Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community.
Part 1 of the Local Plan was approved earlier in 2021 which will lead to 7,500 – 9,000 new homes on land between Greenstead and Elmstead Market.
Work has started on Development Plan Document (DPD). This will be an important document that will lay down the design and layout that developers must follow for this garden community which, over a long period of perhaps 30 years, could become 7,500 – 9,000 homes. It is hoped that this document could be agreed locally towards the end of 2022. A lot of people are involved in drawing up this document, with lots of engagement with the public too.
I have found myself, representing WivSoc, as one of 10 people who have been selected to sit on the Community Liaison Group. We have been meeting every two weeks since we were appointed in April 2021. We are at present discussing plans for engagement with people in the area surrounding the proposed Garden Community by means of surveys, questionnaires and opportunities to meet face to face. This will of course include the people of Wivenhoe.
I don’t think that this Community Liaison Group has any real power but it might have some influence on the overall design and layout of this Garden Community based around 10 high-level principles which have already been agreed. We can also ensure that views of people living in this area are taken into consideration, in the same way that, working with others to draw up a Neighbourhood Plan for Wivenhoe, we listened to what people had to say. Obviously the more people who express a common view, the more likely it will get listened to, provided of course, it fits with those 10 principles.
There is a Tendring Colchester Borders engagement website which will gradually grow larger with more and more pages of information as the work continues on drawing up this Development Plan Document. See: https://talk.tcbgardencommunity.co.uk/
You can find lots of information on this website already, including those 10 important principles which will guide the development overall. It also includes an interactive map in which you can pin your comments. Look for the + button the left hand side of the screen. I have already ‘pinned’ my view on it, saying I am opposed to any Garden Community Development south of the A133. I have also said that traffic from the GC development should be directed to the A120 and not the A133 unless there is evidence to show that the new A120 / A133 link will relieve congestion on Clingoe Hill.
I hope you will all have your say too. Public opinion really does matter. The example I will give is that the first consultants who were engaged to design this Garden Community appeared to know nothing about how to build a ‘community’ and have been since replaced.
Author - Peter Hill, WivSoc Committee and Tendring Colchester Border Community Liaison Group Committee