More houses, more vehicles. Road infrastructure already bad, narrow roads and potholes. Bus service hourly and unreliable. High tides, accidents, traffic lights all add to considerable delays, sometimes 2 hours and 2 miles or more which can include school transport, buses, hospital transportation. Already not an ideal situation especially
if there is any form of emergency either on the island or in the vehicles.
Population increases in the summer due to the influx of holiday makers and day trippers. I don't think this island can sustain any more increase in housing, population and vehicles without putting lives at risk.

Currently the local doctors are not taking on any new patients so anyone moving to the Island has go to a doctor several miles away.
Dawes Lane is a narrow road which at one end joins East Mersea Road, another narrow road, and at the other end East Road.
One way off the Island is via East Road onto Mill Road at a basic T-junction with a restricted view, then onto Colchester Road to the Strood.
The other way off is via East Mersea Road which links to Colchester Road via a simple T-junction at a sharp bend, onto the Strood. There are already queues at many times of the day in East Mersea Road at this junction.
The Strood is covered with sea water at least sixteen times a month at various heights making it impassable although often vehicles try to cross and get stuck causing long tailbacks either side of the Strood. These car drivers then have to be rescued by either the Fire Service, at great expense, or the lifeboat. The police also often attend.
When vehicles cannot cross the Strood tailbacks go back as far as Abberton 4 miles away causing major problems for emergency vehicles heading for the Island.
There is only one bus an hour in either direction and this only goes to Osborne Street in Colchester where another bus takes passengers to Colchester North Station or the hospital. When the Strood is flooded these buses do not run.
Whilst the population of the Island is currently about 8000, this increases to around 17000 during the summer with day visitors and those staying at the many caravan sites.
Increasing the population of the Island by around 12.5% will only make things more difficult for everyone both those already living on the Island and visitors.

The island has had much development over the past few years and is pretty well at capacity. The roads are too narrow for the amount of traffic. The Dr Surgery is not accepting new patients. The age of the population is higher than local average at around 50% over 65. The transport provision is very weak, no direct buses to the station in Colchester. The sewage system is at capacity and as a cold water swimmer I am concerned about discharges. The island is home to many sea birds, their habitat is being eroded.
All told not a good idea

When the current Dawes Lane development was under comment I raised the issue of the road infrastructure. Dawes Lane is too narrow for the number of houses currently being developed and will certainly be too narrow for a further 300 dwellings. The road is inadequate and currently needs widening.
A further 300 homes will also put the sewer system at Cross Lane under intense pressure especially in the summer months and is most likely inadequate unless it is enlarged/updated.

1. Mersea has already undertaken a Local Plan exercise within recent years and we are unsure why this will supersede the results of this extensive consultation.
2. Medical services: the West Mersea surgery is up to capacity and closed to new registrations. We gather local village surgeries are also near or at capacity. It is significant that Mersea and Pyefleet ward has 38% of people aged 65+ - double the national average, on Mersea itself it is probably nearer 50% making it one of the highest in the UK with a likely uplifted need for medical services as a result.
3. Mersea’s location with only the one access road (The Strood) and being also at the ‘end of a road’ means that transport issues are very significant. Lack of bus access, including no direct bus to the main railway station and a higher percentage of Mersea residents not having a car as they have given up their driving licence due to age should be noted.
4. Mersea is in good part a seasonal resort and as such does not provide the population with all year jobs on Island meaning that off-Island travel is often required for sufficient income. Additionally, and somewhat connected as a resort, is that large number of tourists come to the island in the summer months and the capacity of the island to cope with the extra population leaves the infrastructure under strain.
5. We have mentioned The Strood as being the ONLY access road to the island. For emergency evacuation this obviously would present a huge problem. The population today is now roughly double what it was when Bradwell was a working nuclear power station. The government is actively considering sites for new nuclear power stations – including all former nuclear sites and so Mersea could still be at risk from this particular scenario.
6. Again regarding the Strood restricted access: rising sea levels mean that in 25 years’ time the Strood will be covered on roughly twice as many days a month as now.
7. As mentioned earlier we live very close to the current western Dawes Lane development. Whilst the developers (Mersea Homes) are as considerate as they need to be it still results in a noisy and smelly neighbourhood especially when the wind is in the north. Additionally a local estate agent has downgraded the value of our property by £25k – £35k and indicated an extra difficulty selling whilst the approx. 4+ year development continues for the 100 houses proposed.
8. It is also noticeable that due to the current development the major access road to the site, that is Dawes Lane, has suffered as a result with attendant dangers to other traffic. Dawes Lane is relatively narrow and ordinary observation will see that in places the edges have large ‘break-aways’ and deep pot-holes where the lorries have had to move over to allow traffic to pass. Especially after dark and in rain these areas pose a real risk to ordinary cars and cycles that cannot easily see the danger.

