Colchester City Council Preferred Options Local Plan Regulation 18 Consultation 2025

Paragraph 12.31 - Eight Ash Green

As set out in Bloor Homes’ representations to draft Policy ST5 and ST5.2 there is a clear need for additional site allocations to be made to ensure that the new Local Plan is capable of meeting the minimum Standard Method housing need. At present, the strategic approach to building a robust supply is not justified and is inflexible. The proposed supply would not be capable of responding to changes in the housing market during the Plan period. Furthermore, the supply of proposed site allocations contains several sites where capacity (no. of dwellings) has been overestimated.

Moving forward towards the Pre-Submission stage it appears inevitable that, alongside reviewing the above matters, the Council will need to make additional site allocations for residential development. In making new site allocations the Council will need to follow their chosen Spatial Strategy to deliver growth and have due regard for the proposed Settlement Hierarchy which ranks existing settlements based on their sustainability credentials. As set out in Bloor Homes’ representations to draft Policy ST3, Eight Ash Green is a sustainable settlement capable of accommodating housing growth.

Bloor Homes notes that Eight Ash Green has been assigned two draft site allocations for residential development which have been assigned a capacity of approximately 180 and approximately 250 dwellings in the Pre-Submission Local Plan (POLP).

Over the course of 2025, Bloor Homes has had some engagement with the Parish Council regarding their ongoing promotion of the ‘Land south of Halstead Road, Eight Ash Green’. The site has a Strategic Land Availability Assessment (SLAA) reference of ID10264 and is not currently identified as a draft site allocation. The feedback from this engagement has informed Bloor Homes’ decision to review the proposals put forward at the previous ‘Call for Sites’ stage in 2023/24. Parish Council representatives have confirmed to Bloor Homes that they see merit in the emerging proposals and they have requested the delivery of formal youth facilities as part of the development. In response to this request the submitted Masterplan supporting the representations provides a skate park. Bloor Homes are still flexible as to the type of facility that could be provided and would welcome further engagement on this matter in due course. Bloor Homes see this project as a unique opportunity for a housebuilder to work closely with the community and Parish Council to bring forward a high-quality development which would assist in addressing local needs.

A new and amended proposal is being promoted for allocation by these representations and supporting material. The site has increased in area to 15.96ha to include additional land parcels to the east. The additional land has been subject to previous assessment in the SLAA as standalone parcels. The parcels were identified as a potential area for growth by the Council, worthy of consideration, in the preparation of the now adopted Local Plan.

In light of the extension to the site a new Framework Masterplan has been prepared. The Masterplan demonstrates that the capacity of the site has risen to around 250 dwellings across a developable area of 6.95 hectares. This equates to a density of approximately 35 dwellings per hectare.

The Masterplan also now provides:

• A main access for vehicles and pedestrians located at the western end of the site off Halstead Road. A further potential pedestrian access is shown off Halstead Road at the eastern end of the site. The additional access point can deliver more convenient and direct access to the service provision located at the eastern end of the village (when compared to the original ID10264 proposals).

• The highway access strategy will include the provision of a new footway along the south side of Halstead Road and formal pedestrian crossing facilities. This will ensure the development integrates successfully with the local highway network and that there is a safe crossing facility for all users.

• A comprehensive green infrastructure and landscaping offer which includes public open space of varying typologies including: community parkland, skate park, amenity space, landscaping and water attenuation. The public open space will significantly exceed local policy requirements.

• A proposal which is capable of delivering on-site biodiversity enhancements and green infrastructure offer which can provide a positive and attractive buffer to the neighbouring Local Wildlife Site, to the south.

• Proposed new homes which can be delivered whilst respecting on-site utilities constraints and the amenity of existing dwellings adjacent to the site’s northern and eastern boundaries.

The site as identified on the submitted Site Location Plan, Masterplan and Vision Document is suitable, available and achievable. To demonstrate the suitability of the site, additional Technical Notes on Highways, Landscape, Ecology and Heritage have also been provided (emailed to the Council separately). The Council’s previous concerns regarding the site feeling isolated and not connected to the village have been addressed through the proposed site access strategy and extension of the site to include land parcels, to the east.

The site can help the Council deliver a robust housing supply to meet its Standard Method need. Indeed, as set out in representations to Policy ST5 and Table ST5.2 additional allocations are required to deliver a Local Plan capable of delivering its minimum housing requirement. The site proposal should be subject to a new SLAA appraisal and Sustainability Appraisal. These appraisals should then be published as part of or prior to the Pre-Submission Local Plan consultation. Bloor Homes believe that there is a clear and robust case for the site to be allocated for residential development in accordance with the Framework Masterplan provided.

