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