Plans for three of the allocated sites on the outskirts of Ongar for about 200 new homes in EFDC’s Local Plan will be decided in the coming weeks. The built result will affect us all.
Detailed planning applications have been received at Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) for sites off Stanford Rivers Road, in Greensted Road and off High Ongar Road. Comments from you need to be received by the beginning of September.
Plans for the site opposite the school in Greensted Road (ONG.R5) were previously refused -including at Appeal - as not being compliant with Ongar Neighbourhood Plan policies (ONP) and Ongar Design Guide. Bellway now has an interest in this site and has held public exhibitions and contacted residents, and amended previous plans (which had too many one and two bedroomed homes and not enough family homes or parking). Public comments closing date for EPF/1404/24 was 6th August.
Persimmon’s proposals in 2023 for their site N E of the Four Wantz (ONG.R4) attracted much public concern, not least because of the dangers residents will encounter trying to turn right onto the A414 towards the town’s facilities. Their amended plans -still on EPF/2787/23 have a further public consultation until 6th September, and comments should also focus on material planning concerns. Residents Group RAGON4 Facebook group has more details.
The latest, is Stonebond’s application EPF/1356/24 for land on Stanford Rivers Road (ONG.R6) just south of Marden Ash, close to two Listed Buildings and with similar concerns about the safety of turning right to the town. This time Stonebond have had no public exhibitions or public engagement so Ongar residents will need to access EFDC website under planning search to view their plans. Comments to reach EFDC by 2nd September. Residents group MAAG has more details.
The detail within those applications needs to be scrutinised by local residents and any concerns raised as soon as possible, to ensure that designs and materials used will blend into our distinctive and rural character, but importantly that they provide the same mix of family homes as at 2011 census (70% with 3 or more bedrooms, 20% two bedroomed and 10% 1 bedroomed) to maintain our cohesive family orientated community Also, for those homes to have front and back gardens and sufficient off street parking, set in tree- lined streets. Non-compliance with these aspects were the main reasons the first plans for Greensted Road were refused and also the reasons that the developer’s Appeal was dismissed.
Do these new applications comply?
If you think not, please email with the reference for the development site (EPF/…) to AppComment@eppingforestdc.gov.uk and your name and address so that your concerns can be considered by EFDC Planning Officers and EFDC Planning Committee Councillors before making a decision.
As many of you will know Ongar Neighbourhood Plan Policies (ONP) is evidence-based following many local surveys about your opinions on what types of development is preferable for our community. Ongar Design Guide helps inform developers of the good features of our town and those not to be repeated!
Ongar Neighbourhood Plan provides robust policies that must be complied with in planning applications in addition to EFDC Local Plan policies, which are more general to be applicable throughout our diverse district. ONP policies are more specific in many respects including Housing Mix, minimum Parking provision (as mentioned above), Buffer zones to protect amenity of existing homes, and to specify what additional Community facilities developers will need to contribute towards etc.
These particular Ongar sites with planning applications now, are situated at the edges of our settlement on land recently classed as Green Belt. Thus the designs will also have to soften the transition to the countryside and ensure that sufficient protection and mitigation is put in place for our displaced wildlife.
Infrastructure requirements such as improved road junctions and preventing surface water flooding are also major concerns for Ongar and such issues are already being flagged up by residents and community groups, including Ongar Neighbourhood Plan Community Group (ONPCG). Although the requirements are essentially set by Essex County Council (Essex Highways and Local Lead Flood Agency) and not EFDC, I am meeting representatives of Essex Highways at the beginning of September with EFDC Planning Officers to discuss this and to highlight that the accumulated effects of these development proposals and those expected to our west must be taken fully into consideration, when setting road infrastructure requirements for developers.
And just to alert you to even more development coming to Ongar very soon, the promoter of allocated sites ONG.R1 and ONG.R2, which together are called West Ongar Concept, for approximately 234 new homes is expecting to have some kind of public engagement in September, hopefully before plans are finalised.
We all care about our community. New Housing is coming, but we can still influence decisions to ensure those developments are mainly the much needed family homes with gardens and off street parking; in designs that complement their surroundings with glimpses of the countryside and open green spaces within each new estate. Please act now; look at the details of the new developments and HAVE YOUR SAY!
Cllr Mary Dadd
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