March 2026 News Roundup

The March Full Council meeting was held on Tuesday 17 March 2026.  A copy of the draft minutes are available on the Parish Council’s website.

During the Full Council meeting, the following items were discussed:

• District Councillor Report – Waste Collection Changes – the new collection system is rolling out across the district. There have been reports from residents to include bin delivery delays, confusion around the new system and rural delivery challenges; Local Plan – Concerns for Feering include housing grow and strain on local infrastructure, the cancelled A12 upgrade and protection of rural land, proposed developments affecting Feering including the 835 homes at Feering, 5000 homes at Kings Dene, 600 homes at Monks Farm, 200+ homes at Strawberry Fields, Coggeshall and 85 homes at Coggeshall Town Football Club.
• County Councillor Report – Budget and Council Tax approved which rises by 3.95%. Funding priorities include Highways and transport, Children’s Services, SEND and Adult Social Care.  An extra £49 million has been allocated for highways.  ECC received a government green rating based on ECC’s self-reported highway maintenance performance.  Planning – the industrial greenhouse application at Rivenhall Airfield is expected at the April Development and Regulation Committee meeting.  Rivenhall incinerator – The Environment Agency is investigating another emissions breach from 26 January.  Earlier breaches remain unpublished pending an appeal by Indaver.  Anglian Water – investing £20 million across six water recycling centres including Coggeshall Hamlet.
• Housing Needs Survey – Laura Atkinson of the RCCE gave an update on the Housing Needs Survey and the next steps. It was discussed that there is an option for a rural exception site which could be looked at to do with the development coming or as a standalone project.  The next steps for the Parish Council to consider taking the process forward is for the RCCE to send details of 2 housing associations for the Council to review and decide who they would like to meet.  We will also be sent some updated statistics and RCCE will have a discussion with the BDC affordable housing officer.
• Planning Matters: At the meeting on 25 February the following applications were discussed:  26/00119/OUT – Land at Inworth Road; 25/02890/TPOCON – 1 The Green, The Street; 26/00267/TPOCON – 1 Briars Cottages, The Street; 26/000266/TPOCON – 2 Briars Cottages, The Street; 26/00195/HH – 28 Packe Close, Feering; 26/00204/REM – Land North of London Road Kelvedon; ESS/39/23/BTE/NMA13 – Land at Rivenhall Airfield; ESS/39/23/BTE/NMA20 – Rivenhall IWMF; 26/00275/TPOCON – Bows Cottage, The Street, Feering – Deferred to next meeting; 26/00340/TPO – Marchmont House, Feering Hill; 26/00353/HH – Walberswick House, The Street. At the meeting on 9 March the following applications were discussed:  26/00275/TPOCON – Bows Cottage, The Street, Feering; 26/00353/HH – Walberswick House, The Street; 26/00468/COUPA – Popps Cottage, Little Tey Road, Feering; Draft National Planning Policy Framework Consultation; BDC Draft Local Plan – Regulation 18 consultation – Deferred to next meeting.
• Feering Crown Master Planning – Discussion was held around the road safety audits for Parcel A were not requested by Essex County Council. It was discussed that a letter would be sent to the ECC Cabinet Member for Highways asking for them to request the RSAs as the Parish Council are concerned about the entrance onto Coggeshall Road.
• Manned Refuse Service – It was agreed that the Manned Refuse Service would continue for 2026/27 and the costs for the service were approved. The schedule of dates were also approved and will be put onto the website.
• Policy Review – Risk Assessment – Subject to amendments, the Risk Assessment was approved for 2025/26.