New Essex Village Plan Approved Despite Local Concerns and Objections
A new plan for housing in Essex has been approved, but locals are worried about its impact on the community and environment
Chelmsford, Essex, Hammonds Farm, Housing Development, Community Concerns
Chelmsford: So, there’s this new plan for housing in Essex that’s been given the green light. They’re looking to build around 26,000 homes over the next 19 years. The main site, Hammonds Farm, is set to have 3,000 houses and a big business park.
But not everyone is on board. There’s a group called No To Hammonds Farm that’s really worried about how this will affect traffic, the local landscape, and even healthcare. They’re saying it could be a big problem for the area.
Some local councils are teaming up to fight against this plan. They want to protect the character and environment of their villages. They feel that while the development might meet some housing needs, it could ruin the green spaces that make their communities special.
The Chelmsford City Council gets that people are upset. They’ve done some studies and believe the sites are suitable for development. They’re also looking to make sure the impact on traffic isn’t too bad, but they know they need to keep talking with National Highways about it.
There’s been a lot of pushback during the planning process, with many locals voicing their concerns. The council says they’ve done more research to address these worries and are trying to find ways to lessen any negative effects.
They’re planning to discuss everything at a meeting on January 16, and there’s a public consultation set for February 4. It’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out!