IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
02
Local Plan Committee Meeting Feb 2025
Take note where PP9 is mentioned (Northeast Colchester) as it pertains to our area. Search using terms such as: Bullock Wood & PP9
PUBLIC CONSULTATION NOW OPEN!
The council's public consultation is now open for your input, click the buttons below for the consultation portal (left button) and our instructions page for more help (right button). The consultation closes on the 14th of January 2026, so get your comments heard before it's too late!
UP TO 2000 HOUSES
Every five years, councils must publish a Local Plan – deciding where thousands of new homes will be built.
Colchester City Council recently invited landowners to put forward sites (Call for Sites) for potential development. At first, the arable fields around St John’s (near Bullock Wood) and Welshwood Park were not considered. But due to pressure from successful campaigns elsewhere in the city, these fields are now at risk.
Planners have admitted there will be a housing shortfall from 2026, and our councillors have warned that unless we act, our green fields could be allocated for up to 2,000 houses.
The Local Plan is expected to go to public consultation in December 2025. Residents will have just six weeks to raise objections. Welshwood Park Residents’ Association has already commissioned a professional planning consultant to prepare their case. We must do the same.
To stand any chance of protecting our precious fields, we need expert backed evidence. That’s why we are raising £10,000 to fund a specialist planning consultant. This will give us the strongest possible voice in shaping the council’s decision. The likelihood is that this will be a battle lasting more than just this year, so we will need continuous fundraising to support this battle.
We have set up a GoFundMe page in support of this campaign and would be incredibly grateful to any and all contributions, big or small.
SITES AT RISK
THE COMMITTEE
SARAH KENCH
Chair
NORMA DINNIE-WEAL
Wildlife Officer
KAREN WRIGHT
Treasurer
ADAM WEAVER
Funraising Officer
ZOE KENCH
Communications Officer
DAVID WILLIAMS
Planning Officer
PHILIP DAVIS
Committee Member
JAQUI HARRIS
Committee Member
ANDREW HARRIS
Committee Member
KARL GROOME
Committee Member
ANDY WRIGHT
Committee Member
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
Environmental & Ecological
Protecting our fields means safeguarding wildlife habitats and biodiversity for years to come.
Community & Lifestyle
Our green spaces support exercise, dog walking, and mental wellbeing - essential for a healthy, connected community.
Bullock Wood
This ancient SSSI woodland is irreplaceable; nearby development threatens its delicate ecosystem and unique natural heritage.
Planning & Infrastructure
Local services, roads, and schools are already stretched - large-scale development risks overwhelming essential infrastructure.