Category: Uttlesford Local Plan

Inspector finds former Conservative Administration’s second Uttlesford Local Plan unsound; new administration commits to re-engineering the council

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Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) has announced that its new administration has committed to re-engineering Uttlesford District Council (UDC) to deliver a proper Local Plan after the Planning Inspectors found the …read more →

Uttlesford Local Plan Timeline

  • Jan 2005: Local Plan adopted
  • May 2011: Conservative UDC administration starts new Local Plan
  • Jan 2012: Strategy adopted to build new town joining Elsenham & Henham and extending larger towns and villages
  • Mar 2013: Required housing number increases from 338 to 415 a year
  • Oct 2013: Plan extended to 15+ years length after Planning Inspector intervention
  • Oct 2014: Required housing number increases to 523 a year
  • Nov 2014: Plan cumulative cost: £2m
  • Dec 2014: Plan rejected by Planning Inspector for multiple failures
  • Sep 2015: Required housing number increases to 568 a year
  • Aug 2016: Major delay as UDC’s flagship new town site rejected by Secretary of State
  • Oct 2016: Local Plan air quality study for Saffron Walden fails scrutiny review
  • Oct 2016: R4U writes to Planning Inspector to highlight on-going failures
  • Oct 2016: Major plan delay as unsustainable “Greater Walden” town extension abandoned due to road capacity
  • Jun 2017: New strategy adopted for 3 new towns near at Easton Park, near Great Chesterford and near Stebbing/Felsted
  • Jul 2017: Required housing number increases to 641 a year
  • Jul 2017: Major delay after further public consultation required
  • Jun 2018: Neighbouring Braintree Plan rejected bringing into question conjoined new town at Stebbing/Felsted
  • Jun 2018: Required housing number increases to 705 a year from 2022
  • Aug 2018: Plan cumulative cost: £4m
  • Sep 2018: Further delay plan after Braintree Plan refusal
  • Nov 2018: Independent consultant AECOM finds multiple failures
  • Jan 2019: New draft Local Plan submitted to Inspector
  • May 2019: Conservative administration replaced by R4U
  • Jun 2019: Local Plan Examination undertaken  (of previous administration’s Plan)
  • Jan 2020: Plan cumulative cost: £6m
  • Jan 2020: Previous administration’s Plan rejected by Planning Inspector for multiple failures

Uttlesford Local Plan Timeline

  • May 2011: Cllr Susan Barker appointed to lead Local Plan
  • Jan 2012: UDC adopt strategy to build new town in Elsenham (‘Hellensham’) and extend larger towns and villages
  • Mar 2013: UDC increase new housing number from 338 to 415 a year
  • Oct 2013: UDC forced to adopt proper 15+ year plan length after Planning Inspector intervention
  • Oct 2014: UDC increase new housing number to 523 a year
  • Nov 2014: Plan costs exceed £2m to local taxpayer
  • Dec 2014: Plan rejected by Planning Inspector for multiple failures including process for how the sites for new homes were selected
  • Jun 2015: UDC’s flagship Kier extension to east of Saffron Walden rejected by Planning Inspector
  • Sep 2015: UDC increase new housing number to 568 a year
  • Aug 2016: Major delay as UDC’s flagship ‘Hellsenham’ new town site rejected by Secretary of State
  • Oct 2016: UDC’s ‘manufactured’ air quality study for Saffron Walden fails scrutiny review
  • Oct 2016: R4U writes to Planning Inspector to highlight on-going failures, including missing evidence for how the sites for new homes were selected
  • Oct 2016: Major plan delay after UDC forced to abandon unsustainable major “Greater Walden” town extension due to not enough road capacity
  • Jun 2017: UDC adopt strategy of 3 new towns near Dunmow/Little Easton, Great Chesterford and Stebbing/Felsted
  • Jul 2017: UDC increase new housing number to 641 a year
  • Jul 2017: Major delay after UDC required to undertake further public consultation
  • Jun 2018: Neighbouring Braintree Plan rejected bringing into question conjoined new town at Stebbing/Felsted
  • Jun 2018: UDC increase new housing number to 705 a year from 2022
  • Aug 2018: Plan costs exceed £4m to local taxpayer
  • Sep 2018: UDC delay plan further after Braintree Plan refusal
  • Nov 2018: Independent consultant AECOM finds multiple failures including process for how the sites for new homes were selected
  • Jan 2019: New draft Local Plan submitted to Inspector
  • May 2019: Conservative administration replaced by R4U
  • Jun 2019: Local Plan Examination (of previous administration’s Plan)

Concerns that new Local Plan will allow developers to asset-strip £billions from Uttlesford communities

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R4U has said it is concerned about infrastructure asset-stripping by developers and will only support the Uttlesford District Council leadership’s new Local Plan if the council meets R4U’s four red …read more →

Objection submitted to voice residents’ concerns about new Saffron Walden traffic light and one-way scheme

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To support and voice residents’ concerns, R4U has filed a formal objection with the Essex County Council Highways Authority about UDC’s latest traffic light and one-way scheme in Saffron Walden. …read more →

New traffic lights and one-way scheme for London Rd and Borough Lane in Saffron Walden – R4U appalled by scheme

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Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) is appalled by the latest traffic scheme by UDC and ECC that will push more traffic through Saffron Walden Town Centre because of the installation of …read more →

4 ways to put Uttlesford residents in the driving seat of new settlements

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As Uttlesford District Council moves towards the final stages of its Local Plan, R4U has announced four key principles that are the party’s commitment to local control over planning and …read more →

Deadline: Respond to UDC Local Plan consultation by Monday 4th

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This is a reminder that UDC’s latest Local Plan public consultation is due to end at 5:00PM on Monday 4th September, so please get your comments in over the next …read more →

Uttlesford Local Plan Consultation

The draft Uttlesford Local Plan is in public consultation until Monday 5:00PM on 13th August 2018.  Residents should provide their feedback to UDC on their website at the link below …read more →

UDC’s Local Plan based on 3 new garden-villages requires proper infrastructure and residents’ concerns must be acted on

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Uttlesford District Council’s proposed Local Plan strategy based around 3 new garden-villages requires crucial infrastructure investment and residents’ concerns must be acted on to make the plan sustainable and deliverable, says …read more →