Local Plan Review Residents' Briefing - notes of meeting 6th March 2026
NOTES: LOCAL PLAN RESIDENTS’ BRIEFING 5.30 pm on 6th March 2026
Parish Council Attendees:
Cllr Terry Cuthbert (Chairman)
Cllr Paula Bland (Vice Chairman)
Cllr Sally Potter
Kay English, Clerk to the Council
Tendring District Council (TDC):
Gary Guiver Corporate Director of Planning & Community
Residents/Members of the Public:
31 people in attendance
Welcome & Introductions
The Chairman, Cllr Cuthbert, welcomed residents and thanked Gary Guiver, Corporate Director of Planning & Community for presenting an overview of the Local Plan. Councillor Cuthbert gave a brief introduction and confirmed that questions would be taken at the end of the presentation.
Overview of the Local Plan
This is not the first Local Plan but the most time‑pressured requiring two rounds of consultation before national planning legislation changed. Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) would see TDC replaced by a new Unitary Authority making this the final TDC Local Plan. It was therefore essential that priorities and key issues were captured as part of the consultation process.
A revised Plan would be consulted on again in September before submission to the Secretary of State. Adoption was expected in 2027 after examination by a Government Planning Inspector. The new Unitary Authority would inherit the final Plan.
Housing Requirements
Mandatory national housing targets applied to all councils;
The Government had introduced higher mandatory housing numbers, which do not account for local demographics, geography or infrastructure constraints but must be included in the Local Plan;
TDC objected to the targets arguing that the figures were unrealistic but the Government expects 1.5 million homes to be built nationally; for Tendring this equated to 18,071 new homes with a 25% population increase in 17 years;
With 10,700 homes already in the pipeline a further 7,400 sites must be identified.
Spatial Strategy & Site Options
The current Plan focuses on growth in Clacton and Tendring–Colchester Borders but to meet the additional housing targets further sites were needed. Last year’s consultation presented four options, all included a Garden Village at Frating/Hare Green with supporting infrastructure.
Frating Garden Village Concept
Approx. 4,500 homes to be built with justification for:
A secondary school
70–80 hectares of employment land
Health and community facilities
Delivery would extend beyond 2042 with Garden Villages typically taking 10+ years from concept to build.
Infrastructure, Viability & Risks
Numerous studies assessed the environmental impact and technical constraints with some sites discounted;
A business site was proposed;
Government funding of £65m for a new link road had recently been confirmed;
Economic conditions, labour availability and materials could affect the building programme;
Without an up‑to‑date Local Plan Tendring becomes vulnerable to speculative development with Central Government over-riding local decisions (e.g. Pennyfields off Tokely Road & Great Bentley).
Consultation & How to Comment
Residents were encouraged to comment on:
The overall scale of development
Infrastructure impacts (traffic, health, schools, utilities)
The strategy and site choices
Alternative locations or approaches
Specific policies with constructive suggestions for change
Ways to submit comments:
• Consultation portal on the TDC website
• Email: planning.policy [at] tendringdc.gov.uk
• Post: Clacton Town Hall
Consultation on the Local Plan closed on 23 March 2026.
Questions & Answers Summary
1. Parking pressures from new housing
Answer: Minimum parking standards now apply (typically 2–3 spaces per home) set through County Council guidance. Developers must meet these standards and residents can comment on parking provision through the consultation.
2. Affordable housing provision
Answer: Plans include a mix of smaller, more affordable homes with a proportion delivered as Housing Association or Shared Ownership units. Affordability was challenging due to inward migration; historic under‑delivery of house building in the 1990s has not helped; the Local Plan alone could not fully resolve these.
3. MP’s position on the Plan
Answer: No comment can be made on behalf of the local MP. A change of Government could alter national policy but the Council must work within current rules. A future Unitary Authority may choose to review the Plan early.
4. The Plan didn’t make sense – traffic will be impossible.
Answer: Without a Local Plan the district becomes vulnerable to speculative development. Highways capacity assessments indicate the network was currently manageable though this is debated locally. The A12 upgrade was cancelled by Government; neighbouring authorities are lobbying for reinstatement.
5. Roads, potholes, pressure on the NHS and the 1.5m homes target
Answer: Road condition was a national maintenance issue separate from planning. The 1.5m homes target included all housing types not just affordable. Increased population would place pressure on NHS services, but health bodies are statutory consultees and were engaged in the planning process. Government policy links housing growth to wider economic growth and NHS funding.
6. Safety concerns: no lighting, no paths, unusable park
Answer: Larger planned developments allow for comprehensive infrastructure such paths, lighting, open spaces rather than piecemeal additions.
7. Frating will be huge – where are the jobs?”
Answer: The Garden Village proposal includes 70–80 hectares of employment land supporting business growth. Additional jobs would arise from construction and associated industries.
8. Why not build more around railway stations to reduce traffic congestion?
Answer: Rail‑linked development was assessed but no station location could accommodate the scale of building required. Government policy encourages station‑adjacent growth but only 60 national locations were identified.
9. Employment land – how much retail, and how are job numbers calculated?
Answer: The split between retail and other uses is not yet defined. Job density calculations would be applied as part of the evidence base.
10. Environmental impact and rural character
Answer: The Environment Act requires developments to protect and enhance biodiversity. Hedgerows and key habitats must be retained where possible. Ancient woodland was protected. Around 50% of land in the Garden Village concept was intended for green uses. Agricultural land quality was also considered though national policy had weaknesses in this area.
11. Loss of agricultural land – what percentage?
Answer: The exact percentage can be calculated; this information would be provided separately.
12. Are farmers being forced to sell land?
Answer: Most land is offered voluntarily. Compulsory purchase powers exist but are rarely used; there was negotiation rather than forced acquisition.
13. A133 link road – latest position and impact
Answer: Government had approved £65m in funding with developer contributions. Ideally the road should be in place before major development begins (around 2030) to relieve network pressure.
14. Impact on food production
Answer: Loss of high‑grade agricultural land was a concern. Agencies were exploring alternatives such as vertical/horizontal farming. Some proposed areas e.g. Weeley were moderate grade agriculture land while Frating was high‑grade land. Larger gardens could support home‑growing though recent trends favoured smaller plots.
15. Provision of Allotments
Answer: This is a constructive suggestion and could be submitted through the consultation process.
Meeting ended: 19:00 hours.