The Conservatives do!

Coming soon to open spaces near you (click the picture to sign our petition)

They want to build up to 800 new houses on greenfields north of Chelmsford (between Newlands Spring and Broomfield); and between 4,500 and 5,000 houses north and east of Springfield / Beaulieu Park.

Link: PDF map of green field sites where the Conservatives propose to build.

They also want to build between 6,000 and 8,000 new flats and houses within the towns of Chelmsford and South Woodham over the next 10 years. This will endanger every piece of open space and many back gardens.

The public inquiry into the overall strategy was in September/October 2007. Stephen Robinson wrote about the inquiry on his blog (links below). The inquiry into the detailed plans for the town centre was in April 2008 and for the green fields to the north of Chelmsford at the end of 2008.

The Lib Dem alternative proposals:

• All green fields on the edge of Chelmsford should be protected to prevent urban sprawl

• We need genuinely sustainable communities - with all the essential local services

• Previously-used land developed before green fields - but NO to town cramming & garden-grabbing

More information about the campaign against 'garden-grabbing'.

Our Housing Strategy statement from December 2005.

Our short statement on housing strategy from December 2006.

Lib Dems restate support for the houses to go north of Boreham - 2007 response to alternative sites proposed by developers.

How you can help our campaign

Sign our petition - Don't Choke Chelmsford.

Join our Facebook group 'Don't Choke Chelmsford'.

Contact the local Lib Dems: Stephen Robinson (parliamentary candidate) is co-ordinating the Lib Dem response on the local plan.

Send him an email using this link.

Please state your address, as your views will carry more weight if you are known to be a local resident.

The Liberal Democrats believe that

• the Council should develop a sustainable new neighbourhood north of the railway/A12 on the old gravel workings north of Boreham (to stop Chelmsford growing ever-larger and to ease pressure on roads and services)

• the development should be based around a new rail station north of Boreham, to minimise greenhouse gas emissions

• a development north of Boreham would be large enough to have its own services of shops, schools, clinics, community centres, post office, as well as railway station.

You can download posters for campaigning against the housing proposals from the download area: http://www.chelmsford-libdems.org.uk/resources/index/Campaigns

Details of Lib Dem proposals and recent comments on this subject

Borough Lib Dems give thumbs down to Tory development plans.

Lib Dems slam lack of Tory vision in development plans.

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Chelmsford North Action Group web-page - an independent group campaigning against the council proposals.