Last night’s area forum in Stansted focussed on the Local Plan consultation. Several questioners raised concerns about jobs. The controversy over Uttlesford’s draft proposal to fill up commercial land behind Cambridge Road with housing instead of jobs and local services was the biggest issue.

I posed the contradiction between the UDC’s announcement yesterday of plans by the new economic development officer, Simon Jackson, to revitalise town centres with the council’s draft proposal to replace much of Stansted’s commercial centre with homes instead of jobs and local services.

Andrew Taylor, the deputy planning director, said that more homes in town centres can help bring them back to life. But we already have plenty of homes in Stansted’s town (or village?) centre.

Andrew also said that if Stansted disagrees with the draft proposals, then we should come with alternative proposals for the use of the Cambridge Road land and also find alternative locations for new homes.

I am confident that Stansted’s residents, business people and councillors can and will do just that in the next month. It’s called Localism!!