2011/2012 Consultation

  • Introduction
  • What You've Told us
  • Our Objectives
  • Our Timetable
  • Our Response
  • Design Features
  • Master Plan
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  • Introduction

    Colchester Borough Council has allocated this site for development as part of their growth strategy. This consultation is about making sure that the proposals we are preparing respond to your views on how it should be developed.

    The Council needs homes to be available by 2016. To do that, we need to prepare a planning application now for a decision in early in 2013. It will take us another year to consult and agree on detailed design issues and two years to prepare the site, start building and have the first few homes ready for occupation.

  • What You’ve Told Us

    There have been a number of opportunities to comment on the principles of how this site should be developed. At events held in December 2008, March 2009 and December 2009 you gave us valuable information on the key design principles. At the most recent event, hosted by the University of Essex, you gave detailed information about the problems you see and the opportunities you’d like us to address.

    The key messages in each of these events were:

    • transport and roads are the biggest worry for people
    • open spaces are highly valued
    • there is concern that new facilities will not be adequate for the new homes
    • there are general reservations about development in North Colchester

    Tell Us More

    The principle of development is established in the Council’s adopted Local Plan, but we understand the big issues which cause you concern. We want to understand now how we can make the development respond to your positive ideas. We want to reflect your ideas for delivering community facilities, the type of open space you want, and whether we need to make particular provision for different types of homes. We also want your comments on the emerging master plan proposals.

    Your comments will influence the master plan and planning application.

  • Our Objectives

    We have drawn up objectives that respond to your comments. They show how our master plan can respond to local circumstances.

    Our objectives are to:

    Deliver different types of homes for a range of communities needs, including specialist homes for the elderly, affordable homes for young and lower income families, and plots for people to build their own homes. Protect existing trees and hedgerows and use these as the basis of an open space and drainage network providing long term landscape and ecology benefits and giving the whole community an asset with improved accessibility.
    Recognise that traffic is a big worry and manage the level of traffic that the development generates by making public transport, walking and cycling convenient, safe and attractive and by delivering off site highway improvements to the North Station area. Deliver adequate facilities and infrastructure to meet the new community’s needs while providing new facilities as a focus for the wider community (such as schools, a café, shops, allotments, community buildings and play areas)
    Deliver homes and other buildings that are energy efficient, built to a high quality and provide for sustainable lifestyles. Provide a development with areas of different character and homes of different size and different tenures at densities that allow sensible parking in a high quality setting.
    Ensure that it is easy and convenient to move around and to the site, with convenient and accessible facilities provided on site Deliver adequate facilities and infrastructure to meet the new community’s needs while providing new facilities as a focus for the wider community (such as schools, a café, shops, allotments, community buildings and play areas)

    We have used these objectives to shape the master plan for the scheme. We’ll ask you later whether you agree with these objectives and how well we’ve responded to them.

  • Our Timetable

  • Our Response

    We have reviewed the comments made in the Mile End Community Engagement Process event (undertaken by the University of Essex in July 2011). This is how our plans have responded to the comments made:

    Your value... Our response
    ...green space and a peaceful location Retained trees and hedgerows
    Retained existing footpaths and deliver additional routes
    Significant increase in accessible green space to be dedicated to the public in perpetuity
    New community orchard and allotments
    Maintain ecological corridors and improve biodiversity
    ...local facilities New schools and health, community, sports and retail facilities
    ...parks and recreation Around 80 acres of green infrastructure that will include sports pitches, formal gardens, orchards, walks, allotments and play areas
    ...convenient location Deliver more connected walking and cycling routes
    Expand and improve public transport
    You are concerned by….. Our response
    ...transport and roads Support for ECC and CBC transport strategy
    Highways improvements
    Investment in public transport, walking, cycling
    ...new homes and infrastructure 20% fewer homes than allocated by the Council
    Quality homes of different types
    Average density below 35 dwellings per hectare
    Parking standards that work
    Homes to be built among a green setting
    Homes for older households
    Self-build plots
    Infrastructure on site to serve development
    ...education and training New schools and child care facilities
    Support for employment growth in north Colchester
    ...leisure and recreation New sports & leisure facilities for the whole community
    ...employment economy New jobs in construction, retail and local services
    New homes to support Colchester’s workforce
    ...crime and security Crime controlled by good design
    ...environment Retained trees and hedgerows
    Net gain in ecological habitat
    ...community & facilities Opportunity for a new ‘home’ for Mile End community facilities – a neighbourhood hub
    Allotments, orchards, walks and play areas
    New schools with capacity to serve the wider area
    Local centre with a full range of facilities

  • Design Features

    Surface Water Drainage Strategy Development Density Pedestrian and Cycle Network and Development Destinations
    Landscape & Open Space Framework Primary Vehicular Movement Network

    Surface Water Drainage Strategy

    The Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) will attenuate surface water runoff rates and volumes down to the existing greenfield rates, to mitigate the risk of flooding a result of site development. All surface water runoff generated within the site is to be captured by the system.

    SuDS features will aim to improve the ecology of the area by providing blue and green corridors through the site, enhancing aquatic habitats for flora and fauna.

