‘Stanhanger’: Developer City & Country’s public exhibition of scheme for 1,050 homes on Green Belt farmland between Stansted and Birchanger

The public unveiling of plans to develop Green Belt farmland between Stansted and Birchanger with 1,050 homes saw more than 100 people turn out to voice their views.

Stansted-based developer City & Country hired a suite at Bishop’s Stortford Football Club’s RDA Stadium on Thursday (Nov 28) from 3pm to 7pm to showcase its vision for the 172 acres (70ha) of agricultural land, which, if given the green light, would effectively join the two villages.

The company’s design and planning director, Simon Vernon-Harcourt, described the event as “the first step” in talking to the community about its ideas for the “sensitive, landscape-led development”.

He said: “It’s an exercise in encouraging people to give us feedback and to see if we can come up with something that’s going to provide enough community benefits to get people to support it.

“We’re showing everyone an idea of how it could be developed, to get their feedback and we then need to see what happens with the Local Plan, whether it gets adopted or not.”

Mr Vernon-Harcourt said that Labour’s new National Planning Policy Framework – drawn up by Deputy Prime Minister and Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Angela Rayner and expected to be outlined in the new year – could pave the way for “low-quality Green Belt”, or ‘grey belt’, to be developed.

“The new policy has triggered the potential for something to happen here,” he said.

“I understand that most people would prefer not to have it, but if there were homes, what kind of houses would they like to see? A community centre, new football pitch? It’s so we can understand what the community wants.”

Addressing concerns about development in the countryside, he said City & Country’s vision was to create higher-quality green spaces.

“Arable farmland is of low ecological value, so by creating a community park we can increase biodiversity of the land – less open space, but higher quality and creating a clear buffer between Birchanger and Stansted which could be legally binding to prevent the communities ever joining together.”

The site is bordered by Forest Hall Road in Stansted to the north and Birchanger to the south, and by Tot Lane – a single-track road linking Forest Hall Road and Birchanger Lane – to the west and the M11 to the east.

It also includes a single field just north of the A120 bypass bordered by the B1383 and the foot of Birchanger Lane.

Land immediately to the south of Forest Hall School allocated for future expansion of the Stansted secondary lies within the site.

City & Country’s scheme also includes public open green space, shops, community facilities, play space and new roads through the site.

Residents from both communities had the chance to speak to City & Country representatives, fill out questionnaires and leave detailed comments and posted notes on exhibition boards that encouraged ideas for the scheme.

‘What would you like to see on this site?’ the company asked. The responses were varied, but predominantly not welcoming. “Exactly what is right here now,” said one. “No houses”, “no landscape needed, leave nature alone” said others and “we already have green space”.

Some suggested “a village hall, surgery and school” and “flexible small business units”.

Diane Deane-Bowers, a Birchanger resident of 50 years, confronted Mr Vernon-Harcourt directly to lodge her objections. She told the Indie afterwards: “I believe it’s the wrong development in the wrong place.

“I live literally on the edge of where the housing development could go. I’m surrounded by beautiful fields and my view will just end up being of houses. It will have a very significant impact on my property.

“It was mentioned about 18 months ago it had been sold, signs for land sale went up several years ago. This has nothing to do with the current government as City & Country is indicating.”

Birchanger Parish Council chair Cllr Angie Driscoll said ahead of her visit to the exhibition that the council was “absolutely against” any development. Stansted and Birchanger parish council representatives are to meet to discuss the issue.