Further to our earlier news item explaining the Local Plan call for sites process, Uttlesford District Council has now released their initial assessment of the sites.

The full Local Plan website can be viewed here.

The assessment document for Felsted can be viewed here.

We, the Parish Council, along with other public bodies, have been asked to comment on any areas of factual inaccuracy in the individual assessments.

It needs to be understood that a site being cleared through this assessment is NOT a planning approval to build houses. The assessment means that the site has/has not cleared the initial technical review stage. It is also clear that not all sites offered will ultimately be approved for housing.

This stage also does not consider issues such as congestion or social impact where, for example, 2 or 3 sites close together might all put in a planning application, or the impact on traffic flow through the village centre from a single large development on the edge of the village.

At this stage, UDC are looking for technical errors only, where, for example, a site might be grade 1 farmland rather than its listing as brownfield, or perhaps a stated access to a main road does not exist, or a conclusion does not align with the assessment points.

If you are aware of any factual errors in the assessments, please pass details to the Parish Clerk using the web form. Please include the site reference and brief/precise correction including any evidence.

To give the council time to review and collate responses please ensure that you submit comment before March 20th.

Be assured that your Parish Council remains closely engaged with the Local Plan process and will at all times present opinion and arguments in the overall interest of the Parish.  For example, the Planning Application for the Land to the south of Braintree Road, included in the call for sites initial assessment as appropriate for development, has been submitted and the council is objecting.