Date issued: 19 June 2020

Colchester Borough Council expects to receive a response later this month from planning inspector Roger Clews, after requesting a full list of modifications needed to make its joint section one Local Plan sound.
 
Last month, Mr Clews, the government-appointed inspector examining the joint part of Braintree, Colchester and Tendring councils’ Local Plan, said the plan can be made sound and the proposed garden community on the Tendring/Colchester Border can proceed, but two others should be removed.
 
The North Essex Authorities have two options:

1. To propose and consult on main modifications, which will include the removal of the Colchester/Braintree Borders and West of Braintree Garden Community proposals from the Plan, or
2. To withdraw the Plan.

Cllr Julie Young, Deputy Leader of Colchester Borough Council, said: “The inspector’s letter requires careful consideration. There have been questions over whether the Local Authorities have asked the Inspector to prepare modifications to the Local Plan. We confirm again that he is already working on them. The timing of supply is for the Inspector to determine, but we expect them around the end of June. These will inform our Local Plan Committee meeting. The committee will consider the modifications and the Inspector's options and decide on the way ahead. The formal letter to the Inspector, to which some refer, is the final step and informs the Inspector of our decision.”