At the February 28^th meeting of the Chelmsford Policy Board members were told that the next stage of the Local Plan (LP) review would not begin until early 2024. The reasons given were the overrun of the Regulation 18 Consultation and proximity to the Purdah period in the run up to Chelmsford City Council's elections on May 4th. More importantly, the new National Planning Policy attached to the Government's Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill should be getting the King's Assent this year. This will materially affect the LP review and the Council's officers have decided to take the sensible approach and factor the new Bill's changes into the next consultation stage and the Council's preferred option.

The fact that 4 out of 5 options the Liberal Democrat Council put forward include building 500 more houses north of the current development boundary shows how out of touch with SWF public opinion they are. And, let's not forget that the Conservative devised Local Plan was to build around 1000 houses and that turned out to be around 1200 under the LibDems. Our party were vociferous in opposing this inflated figure and in the lack of road, health, sewage and education provision for the new development. We will continue to call for these things and for proper integration with the existing town. Furthermore we will oppose any development on land outside the current development boundary.