Comment
Colchester City Council Preferred Options Local Plan Regulation 18 Consultation 2025
Representation ID: 11340
Received: 09/12/2025
Respondent: Mr Community Campaigner David Barton
Please use authentic Traditional Architecture Design Codes as illustrated in my PDF umbrella Representation as these will support all key stakeholders ranging from property owners to the Local Authority itself and the community on strong economic, ecological and environmental grounds. Place a Ban on demolition of buildings constructed prior to 1950 and grant full protection of historic buildings, be these listed, Non-Designated Heritage Assets or otherwise.
Please use authentic Traditional Architecture Design Codes as illustrated in my PDF umbrella Representation as these will support all key stakeholders ranging from property owners to the Local Authority itself and the community on strong economic, ecological and environmental grounds. Place a Ban on demolition of buildings constructed prior to 1950 and grant full protection of historic buildings, be these listed, Non-Designated Heritage Assets or otherwise.
Comment
Colchester City Council Preferred Options Local Plan Regulation 18 Consultation 2025
Representation ID: 11629
Received: 24/12/2025
Respondent: Historic England -East of England
The site is adjacent to the New Town Conservation Area, and three Grade II listed buildings.
Initial assessment
While development at this site may be acceptable, a full Heritage Impact Assessment will be necessary to confirm its suitability from a historic environment perspective and to identify appropriate mitigation measures or opportunities for enhancement. The resulting recommendations should then be incorporated into criterion ‘g’ of the policy.
The site is adjacent to the New Town Conservation Area, and three Grade II listed buildings.
Initial assessment
While development at this site may be acceptable, a full Heritage Impact Assessment will be necessary to confirm its suitability from a historic environment perspective and to identify appropriate mitigation measures or opportunities for enhancement. The resulting recommendations should then be incorporated into criterion ‘g’ of the policy.
Comment
Colchester City Council Preferred Options Local Plan Regulation 18 Consultation 2025
Representation ID: 13785
Received: 14/01/2026
Respondent: Anglian Water Services
Agent: Anglian Water Services
Anglian Water supports the policy criteria i,j,k.
As indicated in our response to Policy EN8, Anglian Water will use
opportunities presented by new development to reduce exposure to
pollution risk in the existing sewer network. As such, we expect new
development to exploit all practicable opportunities to reduce surface water
flow to the combined sewer network, in terms of volume and discharge flow
rate. No new surface water connections to the combined sewer will be
accepted.
See attachment with detailed comments on numerous policies. Anglian Water welcomes the opportunity to contribute comments on the Draft
Local Plan for Colchester City Council. We consider that the Plan is well set out with in relation
to managing flood risk, surface water and wastewater, and enabling water efficiency. We
recognise the challenges for meeting the uplift in housing requirements and the
infrastructure required to help deliver future growth across the district, with the main
focus being Colchester and the larger towns.
We have raised some policy matters relating to consistency between policies addressing surface
water flood risk, water supply, and wastewater, and how these matters are attributed to site
allocation policies.
We look forward to continuing our positive and proactive discussions with the Council in
respect of our comments and the next iteration of the Local Plan, including supporting updates
to the evidence base if required
Comment
Colchester City Council Preferred Options Local Plan Regulation 18 Consultation 2025
Representation ID: 14485
Received: 14/01/2026
Respondent: Essex County Council Spatial Planning
Welcomes inclusion as an opportunity area.
Commentary on public realm/highways improvements surrounding area is welcomed. Additional reference could be made to heritage, landscaping and public realm enhancements planned for St Botolph's Priory and Britannia Car Park (with improved access to Colchester Town Station).
Reference should be made to opportunity area having due regard to principles and ambitions of the City Centre masterplan
LLFA notes that Magdalen Street is within CDA NCOL_003 Abbey Gate. Developments should adhere to the Sustainable Drainage System Guide for Essex and discharge surface water at the 1 in 1 greenfield rate. Rainwater harvesting should be considered.
Officer summary of full submission. See attachment with detailed comments on numerous policies:
The overall message is one of support for CCC undertaking a review of the adopted Local Plan to ensure an up to date plan prepared in accordance with the NPPF is in place. ECC will continue the on-going engagement with CCC, through the Duty (or any replacement), to assist progress of the Plan to Regulation 19 (the Pre-Submission Plan), particularly with regards the strategic and cross boundary implications, including cumulative issues and opportunities arising from growth to ensure that the infrastructure requirements are identified, quantified, costed and phased where appropriate. ECC service areas have clearly outlined where further collaborative work/assessment needs to be undertaken (e.g. education provision and ongoing transportation modelling) to refine and resolve an issue; and ECC will continue to be engaged, alongside NH, on the proposals which have an impact on the A12 strategic transport corridor, in particular A12 junctions 25 to 28, A12 widening and junction improvements, and the A120 Corridor Maks Tey to Braintree.
There is support for the Draft Plan’s vision which covers environmental, social and economic needs and emphasises healthy living environments and green networks, environmental protection and economic growth. There is support that the mandatory housing target will be met in full and exceeded over the Plan period in accordance with the NPPF, and that future employment needs will be met (noting that some clarifications are sought) by providing a range in scale of additional employment land supply. ECC provides strong support for policies related to net zero carbon (in operation and embodied), water efficiency, health and well-being, and the environment (green and blue infrastructure and BNG. Recommendations are made throughout the response on policy wording (including policy omissions) and justification to strengthen clarity, effectiveness and delivery.
There is strong support for the inclusion of site-specific Place Policies and references to infrastructure requirements, but these will need to be reviewed and confirmed with ECC following this consultation and the agreement of a final spatial strategy by CCC. It is noted there are some omissions in the Draft Plan such as the allocation of a new secondary school. On this issue, ECC acknowledges the requirement is stated in the Infrastructure Assessment Delivery Plan (Stage 3) for site allocation PP18 Land North of A120 Marks Tey; and in the Infrastructure Topic Paper prepared by CCC, where Appendix A lists the infrastructure requirements for the preferred options site allocations (including those for education). Land for the secondary school (and all education requirements) will need to be allocated in the Pre-Submission Plan.
The review of the IDP and full plan viability assessment are key documents for ECC engagement and input following this round of consultation. The Viability Assessment will need to be reviewed following consultation to ensure it can align with the most up to date evidence relating to the EPOA net zero development policies and its viability evidence. Mention is also made in the response to specific localities and sites – notably Marks Tey and Langham – where discussion needs to take place and recommendations are made to ensure effective delivery if these proposed allocations are taken forward to the Pre-Submission Plan.