Residents of an Essex village fear new housing plans will ruin its charm. They fight to maintain village identity.
Tony Fitzgerald started a protest social media page because he moved there for peace and quiet. For 37 years, he looked out at fields, but this peaceful view is about to vanish. He wanted a village, not a town, he explains.
Some smaller developments already have built homes, but Tony says the placement wasn’t well thought out. Homes are packed very close together now, making some neighbors look into others’ kitchens. They lost their countryside views, he says, feeling planners ignored current residents.
Latchingdon has fields all around it, notes Tony, who thinks the building will cut off village access. He says walks will disappear if they build 140 houses. He thinks the build will change the rural area, making the town more urban, and also believes this will cause major problems soon.
He explains that there is only one road in and out, recalling spending an hour in traffic recently. The village has only one through road, and traffic is already a problem now. Tony notes traffic stops if a car parks by the shop.
He adds infrastructure needs more thought, bringing up local schools and hospitals’ needs. The nearest hospital is far away, per Tony.
Planners have not approved 140 new homes yet. Tony believes his village is changing fast, turning urban, and leaving its rural roots.
The council acknowledged community concerns, noting they know about district infrastructure issues and development concerns. Originally, the council rejected the 160 home plan, but the planning inspectorate made them approve it, thinking benefits outweighed impacts.
The 140 home plan includes a village center. It also offers space for work and woods, plus open space and gardens. This plan has not been decided on, and the council says it cannot comment further, consulting public bodies on infrastructure.