Colchester greenfield site approved for 420 new homes

Another 420 homes are coming to Colchester.
The borough council has approved a hybrid planning application by Mersea Homes and Hills Residential for the 17-hectare greenfield site at Heath Road, Stanway, on the edge of town after planning officers had concluded the development met both local and national planning policy.
The application had sought outline permission to establish the principle of residential development on the site and full permission for vehicular access.
A planning report noted the site “has been in use as a fruit farm and nursery” and was allocated for residential purposes in both the council’s adopted Local Plan and its emerging Local Plan.
It added that that “criteria listed in the site allocation policies in respect of highway works, archaeology, sustainable urban drainage systems, flood risk, land contamination and protected species are satisfied”.
Further, it said the planned reconfiguration of a road junction was supported by the local highway authority, while Highways England had raised no objection subject to the prior improvement of a nearby junction.
The report recommended a “masterplan approach” help progress the planned development; this, it said, should be secured through a planning condition.

Monday, June 24, 2019