Only 350 residents submitted responses to Rochford District Council’s major planning consultation, sparking concerns that the public may not be aware of proposals that will shape the area for the next 15 years.
The consultation, which ran for six weeks from 9th February to 24th March 2026, asked residents to give their views on the draft Local Plan – a document that will guide development across the district until 2041. With approximately 70,000 eligible adults living in Rochford District, the 350 responses represent less than half of one percent of the population.
The Local Plan proposes building around 15,300 new homes across the district over roughly 15 years. In Rayleigh alone, plans include nearly 3,700 new homes, while a separate development at Dollymans Farm could bring around 1,000 more properties to the area. Some local politicians have warned the total could reach 17,000 homes across the district.
Local MP Mark Francois has been a vocal critic of the proposals, particularly those involving Green Belt land. He has described large-scale Green Belt development as “completely unsustainable” and “environmental vandalism”. He has repeatedly called for new infrastructure to be built before any major housebuilding goes ahead.
Concerns about infrastructure capacity extend beyond roads and schools. Healthcare facilities in Rayleigh are already stretched, with the Riverside Medical Centre unable to move forward with expansion plans due to costs. Compounding the issue, more than one million pounds in funding provided by developers specifically for healthcare improvements remains unspent in the district.
The timing of the consultation has raised additional concerns. Rochford District Council is facing mandatory merger with neighbouring councils, meaning current residents may have limited future opportunities to influence planning decisions through their local authority. The council has been without an adopted Local Plan since 1998 – one of the longest gaps in England – leaving it vulnerable to speculative development applications.
A further round of public consultation, known as Regulation 19, is expected in autumn 2026. The final plan must be submitted to the government by December 2026, with adoption currently expected no earlier than 2028.
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