Plans for 3,000 homes on edge of Greenstead
8:00am Thursday 13th October 2011
HUNDREDS of hectares of countryside on the edge of Greenstead could be given over to a developer planning to build a massive business park and more than 3,000 homes.
Mersea Homes has unveiled a blueprint to turn some of the 300 hectares of fields into a “knowledge-based hub”, where research industry firms can buy land, build a complex and tie in with Essex University’s forthcoming Knowledge Gateway.
The company has promised to build a bypass, linking the A120 near Ardleigh to the A133, close to Elmstead, along with a park and ride and further transport improvements for residents in Tendring.
About 3,000 homes, along with schools and community facilities, would also go on the land.
Churn Wood – some 60 hec-tares of woodland – would be spared development.
Mersea Homes has hired ADP, based in West Bergholt, to act as architects and town planners for the project.
Brian Morgan, from ADP, told the Gazette the business development would be along the same lines as the Norwich Research Park, where 30 firms help to employ 11,000 people.
He said: “The traditional industries of manufacturing are struggling, and the economic thrust is that knowledge-based employment will produce high-value employment, and have a cascade effect through all levels of employment in the area.
“Individual companies can come down, buy land, build their own complex and do their own research linked to the university.
“As part of that, we would also be delivering a neighbourhood with schools, shops and houses in direct support of the facility.”
Mr Morgan said the aim of the development, which borders both the Colchester and Tendring districts, was to provide employment and homes to meet demand on the border of Colchester, rather than in coastal towns, like Clacton.
But he admitted it would not prove popular with many residents of Greenstead and the surrounding areas.
Mr Morgan said: “What locals always say is we don’t want it here, which is fair enough.
“On the other hand, we have got to choose the best and most sustainable places, because, if we don’t, we will have fractured communities.
“This puts high-paid work and people in the same place and there’s a ripple effect which would benefit Colchester and Clacton.”
The proposal, six years in the making, has been submitted to Tendring Council for consideration as part of its district plan, which aims to meet the demand for housing in the area.
Winning the authority’s backing would give any future planning application to build on the land a much greater likelihood of success.
Recent changes in planning rules mean Colchester and Tendring councils would have to co-operate with each other to see if the project would work.
An Essex University spokesman said there were no current plans to expand on to the site, parts of which are next to Wivenhoe Park.
But she added: “We are always interested in looking at future opportunities to expand and secure our future, but at the moment there is no agreement.”
Nick Barlow, councillor responsible for economic development, said the proposals had no formal status in Colchester and did not form any part of its development plans.
He said: “The Government are looking to introduce a duty to co-operate on planning issues that cross administrative boundaries, which means we will be working even closer with neighbouring authorities in the future.
“Colchester Council will respond to the consultation in due course.”
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