Dedham Vale Society

ESSEX PLANNING NOTESIn recent editions I have used the Newsletter to brief you on significant developments in planningpolicy at national, regional and local level. However, policy at all levels is in a state of fluxas the new Government review the existing situation and attempt to plot their course for the yearsahead. Although certain policy statements have been made, the detail behind those statements is still tobe clarified and the future direction of policy yet to become clear.I, therefore, thought that on this occasion it would be better to give you a picture of the day-to-dayactivity of your Essex Planning Officer.In a typical week I receive details of approximately 5 new applications from across the Vale directlyfrom Colchester Borough Council - a very high percentage are from the Dedham area where there aremany applications dealing with home improvements. Many of these concern extensions to properties,very often marking a significant increase in overall size – in themselves these may not be a problem butthe overall issue is the need to preserve a balanced housing mix in the Vale so that those in all incomebands can afford to live in rural communities. We hear much about the need for “affordable housing”but frequently the importance of maintaining the affordable housing, which already exists in ourcommunities, is not recognised.The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is synonymous with the tranquillity we all enjoy –tranquillity which is constantly under threat in the modern world. The efforts to protect the Vale from theOtter in Mill Pond at Boxted – winter 2009Photograph by Arabella Whitworth-Jones15