Chelmsford Road Field, Ongar — Meeting Summary

A simple summary of yesterday’s community meeting about the speculative proposal for land off Chelmsford Road, Ongar. Planning is expected by May, with wider land/policy decisions later this year — here’s what we learned and how you can help.

1) What this land is (and why that matters)

• This field was looked at years ago when the Ongar Neighbourhood Plan (ONP) was being put together.
• It was considered not suitable at the time, so it wasn’t included in the ONP.
• That’s important because sites that were included in the ONP were always more likely to be built on.

2) Why this proposal is different

• Because this field is not in the ONP and is green belt, this is a speculative development.
• In simple terms, that means the developer is trying to bring forward a site that isn’t already allocated for building.
• Ongar Town Council (OTC) does not support speculative development on green belt land.

3) Who makes the decision

• OTC can support residents and will be really valuable, but they are not the decision makers.
• The decision is made by Epping Forest District Council (EFDC).
• EFDC also has housing targets to meet over a 5-year period. If they are behind target, decisions can sometimes lean more in the developer’s favour.

4) What we know about the developer’s plans

• Bloor Homes has been looking at this field for around 10 years.
• They don’t own the land yet. The understanding is: if they get planning approval, the land sale goes through.
• They’ve said they plan to submit a planning application in late spring (expected May).

5) Public consultation so far

• Bloor has done their public consultation mainly online, with short Teams meetings for a small number of nearby residents.
• They’ve indicated they’ve considered the online feedback (but not in a way that makes the proposal go away).
• They’ve said they will provide some kind of buffer for residents on Roding View whose gardens back onto the field.
• They’ve also said they do not intend to do further public engagement.

6) The “grey belt” argument

• We expect one of the developer’s main arguments will be that the site is “grey” rather than green belt.
• They’ve told nearby residents they’ve already had legal advice and believe they can argue this.
• The group strongly disagrees and believes this land should be treated as green belt.

7) What happens when the application is submitted

Once the plans are submitted, people can make formal objections. Two things matter a lot:

• Quality: objections need to be based on planning reasons (for example: green belt status, road safety, traffic, drainage/sewers, infrastructure capacity). Not just “we don’t want it”.
• Volume: numbers matter. Even 20 objections can be considered a lot. If even half the people who attended the meeting submit a strong objection, that would be huge.

8) Timing is important

• The process has changed recently and we may not be able to add new points later.
• So it’s important we say what we need to say at the right time, in the right place (through the official process).

9) This could take time

• This could be a long process.
• If the plans are refused, the developer may appeal. Large housebuilders often have the money to keep going.

10) Why people are worried (the bigger picture)

There was a strong feeling in the room that if a speculative development on green belt is approved, it could set a precedent. In other words: if this goes through, it may become easier for other fields around Ongar to be targeted next. There were also concerns raised about future expansion. A surveyor on site reportedly mentioned a possible “Phase 2” if approval is granted, and the current layout appears to allow for the site to extend further.

11) How you can help right now

• If you have specialist skills or knowledge that could help (planning, highways, drainage, ecology, legal, communications), please get in touch.
• If you want to be kept updated, email us to be added to the contact list:
  • oc****@***il.com

What to do next (clear CTA)

1. Join the Facebook group for updates, deadlines and meeting info: Ongar Chelmsford Road Residents Action Group.
2. Watch for the May planning application — and when it’s live, submit a formal objection (name + postcode + clear planning reasons).
3. Share this post with neighbours so more people are ready to act quickly.
4. Email oc****@***il.com to be added to the contact list.