On 2 February 2026, local leaders gave an update on the progress of major new roads and essential services being built to unlock thousands of new homes in and around Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. The work is part of a long-term plan to ensure the town has the right transport links and utility capacity in place before more people move into the area.
The immediate focus is the western edge of town at a site called Hartley Gardens, which is expected to deliver around 1,700 homes. Tendring District Council says the first full planning application for Hartley Gardens is expected to be submitted in early February 2026 (the council’s adopted Supplementary Planning Document indicated the first application was expected in early 2026).
Construction teams are also making progress on the A1331 Link Road, which will eventually connect the A120 with the A133. Essex County Council and partner authorities say this route will act as a spine for the new community, helping to keep through-traffic off existing residential streets.
The government has provided around A399 million from the Housing Infrastructure Fund to help pay for the link road. Enabling works on the sites are also under way, including installation of core utilities—sewerage, electricity and high-speed fibre—and other groundworks to support Hartley Gardens, Rouses Farm and the wider Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community to the north of the town.
Council leaders and partner authorities say the approach is ‘infrastructure-first’—delivering roads, public transport links and utilities early to ensure services are in place before large numbers of new homes are occupied. Plans for the new neighbourhoods include provision for a primary school and local health facilities to serve future residents.
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