Residents across Tendring are helping to shape the next version of the district’s Local Plan – the blueprint for future growth that could guide the location for 18,000 homes, new jobs and community facilities over the next couple of decades.

This follows a major public consultation on draft proposals earlier this year.

At a meeting of Tendring District Council’s (TDC) Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee on 8 June, councillors considered the main issues and comments raised by residents and other interested parties during the six-week consultation on the Preferred Options Draft Local Plan, alongside suggestions for how the plan could be refined.

The plan is being reviewed in response to the introduction of Government-imposed housebuilding targets, which have almost doubled Tendring’s annual requirement from 550 homes to nearly 1,070 per year. The new targets are requiring the Council to plan for 18,000 new homes up to 2043, which is almost 8,000 more than would have been expected from developments that were already in the pipeline.

To meet these additional requirements for housing up to 2043 and to set the direction for growth in the longer-term, draft proposals included three new garden villages at Hare Green, Horsley Cross and Weeley, a major expansion at Harwich, and growth around other towns and villages, and locations with railway stations.

The public consultation, held between February and March, attracted more than 620 formal responses and around 700 people spoke directly with planning officers at five drop-in exhibitions and meetings with town and parish councils.

Key issues raised by residents included pressure on transport and infrastructure, the capacity of schools and healthcare services, impacts on the countryside, and whether development on this scale is realistic or will be matched by jobs with affordable homes for local people.

Provisional changes include the deletion or reduction of a number of sites across the district, including the remove the proposal for 300 homes on land east of Church Road, Brightlingsea, following significant public objections and concerns raised by the town council. An alternative approach of distributing growth across a number of smaller sites will be explored.

A further recommendation is to remove the proposal for 200 homes on land off Arthur Ransome Way, Walton, in light of specific issues raised by Essex Wildlife Trust and concerns raised by the public.

Amended recommendations were agreed as a basis for further work and will inform the next version of the plan, which will be published for further consultation later this year.

Councillor Andy Baker, TDC’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, said: “I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation, particularly our town and parish councils, for their constructive engagement,” he said.

“The concerns raised are fair and reflect many of those identified by councillors and officers, particularly around infrastructure, local services and the balance of jobs and affordable homes.

“While we recognise the proposals will not be universally popular, the scale of development is driven by increased Government housing targets.

“We must plan positively to ensure that Tendring is left in the best possible position – and that we secure the infrastructure, jobs and community facilities needed alongside these mandatory targets.”

Councillor Carlo Guglielmi, Chairman of the Planning Policy and Local Plan Committee, added that the level of public engagement had been significant.

“There were more than 620 formal responses and hundreds of conversations with residents during the public consultation - and our officers held specifically tailored sessions with all parish and town councils where sites have been identified for development,” he said.

“That feedback is invaluable, and it’s clear there are strong views about the scale and impact of development.

“The Local Plan is one of the most important documents the council produces, shaping how Tendring grows over the coming decades, and we are listening carefully as we shape the next stage of the plan.”

Officers will now continue detailed analysis of consultation responses and undertake further technical work to strengthen the evidence base.

It is expected the plan will be submitted to Government in late 2026, followed by examination by a planning inspector in 2027 and adoption later that year.

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