Objection to Development Land South of Chelmsford Road - Bloor Homes! 

We object to the proposed residential development on land at Chelmsford Road, Ongar.

The site lies within the Metropolitan Green Belt and is not allocated for development within the adopted development plan, including the Ongar Neighbourhood Plan and the Epping Forest Local Plan. In accordance with national and local planning policy, development should be plan-led, and proposals that conflict with the development plan should not be approved except in clearly justified circumstances.

The proposed development would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt, which is, by definition, harmful. No very special circumstances have been demonstrated that would outweigh this harm.

Furthermore, the proposal conflicts with key objectives of the Ongar Neighbourhood Plan, which seek to:

• Protect the openness of the Green Belt and the rural setting of Ongar
• Ensure that development is proportionate and aligned with allocated growth
• Safeguard the character of the town and its surrounding countryside
• Require that development is supported by safe and suitable access and transport conditions

There are also significant site-specific concerns:

• Evidence of surface water flooding raises questions regarding the suitability of the site for development
• The loss of undeveloped land would result in harm to local biodiversity and green infrastructure
• Chelmsford Road experiences existing traffic pressures and road safety concerns, and the development would be likely to result in a severe residual cumulative impact on the local highway network

Taken together, these impacts demonstrate that the proposal is contrary to the development plan when read as a whole.

The proposal conflicts with the adopted development plan, including Policies SP1 (Spatial Development Strategy) and H1 (Housing Provision), as the site is not allocated for development. It would constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt, contrary to Policy SP4, and no very special circumstances have been demonstrated. The development would also give rise to unacceptable impacts in relation to highway safety (Policy DM23), flood risk (Policy DM21), and harm to biodiversity and landscape character (Policies DM16 and DM17). As such, the proposal is contrary to the development plan when read as a whole.

We therefore request that Epping Forest District Council refuse planning permission for this development.

Signatories who live or work within Ongar or the wider district are particularly encouraged to support this objection to demonstrate the local impact of the proposal.