Copford 90 homes plans refused by Colchester Council

Colchester Council’s planning committee has refused proposals to build a block of 90 assisted living flats in Copford.

An extension to Dorothy Curtice Court, an existing development of sheltered accommodation in London Road, was also included.

Officers had recommended the bid for approval.

At a meeting on Thursday evening, concerns were raised by members on the committee.

Tiptree councillor Roger Mannion described the plans as “totally wrong”.

“I just cannot see how this would be the right thing to do,” added Lexden and Braiswick councillor Sara Naylor.

Housing association Anchor, which runs the accommodation, first unveiled the plans at the beginning of 2023.

The new buildings would have been made up of 32 one-bedroom and 40 two-bedroom flats in the assisted living block, and 13 one-bedroom flats and five two-bedroom flats in the extension to the existing site.

Site - the plans were proposed behind Dorothy Curtis Court (Image: Newsquest)

Following the submission, hundreds of objections and concerns were received.

Worries over the size of the project and access to the development using a nearby cul-de-sac, Queensbury Avenue, worried nearby residents.

The application was deferred at a meeting in January after the committee requested negotiations over alternative access arrangements, a reduction in the number of flats and the size and scale of blocks from three storeys.

However, it was decided alternative access was not sufficient and the applicant decided against reducing the scale or number of units of the plans.

The proposed officer recommendation to accept the application was proposed and seconded.

But, after just four votes in favour of approval and six against, the committee went against the recommendation.

Following further discussion after the Deferral and Recommendation Overturn Procedure, councillor Mannion then proposed refusal on the grounds of “bad design” and the plans “going against the local and neighbourhood plan”.

The vote for refusal was seven votes in favour and just three against, meaning the plans were officially thrown out.

"A community effort"

Copford with Easthorpe Parish Council chairman Graham Barney was delighted with the result.

Speaking to the Gazette after the decision, he said: "The main issue for residents, the parish council and city councillors was not the building per say.

“The concerns were three-fold.

“It was 90 homes rather than the allocated 70, the design not of a “high quality” as said in the neighbourhood plan, and the third one was if you know Copford, you know there are no three-storey buildings, and this would not be screened very well.

“This was a community effort, not a council one. There were 200 objections locally.

“Residents and the council are happy with the outcome.

“There will be some building there in the future no doubt.

“We aren’t against these developments, but it has to be the right housing in the right place with the fight facilities.”

Speaking on a possible appeal, Mr Barney said: “I don’t know if they will.

“If they do, I don’t know what they would appeal on.

“My guess, and it is just that, is that it wouldn’t go through if there was one.”