Garden Community

North Essex has seen significant increases in its population – and this is predicted to continue rising in the future.

To meet the demand for new homes, Colchester and Tendring have a legal requirement from central Government to meet ambitious housing delivery targets.

We have looked at all potential options for supporting these additional homes including continuing to expand existing towns and villages.

However, this approach has historically seen new homes built without the necessary expansion of local services to support the needs of the new residents. This also negatively impacts on the quality of life for the existing residents, as well as new ones.

Expanding current villages and towns also pushes new residents away from existing centres, encouraging them to drive to access shops, leisure facilities and places of work.

A new Garden Community gives us the chance to change this in the future by developing a community around the new the new schools, health facilities, and job opportunities.

The new development could also help with issues we are currently facing – including congestion. As part of the plans for the garden community we are looking to develop a Rapid Transit System, potentially a trackless tram, which will improve connectivity and relieve congestion for everyone living, working and visiting the area.

Other examples include the creation of job opportunities, new areas of open space for everyone to enjoy, and specially managed areas of natural space to support wildlife.

If the proposals for the Garden Communities are not taken forward, then the homes needed for North Essex will still need to be built and lots of additional sites will need to be found.

The Tendring/Colchester Borders Garden Community, which would involve the provision of up to 7,500 - 9,000 homes (to be built over many years), is part of a long-term vision of Colchester Borough Council and Tendring District Council in partnership with Essex County Council to help meet the future growth of the area in a more strategic way.

There is a challenge in providing new homes while also protecting our precious wildlife and beautiful countryside.

However, recent developments in the UK and abroad have shown new developments can improve the environment, reduce carbon emissions and improve local biodiversity. There are significant opportunities to learn from these developments including embracing the latest innovations in housing designs as well as exploring how renewable energy can be captured and reused at the Garden Communities.

It is now a national requirement to ensure all new development results in a ‘net gain’ of biodiversity. However, the Garden Community presents an opportunity for us to go far beyond the bare minimum for example by transforming large areas of agricultural land into ‘rewilded’ woodland and other natural habitats.

We have policies set out to ensure that design and infrastructure for the Garden Community will incorporate the highest standards of innovation in energy efficiency and technology to reduce the impact of climate change, ensure water efficiency, and implement sustainable waste / recycling management facilities.

We will ensure the new development does not have an adverse effect on any European Protected or nationally important site and that it complies with environmental legislation.

We have set out in policy our intent that a minimum of 30 percent of new housing in the Garden Community to be classed as affordable (including the potential for more social housing) by the Government’s definition. The affordable housing will be phased through the development.  

Additionally, there is an opportunity to build new housing for specific groups such as older people and people with disabilities.  

This Garden Community will provide a truly balanced and inclusive community. We will make sure it meets the housing needs of local people including a mix of dwelling sizes, tenures and types, provision for self- and custom-built homes, provision for the aging population, and provision for Gypsies and Travellers

The Garden Community will be built to the highest design standards with plenty of green space.

People will have the choice as to how they want to travel around the area. While obviously they could have their own cars, they will also have access to safe and attractive walking and cycling routes, world class public transport and latest green technology supporting electric vehicles close to their homes.

It will also be designed with excellent connectivity for walking and cycling with all neighbourhoods connected by public transport to reduce reliance on cars.

Importantly, through the long-term stewardship of community assets such as green spaces and commercial buildings, residents will have a say over their community and will have a powerful voice in how they are run.

The key aim of the Garden Community is to create high quality environments where communities thrive.

The Garden Community will be designed with jobs close by which are easily accessible, and also promote the move towards increasing home working with superfast broadband.

Ultimately therefore, Garden Communities are all about raising the quality of life of residents.

We are keen to protect the identity of established communities which is why we are promoting a Garden Community and not scattered uncoordinated development.  We will ensure those residents are consulted and informed throughout the development of the new community. 

The Garden Community will be surrounded with green areas while new roads, footpaths, cycleways and a Rapid Transit System will connect surrounding areas to the new settlements to enable everyone to benefit from the new development. Existing communities will be able to benefit from the enhanced community facilities and open spaces provided by the Garden Community.  

The infrastructure and facilities will be paid for through a range of different methods.

