SINCE the Local Plan for north Essex emerged, one name in particular has become well known.

Rosie Pearson, secretary for the Campaign Against Urban Sprawl in Essex, has spearheaded the campaign to prevent overdevelopment and is a vociferous opponent to the controversial garden communities proposals.

She has challenged Colchester, Braintree, Tendring and Essex councils on their assertions about the vast housing plans and has doggedly refused to give up and go home.

But who is Rosie Pearson? And how did she get to where she is today?

The truth is, never in a million years did she picture herself potentially thwarting a development with thousands of homes.

Rosie, who lives in Pattiswick, said: “I went to St Mary’s School in Colchester and then St John’s College at Cambridge University, to study Geography.

“The degree was the first clue I was interested in development but I only really became interested when I joined CAUSE.

“My most enjoyable job was negotiating hotel deals as a buyer in Spain for Thomson Holidays.

“Before I stopped work to look after children, I was a business development manager with a London accountancy firm.”

She has impressive credentials but they do not dovetail easily with an countryside campaigner.

But in 2009, she went along to a public event in Coggeshall about the West Tey garden community, which was hosted by the landowner consortium.

Rosie said: “I was horrified by the scale of the project, on countryside that I had walked, played and cycled in as a child.

“I was rather shocked by the lack of answers to fundamental questions. For example, I was a commuter at the time and asked how they planned to address parking and train capacity. They didn’t know.

“Then I was invited by a friend to be part of a campaign group, which started as an offshoot of CPREssex, and became CAUSE.”

CAUSE now has the support of 8,500 people who signed a petition against the West Tey development, and 1,100 have asked CAUSE to represent them in the most recent public consultation.

The group is run by volunteers and has a committee of around 15 people. There is also a team of transport, planning and urban design consultants.

It provides a voice for residents who feel they are not listened to by councils.

Rosie said: “CAUSE is a really interesting group, with people from a wide range of backgrounds.

“I’m just the spokesperson. I’ve learned a huge amount campaigning with them, and from the professionals we are able to employ thanks to the generosity of local people who support CAUSE’s work.

“What started as a 7,500 home proposal by a land owner consortium has now become the garden communities project backed by four councils.

“Even now, the authorities cannot answer any of the questions about how necessary infrastructure, jobs and affordable housing will be provided.”

During the eight years she has worked with CAUSE, urban design has become something of an obsession for Rosie.

She has visited Freiburg, Poundbury and Ebbsfleet in the past year to boost her knowledge and understanding.

Rosie said: “I never in a million years thought I would be here but I have met some amazing, interesting and clever people and learned an enormous amount about politics, planning and PR.

“I find it all really interesting and hope to start a course in the new year in Geographical Information Systems. It’s really struck me how awful the Local Plan documents are for people to get to get to grips with. Consultations should all be done through live mapping systems that anyone can look at and comment on, not 500 page technical documents in planning jargon which no-one has time for or understands.”

Outside CAUSE, Rosie does have a personal life which includes running with her dog, swimming, sailing and skiing. She is quite the competitor.

She said: “I competed with a partner in the Norfolk Superhero Quadrathlon in June. It involved a one mile swim, a three mile kayak, 45 mile bike ride and a nine mile run across dunes and marshes.”

Rosie is as determined as they come. Developers would underestimate her at their peril.

n Page 18 - consultation begins again.