19 homes bid for Rowhedge approved...as pump house gets reprieve

Hills Construction wanted to demolish the pump house in Rowhedge and build 20 new homes at the site.

However, more than 100 objections were submitted calling for the pump house to be retained.

The developer subsequently put in an amended application for 19 homes and started discussions with the Rowhedge Heritage Trust.

The trust has been fighting to save the pump house from development and needs to raise £120,000 to buy it.

It was built in 1903 and experts say it is the only historic building left between High Street and the homes at the new development.

Last month councillors agreed to add it to a list to help protect it in the future.

At a meeting of Colchester Council’s planning committee residents and councillors raised concerns about parking and sewage.

Rowhedge councillor Mike Lilley told the meeting: “I’m really pleased [the pump house] has been taken out, it would be even better if Hills gave us the pump house.”

He told councillors there had been sewage problems at a nearby housing estate and asked for assurance the new site would be able to cope.

Planning officers said they had spoken to Anglian Water and been assured there was “sufficient capacity”. Councillor Theresa Higgins said while she sympathised on the perceived parking issues she said there was not more the council could do.

She said: “I suspect what will happen is once everything has been built, double yellow lines will be put in and [residents] will be forced to park in their own parking bays.

“Until then there is nothing we can do under the planning.”

Mrs Higgins said it was up to residents “to be a bit more considerate”.

Councillors voted unanimously to approve the plans.

Discussions are ongoing between the trust and Hills about the historic pump house’s future.

The trust hopes if it can raise the money for the building, it can be used for interactive displays, educational events and to hold village activities.