The Parish Council are aware of an invitation circulating from “Springfields Planning and Development” for a “Community Consultation” event at the Memorial Hall on April 23rd to seek comments from the community on a proposed development for 70 dwellings on land north of Garnetts Lane and Chestnut Walk. The Parish is also “informally” aware of an additional potential application for an unknown number of dwellings on land off Rayne Road that may well come forward shortly.
The site that is the subject of the “Community Consultation – Land north of Garnetts Lane and Chestnut Walk” will be supported in the Felsted Neighbourhood Plan Review and included in the soon to be submitted “Regulation 14” submission of the “updated” Felsted Neighbourhood Plan. This site was included in the Felsted Neighbourhood Plan Review drop-in sessions held in March 2024 when, as one of 12 sites taken forward, it received a high preference rating from residents attending the drop-in sessions with 73% voting in favour and voting 27% against.
The consultation being undertaken on April 23rd by “Springfields Planning and Development” is their own independent consultation in order to gauge public opinion and to enable them to collect Parishioners comments.
Background on current housing commitments for Felsted
As we have covered in previous publications, including the Focus Magazine, the matter of additional housing for Felsted, which we fully understand is not wanted, is not something that the Parish can ignore or brush aside. The pressure on all communities is enormous and with Uttlesford District Council (UDC) not currently having an “up to date” Local Plan and in addition, being unable to demonstrate the required 5 year housing land supply, there is a significant risk of opportunistic and speculative planning applications coming forward.
Housing numbers for Felsted
The Uttlesford emerging Local Plan, which is currently submitted under “Regulation 19” and is due for review by the appointed Planning Inspectors (with a number of hearing sessions due to be held, from 10 June to 19 June) originally allocated 320 additional dwellings to Felsted. Since that original allocation was made by UDC there were 216 dwellings approved (some of which are now built) which UDC then took into account and they reduced Felsted’s allocation in their Regulation 19 submission to 104. With a further 23 having since received approval this reduces Felsted’s outstanding obligation to 81.
As you can see from the above, Felsted has a firm allocation in the UDC emerging Local Plan. These additional homes need to be delivered by 2041 and the Felsted Neighbourhood Plan will support the delivery of the outstanding allocation of 81 dwellings.