North Chelmsford Area Action Plan Consultation. Action Information

Important terms used:- Greenfield & Greenbelt. They are entirely different in Planning Terms. We must not be deceived or confused. Greenbelt means land that has legal protection against development – usually around large cities to contain their area of expansion.

Greenfield has no legal status whatever. Greenfield land is a term used to describe a piece of undeveloped land, either currently used for agriculture or just left to nature. In contrast, Brownfield land is an area that has previously been developed, such as a paved lot or the site of a demolished building. It may have legal conditions restricting its use.

We may think that ‘greenfield’ is the same as greenbelt and that green fields are legally protected against development. They are not. Greenfield has no special legal protection unless it is also legally protected as Greenbelt.

Local Development Framework LDF – this is a series of documents which will determine Council plans for the Borough until 2021. They are crucial.

Core Strategy
The first stage of the LDF that outlines general themes and locations for development. We believe that this document is flawed by ruling out Boreham Airfield as a development site.

NCAAP
North Chelmsford Area Action Plan - Builds on the themes (and flaws) in the Core Strategy by giving site specific locations for development in North Chelmsford

Public Enquiry – known as “Core Strategy Examination in Public”. Starts in Chelmsford Borough Council offices on Sept 11th 2007. It is public. Appears on Chelmsford Council Web site as Core Strategy Examination :-

http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=13328

For general information about the LDF see
http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=9937

North Chelmsford Area Action Plan – Public Consultation

It is important that you visit this and respond before October 23rd .

http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=14326

NCAAP Consultation: If you agree with NAG, please make it clear in your responses that you think it is not satisfactory to have NO options what-so-ever for nearly 90% of the development placement. This is because there is no difference between the 3 options in relation to the major NE Neighbourhood. We believe that the area north of Boreham should be included in order to make this a consultation rather than a dictation.

Please do still state your views about the options in Broomfield because if the Core Strategy is not altered at the Examination in Public, the NCAAP will be used to decide the final development sites."

The North Area Action Plan and associated questions (starts page 12) are tricky to answer.

Question 1: In addition to the matters listed, what other issues and constraints should be taken into account in the preparation of the Area Action Plan? NAG says: the public should be consulted on North Boreham / Boreham Airfield.

Question 8: Which of the suggested development options - 1, 2 or 3 - best accord with the principles set out in the Core Strategy and why? NAG says: the options only affect about 12% of all the houses. There are no options given for North Springfield – some 5000 houses.

Question 16: Do you support Essex County Council’s proposed line for the Chelmsford North-east Bypass? NAG says: yes, we do strongly support the general line of the County route confirmed at an ECC Cabinet meeting March 6th 2007

Question 17: Should we protect the line of a possible Cross Valley link option, to address possible future needs? NAG says: No. The case for a cross valley road is made on a dubious evidential base. Broomfield hospital is being downsized from 3500 staff to around 2,800 staff. Source – reliable hospital spokesman January 2007.

For news and updates visit NAG web site www.chelmsfordnag.co.uk