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Ongar residents protecting Green Belt land
Stop overdevelopment in Ongar
OCRRAG is campaigning against the proposed Bloor Homes development on land south of Chelmsford Road. We are asking Epping Forest District Council to refuse planning permission and to protect Ongar's Green Belt, countryside, and already stretched local infrastructure.
Change.org petition
Join over 2,111 people opposing overdevelopment in Ongar
Support the campaign against the proposed development on Green Belt land south of Chelmsford Road. Add your name to the petition and help show the strength of local opposition.
Sign the petitionDeveloper claims vs reality
A factual response to the proposed development south of Chelmsford Road
Green Belt classification
Classified as ‘lower quality’ without independently published evidence. The land remains designated Green Belt and is actively used by residents.
Local infrastructure capacity
GP services, schools, roads, and parking are already under pressure. No confirmed upgrades are tied to this development.
Environmental claims
Biodiversity and sustainability benefits are stated but not backed by site-specific evidence or enforceable commitments.
Loss of existing land
Open countryside is replaced with managed space. This is a permanent change, not an enhancement.
Campaign priorities
Key local concerns
Protect Green Belt land
The campaign opposes the loss of open countryside, farmland, and green space south of Chelmsford Road.
Keep Ongar moving
Residents are raising concerns about extra traffic on Chelmsford Road, the A414, the Four Wantz roundabout, the High Street, and nearby junctions.
Local services
Doctors, schools, parking, and public transport are already under strain and should not be pushed further by unplanned growth.
Flora and Fauna
Supporters want habitat, biodiversity, rural views, and Ongar's distinct local identity protected for the long term.
The case against the proposal
Why this site matters
Ongar is a small historic market town whose setting, character, and sense of community depend on the countryside around it. The campaign case is that building on land south of Chelmsford Road would push growth onto open Green Belt land that has not been allocated in the adopted plan, while adding pressure to roads, services, drainage, and wildlife habitat.
- The campaign argues that the proposed site is not allocated in the adopted development plan and would add unacceptable harm beyond the growth already planned for Ongar.
- Residents point to additional pressure on Chelmsford Road, the A414, the Four Wantz roundabout, the High Street, schools, GP services, parking, and buses.
- Supporters are also raising concerns about surface water flooding, loss of farmland and habitat, and the erosion of Ongar's rural setting and community identity.
Planning policy review
A clear campaign case rooted in the adopted plan, Green Belt protection, and the difference between allocated and unallocated land.
Traffic and infrastructure concerns
Documenting the extra pressure residents expect on roads, parking, schools, healthcare, and public transport.
Flood risk and drainage concerns
Keeping surface water flooding and drainage capacity at the centre of the campaign response.
Campaign updates
Briefings and background
Campaign update
Why the Chelmsford Road proposal matters
The proposed development south of Chelmsford Road is not just another planning application. For many residents, it goes to the heart of what Ongar is and how much pressure the town can absorb.
Read Article
Planning policy
Green Belt policy and why it matters here
Protecting Green Belt land is central to the campaign objection, because the site south of Chelmsford Road is part of the countryside setting that separates Ongar from further sprawl.
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Infrastructure
Traffic, parking, and local access pressure
Residents are not imagining traffic pressure. Chelmsford Road, the A414, the Four Wantz roundabout, the High Street, and nearby junctions are already part of daily concern.
Read Article