The entirety of the site is suitable, available and deliverable. It is likely that the western half of the proposed development, previously promoted by Bloor under SLAA ID 10264, would come forward as an early phase given the location of the site access.

Bloor Homes will continue to progress their design and technical work and will look to deliver the site as soon as practically possible. Bloor Homes will also continue to proactively engage with Eight Ash Green Parish Council and would welcome further engagement with the City Council regarding the site and its potential to assist in meeting local housing needs. This point is particularly important as the Council cannot currently demonstrate a five-year housing land supply; and the current shortfall in supply will substantially increase in February 2026 when the adopted Local Plan becomes five years old.

The proposed Spatial Strategy seeks to deliver housing growth to the most sustainable and accessible locations in Colchester. This includes directing appropriate and proportionate levels of growth to Large, Medium and Small Settlements, in accordance with the Settlement Hierarchy.

The Council’s evidence underpinning the proposed Spatial Strategy and Settlement Hierarchy is set out in the Preferred Options Spatial Strategy Topic Paper and the Settlement Evidence Report (Stage 1 and Stage 2). The Settlement Hierarchy set out at page 23 of the Preferred Options Local Plan (POLP) six tiers of settlements or locations. Eight Ash Green falls within the ‘Medium Settlements’ tier, along with twelve other settlements. Bloor Homes support Eight Ash Green’s identification as a ‘Medium Village’. Owing to its size and service provision, the settlement is clearly capable of supporting sustainable levels of housing growth during the new planning period.

In light of its sustainability credentials and position in the Settlement Hierarchy, Eight Ash Green is currently assigned to deliver 430 dwellings across two sites during the plan period. The availability of additional sites should be considered further by the Council in the lead up to the Pre-Submission consultation stage. Indeed, Bloor Homes are promoting Land to the south of Halstead Road, Eight Ash Green for residential development of around 250 dwellings.

It is noted that the ‘Medium Settlement’ of Langham is assigned to deliver 910 dwellings over the plan period. This is 480 dwellings more than any other ‘Medium Settlement’ and significantly higher than any of the ‘Larger Settlements’ identified in the Settlement Hierarchy. Whilst Bloor Homes acknowledge that to some extent the availability of land will inform the size of proposed site allocations, the current figure for Langham is disproportionately high in comparison to other sustainable settlements such as Eight Ash Green (and a range of others). Further evidence is required to justify the proposed approach.

The Preferred Options Local Plan (POLP) seeks to address the Government's Standard Method housing need for Colchester in full. This equates to 1,300 dwellings per annum and 20,800 dwellings across the proposed plan period 2025-2041. The principle of the Council seeking to meet their Standard Method need is supported by Bloor Homes and accords with the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF notes that meeting the Standard Method should be seen as a ‘minimum’ and this policy is carried forward in the draft NPPF published for consultation in December 2025. ‘Positive’ plan making to deliver new homes at suitable and available sites is a key priority for the Government and will continue to sit at the heart of national planning policy.

To meet the minimum requirement, at paragraph 3.37 of the POLP states that the Council has a committed supply of 6,117 homes made up of sites with planning permission and other sites with evidence to support early delivery. In this regard, it is contended by Bloor Homes that the Council currently has a 3.63-year housing land supply compared to the published position of 5.05 against the adopted Local Plan requirement. Thus, there is in excess of 1,000 dwellings in the Council’s supply which do not meet the NPPF’s definition of deliverable. In addition, paragraph 3.38 states that 1,700 dwellings of the Council’s supply during the Plan period will come from the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community. The deliverability of all these sites/dwellings needs to be evidenced by the Council at the Pre-Submission consultation stage.

In addition to the 7,817 dwellings identified above, paragraph 3.39 states that 2,200 dwellings (200 per annum) will come forwards as Windfall Sites. Accordingly, the Council contend that they have an initial supply of 10,017 dwellings over the Plan period. Table ST5.1 states that the other proposed site allocations in the POLP will deliver 11,089 new dwellings.

The POLP therefore stands to deliver 21,106 against a Standard Method need of 20,800 which results in a relatively limited buffer of +306 dwellings. This is the equivalent of a 1.4% buffer against the proposed housing requirement. This approach provides very limited flexibility in the Council’s overarching strategy to deliver the housing Colchester needs. Should the delivery of a small number of sites stall, there is limited flexibility and headroom for the Council to bring alternative sites forward at a faster pace. This approach could ultimately jeopardise housing delivery in Colchester. The importance of this point is made even more acute when considering that 10.5% of the proposed supply is accounted for by delivery at Windfall Sites at which delivery is not guaranteed or proactively planned for by the Council in terms of site identification.