Major pieces of infrastructure needed to support the Garden Communities will be funded through central Government. For example, through the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund almost £100million has been given to build the A120/A133 link road for the Garden Community and develop the Rapid Transit System in that part of the town.

Any surplus made through land sales and housing developments would also be used to support the provision of facilities and services supporting the new developments. The certainty of new housing receipts in the future will ensure that this infrastructure can be funded up front.

Essential services such as shops, schools and medical facilities will be located within neighbourhood centres throughout the Garden Community and will be available to serve the community in line with its growth.  

Importantly, these facilities will be delivered on a phase by phase basis, ensuring that new homes are built with the infrastructure to support them. This means as the community grows, so will the infrastructure provided to support it. 

Economic assessments have shown the equivalent of one job per new home built in the Garden Communities is achievable. However, the names of individual firms will only be available when they sign deals to move into actual premises.

Through proper masterplanning work we can ensure job opportunities arrive with any new housing.

There are ten Garden Community principles. These are

• Principle 1 - Green Infrastructure

The Garden Community will provide a generous amount of green space. They will be set within a multi-functional and integrated natural environment; providing space for nature, making the communities more resilient to climate change; promoting healthy lifestyles, and creating beautiful places to live and work.

• Principle 2 - Integrated and Sustainable Transport

The Garden Community will be planned around a step change in integrated and sustainable transport system for the North Essex area, putting walking, cycling and public transit systems at the heart of the development. These will be delivered in a timely way to support the communities as they grow.

• Principle 3 - Employment Opportunity

The Garden Community will seek to provide access to one job per household within the new community or within a short distance by public transport. This will be a key component of creating character and identity and sustainable communities.

• Principle 4 - Living Environment

Walkable, sociable and vibrant neighbourhoods will be a defining characteristic of the Garden Community. A diverse mix of homes responding to existing and future local needs will be provided alongside a range of community services, including health, education, leisure and recreation, culture and shopping.

• Principle 5 – Smart and Sustainable Living

Planned for the 21st Century, the Garden Community will secure a smart and sustainable approach fostering resilient environments and communities able to respond positively to changing circumstances. Innovation and technology will be embraced to achieve a higher quality of life and healthier lifestyles; creating the conditions for sustainable living.

• Principle 6 - Good Design

Through all stages of the planning, design and development of the Garden Community the highest quality of design and management of the built and public realm will be promoted. Existing local assets will be capitalised to help create distinctive places.

• Principle 7 - Community Engagement

The Garden Community is a locally-led initiative, and its development will be shaped through engaging existing communities and emerging new communities; residents will be empowered to contribute to shaping the future of their area.

• Principle 8 - Active Local Stewardship

The Garden Community will be developed and managed in perpetuity with the direct involvement of its residents and businesses; residents will be directly engaged in the long-term management and stewardship, fostering a shared sense of ownership and identity.

• Principle 9 - Strong Corporate & Political Public Leadership

Colchester and Tendring councils will collaborate to provide a clear vision for the Garden Community and commitment to its long-term success. Central to this will be a commitment to high quality placemaking, timely infrastructure provision, and achieving a steady pace of housing and employment delivery.

• Principle 10 - Innovative Delivery Structure

The Garden Community will be delivered through a genuine and pro-active partnership approach between the public and private sectors, where risk and reward are shared and community empowerment enabled.

Absolutely. We are committed to the ‘infrastructure first’ approach. The condition of the road funding we successfully secured requires that it is built on a tight timetable, so it will be delivered during 2024, in time for people to move into the first homes.

Yes, the water companies will supply water to sustain the garden community and future development elsewhere in North Essex.  Water companies are required to prepare Water Resource Management Plans (WRMP) at least once very 5 years to set out how water supply will be managed to meet current and future needs over a minimum period of 25 years.

Planning policies require that supporting infrastructure for the Garden Community is phased alongside development to ensure capacity keeps up with demand.  Some larger facilities such as secondary schools require larger catchment areas to warrant opening.  In these instances, the local authorities will work with infrastructure providers such as the County Council to ensure expansion of adjacent existing facilities as required prior to demand for a new facility reaching critical mass.  Education and health providers have a statutory requirement to meet needs and are continually exploring new delivery methods to address this demand such as increased use of digital communication and shared multi-purpose community facilities.