Boxted Wood Comments on the Scoping Report for the Environmental Impact Assessment
The site is generally perceived as flat so that views of a very attractive area of countryside are available from all Stebbing Vantage points. Particularly from the B1256 and the Stebbing Green Road Boxted Wood gives the site focus but the site has many trees, hedges ponds and copses.
The site rises imperceptibly towards Blake End and Boxted Wood. Making the latter very visible in the landscape.
Impact on the countryside of such urbanization
Stebbing Green is not really a hamlet it is part of the village of Stebbing, the village itself is a long linear one typical of many Essex villages. It was not until after the war that development strayed from the single dwellings on either side of the road closely abutted by open countryside farmland
Impact of such high density urban development on this village structure.
Biodiversity
Most of Stebbings precept goes towards preserving and maintaining the ancient grassland that is Stebbing Green. It is a Registered Green.
The fact that it forms an attractive frontage to the houses on the green is incidental, we remove non indigenous species and homeowners agree to very strict criteria in exchange for permission to take their cars over it.. it is maintained in line with the report produced by ECOS and cut not to look attractive but to maintain the amazing variety of grass species that exist there.
Impact of such a large urban development on this ancient grassland
Boxted Wood is also an area of extreme concern . the details are in officer’s report, but from the preliminary report from the developers it is unclear to me what its status will be. Is it part of the site, will the public have access, if not how will they be kept out.
We know locally that the site has Deer, Badgers, Bats and many other small reptiles and mammals etc
What is the impact on the wood , the site and it inhabitants of 10,000 people children dogs and cats using it as an amenity.
The PC recently spent money making sure that the River Ter in front of the houses on Stebbing Green was cleared to try to prevent the flooding which regularly occurs in very wet weather . Much has been made of the fact that the Ter runs through the site but it gets there from running along Stebbing Green.
Phil Hunt UDC was consulted when the flooding was particularly bad and warned of the dangers elsewhere to changing natural water flow patterns
Impact of the development on the flooding problems on Stebbing Green given that the site slopes down towards the green.
The developer talks of water features and reed beds to the rear of the homes on Stebbing Green. The houses along here get flooded from the rear due to field drainage as well as R Ter overflowing its banks. If the reed beds are to be part of the filtration system of sustainable drainage this could have severe implications. Many of the houses are listed some still with dirt floors
Impact of the urban development on the fragile water courses in the area in relation to proposed water features and reed beds as they affect the residents of Stebbing Green and the River Ter.
Landscape Appraisal
Due to the flatness of the site any development in this area would be unduly prominent in the landscape. The area is in the middle of nowhere with no houses on the site at all.. It is a calm and tranquil scene, with beautiful views for walker’s cyclists and runners. Even driving by the impact is felt
Impact of the loss of visual amenity for these groups
When you drive along the B1256 or the Stebbing Green road at night it is completely dark on the site with the wood looming as a distant dark mass. A rare site in an area illuminated by Stansted Airport.
Impact of the effect of urban development on the diminishing dark sky areas particularly in respect of badgers and other nocturnal animals
Impact of continually forcing wildlife out of its natural habitats
See also CPRE on tranquility and loss of truly dark places.
Buses.
Stebbing has only one daily bus service, the No 16 Village Link service to Chelmsford, which is fine if you have leisure. As I know to my cost it is not a suitable vehicle to get you to work and back. There are 2 journeys to Braintree a week and one a week to Great Dunmow
The airport bus and many others stop at Rayne and then go through Bannister Green to Felsted avoiding this site.
A more detailed bus survey needs to be done on moving people sustainably as at the moment almost everyone in Stebbing relies on the car to go anywhere.
Rail
Most people in the area who commute either do it by car or train from Stansted or Bishops Stortford for a fast direct main line service.
Braintree is a single line service to join main line services at Witham
Parking is limited and Braintree town roads are increasingly congested
A detailed study of traveling habits and local congestion in relation to access to public services is required.
Coalescence
This will decrease the open space between Gt Dunmow and Braintree. People who live in villages have a very strong sense of place and of belonging to small supportive communities. Stebbing feels very much part of Uttlesford
Implications of large urban development for social cohesion in Stebbing which researchers have shown to be fragile but vital to village sustainability.
Implications of development in two districts with very different identities.
Boxted Wood is used as a turning point for pilots flying training circuits at Andrewsfield local airfield. This keeps Stansted planes at above 3000 feet.
Impacts to development of nuisance which has been avoided by Consultative committee and resultant flying over Boxted Wood
Implications of noise etc for Stebbing and surrounding area if the owner decides to close airfield due to redevelopment
Impact on the curtalage of listed buildings and the buildings themselves of such a large urban development
Impact on the historic centre from such a large urban development
On this note can I urge our conservation officer to give priority to furthering the draft conservation area appraisal for Stebbing.
Site is in North West Essex not Mid Essex. The latter gives illusion of centrality.
New A120 Egress and Access
Access only in Colchester direction.
B1256 getting busier particularly due to Oakwood Park development and increased development elsewhere.
We were told that in 15 years it would be as busy as it had been previously
Impact of development not just here but in Braintree Colchester and feeder roads onto B1256
Affordable homes
In other developments a predominance of large homes 4/5 beds are being built. Very few small 2/3 bedroom houses
More Detail needed
40% affordable - needs to be social housing for rent not discounted housing.
What are the implications of further unbalancing the community by building predominance of large homes?
Jobs.
One of largest concerns 60% of this dev will be expensive housing needing high status jobs to afford entry. So far none of the local communities has managed to attract these sorts of employment in any numbers apart from Chesterford Park and I understand that this involves a high degree of in commuting. Harlow for instance has both heavy in and out commuting.
Sustainability appraisal on implications for area if proposed employment does not materialize. and we create another large dormitory town
Density
An average density of 60 ph is quoted. just how high would the highest density be. This is a very rural area.
Archeology
This is an issue of concern, due to the historic nature of Stebbing.
I have spoken to a member of the Local History society who has published work on the village.
Trenching is not sufficient a full archeological survey is required.
There is evidence of Anglo Saxon Roman Mediaeval habitation .Stebbing is named from Stebbinga, a Viking name.
It has a Norman Church and had two Norman castles. Porters Hall has Ancient Monument Site. In the 1800’s there were extensive excavations on the site and one of the roman Villas was discovered. And then covered over for preservation. There have been many finds in the village relating to this period and others. as shown in the document on 5.53. which admits that the potential for further important finds is highly probable
The B1256 is not the original line of the Roman Stane Street
This is on this site and was excavated some years ago. It is still metalled and guttered and in the opinion of one of the people there at the time drivable.
All this is a part of the village’s historic identity
Implication of not carrying out a full archeological survey for an area of importance more that just local.
Water
This is an enormous limiting factor on any development in this arid desert area and one we really should take more seriously that we do
Our concerns are obvious and I will leave to officers to ensure that the appropriate work is done on this..