Why Birchanger Must Be Protected
Birchanger isn't just another village - it's a living piece of Essex history with a unique rural character that has survived for over 1,000 years. Our name, meaning 'wooded slope with birch trees', reflects our deep connection to the landscape.
12th Century Heritage
St Mary's Church has stood at the heart of our village since the 1100s, with Anglo-Saxon origins dating back even further. This sacred site and its peaceful churchyard represent nearly a millennium of continuous worship and community life.
Ancient Woodland
Birchanger Wood's 69 acres of ancient woodland is one of Essex's natural treasures, home to rare species and the birch trees that gave our village its name. This irreplaceable habitat has existed since before the Norman Conquest.
True Village Community
With just 1,000 residents, everyone knows their neighbours. Our village hall hosts everything from parish meetings to children's parties. The Three Willows pub is where generations have gathered. This is real community - not just houses.
The Devastating Impact on Our Village
City & Country claims this meets the "Golden Rules" for development and qualifies as "grey belt" under NPPF Paragraph 155. But the reality for Birchanger villagers tells a different story:
- NPPF Para 155 Test FAILS - Land Strongly Serves Green Belt: This land prevents coalescence between Birchanger and Stansted, safeguards our village's countryside setting, and protects St Mary's Church from urban encroachment. NPPF Para 155 requires land to NOT strongly serve Green Belt purposes - this test fails immediately for Birchanger.
- "Grey Belt" Strategy Fails Sustainability Test: Site is 2.1km from Stansted station with NO continuous footway (fails DfT 800m walkability standard). Bus route 308 runs hourly Mon-Sat only, last bus 6:30pm, NO Sunday service. This is car-dependent development, NOT sustainable location required by NPPF Para 155.
- "Golden Rules" Unenforceable Without Section 106: Developer promises 50% affordable housing, school expansion land, >20% biodiversity net gain, net zero carbon - but where are the legally binding Section 106 agreements ensuring delivery BEFORE occupation? Land for school expansion is meaningless without funded buildings, teachers, equipment.
- Complete Loss of Village Identity: 180 homes would add 445 residents to a village of ~1,000 - a 44% population increase. Birchanger would become a suburb, indistinguishable from the urban sprawl stretching from Bishop's Stortford to Stansted.
- Destruction of Historic Rural Setting: The fields surrounding St Mary's Church (12th century) and Birchanger Wood (ancient woodland) have defined our village boundaries for centuries. This setting STRONGLY serves Green Belt purposes protecting our heritage.
- Construction Access Nightmare: Years of construction lorries, heavy plant machinery, and delivery vehicles would thunder through our narrow village lanes (designed for 1,000 residents, not construction traffic for 180 homes). No construction traffic management plan is legally secured via Section 106.
- Overwhelmed Village Infrastructure: Our primary school, Village Hall, and narrow lanes cannot cope with 445 more residents. Where's the committed Section 106 funding for infrastructure expansion?
- Traffic Gridlock: 442 daily car trips added to Birchanger Lane and village roads would turn them into rat-runs for commuters avoiding the M11 and A120. No highway capacity upgrades are funded or legally secured.
- Community Dilution: The close-knit nature of village life, where everyone knows their neighbours and contributes to community events, would be impossible to maintain with 44% population growth.
What We're Fighting to Preserve
These aren't just places - they're the heart and soul of our village community:
St Mary's Church
Our Norman church isn't just a building - it's where villagers have celebrated baptisms, weddings, and farewells for 900 years. Its bells have marked village life through the centuries.
Ancient Countryside
The rolling fields and ancient woodlands around Birchanger have existed for centuries. It's where our children play, where we walk our dogs, and where rare wildlife thrives. Once destroyed, it can never be replaced.
Sports & Social Club
The heart of village life - summer fêtes, cricket matches, carol singing. This is where Birchanger comes together as a community, not just a collection of houses.
The Three Willows
Our historic village pub has been the social hub for generations. It's where parish matters are discussed, friendships forged, and village traditions maintained.
Our Rural Setting
The working farmland around Birchanger isn't just scenery - it's our heritage, our livelihood, and the green buffer that makes us a village, not a suburb.
Historic Footpaths
Ancient rights of way connect us to neighboring parishes and provide peaceful routes through beautiful countryside. These paths have been walked for centuries.
Voices from Birchanger
"I've witnessed first hand the impact of traffic when people use Birchanger as a cut through. It's a village and not designed for more traffic. The impact of traffic trying to get into Bishop's Stortford when there's road works (constantly on London and Stansted Road). Also at the end of Birchanger Lane is flooding on rainy days. How tearing out green land and trees for more concrete going to help the natural flow of water. The impact of more houses is just unthinkable."
- Lin
"I want our village to remain a village not turn it into another built up development. A new estate would change the whole feel and character of living in a village and bring more traffic than our roads can cope with."
- Sara
"I moved to a village because I wanted village life for myself and my family. This development would put an end to the village as we know it, and permanently affect our way of life. We will be hemmed in by traffic, absorbed into a town and local services will be further strained."
- Charli
"Not only is this green belt land but it is productive farm land. With recent stories in the farming press warning 'Farmland loss puts UK food security at risk', a significant proportion of which is lost due to development, I am really worried about the future."
- Laurence, Birchanger
"The proposed land can't be classed 'grey-belt' when it has been and continues to be farmed. Everyone's support and action is required to defeat this proposal; please don't assume that it can be done just by a dedicated few. Without all our objections, they will have an increased chance of succeeding."
- Chris, Birchanger
How Birchanger Residents Can Fight Back
As villagers, we have unique strengths - our tight-knit community and deep local knowledge. Here's how to use them:
Object to the Plan
Use your personal knowledge of Birchanger to write powerful objections highlighting specific impacts on our village.
Contact Ray Gooding
Our County Councillor needs to hear from every Birchanger household about this threat to our village.
Rally Your Neighbours
Talk to everyone on your street. Many don't yet know about the threat. Every Birchanger voice matters.
Parish Council Meetings
Attend every meeting at the Village Hall. Show the council they have full village support to fight this.
Document Our Village
Photograph what makes Birchanger special - the views, wildlife, community events. We need evidence of what we'd lose.
Media Attention
Share your Birchanger story with local media. Personal stories from real villagers are powerful.
Birchanger Campaign Resources
📋 Objection Templates
Birchanger-specific templates highlighting:
- NPPF Para 155 test FAILS - land strongly serves Green Belt protecting village setting
- Unsustainable location - car-dependent, fails DfT 800m walkability standard
- "Golden Rules" undeliverable - no legally binding Section 106 agreements
- Impact on St Mary's Church setting - 12th century heritage protected by Green Belt
- Birchanger Wood and wildlife - ancient woodland threatened by development
- Village infrastructure limits - 44% population increase with no funded expansion
- Loss of village character - coalescence with Stansted destroys independence
📅 Key Dates
Upcoming events:
- 📍 Parish Council: First Tuesday monthly
- 📍 Campaign Meeting: Village Hall, Thursdays 7pm
- 📍 Consultation Deadline: Check latest updates
🤝 Village Contacts
Get involved locally:
- Parish Council: birchanger.com
- Village Hall bookings for meetings
- Three Willows notice board
- St Mary's Church support
Contact the Birchanger & Stansted Green Belt Preservation Group
admin@saveourvillages.co.uk
For Birchanger residents and village-specific concerns.
📞 Phone
07368 501136
Call us to discuss concerns and find out how you can help.