol service at Runnymede Hall, Thundersley. Open to the public, this event is free to attend and is supported by the Salvation Army
band and songsters.
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
and borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in south Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. The borough comprises the towns of Canvey Island
Canvey Island
Canvey Island is a civil parish and reclaimed island in the Thames estuary in England. It is separated from the mainland of south Essex by a network of creeks...
, Hadleigh
Hadleigh, Essex
Hadleigh is a town in southeast Essex, England, on the A13 between Benfleet and Leigh-on-Sea with a population of about 18,300.-History:Hadleigh is known for its castle, and the country park that surrounds it. The castle has been a romantic ruin for a few hundred years, but parts of two towers are...
, South Benfleet, and Thundersley
Thundersley
Thundersley is a district in the north west of the Castle Point Borough, in south east Essex, England, about 35 miles east of London.-Toponymy:...
which also provides the site of the council headquarters.
History
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of the Benfleet Urban DistrictBenfleet Urban District
Benfleet Urban District was an urban district in the county of Essex, England. It was created on 1 October 1929 by the merger of the civil parishes of Hadleigh, South Benfleet and Thundersley, all previously in the Rochford Rural District....
and the Canvey Island Urban District
Canvey Island Urban District
Canvey Island Urban District was an urban district in the county of Essex, England. It was created in 1926 out of the civil parish of Canvey Island, previously in the Rochford Rural District....
. The name of the new district contained references to the principal landmarks of the two combined urban districts: Hadleigh Castle
Hadleigh Castle
Hadleigh Castle in the English county of Essex overlooks the Thames estuary from a ridge to the south of the town of Hadleigh. Built after 1215 during the reign of Henry III by Hubert de Burgh, the castle was surrounded by parkland and had an important economic, as well as defensive role...
and Canvey Point
Canvey Point
Canvey Point is situated in the easternmost part of Canvey Island in the borough of Castle Point, Essex.Canvey Point is commonly referred to as just "The Point" by most residents of Canvey Island.-See also:* Canvey Island* Castle Point...
. The district was granted borough status
Borough status in the United Kingdom
Borough status in the United Kingdom is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district...
in 1992.
Twinning
Castle Point is twinned with three towns and counties which include:- RomainvilleRomainvilleRomainville is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:On 24 July 1867, a part of the territory of Romainville was detached and merged with a part of the territory of Pantin and a part of the territory of Bagnolet to create the commune of...
, a northeastern Paris suburb since 30 March 1962. - CologneCologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
District, Germany. Formally since 19 June 1971 when Lövenich (now part of Cologne) was an independent town. - County RoscommonCounty RoscommonCounty Roscommon is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Roscommon. Roscommon County Council is the local authority for the county...
, a County situated in the Republic of Ireland. Twinned with Castle Point council in April 1998.
Places of interest
Hadleigh CastleHadleigh Castle
Hadleigh Castle in the English county of Essex overlooks the Thames estuary from a ridge to the south of the town of Hadleigh. Built after 1215 during the reign of Henry III by Hubert de Burgh, the castle was surrounded by parkland and had an important economic, as well as defensive role...
is preserved as an ancient monument from the 13th century, forming the most important historic site in the borough and the most important late medieval castle in Essex. The Dutch Cottage Museum contains a variety of exhibits that illustrate the history of Canvey Island, and the Castle Point Transport Museum, also situated on Canvey in the retired District bus depot, features a display of over thirty old buses, coaches and commercial vehicles.
Transport
Situated just 30 miles (48.3 km) from the heart of London, Castle Point is well placed by road, rail and air.The borough is crossed by the A13 and bordered to the north by the A127
A127 road
The A127, also known as the Southend Arterial Road, is one of the trunk roads in England linking London with Southend-on-Sea, the other being the A13. It is a dual carriageway for its entire length, rare on a trunk road since the only others are the A14 and the A282, and is known as the Southend...
, providing direct links to both Southend and London. The M25
M25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
is just 20 minutes drive away.
Frequent train services run through Benfleet
Benfleet
South Benfleet is a town in the Castle Point district of Essex, 30 miles east of London. The Benfleet post town includes South Benfleet, Thundersley and Hadleigh. The Battle of Benfleet took place here between the Vikings and Saxons in 894....
on the London Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness
Shoeburyness
Shoeburyness is a town in southeast Essex, England, situated at the mouth of the river Thames Estuary. It is within the borough of Southend-on-Sea, and is situated at the far east of the borough, around east of Southend town centre...
line. Operated by c2c
C2c
c2c is a British train operating company that is part of the National Express Group. It provides passenger rail services on the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway line from Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London to east London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway...
, the line offers a high quality and reliable service. In September 2007, Benfleet station
Benfleet railway station
Benfleet railway station, or Benfleet railway station for Canvey Island, serves the towns of South Benfleet and Canvey Island in Essex, England. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by c2c. The station opened in 1855.- Facilities :...
also had a £115,000 improvement programme to make the station more accessible for people with disabilities or using pushchairs.
Southend Airport is just a few miles from the border of Castle Point and currently offers private flights and summer trips to Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
through low-cost operator Flybe
Flybe
Flybe Group PLC is a British low-cost regional airline headquartered at the Jack Walker House at Exeter International Airport in Devon, England...