previously completed

The infrastructure, social and otherwise, is lacking on the island

Healthcare
Have owned property here 8 years, occupied it 3 years, cannot access Doctor/Dentist. How will additional population be accommodated?
Access
One way on/off. Regularly flooded, no direct bus link to nearest station 9 miles away.
Services
Infrastructure not designed to support population level proposed. Risks pollution incidents and service failures.
Employment
Little employment on Island. 300 properties would generate minimum 300 vehicles, leaving/returning daily for work off Island.
Education
One primary, no secondary school. All 11 and overs bused/driven to Colchester schools. More traffic/more pollution.
Unique Environment
Home to diverse resident/migratory species over development endangers this detracts from Island's appeal.

These are my comments as to why I strongly object to this development :-

1. Access to Health and Social Care: - Mersea and Pyefleet ward has 38% of people aged 65+ - double the national average, on Mersea itself it is probably nearer 50% making it one of the highest in the UK.

2. Environmental issues:- a further upgrade to the sewage works will be required to avoid the extra sewage from the increased population and also the extra storm discharges since rainwater cannot get into the developed land which affects the oyster industry and tourism.

3. Transport issues:- there is no direct bus to the railway station and a significant number of Mersea residents do not have a car as they have given up their driving licence due to age.

4. Economic issues:- there is a lack of all year round jobs on the island.

5. Impact of Tourism:- the caravan sites still have extra land for development, and with so many caravans and lodges being occupied for up to 11 months a year the population has doubled. This means that with the large number of tourists who come to the island in the summer months they cannot be coped with adequately.

6. Emergency evacuation: the population today is now roughly double what it was when Bradwell was a working nuclear power station. The government is still actively considering sites for new nuclear power stations – including all former nuclear sites. We only have one road off the island!

7. Island issues: - Mersea is unique – the Strood, rising sea levels – mean that in 25 years’ time the Strood will be covered on twice as many days a month as now. There is also a wealth of scientific research on the unique importance of marine islands especially for rare species- more than 100 species of bird have been seen here – some nationally ‘red rated’ and they need protection.

1.Transport is inadequate. Bus reduced from 30 mins to one an hour meaning excessive stranding; the service stops an hour before until an hour after high tide.
2. Cars and emergency vehicles cannot cross The Strood at high tide stranding residents, students (there is no secondary school on the island) and tradesmen.
3. The medical facilities are inadequate; GP surgery already closed to new patients.
4 Parking is wholly inadequate; island population doubles with caravan dwellers plus day-trippers.
5. More houses equals more pollution; there are already unacceptable discharges.
6. Electric supply inadequate; there are already many supply failures.

over the last three + years Mersea Island has had two major building projects start.The island is only 5x2 miles (approx 7 sq miles)
As it stands because we are a holiday destination the population swells by two thirds every summer and this head count must be considered on the application
As you may already know the doctor has closed its book to any new patients so even the new build residents have to go off the island.
the sewage centre is running on full capacity
the water pressure is more like a trickle

This is too many houses for Mersea. The infrastructure cannot cope. The GP surgery is already closed to new patients. The water and sanitation is struggling. The tides are covering the Strood more and more and it is a unique problem to the Island. I strongly object.

The future addition of another 200 homes on West Mersea is unsustainable, with a lack of medical facilities, narrow roads in the area of development and the overstretched utilities. The water supply to the island is constantly leaking due to having to over pressure to meet demand. No consideration has been taken into account of the summer increase in population due to the holiday caravan sites.

