Former Telephone Exchange, Maldon Road, Birch Data via plota.co.uk

261316 - Full (8 Week Determination) Application Valid
Change of useExtensions & alterationsNew homes

Proposal

Single storey extension to redundant telephone exchange and change of use to a one bedroom two person self contained residential dwelling Data via plota.co.uk

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View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
16 Jul 2026
Decision
Expected by 15 Oct 2026

Under consideration

No decision has been issued yet. Plota predicted a decision around 9 Oct 2026; it is now day 85.

The consultation period closed on 12 Aug 2026.

Documents

View the documents on the council's website ↗

Site constraints 7

Flood zone 3, rivers and sea
High chance: a 1 in 100 or greater annual chance from rivers, or 1 in 200 from the sea. Any development here needs a flood risk assessment. Defences are not counted.
The Environment Agency flood map for planning. Homes in zone 3 must also pass the sequential test. Surface water flooding is a separate map.
Flood map ↗
Habitat network: Network Expansion Zone
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
4 listed buildings within 150 m
Nearest: The Angel Public House, Grade II, 36 m away · 4 Grade II
The site itself is not listed. Listed building consent is needed for work that affects the special interest of a listed building, inside or out, on top of planning permission. Setting can be a consideration for buildings nearby; there is no fixed radius.
Show all 4 with distances
Historic England ↗
Also on the record
Flood defence 1 m away (natural high ground, designed for a 1 in 10 year flood); Priority habitat 8 m away: Deciduous woodland; Inside the Heckfordbridge built-up area; Natural England's Provisional ALC map (1:250,000, 1970s) had this area as grade 3, but it predates the buildings here and the current map does not class it as farmland.
Not affected
Not green belt · No scheduled monument at the site

Checked on 6 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

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Important details

Council
Colchester
Application type
Full (8 Week Determination)
Received
16 Jul 2026
Validated
16 Jul 2026
Ward
Marks Tey & Layer
Parish
Birch
Case officer
Show
Target decision
15 Oct 2026
Applicant
Show
Agent
Show

Decision outlook

Day 85, past the statutory target. 81% of changes of use in Colchester are decided within thirteen weeks, which runs to 15 Oct 2026; extensions of time are common, and the council need not decide on the day. Last seen undecided on 7 Oct 2026.

Day 8529 days past the 56-day target
55%decided within 8 weeks
72%approved
79decided in the last year

Plota live figures for changes of use decided by Colchester in the last twelve months, from validation. Colchester decision record →

Consultation & key dates

Comments by
12 Aug 2026
Colchester
Planning Authority Score
6.2/10
Average
#91 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Change of use

Colchester is faster than most councils at deciding householder applications, ranking #43 out of 296. Only 27% of applications have the time limit extended, well below the 41% national average - the council usually decides on time. Colchester is also one of the strictest councils - it refuses more householder applications than almost any other, with only 84% approved vs 90% nationally.

One of the strictest councils
only 84% approved vs 90% nationally
These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
Colchester decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
82%
Overall approval rate
Below avg (87%) #245 of 296
84%
Householder approved
Below avg (90%) #255 of 296
79%
Decided in 8 weeks
Above avg (63%) #43 of 296
27%
Extended time limit
Below avg (41%) #39 of 296
67%
Minor dwellings approved
69 decided (1-9 homes)
85%
Major dwellings approved
13 decided (10+ homes)
75%
Change of use approved
89 decided
1,074
Total decisions
188 refused in the year to March 2026
Source: MHCLG planning statistics · See full council rankings