Northern distributor road at Wheelers Hill, Little Waltham, Chelmsford

What was proposed

The application proposed a 1.55-kilometre road with carriageways, active travel routes, crossings, junctions, drainage, landscaping and engineering works.

“Application No : 23/00114/FUL Full Application Location : Radial Distributor Route 2, South Of Wheelers Hill Little Waltham Chelmsford Essex Proposal : Detailed planning application to provide Northern Radial Distributor Road (NRDR) from Wheelers Hill to the North East Chelmsford Bypass, respectively west to east, as part of the Chelmsford Garden Community. Development, which will include carriageways, footways, cycleways, crossings and the diversion of Wheelers Hill Road.”

“A 7.3m wide single carriageway road with lanes measuring up to 3.65m in width. • A 2m verge on the northern side and a 3m verge on the southern side adjacent to the carriageway. • A segregated 2m wide footway and 3m wide cycleway on the southern side of the road and a 4m wide shared footway/cycleway on the northern side of the road. • A 1m verge at the back of each footway. • Street lighting; typically, along both sides of the carriageway.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The linear site covered about 10 hectares across the Garden Community, mainly agricultural land with hedgerows, trees and ponds near existing homes and roads.

“The Northern Radial Distributor Road (NRDR) application site covers an area of approximately 10 hectares in linear form and sits towards the northern end of the Chelmsford Garden Community boundary. The site extends from Essex Regiment Way in the west and crosses all three zones of the Garden Community.”

“No dwellings are situated within the application site itself, but the residential roads of Wheelers Hill and Cranham Road run to the north of the site. The dwellings nearest to the NRDR site are Powers Farm and Peverels Farm, which are located within 85m of the boundary of the application site. The road would dissect Domsey Lane to the north of Peverels Farm.”

Officer report

Why officers supported it

Officers considered the road essential infrastructure that would unlock the bypass, relieve traffic, support growth and comply with planning policies, subject to conditions.

“Delivery of the strategic allocation is dependent on significant infrastructure to support the development. The Northern RDR forms an essential component in this respect, unlocking the delivery of the CNEB, (which is reliant upon HIF funding and whose delivery is timebound) and providing the strategic transport link to it from Wheelers Hill.”

“The NPPF, Policies S1, S7 and S9 and Strategic Growth Site Policy 6 of the Local Plan and the DFD encourage the delivery of housing and economic growth supported by essential infrastructure. The scheme unlocks and improves connections to the strategic road network and is consistent with the policies of the NPPF and the Chelmsford Local Plan as referenced above. The principle of development is therefore acceptable.”

Officer report

What consultees said

Highways and Active Travel England supported approval subject to conditions, while other consultees raised no objections or offered advice; residents objected on several grounds.

“Chelmsford Garden Community – Comments as detailed in full in the consultations section of the report. • Little Waltham Parish Council – No comments to make. • Braintree District Council – No specific comments; note ECC Highways will be heavily involved. • CCC Public Health & Protection Services – No further comments.”

“WEB 03FCOM 23/00114/FUL REPORT2 Page 6 Item 5 • Active Travel England – Approval recommended; subject to conditions and mitigation measures being secured within the s106 Agreement. • National Highways – Letter provided at Appendix 5. • Ramblers Association – Comments as detailed in full in the consultations section of the report. • Essex & Suffolk Water – No response. • Anglian Water Services – No comments. • Environment Agency – No objections; advisory comments.”

Officer report

Residents’ concerns

Four objections cited harm to wildlife, noise and air pollution, traffic and speed, groundwater, the Wheelers Hill access, and wider A12 impacts.

“Road Details – Wheelers Hill is 5.5m wide in numerous places, narrower than the 6.75m recommended width for a road designed for buses and HGV’s. Immediate restriction required to limit use to cars and light vehicles only. Referral of the matter to ECC Highways requested for additional signage and enforcement of a lower speed limit at the earliest opportunity.”

“Proposed Layout – Design and NRDR exit on Wheelers Hill would generate additional traffic avoiding the NRDR, which would have a slower speed limit and causing increased local traffic and congestion on Wheelers Hill leading to the roundabout. • Proposed Exit from NRDR onto Wheelers Hill – Exit should be removed and local traffic encouraged to use the NRDR route without encouraging drivers to use short cut options onto Wheelers Hill.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A member of the public spoke in support, while another member of the public and a Local Ward Member raised concerns about closing Domsey Lane.

The committee’s discussion

Members discussed securing Domsey Lane’s closure, housing and road timing, traffic mitigation, bypass restrictions, active travel, maintenance, heritage and sustainable transport monitoring.

“The Committee also heard from a member of the public who queried why a specific obligation had not been placed on the developer to give a specific timeline as to when Domsey Lane would be closed as previously stated and that they held concerns that the closure would not go ahead at the right time or at all, they asked for a binding obligation to be placed on the developer by the Committee.”

“It was noted that officers were currently looking to use a Section 249 order to achieve this, but that if this was rejected by the Department for Transport then a Traffic Regulation Order would be pursued instead.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee resolved to approve the application subject to the report and green-sheet conditions, with an additional condition concerning National Highways requirements.

“- Various monitoring methods would be used by the Highways Authority, to monitor the target of 60% of trips originating within the development being by sustainable transport methods. RESOLVED that the application be approved subject to the conditions detailed in the report and on the green sheet and an additional condition that the Director of Sustainable Communities use their existing delegated powers to liaise with and confirm final requirements of National Highways…”

Minutes