Council leaders have formally adopted new planning guidance that will shape how a major new neighbourhood on the edge of Clacton is developed over the coming decades.
Hartley Gardens— west of Brook Retail Park and north of St John’s Road — is expected to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next 20 years.
The principle of development was already agreed in Tendring District Council’s (TDC) Local Plan – but the council’s cabinet has now approved guidance on how the site should be developed, including layout, design, infrastructure, green spaces and community facilities.
The decision comes following a public consultation on the draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), which ran for six weeks earlier this autumn.
Residents, businesses and stakeholders were invited to take part in the consultation, which included two public drop‑in events attended by nearly 100 people.
In total, 24 written responses were submitted, covering issues such as traffic and congestion on St John’s Road and Little Clacton Road, capacity within local healthcare services, and environmental concerns including biodiversity, drainage and flood risk.
The results of the consultation were considered by the council’s Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee earlier this month, where councillors endorsed the revised SPD and recommended its adoption.
In response to the feedback received, the document has been strengthened in several key areas, including clearer guidance on bus services, cycling, walking and Vision Zero highway safety principles (an approach aiming to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries); a requirement for Health Impact Assessments and greater clarity around the delivery of flexible community facilities; enhanced standards for sustainable drainage systems; additional ecological measures such as swift bricks (nesting bricks for swifts built into walls) and hedgehog highways (small gaps in fences to allow hedgehogs to move safely between gardens); and reinforced expectations around inclusive design and Secured by Design principles (national standards for crime prevention through design).
The revised SPD was formally adopted by the council at a meeting of its cabinet on Friday, 19 December.
Councillor Andy Baker, TDC Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, said: “I want to thank everyone who took part in the consultation.
“Their feedback has helped shape a stronger, clearer and more ambitious planning framework for Hartley Gardens.
“This is about creating not just new homes, but a well‑designed community with the right infrastructure, green spaces and services to support residents for years to come.
“With the SPD now adopted, we have a solid foundation in place as this important development begins to move forward.”
The SPD will now be used as a material consideration when planning applications for the site are submitted.
The first planning application for Hartley Gardens is expected in early 2026, with development anticipated to begin in 2029.