. A £35 million development scheme – including a new control tower, terminal building and hotel - is currently underway to extend the passenger services available from Southend.
London Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
is just 35 miles (56.3 km) from the borough and offers a full range of national and international flights. Stansted
Stansted
Stansted usually refers to London Stansted Airport.Stansted may also refer to other places in England:*Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex*Stansted, Hampshire*Stansted, Kent*Stansted Park, West Sussex...
is the third busiest airport in the UK and serves 160 destinations across 34 countries.
Castle Point also has an extensive bus network operated by the First Group and Arriva
Arriva
Arriva plc is a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn and headquartered in Sunderland, United Kingdom. It has bus, coach, train, tram and waterbus operations in 12 countries across Europe, employs more than 47,500 people and services over 1.5 billion passenger journeys each...
, with services across the borough and to Southend, Basildon
Basildon
Basildon is a town located in the Basildon District of the county of Essex, England.It lies east of Central London and south of the county town of Chelmsford...
, Lakeside Shopping Centre
Lakeside Shopping Centre
The Lakeside Shopping Centre is a large out-of-town shopping centre located in West Thurrock, in the borough of Thurrock, Essex just beyond the eastern boundary of Greater London...
and Rayleigh
Rayleigh, Essex
Rayleigh is a market town and civil parish in the District of Rochford in Essex, England, located between Chelmsford and Southend-on-Sea. It lies to the east of central London. It has a population of 30,196, having expanded rapidly in the 1960s.-Toponymy:...
. Weekday services by Stephensons of Essex also travel to London, Southend and Thurrock
Thurrock
Thurrock is a unitary authority with borough status in the English ceremonial county of Essex. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The local authority is Thurrock Council....
College and Regal Busways offers a six-day-a-week service to Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
.
Sport and community facilities
Waterside Farm Sports Centre on Canvey Island, is one of the most comprehensive centres in Essex. Set in 88 acres (356,123.7 m²) of parkland and offering a wide variety of facilities indoors or out. It has a recently-refurbished 25-metre swimming pool, a learner pool and facilities for badminton, squash, netball, basketball, trampolining and gymnastics. The centre also includes an outdoor floodlit 6 lane, 400 m Athletics track.Opposite the Sports Centre is the Castle Point Golf Course, an 18-hole par 71 public pay-and-play course with a 17-bay floodlit driving range. The course is open seven days a week during daylight hours, 364 days a year. There is a PGA-qualified professional on site offering lessons for all abilities, both individually and as a group.
Runnymede Pool is situated behind the Council Offices in Kiln Road, South Benfleet. The pool complex consists of a 25 metre pool and learner pool, and is home to a very popular swimming club for disabled people.
Regeneration
Castle Point forms part of the Thames GatewayThames Gateway
The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching east from inner east London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. The area, which includes much brownfield land, has been designated a national priority for urban regeneration, taking advantage of the development opportunities...
, making it the focus for some exciting regeneration projects. Castle Point Borough Council has been working with other key local agencies through the Castle Point Regeneration Partnership to look at long-term improvements to the borough.
The first phase of improvements focus on Canvey seafront. Investment in this key area of the borough, is designed to make the area more attractive for residents and visitors and also to encourage additional business investment.
Other regeneration projects in Castle Point have included:
- £350,000 from EEDA, enabling Castle Point Borough Council to create Canvey Heights Country Park from a former landfill site.
- The RSPB purchase of land at West Canvey Marsh to create a nature reserve
- The revamp of Thorney Bay, Canvey, by Castle Point Borough Council's street scene partner PinnaclePinnacleA pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
The partnership brings together all local organisations working to improve Castle Point through long term regeneration. It includes Castle Point Borough Council, Essex County Council, East of England Development Agency (EEDA), Thames Gateway
Thames Gateway
The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching east from inner east London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. The area, which includes much brownfield land, has been designated a national priority for urban regeneration, taking advantage of the development opportunities...
South Essex Partnership, the Greengrid partnership, the RSPB and many more. They work together to make local improvements in a co-ordinated way and champion the area's interests regionally and nationally.
The partnership has also been:
- Studying ways to support existing businesses at Charfleets Industrial Estate
- Looking at ways to create additional employment
- Consulting about improvements to Canvey Town Centre with a view to making it the heart of the community and to encourage local shopping
- Researching opportunities for the Paddocks area, so it supports the town centre and offers greater community provision.
- Working closely with Essex County Council for improvements to the traffic capacity on the A13 to relieve congestion on Canvey Island.
- Carrying out a study into how Hadleigh Town Centre can be made a more attractive community shopping area
In the long term also plans improvements to Manor Trading Estate in Thundersley and the Benfleet and Thundersley shopping centres.
Culture
Castle Point’s biggest event of the year is the Castle Point Show – the summer spectacular held at Waterside Farm Showground, Canvey. With live music, arena acts, crafts, competitions, stalls and a funfair, the show provides fun for the whole family. Held on the last Sunday in June, the show attracts thousands of people each year.The annual firework fiesta, held on the nearest Friday to 5 November, is also a popular event for residents and visitors from further afield. A spectacular display with background music wows the crowds each year at Waterside Farm Showground, Canvey.
Each year the Mayor of Castle Point holds a carol service at Runnymede Hall, Thundersley. Open to the public, this event is free to attend and is supported by the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
band and songsters.