Ayub Khan has airport parking in his sights in his district councillor’s report for June

 

As the country now starts to recover from the pandemic and people start to travel, one of the consequences has been the return of airport fly parking to the area. Following concerns raised by residents on the Mountfitchet Estate, Cllr Caton and I met with the Community Team at Stansted Airport to take them on a tour of the area to view the problems caused by airport fly parking. I am pleased to announce that following our discussions, Stansted Airport has agreed to install “No Airport Parking” signs across the estate.

In addition to the above, we have also agreed that the “No Airport Parking” signage will be placed on the following roads on Foresthall Park:

• Walson Way
• Reeve Road
• Livings Way
• Palmer Close
• Forest Hall Road

This is a good outcome for both areas as a first measure to try and alleviate the problem of airport parking.

Parking Restrictions

District Councillors have been working with the Parish Council and the North East Parking Partnership to discuss appropriate restrictions on the Mountfitchet Estate and Foresthall Park. This follows concerns related to parking, speeding and safety at junctions.

A consultation will be published in the next few months to inform residents on the process and timescales. It is likely that the Parking Partnership will implement any agreed restrictions in autumn 2023. Further information will be provided through the Parish Council Highways Committee.

Emerging Uttlesford Local Plan

The first draft of the latest attempt to create an Uttlesford Local Plan is due to go out to consultation with residents from June 20 to July 29. It is worth reminding residents that the R4U administration decided to withdraw the previous Local Plan and start the process again.

This decision has cost the District Council some £7m. All four Stansted District Councillors voted against this approach as we wanted the administration to retain and repair the previous plan. Thus, saving money and reducing duplication and avoiding something of a developer free-for-all.

The result of withdrawing the previous plan means that Uttlesford will be required to build 706 houses per annum until 2040 instead of 636 houses per annum, under the withdrawn plan. In total Uttlesford District Council now must find sites for around 16,000 houses. Stansted District Councillors are not against house building and have always been in favour of the creation of new well integrated communities rather than developer-led additions to the edges of existing communities.

We consider that any development in existing settlements must come with considerable benefits to the community in the form of additional infrastructure, services, and facilities, e.g. for sports and recreation, culture and open spaces that improve the wellbeing and quality of life of our residents. In addition, all new developments must be low carbon. Highways MUST be able to cope. Like the Parish Council we are opposed to the proposed new settlement at Bollington Hall in Ugley on the grounds of the negative impact on Stansted Mountfitchet, especially traffic on B1383, public services, and coalescence of a new settlement with our village.