BAND - Fighting against over-development of Burnham.
Latest BAND Updates and Other News
BAND Update - 27th February 2026
Hi All
We have seen continued progress recently including,
- Uploading of the Transport Consultant’s report on the Maldon planning portal.
- Essex Highways Consultation Response confirming, from a highway and transportation perspective, the impact of the proposal is NOT acceptable to the Highway Authority.
You can download the Transport Consultant’s Report by clicking (Here).
You can find all the documents related to the development application, including Highway Consultation response on the Maldon Planning website (Here).
The Fundraising Team are working on a number of events that will take place in the coming weeks and months and it would be extremely beneficial to raising funds for as many people as possible to attend these events.
The first event is a Quiz Night being held on 19th March 2026 in the Kings Hall, Maldon Con Club.
Please let Lisa know if you can attend and if you have a team, alternatively Lisa will find you one (you may end up with her 🤣).
We look forward to seeing as many people at this and future events.
Thank you again for your support and confidence.
On behalf of the BAND Working Group
BAND Update - 27th January 2026
Click relevent Button above to download document
Hi All
A big thank you to everyone who attended the open meeting at King’s Hall on Monday night. I hope you found it as valuable as the Working Group did. Your participation through discussions and debate was really positive and I’m sure helped all our understanding of what’s happened and what may come next.
BAND is now officially formed as an association and we are in the process of purchasing the public liability insurance we talked about last night to provide needed protection for what we do. To confirm that following Monday’s meeting the Core Working Group for the next year is:
Chairman: Roger Moreland
Secretary: Maria Jones
Treasurer: Mac McGlone
Working Group Member: Lisa Filtness
Working Group Member: Gary Carroll
Working Group Member: Annie Cook
Working Group Member: Sue Heaton
Working Group Member: Jacque Black
If you’re interested a copy of the minutes from the meeting and the BAND Constitution can be downloaded (see above). I’m sure they will be helpful as both an aide memoire to those that were able to attend and as useful information for those that were unable to be there.
If anyone who was not there has any questions, when you have had an opportunity to read and digest the minutes, then please do let us know and we can go through anything that is unclear at a mutually convenient time.
We will keep you updated on any progress with the transport consultant’s report being placed on the Maldon planning portal and also when it’s been made available on the BAND website. As discussed, we will provide guidance on what to say and how to contact key people so that sensitive pressure is maintained on them as the planning process unfolds.
The most important message from last night concerns the next steps, particularly in relation to a potential appeal and the engagement of a barrister. As we said, there is not enough information available at the moment to be certain about the amount of money that will be needed to fund the work of a barrister. I can’t emphasise enough how important this will be if we are going to give ourselves the best possible chance to win this fight at an appeal. As the way forward becomes clearer the Working Group will be able to hone the estimates we have developed so far and we will communicate what we believe is required to you as clearly as we can. We will also look at how fundraising plans can be developed beyond donations and how we can best accommodate as many preferences as possible in terms of donating money eg one amount of money, monthly donations etc.
Thank you again for your support and confidence.
Roger (Moreland)
On behalf of the BAND Working Group
Other News - 21/01/26 - Latchingdon Appeal Dismissed by Planning Inspectorate
Click Button above to download Planning Inspectorate Decision
Hi All
You may be aware that an application for 140 houses off The Street in Latchingdon went to appeal before a Planning Inspectorate at the end of November 2025. This week, the report was issued and the Planning Inspectorate dismissed the appeal. The reasons for dismissal are not all directly relevant to Romans Farm. However, it is encouraging to see the Planning Inspectorate refuse the appeal.
Biodiversity and the location of important sites for habitats and wetlands (European and Ramsar sites) within close proximity to the Latchingdon site and their integrity could be affected by the development and this is given a lot of weight in the decision.
The report also cites ‘some further harm to the landscape and character and appearance of the countryside’ making the application contrary to a number of policies in the local development plan. The report also says the effects would be limited and local.
The absence of a five year supply of housing in Maldon District as per Government calculations was seen to make the spatial strategy in the local development plan less strong than it might be ordinarily. Nonetheless, the Planning Inspectorate found that the application conflicted with the local development plan when read as a whole.
