An unorthodox approach to local planning is the basis of my report for Stansted’s Link magazine in November; to inform residents about current planning developments in Uttlesford:

“Planning is a council service that is frequently controversial. The key to avoiding negative public perceptions is openness and transparency at all times; these are enshrined in codes of conduct and protocols for both elected members and paid officers.

“The public’s perception of planning is currently being tested because of the difficult situation that Uttlesford has got itself into over planning for the future; its local development framework and local plan. Councils such as Braintree have completed up to date local plans for future employment sites and future homes; how many homes and where they will be best built. Many others, including Uttlesford, have out of date plans. Uttlesford made little progress on its plan in the past four years whilst it pursued the Elsenham Option 4 new town idea.

“Uttlesford now does not have an adequate plan to show where over 400 new homes should be built for each of the next five years. There is a shortfall in the plan of over 100 homes a year. The coalition government’s draft planning rules say that if a council doesn’t have a completed plan, or has a housing supply deficit like Uttlesford has, then the presumption is that any planning application that comes in and can be shown to be “sustainable” will have to be given approval. UDC gave approval in September for a scheme at Thaxted outside development limits against strong local opposition. Uttlesford will find it difficult to resist other similar applications.

“The council has for several years held a very long list of sites across the district proposed by developers and land owners. Seventeen such sites are in and around Stansted. Many of these sites are outside existing development limits. Given the present state of Uttlesford’s plan, many of these sites are vulnerable to approval by either UDC or by an inspector at an appeal against a refusal by UDC. In effect, the district runs the risk of losing control of what land gets developed round here.

“In an attempt to plug the housing supply gap, a working group of councillors – none from Stansted – met in private in July to select a short-list of sites from the long list of developers’ bids. These sites are meant to be those most suitable for early development. Council officers have been contacting the owners of the preferred sites to ask them whether they will put in early planning applications. The first are expected within the next two months.

“The council had only started at the end of September to tell parish councils and local district councillors about this unorthodox process, but the identity of sites on the short-list remained confidential.”