Bloor Homes support and recommend the inclusion of a 10% buffer in proposed supply against the Standard Method minimum housing requirement. This should be achievable given the extent of sites promoted in sustainable locations via the Strategic Land Availability Assessment (SLAA) process and seemingly the strong record the Council has in terms of delivering Windfall sites.

Bloor Homes urge the Council to proactively plan to meet its minimum housing need in full. This can be achieved by making robust site allocations at deliverable sites and incorporating a sufficient buffer in the proposed supply of sites to allow flexibility over the plan period. The current approach, set out in the POLP, will inevitably lead to a shortfall in housing supply during the Plan period. It is apparent that additional site allocations for major residential development are required.

Finally, it is noted that a housing trajectory outlining delivery rates and projected site commencements has not been provided as part of the POLP. At the Pre-Submission consultation a housing trajectory should be provided to allow further review of the proposed site allocations and their ability to deliver dwellings across the plan period.

Table ST5.2 Local Plan Housing Allocations

Bloor Homes notes the proposed site allocations for housing set out at Table ST5.2 of the Preferred Options Local Plan (POLP). The National Planning Policy Framework (2024) (NPPF) seeks Local Plans to identify a sufficient supply of and mix of housing sites. The new draft NPPF (2025) seeks Local Plans to identify a sufficient supply and mix of sites to meet or exceed the Plan’s housing requirements. The assessment of potentially suitable sites should be in accordance with the published GOV.UK tool and guidance. The new NPPF specifically references the need for proposed allocations to be subject to an assessment of their capacity (Policy PM2c) which also takes into account infrastructure requirements.

Bloor Homes acknowledge that paragraphs 4.3-4.6 of the Site Allocations: Process Topic Paper (October 2025) provides some detail of how site allocation capacity is determined in general terms. Bloor Homes also notes that the ‘Summary of Site Evidence’ (October 2025) document provides high level reasoning and justification as to why a site allocation is proposed, however, the document does not provide an assessment of capacity or any detail regarding site capacity. Similarly, the Strategic Land Availability Assessment (SLAA) Site Assessment Report Stage 2 reviews the suitability, achievability and availability of proposed site allocations – but no assessment of site capacity.

In light of the above Bloor Homes has undertaken a high-level capacity review of all the proposed site allocations barring the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community. In undertaking this work, Bloor Homes has applied a 35 dwellings per hectare density and a developable area of 65% of the site area. Whilst it is acknowledged that this work is high-level it indicates that the site capacity at over 10 proposed draft allocation sites may have been overestimated. The implications of the potential inaccuracies in the Council’s site assessment process would result in the under delivery of approximately 1,100 new homes over the Plan period.

In making draft allocations the Council should have due regard for a site’s planning history. This includes carefully reviewing the detail of any previous planning decisions relating to a site made by the Council or Planning Inspectorate. It is acknowledged by Bloor Homes that in some cases previous reasons for refusal can be addressed through design amendments or by undertaking additional technical work. Despite this potential to overcome previous issues, Bloor Homes contend that at least one of the proposed allocations in the urban area of Colchester is not suitable based on the conclusions of an Appeal decision.

Bloor Homes’ representations to draft Policy ST5 already outline various concerns regarding the uncertainty and inflexibility of the Council’s proposed approach to making site allocations sufficient to meet the minimum housing requirements. The issue of sites potentially being identified with capacities greater than what is likely achievable would further jeopardise the Council’s and the Local Plan’s ability to deliver the new homes Colchester needs.

The above matters need to be investigated thoroughly by the Council as part of work leading towards the next Pre-Submission consultation stage. Based on the information provided to date it appears that additional site allocations for major residential development are required to meet the 21,106 dwelling supply figure put forward in the Plan.

Bloor Homes are promoting land for residential development at ‘Land south of Halstead Road, Eight Ash Green’. The promotion is supported by technical work and a Vision Document which demonstrates the site’s ability to deliver around 250 dwellings alongside public open space and community infrastructure. This site can assist the Council in proposing a robust supply of housing as part of the Local Plan.

Paragraph 12.31 - Eight Ash Green

As set out in Bloor Homes’ representations to draft Policy ST5 and ST5.2 there is a clear need for additional site allocations to be made to ensure that the new Local Plan is capable of meeting the minimum Standard Method housing need. At present, the strategic approach to building a robust supply is not justified and is inflexible. The proposed supply would not be capable of responding to changes in the housing market during the Plan period. Furthermore, the supply of proposed site allocations contains several sites where capacity (no. of dwellings) has been overestimated.