The effect of flood risk was downgraded in the decision making process by the Planning Inspectorate because he felt that could be overcome.
However, the importance of the proximity of the habitat areas cancelled this out further highlighting the importance of those habitats in reaching the decision to refuse the appeal.
It could not be concluded that the application presented a strong enough case to pass the sustainable development test in the National Planning Policy Framework.
All in all, it is encouraging to see that the Planning Inspectorate refused the appeal. However, the principal reasons given are not ones that are applicable to Romans Farm.
If you are interested in reading the full report, it is available by clicking the link at the top of this News Item.
Regards
On behalf of the BAND Working Group
BAND Update - 17th January 2026
Hi All
Following on from my previous message about our meeting on Monday 26 January 2026, I’d like to confirm that the open meeting will take place at 19:00 at King’s Hall behind the Constitutional Club in Burnham. We’re grateful to the Constitutional Club for allowing us to hold the meeting at the venue so please do support them by buying a drink at the bar if you can. There is a car park at the back of the Constitutional Club and the entrance to King’s Hall is in the car park. It is best to go round the back and enter King’s Hall directly rather than go through the club if you are not driving to the venue.
After this message, a number of documents relevant to the meeting are available for download. They are:
- The Agenda.
- BAND Constitution for adoption.
- A blank nomination form (if you want to nominate someone for a Working Group position).
- A completed nomination form from the Core Working Group. (The Working Group is putting its current officers forward en bloc for election).
- A blank BAND Volunteers Form, including Privacy Policy.
We look forward to seeing you on 26 January.
Roger (Moreland)
On behalf of the BAND Working Group
Click Button(s) below to download relevant document in relation to meeting
BAND Update - 14th January 2026
Hi All
The Working Group met on Monday evening to review where we are with the Romans Farm application, to finalise what’s needed to formally establish BAND, discuss where we are with the work of the transport consultant and discuss what is likely to come next and what we will need from you.
We are finalising the paperwork for the meeting on Monday 26 January and will circulate that as soon as we can via WhatsApp and through the BAND email account. The paperwork will also be circulated to each household in hard copy in due course to ensure as many people as possible are informed. Thanks again to John Perrott for his generous offer to produce the printing for us. Without this support, it would be difficult to deliver this level of communication with you. We are grateful to him for supporting us all in this way.
I am also delighted to tell you that all members of the Working Group have confirmed that they are happy to put themselves forward for the committee for the coming year. There are also opportunities for other people to put themselves forward for the Working Group and to offer support in other areas of our work as well. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated. Things like willing volunteers to deliver leaflets or information is as valuable to what we do as anything else so please do let us know if there’s anything you think you can contribute … just a few minutes of your time will be helpful and much appreciated. We will be producing a form that you can complete at or before the meeting if you are interested in helping out in any way.
Success in what we’re trying to achieve is not possible without your participation and so if you are available on the 26th, please do come along and continue to grow the momentum we have created together so far.
The Working Group looks forward to seeing you at 19:00 on Monday 26th January and to hearing and discussing our collective thoughts on the way forward.
Thanks and regards
Roger (Moreland)
On behalf of the BAND Working Group
BAND Update - 10th January 2026
Just wanted to let you know that the Working Group has agreed that the next BAND open meeting will be held at 7pm on Monday 26 January at King’s Hall (the same venue as the first meeting). This will provide as much time as possible for information on the application to emerge. Please do put that date in your diary.
More information will be circulated in due course. The Working Group is meeting this Monday to discuss the agenda.
We want to use this meeting to formally establish BAND, elect officers, see where we are and discuss what next with the application. We will also report back any information from the transport consultant who met with members of the Working Group last Thursday and walked the site with me.
This will be a very important meeting so the Working Group looks forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the meeting on the 26th.
This communication has also been circulated via WhatsApp Chat Group and the email addresses submitted via the BAND website to ensure as much coverage as possible.
Thanks and regards
Roger (Moreland)
On Behalf of the Working Group.
BAND Update - 19th December 2025
Following a Working Group meeting earlier this week, an important update is available.
The communication will also be circulated via the email addresses submitted to the BAND website and will also be hand delivered to every house on Mill Road and Stoney Hills in the next few days to ensure as much coverage as possible.
It includes an important request for you all.