Commercial Development near Airport gets the go-ahead

THREADNEEDLE PROJECT GREENLIGHTED

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Plans to develop land next to Stansted Airport got the go-ahead from Uttlesford in January. But what is in it for our village?

In spring 2021, Columbia Threadneedle Investments gave a presentation to the Parish Council outlining its plans for a 99-acre site close to Stansted Airport. This was followed in October 2021 with consultation with residents on its commercial development project.

At the time their plan proposed delivering a hub of prime commercial development targeting the e-commerce, life sciences, technology and logistics sectors.

Jobs promised…

CTI said not only would the project create 5,000 jobs in Uttlesford, but there was the possibility that community gains could be delivered. Among these were a possible creche, improvements to local transport infrastructure, new football pitches and X-games provision, and even help re-siting sports facilities.  

Over a year on and CTI has now applied for planning permission for its project. Permission was granted by Uttlesford District Council in late January. 

The Parish Council lobbied hard to promote the needs of Stansted within this application. There is disappointment at the lack of community benefits that will come with the development. There will be no improved local bus service for the village. Any improvements in local cycle lanes will be centred close to the site itself. The creche will serve employees at the industrial estate. 

…a 3G pitch

The turf football pitches on the site, used by Elsenham Junior Football Club, will be replaced by a 3G artificial facility at the Burnt Mill Academy facility at Forest Hall School. Sport England wish to see a pitch in place at the same time as the development on site at Northside commences. A community group is to be set up to manage access to the 3G pitch outside the school day, ie the evenings and weekdays. The Parish Council has requested representation on it. 

and HGVs directed away from the village

Our village could be impacted by extra traffic brought to the area by the project. This is why the Parish Council have requested a further meeting with Columbia Threadneedle to have our concerns heard, and also why a condition has been placed on the project’s approval that heavy goods vehicle traffic must be directed away from Stansted Mountfitchet.