Representation by Victoria & Gary Woods (Victoria & Gary Woods)
- Date submitted
- 2 November 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
We are instructed by Gary and Victoria Woods (“our clients”). Our clients own two parcels of land, being EX876264 (known as Witham Field Farm, postcode CM3 2EF) and EX376304 (approximately 8 acres of grazing land adjoining EX876264). EX876264 Full freehold interest of EX876264 was acquired by our clients in 2011 with the intention of developing the land into an equestrian facility together with house, stables, manage, paddocks etc... There is a barn on the property that they intended to convert into a garage/store area with accommodation over the top, but this plan was scuppered by the A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening scheme. Planning permission was granted in 2013 for a replacement three bed residential dwelling. Our clients sold their property in Billericay to fund construction which commenced in 2016 with demolition of the existing cottage and purchase of all the brick and block work materials. Uncertainty from the road scheme proposals led to delay and ultimately cessation of the project as the preferred route was announced. EX376304 This land was purchased by our clients for two reasons. The first was to add to the existing access to Witham Field Farm, which currently has its access directly onto the A12 at the end of the slip road that carries traffic from Hatfield Peverel to join the A12 Colchester bound. The second reason was to hopefully sell the remaining land to a developer to fund their retirement. There is a plot of land just off The Vineyards that is on the local plan, HAT 312. Our clients were hoping to join forces with this developer to create a larger development. Furthermore our clients have informed us that they have received notable interest from developers previously with regards to developing the land at EX376304 for residential housing, in conjunction with the development of nearby land outside of their ownership. Our Clients Comments/Objections Plans submitted by National Highways as part of their DCO application propose to acquire part of both titles permanently. Furthermore, following discussions with Ardent and the VOA, both instructed on behalf of National Highways, we understand that plans are for existing overhead electricity lines to be undergrounded through our clients retained land and that there is the potential for a medium pressure cadent gas pipeline diversion to also be run through this retained land. As outlined above there are development hopes for this land and these plans have the potential to sterilise this opportunity. Therefore, our clients object to the undergrounding of utilities, particularly any gas infrastructure, through their retained land. In discussions with Ardent and the VOA we have secured a replacement access to the clients retained land, which is shown in the plans submitted as part of the DCO application. However, at present we have not received confirmation that the clients will own this access and as such at this time the presumption is that National Highways would own it and grant the clients a right of way across it. Our clients object to this proposal as, from speaking with them, we understand that they own the existing access to their land off of the A12 and therefore this would leave them in a worse position post-scheme. We would therefore argue that it is only fair and right that plans are amended to ensure that ownership of this new access is solely in the name of our clients. Yours Faithfully Oliver Lukies & Michael Anderson of Strutt & Parker on behalf of Gary & Victoria Woods