Here you find the various chapters of our emerging Neighbourhood Development Plan. Residents are able to participate in the consultation to do with the Plan by emailing their comments to the Parish Council at parishcouncil@stansted.net, by writing to our Offices at the Mountfitchet Exchange, or by simply commenting under one of the Council’s posts related to the Consultation on our Facebook page – stansted.parishcouncil.
Below you will find background documents relating to each of the key topics that should be read to help you arrive at an informed decision.
Sports
Sport and recreation is the foundation for sound mental and physical well being for children and adults. But some parts of Stansted have the highest rates of child poverty in Uttlesford, while obesity rates in some reception classes is 18%. Opportunities to play sport are at times lacking for both the young and the old.
But where should community efforts at improving the recreational environment best be focused? More football grass pitches or an artificial one? A swimming pool or an expansion of our two tennis courts? The options are laid out in the document below. Feedback your opinions to us on Facebook, email or by letter.
Cycle Lanes and Stansted
Historic Environment
This part of the Neighbourhood Development Plan, chapter 8, focuses on how best to conserve and enhance the historic environment, built character and setting of the Parish.
Our village has more than 140 listed buildings, three protected lanes, and three designated conservation areas — From Lower Street to Silver Street, Bentfield Green, and Bentfield Causeway.
Should Lower Street Conservation Area be extended, as proposed by the Council? And do the Sworders Auction Rooms, the St Teresa of Lisieux and Mountfitchet Exchange deserve listing status? These are some of the issues raised in the document below.
Resources:
Air Pollution
The prevalence of heavy goods vehicles passing through our narrow streets when combined with all too frequent road works has led to the deterioration of air quality in Stansted. But how can we reduce air pollution? What places should be monitored to ensure it does improve, and would residents be prepared to cut back on car use to achieve this goal?
Flood Risk Management
This part of the Neighbourhood Development Plan focuses on how to prevent or, at least minimise, flood events in Lower Street, how to avoid new developments increasing the flood risk, and how to ensure clearance and maintenance of roadside gullies thus reducing risk of flooding.
Please find the Flood Risk Management chapter here:
Health & Wellbeing
How should the Neighbourhood Development Plan be shaped to take account rising demand for health services in the community? The elderly population in the village is set to rise from 18.9% to 26.5% by 2035, while the construction of homes in the area will mean Stansted’s single GP surgery will need to expand its resources to meet the needs of a growing population. Do we need a second pharmacy and where should it be sited? Such issues are discussed in fuller detail in the Chapter Health & Welfare below:
Community & Leisure
Housing development will see 1,500 extra residents in the village. Against this backdrop where offers the best central location to provide community services? And how can the needs of Foresthall Park residents best be met? Young people, meanwhile, require more and better opportunities for social interaction. But again, where and how? These are the issues at the heart of the chapter on Community & Leisure.
Business & the Local Economy
Compared to many places of a similar size, Stansted Mountfitchet has sustained a healthy commercial infrastructure. But how has the pandemic affected the local economy and have employment opportunities been affected? And is cheaper parking the best way to support our shops, bars and restaurants?
A Green Environment
The village is blessed with natural assets like the Aubrey Buxton Nature reserve, but how should the Neighbourhood Plan ensure the natural environment and out-of-door activities are not only protected, but enhanced and improved. Green corridors need expanding and extra sites for tree planting need to be identified if a deficit of legally accessible open space is to be overcome.
Roads & Mobility
Too many oversized vehicles on too narrow streets, an absence of cycle lanes, and the small matter of the B1383 – one of the most stressed highways in the county. But what are the solutions? The introduction perhaps, of one-way systems and the pedestrianisation of streets? Or are better cycling routes and public transport the answer?
Education
By many standards Stansted has a good level of education provision but there are gaps. There is a definite shortage of pre-school places in the village. Can a new site be found on Foresthall Park or does expanding the existing Rainbow pre-school make more sense? Would the creation of a sixth form at Forest Hall school mean students no longer need to travel to Birchanger, Newport or even Cambridge for educational opportunities? And would a large housing development in the area require the expansion of primary school provision?
Development
Since the early 1970s when the first housing estates were built in Stansted, our population has grown from 4,664 to an estimated 9,600 in 2021. It looks like it is set expand further in the coming years.
Developers and landowners have suggested 21 sites for our area under last year’s Uttlesford District Council’s Call for Sites initiative. We still do not know how many, if any, will come our way. But it is likely our village will be expected to plan for more housing and business parks over the the timeline of Uttlesford’s still emerging Local Plan. The plan will map out development across the district until 2040.
The growth of Stansted poses some fundamental questions which you, by engaging in our consultation, can help answer. For example, should we now consider ourselves a village or a town? If we are to accept future development, where should new construction go? And on what terms should we permit construction in and around our village?
