Middlewick Ranges: supporting sustainable growth for Colchester
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
The DIO, on behalf of the MOD, undertook public consultation in the summer of 2019 on some initial ideas on how 1,000 homes could be sensitively and suitably brought forward. The consultation events were well attended, with approximately 540 visitors at the public exhibitions providing 231 pieces of written feedback.
The main themes of feedback included in responses were around transport and access, ecology and environment, and public access to and use of the site. The information that was on display at these consultation events can be found at the bottom of this page.
Since undertaking the consultation, the project team has been working on additional studies, surveys and assessment work in order to further develop the supporting evidence base for the Local Plan allocation. This has taken into consideration the comments and feedback received during 2019 consultation and ongoing discussion with planning officers at Colchester Borough Council.
It is envisaged that there will continue to be local interest in the proposed redevelopment of the site as the Local Plan process moves forward. The project team will continue to engage with stakeholders on technical matters associated with the evidence base for the site allocation as part of the Examination in Public process. It is committed to working positively and proactively with Colchester Borough Council and others to bring forward this site.
A newsletter was prepared and issued in Winter 2020 to provide residents with an update on work that had been undertaken since the 2019 events and the progress of the Local Plan. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and associated social distancing restrictions, it was not possible to hold further events as had originally been the case. Read the [Winter 2020 newsletter] and more guidance on the Middlewick ranges consultation: further information page.
Original consultation
Consultation description
The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) live firing range at Middlewick will relocate to Fingringhoe in 2021, at which point the site will become available to deliver much-needed new homes for Colchester.
Colchester Borough Council has allocated the site for 1,000 new homes in its emerging Local Plan, and this is being tested through the Examination in Public (EiP) process. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has developed an illustrative masterplan to show one way in which a sustainable new community could be created here to include a range of new homes and facilities with open green space for the public to enjoy.
Public consultation was undertaken in the summer of 2019 to seek people’s initial feedback on the DIO’s initial plans for the site and to understand what questions and comments people had, in order to help shape the best possible set of development proposals.
A number of detailed reports have been prepared by the project team to support the allocation of the site within the emerging Colchester Local Plan. You can find these on the Middlewick ranges consultation: technical documents page.
Although at this stage no planning application has been prepared, we would anticipate that an application would be developed following the adoption of Colchester Borough Council’s Local Plan.
If you have any questions about the content of this website or the proposals for Middlewick Ranges, you can contact the team via DIO-DEOPublicConsultation@mod.gov.uk.
Related information
Documents
Updates to this page
Last updated 8 January 2021 + show all updates
-
Added HTML: Middlewick Ranges relevant report links.
-
Added note to Final outcome section about supporting technical documentation.
-
Added the consultation final outcome, the winter 2020 newsletter and Vision report.
-
First published.