Salvation Army won’t rule out Hadleigh development

Concerns Over Development of Hadleigh Farmland

The Save Hadleigh Farmland campaign group stated that The Salvation Army, which owns the historic land, is causing “suspicion” among residents. This follows the exclusion of the site from the Castle Point local plan.

Residents have been campaigning to protect the land near Hadleigh Country Park since it was first considered for the local plan last year.

Leaflets delivered to homes in Leigh and Hadleigh ask residents to urge the charity to rule out any development on the site. They claim previous letters to the charity went unanswered.

Community Reactions

Leigh campaigner Keith Murray said, “Since the Salvation Army offered the farmland for consideration for development, the proposal has been resolutely rejected by local residents.”

He added, “Every political party in Castle Point and Southend is united in opposition to any development of this iconic landscape.”

Murray also mentioned, “This lack of clarity is making the Salvation Army unpopular and is creating suspicion within a community that has always supported and embraced it.”

Local Plan Details

The local plan provides for 53 percent of the 11,662 homes mandated by government housing targets. There is concern that undershooting these targets could lead to development outside what the council has included.

Martin England, Head of Save Hadleigh Farmland, stated, “Any development on this site has been resolutely rejected by local residents, and this cannot be part of the Salvation Army’s mission statement which will affect their legacy, built up since 1891.”

He urged, “Please end this unhappy episode by publicly announcing you no longer seek to develop this beautiful open space.”

Salvation Army’s Position

The charity said it has not made a final decision since the local plan has not yet been approved. They remain “committed” to working with residents.

A Salvation Army spokesperson stated, “Castle Point Council has recently decided to progress the Local Plan to the Examination in Public stage. Until completed, we will not make a decision on next steps.”

They added, “However, we are committed to engaging with the local community and we will provide updates when we have more information to share about the future of the site.”

The spokesperson emphasized, “The Hadleigh Farm Estate is an important area of natural beauty, public spaces, and biodiversity.”

Residents can sign up for updates by emailing engagement@hadleighfarmestate.co.uk or visiting www.hadleighfarmestate.co.uk.