Welcome to Rochford

Rochford District Council covers an area of approximately 65 square miles and is predominantly rural in nature. It has two main urban centres - Rochford and Rayleigh – and is part of the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership. Rochford, Rayleigh and Hockley have main line stations to Southend and London (which is less than an hour away) and Rochford is also home to London Southend Airport and its own main line station.

Rochford District Council declared an Air Quality Management Area for particulate matter at Rawreth Industrial Estate, Rayleigh in June 2010.

There are also 13 diffusion tubes measuring Nitrogen Dioxide at 10 locations across Rochford and Rayleigh.

Fact:

The town is the main settlement in the Rochford district, and takes its name from Rochefort, Old English for Ford of the Hunting Dogs. The River Roach was originally called the Walfleet (Creek of the Foreigners). It was renamed the Roach in what is known as a back formation. This is where it is assumed that Rochford means ford over the River Roach so they renamed the river to fit the theory.

2011 LAQM Progress Report and Detailed Assessment of Rayleigh