Heybridge Parish Council recommends refusal of plans for 281 new homes – residents raise further objections

By Ben Shahrabi 12th Aug 2023

Local News by Ben Shahrabi 12th Aug 2023

Heybridge Parish Council has outlined its reasons for recommending the refusal of planning consent for a 281-home development on the outskirts of the village.

Developer Charles Church has proposed to build on land bordered by Broad Street Green Road and Scraley Road.

At a Heybridge Parish Council Planning Committee meeting held last Monday (August 7), councillors and residents raised concerns over the apparent lack of infrastructure available to support the new homes.

Councillor Mike Hall, Chairman of the Planning Committee, said: "Council Clerk Amanda Hilton and I developed our arguments for objection based upon verbal contributions given at the meeting and from the nineteen letters of objection available to us from the Maldon District Council website."

Cllr Hall urged Heybridge residents to attend the upcoming Maldon District Council meeting to discuss the application. No date has yet been set, although the determination deadline is October 13.

Heybridge Parish Council's objection states that school places in the area would be insufficient. It says Essex County Council has not reviewed its estimation of school places since 2020, but the expected build rate for the North Heybridge Garden Suburb has "significantly changed" since then. The same issues apply to healthcare provision.

"This area already has one of the highest patients to GP ratios in the country," a Parish Council spokesperson added.

"Clearly, NHS Medical Services for this community are woefully inadequate and this development will only add increased pressure on them."

John Buchanan, author of Wildlife of Maldon, feels the application includes "much vagueness".

"Many errors, such as that St Peters Hospital has an A&E provision and ignorance over the location of Heybridge Swifts and other amenities, imply a rushed and poorly thought-through application," he said.

"However, my main reason for objecting is due to the damaging impact to wildlife, both on the site itself and adjoining local wildlife sites."

Resident and part-time bus driver John Clark told Nub News: "My major issue regards sustainable travel, especially by bicycle. I used to cycle to work, however due to the volume of traffic and condition of the roads I now prefer to drive!

"There is so much being said about sustainability, yet they are proposing nothing to support these 'promises' beyond the proposed boundaries of the development. They're not even proposing a pedestrian crossing across Broad Street Green Road - despite their traffic survey report recommending this."

In its Design and Access Statement, Charles Church says it "often helps to fund" new roads, community centres, doctors' surgeries, schools, green open spaces, and children's play areas.