Policy information sourced from the Chelmsford Local Plan 2013-2036 PDF.
S7: The Spatial Strategy.
The Spatial Strategy applies the Spatial Principles to focus new housing and employment growth to the most sustainable locations by making the best use of previously developed land in Chelmsford Urban Area; sustainable urban extensions around Chelmsford and South Woodham Ferrers; and development around Key Service Settlements outside the Green Belt in accordance with the Settlement Hierarchy set out below:
| Category | Settlement | Settlement |
|---|---|---|
| City or Town | Chelmsford, South Woodham Ferrers | |
| Key Service Settlements | Outside Green Belt: Bicknacre, Boreham, Broomfield, Danbury and Great Leighs | Inside Green Belt: Galleywood, Runwell, Stock and Writtle |
| Service Settlements | Outside Green Belt: East Hanningfield, Ford End, Great Waltham, Little Waltham, Rettendon Place and Woodham Ferrers | Inside Green Belt: Highwood, Margaretting, Ramsden Heath/Downham, Roxwell and West Hanningfield |
| Small Settlements | Outside Green Belt: Chatham Green, Good Easter, Howe Edney Common Green, Howe Street, Little Baddow, Rettendon Common and Sandon | Inside Green Belt: Edney Common |
In addition, at any of the Settlement categories, new growth sites which are in accordance with the Local Plan Spatial Principles and Strategic Policies can be allocated through relevant Neighbourhood Plans.
New development allocations will be focused on the three Growth Areas of Central and Urban Chelmsford, North Chelmsford, and South and East Chelmsford using the distribution set out in the Key Diagram (Figure 8), Policies Map, and the table below:
Spatial Strategy - Development Locations and Allocations
| Development Allocations to 2036 | New Homes | Traveller Pitches | Travelling Showpeople Plots | Net New Employment Floorspace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Previously developed sites in Chelmsford Urban Area | 2,381 | 4,000 sqm Office, 11,500 sqm Food Retail | ||
| 2 West Chelmsford | 800 | 5 | ||
| 3a East Chelmsford - Manor Farm | 250 | |||
| 3b East Chelmsford, Land North of Maldon Road | 5,000 sqm Office/Business Park | |||
| 3c East Chelmsford - Land South at Maldon Road | 100 | |||
| 3d East Chelmsford - Land North of Maldon Road | 50 | |||
| 4 Land North of Galleywood Reservoir | 13 | |||
| 5 Land surrounding Telephone Exchange, Ongar Road, Writtle | 25 | |||
| AREA TOTAL | 3,619 | 0 | 5 | 9,000 sqm Office, 11,500 sqm Food Retail |
| Development Allocations to 2036 | New Homes | Traveller Pitches | Travelling Showpeople Plots | Net New Employment Floorspace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 North East Chelmsford | 3,000 | 9 | 45,000 sqm Office/Business Park | |
| 7a Great Leighs - Land at Moulsham Hall | 750 | 5 | ||
| 7b Great Leighs - Land East of London Road | 100 | |||
| 7c Great Leighs - Land North and South of Banters Lane | 100 | |||
| 7d Great Leighs - Land East of Main Road | 100 | |||
| 8 North of Broomfield | 450 | |||
| 9 East of Boreham | 143 | |||
| GTI Drakes Lane, Little Waltham | 10 | |||
| AREA TOTAL | 4,793 | 10 | 14 | 45,000 sqm Office/Business Park |
| Development Allocations to 2036 | New Homes | Traveller Pitches | Travelling Showpeople Plots | Net New Employment Floorspace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 North of South Woodham Ferrers | 1,000 | 5 | 1,000 sqm Office, 1,900 Food Retail | |
| 11 South of Bicknare | 35 | |||
| 12 St Giles, Bicknare | 32 | |||
| 13 Danbury | 100 | |||
| AREA TOTAL | 1,167 | 0 | 5 | 1,000 sqm Office, 1,900 Food Retail |
| Total New Local Plan Allocations | 9,579 | 10 | 24 | 55,000 sqm Office/Business Space, 13,400 Food Retail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windfall Allowance 2024-2036 | 1,200 | |||
| TOTAL | 10,779 | 10 | 24 | 55,000 sqm Office/Business Space, 13,400 Food Retail |
There will also be opportunities for small-scale rural exception sites providing affordable homes to meet identified local needs in locations where there are policies of constraint.
Windfall sites are further expected to be a reliable source of housing supply during the period of the Local Plan.
New employment growth will be delivered as part of mixed used development on appropriate previously developed sites in Chelmsford Urban Area. Strategic employment growth is directed to strategic site allocations at North East Chelmsford and East Chelmsford.
New employment growth will be delivered as part of mixed used development on appropriate previously developed sites in Chelmsford Urban Area. Strategic employment growth is directed to strategic site allocations at North East Chelmsford and East Chelmsford.
New development will be delivered in a manner that ensures the timely provision of necessary supporting infrastructure. Strategic Growth Sites will be delivered in accordance with masterplans to be approved by the Council.
Where there are large and established mainly institutional uses within the countryside, Special Policy Areas will be used to support their necessary functional and operational requirements. The Special Policy Areas are defined on the Policies Map at Chelmsford City Racecourse, Broomfield Hospital, Hanningfield Reservoir Treatment Works, RHS Hyde Hall Gardens, Sandford Mill and Writtle University College.
For more information, please visit Chelmsford’s Local Plan here.