SAVE BROOMFIELD PART TWO – WE STILL NEED YOU

The Planning Committee has been considering how the Parish should respond to the Local Plan and some things are immediately apparent; the intention to build houses without commitment to complete road infrastructure and ensure sufficient provision of school places. Clearly, the provision of an adequate north east bypass and hospital access are important part of the plan, they will provide improved access to the hospital and will reduce through traffic. The Committee was concerned by the plan’s reliance on a new train station at Beaulieu. Given that the train line is already at capacity during rush hour and there would be no strong incentive for the rail network to press for a new facility. If the station is not to be built, then there may be an increased interest in developing sites closer to the existing rail station.

To take the discussion forward, the Committee identified partners with similar views that can present a united front to ensure that developers do not use the examination to restate previously abandoned proposals. Although the committee was pleased that the number of houses has been limited to 450, they realised that there remained work to do and continued vigilance to ensure the best interest of the community was preserved. The Committee thanked Cllr Blake for his work preparing the report and requested that he produced a leaflet to advertise the forthcoming consultation. The leaflet would remind residents that the council has been successful in managing the development so far, but needed their support in ensuring that the consultation continued to reflect their views. Looking at the wider aspects of the plan, the Committee agreed that preference should be given to development along the A12 corridor which would ease congestion and reduce urban traffic movements. The Committee would also indicate their preference for sustainable development of the kind proposed by the Hammond’s Farm consortium. Although it is not appropriate for the Council to comment on specific proposals, residents may be interested in looking at a private petition on wesite CHANGE.COM search STOP CHELMSFORD CONGESTION that asks the City Council to reconsider their decision to exclude sites along the A12.