Fact-Checking Hammonds Farm LLP FAQ
Unpacking the Spin: A response to Hammonds Farm’s FAQ
When a developer publishes a Frequently Asked Questions page, it often serves one purpose: to pre-empt public concern with carefully crafted reassurance. Hammonds Farm LLP’s FAQ is no exception. But while its tone may appear calm and confident, its content leaves out critical context, glosses over legitimate objections, and misrepresents what’s truly at stake. As a community coalition committed to transparency, we’ve gone through the FAQ line by line — to separate fact from fiction.
Q: Why is this land being considered for development?
A (Hammonds Farm LLP): The land has been “promoted” for development through the Local Plan process.
Our Response:
This framing is intentionally vague. The site is not being considered because it is logical or sustainable — but because it has been actively promoted by a private developer with vested interests. The Local Plan process does not inherently validate the proposal; it simply allows stakeholders to put forward land for assessment. Community opposition, landscape constraints, and infrastructure realities remain major unresolved issues — which this answer ignores entirely.
Q: Who is behind the proposals?
A (Hammonds Farm LLP): Hammonds Farm LLP is supported by a team of technical and design advisors.
Our Response:
Notably absent from this response is any transparency about who actually comprises Hammonds Farm LLP, who benefits financially, or how local accountability is enforced. We now know that Grosvenor — a high-profile property developer — remains involved as an advisor, despite earlier assumptions that they had stepped away. Meanwhile, Wates has been appointed as the site’s masterplanner. These are major commercial entities with track records in large-scale urbanisation — not neutral partners. That fact should be made explicit.
Q: Will it provide affordable housing?
A (Hammonds Farm LLP): The plan includes a mix of housing types, including affordable homes.
Our Response:
“Affordable” is a moving target — often defined in planning terms as up to 80% of market value. In Chelmsford, this still prices out many local families and key workers. No commitment has been made to social rent, council housing, or even specific affordability ratios. The promise is vague, unenforceable at this stage, and designed to appeal to general goodwill without offering substance.
Q: Will there be new schools and health services?
A (Hammonds Farm LLP): The plan allows for land to be made available for these uses.
Our Response:
“Allowing for land” is not the same as delivering infrastructure. There is no guarantee that schools, GP surgeries, or community services will be funded or staffed. The NHS is already under extreme pressure, and local schools are facing capacity issues. Simply reserving plots on a map doesn’t ensure provision — and certainly not at the pace required to meet the needs of a growing population.
Q: How will traffic be managed?
A (Hammonds Farm LLP): The site is designed to encourage sustainable travel and reduce car dependence.
Our Response:
The claim of “sustainable travel” hinges almost entirely on assumptions — not evidence. The modal shift required to support this vision (reducing car use by 60%) is unprecedented and unsupported by current bus or cycle infrastructure. Crucially, no viable public transport plan exists to connect the site with key employment areas. Without it, residents will inevitably rely on cars, adding to congestion and pollution in Sandon, Little Baddow, and surrounding villages.
Q: Is this really a ‘Garden Community’?
A (Hammonds Farm LLP): Yes, it draws on garden community principles.
Our Response:
This is branding, not planning. True garden communities are built on long-term stewardship, community-led design, and deep public engagement. So far, Hammonds Farm LLP’s process has been top-down and opaque. Key statutory consultees, such as Natural England and neighbouring councils, were unaware or unconsulted during crucial stages. The term “Garden Community” here is a marketing tool, not a lived reality.
🔍 Final Thoughts
The Hammonds Farm FAQ aims to deflect criticism through selective phrasing and polished optimism. But this isn’t just about messaging — it’s about the future of our communities. What’s missing from the FAQ is what matters most: binding guarantees, accountable delivery mechanisms, genuine local involvement, and environmental responsibility.
As a community group, we urge you to read critically. Behind every soft promise is a hard commercial interest. And while Hammonds Farm LLP sells a vision, we live the reality. This isn’t just about housing — it’s about heritage, infrastructure, landscape, and democratic process.
Let’s make sure the full story is heard.
