60 houses in Dunmow rejected unanimously by Uttlesford District Councillors

An application to build 60 houses on land to the west of Buttleys Lane in Dunmow has been unanimously rejected by Uttlesford District Council.

The development was refused because it would damage the countryside and the town, and fail to provide suitable infrastructure.

The application from Linden Limited and Christine Vivien Winifred Clarke was rejected during a planning committee meeting on Wednesday, September 9.

Green district councillor for Saffron Walden, Paul Fairhurst, proposed refusal of the application. R4U Cllr for Saffron Walden, Richard Freeman seconded the proposal.

R4U Cllr Patrick Lavelle said: “I am here to represent Dunmow South and Barnston, the ward impacted by this application, by strongly objecting to this application.

“This proposed development would cause harm to the open countryside setting of the historic market town of Great Dunmow.”

Cllr Lavelle said residents do not want to urbanise the surrounding areas of historic buildings, and said the development would impact on an ancient woodland - High Wood.

He added pollution would harm the wildlife in the wood, and that the development would add to ongoing traffic congestion on B1256 and the A120 junction.

“The proposed development has no easy pedestrian or cycle access to the town.

“It would bring minimum benefits to the town’s businesses and would not provide the residents of the development with the quality of life they could reasonably expect from living in a town like Great Dunmow,” Cllr Lavelle said.

Great Dunmow town councillor Terence Moore also said the application should be refused because it would “destroy the town’s rural setting” and would be “isolated and unsustainable”.

Cllr Moore also spoke about the development being adjacent to the new Helena Romanes school. The school is due to open in September 2021 for students from primary education to sixth form.

The town councillor said this would add to traffic.

Agent Sam Metson, representing the applicant, said the site is within walking distance of the town centre and would be providing pedestrian, cycling and public transport infrastructure. It would also provide 40 percent affordable housing to address the district’s issues, according to him.

Mr Metson said the applicants have been engaging extensively with council officers and the wider community over the last five years, and that the application has been recommended for approval.

He added that the previous local plan found this development justified and in a sustainable location and that the application received few objections from local residents.