BDC are at the next stage of the Braintree District Local Plan review process, and BDC need your input!
What is a Local Plan?
It’s a document that guides future development and growth that is sustainable. It identifies land for future housing, employment and infrastructure needs, whilst best protecting and enhancing the natural and built environment.
What does this next stage cover?
This is the ‘Issues & Options’ stage. This is where BDC outline the key challenges for future development and ask for your views on how BDC can best address these through planning policies.
You can comment on whether the vision, objectives and policies continue to be appropriate and if not, suggest changes you feel will help ensure BDC meet the district’s needs.Â
It explores a range of topics including housing, local economy and retail, transport, infrastructure and the environment.
The quickest and easiest way to comment is through our new engagement portal.Â
You can also:
view hard copies of the document and pick up a paper response form at council offices at Causeway House in Braintree or the following local libraries: Braintree, Coggeshall, Earls Colne, Halstead, Hatfield Peverel, Kelvedon, Sible Hedingham, Silver End and Witham during normal opening hours
return a response form to planningpolicy@braintree.gov.uk or by post to Planning Policy, Causeway House, Bocking End, Braintree CM7 9HB
Drop-in exhibitions
Drop-in events will be held across the district where anyone can go along, meet planning officers, share their ideas and thoughts, and ask questions about the plan.
Monday 27 January: Kelvedon Institute Small Hall 4pm-7:30pm
Tuesday 28 January: Coggeshall Village Hall 4pm-7:30pm
Wednesday 29 January: Halstead Queens Hall 4pm-7:30pm
Thursday 30 January: Hatfield Peverel Village Hall 4pm-7:30pm
Tuesday 4 February: Braintree Town Hall 4pm-7:30pm
Thursday 6 February: Witham Public Hall 3.30pm-7pm
Saturday 8 February: Braintree Town Hall 9am-12noon
What happens next?
The consultation will run from today (Monday 20 January) until midnight on Friday 7 March 2025.
Once the consultation has closed, BDC will consider all comments received to help inform the next stage of the Local Plan Review and guide the policies and strategies that will shape the future of the Braintree district.
The next stage will be the ‘Preferred Options’ consultation, where you will have further opportunity to comment on the updated and new policies, and the proposed sites where new homes, jobs and other facilities could be located.
We are pleased to have launched a public consultation for the new draft Essex Air Quality Strategy. The consultation started yesterday (Monday 20 January 2025) and will run for six weeks, closing on Sunday 2 March 2025.
There is more information about the strategy, consultation and how you can help below.
We would really appreciate any help you can give us in promoting the consultation, as well as a response from your parish/town council, providing feedback on the strategy.
Essex Air Quality Strategy Â
The Essex Air Quality Strategy has been developed by the Essex Air Quality Consortium, which brings together all 15 borough, district, city, county and unitary councils across Essex (including Southend and Thurrock) to work together to improve air quality in Essex, under the banner of EssexAir.
The strategy sets out a shared vision, aims and a series of actions the consortium plans to take to improve air quality in Essex and help reduce the impact of air pollution on people’s health.
More information about the Essex Air Quality Strategy and work to improve air quality in Essex can be found at: www.essexair.org.uk/strategy.
Public consultation
Essex County Council is managing the consultation on behalf of the Essex Air Quality Consortium.
It is an important opportunity for residents and businesses to provide feedback which will help to improve and finalise the strategy.
The six-week public consultation is open until Sunday, 2 March 2025.
Printed copies of the draft strategy and consultation survey will shortly be available to collect from select libraries (one library per district) and upon request. A single reference copy of the strategy will also be available to read at all other Essex, Southend and Thurrock libraries.
Enquiries
If you have any queries or questions about the strategy or the public consultation, please contact: www.essexair.org.uk/strategy.
For any enquiries that require a more detailed response, please send an email to the Essex Air Quality Strategy inbox (strategy@essexair.org.uk).
Braintree District Council is holding an eight-week public consultation and asking residents to share their views on proposals to improve the waste collection service in the district.
Please see the details below and take part in the consultation.
Braintree District Council is proposing to make changes to its household waste and recycling collection service in order to: –
·      Improve the quality of the recyclable materials we collect
·      Reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfill
·      Meet new recycling targets and support climate change ambitions
·      Comply with new legislation, Simpler Recycling
·      Improve the financial sustainability of the waste service
However, before deciding on whether to introduce the proposed changes, the Council is carrying out an 8-week public consultation on the matter so that local residents and other key stakeholders can have their say and help shape the future of the service.
The consultation opens at 10.00am on Monday 6th January 2025 and will close at midnight on Sunday 2nd March 2025.
We are inviting you/your organisation to participate in the consultation by completing an on-line questionnaire which can be accessed at www.braintree.gov.uk/wasteconsultation
Respondents are encouraged to complete the on-line survey wherever possible. However, anyone needing assistance to access the survey is asked to make contact with our Customer Services Centre at csc@braintree.gov.uk or 01376 552525 who will help to ensure they have an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposals.
Please note that the deadline for completed questionnaires is midnight on Sunday 2nd March 2025, and any received after this time will not be considered.
Please be assured that the decision on whether or not to proceed with the proposals outlined will not be made until all responses have been fully considered by the Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 27th May 2025. Until then, the existing arrangements will remain in place.
Andrew Lucas, Operations Project Manager
On behalf of Braintree District Council
Please note that copies of all responses may be made available for the public to view, including the name of the stakeholder who submitted the response, and so this cannot be treated as confidential. However, the Council will not include any personal addresses or signatures in any published information.
CRESSING PARISH COUNCIL
