OPTION EA1

As this land immediately adjoins the King Edmund Secondary School, it is ideally placed to deliver the educational and highway improvements for the school. We have held discussions with both Blaise Gammie from School Organisation and Planning at Essex County Council and Mr Abel, the Headmaster of the school. There is agreement that this land, immediately to the north of the school in the most appropriate location for these improvements. Although the Core Strategy identifies that 3ha of land needs to be reserved for future educational requirements, it has been agreed that the school's requirements in terms of both the reserve land and the highways improvements can be accommodated within 3ha. Although this revised configuration allows for a larger residential land parcel (2.53 ha) this could only accommodate around 60 dwellings at a density of 30 dwellings per hectare. Even at a higher density of 40 dwellings per hectare only around 80 dwellings could be achieved. Whilst achieving a greater number of units such a scheme would neither meet the Council's requirements of 100 units, nor would it reflect the character of the area. Furthermore, financial viability would be put into question given the significant infrastructure contributions required.