PLANNING
A key focus of the Society is to keep watch on the weekly planning applications for the town of Maldon, especially its historic centre, and also its immediate surroundings including Langford and Heybridge.
As well as trying to ensure our many buildings of historic or public interest are protected, we seek to ensure that any new developments are appropriate to their visual context and the needs of the town.
Planning report May 2023
Development land adjacent to Maldon Bypass - Environmental assessment report
Each month at the Maldon Society’s public meeting we present details of the latest planning applications submitted to the local authority and up-to-date reviews of pending legislation or items which, in our view, have the potential to affect the local community here in Maldon. There can often be a considerable amount to read and absorb so it has been decided to repeat significant information on our web pages.
At the April 2023 meeting the following item was included:
Reference Number: 23/00180/SCR/EIA
Land west of A414 and south of London Road, Maldon.
Screening opinion request for up to 350 residential dwellings with supporting amenity space, landscaping, green infrastructure, and sustainable drainage systems and means of access. The proposals may also include an extension to Maldon Cemetery and ground mounted photovoltaics.
This is a request from a potential developer to the Maldon District Council for an opinion as to the necessity for an Environmental Assessment before applying for consent to develop land adjoining the A414 Maldon Bypass.
The prospective developer's report concludes (as you might expect) that there will not be any impact upon the fauna, flora, water, air quality, traffic, schools, doctors’ surgeries or in fact anything at all if 350 house are built on this agricultural site.
If accepted by MDC then it follows that, as they have previously identified the site as suitable for development, then an application for planning consent for housing would follow without opposition from them, although there would be the opportunity for public objections at that stage.
The responses from Natural England and Maldon District Council are quite detailed, so we have provided a copy of the full document, whch you can download here.
Natural Englands' view
It is Natural England's advice, on the basis of the material supplied with the consultation, that there are potential likely significant effects on statutorily designated nature conservation sites or landscapes and further assessment is required.
Maldon District Council's view
Whilst it is anticipated that the development would have the potential to have impacts, it is not considered that the effects are likely to be significant and of such a magnitude for the development to be EIA development.
Based on the above, Maldon District Council considers that the proposal would not be EIA development and, therefore, it would not be necessary for an Environmental Statement to be submitted as part of a planning application for the project.