Do any of councillors live at Mersea? Have you ever tried to get an appointment with an island doctor or dentist; neither of which are accepting new patients? I understand the need for so-called "affordable" homes but developers do not build them for lack of profit and youngsters can't afford them anyway. Dawes Lane is very narrow and as part of the current development (to the west of the Lane) the developers should have been made to widen the road and provide a footpath. No new houses please without new infrastructure.

I think it is not right to build more houses in West Mersea until the sewer system is improved and as for Dawes Lane, the road is NOT suitable for more traffic due to it being VERY narrow.

I object to future new building on West Mersea Island, Essex. Due to the current infrastructure currently being challenged. The Doctors surgery, The School and other requirements etc. I think further liaison or consultation with our current and living residents would be advantageous.

To the Local Plan Team,
​I am writing to express my strong objection to the proposed allocation of 300 new dwellings at the East of Dawes Lane (Policy PP23). As a resident of West Mersea, I believe the designation of our town as a "sustainable hub" for this level of growth is fundamentally flawed due to critical infrastructure deficits.
​My objections are based on the following evidence:
​1. Critical Access and Safety (The Strood)
West Mersea is unique due to its island nature. The B1025 (The Strood) is the only road on and off the island.
​Tidal Issues: The road is regularly covered by high tides, cutting off access completely. Adding 300 households (potentially 600+ additional cars) will create dangerous congestion immediately before and after tide times.
​Emergency Access: When the Strood is impassable or congested, emergency services cannot reach residents efficiently. Increasing the population without an alternative access route poses a severe safety risk.
​2. Healthcare Capacity
The infrastructure to support residents' health simply does not exist.
​The local medical practice is already overwhelmed. As noted by the Town Council, the patient list has been effectively closed to new patients.
​It is unsustainable to build 300 new homes when existing residents already struggle to get appointments. There has been no delivered commitment to increase medical facility capacity to match previous developments, let alone this new proposal.
​3. School Capacity
The local primary school is currently at or near capacity. There is physically limited space for the school to expand. Forcing island children to travel off-island for schooling contradicts the idea of a "sustainable settlement" and adds further traffic to the already strained Strood.
​4. Environmental Impact & Wastewater
I share the Town Council’s concerns regarding the Blackwater Estuary.
​Our wastewater treatment infrastructure is already struggling. Further strain increases the risk of sewage discharge into the estuary, which threatens the environmentally protected zones, the local shellfish industry, and bathing waters.
​5. Cumulative Impact
This proposal for 300 homes is in addition to the 200+ homes already allocated in the 2021-2033 plan. The cumulative effect of over 500 new homes on a tidal island with a single access road and closed medical lists is disproportionate and unsustainable.
​I urge the City Council to remove Policy PP23 from the Local Plan.

The proposed 300 dwellings to the east of Dawes Lane, west Mersea would not be able to access a doctors surgery as it has currently stopped taking new registrations due to over subscription.

Doctors surgery already full so inadequate provision for healthcare.
Increasing homes but no provision for easier or better access to and from the island. More homes then build a bridge.
Waste facilities already stretched to breaking point before extra houses.
Developments on Sanderling Reach and Dawes Lane have already added 300 houses in the last couple of years. The proposed increases will impose proportionally huge change and increase in the population of Mersea

Impact of road access on and off our island.
Environmental concerns affecting black water estuary including wastewater treatment issues affecting both bathing waters and shellfish.
Capacity of medical facilities, list at the moment closed for new patients as capacity has reached to cope.
Limited public transport service because of flooding of strood.
Further impact on our already strained utility structure.
Roads and particularly paths in existing infrastructure in a poor state of repair.

We are a small island with limited access due to tides, we do not have the infrastructure for more houses which will impact the unique environment . We dont have any doctor facilities that arent already over subscribed for example. Roads are always incredibly busy especially in the summer when we get an influx of visitors. We just dont have the resources to have another 300 houses in any area. We have limited access and limited everything.

