WRITTLE PARISH COUNCILWarren Farm
North West Action Group
The North West Action Group was formed in November 2015 following the publication by the Chelmsford City Council of three options for their Local Plan for 2021 to 2026. All these options included a large development on Warren Farm adjacent to the Roxwell Road in the Parish of Writtle.
Local Parish Council Chairs, including Writtle, met to discuss the implications of the proposed sites in North West Chelmsford and agreed to form the North West Action Group to challenge the City Council on their site selection, highlighting the key issues and suggesting more suitable sites nearer to proposed new infrastructure such as the second station and North East Bypass.
Since 2015 the Group have met regularly and appointed consultants to justify their objections.
History of Warren Farm site
The proposed site is on prime agricultural land and all cars entering or leaving the site will have to use the Roxwell Road which is already congested with traffic for long periods every day.
During the first and second stages of the consultation, Writtle Parish Council and parishioners submitted objections to the site and in the third and final consultation documents, the City Council reduced the total of houses planned for the site from over 2,000 to 800.
In 2018 the Action Group continued to challenge the City Council and highlighted the unsuitability of the site to the Examiners when the Plan was independently examined at the end of 2018.
An outline planning application (21/01545/OUT) for the first phase (317 houses) was received by the Planning Authority in April 2024. Writtle Parish Council were consulted and have responded to the application (see below). Updates can be found on the Chelmsford City Council website – https://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/view-or-comment-on-planning-applications/
Writtle Parish Council continues to meet with Chelmsford City Council and the developers, Crest Nicholson on the current planning application for the site. As at December 2025 there is still no decision on the planning application.
