MORE than 500 residents have registered objections against plans to build a new 600-home development on agricultural land at Kelvedon.

Leicestershire-based land promoter Parker Strategic Land lodged planning application 21/03579/OUT to Braintree District Council for the 600 homes and space for a primary school on land south-west of Coggeshall Road, Kelvedon.

But during the four-week public consultation period that ended on March 21, more than 500 residents from Kelvedon, Feering and Coggeshall submitted objections - which is one of the highest recorded tallies of objections in recent years against one planning application, not including ‘Garden Communities’ and the Rivenhall Airfield waste incinerator.

The objections were based on a number of concerns, ranging from increased traffic on Station Road, Kelvedon High Street and Feering Hill, air pollution, the cumulative impact fears of flooding downstream on the River Blackwater, the negative impact on wildlife, loss of green space and agricultural land, visual impact and impact on local health services.

Many residents also fear this application could just be the thin edge of the wedge because Parker Strategic Land has in the past promoted plans for a 5,000-home new town called Kings Dene that would stretch from this site westwards on Coggeshall Road all the way to Rivenhall.

The sheer number of objections in such a short time frame is remarkable, because many people had never objected before, the process is complicated and can seem quite daunting.

Kelvedon Against Urban Sprawl, a campaign group set up last year to protect Kelvedon and Feering’s respective village heritage and environment, organised a leaflet campaign to inform residents about the application and how to submit concerns.

Dozens of volunteers delivered 2,500 leaflets in the first week of the public consultation and the response has been amazing.

This proposed site for 600 homes is not in BDC’s emerging Local Plan and BDC can currently demonstrate a five-year housing supply, so residents hope BDC will listen to local concerns and reject this application.

Councillor Paul Thorogood

District ward member for Kelvedon and Feering

County member for Braintree Eastern

Chairman of KAUS