Transport improvements support major step forward for garden community

Essex County Council says road and rail improvements are vital as thousands more homes are built as part of the Chelmsford Garden Community.

Following Chelmsford City Council’s planning committee approval of two new housing zones and a major new road for the development on Monday evening, the county council has hailed it as a prime example of how an ‘infrastructure first’ approach accelerates housing delivery.

Essex County Council has supported economic growth and high-quality housing development in Garden Communities for almost a decade. In Chelmsford, the council secured £218 million Homes England investment for new infrastructure. This includes Beaulieu Park Station, which opened in October, and the first section of the Chelmsford North East Bypass, which is currently being constructed.

The Garden Community is one of the most significant housing developments in the country, emphasising the importance of putting new infrastructure in place ahead of new housing. This helps ensure residents are well connected to opportunities in Essex and to mitigate the impacts on existing residents.

It is consistent with the council’s strategy of growing Essex through master-planned Garden Communities, places with high quality facilities and amenities, while protecting the best of the county.

After the Government cancelled plans to widen the A12 between Junctions 19 and 25 this summer, Essex County Council is now drawing up initial proposals to increase capacity and improve safety at Junction 19 (Boreham Interchange) and the nearby Beaulieu Park Station roundabout to support new housing.