    The larger ponds will be located at the downstream end of swale networks to provide attenuation up to the 100 year plus climate change storm events. These ponds will be designed to enhance public open space and provide amenity benefits to local residents, for both new and existing residents. Native planting will be used to enhance the ecological value of these ponds as a habitat for flora and fauna.

    Development Density

    The intensity of development will vary across the site in relation to setting and to neighbouring development and to accessibility.

    The intensity will diminish away from the proposed Local Centre and towards the western and southern boundaries.

    The southern-most part of the site has some steep east and south facing slopes. Development will be arranged to create effective and efficient plots for new homes. The street pattern will be aligned with the contours to minimise gradients between established planting belts, making the lower part of the site distinctive in appearance and character.

    Higher Density Residential c. 38 – 42 dph

    Predominantly continuous frontages, with terraced houses and some apartments to corners of streets. A mixture of mews/courtyard and on-plot parking and garaging will be provided.

    Medium Density Residential c. 28 – 35 dph

    Predominantly semi-detached and detached (with some short terraces) family houses, with on-plot parking and garages provided.

    Lower Density Residential c. 22 – 28 dph

    Predominantly detached family houses (with some short terraces) on larger plots, with on-plot parking and garaging provided. There will also be opportunities for self build homes.

    Mixed Use Local Centre

    Potential for a local/metro supermarket to be provided, with a range of small local retail/business units. There is an opportunity for some apartments to be provided above smaller units, and ample parking will be provided.

    Primary and Secondary Schools

    Pedestrian and Cycle Network and Development Destinations

    There will be a new network of pathways, cycle routes and streets across the site connecting to all the important locations around the site. To demonstrate our level of commitment to this we are planning more than 5 km of new cycle ways. The existing public footpaths are all retained.

    We will make sure that there is adequate cycle parking available for each home, and making storing and parking your bike safe and easy.

    There are important existing connections to Bergholt Road in the south, to Mile End Road and to Nayland Road – we will improve these accesses and ensure that they can be used by cyclists as well as pedestrians. The connections lead into areas where there is already cycling provision such as cycle lanes or segregated cycle paths. These connections will make it easy to cycle to the town centre, Cuckoo Farm, North Station and to destinations east of the NAR.

    Landscape & Open Space Framework

    There will be a landscape framework of open space, existing woodland, new playing fields, trees and hedges, planting and pathways to create a high quality setting for the new development and an amenity for everyone to enjoy. It is anticipated that the open space would be far in excess of what Colchester policy requires by as much as 60% delivering 33.5 ha (83 acres) of adoptable public open space to create a green network of benefit to more than just the new residents – a real local destination.

    There will be different types of open space to serve different needs – some areas which are quiet and support ecological interest, others which are more formal and provide a chance to meet and catch up with neighbours or friends. There will be linear spaces alongside trees and hedgerows which provide opportunities for recreation, and formal sports provision such as playing pitches and indoor sports.

    We want to make sure that there is a part of the site which provides the right sort of green space for different occasions - whether you want to walk to unwind, take the dog out for a walk, or give your toddler room to play.

    Primary Vehicular Movement Network

    There will be very limited traffic access from Mile End Road. The land will be served mainly by a new access that connects directly to Nayland Road.

    The access from Mile End Road will provide a through route for buses, walkers and cyclists to allparts of the site.

    The northern access will rationalise the connections to the existing Nayland Road/Boxted Road roundabout and will reduce the impact to existing adjoining residents.

    The North Station area is already subject to congestion, reducing connectivity between north Colchester and the town centre. Essex County Council and Colchester Borough Council are preparing a strategy to look at this area and to promote sustainable travel patterns. We will support these improvements by reducing the amount of traffic generated by our development (making public transport and cycling genuine alternatives to the car) and contributing to highway works. These could include changing junction layouts, prioritising public transport, and making it easier and safer for cyclists and pedestrians to move between north station and the town centre. We will make sure our improvements are complementary to the County and Borough Council strategy.

  • Master Plan

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    Local Centre/Development Gateway/Schools

    There will be a new Local Centre provided in the location most accessible to new residents, existing residents and passing trade. It will include all the facilities required for the new extended community, and provide support for the existing community. New Primary and Secondary Schools will be located there, providing places for children within the new development and in existing areas.

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    Community Hub/Pavilion

    We will extend the Mile End Recreation Ground and provide funding to deliver additional community facilities, creating a focus at the heart of the whole community. It could accommodate changing rooms, an indoor sports/ events hall and meeting spaces, and offices for community organisations.

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    Pocket Park

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    Primary route

    The primary street through the development will accommodate buses and general traffic, and will be designed to be safe and convenient for cyclists. It will be tree-lined, with footpaths and cycleways alongside. Traffic speeds will be kept down to 20mph through careful street design. Urban spaces will be a focus for surrounding homes, offering local play spaces and space to meet and catch up with neighbours. These spaces could also include communal facilities such as small orchards.

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    Sustainability Strategy

    Sustainability is at the core of the proposals, each element aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the development. Facilities will be within walking distance of homes, and all buildings will meet energy performance standards using site-specific methods such as those shown on the illustration. The landscape framework will enrich habitats while dealing with drainage in a sustainable manner.

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