There is still time to have your say on Tollgate Village

After years of planning and consultation by Tollgate Partnership Limited, Colchester councillors are just days away from deciding if Tollgate Village should get the green light.

The Planning Committee of Colchester Borough Council will consider an outline planning application on Thursday, December 17 at a meeting in the Moot Hall, Colchester Town Hall, starting at 6pm (access from 5pm). The application, by local family business Tollgate Partnership Limited, proposes a major enhancement to the retail and leisure offer within Tollgate, Stanway.

Tollgate Village will deliver a wide range of new shopping, eating and leisure facilities at the heart of the Stanway Growth Area, create 1,000 jobs and benefit the Borough by £16.9m. The proposals for Tollgate Village include substantial highways improvements and are supported by both Highways England and Essex County Council.

Daniel Watts and Jayne Gee, Directors of the Stanway-based Tollgate Partnership Limited, said: “We have been encouraged by the support we have received for Tollgate Village. The application for outline planning permission was only submitted after years of consultation with Colchester Council, Stanway Parish Council and Essex County Council. The plans also received overwhelming support from all those who attended the public exhibition last year and we sincerely hope the councillors listen to the people.”

A large number of Colchester residents have already expressed their support for the scheme on Colchester Council’s website, but more supporters are needed to guarantee this exciting project goes ahead. It is not too late to have your say, simply go to the Council’s website www.colchester.gov.uk and search for planning application reference: 150239.

An independent retail report commissioned by Colchester Borough Council concluded that Tollgate Village would not have significant adverse impact on Colchester Town Centre. Tollgate Partnership Limited has also agreed to accept a number of restrictions on retail floor space to avoid direct competition with the Town Centre.

Full details of the application and the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the public exhibition can be found on this website.