Sites - Background
The following is an extract from the emerging Chelmsford City Council Local Plan (LP) which has designated Danbury as Strategic Growth Site 9.
The LP includes an allocation of around 100 new homes to be accommodated within or adjoining the Defined Settlement Boundary of Danbury. The site(s) to accommodate this allocation will be identified and consulted upon through the emerging Danbury Neighbourhood Plan.
Amount and type of development:
The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group will select appropriate sites and allocate housing to those sites having consulted with residents of the village. A 'Call for Sites' was launched in 2017. Landowners were invited to submit details of any land which to be considered for future development through the Danbury Neighbourhood Plan. All types of development and all land use proposals were considered.
This Call for Sites has closed and any landowner wishing to pursue new sites should submit them to Chelmsford City Council SHELAA Call for Sites.
The following is an extract from the emerging Chelmsford City Council Local Plan (LP) which has designated Danbury as Strategic Growth Site 9.
The LP includes an allocation of around 100 new homes to be accommodated within or adjoining the Defined Settlement Boundary of Danbury. The site(s) to accommodate this allocation will be identified and consulted upon through the emerging Danbury Neighbourhood Plan.
Amount and type of development:
- Around 100 new homes of mixed size and type including affordable housing
- Site Masterplanning principles: Conserve and enhance the Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in and around Danbury (Blake’s Wood and Lingwood Common SSSI, Woodham Walter Common SSSI, Danbury Common SSSI) ensuring any new development avoids direct impacts and mitigates indirect impacts (i.e. recreational damage) as a priority and provides any required mitigation measures where necessary (including those set within any emerging visitor impact studies / strategic solutions).
The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group will select appropriate sites and allocate housing to those sites having consulted with residents of the village. A 'Call for Sites' was launched in 2017. Landowners were invited to submit details of any land which to be considered for future development through the Danbury Neighbourhood Plan. All types of development and all land use proposals were considered.
This Call for Sites has closed and any landowner wishing to pursue new sites should submit them to Chelmsford City Council SHELAA Call for Sites.
Site Selection Process
Through the Call for Sites exercise, 18 sites were put forward. Chelmsford City Council’s new Local Plan Policy Strategic Growth Site 9 – requires the homes to be delivered within or adjoining the Defined Settlement Boundary of Danbury. An initial sift against this very clear policy position identified 6 sites in contravention of this planning policy and were discounted at this stage.
The remaining 12 sites have been assessed using the evidence gathered in the emerging CCC Local Plan by Amec Wheeler Foster, Peter Brett Associates, CCC (for Landscape and Heritage Assets), Essex Minerals and an independent study undertaken by AECOM on our behalf funded via Locality.
What is Next
The next stage involves the Landowners who have been asked to provide a brief description of their proposals considering the results of the 2018 Questionnaire which should include:
Here are links to provide relevant information:
Landowners were asked to respond by the middle of September. In addition, Essex Highways have been asked to report on the suitability of each site having a maximum 30 units built adjacent to the Defined Settlement Boundary. When we have this information, we will:
What is the Defined Settlement Boundary and why is it important?
The link HERE takes you to a map of Danbury showing the Defined Settlement Boundary (DSB). You can see the homes within the DSB are not in one continuous area but split into 3 unconnected blocks of different sizes. The Boundary is very important in considering current planning applications. In the main, the existing criteria requires new development to be within the DSB.
When preparing the Neighbourhood Plan, this restriction has been relaxed and sites will be available for selection if they are within or adjoining the DSB. This allows each section of the DSB to grow slightly but not allow sites to be allocated leaving gaps which can be filled later. It can be likened to a fruit or vegetable growing slowly. Once the sites have been built out the DSB will be re-drawn and the existing rule will prevail once again.
The following documents are available:
Call for Sites Report 12/11/18 here.
Map of submitted sites here. List of sites here.
The Defined Settlement Boundary is shown in Purple.
Sites in Brown are under consideration and those coloured Blue have been discounted for the reason stated.
Sites are not to scale and for illustrative purposes only.
Through the Call for Sites exercise, 18 sites were put forward. Chelmsford City Council’s new Local Plan Policy Strategic Growth Site 9 – requires the homes to be delivered within or adjoining the Defined Settlement Boundary of Danbury. An initial sift against this very clear policy position identified 6 sites in contravention of this planning policy and were discounted at this stage.
The remaining 12 sites have been assessed using the evidence gathered in the emerging CCC Local Plan by Amec Wheeler Foster, Peter Brett Associates, CCC (for Landscape and Heritage Assets), Essex Minerals and an independent study undertaken by AECOM on our behalf funded via Locality.
What is Next
The next stage involves the Landowners who have been asked to provide a brief description of their proposals considering the results of the 2018 Questionnaire which should include:
- Location Plan and proposed access
- Area for development with up to 30 homes which must be adjoining the Defined Settlement Boundary (see below for more information)
- Housing mix (the style and size) which should be in line with Chelmsford’s draft Local Plan Policies
- How they propose to mitigate any identified constraints.
Here are links to provide relevant information:
- List of Sites HERE
- Map HERE showing the Sites under consideration - the Defined Settlement Boundary is coloured Purple.
Landowners were asked to respond by the middle of September. In addition, Essex Highways have been asked to report on the suitability of each site having a maximum 30 units built adjacent to the Defined Settlement Boundary. When we have this information, we will:
- Update the earlier completed site assessment with any new information. Some of the sites are very large and this work will only assess that part of the site where development is proposed
- Prepare a summary of our conclusions to highlight any constraints
- Prepare information for a public Exhibition and consultation.
What is the Defined Settlement Boundary and why is it important?
The link HERE takes you to a map of Danbury showing the Defined Settlement Boundary (DSB). You can see the homes within the DSB are not in one continuous area but split into 3 unconnected blocks of different sizes. The Boundary is very important in considering current planning applications. In the main, the existing criteria requires new development to be within the DSB.
When preparing the Neighbourhood Plan, this restriction has been relaxed and sites will be available for selection if they are within or adjoining the DSB. This allows each section of the DSB to grow slightly but not allow sites to be allocated leaving gaps which can be filled later. It can be likened to a fruit or vegetable growing slowly. Once the sites have been built out the DSB will be re-drawn and the existing rule will prevail once again.
The following documents are available:
Call for Sites Report 12/11/18 here.
Map of submitted sites here. List of sites here.
The Defined Settlement Boundary is shown in Purple.
Sites in Brown are under consideration and those coloured Blue have been discounted for the reason stated.
Sites are not to scale and for illustrative purposes only.