Plans to deliver a new link road in Braintree are moving forward, following the approval of a revised planning agreement by Braintree District Council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday 17 February 2026.
Around 1,400 new homes are currently under construction on land west of Panfield Lane by two developers: Mersea Homes Ltd and Grange Marsh Properties Ltd, and Dandara.
As part of the developments, a link road is planned to connect Springwood Drive with Panfield Lane, and Mersea Homes Ltd and Grange Marsh Properties Ltd are responsible for building it.
Original planning obligations required the road to be completed before the 50th home was occupied on each development site. However, the developers were unable to reach an agreement on when the road could be built and its delivery has been stalled for a number of years.
Braintree District Council has worked with both developers to help resolve the issue and seek a way forward to support the delivery of this important piece of infrastructure.
An agreement was reached by both developers to enable the delivery of the link road who submitted two applications to vary the original Section 106 agreements. These remove Dandara’s obligation linked to the 50th occupation and instead secure a new agreement requiring Mersea Homes Ltd and Grange Marsh Properties Ltd to deliver the link road before more than 50 homes are occupied on their site, or within 12 months of the Deed of Variation being finalised - whichever is sooner.
Councillor Gabrielle Spray, Cabinet Member for Planning at Braintree District Council, said: “We recognise the frustration felt locally about delays to the link road between Springwood Drive and Panfield Lane. While the council is not responsible for building the road, we have worked closely with the developers to help move this forward as quickly as possible.
“This is a vital piece of infrastructure to support housing growth in the area. The approved variation provides much greater certainty over when the road will be delivered, which is crucial for improving the local highway network and relieving congestion. We will continue to work with the developers to ensure progress is made.”
Section 106 agreements are legal agreements linked to planning permissions that secure contributions or works from developers to support local infrastructure, such as highways, education, community facilities and healthcare. In most cases, these works are delivered by developers rather than the district council.