Occasionally, as a local councillor, you have the opportunity to put forward suggestions for street and road names in new developments being built in your ward. Sometimes developers suggest those names, perhaps types of trees, flowers, or counties. Nothing wrong with those of course, but personally, I like street names to be relevant to the area and to reflect its inhabitants or character and therefore to have a story behind them.

Recently, I was given such an opportunity by developers Crest Nicholson for the newly-built Wycke Place. This is part of the South Maldon Garden Suburb on the A414 just after you pass the Maldon boundary sign near Limebrook Farm.

This development is to be built in three phases and together with my Maldon West Co-Councillor Flo Shaughnessy, we agreed to put forward names of local vicars and priests who cover that area.

I immediately turned to my good friend, fellow councillor and local historian Stephen P. Nunn, who promptly provided me with lists of all clergy from the churches of All Saints and St Mary's in Maldon. Some of these records stretch back almost 1000 years so there was plenty to choose from!

Four names that will undoubtedly be very familiar to many readers will be Canon Arthur Dunlop, Father Andrew Mackintosh, Reverend Stephen Carter and Father John Dickens all of whom I know personally. In fact, Arthur Dunlop officiated at my marriage ceremony at All Saints Church in 1979!

I was delighted to see that Carter Avenue and Dickens Close have already been built and are in use now. When the number of Covid infections subsides, I hope to invite those willing to see their names on the signs.

Other street names have already been designated and approved and Irons Way, Seymour Grove, Hughes Lane, Symson Way and Williams Drive will be used in time.

I have also been requested by the developer to put forward another fifteen names for future roads of this development. I have put forward names divided between the two parishes of All Saints and St Mary's. All these clergy are, and were, well respected members of the community and contributed much to the lives of so many local people. You or a member of your family may well have been married or indeed christened by one of them.

If you have any suggestions for categories or characters that you would like to see used in future developments, please drop me a line and should the chance come up to use them, I will see what can be done.

As always, take care and Happy New Year.

Councillor Mark S. Heard

Chairman of Maldon District Council