Proposals
A sustainable community for everyone to enjoy
Bloor Homes’ aspiration for the land south of Chelmsford Road, is to create a vibrant, sustainable community that blends seamlessly with the local area. Providing additional high-quality new homes alongside thoughtfully designed green spaces, including a play area and walking routes.
Masterplan
- 01Primary vehicular, cycle and pedestrian access point
- 02Pedestrian access point
- 03Potential pedestrian, cycle and emergency access point, if required
- 04Retained and enhanced tree planting
- 05New buffer planting
- 06Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) including swales
- 07Green corridor
- 08Nature park with naturalistic tree planting and could include semi-wetland habitats
- 09Edible landscape including community gardens, orchard planting and/or fruit bearing trees and plants
- 10Meadow planting and species rich landscapes
- 11Gateway green
- 12Central green
Public right of way – footpath
Recreational footpath
Boardwalk
Children’s Play Space
Key benefits
How proposals are evolving
The proposals offer an exciting opportunity to help deliver new homes and public green open spaces.
- Up to approximately 250 new homes to help meet the local area’s identified housing needs.
- 50% affordable housing, providing options for first-time buyers, families, and those looking to downsize.
- A landscape-led design, integrating new green corridors whilst retaining and enhancing existing vegetation.
- Significant public open space, including play spaces and a nature park for new and existing residents to enjoy.
- Enhanced pedestrian and cycle routes that improve connectivity and offer sustainable travel throughout the site.
- Ecological improvements, with habitat creation and biodiversity net gain through meadow planting, retention and community orchards.
- Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) including swales and semi-wetland habitats to manage surface water and support biodiversity.
New homes
High-quality housing that meets local needs
The proposals will help meet the need for housing in Epping Forest District Council which is currently under pressure to meet its new housing targets published by the Government.
The adopted Epping Local Plan seeks approximately 520 new homes a year, they currently have a 5-year land supply of 4.3 years, therefore new housing sites will be needed and Ongar will have a role to play.
The development will offer a mix of family homes, bungalows, and properties for first-time buyers, creating a balanced and diverse community where residents can continue to call the area home.
The Local Plan’s affordable housing target will be met, addressing the housing crisis in the local area with 50% of homes allocated as affordable. This ensures that the development is inclusive and supports a range of socio-economic backgrounds.
The development would be well integrated to Ongar, being in close proximity to key infrastructure such as the main high street which includes many retail options, and close by primary school and nursey.
Public green space
Landscape-led scheme that prioritises green open space
The emerging proposals aim to create a place that feels connected to its landscape, with new public open spaces for everyone to enjoy. This will include a mix of formal areas and more natural, informal ones, opening up land that is currently inaccessible to the local community.
The design approach celebrates the site’s existing landscape features, enhancing greenery and natural character while supporting local wildlife. Green corridors and parkland edges will link into nearby walking routes, encouraging people to explore and spend time outdoors.
The development will also be designed to achieve at least a 10% biodiversity net gain on-site, creating more habitats and supporting more wildlife than currently exists. Measures such as species-rich planting, ecological enhancements, and extensive green buffers will help the new neighbourhood blend naturally with its surroundings.
Access and active travel
Carefully designed access arrangements
Primary access is currently proposed off Chelmsford Road, with a right turn into the north of the site. Alongside this there are multiple pedestrian and cycle access points to help improve connectivity and encourage active ways of travel, especially for shorter journeys to the high street and local area.
The proposals are designed to encourage walking and cycling, with multiple connections to the surrounding countryside and Public Rights of Way, encouraging active travel and sustainable transport options to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Parking is positioned in private drives to minimise its visual impact on the main streets, maintaining a pleasant and welcoming environment.
Flood mitigation
Sustainably designed surface water management system
The proposals have been designed to effectively manage surface water.
The proposed surface water drainage strategy will use sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) to capture, control and release water generated on-site, mimicking the current natural drainage with infiltration back into the ground in accordance with the drainage hierarchy.
The system will be designed to manage severe weather that happens very rarely, such as a 1-in-100-year storm event and to account for climate change and potential urban creep on the development.
The proposed SuDS features will be designed to also promote biodiversity and provide amenity benefits through an attractively planted detention basin, which will include new rich planted habitats.
Sustainability
A greener future is at the heart of our proposals
We have carefully considered how to integrate Epping Forest and Bloor Homes’ sustainability objectives into this development to provide a sustainable development that:
- Decreases the amount of embodied carbon needed upfront by using smart building materials and design techniques in constructing our homes.
- Prioritises the development of net zero ready homes, incorporating renewable energy such as air source heat pumps and solar panels.
- Minimises the use of water, meeting the building regulations higher water efficiency standard.
- Promotes sustainable travel and transport through enabling the use of public transport, cycle storage and parking and Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points.
- Incorporating the principles of the circular economy to design and construction to minimise waste, promoting opportunities for reuse and recycling.
Community engagement
Early engagement is key to creating community spaces
As part of the engagement process, we have hosted a workshop with key local stakeholders to understand early ideas and thoughts for the site.
Key themes that came from the workshop included:
- Community spaces
- Landscape opportunities like allotments and low maintenance planting
- Opportunities to boost employment
