William Eichler 07 February 2025

Housing plan on MoD site scrapped due to acid grasslands

Housing plan on MoD site scrapped due to acid grasslands image
Image: cktravels.com / Shutterstock.com.

Colchester City Council is set to remove a former Ministry of Defence firing range from its development plans due to the site's ‘significant environmental value.’

Surveys have indicated that Middlewick Ranges is of ‘potentially national significance’ due to its invertebrate communities, acid grassland habitats, breeding birds, and bat species.

Natural England has advised the council that including the site in the local plan would likely cause significant harm to the area’s biodiversity.

Cllr Andrea Luxford Vaughan, portfolio holder for Planning, Environment and Sustainability, said the council was committed to an ‘evidence-led approach’ to shaping the local plan.

‘We have worked closely with Natural England and other experts to fully understand Middlewick Ranges’ ecological value. Based on the latest evidence, we believe it is the right decision to separate Middlewick from the local plan.’

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Nursery Assistant - Part Time / Term Time

Essex County Council
Up to £25081.00 per annum + Pro Rata
Nursery Assistant - Part Time / Term TimePermanent, Part Time£25,081 Per Annum, Full Time Equivalent. Equal to £13.00 Per Hour.Location
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Marketing Co-ordinator - Active Essex

Essex County Council
£25081.00 - £26679.00 per annum + + 26 Days Leave % Local Gov Pension
Marketing Co-ordinator - Active EssexPermanent, Full Time£25,081 to £26,679 Per AnnumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Registered Childrens Home Manager

Essex County Council
£52428.00 - £64950.00 per annum
Registered Childrens Home ManagerPermanent, Full Time£52,428 to £64,950 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Assistant Coroner

Essex County Council
Up to £0.0000 per annum
Assistant CoronerPermanent, Part Time£516 per day. (half-daily rate £258 for hours worked up to 3.7)(in line with the JNC Coroners Circular 69)Locatio England, Essex, Chelmsford
Recuriter: Essex County Council

Senior Practitioner - Children and Families Hub, North Essex

Essex County Council
Up to £0.0000 per annum
Senior Practitioner - Children and Families Hub, North EssexPermanent, Full Time£45,217 to £54,395 per annumLocation
Recuriter: Essex County Council
Linkedin Banner

Partner Content

Circular highways is a necessity not an aspiration – and it’s within our grasp

Shell is helping power the journey towards a circular paving industry with Shell Bitumen LT R, a new product for roads that uses plastics destined for landfill as part of the additives to make the bitumen.

Support from Effective Energy Group for Local Authorities to Deliver £430m Sustainable Warmth Funded Energy Efficiency Projects

Effective Energy Group is now offering its support to the 40 Local Authorities who have received a share of the £430m to deliver their projects on the ground by surveying properties and installing measures.

Pay.UK – the next step in Bacs’ evolution

Dougie Belmore explains how one of the main interfaces between you and Bacs is about to change.