Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community Development Plan Document (DPD)

I support the general spatial approach, but would note that in reality, this development will be a suburb of Colchester, and the residents will be more likely to use services provided in Colchester than in the more distant town centres of the Tendring district. As such either a redrawing of the local authority boundaries, or an ongoing financial agreement between the two authorities, should be agreed, since the residents of this development will be paying council taxes to Tendring DC but using many services provided by Colchester CC.

I support the SuDS policy, in particular the policy of resisting the use of impermeable surfaces for driveways. Where possible, the councils should encourage the use of surfaces similar to Grasscrete for communal parking areas, as these offer good water permeability as well as increased green cover which benefits invertebrates.
Enhancements to the Colchester Orbital should pay particular attention to the link from the development site across Clingoe Hill to the Colne, and beyond towards the Distillery Pond. This link, and the link to the Wivenhoe Trail, could benefit from enhancements, and protection from further University development alongside the Colne.

I note that a minimum of 30% affordable housing is to be provided, but what proportion of social housing will be provided? A significant number of council/housing association homes must be included in this scheme, interspersed across the whole site to ensure the whole development is socially integrated.
Student accommodation should confined to the southern part of the site, with strict planning policies in place to prevent large numbers of family homes in the garden community being converted to student homes later, as has happened in Greenstead and other parts of East Colchester in recent years.

The provision and protection of employment land will be critical to the success of these communities, and the wider area.
Part B specifically mentions that a hotel could be permitted within the A120 Business Park if it supports the primary use, but not within the Knowledge area. This should be reversed: a hotel close to the University and Knowledge Gateway would be more beneficial than one on an industrial park next to the A120, as the kinds of businesses that are based in the Knowledge Gateway, and those that will occupy the future Knowledge based employment area, would be more likely to require accommodation for visitors. This is in addition to visiting academics to the university, parents of university students etc. who would all benefit from a hotel close to the University. Being located closer to the denser southern neighbourhood, rather than on the Northern edge of the community, would encourage hotel guests to spend money with local businesses e.g. restaurants in the Southern Neighbourhood centre, and being closer to the Park and Choose site will encourage visitors to travel into the city centre and spend money there, and even to arrive by train/transit, rather than driving.

There are pros and cons to providing one large secondary school or to smaller ones. Two smaller schools is more compatible with the aspiration for small, walkable neighbourhoods, and may work better as part of the phased development approach, but one large school could benefit from better facilities and provide better value for money for taxpayers.
Whichever approach is taken, at least one of the schools should include a sixth form from the very outset, in line with the desire for the garden community to be self-sufficient (and because Colchester Sixth Form College is running out of space to expand).

I broadly support the mobility strategy with a few notes:
- Pedestrian/cycle infrastructure should be designed to minimise conflict between pedestrians and cyclists, as well as between both groups and motor vehicles. A network of completely segregated cycle routes should be provided throughout the site for this purpose.
- Some thought should be given to allowing access from Bromley Road to the A120 via the link road, or including a linked scheme to provide a junction between the A120 and Bromley Road. This would provide residents of Greenstead, Longridge, Parsons Green and the new Crockleford neighbourhood direct access to the A120/A12 and reduce congestion on the Harwich Road and Greenstead Road roundabouts.
- The Rapid Transit scheme is currently planned as a fairly linear service from the Northern Gateway via the City Centre to the Garden Community. Some services could be run as a loop, running from the Garden Community to the Northern Gateway via the A120, Colchester Business Park and Axial Way, to provide a fast link between the Garden Community, Colchester Business Park and the Northern Gateway. Alternatively this could be run as a separate service.
- In the longer term, the councils engage with the DfT about the feasibility of rebuilding the train station at Ardleigh, as this would serve the new Garden Community as well as existing communities including Ardleigh and nearby villages. Provision could be made for a passing loop (similar to the one being included in the new Beaulieu Park station at Chelmsford) so that services calling at this new station do not disrupt fast trains to Norwich. Such a new station would be beneficial to the site, as the capacity for additional services via Hythe station is limited by level crossing at East Gates.