Around the middle of May 2019 some Tollesbury residents became aware of the sale of the bungalow on Mell Road that would be used in the Gladman proposal as the access road for the proposed development in the field to the west of Mell Road. These concerns were discussed at the Tollesbury School Governors meeting on 25th April 2019, where it was decided to invite a representative of Tollesbury Parish Council to the next meeting foir further information. The Governors of Tollesbury School had been invited to, and attended, a meeting of the Parish Council a few years before, where the Local Plan was discussed and views aired.
The chair of Tollesbury Parish Council, Mr Plater, attended the Governors meeting on 16th May 2019 and gave an update of the situation and explained the planning process.
Tollesbury residents, mainly the east ward, received the Gladman proposal leaflet around this time.
At the Parish Council meeting on 4th June, around 30 residents turned up at the Pavilion hoping to discuss the Gladman Proposal. They were informed that it was not an agenda item and that the Parish Council would call a public meeting at a larger venue in due course.
On 24th June the Parish Council held a public meeting at The Centre, Tollebsury. To a packed room, with some residents sitting of the floor and many standing in the aisles and in the hallway at the back of the room, the Gladman proposal and planning process was explained by Mr Plater. Members of the Maldon District Council were in attendance as well as Parish Council members.
The Parish Council held a meeting with Gladman on 9th July – at Gladman’s insistence it was behind closed doors. There were 99 Tollesbury residents protesting outside The Pavilion. The Gladman representatives arrived late to jeers and boos.
Thursday 11th July HART held is inaugural meeting in The Betty Brightwell Room within the Parish Rooms. Standing room only and the core group was formed. Priti Patel, MP for Witham, in attendance as well as Councillor Elaine Bamford and members of the Parish Council.
Shortly after this meeting all the residents of Tollesbury received a letter from Priti Patel explaining her objections to the Gladman proposal. See the letter here.
Thursday 18th July HART meet again and news comes in that Gladman had leafleted the west of the village with their proposal.
Monday 29th July The Parish Council hold a Public Meeting in The Centre, Tollesbury. Simon Plater, chair of the Parish Council, addressed a packed hall of villagers, Parish Councillors and District Councillors. Mr Plater explained the planning process and took questions from the audience. HART chair, Emma Stephens, gave a brief presentation about HART and invited all those present to attend the HART Public Meeting on the 8th August.
