The development of Hammonds Farm into a new “Garden Community” is now a very real possibility.

The Policy Board of Chelmsford City Council sat on 14th March and approved the preferred option to go forward to public consultation. In summary, the preferred option includes 3,000 houses plus 43,000sqm of “employment space” at Hammonds Farm within the Plan period, with capacity for a further 1,500 houses beyond 2041. Formal consultation is scheduled to start at the beginning of May and run for six weeks until mid-June 2024. However, the actual date is yet to be confirmed.

As soon as Chelmsford City Council publish the start date of the consultation, we will set a date for a further Public Meeting, to be held in the Memorial Hall. At this meeting the working group will propose the next steps to be taken by all in the fight to stop this proposal including providing advice on how you can respond to the consultation if you so wish.

The date for this meeting will be publicised on village notice boards, the Parish Council website, local magazines and leafleting (subject to time constraints).

Please do not write in to CCC at this time as we have been advised that comments received prior to the official start date of the consultation will not be considered.

Further general information on the Local Plan can be found on the Council’s website at www.chelmsford.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-policy-and-local-plan/local-plan-review-2022/

If you would like to be kept informed of developments, please join our mailing list by sending an email to deborah.ginn@littlebaddow.org.uk.

Please continue to visit this website for further updates.

Background

The last version of Chelmsford City Council’s proposed update to the Local Plan, extending the time period covered by 5 years, projected an additional 7966 homes above the already adopted plan. Chelmsford has come up with several options, which will affect many areas around Chelmsford including Little Baddow, Danbury, Boreham, Hatfield Peverel, Sandon and Great Baddow.

Option E in particular will have a devastating effect on all villages East of Chelmsford. It proposes a new settlement of 4,000 homes to be built at Hammonds Farm in the Parish of Little Baddow adjoining Sandon and Great Baddow.

Hammonds farm is approx. 1,100 acres are highlighted in green above. The initial proposal is for 4,000 houses, however, there may be space for more.

If you need any further information, you can contact Little Baddow Parish Councillors using contact details below:

Peter Irvine. peter.irvine@littlebaddow.org.uk Phone Number: 07850610929
Steph Scott. stephanie.scott@littlebaddow.org.uk Phone Number: 07775870638