Planners “did not consider New Hall”
7:00am Saturday 22nd January 2011
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THE setting of a Grade I listed building in Chelmsford has not been fully appreciated by planners, an inquiry has been told.
The claim was made about historic New Hall School by Professor Robert Tregay, a landscape architect, at the examination of the North Chelmsford Area Action Plan (NCAPP).
Prof Tregay, who is representing the school at the hearing, said English Nature had said in 2007 that the development of 3,200 houses in north-east Chelmsford had “the potential to damage New Hall
and Boreham House” but that damage has to be balanced by compensatory measures.
He said a report should have been commissioned by Chelmsford Council to look into the significance of the New Hall setting, but this was not carried out.
He added: “The consequences could have been to pick development elsewhere – but this was never tested.”
Prof Tregay said a decision was made “early on” to develop two new neighbourhoods in north Chelmsford “rather than anywhere else”.
He added: “The option in north-east Chelmsford was just one. The nub of our concerns is that no reasonable alternatives were looked at at that time.”
Roger Estop, council planning spokesman, said the council contends that all reasonable alternatives were looked at in the north east area of Chelmsford.
The inquiry continues.
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