Policy information sourced from the Chelmsford Local Plan 2013-2036 PDF.

Strategic Growth Site Policy 6: North East Chelmsford.

Land to the north-east of Chelmsford beyond the existing developments at Beaulieu and Channels including the former Boreham Airfield, as shown on the Policies Map, is allocated for a high-quality comprehensively-planned new sustainable Garden Community that will provide a significant amount of new housing and employment development, and maximise opportunities for sustainable travel, in a landscaped setting. Development proposals will accord with a masterplan approved by the Council to provide:

Amount and Type of Development

  • Around 3,000 new homes of mixed size and type to include affordable housing and specialist residential accommodation;
  • 45,000sqm of floorspace in a new office/business park providing a range of unit sizes and types;
  • Travelling Showpeople site for 9 serviced plots.

Supporting on-site development

  • A new Country Park Single carriageway road (or Phase 1) of the Chelmsford North East Bypass within the site boundary;
  • An outer vehicular access Radial Distributor Road (RDR2) from Essex Regiment Way Neighbourhood Centres incorporating provision for convenience food retail, community and healthcare provision;
  • Provision of a new secondary school;
  • Provision of two new primary schools with co-located early years and childcare nurseries;
  • Provision of two new stand-alone early years and childcare nurseries;
  • Appropriate provision of community space and significant new multi-functional green infrastructure.

Site Masterplanning Principles

Movement and Access

  • Main vehicular access to the site will be from Essex Regiment Way via a new vehicular access outer Radial Distributor Road (RDR2);
  • Additional access to the site will be from Chelmsford North East Bypass (CNEB) and the existing Radial Distributor Road (RDR1);
  • Provide well-connected internal road layouts which allow good accessibility for bus services and bus priority measures;
  • Provide an effective movement strategy within the site;
  • Provide pedestrian, cycle and where appropriate bridleway connections within the site and to the wider area including the Chelmer North Green Wedge, existing development in North East Chelmsford, new rail station and associated employment area, new Country Park and development east of the Chelmsford North East Bypass;
  • Provide a dedicated car club for residents and businesses on site and available to the rest of North East Chelmsford;
  • Provide safe multi-user crossings of the outer Radial Distributor Road (RDR2) and the Chelmsford North East Bypass (CNEB);
  • Measures to enable travel by sustainable modes and that offer travel choice for people by non-car modes;
  • Extension of on-site Chelmsford Area Bus Based Rapid Transit (ChART) infrastructure;
  • Improvements to the local and strategic road network as required by the Local Highways Authority.

Historic and Natural Environment

  • Provide a network of green infrastructure to mitigate the visual, biodiversity and heritage impacts of the development;
  • Preserve or enhance the character or appearance of the Little Waltham Conservation Area and its setting;
  • Preserve and where appropriate enhance the listed buildings and their settings including New Hall, Old Lodge, Bulls Lodge, Belsteads Farmhouse and barn, Channels Farmhouse, Mount Maskells, Powers Farmhouse, Peverel’s Farmhouse, Shoulderstick Hall, Hobbits, Shuttleworth, Pratts Farmhouse, Pratts Farm Cottages, and New Hall Registered Park and Garden;
  • Provide a generous landscape buffer to preserve the settings of nearby heritage assets including Powers Farm, Peverel’s Farm, Park Farm, Channels, Belsteads and those on Wheelers Hill/Cranham Road;
  • Provide suitable SuDs and flood risk management;
  • Appropriate re-phasing of minerals extraction and restoration and Minerals Resource Assessment;
  • Appropriate habitat mitigation and creation;
  • Undertake an Archaeological Assessment.

Design and Layout

  • Development to be planned around a coherent framework of routes, blocks and spaces that deliver areas of distinct character;
  • Layout to provide a coherent network of public open space, formal and informal sport, recreation and community space within the site;
  • Integrate historic and landscape features into the surrounding rural and urban context.

Site Infrastructure Requirements

  • Land (circa 9 hectares) for a co-located secondary school (Use Class D1) and the total cost of physical scheme provision with delivery through the Local Education Authority;
  • Land (circa 2.1 hectares and 2.4 hectares) for two co-located primary schools each with early years and childcare nursery (Use Class D1) and the total cost of physical scheme provision with delivery through the Local Education Authority;
  • Land (circa 0.26 hectares) for two stand-alone early years and childcare nurseries (Use Class D1) and the total cost of physical scheme provision with delivery through the Local Education Authority;
  • Appropriate improvements to the local and strategic road network to include necessary works to Essex Regiment Way as required by the Local Highways Authority;
  • A single carriageway road (Phase 1) of the Chelmsford North East Bypass and a new Radial Distributor Road (RDR2);
  • Appropriate measures to promote and enhance sustainable modes of transport including an extension of Chelmsford Area Bus Based Rapid Transit (ChART) infrastructure and a cycle/footpath bridge over Essex Regiment Way;
  • New and enhanced cycle routes, footpaths, Public Rights of Way and bridleways where appropriate;
  • Financial contributions to the delivery of the Chelmsford North East Bypass (CNEB) beyond the site boundary, rail station and community space and facilities;
  • Provide and/or financial contributions to healthcare provision as required by the NHS/CCG;
  • Provision of and financial contribution to facilitate and sustain car club facilities for residents and businesses with the site and for the use of the wider community;
  • Provide, or make financial contributions to, new or enhanced sport, leisure and recreation facilities;
  • Provide a new Country Park with delivery mechanism to provide for its long-term management and maintenance;
  • New multi-functional green infrastructure including public open space, formal and informal recreation, outdoor sports facilities and allotments;
  • Safeguarded land for the future extension of Chelmer Valley Park and Ride Appropriate flood risk management measures and SuDs;
  • Where appropriate, contributions from developments will be secured towards mitigation measures identified in the Essex Recreational disturbance Avoidance and Mitigation Strategy (RAMS) which will be completed by the time the Local Plan is adopted. Prior to RAMS completion, the authority will seek contributions, where appropriate, from proposed residential development to deliver all measures identified (including strategic measures) through project level HRAs, or otherwise, to mitigate any recreational disturbance impacts in compliance with the Habitats Regulations and Habitats Directive.

The Council will encourage the appropriate development of renewable, low carbon and decentralised energy schemes on this site together with mass waste collection systems where appropriate.

The masterplan will need to be underpinned by Garden City Principles and address and respond to the protected route corridor of the proposed A130 Chelmsford North East Bypass (CNEB).

For more information, please visit Chelmsford’s Local Plan here.