Moving forward towards the Pre-Submission stage it appears inevitable that, alongside reviewing the above matters, the Council will need to make additional site allocations for residential development. In making new site allocations the Council will need to follow their chosen Spatial Strategy to deliver growth and have due regard for the proposed Settlement Hierarchy which ranks existing settlements based on their sustainability credentials. As set out in Bloor Homes’ representations to draft Policy ST3, Eight Ash Green is a sustainable settlement capable of accommodating housing growth.

Bloor Homes notes that Eight Ash Green has been assigned two draft site allocations for residential development which have been assigned a capacity of approximately 180 and approximately 250 dwellings in the Pre-Submission Local Plan (POLP).

Over the course of 2025, Bloor Homes has had some engagement with the Parish Council regarding their ongoing promotion of the ‘Land south of Halstead Road, Eight Ash Green’. The site has a Strategic Land Availability Assessment (SLAA) reference of ID10264 and is not currently identified as a draft site allocation. The feedback from this engagement has informed Bloor Homes’ decision to review the proposals put forward at the previous ‘Call for Sites’ stage in 2023/24. Parish Council representatives have confirmed to Bloor Homes that they see merit in the emerging proposals and they have requested the delivery of formal youth facilities as part of the development. In response to this request the submitted Masterplan supporting the representations provides a skate park. Bloor Homes are still flexible as to the type of facility that could be provided and would welcome further engagement on this matter in due course. Bloor Homes see this project as a unique opportunity for a housebuilder to work closely with the community and Parish Council to bring forward a high-quality development which would assist in addressing local needs.

A new and amended proposal is being promoted for allocation by these representations and supporting material. The site has increased in area to 15.96ha to include additional land parcels to the east. The additional land has been subject to previous assessment in the SLAA as standalone parcels. The parcels were identified as a potential area for growth by the Council, worthy of consideration, in the preparation of the now adopted Local Plan.

In light of the extension to the site a new Framework Masterplan has been prepared. The Masterplan demonstrates that the capacity of the site has risen to around 250 dwellings across a developable area of 6.95 hectares. This equates to a density of approximately 35 dwellings per hectare.

The Masterplan also now provides:

• A main access for vehicles and pedestrians located at the western end of the site off Halstead Road. A further potential pedestrian access is shown off Halstead Road at the eastern end of the site. The additional access point can deliver more convenient and direct access to the service provision located at the eastern end of the village (when compared to the original ID10264 proposals).

• The highway access strategy will include the provision of a new footway along the south side of Halstead Road and formal pedestrian crossing facilities. This will ensure the development integrates successfully with the local highway network and that there is a safe crossing facility for all users.

• A comprehensive green infrastructure and landscaping offer which includes public open space of varying typologies including: community parkland, skate park, amenity space, landscaping and water attenuation. The public open space will significantly exceed local policy requirements.

• A proposal which is capable of delivering on-site biodiversity enhancements and green infrastructure offer which can provide a positive and attractive buffer to the neighbouring Local Wildlife Site, to the south.

• Proposed new homes which can be delivered whilst respecting on-site utilities constraints and the amenity of existing dwellings adjacent to the site’s northern and eastern boundaries.

The site as identified on the submitted Site Location Plan, Masterplan and Vision Document is suitable, available and achievable. To demonstrate the suitability of the site, additional Technical Notes on Highways, Landscape, Ecology and Heritage have also been provided (emailed to the Council separately). The Council’s previous concerns regarding the site feeling isolated and not connected to the village have been addressed through the proposed site access strategy and extension of the site to include land parcels, to the east.

The site can help the Council deliver a robust housing supply to meet its Standard Method need. Indeed, as set out in representations to Policy ST5 and Table ST5.2 additional allocations are required to deliver a Local Plan capable of delivering its minimum housing requirement. The site proposal should be subject to a new SLAA appraisal and Sustainability Appraisal. These appraisals should then be published as part of or prior to the Pre-Submission Local Plan consultation. Bloor Homes believe that there is a clear and robust case for the site to be allocated for residential development in accordance with the Framework Masterplan provided.

The entirety of the site is suitable, available and deliverable. It is likely that the western half of the proposed development, previously promoted by Bloor under SLAA ID 10264, would come forward as an early phase given the location of the site access.

Bloor Homes will continue to progress their design and technical work and will look to deliver the site as soon as practically possible. Bloor Homes will also continue to proactively engage with Eight Ash Green Parish Council and would welcome further engagement with the City Council regarding the site and its potential to assist in meeting local housing needs. This point is particularly important as the Council cannot currently demonstrate a five-year housing land supply; and the current shortfall in supply will substantially increase in February 2026 when the adopted Local Plan becomes five years old.