National picture

The big change at national level is, obviously, that there is a new government. It is the first time the Labour Party has won an election since 2005. The Government is still very new – the election was less than three months ago – but some important shifts, affecting planning, have already taken place.  The part of government with responsibility for planning is now called the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The Secretary of State is Rt Hon Angela Rayner, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister. She has indicated that tackling the country’s housing crisis is one of her top priorities, and she has already launched a new Bill, the Renters’ Rights Bill, to help tackle problems in the private rental market. Her Ministry has also held a major consultation on proposals to reform the National Planning Policy Framework in England. The proposed changes will affect housing, infrastructure, the cost of planning applications, and much else besides. It will probably not be until early in 2025 that the results from the consultation are made public, but they are likely to mean changes for every part of the country, including Maldon. The Committee will monitor the situation closely and let you know as soon as are in a position to assess what it might mean for our town.

 

Local news

The last few months have been fairly quiet at the local level – possibly because people have been waiting to see what the new Government might do, but possibly also because of more general economic uncertainties.  Maldon District Council turned down the application to redevelop the Friary East into flats; and the developers who looked as if they might submit plans for the field near Maldon Hall Farm have not brought anything forward.

 

The developers Crest Nicholson, responsible for the Wycke Place development, were in merger talks with Bellway Homes, but talks collapsed in August. It remains to be seen what effect this has on the pace of development at the site. It is also interesting to note that the developers of the huge scheme between Broad Street Green and Maypole Road (‘up to 1,138 dwellings’) applied in July 2024 to have some of the terms of their s106 agreement eased.

 

Perhaps most importantly for Maldonians, a meeting to consider the results from the consultation on the future of St Peters Hospital was scheduled for 30th September. That decision has now been postponed

 

Air quality

Maldon District Council have recently introduced a 'Clean Air Route' on Market Hill. The non-charging 'Clean Air Route' is a voluntary scheme whereby vehicle drivers are asked to use the bypass to access the town centre rather than using Market Hill. If the number of vehicles using the Hill could be reduced by 20%, modelling suggests that the air quality would reach the required standard. The Maldon Society of course supports the ambition to improve air quality on Market Hill, and we encourage you to look at all the details on the Maldon District Council website, here https://www.maldon.gov.uk/info/20099/pollution/9148/air_quality/3 (or you can just search by typing 'Maldon District Council' and 'Air quality'. Air quality is just one of the transport challenges facing Maldon as we all try to move around - improving safety, taking advantage of the new opportunities provided by electric vehicles, ensuring accessibility and promoting 'active travel' such as walking, wheeling and cycling are all part of the mix. I will be looking at these issues over the coming months, and we shall keep you posted on how it goes.