Tendring / Colchester Borders Garden Community

Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community Examination website

The Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community addresses the long-term need for new housing in our area, in a strategic way. The Garden Community was included in the shared Section 1 Local Plans for Tendring District Council and Colchester City Council adopted by the Councils in 2021. The shared Section 1 required a further Plan (Development Plan Document) to be prepared by the Councils to set out additional planning policies for the site, include identifying where certain land uses are being proposed.

The Councils have now adopted the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community Development Plan Document (DPD). This has been informed by a wide range of evidence base documents, has been subject to two formal periods of consultation and independent examination.

‍Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004

Town and Country Planning Regulations (Local Planning) (England) (2012) Regulations 26 & 35 (as amended)

Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community Development Plan Document (DPD)

Adoption Statement 17^th June 2025

In accordance with Regulations 26 & 25 of the Town and Country Planning Regulations 2012 (as amended) and Regulation 23 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended), notice is hereby given that Tendring District Council (TDC), by decision at the meeting of Full Council on Tuesday 20^th May 2025, and Colchester City Council (CCC), by decision at the meeting of Full Council on Monday 9^th June 2025, have formally adopted the Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community Development Plan Document (hereafter the ‘DPD’).

The ‘DPD’ was prepared jointly by TDC and CCC (hereafter the ‘Councils’) to form part of each of the authorities’ respective Local Plans.  The DPD:

1. Contains policies setting out how the Garden Community will be designed, developed and delivered in phases in accordance with Policies SP8 and SP9 of the ‘North Essex Authorities’ Shared Strategic Section 1 Plan’, and sets the vision for what the Garden Community will be like in the future.
2. Confirms the boundary of the Garden Community and establishes how the development will be broadly laid out, involving the delivery of circa 7,500 homes (with a minimum 30% affordable housing) along with a range of shops, jobs, services and community facilities.
3. Sets the expectations in relation to nature and green-blue infrastructure, including the allocation of a new country park, strategic green gaps and the creation of a community with a natural support system for both people and wildlife.
4. Allocates approximately 25ha of employment land, sets out the details of its use and the promotion of economic growth.  It ensures that the Garden Community will provide and promote opportunities for employment and will facilitate a thriving local economy.
5. Sets the expectations for the Garden Community to be walkable, low traffic and livable.  It requires that the development must be designed with active travel and high frequency public transport at its core.
6. Requires that the Garden Community be an exemplar and innovative development that addresses the climate emergency, enabling communities to lead resilient and low carbon lifestyles, whilst being unique and distinctive in its character and appearance.
7. Ensures that proposals must demonstrate that the required infrastructure to support the development will be delivered in a timely and, where appropriate, phased manner.

Following examination by an independent Planning Inspector, a Final Report on the Examination of the DPD under section 20 (5) of the Act, was received by the ‘Councils’ on 1^st April 2025.  The above-mentioned report confirmed that, subject to the Inspector’s ‘main modifications’ (pursuant to section 20(7C) of the Act) (which have been agreed by the Councils and incorporated into the adopted document), the DPD meets legal requirements of the national planning system and the ‘tests of soundness’ contained within national planning policy – as necessary for it to proceed to formal adoption.  

The formal adoption of the DPD by the ‘Councils’ has the effect of replacing all policies set out in both the TDC and CCC Section 2 Local Plans for the purposes of all land within the Site Allocation Boundary of the Garden Community.

Any person aggrieved by the ‘Councils’ decision to adopt the DPD may make an application, under Section 113 of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 to the High Court, on the grounds that the document is not within the appropriate powers and/or a procedural requirement has not been complied with.  

Any such application should be made promptly and, in any event, no later than the end of the six-week challenge period, 12 noon on Wed 30^th July 2025.

The DPD and its appendices, the Policies Map, the adoption statement, the Sustainability Appraisal (and addendum), and the Planning Inspector’s report can be found below:

• DPD Adoption Statement
• Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community Development Plan Document (DPD)
• DPD Policies Map
• Sustainability Appraisal
• Sustainability Appraisal - Modifications Update
• Inspector’s Final Report
• Inspector’s Final Main Modifications

Paper copies of these documents can also be viewed at the following locations:

Town Hall - Monday to Friday 9am – 3pm
Station Road
Clacton-on-Sea
Essex, CO15 1SE

Colchester Town Hall - Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm
High Street
Colchester
Essex, CO1 1PJ

For further information contact:

The TCBGC Project Team at tcbgardencommunity@colchester.gov.uk or by writing to:

TCBGC Project Team

Town Hall
Station Road
Clacton-on-Sea
Essex, C015 1SE

The Councils Privacy Notices are available on their respective websites.