“We Saved The Club From Developers”
We are disappointed to see the Chelmsford Muslim Society still trying to convince the public of this. However, simply repeating the same line over and over, does not make it true.
In fact they faced competition from another interested party who wanted to keep the club as it was and add extensive gym facilities. We have spoken to this local businessman at great length.
10 reasons why no developer would buy the hamptons
Much of this relates to why the council would not (in all probability) grant planning permission for a residential development at the Hamptons.
The Hamptons site is so close to the Clarion Gate development that any additional resiential development would amount to an over intensification of the area, and would not deliver residential quality.
A large residential development would breach the minimum spatial standards and would result in a loss of privacy for exisiting residential properties.
Additional residential properties would create an unacceptable strain on the local infrastructure in relation to healthcare provision, schools and the road and transport network.
The access roads to the Clarion Gate development do not meet Essex County Council standards, but were signed off by Chelmsford City Council anyway. Additional residential properties would generate extra vehicle movements, causing traffic and affecting vehicle flow in the local area. There are existing planning conditions stopping the creation of any additional access point to the Hamptons from The Ridings.
A large residential development would create additional parking pressure in the local area. Extensive onsite parking could be considered, but would eat into any developers profits.
A large residential development would require access to an open space for residents. The open space adjacent to the Hamptons barely met the council standards for Public Open Spaces for the Clarion Gate development. Further Public Open Spaces could be created locally, but would eat into any developers profits.
Chelmsford City Council have pages and pages of policies protecting sports, leisure and community facilities. Should the Hamptons close and heaven forbid be developed, the council would have to foot the bill to replace the facilities at another location within the area. Read the policies here (p223 onwards)
There are restrictions to development on some parts of the Hamptons site, due to the location of water mains and sewer pipes.
The asking of price of £2.35 million would be far too high for a property developer to make the kind of profit they normally look for. The club buildings would have no value, and would need demolition and clearance, eating into profit margins.
A large development would require substantial payments to the Community Infrastructure Levy (to improve local infrastructure) and S106 agreements (to mitigate some of the conditions that would be imposed by the council). On balance this would make any large residential development at the Hamptons unprofitable
The previous owners of the Hamptons (who were experienced property developers) did look into the possibility of some residential development of the Hamptons site, but decided not to take it forward.