1, Lack of GP (list closed to new patients), lack of secondary school in the town, poor public transport and no safe active transport route to Colchester.
2, No consideration of tidal flooding on the only access road, situation will get worse over time due to climate change and land movement. No emergency evacuation plan should it ever be needed.
3, if Infrastructure and better access is provided by raising the Strood Causeway above tidal height and improvements to the B1025 to support higher traffic volumes I’d be supportive of more development.

1) Mersea Island's infrastructure cannot support any more housing development and increase in the population. The proposed 300 houses will increase the population by approximately 8-10%, exacerbating the problems listed below..
2) There is only one road on and off the island and this floods twice a day on about 217 days a year (figures from RNLI tide table) for between 20mins and 3 hours per tide, restricting access to the mainland by residents and to the island by emergency vehicles, especially ambulances and police. This will get progressively worse as sea levels rise through climate change.
3) The doctors' surgery is unable to cope with the current population and is not taking on any new patients.
4)The proposed development is on farmland and encroaches further into the rural area of the eastern part of the island. It is accessed by Dawes Lane which is already too narrow for current traffic levels.
5) Public transport to Colchester and its railway station is very limited.

The proposal to add 300 dwellings to the east of Dawes Lane in West Mersea will create even further problems to the local environment already experienced with the latest two developments.
As follows:
Massive increase in traffic noise and pollution, there is always an underestimate as to how many additional vehicles will appear. Local parking provision on new developments is insufficient!
The public utilities are already overstretched, with the doctor's surgery closed to new patients.
Access to the island is restricted by only one road which now floods more frequently than it did just a few years ago.

I would like to object to the planning of 300 additional homes to be built @ Dawes Lane West Mersea. The Island is already under pressure from the constantly flooding Strood - meaning getting on and off the Island in an emergency can be very difficult, especially with the very limited public transport in place. In addition the GP practice remains closed to new patients and there is not sufficient schooling for children. I think that the capacity for new homes In Mersea Island has already been reached and further development will cause severe disruption to an already creaking infrastructure.

Mersea is an island and cannot be treated as a mainland development. With increased housing comes increased sewage (already an issue) particularly in Summer when tourists swell the population 3 fold. On Coast road Anglian Water are called out frequently for overflowing drains.
People moving here are unlikely to find work on the island and would have to cross the Strood to get to work. This is a problem now and will increase as sea levels rise.
Healthcare provision is already a problem :- the practice will not accept new patients :-our son has had to register off the island.

as previous

COLCHESTER CITY COUNCIL REGULATION 18 CONSULTATION

Having seen the Information regarding the proposed further development of housing on Mersea Island, I am writing to express my concerns and objections, which are;

Mersea is a tidal Island that is experiencing Increased tidal surges which greatly restrict access on and off the Island. Roads are suffering from the tidal Incursions and the already increased traffic to and from the island. Emergency service attendance is not guaranteed due to access difficulties, and public transport is greatly limited, with buses not running for 2 hours either side of a high tide - for the duration of at least 4 days, for two weeks of the month. Our sewage system is old and over stretched and wastewater treatment issues have been overlooked and underinvested In. Further housing will exacerbate these issues and potentially cause great environmental damage. Our wildlife both on the land and in the sea a will be affected negatively with the loss of green land and poor regulation of waste water. Our medical services are already overstretched and new arrivals to the island cannot be put on our GP surgery list, to access local care and support at times of need. Our local school is up to capacity, so education for children is a concern for newcomers. The kind of housing that has been recently and is currently being built, is largely for people who are already on the property ladder and who can afford the large, expensive properties available. Therefore local young people are being priced off the island.

With reference to Land East of Dawes Lane, West Mersea, 300 homes, PP23, I object specifically on two grounds: firstly the only GP practise on the island has already closed to new patients so medical capacity must be increased before any additional housing. Secondly the island's infrastructure (specifically water & sewage, internet and roads) are all insufficient for additional housing. Without significant upgrades to these facilities the additional housing would push liveability on the island beyond breaking point.

Services on Mersea Island are already overstretched and providing services to the new housing will inevitably be re-couped unfairly, at least in part, from existing council tax payers.