DEVELOPERS behind a 9,000-home garden community have celebrated a “milestone moment” in their ambitious plans.

Latimer, the development arm of Clarion Housing Group, says it has now begun the search for a design team to masterplan its new blueprints on the Colchester and Tendring borders.

The Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community is part of the shared adopted Local Plan of both Colchester Council and Tendring Council, and is supported by Essex County Council.

The proposal itself will see between 7,500 and 9,000 homes on the Tendring-Colchester border constructed over the next 20 years.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Plan - the area of land proposed for the garden communityPlan - the area of land proposed for the garden community

As well as housing, the project also seeks to provide employment space, a new country park, university expansion, and a rapid transport system into Colchester.

Consultant teams are now invited to enter the developer’s international design competition to create an impressive masterplan for the landmark 1,740-acre project.

Latimer says applicants must develop an integrated approach to the proposal, including masterplanning, landscape architecture, sustainability and community engagement.

The successful team will be commissioned to work collaboratively to develop proposals forming an outline planning application for the new garden community.

Richard Cook, group development director at Clarion Housing Group, said: “Launching this high-profile competition marks a major milestone in our Tendring-Colchester Borders project, which will deliver vital homes and facilities for generations to come.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette: Colchester - an aerial view of the north-west of the cityColchester - an aerial view of the north-west of the city (Image: Newsquest)

“Everyone involved in this landmark scheme has a fantastic opportunity to create a lasting legacy and set a new standard for placemaking.

“We are looking forward to bringing a new project team on board to design a sustainable 21st century garden community where people aspire to live, work and visit.”

Sitting across the border of Colchester and Tendring councils, under current arrangements, planning decisions would need to be considered by either - or both - councils’ separate planning committees.

But a committee consisting of members of both councils was established in March this year to prevent any breakdowns in communication moving forward.

Details of Latimer’s masterplan competition, the first stage of which closes on Monday October 3, can be found via bit.ly/3AKgp2S.