NOTES ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 24 MARCH
2015 AT 5.00 P.M. IN THE PARISH COUNCIL OFFICES, CRAFTON GREEN, STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET
PRESENT: District Cllr Alan Dean
Parish Cllrs Maureen Caton, Peter Jones, Geoffrey Sell
Stansted Business Forum- Andrew Blatt
ATTENDING Secretary: Trevor Lloyd
ECC Economic Growth & Regeneration Manager -Helen Code
APOLOGIES: District Cllrs Iris Evans, and Joe Rich
Parish Cllr –John O’Brien
Stansted Business Forum- Peter James
UDC Economic Development Officer -Simon Jackson
Declaration of interests from AD as District Councillor
1. Minutes of the meeting on Tuesday 27 January were approved
2. Matters arising
 The Car Park Petition organised by Alan Goldsmith has been reported to the UDC Cabinet and will
be considered as part of the car park review.
 We are still waiting for Graham Wilson to contact Maureen Caton about taking the market
proposals forward.
 Sue Lock, UDC’s Access Officer was not available for today’s meeting so she will be invited to a
future meeting along with David Morgan from the Business Forum
3. Neighbourhood Plan Developments
 A steering group has been established and hopefully they will elect a chairman at their first
meeting. Simon Thompson has indicated he is prepared to take on the job
 No one from the business Community has so far offered to be part of the steering group. AB
undertook to sound out a few possible candidates
 Funding for the project is looking favourable
 A key issue is the defining of the precise geographical area to be covered by the plan and in
particular whether the airport should be excluded
 MC and PLJ have visited Rendlesham in Suffolk to learn from them about how they produced a
successful Neighbourhood Development Plan. MC liked their plan because it was clear, concise
and written in a way that is straightforward and accessible. She felt the key lesson they had learnt
was the importance of regular and comprehensive consultation with residents.
4. Cambridge Road Development Site
AD reported on a meeting with Cllr Howard Rolfe, Leader of UDC
 It might be possible for UDC to purchase a parcel of land on the site and Andrew Taylor,
director of planning had been asked to explore how this might be done
 It is likely that the developers will have learnt lessons from previous applications that had
been rejected and that their next application would be successful.
It was agreed to explore the possibility of the EDWG employing a consultant to produce a master
plan for the whole site which would maximise the benefits of the development of the site for the
wider community as well as for the landowners. TL was asked to research possible consultants.
Parking issues in Cambridge Road need to be addressed at the same time as part of a plan for the
whole area. Peter Jones reported on a meeting with ECC which covered many of the problems and
the promised response will need to be assessed. He agreed to supply Helen Code with the names
of the officers who had attended the meeting.
Business Forum Issues
 The new business directory will be distributed to households in the village end of April
 New members are still joining which means that it may not be possible to accommodate everyone
at Linden House for the breakfast meeting; suggestions were made about the Day Centre as an
alternative
 The Summer Fayre is set to go ahead on 4th July and there is already a good selection of stalls
booked.
 TL will explore the possibility of some kind of reception for the business forum members in the
Day Centre.
5. Date and time of next meeting: Wednesday 29th April at 4.00 pm.
STANSTED MOUNTFITCHET ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP
1. Develop plans and actions for the centre of Stansted Mountfitchet to enhance its commercial and
2. retail vitality
3. Promote short-term support and encouragement to local businesses that will increase and
improve trade in Stansted Mountfitchet
4. Support the retention of employment land for that purpose and, w here appropriate, its
redevelopment to meet today’s needs for employment and local services; for example, land
behind Cambridge Road
5. To work with and lobby other public authorities, such as the local planning authority, in support of
6. the aims of the group
7. Give support to the Stansted Mountfitchet Business Forum and amended on 10th July 2014
Agreed at the working group meeting on Wednesday 10 July 2014.