A LIST of potential sites to meet a demand for thousands of new homes in Uttlesford has been revealed – and Saffron Walden and Dunmow could bear the brunt of the growth in a revised “top down” strategy.
It is unclear the exact number that needs be built, but based on previous requirements it is understood that the figure could be in the region of about 7,300 homes over the next 25 years.
Now, having previously kept plans under wraps and after months of accusations of councillors holding secret talks with developers, Uttlesford District Council has released potential locations – and is after feedback from the public.
Cllr Susan Barker, a member of UDC’s Local Development Framework Working Group, said: “We want to hear what people think of the sites listed for potential development and whether they believe each one is a good or bad idea, and why.
“Although a site may have been identified it does not necessarily mean the council considers it appropriate for development.”
In a new hierarchy system being mooted, the district’s two largest settlements – Saffron Walden and Dunmow – would take on the majority of future development, while smaller “key” areas Elsenham, Newport, Great Chesterford, Thaxted, Stansted Mountfitchet and Takeley have been assessed on their level of amenities and could also face expansion.
“We want to know what residents think about proposals for a hierarchical development strategy,” said Cllr Barker. “It would see settlements primarily built in Saffron Walden and Great Dunmow, along with expansions to six key villages that have shops, schools and other facilities like doctors’ surgeries or railway stations.”
The list of sites has been taken from a Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) – a study carried out by the council in 2009.
Potential growth spots earmarked in Saffron Walden include land south of Radwinter Road, which could accommodate 734 dwellings, and 270 homes on land at Herberts Farm. Ashdon Road Commercial Centre could cater for a further 184.
In Dunmow there are also a number of locations which, according to the study, have capacity for significant numbers of new homes.
Another source of land marked down is to the north of Great Chesterford, which according to the SHLAA has the potential to cater for a massive 6,435 dwellings.
Newport is not likely to escape development either, with room for 563 houses to the south and west of the village and 203 to the north of Burywater Lane.
Elsewhere, an area of land to the north-east of Takeley could cater for 1,913 homes while a further 608 could conceivably be built on land at Frogs Hall Farm.
And, despite having recently welcomed the new Foresthall Park development, Stansted could also see more than 1,000 homes built to the west of the village.
Comments about the council’s proposed strategy and potential sites can be made online at uttlesford.gov.uk, by e-mail to planningpolicy@uttlesford.gov.uk or by letter to the Planning Policy Team at UDC’s offices. The consultation runs from January 20 to March 5.
Sites earmarked for potential development in the Uttlesford area:
Saffron Walden
Land at hospital 21 homes
119-121 Radwinter Road 79
Land south of Radwinter Road, east of Shire Hill 734
Land south of Rylstone Way 180
North-east of civic amenity site 65
Land R/O leisure centre, Thaxted Road 176
Land at Herberts Farm 270
Ashdon Road Commercial Centre, Ashdon Road 184
Great Dunmow
Rear of former Bardfield House, The Broadway, Church End 12
Land south and west of Great Dunmow – land north and south of B1256 and north of Flitch Way 598
Land south-west of Great Dunmow - land south of Flitch Way 880
South of Ongar Road 90
Ongar Road Trading Estate 41
Land north of Ongar Road 68
Land at Brick Kiln Farm (1) 24
Land at Brick Kiln Farm (2) 59
Land north of Woodlands Park 135
Staggs Farm, Stortford Road 122
Dunmow Park 158
Land to the west of Great Dunmow 990
Land west of B184, Chelmsford Road 180
Land east of St Edmunds Lane 149
Land south of B1256 48
South of Tower House 31
Land at Tiggers 14
Off Riverside 8
Council Depot, New Street 10
Land associated with Herb of Grace 11
Land at Brick Kiln and Oaklands 35
Field adj to the Parsonage, Parsonage Downs 16
Land east of Beaumont Hill 450
Elsenham
Land south of Stansted Road 158
Land at Alsa Leys 6
Land north of the Crown Inn 35
Elsenham Nurseries/The Gables, Stansted Road 83
Land west of Station Road 248
Land off Robin Hood Road 16
Land north-east of Elsenham 3,000
Land south-west of Hall Road 135
Great Chesterford
The Nursery, London Road 16
Land south of Stanley Road, Rookery Close and Four Acres 52
Land off Station Approach 6
Adjacent to Conway House/Poplar Lodge, Newmarket Rd 6
Land at Rose Lane 6
Land north of Great Chesterford 6,435
New World Timber, London Rd 11
Newport
Chalk Farm Quarry 125
Land at London Road 74
Land adj the Potteries, London Rd 34
Land adjoining Wyndhams Croft, Whiteditch Lane 51
Burywater Nursery Whiteditch Lane 45
Land west of Whiteditch Lane 52
North of Burywater Lane and west of Whiteditch Lane 203
Land south and west of Newport 563
West of School Lane 52
Carnation Nurseries, Cambridge Road 11
Stansted Mountfitchet
Braefield Engineering High Lane 14
Land east of High Lane and north of the Croft, High Lane 88
Water Lane 8
Elms Farm 54
Land at Elms Farm, Church Rd 196
Land at Pines Hill 54
Land to the west 1035
Bentfield Bury Farm 169
Land north of Stansted, between Pennington Lane & B1383 338
Land north of Catholic Church, High Lane 32
Takeley and Little Canfield
Land north-east of Takeley 1913
Land adj the White House 9
Land east of Takeley Mobile Home Park 518
Takeley Cricket Pitch 27
Land at Parsonage Lane 281
Land adj Highfield, Dunmow Road, Takeley 38
Hatfield Park Farm (part south of Flitch Way) 472
Hatfield Park Farm (Takeley & Hatfield Broad Oak Parish) 113
Scrap yard Adj Elm close 17
Hatfield Park Farm pumping station 22
Land between 1 Coppice Close and Hillcroft, Takeley Street 38
Land between Gransmere and Montjoy, Takeley Street 19
Taylors Farm (1) Takeley Street 17
Taylors Farm (2) Takeley Street 46
Land to the south of B1256 Priors Green 19
Land at former Takeley service station, land between Ridge House and Remarc 11
Bonningtons Farm (Hatfield Broad Oak Parish) 33
Land at Frogs Hall Farm 608
Former Canfield service station 4
North View and 3 The Warren 49
Thaxted
Land south of Bardfield Road 45
Land south of Bardfield Road 16
Townfield 9
Claypits Farm buildings 22
Molecular Products 24
Land at Bolford Street 6
Land at Chelmer House, The Drive 14
Land at Watling Lane 119
Sampford Road 248
Land west of Guelphs Lane 43
North of Barnards Fields 46
Land east of Park Lane 24
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