9,000 home Garden Community set for Essex
Some people are unhappy with the plans on the Tendring/Colchester border
A 9,000 home garden community could be on the way to Essex.
Developers are pressing ahead with the site on the border between Tendring and Colchester districts - despite some local opposition.
They say it'll create homes and jobs for thousands of people in what's being described as a new area with a distinct character and identity.
There's worry locally about the increase in traffic and roads needs to cope with that, the loss of rural nature and fundamentally whether the proposals help to address the housing crisis with most properties not being affordable for those most at need of a roof over their head.
A statement promoting the garden community from Tendring, Colchester and Essex County Councils says: "Colchester, Tendring and all councils have a legal duty to meet projected housing needs and plan for future growth and must follow central Government policy to boost the supply of housing to meet ambitious housing delivery targets.
"The projected need for housing in the future in Colchester and Tendring is expected to be very high and simply continuing to expand existing towns and villages is not considered the most suitable way to plan for growth in the long term – particularly when it comes to the providing infrastructure.
"We are therefore taking the Garden Community approach to think strategically about housing needs in the future and to meet the demand for new homes which involves the creation of a new settlement to the east of Colchester, crossing over the border with Tendring, containing high quality development and new infrastructure.
"The Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community, which would involve the provision of 7,500 to 9,000 homes (to be built over many years), is part of a long-term vision of Colchester Borough Council and Tendring District Council in partnership with Essex County Council to help meet the future growth of the area in a more strategic way.”
But planning campaigner Rosie Pearson disagrees: "The whole need for housing needs looking at. Colchester’s growth is far higher than other districts in Essex and there is no proof that makes houses more affordable.
"If you look at Colchester, house prices are still going up despite growth.
"This is not providing the houses people are desperate for and can afford.”
She added: "There were no social houses at all in the garden community proposals. Whether that will change I don’t know.
"They are not addressing the needs of people who are in most need. They will build 9,000 homes but there will still be people still sitting on the waiting list in Colchester.
"The people on the waiting list sit waiting forever and watch all these houses go up around them. But nothing is being done for them."
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