Harwich Valley, Essex

Staff from Q+A Planning secured planning permission in 2016 for up to 297 new homes, alongside some 40,000 sqm of commercial floorspace. The commercial floorspace included a foodstore, petrol filling station, non-food units, employment floorspace (including start up units), café/restaurant units, public house, drive thru restaurants, cinema and a hotel. The development also included a new roundabout off the A120 to facilitate vehicular access into the site.

A comprehensive package of retail and employment evidence was submitted to demonstrate the limited impact on the town centre. This evidence also sought to highlight the very significant public benefits in terms of new jobs, inward investment into the area and choice of retail facilities. Viability evidence was also commissioned that identified the significant infrastructure costs, such as the new roundabout and cut and fill exercises, associated with the development, along the likely rental levels of the retail, to demonstrate that the development could only achieve 10% affordable housing.

Q+A continue to provide planning consultancy advice on the project and are now working with the client to deliver the scheme.

For any further information, or general enquiries, please contact Peter Keenan.